I missed the deadline for Pazz 'n' Jop. My favorite albums and singles were sitting in a .doc on my computer; I just never turned them in. It slipped my mind, what with last-minute shopping and time spent in airports and cringing as Mom doled out copies of SPIN to relatives (I wrote about gypsy music for the end-of-the-year issue). Then there was the consumption of too much meat and candy, which resulted in a trip to the hospital. Fortunately things have settled down, I'm back home, and the patient--not me--is recovering.

And I made my lists so I damn well better show them off (especially since years as lame as 2006 make simple top tens quite the chore.) Here's to a much better 2007. I can tell you right now, the new Brother Ali is awesome.

Albums
1. The Hold Steady Boys & Girls in America
2. TV on the Radio Return to Cookie Mountain
3. Envelopes Demon
4. Be Your Own Pet Be Your Own Pet
5. Camera Obscura Let's Get Out of the Country
6. Yo La Tengo I Am Not Afraid Of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
7. Forro in the Dark Bonfires of Sao Joao
8. Thom Yorke The Eraser
9. Gnarls Barkley St. Elsewhere
10. Beirut Gulag Orkestar

Singles
1. "Ring the Alarm" - Beyonce
2. "SexyBack" - Justin Timberlake
3. "Dance Like a Monkey" - New York Dolls
4. "Ain't No Other Man" - Christina Aguilera
5. "Phenomena" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
6. "Wind It Up" - Gwen Stefani
7. "Don't Know Why (You Stay)" - The Essex Green
8. "Irreplaceable" - Beyonce
9. "LDN" - Lily Allen
10. "Black Sweat" - Prince

Yes, two Beyonce songs.