Saturday, November 8, 2014

Blogovision 2014 – A fine mess

Yes, it is this time of the year again - Markos is calling out again for entry into the blogovision countdown for the best albums of the year. This year's call for blogger friends is as upside down as our era: a fine mess. The time has come for # blogovision2014, the eighth in the series. Markos mentions a need for it to be renewed from the roots up and examine the motivation behind it: a true passion for music. So this year the blogovision 2014 focus should again be on what seemed to momentarily be overshadowed by the social nature of the event: the music and the passion with which we listen to it. So this year there should be a limit to entrants (only 100), so as to attract only people who really put their time, energy and emotions in the music they are listening to.


As Markos says, if you feel that you do it compulsively, don't do it. If you enter for the sex appeal, don't do it. If you play for appearances only, you're not ready. If you're addicted to grumbling and disputing, don't do it. If the whole thing seems to you to be elitist, systemic or trivial, keep out. If you have listened to 20 albums that you liked, we want you to tell us about them and make them known to us. Even those which e have already listened to. Because you listened to them in quite a different way than we did.

You know the drill.

How to enroll?

- In a comment on the respective post of Markos' blog, write:

1. your nickname
2. the blog where you will be voting (or one that will be hosting you as guest) and
3. last year's No.1 album for you.

When 100 participations are complete, that's it. Until November 30th.

What albums can you vote?

- Albums of 2014 or from December 2013 (as deadline you have their European release date according to Amazon.co.uk, from  01.12.2013 onwards and a US release according to Amazon.com or the Allmusic.com from 12.01.2013 onwards). Here you get a glimpse of what was released per month in 2014.

- Albums with original recorded material from the same artist. Cover versions albums and tribute albums count too, as long as they are from one artist (no compilations).

- Albums (LPs, mini LPs, EPs) with a total duration of at least 30 minutes and a total of at least six tracks. If the album is over 40 minutes long, the rule of six tracks is invalidated. An album eg with 4 songs of 11 minutes each counts as normal.

- It goes without saying that anyone who wants to vote for something other than the aforementioned regulations is free to do so. However, this entry will not be counted in the overall score and its points are invalid.

What's the process?

- Voting starts on  December 1st with your No.20 favourite albums for 2014. On December 2nd, your No. 19. Thus it goes forth until December 20th when we vte our  No. 1 album. The countdown is evaluative and not random. And please do not be late to post your entries each day.

- The 20 albums are the minimum. One may not be vote for less. Only the first 20 will get points (from December 1st). Those who vote less than 20 discs, will not count in the final vote ... (as they alter the overall result of the top 20 coming in terms of a top 20). Those who want to vote more than 20 albums, would be advised to have it done by 30 November (the 21st downwards).

The winners:
- The points every album gets from No.20 to No.1 to make up the final ranking shall be as follows:

No.01 = 35
No.02 = 29
No.03 = 24
No.04 = 20
No.05 = 17
No.06 = 15
No.07 = 14
No.08 = 13
No.09 = 12
No.10 = 11
No.11 = 10
No.12 = 09
No.13 = 08
No.14 = 07
No.15 = 06
No.16 = 05
No.17 = 04
No.18 = 03
No.19 = 02
No.20 = 01

- It is therefore very important to vote for merit and not randomly. Especially the top five gets an enhanced vote share and plays an important role in the overall score.

Let's enjoy this once again!