How To Make a List

Everyone makes an end-of-year list. Count down your favorite bands, songs, albums, videos, you name it - there's a list for it somewhere. Many lists, actually. And most of them completely suck.

That's why it's great that Pretty Much Amazing created a guide to making the best of a bad tradition. Chris Barth gives an excellent list of commandments including "Thou shalt not confuse a great track with a great album" and the bold "Thou shalt not number thy list."

As Barth writes, "Year End Lists are like chicken pox, taxes, and those Frank TV ads - unavoidable. And in many ways, that’s great. Just remember, all ye makers of lists, that with great power comes great responsibility."

So if you're contemplating making your own list, do so with caution and take his suggestions to heart. Wouldn't the world be a little better if best-of lists actually spotlighted the best music? What a nice thought.