There are a few miscellaneous honors from 2008 that we felt were worth mentioning, so here they are. Enjoy!

Best Album Cover:
Coldplay. Shit.
Coldplay, Viva La Vida

As much as I hate to award Coldplay for anything, every time I saw the poster of this while walking in the subway, I thought, “That looks AWESOME!” I hoped it was a badass marketing campaign for a new movie or book or something, by the look of the paint scrawled over an old-fashioned painting, but alas. It was Coldplay. Shit.

Best One-Two Music Video Punch:
Young Jeezy, “Put On” + “Crazy World”
Watch these videos back to back. If you don’t feel riled up or uncomfortable… scratch that, you will feel riled up and uncomfortable. There’s just no way around it.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO2mgQ5IWbU[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGJ_CuSg6mk[/youtube]

Most Disappointing Change In Appearance:
kyp beard
kypnooooo
Kyp Malone

When I first saw the new press photos of TV on the Radio with an afro-less Kyp Malone, I was struck by sadness over the loss of his luscious locks. Luckily, at their show at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple in October, it looked like he was starting to bring it back.

Best Beard Belonging To A Guitarist That Isn’t Kyp Malone:
Zac Holzman
Zac Holtzman, Dengue Fever

Congrats to Zac Holtzman, who’s got a beard that’s goin’ places. Like halfway down his chest.

Band We’d Most Like To Hang Out With:
fleet foxes
tv on the radio
yeasayer
Tie: Fleet Foxes, TV on the Radio, Yeasayer

It all comes down to talented, good-looking guys from northern, coastal cities who seem like they know how to have a good time, basically.

Band We’d Least Like To Hang Out With:
smashing pumpkins
Billy Corgan / Smashing Pumpkins

It always sounds fun in theory to hang out with someone this batshit crazy, but in reality, it’s the very definition of a buzz kill.