Tom's Top Songs of the 2010's (2010-19)

Below is a ranking of my top songs for the 2010's. (2010-19).
I'm sure I've missed many songs since 2010.  But as a snapshot of the decade, this is a pretty good look at what I listened to the most.

1.  Adele - Rolling In The Deep
2.  Daft Punk - Get Lucky
3.  Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe
4.  Bruno Mars - Locked Out Of Heaven
5.  Gotye - Someone I Used To Know
6.  Little Big Town - Girl Crush
7.  Jason Isbell - If We Were Vampires
8.  Sufjan Stevens - Fourth of July
9.  Arcade Fire - We Used To Wait
10. Luke James - I Want You
11. Lorde - Royals
12. Lizzo - Truth Hurts
13. Kendrick Lamar - Humble
14. Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know
15. Miguel - Adorn
16. Beyonce - All Night
17. Kacey Musgraves - Merry Go 'Round
18. Janelle Monae - Cold War
19. Adele - Hello
20. Charli XCX - Boom Clap
21. Gregory Porter - Real Good Hands
22. Chris Jansen - Drunk Girl
23. Cee-Lo - Fuck You
24. Future Islands - Seasons
25. Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee - Despacito
26. Dawes - All Your Favorite Bands
27. Sunny Sweeney -From A Table Away
28. Lady Antebellum - Need You Now
29. Kacey Musgraves - Slow Burn
30. Robyn - Dancing On My Own
31. Childish Gambino - This Is America
32. Lil Nas X & Billy Ray Cyrus - Old Town Road
33. Brandi Carlile - Joke
34. Bruno Mars - 24K Magic
35. J.D. McPherson - Northside Gal
36. Lana Del Rey - Video Games
37. Cardi B - Bodak Yellow
38. Bon Iver - Holocene
39. Childish Gambino - Redbone
40. Lykke Li - Get Some
41. Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines
42. Miranda Lambert - Mama's Broken Heart
43. Frank Ocean - American Wedding
44. Taylor Swift - Blank Space
45. M83 - Midnight City
45. Chris Stapleton - Tennessee Whiskey
46. Thundercat/Michael McDonald/Kenny Loggins - Show You The Way
47. Rihanna w/Calvin Harris - We Found Love
48. Sam Smith - Stay With Me
49. Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
50. Jens Lekman - I Know What Love Isn't
51. Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball
52. Alabama Shakes - Don't Wanna Fight
53. Adele - Someone Like You
54. Nico & Vinz - Am I Wrong?
55. Nick Jonas - Jealous
56. Anderson.Paak - Come Down
57. Pistol Annies - Hell on Heels
59. Billie Eilish - Bad Guy
60. Toni Braxton & Babyface - Hurt You
61. War on Drugs - Red Eyes
62. Camila Cabelo - Havana
63. Lady Gaga - Born This Way
64. Psy - Gangnam Style
65. Paramore - Hard Times
66. Elle King - Ex’s & Oh’s
67. Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker
68. Broken Bells - Ghost Inside
69. Pharrell - Happy
70. Ashley Monroe - Weed Instead of Roses
71. Katy Perry - Last Friday Night
72. Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper - Shallow
73. Parker Millsap - Old Time Religion
74. William Tyler - Kingdom of Jone
75. Sturgill Simpson - Turtles All The Way Down
76. Shawn Mendes - There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back
77. Brandy Clark - Stripes
78. Eric Church - Springsteen
79. Weeknd - Earned It
80. Tim McGraw - Humble and Kind
81. Sam Hunt - Take Your Time
82. Craig Finn - God In Chicago
83. Rihanna - Love On The Brain
84. Sia - Chandelier
85. Ellie Goulding - Burn
86. Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen - Standards

Tom's Top Albums of the 2010's (2010-19)

Below are my Top Albums of the 2010's.  (2010-19)
I don't claim to have heard every album released since 2010.  As with past decades, there are many that I missed and will rediscover down the line.  But this is a decent representation of what I liked.

1. Kacey Musgraves - Same Trailer, Different Park
2. Adele - 21
3. Pistol Annies - Hell on Heels
4. Jason Isbell - Nashville Sound
5. Sturgill Simpson - Metamodern Sounds In Country Music
6. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
7. Janelle Monae - ArchAndroid
8. Chris Stapleton - Traveller
9. Brandy Clark - Big Day In A Small Town
10. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
11. J.D. McPherson - Signs & Signifiers
12. William Tyler - Modern Country
13. Jens Lekman - I Know What Love Isn't
14. Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour
15. Parker Millsap - s/t
16. Beyonce - Lemonade
17. Jason Isbell - Something More Than Free
18. Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra
19. Margo Price - Midwest Farmer's Daughter
20. Brandy Clark - 12 Stories
21. Miranda Lambert - Platinum
22. Vampire Weekend - Contra
23. Todd Snider - Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables
24. Janelle Monae - Dirty Computer
25. Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color
26. Hamilton - Original Broadway Cast
27. Arcade Fire - Suburbs
28. Chance The Rapper - Coloring Book
29. Rhiannon Giddens - Freedom Highway
30. Lizzo - Cuz I Love You
31. Miranda Lambert - Four The Record
32. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
33. Pistol Annies - Interstate Gospel
34. D'Angelo - Black Messiah
35. Ashley McBryde - Girl Going Nowhere
36. Highwomen - s/t
37. Adele - 25
38. Ashley Monroe - Like A Rose
39. Kamasi Washington - Heaven and Earth
40. Miranda Lambert - Wildcard
41. Elizabeth Cook - Welder
42. Civil Wars - Barton Hollow
43. Taylor Swift - 1989
44. National - High Violet
45. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think
46. Tyler Childers - Country Squire
47. Miguel - Kaleidoscope Dream
48. Eric Church - Chief
49. A Tribe Called Quest - We Got It From Here
50. Willie Nelson - Last Man Standing
51. John Moreland - Big Bad Luv
52. Maxwell - blackSummers'night
53. Paul Simon - So Beautiful or So What
54. Rodney Crowell - Close Ties

Tom's Top Songs & Reissues of 2019

Tom's Top Songs of 2019

1. Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus - Old Town Road
2. Lizzo - Good As Hell/Truth Hurts/Juice
3. Billie Eilish - Bad Guy
4. Taylor Swift - Lover
5. Lewis Capaldi - Someone You Loved
6. Highwomen - Redesigning Women
7. Maren Morris - Bones/Girl
8. Tyler Childers - Your'n
9. Brittany Howard - Stay High
10. J.S. Ondara - Saying Goodbye
11. O'Jays - Stand Up (Show Love)
12. Ariana Grande - Thank You, Next
13. Jonas Brothers - Sucker
14. Yola - Faraway Look
15. Vampire Weekend - This Life
16. Jenny Lewis - Red Bull & Hennessey
17. J.S. Ondara - American Dream
18. Blanco Brown - Git Up
19. Kirk Franklin - Love Theory
20. Michael Kiwanuka - Piano Joint (This Kind of Love)
21. Bruce Springsteen - Tucson Train
22. Old Dominion - One Man Band
23. Luke Combs - Beer Never Broke My Heart
24. Miranda Lambert - It All Comes Out In The Wash
25. Blake Shelton - God's Country
26. Tanya Tucker - Bring My Flowers Now
27. Prince - Do Yourself A Favor
28. Jenny Tolman - Love You Too
29. Kalie Shorr - Lullaby
30. Khalid - Talk
31. Lana Del Rey - Looking for America

Top Reissues of 2019

1. All The Young Droogs: 60 Juvenile Delinquent Wrecks - Various (Cherry Red)
2. Daisy Age - Various   (Ace)
3. Eric Dolphy - Musical Prophet ('18 Resonance Box Set)
4. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Best of Everything
5. Elvis Presley - Live 1969 (Box Set)
6. Spoon - Best of Spoon
7. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Live at Woodstock
8. Ken Burns' Country Music - Various (Box Set)
9. World Spirituality Classics 2: Time For Peace Is Now - Various (Luaka Bop)
10. 1977: Year Punk Broke - Various (Cherry Red)
11. Linda Ronstadt - Live In Hollywood
12. Prince -1999 (Super Deluxe Reissue)
13. Reggie Young - Session Guitar Star (Ace)
14. Come On Let's Go! Power Pop Gems from the 70's & 80's - Various (Ace)
15. Social Power of Music - Various  (Smithsonian Box Set)
16. John Coltrane - Blue World
17. Uncle Walt's Band - s/t (Ominvore reissue)

Playlist for 12/20 (Christmas Edition)

Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show (Netflix)
Los Lobos - Llego Navidad
Freddy Fender - Christmas Time In The Valley
Wade Bowen - Twelve Twenty-Five
Keb' Mo' - Moonlight, Mistletoe & You
Josh Rouse  - Holiday Sounds of
McCrary Sisters - Very McCrary Christmas
Gene Autrey - Gene Autrey Christmas
Robbie Williams - Christmas Present
Dualtone Christmas - Various
God Rest Ye Merry Jazzmen - Various (1981)
Merry Christmas To You! - Various (1957 Capitol Records)

Uproxx 2019 Music Critics Poll

I voted in this poll again this year.

Here's a link to my ballot, which will take you to the rest of the poll results:

Tom's 2019 Ballot

Tom's Top Albums of 2019

Tom's Top Albums of 2019

1. Lizzo - Cuz I Love You
2. Miranda Lambert - Wildcard
3. Highwomen - s/t
4. Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka
5. Britanny Howard - Jaime
6. Tyler Childers - Country Squire
7. J.S. Ondara - Tales of America
8. Tanya Tucker - While I'm Livin'
9. Jamila Woods - Legacy! Legacy!
10. Our Native Daughters - Songs of Our Native Daughters
11. Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride
12. Yola - Walk Through Fire
13. Taylor Swift - Lover
14. Leyla McCalla - Capitalist Blues
15. Kalie Shorr - Open Book
16. Jenny Lewis - On The Line
17. Philip Bailey - Love Will Find A Way
18. Rhiannon Giddens - There Is No Other
19. Delines - Imperial
20. Ian Noe - Between The Country
21. Todd Snider - Cash Cabin Sessions Vol. 3
22. Chance The Rapper - Big Day
23. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
24. Durand Jones - American Love Call
25. Raphael Saadiq - Jimmy Lee
26. Chris Knight - Almost Daylight
27. Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell
28. Kelsey Waldon - White Noise/White Lines
29. Jenny Tolman - There Goes The Neighborhood
30. Cody Jinks - After The Fire/Wanting
31. Dee White - Southern Gentleman
32. Raconteurs - Help Us Stranger
33. Allison Moorer - Blood
34. O'Jays - Last Word
35. Beck - Hyperspace
36. Maren Morris - Girl
37. North Mississippi All Stars - Up and Rolling
38. Sleater-Kinney - Center Can't Hold
39. Fruit Bats - Gold Past Life
40. Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis - Beautiful Lie
41. New Pornographers - In The Morse Code of Break Lights
42. Avett Brothers - Closer Than Together
43. Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars (Studio + Soundtrack Albums)
44. Harry Styles - Fine Line
45. Mike and the Moonpies - Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold
46. Leonard Cohen - Thanks For The Dance
47. Erin Enderlin - Faulkner Country
48. Hayes Carll - What It Is
49. 75 Dollar Bill - I Was Real
50. Sara Bareilles - Amidst the Chaos
51. Sturgill Simpson - Sound & Fury
52. Lee "Scratch" Perry - Rainford
53. Kim Gordon - No Home Record
54. Tuxedo -III
55. Mavericks - Play The Hits
56. Fontaines D.C. - Dogrel
57. Michaela Anne - Desert Dove
58. Paranoid Style - Goddamn Impossible Way of Life

Playlist for 12/16

2019 Oxford American Southern Music Issue (Magazine)
2019 ACL Presents: Americana 18th Annual Honors (PBS)
2019 Soul Train Music Awards (BET)
2019 American Music Awards
Beck - Hyperspace
Coldplay - Everyday Life
Leonard Cohen - Thanks For The Dance
Harry Nilsson - Losst and Founnd
H.E.R. - I Used To Know Her
Tank and the Bangas - Green Balloon
Madison Cunningham - Who Are You Now
Grace Potter - Daylight

Greatest Christmas Songs

Below is a list of some of my favorite Christmas songs. There may be multiple versions of the same song, by different artists.  

1. Bing Crosby - White Christmas
2. Nat "King" Cole - The Christmas Song
3. Brenda Lee - Rockin' Around The Christmas
4. Elvis Presley - Blue Christmas
5. Judy Garland - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
6. Bobby Helms - Jingle Bell Rock
7. Jose Feliciano - Feliz Navidad
8. Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
9. Eartha Kitt - Santa Baby
10. Donny Hathaway - This Christmas
11. Harry Simeone Chorale - Little Drummer Boy
12. Jimmy Durante - Frosty The Snowman
13. Vince Guaraldi Trio- Linus and Lucy
14. Burl Ives - Holly Jolly Christmas
15. Gene Autrey - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
16. Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You
17. Drifters - White Christmas
18. Charles Brown - Please Come Home For Christmas
19. Andy Williams - It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
20. Ronettes - Sleigh Ride
21. Dean Martin - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
22. Bing Crosby - Silent Night
23. Elvis Presley - Silver Bells
24. Jackson 5 - Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
25. Carpenters - Merry Christmas Darling
26. Aretha Franklin - Winter Wonderland
27. Andy Williams - Happy Holidays
28. David Bowie/Bing Crosby - Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy
29. Gene Autrey - Here Comes Santa Claus
30. Run DMC - Christmas In Hollis
31. Roy Orbison- Pretty Paper
32. Elvis Presley - Santa Claus Is Back In Town
33. Vaughn Monroe - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
34. Darlene Love - Marshmallow World
35. Johnny Mathis - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
36. Wham - Last Christmas
37. Chuck Berry - Run Run Rudolph
38. Whitney Houston - Do You Hear What I Hear?
39. Jimmy Boyd - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
40. James Brown - Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto
41. Gene Autrey - Here Comes Santa Claus
42. Leroy Anderson- Sleigh Ride
43. Beach Boys - Little Saint Nick
44. Elvis Presley - Merry Christmas Baby
45. Luther Vandross - O Come All Ye Faithful
46. Nat "King" Cole - O Tannenbaum
47. Joni Mitchell - River
47. Perry Como - Home For The Holidays
48. Bing Crosby - I'll Be Home For Christmas
49. Elvis Presley - If I Get Home On Christmas Day
50. Stevie Wonder - Someday At Christmas  
51.  John Denver & Muppets - 12 Days of Christmas
52. Thurl Ravenscroft - You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch                                                     
53. John Lennon - Happy Xmas
54. Elton John - Step Into Christmas
55. Barry Gordon - Nuttin' For Christmas
56. Greg Lake - I Believe In Father Christmas
57. Crystals - Parade of the Wooden Soldiers
58. Merle Haggard - If We Make It Through December
59. Bruce Springsteen - Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
60. Nat "King" Cole - O Little Town of Bethlehem
61. Spike Jones - All I Want For Christmas
62. Clarence Carter - Back Door Santa
63. Jackie Wilson - O Holy Night
64. Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
65. Dolly Parton - Hard Candy Christmas
66. Vanessa Williams - What Child Is This?
67. Jackie Wilson- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
68. Frank Sinatra - The First Noel
69. Barbra Streisand - Ave Maria
70. Nat "King" Cole - Hark The Herald Angels Sing
71. Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmas Time Is Here
72. Angela Lansbury and Cast - We Need A Little Christmas
73. Ray Parker Jr. - Christmas Time Is Here
74. Elvis Presley - Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me)
75. Nat "King Cole" - I Saw Three Ships
76. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Deck The Halls
77. Dan Fogelberg - Same Old Lang Syne
78. Madonna - Santa Baby
79. Harry Belafonte - Mary's Boy Child
80. Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas?
81.  Buck Owens - Santa Looked A Lot Like Daddy
82. Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmastime
83. Pogues & Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York
84. Aretha Franklin - Joy To The World
85. Windham Hill Artists - Carol of the Bells
86. Eagles - Please Come Home For Christmas
87. George Strait - Away in A Manger
88. Alabama - Christmas In Dixie
89. Ella Fitzgerald/Louis Jordan - Baby It's Cold Outside
90. Pretenders - 2000 Miles
91. Louis Armstrong - 'Zat You Santa Claus?
92. Johnny Mathis - My Favorite Things
93. Chipmunks - Chipmunk Song
94. Robert Earl Keen - Merry Christmas From The Family
95. Kelly Clarkson - Underneath the Tree
96. Bobby Lloyd and the Skeletons - Do You Hear What I Hear/You Really Got Me
97. Johnny Mathis - Caroling Caroling/Happy Holidays
98. Mills Brothers - I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
99. Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody
100. Randy Travis - Old Time Christmas
101. Oak Ridge Boys - Thank God For Kids
102. Prince - Another Lonely Christmas
103. Kenny Loggins - Celebrate Me Home
104. Elmo & Patsy - Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeeer
105. Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans - Bells of St. Mary
106. Mabel Scott - Boogie Woogie Santa Claus
107. Hall & Oates - It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
108. Fred Waring - 'Twas The Night Before Christmas
109. Miles Davis - Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern)
110. Michael Buble - Grown Up Christmas List
111.  Billy Squier - Christmas Is The Time To Say "I Love You"
112. Temptations - Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
113. Jimmy Buffett - Christmas Island
114. Detroit Junior - Christmas Day
115. Weird Al Yankovic - Christmas At Ground Zero
116. Dolly Parton - Hard Candy Christmas
118. Bryan Adams - Christmas Time
119.  Alexander O'Neal - My Gift To You
120. Bing Crosby & Andrew Sisters - Mele Kalikimaka
121. Mavis Staples - Christmas Vacation
122. Youngsters - Christmas In Jail
123. Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton - Christmas Without You
124.  Emmylou Harris - Christmas Time's A-Coming
125.  Dick Shawn - Snow Miser Song
126.  Gayla Peevey - I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas
127.  John Mellencamp - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
128.  Luciano Pavarotti - Adeste Fideles
129.  Gene Autry - Up On The Housetop
130.  Tom Petty - Christmas All Over Again
131. Trans Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Canon
132. NRBQ - Merry Christmas Wish
133. Kay Starr - Man With The Bag
134. Zach Schmidt - I'm Drunk Again This Christmas
135. Nick Lowe - Christmas at the Airport
136. Kurtis Blow - Christmas Rapping
137. Kenny Rogers - Kids
138. Clarence Reid - Winter Man
139. Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday
140. Shirley Booth & Mickey Rooney - Year Without Santa Claus
141. Kinks - Father Christmas
142. Peggy Lee - Christmas Spell
143. El DeBarge - Christmas Without You
144. Ventures - Sleigh Ride
145. James Taylor - Go Tell It On The Mountain
146. John Prine - Christmas In Prison

Playlist for 12/9

Mavericks - Play the Hits
Hottie & The Blowfish - Imperfect Circle
Bob Dylan - Bootleg Series Vol. 15
James Brown - Live at Home With His Bad Self 1969
The Apollo (HBO Documentary)
Dolemite Is My Name (Netflix Movie)
Nellie McKay - Bagatelles
Now 72 - Various (U.S. Edition)
George Jones - s/t (1972)
Bobby Bare - Bare

My Predictions: 2020 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

16 nominees this year.

With a pathetic 3 female nominees again.  I've bitched about this from the moment the nominees were announced.  When will the tone-deaf heads of the Hall (Landau, Peresman, Harris) make changes to correct this? Why can’t they bring more women onto the NomCom to balance out the men’s club that it’s become?

No pre-1965 acts nominated.  How does my long-standing proposal for a Veterans Committee look now?

Also a whopping 2 R&B acts. Maybe 3 if you count the Michael McDonald Doobies era.  I’m depressed just typing this.

With 16 nominees, I don't know how they'll play this. Last year it was 7/15. For 2020,  I say 6 inductees, but hoping 7.  But I topped out at 6.

 Looking over the ballot, there were only 2 names that were shoo-ins. With many more in contention for the last 4 slots.

Inductees

1.  Dave Matthews Band - 7/7 of the last Fan Vote winners got in.  Will this be the year the spell is broken?  I guess the streak has to end.  Here's the thing:  most people aren't paying attention to the Hall's statement that the Top 5 fan vote leaders count for 1 ballot only.  A majority believe that the winner gets inducted.  The DMB are a well-respected band, with a passionate fan base.  But until the streak is broken.  I have to go with the Fan Vote Winner again this year.

2.  Doobie Brothers - There are only 2 easy picks for me this year.  And this is one of them. A Long Runnin' Classic Rock staple, who are still out touring.

3. Nine Inch Nails - With his movie and TV scores, Trent Reznor is as much a musical presence as he was during NIN's heyday.  He's even warmed up to the idea of a Rock Hall induction.  A sly way of garnering more votes?

4.  Notorious B.I.G. - When the nominees were first announced I thought this was a slam dunk.  A
couple months later, and I'm not so sure.  2Pac got in right away, and Biggie's as much an icon as any rapper.  So this will be another test of how much this current voting bloc will embrace Hip Hop.

5.  Pat Benatar - This is my other easy pick.  Benatar should pick up the Stevie Nicks vote and sail in.

6. Whitney Houston - While it's true that voters don’t always embrace R&B acts anymore, Houston seems just too big to get passed over. But then I think of the voting bloc of current Hall members, and realize it’s dominated by Classic Rockers. And suddenly her chances start to shrink.  Hope Clive Davis was lobbying voters.

The Rest

Judas Priest
MC5
Motorhead
T. Rex
Thin Lizzy  - Won't all these bands split votes?  Five hard rockin' bands on the same ballot.  MC5 now on their 5th try.  T. Rex, Thin Lizzy and Motorhead 1st time. There was a buzz about the T. Rex nomination.  They should do well with the Classic Rock vote. As for Judas Priest, I went back and forth on their chances. NomCommer Alan Light said, when Priest were first nominated in 2018, that they fared poorly with voters.  So, what will change?  A couple inductee classes later and some more classic rockers among the voting bloc?

Depeche Mode - The induction of the Cure last year should help Depeche Mode get closer to induction, if not put them over.  I'm still worried about 80's synth bands and how voters continue to treat them.  The Cure had a Rock element to their sound.  Synth-Rock bands?  This will be a good test.

Kraftwerk - 6th time on the ballot for the Electronica pioneers. Kraftwerk's critical standing hasn't helped them, and voters seem to know little about them.

Rufus featuring Chaka Khan - Admirable for NomCom member Amy Linden to get Chaka on the ballot again. It's the 4th time with Rufus, twice solo for Chaka.  But they gave her even less of a chance by putting her on the ballot with Whitney.

Soundgarden - Chris Cornell's death could bring in a wave of sympathy votes.  Being a first-time nominee from the post-Classic Rock era might also bring in some new votes.  Wouldn't be surprised to seem them get in right away.

Todd Rundgren - What a puzzler Rundgren's nominations have become. With his Classic Rock connections, and being a long-time artist who is still playing and recording, I thought his chances last year were solid. But he couldn't crack through the final Top 7. While Rundgren certainly qualifies for a Musical Excellence pick, it doesn't seem like that's going to happen either.  His 2nd nomination in a row, but his first seemed like his best chance.

Playlist for 12/3

Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka
Janiva Magness - Sings John Fogerty
Ahmad Jamal - Ballades
Bill Frisell - Harmony
Matthew Sweet - Kimi Ga Suki
Willie Nelson - My Own Peculiar Way
Ringo Starr - What's My Name
Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars (Soundtrack)
Beck - Paisley Park Sessions EP