Best rock/pop, R&B and hip-hop CDs of 2008
Sunday’s Post-Dispatch featured my list of 2008’s top CDs. Here, I’m breaking the music down by genre with three lists.
In case you missed it, here’s the overall list, followed by the best in rock/pop, R&B, and hip-hop. Check the Blender Tuesday for my list of the best songs, and Wednesday for the best concerts.
And of course, all of this is just my humble opinion…
Best CDs of 2008
1. Erykah Badu, “New Amerykah Pt. 1: 4th World War”
2. TV on the Radio, “Dear Science”
3. Radiohead, “In Rainbows” (officially released Jan. 1, 2008; digital version released in 2007)
4. Kanye West, “808s & Heartbreak”
5. Portishead, “Third”
6. Q-Tip, “The Renaissance”
7. Beck, “Modern Guilt”
8. Lil Wayne, “Tha Carter III”
9. Ne-Yo, “Year of the Gentleman”
10. Coldplay, “Viva La Vida”
Honorable mentions: John Legend, “Evolver”; Kings of Leon, “Only By the Night”; Moby, “Last Night”; Nas, “Untitled”; Duffy, “Rockferry”
Best Rock/Pop CDs of 2008
1. TV on the Radio, “Dear Science”
2. Radiohead, “In Rainbows”
3. Portishead, “Third”
4. Beck, “Modern Guilt”
5. Coldplay, “Viva La Vida”
6. Kings of Leon, “Only By the Night”
7. Moby, “Last Night”
8. Duffy, “Rockferry”
9. Fleet Foxes, “Fleet Foxes”
10. Death Cab for Cutie, “Narrow Stairs”
Honorable mentions: Nine Inch Nails, “The Slip”; Sheryl Crow, “Detours”; Vampire Weekend, “Vampire Weekend”
Best R&B CDs of 2008
1. Erykah Badu, “New Amerykah Pt. 1: 4th World War”
2. Ne-Yo, “Year of the Gentleman”
3. John Legend, “Evolver
4. Mary J. Blige, “Growing Pains” (released Dec. 18, 2007, too late to make last year’s cut)
5. Beyonce, “I Am…Sasha Fierce”
6. Raphael Saadiq, “The Way I See It”
7. Estelle, “Shine”
8. Raheem DeVaughn, “Love Behind the Melody”
9. Labelle, “Back to Now”
10. Musiq Soulchild, “On My Radio”
Honorable mentions: Lyfe Jennings, “Lyfe Change”; Brandy, “Human”; Solange Knowles, “Sol-Angel & the Hadley St. Dreams”
Best Hip-Hop CDs of 2008
1. Kanye West, “808s & Heartbreak”
2. Q-Tip, “The Renaissance”
3. Lil Wayne, “Tha Carter III”
4. Nas, “Untitled”
5. Lupe Fiasco, “The Cool” (released Dec. 18 2007, too late to make last year’s cut)
6. The Roots, “Rising Down”
7. Snoop Dogg, “Ego Trippin”
8. T.I., “Paper Trail”
9. Common, “Universal Mind Circus”
10. Young Jeezy, “The Recession”
Honorable mentions: Nelly, “Brass Knuckles”; Rick Ross, “Trilla”; Ludacris, “Theater of the Mind”
Kevin C. Johnson has covered the St. Louis' music and nightlife scene for the past decade. 
Best Rock/Pop CDs of 2008:
ok for real, where is Metallica and Disturbed? those tw cd’s were hot! TV On the Radio, it took me a minute to get into them but i dig them! Vampire Weekend over Duff. will peep Death Cab and Kings.
Best R&B CDs of 2008:
wouldnt mess with this list, only to put Big Brooklyn Red or Sy Smith on the list.
Best Hip-Hop CDs of 2008:
interesting list. i would have ranked Q-Tip ahead of Kanye, Luda would have been in the top 8 and Nelly (the brother is hell cool) doesnt even get an honorable mention. Jean Grae, Murs or Little Brother should have made this list over Lil Wayne.
thanks for keeping us TUNED on the music this year! we will be looking forward to more in 09!