Robert Christgau's 1969 Jazz & Pop Ballot

Jazz: No choices

Pop:

1. Who: Tommy (Decca) [PG 30]
2. Flying Burrito Brothers: Gilded Palace of Sin (A&M) [PG 15]
3. Rolling Stones: Beggars Banquet (London) [PG 10]
4. The Band: The Band (Capitol) [PG 9]
5. Jimi Hendrix Experience: Electric Ladyland (Reprise) [PG 6]
6. Lou Reed: Velvet Underground (MGM) [MV 6]
7. Wilson Pickett: Hey Jude (Atlantic) [MV 6]
8. Delaney & Bonnie: The Original Delaney & Bonnie & Friends (A&M) [PG 6]
9. Bob Dylan: Nashville Skyline (Columbia) [MV 6]
10. Beatles: Beatles (Apple) [PG 6]

Pop Musician of the Year: Peter Townshend

Best Pop Song: Rolling Stones: Salt of the Earth

Best Pop Arrangement: Thunderclap Newman/Peter Townshend: Something in the Air

Notes

From the article:

Each of the participating critics was asked to select what he or she considered the ten best records of the year and to a lot them one hundred points in all, but not more than thirty and not less than five to any one. Although it was not insisted upon, each was asked to make at least one choice in six jazz categories, as follows: Big Band (BB); Small Group (SG), of less than ten pieces; Piano (P); Vocal (V), male, female or group; Blues (B), vocal or instrumental; and Reissue (R). For obvious reasons, the Reissue category was kept separate from the others in deciding the Top Twenty Jazz Albums of 1969.

In the pop field, each participating critic was asked to make at least one choice in three pop categories, as follows: Pop Group (PG); Male Vocal (MV); and Female Vocal (FV).

In both jazz and pop divisions critics were further requested to elect a Musician of the Year, Best Composition of the Year, and Best Arrangement of the Year.

Eligible albums were those issued between October 1st, 1968 and September 30th, 1969. Where ineligible albums were voted for, they are shown in the critic's listing but not included in the final tabulation.

Jazz & Pop, 1969