Robert Christgau: Dean of American Rock Critics

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The 1992 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll

Albums

1. Arrested Development: 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life of . . . (Chrysalis) 1050 (97)
2. Pavement: Slanted and Enchanted (Matador) 733 (50)
3. R.E.M.: Automatic for the People (Warner Bros.) 710 (62)
4. PJ Harvey: Dry (Indigo) 649 (62)
5. Beastie Boys: Check Your Head (Capitol) 618 (52)
6. Los Lobos: Kiko (Slash/Warner Bros.) 603 (50)
7. Sugar: Copper Blue (Rykodisc) 474 (49)
8. Sonic Youth: Dirty (DGC) 439 (40)
9. Tom Waits: Bone Machine (Island) 369 (35)
10. Basehead: Play With Toys (Imago) 354 (27) *
11. Lucinda Williams: Sweet Old World (Chameleon) 342 (30)
12. K.D. Lang: Ingénue (Sire/Warner Bros.) 338 (34)
13. Neneh Cherry: Homebrew (Virgin) 299 (31)
14. Prince and the New Power Generation: Prince XV (Paisley Park/Warner Bros.) 298 (26)
15. The Jayhawks: Hollywood Town Hall (Def American) 268 (25)
16. Lou Reed: Magic and Loss (Sire/Warner Bros.) 240 (23)
17. Bruce Springsteen: Lucky Town (Columbia) 230 (19)
18. Neil Young: Harvest Moon (Reprise) 225 (26)
19. The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy: Hypocrisy Is the Greatest Luxury (4th & B'way) 202 (22)
20. Soul Asylum: Grave Dancers Union (Columbia) 197 (19)
21. En Vogue: Funky Divas (EastWest) 187 (18)
22. Madonna: Erotica (Maverick/Reprise) 187 (17)
23. Chris Bell: I Am the Cosmos (Rykodisc) 181 (19)
24. Lyle Lovett: Joshua Judges Ruth (Curb/MCA) 177 (19)
25. Television: Television (Capitol) 162 (18)
26. Faith No More: Angel Dust (Slash/Warner Bros.) 159 (13)
27. Leonard Cohen: The Future (Columbia) 153 (15)
28. Freedy Johnston: Can You Fly (Bar/None) 143 (14)
29. Morrissey: "Your Arsenal" (Sire) 143 (13)
30. Mary J. Blige: What's the 411? (MCA/Uptown) 141 (17)
31. Body Count: Body Count (Sire/Warner Bros.) 139 (11)
32. L7: Bricks Are Heavy (Slash) 138 (16)
33. Lindsey Buckingham: Out of the Cradle (Warner Bros.) 138 (14)
34. Pearl Jam: 10 (Epic Associated) 132 (14) *
35. Unrest: Imperial ffrr (TeenBeat) 128 (14)
36. Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes (Atco) 127 (13) *
37. The Black Crowes: The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (Def American) 121 (10)
38. The Roches: A Dove (MCA) 121 (9)
39. John Trudell: AKA Graffiti Man (Rykodisc) 120 (11)
40. Ice Cube: The Predator (Priority) 117 (11)

*Includes 1991 votes: Basehead 90 (8), Pearl Jam 70 (7), Tori Amos 10 (1).

This poll compiles ballots from 253 critics, who divided 100 points among 10 1992 LPs. Points determined placement, with total mentions (indicated in parentheses) used for tie breaking. Maximum per album: 30. Minimum: 5.

Singles

1. Arrested Development: "Tennessee" (Chrysalis) 100
2. House of Pain: "Jump Around" (Tommy Boy) 40
3. Kris Kross: "Jump" (Ruffhouse/Columbia) 37
4. En Vogue: "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" (EastWest) 34
5. Arrested Development: "People Everyday" (Chrysalis) 26
Cypress Hill: "How I Could Just Kill a Man"/"The Phuncky Feel One" (Ruffhouse/Columbia) 26 *
7. Sir Mix-a-Lot: "Baby Got Back" (Def American) 25
8. U2: "One" (Island) 24
9. The KLF: "Justified and Ancient" (Arista) 23 *
10. Sophie B. Hawkins: "Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover" (Epic) 22
11. L7: "Pretend We're Dead" (Slash) 20
12. TLC: "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg" (LaFace) 19
13. R.E.M.: "Drive" (Warner Bros.) 16
14. Das Efx: "They Want Efx" (EastWest) 15
K.D. Lang: "Constant Craving" (Sire/Warner Bros.) 15
Prince and the New Power Generation: "Sexy M.F." (Paisley Park/Warner Bros.) 15
Red Hot Chili Peppers: "Under the Bridge" (Warner Bros.) 15
Pete Rock & CL Smooth: "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" (Elektra) 15
Wreckx-N-Effect: "Rump Shaker" (MCA) 15
20. Ministry: "Jesus Built My Hot Rod" (Sire/Warner Bros.) 13 *
Nirvana: "Lithium" (DGC) 13
Lisa Stansfield: "Real Love" (Arista) 13
Utah Saints: "Something Good" (London) 13
24. Arrested Development: "Revolution" (Chrysalis) 12
The Cure: "Friday I'm in Love" (Elektra/Fiction) 12
Madonna: "Erotica" (Maverick/Reprise) 12
Bruce Springsteen: "Human Touch" (Columbia) 12
Paul Westerberg: "Dyslexic Heart" (Epic) 12

*Includes 1991 votes: Cypress Hill 15, Ministry 6, KLF 4; most KLF votes specified the Tammy Wynette version.

EPs

1. Pavement: Watery, Domestic (Matador) 23
2. Urge Overkill: Stull (Touch & Go) 20
3. Nine Inch Nails: Broken (TVT/Interscope) 18
4. Black 47: Black 47 (SBK) 12
The Guild of Temporal Adventurers: Kendra Smith Presents the Guild of Temporal Adventurers (Fiasco) 12
6. The Breeders: Safari (4AD/Elektra) 11
7. Tori Amos: Crucify (Atlantic) 10
Bikini Kill: Bikini Kill (Kill Rock Stars) 10
The Kinks: Did Ya (Columbia) 10
10. Mariah Carey: MTV Unplugged EP (Columbia) 7
Erasure: Abba-esque (Mute/Elektra) 7

*Includes 1991 votes: 6.

Reissues

1. Bob Marley: Songs of Freedom (Tuff Gong) 51
2. Aretha Franklin: Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings (Rhino) 48
3. Elvis: The King of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete 50's Masters (RCA) 32
4. Big Star: Third/Sister Lovers (Rykodisc) 31
5. Johnny Cash: The Essential Johnny Cash 1955-1983 (Columbia/Legacy) 18
6. B.B. King: King of the Blues (MCA) 14
7. The Coasters: 50 Coastin' Classics (Rhino) 12
Talking Heads: Popular Favorites 1976-1992: Sand in the Vaseline (Sire/Warner Bros.) 12
9. Buck Owens: The Buck Owens Collection (1959-1990) (Rhino) 11
10. The Stiff Records Box Set (Rhino) 10

Videos

1. Nirvana: "In Bloom" (Kevin Kerslake) 23
2. Arrested Development: "Tennessee" (Milcho) 21
3. Sir Mix-a-Lot: "Baby Got Back" (Adam Bernstein) 17
4. Peter Gabriel: "Digging in the Dirt" (John Downer) 13
R.E.M.: "Drive" (Peter Care) 13
6. A Tribe Called Quest: "Scenario" (Jim Swafield) 12
Van Halen: "Right Now" (Mark Fenske) 12
8. Los Lobos: "Kiko and the Lavender Moon" (Ondrej Rudavsky) 11
RuPaul: "Supermodel" (Randy Barbato) 11
10. Nine Inch Nails: "Happiness in Slavery" (Jonathan Reiss) 9
Pearl Jam: "Jeremy" (Mark Pellington) 9

Village Voice, Mar. 2, 1993


1991 Essay | Dean's List 1993