Most Popular

On any given day, the most popular post here is virtually always the constantly updated, monthly NYC Live Music Calendar. Some other very popular pages are the 50 Best Albums of 2012, 50 Best Albums of 2011, 100 Best Songs of 2012 and the 100 Best Songs of 2011. Otherwise, this regularly updated list probably says more about the people who frequent this site than it does about the site itself. Everybody seems to like the sad stuff: the two alltime most popular posts are an announcement that beloved East Village music venue Lakeside Lounge would be closing, and an obituary for well-loved powerpop singer Michal the Girl. Otherwise, here are the ten most popular writeups to date:

1. SOJA – Strength to Survive album review
A change of pace for the popular roots reggae band

2. Clairy Browne & the Bangin’ Rackettes at Webster Hall, 11/15/12
An auspicious New York debut by the sultry Australian oldschool soul singer and her tight band.

3. Closing Night at Lakeside Lounge, 4/30/12
The Roscoe Trio, Lenny Kaye and a host of downtown luminaries paid tribute to the club that defined East Village cool for over a decade.

4. Bahar Movahed at Symphony Space, 4/17/13
The Persian classical chanteuse’s exhilarating , haunting NYC debut

5. Rob Teter at Zirzamin, 7/12/12
The former leader of Austin gypsy-rockers the Belleville Outfit with a monster pickup band featuring up-and-coming lead guitar powerhouse Ward Gardner.

6. Mucca Pazza at Globalfest, 1/13/13
The monster, 28-piece Chicago circus rock band at the top of their creepy game.

7. Clairy Browne & the Bangin’ Rackettes at Mercury Lounge, 3/26/13
A more intimate show with the Melbourne soul siren – popular, isn’t she!

8. Niyaz – Sumud album review
The haunting, swirlingly hypnotic Persian/Canadian band’s brilliant 2012 cd.

9. The Figgs at Rock Shop, 10/20/12 plus a sarcastic CMJ recap
Snarky observations…and a smoking show by the indie powerpop legends.

10. Budapest Bar’s North American Debut, 4/9/13
The cosmopolitan Hungarian gypsy band’s exhilarating first American concert, at City University, was as haunting as it was eclectic.