The end of the year issue is coming out next week. Any speculation on which album will get the coveted #1 slot? I spend entirely too much time wondering what it might be, but it's an annual ritual. .
A couple months ago, I would've argued that Kaiser Chiefs would've gotten it, but it seems like their star might be fading somewhat. They seem to love Franz's new album, but I can't imagine them giving it to the same band two years in a row. They loved Hard-Fi, Maximo Park and Antony, but those seem too new. If Arctic Monkeys had an album out, I'm sure they'd get it since NME is so impressed with how these guys came on (and I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to think out of the box and name the downloaded album as #1).
The last couple years I've been able to pick it without too much problem, since it wasn't too tough to figure out that Franz, the White Stripes "Elephant" and the Strokes debut would get it. Was surprised that Coldplay got it for Rush of Blood, and noone could've predicted Queens of the Stone Age in 2000.
Anyway, that's a lot of rambling. What will NME pick as #1? My guess is still going to be Kaiser Chiefs, though I wouldn't be surprised to see Arcade Fire, Kasabian or Franz get it.
