1

Virtually no new classical music.

Your "Best of" list is, sadly, virtually devoid of contemporary classical music.  The classical recordings you mention are basically 18th or 19th century standards like Haydn and Mozart, etc. Why no new music from serious composers? Why do you ignore such an important element of our culture? One more recording by Arvo Part doesn't count.  Please consider including recordings of new serious music from labels like Naxos, particularly American music. There are many interesting composers creating wonderful music, and much of it is vastly superior to the recordings you list as the "best." We need to open our ears! Thanks for the chance to write you about this.

1 reply

You may be interested in our Favorite Classical Instrumental Albums of 2021:
https://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2021/favorite-classical-instrumental

and be on the lookout for our Favorite Classical Vocal Albums of 2021 which will publish on December 28th.

A

Thanks for responding.  I was referring, however, to your "Best of 2021" list, which features, if I am not mistaken, exactly one work of 20th (not 21st) century classical music: a too-often recorded work by Arvo Part.  Nothing, however, by any other serious contemporary classical composer.  And nothing by even any 20th century masters like Ives or Shostakovich or Bartok.  You have one each of Haydn and Beethoven and Mozart.  On the other hand, you have about 95 pop or folk or other albums you consider the "best."  There are some good popular albums every year, but this is truly ridiculous.  You are as bad as the Grammys in giving virtually all your attention to the stuff that sells.  What you are doing is promoting a lot of second-rate pop music because you are too lazy to listen to anything at challenging.  You could actually help American culture by opening your ears and listening to more than the latest drivel by a girl who sells records by putting decals on her tongue and sticking it out for her cover.  It's truly pathetic.  

So, to answer your suggestion, I'm not interested in your "favorites" in the "classical" areas you mention.  These are afterthoughts for Allmusic. You should totally revamp your selection process and add new "editors" and realize that there is more to new music than the latest by a bunch of pop stars, many of whom produce genuine drivel.