W e know what you’ll be thinking as soon as your eyes finish glazing across this list in its entirely: not one Taylor Swift album made the cut. Not a one! Let us explain: this is the problem with asking people to select their top 10 albums from across 25 years. It’s a lengthy period and everyone had a different favourite Taylor Swift era, thus splitting the vote and meaning she missed out. It’s a travesty, but that’s how the cookie crumbles. More importantly, the albums on this list – chosen by our critics with an eye to quality, influence and legacy – offer an interesting snapshot of this millennium’s pop developments to date: the death of rock, the ever-increasing influence of dance and electronic music, and the, um, cult of Lin-Manuel Miranda. Leave your furious comments below. is pure joy. The debut of Melbourne electronica savants The Avalanches is a sparkling celebration of music itself – a sonic saturnalia dedicated to music’s endless delights. The Avalanches began as obsessive music fans, spending countless hours raiding op-shop record bins and chopping up thousands of sounds, storing them on a clutter of floppy disks. They stitched together the raggedly beautiful quilt that became on the fly, mad geniuses reinventing music with reckless, casual abandon. They sampled ’80s pop, old-school hip-hop, spaghetti westerns, forgotten comedy skits, wildlife recordings and even , and somehow transformed them into a coherent piece of manic surrealism. The wonderfully bizarre and dreamy title track became unlikely hits, but the album is best consumed as a long, wandering journey – a fantastical odyssey to nowhere in particular. Impossibly layered but eminently accessible, complex but freewheeling and a little unhinged. It’s made by fanatics, but it’s for everyone. New York was about to change in 2001. Two planes flew into the twin towers, forever altering the city’s skyline and psyche. And The Strokes released their debut album, igniting the city’s music scene in a way that hadn’t happened since the heady days of CBGBs in the ’70s. They looked drop-dead cool, all stick-figure limbs in tight jeans, leather jackets and sneakers, like the Ramones before them. The duelling, intertwined guitars of Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr. provided the bedrock for Julian Casablancas’ distorted, sinewy vocals, telling bleary-eyed tales of the city that never sleeps. These clarion calls from the streets of downtown Manhattan reverberated around the world, announcing that rock was back. Drugs, alcohol and musical drift would soon change The Strokes, but on they are forever preserved as the band that put the spotlight back on New York City and kicked down the door for other guitar-wielding groups to burst through in the Noughties. Gun to head, (1997) is a better album than , but Daft Punk still made a mockery of the “second album syndrome” with their disco-inspired record that spawned enormous hits and , and a couple of their loveliest downtempo moments in and . Even Daft Punk’s so-called album tracks are peerless examples of their dazzling artistry, from the energy rush of to the infectious dance-funk of to the soulful disco house of , featuring Romanthony’s indelible vocals (he sung on , too). On , Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo changed the electronic music landscape for the second time in four years, incorporating samples in ingeniously inventive ways and trading raw and gritty Chicago-inspired house for euphoric disco-pop that at once evoked the nostalgic wonder of childhood and romantic adventures in outer space. is our greatest pop artefact and the epitome of Kylie as queen of reinvention. After the misunderstood swing that was (1997), an alt-pop pivot so disastrously received that she was dropped from her record label, Kylie had already dipped her toe into Euro-inflected dance-pop on (2000), producing the improbable comeback hits and . But upped the sophistication, eschewing the campy winks (we still love you sometimes, ′ ) and delivering a masterpiece of sultry, slinky, romantic dancefloor euphoria. Beyond the no-skips tracklist – including , and - it’s ridiculous how well the album holds up almost 25 years on: with , Kylie took the temperature of the next two decades of pop music, preempting a wave of club-centric stars from Robyn to Carly Rae Jepsen to Dua Lipa. I think this is what people actually mean when they call their favourite pop star . Amy Winehouse’s second and final album is a true time capsule, and a potent reminder of a talent and a life gone too soon. Hers was a once-in-a-generation voice that recalled the smoky jazz clubs of the 1960s, belied by her young age – 22 when this album was released – and the tumultuous personal life that the press preyed upon until (and beyond) her tragic death in 2011. Produced by Mark Ronson, has some of Winehouse’s finest songs, such as the triumphant and the sadly ironic . It’s all buoyed by bright, colourful musical backing that takes its cues and influences from across genres and eras – everything from doo-wop and ’60s girl groups to soul and R&B. But it’s the title track that’s the defining sound of this particular moment in 2000s history – a heart-wrenching, heartbroken performance that’s simultaneously infused with a quiet strength and fury. Made during a period of exile imposed on (the artist formerly known as) Kanye West following his stage-bombing of a young Taylor Swift at the VMAs, captures a celebrity at war with fame, a genius tortured by his singular vision, believing he’d never be truly understood or appreciated. This album changed everything. It is populist maximalism, totally unrelatable and deeply human. The keys on , the Chris Rock skits and Bon Iver sample, Nicki Minaj’s barn-storming turn on . And the closer, the voice of Gil Scott-Heron asking, from 1970, “Who will survive in America?” Ye no longer has the answers or even the hypothesis. His relationship to fame and reality has become more protracted and upsetting in recent years. But for a moment in 2010, he went to hell and back, found bravery in his bravado, stole fire from the gods and handed it over to the world. In a 2019 interview with , Carly Rae Jepsen shrugged her shoulders and said, “I think it’s very cool to be uncool and just shamelessly feel it all”. Shamelessly feeling it all has been the Canadian popstar’s MO, right from her 2012 breakthrough hit . The single was so impossibly huge that many people (not unfairly) slotted her into the file of “one-hit wonders.” But Jepsen returned in 2015 with , an album that boiled over with yearning and lust and love and confusion and every other human feeling that Jepsen could conjure. Its lush, pristine ’80s synthpop production underscored Jepsen’s exceptional songwriting, with rushing, full-throated verses and choruses that lifted like an A380. , with its now-iconic saxophone riff and screamable “take me to the feeling” refrain, and the aching title track, are high points in an album with no low ones. One of the most acclaimed pop records of the decade, it was an album that helped usher in the era of “poptimism” and unexpectedly cemented Jepsen as a cult pop hero. Having launched his hip-hop revolution of musical theatre with , Lin-Manuel Miranda dared to dream higher still. What better subject for a transformational musical than that key revolutionary, Alexander Hamilton? Miranda uses rap to solve a problem faced since recitative faded from operatic fashion: communicating swathes of story rapidly, without resorting to dialogue (given that songs more efficiently communicate emotion). Rapping doesn’t just accelerate the dissemination, it lends the whole show momentum, and with Miranda brilliantly playing Hamilton, the performing matches the writing. His songs shame much new-century composing for musicals. has the anthemic “Rise up!” refrain, is an R&B classic, is frighteningly visceral, and is wickedly catchy. High art meets thrilling music as the rhymes, among the most dazzling since Byron, fly at you with the velocity of grapeshot from a cannon. Watching Beyoncé‘s visual album for the first time felt like witnessing a pivotal shift in the singer-songwriter’s career. Beyoncè’s music often depicted female empowerment, but with she got personal and political, tapping into darker emotions fuelled by betrayal and survival and explored themes of womanhood, blackness in America and her southern roots. It showcased her ability to transcend genres, incorporating gospel intro , a tribute to the Black Lives Matter movement; bringing country tones into , a song about her relationship with her father; and integrating electro beats into , which detailed an incident of infidelity and brought the phrase “Becky with the good hair” into popular use. Unsurprisingly, it was a commercial and critical success, earning nine Grammy nominations (famously missing out on album of the year to Adele) and becoming the best-selling album globally in 2016. Fans even co-opted the lemon emoji to showcase their appreciation. Charli XCX’s sixth studio album, , is the high point for an artist whose underdog refusal to quit has made her the most consistently risk-taking pop star of her generation. Unlike her revisionist contemporaries, Charli XCX’s discography is entirely rooted in the 21st Century. reflects our third millennium club-cultural zeitgeist, with executive producer A.G. Cook mischievously blitzing this century’s dominant dance music styles (electro house, techno and EDM) into three-minute bangers. Unlike most pop stars, who wrap themselves in an untouchable aura, Charli makes her ridiculous life feel relatable, like you’ve been invited into her stretch Hummer to pop bottles with Lorde, Billie Eilish and Troye Sivan (whose definitive remix appearances have supplanted the album versions). The ethos says that simply by existing you’re worthy of having some fun in this life – and it doesn’t make you any less of a thoughtful, caring, intelligent person for doing so. , Outkast (2000) , Taylor Swift (2014) , Kendrick Lamar (2015) , Lorde (2017) , Lana Del Rey (2019)
WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Christopher Wray told bureau workers Wednesday that he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden's term in January, an announcement that came a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump said he would nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the job. Wray said at a town hall meeting that he would be stepping down “after weeks of careful thought,” roughly three years short of the completion of a 10-year term during which he tried to keep the FBI out of politics even as the bureau found itself entangled in a string of explosive investigations, including two that led to separate indictments of Trump last year as well as inquiries into Biden and his son. “My goal is to keep the focus on our mission — the indispensable work you’re doing on behalf of the American people every day,” Wray told agency employees. “In my view, this is the best way to avoid dragging the bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work.” The intended resignation was not unexpected considering that Trump had settled on Patel to be director and had repeatedly aired his ire at Wray, whom he appointed during his first term. But his departure is nonetheless a reflection of how Trump's norm-breaking style has reshaped Washington, with the president-elect yet again flouting tradition by moving to replace an FBI director well before his term was up and Wray resigning to avert a collision with the incoming administration. “It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway — this is not easy for me," Wray said. “I love this place, I love our mission, and I love our people — but my focus is, and always has been, on us and doing what’s right for the FBI.” Wray received a standing ovation following his remarks before a standing-room-only crowd at FBI headquarters and some in the audience cried, according to an FBI official who was not authorized to discuss the private gathering by name and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press. Trump applauded the news on social media, calling it “a great day for America as it will end the Weaponization of what has become known as the United States Department of Injustice" and saying that Patel's confirmation will begin “the process of Making the FBI Great Again.” If confirmed by the Senate, Patel would herald a radical leadership transformation at the nation's premier federal law enforcement agency. He has advocated shutting down the FBI's Washington headquarters and called for ridding the federal government of “conspirators," raising alarms that he might seek to wield the FBI's significant investigative powers as an instrument of retribution against Trump's perceived enemies. Patel said in a statement Wednesday that he was looking forward to "a smooth transition. I will be ready to serve the American people on day one.” It's extremely rare for FBI directors to be ousted from their jobs before the completion of their 10-year terms, a length meant to insulate the agency from the political influence of changing administrations. But Trump has done it twice, placing Wray in the job in 2017 after firing Director James Comey amid an investigation into ties between Russia and the Republican president’s campaign. Despite having appointed Wray, Trump had telegraphed his anger with the FBI director on multiple occasions throughout the years, including as recently as the past week. In an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday, Trump said, “I can’t say I’m thrilled with him. He invaded my home,” a reference to the FBI search of his Florida property , Mar-a-Lago, two years ago for classified documents from Trump’s first term as president. That search, and the recovery of boxes of sensitive government records, paved the way for one of two federal indictments against Trump. The case, and another one charging him with plotting to overturn the 2020 election, have both been dismissed by the Justice Department special counsel that brought them in light of Trump's November victory. Attorney General Merrick Garland praised Wray for having “served our country honorably and with integrity for decades.” He said: “Under Director Wray’s principled leadership, the FBI has worked to fulfill the Justice Department’s mission to keep our country safe, protect civil rights, and uphold the rule of law.” Natalie Bara, the president of the FBI Agents Association, said in a statement that Wray had led the FBI “through challenging times with a steady focus on doing the work that keeps our country safe. ” Throughout his seven years on the job, the self-professed "low-key, understated" Wray brought a workmanlike approach to the job, repeatedly preaching a “keep calm and tackle hard” mantra to bureau personnel despite a steady drumbeat of attacks from Trump and his supporters. He also sought to avoid public conflict when possible with the Trump White House, distancing himself and his leadership team from the FBI's Russia investigation over errors that took place before he took office and announcing dozens of corrective actions meant to prevent the recurrence of the surveillance abuses that plagued the inquiry. But there were other instances when he memorably broke from Trump — he did not agree, for instance, with Trump’s characterization of the Russia investigation as a “witch hunt." He made known his displeasure when the White House blessed the declassification of materials related to the surveillance of a former Trump campaign aide and contradicted a Trump talking point by stating that Ukraine had not interfered in the 2016 election. He repeatedly sought to keep the focus on the FBI's day-to-day work, using the bulk of his resignation announcement to praise the bureau's efforts in countering everything from violent crime and cyberattacks to Chinese espionage and terrorism. Yet as he leaves office at a time of heightened threats , much of the public focus has been on the politically sensitive investigations of his tenure. Besides the inquiries into Trump, the FBI in recent years also investigated Biden's handling of classified information as well as Biden's son Hunter for tax and gun violations. Hunter Biden was pardoned by his father last week. A particular flashpoint came in August 2022, when FBI agents searched Mar-a-Lago — an action officials defended as necessary given the boxes of documents that were being concealed at the Palm Beach property and the evidence of obstruction that the Justice Department said had been gathered. Trump railed against the FBI over that search and has kept up his criticism ever since. Trump was angered by Wray's comment at a congressional hearing that there was “some question about whether or not it’s a bullet or shrapnel” that struck Trump's ear during an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania in July. The FBI later stated unequivocally that it was indeed a bullet. Before being named FBI director, Wray worked at a prestigious law firm, King & Spalding, where he represented former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie during the “Bridgegate” scandal. He also led the Justice Department’s criminal division for a period during President George W. Bush’s administration.Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Early pickups for Week 13
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire and fellow entrepreneur and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer’s comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar.” Musk and Ramaswamy, , weighed in, defending the tech industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump’s world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. Musk, the world’s richest man who has , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump’s movement but his stance on the tech industry’s hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent,” he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump’s own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump’s businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country” and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country,” he told the “All-In” podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump’s budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.LONDON (AP) — Edinburgh Airport was shut down by an unspecified information technology issue Sunday afternoon, causing headaches for passengers at the start of the busy holiday travel season. All flights into and out of Scotland’s busiest airport were grounded at 4:15 p.m. local time, with some incoming flights diverted to Glasgow Airport about 50 miles away. Edinburgh airport said engineers were working to resolve the issue. “Passengers are asked to check the status of their flight with the airline they are flying with before traveling to the airport,’’ the airport said in a statement.A man accused of setting a woman on fire inside a New York City subway train and then watching her die after she was engulfed in flames has made an initial court appearance and will remain in custody. Sebastian Zapeta, 33, who federal immigration officials said is a Guatemalan citizen who entered the US illegally, was arraigned in Brooklyn criminal court. He appeared briefly before a judge and wore a white jumpsuit over a weathered black hooded sweatshirt. He did not speak. He will remain jailed ahead of his next court date on Friday. The apparently random attack occurred on Sunday morning on a stationary F train at the Coney Island station in Brooklyn. Police said on Tuesday that identification of the victim was still “pending at this time”. Authorities say Zapeta approached the woman, who was sitting motionless in the train car and may have been sleeping, and used a lighter to set her clothing on fire. The woman quickly became engulfed in flames, while the suspect then sat at a bench on the subway platform and watched, according to police. Video posted to social media appeared to show the woman standing inside the train ablaze as some people look on from the platform, and at least one officer walks by. NYPD chief of transit Joseph Gulotta said that several officers had responded to the fire and one stayed to keep the crime scene “the way it’s supposed to be” while the others went to get fire extinguishers and transit workers. They were eventually able to douse the fire, but “unfortunately, it was too late”, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said — the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. During Zapeta’s court hearing on Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Ari Rottenberg said Zapeta at one point fanned the flames on the woman using his shirt. He said a 911 call from a subway rider helped identify Zapeta. Mr Rottenberg added that under interrogation Zapeta claimed he did not know what happened, noting that he consumes alcohol. But he alleged that Zapeta identified himself to interrogators in images related to the attack. Zapeta was taken into custody on Sunday afternoon while riding a train on the same subway line after police got a tip from some teenagers who recognised him from images circulated by the police. A Brooklyn address for Zapeta released by police matches a shelter that provides housing and substance abuse support. The shelter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Federal immigration officials said Zapeta had been previously deported in 2018 but at some point reentered the US illegally. The crime — and the graphic video of it that ricocheted across social media — deepened a growing sense of unease among some New Yorkers about the safety of the subway system in a city where many residents take the subway multiple times each day.
Sacramento Kings make surprising move
Speakers and principal officers of the State Houses of Assembly in the Southwest region have revealed plans to engage the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) to work out a full autonomy regime for state legislatures in the country. This was part of resolutions contained in a communiqué issued over the weekend by the presiding parliamentarians at a capacity development retreat attended by speakers and principal officers of state assemblies in the southwest region, held at Ikogosi Warm Spring Resorts, Ikogosi-Ekiti. The speakers explained that autonomy would help in solidifying democratic governance across the 36 states of the federation. The communique reads, “We recognise the necessity of engaging the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to advocate for the legislative autonomy of our State Houses of Assembly. “That legislative autonomy is crucial to the ability of the legislature to enhance democratic governance in our states.” Emphasising the need for a virile legislature that is people-driven, consensus-orientated, and equipped with the requisite knowledge, the regional gathering said the fund management laws of state parliaments in the axis will be updated in line with the 5th alteration of the 1999 constitution of the country as amended to ensure fiscal transparency and responsibility. To also keep up with global technological advancements, the lawmakers resolved to adopt the e-parliament system and processes to further ensure transparency and enhance proficiency. The new push stemmed from the pace set by the Ekiti State House of Assembly, which recently bagged a Federal Government award as the best state assembly in the integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) In the communiqué signed by the Speaker of the Ekiti House of Assembly and Chairman, Conference of Speakers, Southwest Zone, Adeoye Aribasoye, the southwest state lawmakers expressed their commitment to actively participate in the ongoing constitutional amendment to ensure the outcomes lead to rapid development and good governance in Nigeria. “We further commit to reviewing the recently amended constitutional provisions to ensure their effective domestication and application in our states,” the communiqué read. To make legislative actions reflect the diverse expectations of constituents, the communiqué highlighted assurances that constituency engagements would be strengthened. The lawmakers said, “This retreat has reinforced our commitment to strengthening the legislative and enhancing good governance in our states. We are determined to translate the insights gained into actionable strategies for the benefit of our constituents.” The legislators expressed appreciation to the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, his predecessor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu; majority leader of the House of Representatives, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, and other high-profile dignitaries who graced the programme. They also acknowledged the support of Cavista Holdings Limited for its partnership, the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) for facilitating the retreat. READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE Get real-time news updates from Tribune Online! Follow us on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive stories and interviews, and much more. Join our WhatsApp Channel nowSA pushes for dialogue and stability in Mozambique
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