http://www.thetop13.com/The Top 13 is a site where we, you, and special guests rank the best of music, movies, television, sports, arts, literature, current events, and more.Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:02:29 GMTen-ushttp://thetop13.com/novels-about-drugs-L94/http://thetop13.com/novels-about-drugs-L94/Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:03:03 ESTThe genre of drug fiction, as much as or perhaps more than any other genre, is known for its terrible writing and trite storytelling. Perhaps the problem is that so much of it is at least loosely based on authors' own lives and it takes a supremely talented writer to maintain perspective when writing about personal experiences. Nevertheless, because of the amount of rubbish littering the genre, the best works truly stand out, and as avid readers of drug fiction, we've picked out the must reads for you. Accordingly, here are the Top 13 Novels About Drugs.http://thetop13.com/fast-food-chains-L93/http://thetop13.com/fast-food-chains-L93/Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:03:03 ESTEvery day, roughly 45 million Americans will eat a meal from a fast food restaurant. Quite simply, fast food is an institution in American life, for better or for worse. Today's list counts down our favorite fast food chains. Since food is unquestionably a matter of taste and preference which can change on a whim, we narrowed this list down - and ranked it - by asking ourselves which restaurants we would stop at if we had our choice of any fast food chain. This list is limited to chains that operate in multiple states and either do not make food to order or offer the convenience of a drive-thru. In addition, we didn't take into account the healthfulness of the chains. With that out of the way, we present the Top 13 Fast Food Chains.http://thetop13.com/hair-metal-bands-L88/http://thetop13.com/hair-metal-bands-L88/Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:03:03 ESTHair or glam metal, one of our very favorite genres of music from our youth, has seen a resurgence of sorts over the past few years. Many of the bands from that era have successfully released new albums and toured, and Poison frontman Bret Michaels gave us an intimate look at the life of a rock star on his very own reality show. The hair metal renaissance is continuing; last month, the new incarnation of Guns N' Roses played a few surprise shows in New York City. And over the next few weeks, the Scorpions and Ratt are scheduled to release new albums. With this burst of activity from some of the biggest bands of the genre, we began to reflect on the best that hair metal had to offer. Accordingly, we present the Top 13 Hair Metal Bands of all time.http://thetop13.com/tim-burton-films-L90/http://thetop13.com/tim-burton-films-L90/Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:03:03 ESTWith the release of <i>Alice in Wonderland</i>, Tim Burton's fourteenth feature film and his seventh starring Johnny Depp, the Top 13 takes a look at the career of this filmmaker that many already view as legendary. Burton struck success early on and was soon given the freedom to start making whatever films he wanted however he wanted to make them, something very few directors ever attain. Even fewer directors have made as many cult classics as Burton. Though this past decade has seen more mainstream fare from this auteur, his filmography has been extraordinarily consistent in his unique, gothic style. Burton's next project will be an animated remake of <i>Frankenweenie</i>, the short film responsible for launching his career.http://thetop13.com/most-deserving-best-picture-winners-L89/http://thetop13.com/most-deserving-best-picture-winners-L89/Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:03:03 ESTThe Academy has a storied history of picking the wrong film for Best Picture, and ignoring many great films entirely (as evidenced by our <a href=" http://thetop13.com/72/" target="_blank">Nomination Snubs list</a>). But every once in a while, the Academy will bestow one of its most coveted statuettes upon a truly deserving film. Seeing as the Oscars will air this Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern, we at the Top 13 wanted to share with you our list of those Best Picture winners that we think most deserved their prizes. Here's to hoping that one of this year's more deserving nominees - <i>Inglorious Basterds</i>, <i>A Serious Man</i> or <i>The Hurt Locker</i> - takes home top honors.http://thetop13.com/guru-songs-L92/http://thetop13.com/guru-songs-L92/Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:03:03 ESTEarlier this week, legendary emcee Guru of the pioneering New York rap group Gang Starr suffered a severe heart attack that left him in a coma. Like the entire hip hop community, the Top 13 wishes Keith Elam - better known as Gifted Universal Rhymes Unlimited - a speedy recovery. To keep Guru in all of our thoughts, we've put together our list of his best work, which comes both from his collaborations with Gang Starr partner DJ Premier and his jazz-based solo records. Without further ado, we present the Top 13 Guru Songs. Get well soon, Guru.http://thetop13.com/independent-record-labels-L87/http://thetop13.com/independent-record-labels-L87/Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:03:03 ESTWith the recent announcement that independent hip hop label Definitive Jux was shuttering its doors, we at the Top 13 wondered where El-P's famed New York indie fit in the indie label hierarchy. While we certainly acknowledge the influence of original independent labels like Motown and Sun, we limited our list to modern indies or those that came of age with rock music. Accordingly, we present the Top 13 Independent Record Labels of the modern era.http://thetop13.com/game-show-hosts-L83/http://thetop13.com/game-show-hosts-L83/Mon, 01 Mar 2010 03:03:03 ESTLater this week, one of our favorite game show hosts, Wink Martindale (who barely missed this list for his work on <i>Tic-Tac-Dough</i> and a number of other shows), returns with a new game show - <i>Instant Recall</i> - on GSN. That got us thinking about our favorite game show hosts in television history. We considered the longevity, influence, personality, and sense of humor of the many choices, and arrived at this Top 13 Game Show Hosts of all time.http://thetop13.com/most-hated-sports-teams-L75/http://thetop13.com/most-hated-sports-teams-L75/Thu, 25 Feb 2010 03:02:03 ESTWith the NFL season ending earlier this month, the NBA, the NHL, and college basketball in full swing, and baseball season just around the corner, we decided it was a good time to take a look at the most hated teams in sports. We recognize that many of the teams on this list are also among the most successful and beloved teams, but, in part because of their passionate fan bases, these are the teams that we think inspire more hate than any others. In the interest of full disclosure, we're compelled to tell you that the writer of this Top 13 is a lifelong, dyed-in-the-wool Yankee fan. Nevertheless, even he knows that his favorite team is without peer as the most hated in sports. And with that, we present the Top 13 Most Hated Sports Teams. Where possible, we've provided video clips that demonstrate just how much people hate these teams.http://thetop13.com/grunge-albums-L4/http://thetop13.com/grunge-albums-L4/Wed, 24 Feb 2010 03:02:03 ESTJust about twenty years after the birth of grunge and the Seattle Scene, a number of the most prominent bands of that era are back with tours and/or new albums. Soundgarden recently announced it is reuniting and the band is heavily rumored to be headlining Lollapalooza this summer, Mudhoney is set to play All Tomorrow's Parties New York this year, both Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains released new material last year, and late last year Nirvana released <i>Live at Reading</i>, a DVD and album containing the band's legendary 1992 performance at the Reading Festival. Given the sudden burst of productivity from some of grunge's most important bands, the Top 13 takes a look at the best albums from the era, giving weight to both the quality of the album and its influence.http://thetop13.com/simpsons-guest-stars-L79/http://thetop13.com/simpsons-guest-stars-L79/Tue, 23 Feb 2010 03:02:03 EST<i>The Simpsons</i> celebrated its 20th anniversary on the air this season. Think about that - there are people that can legally drive, smoke, and, in some countries, drink, that were born after the show's first episode aired. For those people, the show is simply a fact of life, but for those that remember its premiere, the mere idea of a prime-time cartoon sitcom, now ubiquitous, was revolutionary. The show has been a worldwide cultural phenomenon and has been lucky enough to feature many luminous guest stars over the course of its run. But as the show has changed over time, in our view the quality of the guest appearances has fallen off - now you are more likely to see an ill-fitting celebrity cameo than one that helps drive a funny plot. With that in mind, we present the Top 13 <i>Simpsons</i> Guest Stars. This list includes several longtime contributors to the show, as well as a few perfectly comedic one-off appearances. http://thetop13.com/martin-scorsese-films-L84/http://thetop13.com/martin-scorsese-films-L84/Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:02:03 ESTWith <i>Shutter Island</i> now in theaters, the Top 13 has been thinking quite a bit about Martin Scorsese's accomplished career. He was at his best when working with Robert De Niro, who starred in a whopping eight of his films. But Scorsese's new acting protégé, Leonardo DiCaprio, continues to prove a worthy replacement for De Niro, as he has been an integral part of the director's most consistent decade yet. With a Cecil B. DeMille Award already in his pocket, the master isn't finished quite yet. Up next is an adaptation of the children's book <i>The Invention of Hugo Cabret</i> and biopics about Frank Sinatra and Theodore Roosevelt. Though Scorsese is also an accomplished documentarian, only his narratives were considered for this list.http://thetop13.com/charity-songs-L82/http://thetop13.com/charity-songs-L82/Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:02:03 ESTWith the release last week of "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Glny4jSciVI" target="_blank">We Are the World 25 for Haiti</a>," a remake of the 1985 hit song for charity "We Are the World," we decided to take a look at the best of those songs recorded to raise money and awareness for charitable causes. The resulting list - ranked based on the quality of the song and artists who contributed to it, as well as the song's social and financial impact - features a who's who of the biggest recording artists of the past quarter-century laying it down for a diverse group of critically important charities. Where possible, we've provided links to those charities and encourage you all to check them out. Now, without further ado, we present the Top 13 Charity Songs of All Time.http://thetop13.com/one-album-wonders-L77/http://thetop13.com/one-album-wonders-L77/Wed, 17 Feb 2010 03:02:03 ESTThough the topic of one-hit wonders in pop music is frequently debated, there is far less discussion about those artists who release one amazing hit album but never again reach the heights of that one classic record. There are many reasons these artists become one-album wonders, including untimely deaths and acrimony among band members, and some are simply unexplainable. And while perhaps fans should simply enjoy what we got from these artists, it's hard not to wonder why we didn't get more. With that in mind, we present the Top 13 One-Album Wonders.http://thetop13.com/classic-commercials-L81/http://thetop13.com/classic-commercials-L81/Tue, 16 Feb 2010 03:02:03 ESTAs we watched the Super Bowl earlier this month, we didn't see a single commercial that really resonated. And that got us thinking about the best commercials, whether they aired during the Super Bowl or any other time. We watched dozens of commercials in cutting down this list and really struggled with the final few cuts. Ultimately, however, we think we've come up with a list of the most memorable, effective, and iconic commercials in history. Accordingly, we present the Top 13 Classic Commercials.http://thetop13.com/romantic-comedies-L80/http://thetop13.com/romantic-comedies-L80/Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:02:03 ESTWith Valentine's Day rapidly approaching, we here at The Top 13 thought it would be appropriate to count down the best romantic comedies, which meant sifting through a lot of dreck. The best "rom-coms" are those that toe the difficult line between laughter and true, emotional heft. Much like its polar-opposite, horror, romantic-comedy is an extremely easy genre to make money in, but it takes a true genius to deliver a masterpiece.http://thetop13.com/nba-slam-dunk-contest-dunks-L78/http://thetop13.com/nba-slam-dunk-contest-dunks-L78/Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:02:03 ESTThis Saturday night, some of the NBA's highest flyers will participate in the annual Slam Dunk Contest as part of the all-star weekend festivities in Dallas. Defending champion Nate Robinson will be looking to win his third title against a field including Gerald Wallace, Shannon Brown, and the dunk-in winner (either DeMar DeRozan or Eric Gordon). To get everyone in the mood for the competition, we present the Top 13 NBA Slam Dunk Contest Dunks.http://thetop13.com/documentaries-of-the-2000s-L41/http://thetop13.com/documentaries-of-the-2000s-L41/Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:02:03 ESTThough we're now a little more than a month into the new decade, here at The Top 13, we're still pondering the best of the decade that just ended. Today, we take a look at the best of one of our favorite genres of film - documentaries. This list includes a number of Academy Award winning films, as well as a few quirkier offerings. Either way, each of the 13 documentaries on this list provide a compelling look at a fascinating - and in many cases - obscure topic.http://thetop13.com/videos-from-mtvs-first-day-L65/http://thetop13.com/videos-from-mtvs-first-day-L65/Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:02:03 ESTMTV debuted on a select few cable systems on August 1, 1981 with a limited roster of videos to choose from. Indeed, of the 62 videos that aired on that first day, five were from Rod Stewart (and they weren't songs from one of his better periods) and four were from REO Speedwagon. Nevertheless, a number of the videos introduced that day by Mark Goodman, Martha Quinn, and the other original MTV VJs turned out to be iconic or were for fantastic songs, or both. We recently went back and watched each of the videos that MTV aired that day and present to you the Top 13 Videos from MTV's First Day.http://thetop13.com/super-bowl-performances-L74/http://thetop13.com/super-bowl-performances-L74/Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:02:03 ESTWith Super Bowl XLIV just days away, the focus in Miami this week is on who will step up from the Indianapolis Colts or New Orleans Saints to bring his team a championship. Will it be Colts quarterback Peyton Manning or his counterpart for the Saints, Drew Brees? Or will someone unexpected be the hero? Either way, the star of Sunday's game will join a short list of NFL greats who played their best on the biggest stage. Here are the Top 13 Super Bowl Performances.http://thetop13.com/hip-hop-albums-of-the-1990s-L59/http://thetop13.com/hip-hop-albums-of-the-1990s-L59/Wed, 03 Feb 2010 03:02:03 ESTLast month, Rapper Big Pooh from acclaimed North Carolina group Little Brother ranked his Top 13 Hip Hop Albums from the 1990s, which we think was the genre's best decade yet. We asked you to weigh in on the subject and, today, we publish your cumulative Top 13. Although you agreed with Big Pooh on the top three, albeit in a different order, the rest of your list looks quite different than his. Accordingly, we present our readers' Top 13 Hip Hop Albums of the 1990s. http://thetop13.com/worst-oscar-nomination-snubs-L72/http://thetop13.com/worst-oscar-nomination-snubs-L72/Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:02:03 ESTHere at The Top 13, we love the Oscars. However flawed they may be, the Oscars are a celebration of the movies writ large, filled with the infectiously exciting glamour and glitz of Hollywood. Unfortunately, the Academy seems to make mistakes as often as they pick the most deserving winners, and with this year's nominations announced this morning, we'd like to share some of the worst nomination snubs of all time. These are cases where the Academy not only failed to give the award to the right film or performance, but failed to even nominate it.http://thetop13.com/lost-mysteries-L71/http://thetop13.com/lost-mysteries-L71/Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:02:03 ESTAfter five seasons of following the survivors of the Oceanic Flight 815 plane crash and those they've encountered on the Island and elsewhere, we're ready for some answers. And beginning tomorrow night, with the premiere of the sixth and final season of <i>Lost</i>, we should be getting them. Here are the Top 13 Lost Mysteries we hope are resolved during the show's final season.http://thetop13.com/state-of-the-union-addresses-L70/http://thetop13.com/state-of-the-union-addresses-L70/Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:01:03 ESTLast night, President Obama delivered his first state of the union address, setting forth his plans to fix the economy and urging Americans not to give up on his ambitious social platform. And while Obama's speech received high approval ratings in polls conducted last night, it wasn't a particularly groundbreaking speech, and that got us thinking about those state of the union addresses that were. Accordingly, here are the Top 13 State of the Union Addresses.http://thetop13.com/movies-of-the-year-L62/http://thetop13.com/movies-of-the-year-L62/Wed, 27 Jan 2010 03:01:03 ESTA few weeks ago, we published The Top 13's best movies of 2009 and asked you all to vote on your favorites. So with Oscar nominations to be announced next week, today we present our readers' Top 13 Movies of 2009, which looks quite a bit different than our list. While you agreed with us that <i>Inglourious Basterds</i> was 2009's best movie and we both ranked <i>The Hurt Locker</i> highly, your list includes six films that did not make our Top 13: <i>Star Trek</i>, <i>(500) Days of Summer</i>, <i>Adventureland</i>, <i>The Brothers Bloom</i>, <i>In the Loop</i>, and <i>Fantastic Mr. Fox</i>. To make room for those movies, you cut the following films that made our list: <i>Drag Me to Hell</i>, <i>A Serious Man</i>, <i>The Road</i>, <i>An Education</i>, <i>Where the Wild Things Are</i>, and <i>Precious</i>.<br> <br> We already told you why we like many of the movies on this list, so we'll let the reviewers elaborate on those. But for your new picks, we'll let you know why we think you made good choices.http://thetop13.com/conan-obrien-moments-L69/http://thetop13.com/conan-obrien-moments-L69/Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:01:03 ESTWith Conan O'Brien's tenure as host of <i>The Tonight Show</i> now history and at least seven months until Conan returns with a new show, we started to think about what we're going to miss. And there's a lot we're going to miss. Fortunately, we were able to narrow it down for you. Accordingly, here are the Top 13 most memorable moments from Conan O'Brien's two late night NBC shows.http://thetop13.com/second-city-alumni-L67/http://thetop13.com/second-city-alumni-L67/Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:01:03 ESTLate this past year, the legendary Second City comedy troupe celebrated its 50th anniversary in Chicago. After fifty years of laughing the heads off of thousands of Chicagoans and tourists, the theater celebrated with a massive reunion show. The one-off show sold out in fifteen minutes with a lineup of many of the legendary performers the troupe has featured over the years. Without this historic theater, many of these people may have never hit their break, and that inspired us to count down the Top 13 Second City Alumni. http://thetop13.com/unexpected-super-bowl-runs-L68/http://thetop13.com/unexpected-super-bowl-runs-L68/Thu, 21 Jan 2010 03:01:03 ESTThis weekend, the upstart New York Jets will attempt to upset the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship game and advance to the Super Bowl for the second time in franchise history. If they pull it off, it will be one of the most shocking Super Bowl runs of all time, and that got us thinking about the biggest surprise teams that have appeared in a Super Bowl, win or lose. Accordingly, here are the Top 13 Unexpected Super Bowl Runs.http://thetop13.com/adaptations-L66/http://thetop13.com/adaptations-L66/Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:01:03 ESTEver since Cecil Hepworth adapted Lewis Carroll's <i>Alice's Adventures in Wonderland</i> for his 1903 film, aspiring screenwriters have looked toward literature for inspiration and stories with results all over the critical spectrum. Unfortunately, even after all that time, the simple question of what makes a "successful adaptation" has no definitive answer. Perhaps then, the best way to view adaptations is to consider them as films first, and then to pay attention to the amount of mileage the writers and directors got out of their source material. Accordingly, we present The Top 13 book-to-film adaptations.http://thetop13.com/hip-hop-albums-of-the-1990s-L58/http://thetop13.com/hip-hop-albums-of-the-1990s-L58/Tue, 19 Jan 2010 03:01:03 ESTPutting together these 13 albums proved to be a difficult task. I'm serious, so difficult it took me over a week to finally decide on these 13 albums. I had to go with the albums that in my opinion changed music or changed how I saw music. I had to go with the albums that will forever have a special place in my memory. I had to go with the albums that when you mention them I could give you a time capsule of my life during that period. I'm sure there will be plenty of people who may feel different, but I knew that already. http://thetop13.com/songs-of-the-decade-L60/http://thetop13.com/songs-of-the-decade-L60/Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:01:03 ESTThe Lollapalooza Message Board is a place of constant music discussion, discovery, and debate (among other things). With that in mind, dozens of message board members spent many months compiling their favorite songs from the entire decade. They went through each year of the decade with every member nominating two songs for consideration. The entire group then voted on these 80-90 options to select the top 20 songs for that year. After going through each year, board members ended up with a ballot of just over 200 songs to select their final top 100 of the decade. Following plenty of petty bickering and astonishing nerdiness (which we say with the utmost respect), here are the resulting Top 13 Songs of the Decade. <br><br>Special thanks to Rosseus, a member of both the Lollapalooza board and The Top 13, who coordinated the entire project, as well as the authors of the commentary accompanying each entry (all of whom are members of the Lollapalooza board). http://thetop13.com/horror-movies-of-the-decade-L50/http://thetop13.com/horror-movies-of-the-decade-L50/Wed, 13 Jan 2010 03:01:03 ESTToday, our readers weigh in on the Top 13 Horror Movies of the Decade. With the exception of <i>Grindhouse</i>, which we ranked second and you left off The Top 13 altogether, you agreed with the movies near the top of our list. The bottom half was another story; gone are <i>Saw</i>, <i>Dawn of the Dead</i>, <i>A Tale of Two Sisters</i>, and <i>Trick 'r Treat</i>. In their places, you picked <i>American Psycho</i>, <i>House of 1000 Corpses</i>, <i>The Devil’s Backbone</i>, <i>Antichrist</i>, and <i>The Strangers</i>. <br> <br> We already told you why we like many of the movies on this list, so we'll let the reviewers elaborate on those. But for your new picks, we'll let you know why we think you made good choices.http://thetop13.com/science-fiction-novels-L54/http://thetop13.com/science-fiction-novels-L54/Tue, 12 Jan 2010 03:01:03 ESTScience Fiction. These two words can send even the most level-headed bibliophile to the nearest exit. Admittedly the genre is littered with offal, and regrettably, for every masterful work, there are heaps of stereotypical dreck. So it's no surprise that the kneejerk reaction is refusal or derision, though these same observations may be made of other genres. Figuring out where to start in any unfamiliar territory can be daunting. Fortunately, we've separated the wheat from the chaff for you and present The Top 13 Science Fiction Novels.http://thetop13.com/movies-of-the-year-L61/http://thetop13.com/movies-of-the-year-L61/Mon, 11 Jan 2010 03:01:03 ESTAs the awards season ramps up, we take a look today at the Top 13 Movies of 2009. The best offerings from the past year are all over the map and include releases from some of Hollywood's best and brightest creative forces - Pixar, the Coen Brothers, Spike Jonze, Quentin Tarantino, and James Cameron - as well as breakthrough films from rising stars like Kathryn Bigelow, Jason Reitman, and Neill Blomkamp. The Oscars have expanded the Best Picture category this year to ten nominees, but if we were in charge, these thirteen films would be in the running.http://thetop13.com/elvis-presley-songs-L57/http://thetop13.com/elvis-presley-songs-L57/Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:01:03 ESTTomorrow, Elvis Presley would have celebrated his 75th birthday. Unfortunately, he died in 1977 at the way-too-early age of 42. Still, he is the best-selling solo artist of all time, having sold as many as one billion records worldwide. He is also one of the 20th century's most influential musicians and important figures in pop culture history. So in honor of what would have been a milestone birthday for the King, The Top 13 takes a look at the best of Elvis' songs.http://thetop13.com/sitcoms-of-the-decade-L44/http://thetop13.com/sitcoms-of-the-decade-L44/Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:01:03 ESTToday, we take a look at the best sitcoms of the 2000s as chosen by you, our readers. For the most part, this list contains many of the same classic comedies that we selected, but there are a few notable differences. You didn't agree with our picks of <i>How I Met Your Mother</i>, <i>Futurama</i>, <i>Reno 911!</i>, or <i>Trailer Park Boys</i>; instead, you preferred <i>Flight of the Conchords</i>, <i>The Sarah Silverman Program</i>, <i>Entourage</i>, and <i>Parks and Recreation</i>. You also thought we overrated <i>Curb Your Enthusiasm</i> and shortchanged its distant spiritual cousin, <i>It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia</i>. <br><br> We already told you why we liked most of the shows on this list, so we'll show you what the critics had to say about those. But for your new picks, we'll let you know why we think you made good choices.http://thetop13.com/music-festivals-of-the-year-L37/http://thetop13.com/music-festivals-of-the-year-L37/Tue, 05 Jan 2010 03:01:03 ESTAfter a period of substantial growth in the music festival industry, 2009 saw the beginning of a potential market correction, as several annual festival decided to take the year off. Nevertheless, there was no shortage of great festival options in 2009. And The Top 13 loves music festivals. So we've combed through the lineups once again and present The Top 13 Music Festivals of 2009. <br><br>The Top 13 Music festivals of the Year is brought to you in conjunction with <a href="http://consequenceofsound.net/" target="_blank">Consequence of Sound</a>, one of the Internet's fastest growing destinations for music news and reviews. It is also The Top 13's first destination for news and rumors about festival lineups.http://thetop13.com/albums-of-the-year-L31/http://thetop13.com/albums-of-the-year-L31/Mon, 04 Jan 2010 03:01:03 ESTToday, we present the results of our favorite reader list: The Top 13 Albums of the Year. Your Top 13 includes seven albums that made our Top 13 and six that did not. While we don't agree with all your choices, we certainly understand them. A big thanks to a handful of our readers who contributed the commentary accompanying each of the entries on The Top 13. <br> <br>You can see the albums that finished 14-50 <a href=" http://www.thetop13.com/albums-of-the-year-2009/">here</a>.<br> <br>The Top 13 Albums of the Year project is brought to you in conjunction with <a href="http://themusicslut.com" target="_blank">The Music Slut</a>, a New York-based music site, which in 2007 was ranked by <i>Billboard</i> as the best music blog.http://thetop13.com/novels-of-the-year-L34/http://thetop13.com/novels-of-the-year-L34/Wed, 30 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTIn a terrific year for the novel, The Top 13 struggled to whittle down our list to our standard baker's dozen. Ultimately, of course, we did it, and the resulting Top 13 offers a collection of fantastic books, including a pair of beautiful debuts and typically strong novels from a number of literary heavyweights. http://thetop13.com/webcomics-L52/http://thetop13.com/webcomics-L52/Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTIn the past decade, webcomics have gone from the red-haired stepchild of syndicated newspaper strips to a serious way to make a living, not to mention one completely free of editorial restrictions. Along the way, a few strips have emerged as the definitive works of what will, in the future, be seen as the first generation of webcomics. From the strikingly gorgeous, to the positively hysterical, these are The Top 13 Webcomics.http://thetop13.com/pop-albums-of-the-decade-L32/http://thetop13.com/pop-albums-of-the-decade-L32/Mon, 28 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTIf you've listened to the radio during the past decade, you are undoubtedly familiar with several dozen songs off the albums on today's Top 13 - Pop Albums of the Decade. We've taken a limited view as to what constitutes a pop album; as such, if you could fairly label an album hip hop, rock or country, you probably won't find it here.http://thetop13.com/christmas-movies-L51/http://thetop13.com/christmas-movies-L51/Wed, 23 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTIt seems to us that no holiday has been used for a setting by more films than Christmas, and every year you're likely to see many Christmastime movies on your TV's guide. No matter what your religion, many of these films are classics and are worth your viewing time. With that in mind, we present the Top 13 Christmas Movies. We are defining a Christmas movie as any movie set at Christmas, whether or not the holiday is actually the subject of the film.http://thetop13.com/horror-movies-of-the-decade-L49/http://thetop13.com/horror-movies-of-the-decade-L49/Tue, 22 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTAs we near the end of a scary decade in cinema, The Top 13 counts down the very best horror films of the 2000s. Our list includes a number of foreign films, a comedy, and a direct-to-video offering, not to mention a few absolutely terrifying movies that revolutionized the genre.http://thetop13.com/celebrity-deaths-of-the-year-L35/http://thetop13.com/celebrity-deaths-of-the-year-L35/Mon, 21 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTAs 2009 comes to a close, The Top 13 remembers some of the biggest figures in American history and culture who died this year. The ranking of this list - which includes musicians and actors, political figures and television hosts, among others - is based on the deceased's contribution to society and the public's response to his or her death. http://thetop13.com/athletes-of-the-year-L48/http://thetop13.com/athletes-of-the-year-L48/Thu, 17 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTAs 2009 comes to a close, The Top 13 ranks the best individual athletic performances of the year. This list spans the globe and covers a wide array of sports. And while just about every athlete who we ranked appears to be on his way to a spot in his sport's respective hall of fame, no one on The Top 13 did more in 2009 to cement his status as one of the greatest of all time than Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao, who is The Top 13's athlete of the year.http://thetop13.com/animated-movies-of-the-decade-L40/http://thetop13.com/animated-movies-of-the-decade-L40/Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTIn the animated movie industry, there's Pixar, and there's everyone else. That status was cemented this decade as the company produced six of the outstanding films on this list of The Top 13 Animated Movies of the Decade. No decade in the history of animated films has been so vastly different than those that came before it. Now, nearly all animated films are being produced with computer technology, though Disney has made an attempt to bring back the golden days of hand drawn animation with its current release, <i>The Princess and the Frog</i>, although it remains unclear whether that movie will be a box office success. Though only one of their films released this decade missed the list (sorry, <i>Cars</i>), Pixar is not the only production company consistently changing the animated landscape. Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki and company at Studio Ghibli were also granted a couple spots on The Top 13.http://thetop13.com/readable-classics-L46/http://thetop13.com/readable-classics-L46/Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTBefore I was (vaguely) known for being a misanthropic basketball player, and long before I was (even more vaguely) known for being a music writer, I was a bookworm. The summers of my childhood were spent haunting the Topeka Public Library, searching for the biographies, adventure novels, and Hardy Boys books that made up my pre-teen reading menu. <br> <br>Middle school bus rides brought with them the discovery of John Grisham and Tom Clancy, contributing to my belief that those authors are perfect, if one has the brain of a 13-year-old boy. In high school, I found James Michener, James Clavell and John Jakes. So, while I was a voracious reader, I certainly wasn't reading the classics, as it were. <br> <br> When I got out of college with an engineering degree and almost no liberal arts experience, I resolved to give myself a literary education on my own. Part of that education, I thought, was an attempt at reading books by authors I'd long heard of, but who had always intimidated me: Dostoevsky, Dickens, Wolfe, and Roth. <br> <br> Many of those I picked up were impossibly dense or irredeemably dry. I celebrated when I finished each page of <i>Crime and Punishment</i>. It took me weeks to plod through <i>Anna Karenina</i>. I gave up on <i>Moby Dick</i> halfway through. And I figured out that Ernest Hemingway bores me like a sorority girl on tranquilizers. <br> <br>But I had more successes than failures. Surprisingly, those that deemed them "classics" were often right – these were arresting, universal stories that I was reading. And some of them were even fun. With that in mind, I present my Top 13 Readable Classics.http://thetop13.com/sitcoms-of-the-decade-L43/http://thetop13.com/sitcoms-of-the-decade-L43/Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTAs we near the end of the decade, The Top 13 is taking a look back at the best sitcoms of the 2000s. We're defining "sitcom" broadly here - any 30-minute TV show with story-driven situational comedy, whether animated or live action, network or cable. Since some shows span multiple decades, we chose to look only at the years 2000-2009 in considering shows for this list. So even classic shows like <i>The Simpsons</i>, which peaked last decade, are absent here. With that in mind, we present The Top 13 Sitcoms of the Decade. <br> <br> Honorable Mentions: <i>The Norm Show</i>, <i>Flight of the Conchords</i>, <i>Stella</i>, <i>Extras</i>, and <i>The Sarah Silverman Program</i>http://thetop13.com/dramas-of-the-decade-L26/http://thetop13.com/dramas-of-the-decade-L26/Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTWe asked you all to submit your own lists of the Top 13 Dramas of the Decade, and we received an enthusiastic response. While you agreed with many of The Top 13's choices, there were a few significant differences. You thought we snubbed <i>Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind</i>, <i>Pan's Labyrinth</i>, and <i>Good Night, and Good Luck</i>, and didn't think that <i>Sexy Beast</i>, <i>Million Dollar Baby</i>, or <i>A History of Violence</i> belonged on The Top 13. Plus, you thought we significantly underrated <i>There Will Be Blood</i> and overrated <i>Munich</i>. <br> <br> We already told you why we like most of the movies on this list, so we'll let the reviewers elaborate. But for your new picks, we'll let you know why we think you made good choices.http://thetop13.com/coming-of-age-novels-L45/http://thetop13.com/coming-of-age-novels-L45/Wed, 09 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTThe coming-of-age novel or "bildungsroman" could be the single most ubiquitous genre of modern literature. You may have read a number of The Top 13 throughout your adolescence, but many of these coming-of-age stories deserve a second look with the added wisdom gained by surviving the tribulations of your teenage years. We took an expansive view as to what qualifies as a novel and, accordingly, you'll find a novella, a graphic novel, and a series of books among the many more traditional novels ranked below. http://thetop13.com/movie-trailers-L42/http://thetop13.com/movie-trailers-L42/Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTWhen going to the movies, you might be inclined to arrive right at showtime and skip the previews. But here at The Top 13, we hate missing the trailers - they're sometimes the best part of the theater experience. We easily could have filled this list just with trailers for Stanley Kubrick and Alfred Hitchcock films, but that would have been a mistake. In fact, this past year alone has provided a few great trailers, two of which have made this list of The Top 13 Movie Trailers of all time. The trailers that made it are unique because they break from the tired "this is what happens" formula, contain footage shot exclusively for the trailer, or simply don't ruin the entire story of the film. http://thetop13.com/albums-of-the-year-L30/http://thetop13.com/albums-of-the-year-L30/Mon, 07 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTIt's The Top 13's favorite time of year, but that has nothing to do with the holiday season. We love the end of the year because of how much we enjoy making our year-end lists, and the one we love the most is today's: The Top 13 Albums of the Year. With many fantastic albums to choose from, we're certain there will be substantial disagreement - both with those albums that we omitted and how we ranked the albums we included. With that in mind, we ask: Do you agree with our list? <br> <br> The Top 13 Albums of the Year project is brought to you in conjunction with <a href="http://themusicslut.com" target="_blank">The Music Slut</a>, a New York-based music site, which in 2007 was ranked by <i>Billboard</i> as the best music blog. In addition to our list, you also can check out The Music Slut's <a href="http://themusicslut.com/2009/12/the-music-slut-presents-matts-top-20-lps-of-2009/" target="_blank">Top 20 albums of the year</a>.http://thetop13.com/slasher-films-L28/http://thetop13.com/slasher-films-L28/Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTWe asked you to submit your own lists of the Top 13 Slasher Films of All Time, and you did so enthusiastically. While you agreed with many of the films that made our list, you replaced four of our choices. Excised were <i>Audition</i>, <i>Candyman</i>, <i>Friday the 13th Part III</i>, and <i>Truth or Dare?: A Critical Madness</i>; replacing them are your favorites the original <i>Friday the 13th</i>, <i>Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer</i>, <i>The Burning</i>, and <i>Sleepaway Camp</i>. You also strongly disagreed with how highly we ranked several films, including <i>Black Christmas</i> and <i>Deep Red</i>. <br> <br> We already told you why we like most of the movies on this list, so we'll let the critics tell you more. But for your new picks, we'll let you know why we think you made good choices.http://thetop13.com/steven-seagal-movies-L1/http://thetop13.com/steven-seagal-movies-L1/Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTTonight, we meet Steven Seagal the reality star, when A&E premieres <i>Steven Seagal Lawman</i>, which follows the former action star in his current job as a deputy sheriff with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office in Louisiana. Of course, before Seagal was locking up real criminals, he was breaking arms and capping bad guys on the big screen, where his movies have grossed more than $2 billion worldwide. Enjoying Seagal's movies was always like being in on an inside joke. So as Seagal makes his return to the spotlight on the small screen, The Top 13 counts down his best films. http://thetop13.com/nba-draft-busts-L3/http://thetop13.com/nba-draft-busts-L3/Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:12:03 ESTEvery year, NBA teams spend months interviewing and working out draft prospects to identify the sure things. And every year, some teams miss badly on draft night. With the NBA season now in full swing, The Top 13 takes a look at the biggest busts in NBA draft history. As for this season's crop of rookies, our bet is on the Grizzlies' Hasheem Thabeet, drafted second overall, to be the biggest bust.http://thetop13.com/debut-albums-of-the-year-L22/http://thetop13.com/debut-albums-of-the-year-L22/Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTAs the year has wound down, we've been considering what albums might make our year-end list of 2009's best. We found that there were many debut albums contending for spots on our final list, so we decided to also honor the year's best rookie artists and count down The Top 13 Debut Albums of the Year. The resulting list is certainly heavy on indie rock, though it features a wide range of sub-genres, including electronic, noise rock, Afro-pop, as well as a few straight-ahead rock and classic alternative albums.http://thetop13.com/hip-hop-albums-of-the-decade-L21/http://thetop13.com/hip-hop-albums-of-the-decade-L21/Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTEarlier this month, Peter Rosenberg, one of the hosts of Hot 97's popular morning show, counted down his Top 13 Hip Hop Albums of the Decade. That day, we asked you to submit your lists, and many of you did. In the end, although our readers agreed with Rosenberg that <i>The Blueprint</i> was the decade's best hip hop album, there wasn't that much overlap between his list and yours. Your list is dominated by some of hip hop's heavyweights, including Jay-Z, Outkast, Kanye West, and Ghostface Killah, who each landed two albums on The Top 13. http://thetop13.com/funniest-photoblogs-L39/http://thetop13.com/funniest-photoblogs-L39/Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTWho doesn't love funny pictures of animals with ironic captions? Or a crazy person jumping into the back of what otherwise would be a perfectly lovely photo of a couple enjoying the sunset on the beach? Figuring we would save you the legwork of tracking images like those down, The Top 13 is counting down the funniest photoblogs on the web. We've also provided a sample of each photoblog to get you in the mood.http://thetop13.com/dramas-of-the-decade-L25/http://thetop13.com/dramas-of-the-decade-L25/Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTWith the 2000s coming to a close, The Top 13 is taking a look at the best movies of the decade. Earlier this month, we ranked the best comedies of the decade, and our readers followed suit and submitted their own lists. Today, The Top 13 counts down the best dramas of this decade. Most of the films that made our list are dark and gritty tales of crime, violence, and vengeance that will keep you glued to the edge of your seat. Do you agree with The Top 13?http://thetop13.com/oprah-moments-L38/http://thetop13.com/oprah-moments-L38/Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTWith the news late yesterday that Oprah will announce the end of <i>The Oprah Winfrey Show</i> during today's episode, The Top 13 counts down the most notable moments during the show's 23-year run. http://thetop13.com/concert-films-L36/http://thetop13.com/concert-films-L36/Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:11:03 EST<i>This Is It</i>, the documentary featuring footage of Michael Jackson's rehearsals for the tour he was preparing at the time of his death, is raking it in at the box office. The success of that film got us thinking about the best concert films of all time. The resulting Top 13 spans four decades and features films about everything from hip hop to classic rock, from music festivals to shows at intimate venues.http://thetop13.com/comedies-of-the-decade-L6/http://thetop13.com/comedies-of-the-decade-L6/Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTWe asked you all to submit your own lists of the Top 13 Comedies of the Decade, and you did not disappoint. There was significant overlap between our list and your collective choices, but there are four new films on this list. Gone are <i>Walk Hard</i>, <i>Idiocracy</i>, <i>Team America</i>, and <i>Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back</i>; replacing them are your favorites <i>Superbad</i>, <i>Napoleon Dynamite</i>, <i>The Royal Tenenbaums</i>, and <i>Hot Fuzz</i>. Once again, <i>Anchorman</i> reigned supreme. To that, we say: You stay classy, readers. <br> <br> We already told you why we like most of the movies on this list, so we'll let the reviewers elaborate. But for your new picks, we'll let you know why we think you made good choices. http://thetop13.com/coen-brothers-films-L29/http://thetop13.com/coen-brothers-films-L29/Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTIt has been 25 years since Joel and Ethan Coen debuted as a writing, directing, and editing juggernaut with the ultra-low budget <i>Blood Simple</i>. So with the recent release of their newest film, <i>A Serious Man</i>, The Top 13 reflects back on their hilariously dark filmography. Sure, they have 14 features under their belt, but we are perfectly content leaving off <i>The</i> <i>Ladykillers</i>, perhaps the only misstep in their entire filmography. Believe it or not, they were finally awarded their first Best Picture and Best Directing Oscars just under two years ago (for <i>No</i> <i>Country</i> <i>for</i> <i>Old</i> <i>Men</i>), and two more brilliant Coen brothers' comedies have already hit the theaters since then.http://thetop13.com/saturday-night-live-digital-shorts-L24/http://thetop13.com/saturday-night-live-digital-shorts-L24/Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTIn the midst of one of the worst <i>Saturday Night Live</i> seasons in recent memory, The Top 13 figured it was a good time to take a look at what has made <i>SNL</i> must see television over the past few years. We're counting down our Top 13 <i>Saturday Night Live</i> Digital Shorts. In December of 2005, <i>SNL</i> aired the first digital short from new cast member Andy Samberg's three-man comedy troupe <i>The</i> <i>Lonely</i> <i>Island</i> (Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer round out the trio), and for the first time in years became both relevant and incredibly quotable again. For a list of all digital shorts that <i>SNL</i> has aired, see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNL_Digital_Short">here</a>.http://thetop13.com/slasher-films-L27/http://thetop13.com/slasher-films-L27/Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTHere at The Top 13, we're celebrating Friday the 13th a day early by presenting our Top 13 Slasher Films of all time. We've taken a somewhat broad interpretation of what exactly constitutes a slasher, but the hallmark of each of these movies is a psychopathic killer murdering people with a sharp object. The Top 13 features a wide variety of films within this sub-genre of the horror film genre, including some that were box office hits and others most people probably haven't heard of. For a fairly thorough list of all slasher films, see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Slasher_films">here</a>.http://thetop13.com/worst-acts-of-unsportsmanlike-conduct-L23/http://thetop13.com/worst-acts-of-unsportsmanlike-conduct-L23/Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTBy now, many of us have seen the shocking video of New Mexico soccer player Elizabeth Lambert violently throwing down a BYU player by her ponytail, along with her repeated apologies since the game. But Lambert's actions, while deplorable, were not unprecedented in sports. Accordingly, we count down the Top 13 Worst Acts of Unsportsmanlike Conduct. This list does not include altercations between players and fans (those are for another Top 13), but only between players or between players and officials.http://thetop13.com/poker-players-who-have-never-won-the-main-event-L16/http://thetop13.com/poker-players-who-have-never-won-the-main-event-L16/Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTTonight, ESPN airs the final table of the World Series of Poker Main Event, although it was played during two sessions over the past week. The last player standing will collect more than $8.5 million. Of the players at the final table, one name stands out above all others - Phil Ivey. Considered by many to be the greatest poker player in the world, Ivey started the final table in seventh place. Nevertheless, he was the favorite to win his first Main Event championship. Even though Ivey wasn't able to win it all, all eyes were on him until he busted out. So as viewers get a look at Ivey and the rest of the November Nine tonight, we take a look at The Top 13 Poker Players Who Have Never Won the Main Event.http://thetop13.com/hip-hop-albums-of-the-decade-L20/http://thetop13.com/hip-hop-albums-of-the-decade-L20/Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTAs the decade comes to a close, Peter Rosenberg counts down his Top 13 Hip Hop Albums of the Decade. While his Top 13 includes a few of the decade's most critically acclaimed and best-selling hip hop albums, it also includes some underground albums that you might not have expected or even have heard of. http://thetop13.com/albums-of-the-decade-L8/http://thetop13.com/albums-of-the-decade-L8/Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTAs the end of the decade neared, The Top 13's predecessor site sought submissions from music fans to see what they collectively believed were The Top 13 Albums of the Decade. More than 360 people answered the call and the result, we think, is pretty fantastic. Your Top 13 includes five albums that made our Top 13 and a whole bunch of others that just missed the cut. The commentary with each album is comprised solely of quotes from those participants who ranked that particular album at or near the top of their lists. <br /><br />You can see the albums that finished 14-50 <a href=" http://www.thetop13.com/albums-of-the-decade">here</a>.http://thetop13.com/world-series-moments-L10/http://thetop13.com/world-series-moments-L10/Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTWith Game 6 of this year's Fall Classic scheduled for this evening, The Top 13 takes a look at The Top 13 World Series Moments. Not surprisingly, neither team playing tonight is a stranger to great moments in World Series history. Indeed, the Bronx Bombers lead the way with four appearances in The Top 13. Fans of the Phillies surely are hoping their team avoids the fate it suffered in its sole appearance on this list.http://thetop13.com/2012-republican-presidential-hopefuls-L2/http://thetop13.com/2012-republican-presidential-hopefuls-L2/Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTIt's Election Day. But this year's Election Day - aside from gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia and a few big city mayoral elections - lacks the excitement of last year's historic day. Nevertheless, because The Top 13 takes its civic duty seriously, we're acknowledging Election Day by taking an early look at the current Top 13 2012 Republican Presidential Hopefuls. As of today, these are the 13 Republicans most likely to win that party's 2012 presidential nomination.http://thetop13.com/comedies-of-the-decade-L5/http://thetop13.com/comedies-of-the-decade-L5/Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTAs we near the end of the decade, The Top 13 takes a look at the funniest comedies of the 2000s. These are not necessarily the best movies that are comedies, just the ones that bring the most laughs. One thing is clear - this decade was dominated by a few individuals, most notably Will Ferrell and Judd Apatow, who collectively had a hand as an actor, producer, or director in more than half of the films on this list. There is a fine line between clever and stupid, and many of these films deftly walk that line. For a list of all comedies released this decade, see <a href=" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_comedy_films_of_the_2000s">here</a>.http://thetop13.com/albums-of-the-decade-L7/http://thetop13.com/albums-of-the-decade-L7/Sun, 01 Nov 2009 03:11:03 ESTWith less than two months remaining in the decade, The Top 13 takes a look at the best albums of the 2000s. While many have said that this decade saw the death of the album format in favor of track-by-track downloads, this list is proof that the album is far from dead. Listeners just accessed and consumed it differently than they did in the 90s.<br /><br />On Thursday, we will publish the collective Top 13 of the more than 360 people who submitted their Top 13 albums lists to our predecessor site. While there is certainly collective wisdom in that list, we think that these were the 13 finest albums of this groundbreaking decade.