Pitchfork

Hey everybody, just a reminder that you've only got until 9 p.m. EST tonight, December 15, to enter The Pitchfork 500 iPod Giveaway Sweepstakes. As you know, the grand prize winner receives an iPod Classic as well as a $100 iTunes gift card, and 10 first prize winners will win a copy of the book. So click away! And good luck!

What book, you say? Ah yes, that would be The Pitchfork 500: Our Guide to the Greatest Songs From Punk to the Present, published by Simon & Schuster's Fireside imprint in November.

This handy paperback chronologically explores Pitchfork's 500 favorite songs from 1977-2006, constructing an alternate history of the past three decades of popular music-- one that extends beyond the typical Baby Boomer-approved canon of the Clash, Prince, Public Enemy, Nirvana, Radiohead, and Outkast.

From art-rock and proto-punk godfathers such as Brian Eno, Iggy Pop, and David Bowie to today's leading lights such as the Arcade Fire, the White Stripes, and Kanye West; from superstars to cult heroes; and from punk, indie, and pop to hip-hop, electronic music, and metal, we've created the ultimate playlist. Interspersed throughout are sidebars on the most vital subgenres from electro to grime to riot grrrl, along with pieces like "Career Killers: The Songs That Ended It All" and "Runaway Trainwrecks: The Post-Grunge Nadir."

Edited by Pitchfork founder/president Ryan Schreiber and editor-in-chief Scott Plagenhoef, and written by an all-star team of contributors, The Pitchfork 500 is the perfect book for the train ride to work, a cozy winter's night by the fireside, or extended stays on the toilet. And it sure would make for a nice holiday gift, hint hint.

The book is available in your friendly neighborhood bookstore right now. Or you can order it via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Insound, Powell's, or Simon & Schuster.