Like a Rumors for the indie-rock set, Arcade Fire’s Funeral became a common ground for music talk last year. Everyone had an opinion on whether it was as good as the hype or false sincerity sung by a Joel Plaskett imitator. No one, however, could deny the fact that the disc was a landmark in the genre. After selling out of its initial pressing of 10,000 units in just over a week, the group received coverage in every media outlet from Rolling Stone to the schlocky E! Talk Daily. “We sold more copies of Funeral in three days than we sold of our EP in three years,” frontman Win Butler told The Coast in November “I’m really humbled that people seem to be listening to it and giving it a real chance.” The celebration of the Montreal collective’s work continues as you’ve named Funeral the best album of 2004.
Runners-up: k-os, Joyful Rebellion (EMI); The Tragically Hip, In Between Evolution (Universal)
