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We decided to do something a little different this year for our 'Best of' roundup. Instead of a master list compiled of submissions from our contributors and writers, we wanted to give our writers a chance to pick their own Top 5 list of the best of the year in music. Over the next three weeks we will be unveiling our writers' picks for the best of 2004.

Every day we will be posting a new Top 5 list from one of our writers, selected at random. At the conclusion we will reveal the master list. We also want to let you take part and will be accepting nominations for a readers' choice list.

Scott Slapps's Top 5 of 2004.

(Scott had the following disclaimer for his list: I selected these titles as the best of the year because they are the anti-releases of 2004. I wasn't old enough in 1990 but if I had been, I would have selected Poison, Warrant and the Motley Crue's because they had dragged music down to a point so far that it opened the door to Nirvana to come along and kick popular music in the ass. The same goes for this year. So here is to these amazingly bad CDs in hopes that they bring us something cool in 2005!)

1. Courtney Love � America's Sweetheart: I can only think of one person that sings worse than Courtney--Yoko Ono. I wasn't expecting her solo album to be worse than her work with Hole but was amazed when it was. Kids this is why you should not use drugs. You'd have to be pretty stoned to think that this passes for singing. American Sweetheart is a new low for a major label. (samples / buy cd)

2. Avril Lavigne - Under My Skin: Avril tries to show us that she has grown up and the lyrics aren't quite as stupid and immature as her debut but the music is worst. She started as a young Alanis ripoff and now sounds like a female Sum 41. Good title though; she does get under your skin real quick. (samples / buy cd | review)

3. Gene Simmons � a------: This piece of garbage sounds like Gene had his kid produce it. It is so amazingly bad that it makes Gene's previous low points seem like highlights. I do give him credit for giving this an honest title. (samples / buy cd | review)

4. Ashlee Simpson - Autobiography: Hey! my sister is a popstar, give me a record deal! I'll be the rebel sister. Well, Ashlee might outdo Jessica in the brains department (by a slim margin) but she is nowhere near the singer that her sister is. Even the totally plastic nature of Jessica's pop music is better than this warmed over wanna-be rock. (samples / buy cd)

5. Busted � Busted: Ponks answer to N Sync. My guess is that N Sync would play their instruments better. This CD takes the immaturity of Avril's debut back a few years from 8th to 5th grade. I guess Disney Radio needed a "rock" band to play. So incredibly bad that it makes Blink-182 sound cool. (samples / buy cd | review)

Check back tomorrow when another member of the antiMusic staff checks in with their top 5 list.

Wait! Be sure to submit your nominations for the Readers' Choice list.

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