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Rhapsody's 2010 Artist of the Year

by Rhapsody

Every year Rhapsody names an Artist of the Year, basing the award on musical achievements as well as how deeply the artist(s) penetrated popular culture. The past two years, the award has gone to a pick that felt obvious. In 2008, the nod went to Lil Wayne; in 2009, the distinction belonged to Lady Gaga. This year, however, was a bit more difficult. There was no obvious single artist who captured the zeitgeist, and the two artists who seem to best fit the criteria, Taylor Swift and Kanye West, are inexorably linked to one another (thanks to a memorable outburst at the 2009 VMAs) and most at odds with one another, at least symbolically. They represented different sides of the pop music spectrum. Swift was the ever-affable, ever-lovable sweetheart who made one of the year's most accessible and popular albums. Kanye West, meanwhile, was a supremely polarizing figure who made no excuses for his arrogance, but who was also undoubtedly a musical genius, making one of the most ambitious and satisfying albums in ages. So, yeah, we split that baby. If you want to find out a little more about the thinking that went into this decision, you can check out a conversation about it below. And we also have a lot of great content from both artists, including playlists and reviews of their landmark albums.

Speak Now

Taylor Swift

May we introduce you to the new, improved, grownup Taylor Swift. Still fixated on romantic struggle (seriously, who did this girl so wrong?!), she takes a darker, more tortured approach to heartbreak this time around (see the Evanescence-lite "Haunted"). She also portrays herself as a stronger character: This Taylor doesn't just sit on the bleachers while her guy goes after the girl in the short skirts -- she stops the wedding on the album's title track, a sequel to "Love Story." Sonically, Swift's newfound maturity means a much more Nashville sound, including bluegrass stylings and country waltzes.

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy earns its title. Kanye combines deep melancholy and triumphant hubris into a stunningly intense experience, from the chiming handclaps of "Power" to the despair of "Blame Game." Brilliantly, Kanye couches these fantasies in a progressive hip-hop context, inviting Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and others to participate in the madness. The high price of materialism serves as a running theme. "This pimp is at the top of Mount Olympus," he says on "Gorgeous." But when he aspires to "jumping out the window" on "Power," one wonders if it's all worth it.