The Best & Worst Stereogum Reader Comments Of 2008
A wise man once said, "Comments are the lifeblood of a blog." And another wise man replied, "FIRST!!1." Here at Stereogum.com, Amrit, Brandon and I spend most of the day deleting spam, but we also find time to read each and every reader comment. We delight in the clever ones and cry over the mean ones. So much crying around here. Sometimes the subjects of our posts (see Fleet Foxes, Death Cab, Band Or Horses) even drop by. And sometimes we're visited by the Web Sheriff!
Earlier this year we installed community tools, like user profiles that let you pick a unique display name and icon with which to comment across Stereogum and Videogum. We also introduced little arrows to score comments up or down, allowing you to collectively rate everyone's opinions. Yesterday we looked at the most discussed posts of the year. Below you'll find lists of the ten most popular and unpopular Stereogum comments in 2008. The top ranked comment is from me? You guys need to try harder.
HIGHEST SCORED COMMENTS
10. white people make a list about rap music, then other white people complain about it
Posted by: dan at 09/29/08 10:59 AM
in response to VH1's 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs
Score = 45
09. "sued by remaining fan"
Considering the amount of absolute garbage this site promotes/advertises for, I don't think Stereogum should be allowed to make judgment calls or take clever stabs at bands. Stereogum, please stick to the recycling of press releases that you do so well.
Posted by: Matthew Wilder at 10/28/08 1:39 PM
in response to Hives Sued By Remaining Fan
Score = 46
08. I hope my boss doesn't find out that this is all I did the last two days. Anyways, here's Pitchfork's Best 100 Tracks of 2008:
https://rcpt.yousendit.com/635041960/0d6f1a56cfe89902940d93634ba692a2
Posted by: monster at 12/16/08 4:53 PM
in response to Pitchfork's Top 100 Tracks Of 2008
Score = 47
07. Thoughts that ran through my head while reading Michael's comment:
1) This guy suffers from a serious sense of entitlement.
2) Grow the fuck up.
Posted by: Rev. AlexG at 11/10/08 8:33 PM
in response to Michael's response to Stereogum x Amazon MP3 Friendly Deals #1: Guided By Voices' Bee Thousand
Score = 48
06. the dub remix of 'Take Your Dick Out Of My Ass And Stick It In My Mouth' is pretty fucking good, so billy was actually spot on about that.
Posted by: zap at 11/10/08 7:20 PM
in response to Billy Corgan Invites Heckler Onstage To Ridicule Him
Score = 51
05. FORBIDDEN OAN TEH INNERNET:
1. Liking things
2. Not liking things
Posted by: Matthew Wilder at 08/18/08 1:30 PM
in response to Hold Steady Dude Disses Radiohead, Digs Oasis
Score = 52
04. David Byrne & Brian Eno at 42...Jonas Brothers at 40....yup, sounds about in line with my cancelling my RS subscription 3 years ago.
Posted by: adam at 12/10/08 2:02 PM
in response to Rolling Stone's Top 50 Albums Of 2008
Score = 53
03. Congrats to them! I hope he gets fat again.
Posted by: Jane at 12/29/08 5:28 PM
in response to Ben Gibbard & Zooey Deschanel Get Engaged
Score = 65
02. George Bush does not care about Black Kids.
Posted by: southtownsurprise at 07/25/08 12:49 PM
in response to It Just So Happens That Black Kids Think Pugs Are Awesome
Score = 68
01. I'm going as Axl Rose which means my costume will be ready in 15 years.
Posted by: Scott at 10/23/08 7:06 PM
in response to 10 Trendy Pop Star Costumes For Halloween '08
Score = 77
LOWEST SCORED COMMENTS
10. fuck you andrew and jack de young listen to your sigur ros bullshit and think your so great and conscious of the world ..faggot!
Posted by: dna at 06/15/08 6:08 PM
in response to comments on Bonnaroo: The Sun Exposes Kanye's Glow In The Dark Show
Score = -74
09. That's the punishment for once playing in this band.
Posted by: Marc at 08/20/08 7:53 AM
in response to R.I.P. LeRoi Moore
Score = -81
08. What he hell does "finna" mean? This negro needs to go fuck himself. I'll tell you something else too: I was secretly happy when his mother died.
Posted by: Larry Dickman at 05/30/08 4:44 PM
in response to Kanye Didn't Intend To Hit Us With Three "Flashing Lights" Videos
Score = -87
07. let me be the first to say this lists suck and anyone who agrees with even one choice on this list is a stupid idiot who deserves to rot in hell and listen to relaxation of the asshole for most of eternity. this list is so bad i want to vomit. obviously the best album to 2k8 was third by fleet fox parade and i don't see it on either or this lists. that or malkmus and the pixies you're living all over my daydream nation. whoever reads either of these magazines is so stupid that i hate them
Posted by: mad in milwakee at 11/26/08 3:06 PM
in response to Uncut's Top 50 & Mojo's Top 50 of 2008
Score = -88
06. all these bands suck
Posted by: disapointed at 12/19/08 9:18 PM
in response to The 20 Albums We're Most Excited To Hear In 2009
Score = -103
05. The thoughts that ran through my head while reading this post:
1) WTF. When did Stereogum try to make money so blatantly off its readers? A banner ad could have sufficed...
2) "How many heated comments will this posting get..."
3) "Margaret"s comment score is so going to be in the red...
4) $3.99 isn't too bad price if they need to play by the rules...
5) This post would have been much cooler if they just linked us to SoulSeek, told us how to install it and what they used as a search query to download the album for free.
Posted by: Michael at 11/10/08 8:19 PM
in response to Stereogum x Amazon MP3 Friendly Deals #1: Guided By Voices' Bee Thousand
Score = -104
04. Your review is pure shit, especially the last line. Maybe thats why I've never heard of you guys. Hope your advertising revenue drops and you have to clean toilets to keep the site going.
Posted by: shiva at 06/06/08 11:51 PM
in response to Premature Evaluation: Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends
Score = -106
03. Wow, that list is bad, bad, bad. Very pretentious. Vampire Weekend's M79 over the sheer pop confection A Punk? If you want real music to listen to and not just bands that will make you sound cool check out:
http://diggingfordays.blogspot.com
Posted by: Kip at 12/16/08 2:50 PM
in response to Pitchfork's Top 100 Tracks Of 2008
Score = -107
02. you know, i think dave matthews band sucks balls.
Posted by: flamer at 08/20/08 1:06 AM
in response to R.I.P. LeRoi Moore
Score = -122
01. can gnarls barkley go away yet?
Posted by: beep at 07/29/08 1:20 PM
in response to Gnarls Barkley Cover Radiohead
Score = -156
Thanks for the lulz everybody. Have a fun drinking, dancing, bubbling tonight. We'll see ya next year.
Posted at 11:45 AM by Scott
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Looks like have 76 alias profiles totally paid off.
Score = 15
Yes! I am elated to read that both my comment about Stereogum's first Amazon MP3 deal and the response to it by Rev. Alex G. garnered spots on each respected list. Seeing that my tip about the Third Eye Blind song also captured the 2nd most talked about story on Stereogum this year, I am going to make my New Year's resolution for 2009: To get a life!
Seriously, though, Stereogum -- Thanks for keeping us entertained. Do I get put on Stereogum's Commenters of the Year list or something? Ahh, I won't hold my breath...
Score = -251
whenever you comment on things it makes me want to revert to petty playground tactics, like picking you last for my team or inviting everyone but you to my birthday party.
Score = 58
That's so awesome, thanks! Have a great new year!
Score = -65
Sweet, I just looked at my comment two posts above on this story and saw that it's negative score technically puts me en route to becoming the new #10 on 2008's list! Thanks everyone!!
Score = -53
Gnarls Barkley does suck and they should go away.....
Score = 62
#1 lowest scored comment was a pretty huge disappointment. #9 was waaaaaay more cold blooded.
Score = 22
lowest scored comments as a post idea is pretty much the worst
Score = 2
true that! and #8. fuck that dude!
Score = 4
http://i28.tinypic.com/2zqsck6.jpg
Score = -11
FUCK. YOU.
Also, fuck Scott. You dumb twat.
Score = 2
that picture is DANGEROUSLY NSFW you guys
Score = 0
all these lists are just inflating the sad little egos of sad little people who spend their days commenting on stereogum posts. case in point: Michael_.
Score = 20
Haha! Your comment = "Obligatory comment board put-down directed to strangers due to your ability to feel superior to others when sitting behind a computer screen."
Score = -24
no, not quite. my comment = humble attempt to keep you from feeling overly self-important because some people hated on a comment you made months ago.
Score = 4
don't worry Michael_, samma won't be getting laid tonight or any time soon.
Score = 9
first of all, i'm a girl, so suck it. second of all, what the fuck does that have to do with anything? that added nothing to our discussion, besides being a terrible insult. thanks so much for your input though!!!
Score = -2
Hi samma.
We don't understand how you being a girl makes it entirely impossible to "get laid" by another girl. Is there something wrong or implausible with women being in physical relationships with each other that you would like to enlighten us all about?
Thanks.
- K
Score = 16
"Bratty posters and the responders who love to hate them... on the next Sally." It wouldn't be Stereogum without you dimwitted fools! You are the true heroes here!! kthxbye!
Score = 5
How could a comment expressing a disliking of Dave Mathews Band get such a negative response? Must be something in the context.
Score = 14
Yes, it was in the context...because the post was about LeRoi Moore dying.
But DMB does suck, and Gnarls Barkley should go away, and these posters are as important to Stereogum as the ones who get positive ratings.
Score = 2
haha... I should have looked into that post a little deeper for the context. But I still agree with the OP and would have upvoted it.
Score = 0
@ Scott, Congratulations. You are truly a man of the people.
@ Beep, you probably don't need an award to know that you're the biggest douchebag at Stereogum but as a fellow member of the Lowest Scored Comments list I know that it's nice just to be recognized. Happy New Year everybody and a big thank you to the staff @ Stereogum. You guys make my workdays unproductive and tolerable.
Score = 4
If you'd given it another 24 hours, I'm convinced Jane's "Gibbard comment" would have hit #1 considering the story was only posted the day before yesterday.
Score = 4
#2 on the "best" list was just fantastic. props to whoever came up with that one.
also, am i a horrible person if i lol'd at #9 on the "worst" list? i think so...
Score = 2
Scoring comments is one of the coolest things on the web - I love it! Can't understand why every blog doesn't have this feature.
Score = 5
While this isn't a put-down directed at anyone, I just want to know one thing: am I the only person who hates the comment rating system? I feel that it gets very petty at times, in addition to making my self-esteem problems already worse. I belong to another forum which had a similar system, and they got rid of it when enough people complained.
Score = -69
You need to go have a daily affirmation there Stuart Smalley.
Score = 1
Larry Dickman being up there made me smile. sorry, larry. :)
Score = 0
I can't believe Web Sheriff didn't win Worst Comment.
Score = 16
Wow. I feel like I really contributed something to society. I wonder if I can convince my probation officer to count those hours towards my community service.
Score = 3
This Fleet Foxes album is fantastic!
Score = -5
Let's all vote this comment down by midnight and get it to number 1 to fuck up the countdown. Ready? GO!
Score = 29
I WON!
Score = 5
The top ten comments from the comment section of the post about the top ten comments of 2008!
The top ten comments from the comment section of the post about the top ten comments from the comment section of the post about the top ten comments of 2008!
Score = 4
I wonder how many of those negative comments were even registered users. Most of those people just find their way in here after a Google Blog search, read Coldplay review comment.
I love the rating system! If you agree, vote it up. Quite simple. You can't be tough on yourself after a few negative points. To keep on the same thread, I remember seeing like -10 next to a comment I made on X&Y being a race towards the cheesiest song ever recorded.... I stand by that!
Score = 6
Yeah, beats the hell out of other systems, like Boing Boing for example. You have a dissenting opinion and then some skimming moderator or a loitering regular arranges for your post to be "disemvoweled," rendering it meaningless.
I like Stereogum's system. Everyone knows the score, both figuratively and literally.
Here, you sort of play to the expected audience while minding the random unregistered users out to crawl up your nose for hating Chris Martin's practiced flamboyancy.
Anyway from the positive list,
"08. monster at 12/16/08 4:53 PM"
Monster deserves to be canonized.
Score = 2
The mean ones and the rightous ones all come down to a kind of Mac guy/ rabid PC guy thing doesn't it? I'm on Norm MacDonalds side on that one.(Good luck Jimmy!)
I'd like to think the fleet foxes guy standing front and center in all those magazines right now while the VW guy and some other standing aside reflects the blogosphere working. I'd also like to thing that Fleet Foxes told the Gap to fuck off when asked for their songs in a Gap commercial. I hope the blogosphere evolves into what it could be...
Score = -4
god bless us... whiney egotistical users, pretentious putdown posters, fake aliases, grace667... god bless us one and all
Score = 0
Hey I LOVE cool hunters. They make my dreams come true all the time... I'm all for the sharing of imaginations I have sympathy is what I'm saying...
Score = -3
you guys should make comments that get over 5 positive bright green and below 5 negative -red. it makes a lot more sense than the tan 0-infinity or bright red glare of a -1.
just a thought...
Score = 6
here's hoping that 2009 will bring about the triumphant return of DW Dunphy! good lord I miss that guy.
Score = -1
Cleary #9 is the worst of the worst.
Score = -3
How do you figure that? Did you read #8?
Score = 0
good stuff. If this blog had a hole I would totally eff it.
Score = 4
I enjoyed this post.
Score = -2
best 2008 list
Score = 4
I don't know why anything ever had turn racist with the "negro" comment in the previous posts. And its in quotes in the original comment. Yikes.
Score = 2
I think it's illuminating that the negative scores double up the positive ones
Score = 4
Here's to hoping that my fifteen seconds of fame will come with a spot on Stereogum's Best and Worse Reader Comments of 2009 List.
Score = -1
stereogum sucks my balls.
Score = 5
what does it say about me that i remember a good portion of these comments?
i spend too much time on the internet at work?
Score = -4
is it intentionally "the best and worse comments" or should it be "the best and worst comments"?
Score = 2
I guess it was unintentional
Score = -3
When did this become dickgum.com?
Score = 2
Black people are only just better than vampire weekend. Both groups of people are worse than cockroaches. Techno music is the way forward. The johnas brothers are better than the beatles. BIG UP TEH REPUBLICAN PARTY!!!!!!!!
that ought to garner a positive response.
NIGGER
Score = -1
you know, i've always thought that people with double-digit IQ's shouldn't be allowed to use the internet.
Score = -1
"03. Congrats to them! I hope he gets fat again.
Posted by: Jane at 12/29/08 5:28 PM
in response to Ben Gibbard & Zooey Deschanel Get Engaged"
Score = 1,000,000
Score = 0
Where is the award for the most neutrally regarded comment? I'm totally going to win that one.
Hey guys, I enjoy music.
Just try and emotionally respond to a comment as generic as that!
Score = -1
Haha. Not so fast, I could win too because I'm just not clever or mean enough to receive votes.
Score = 3
This is so meta, you guys.
Score = -2
Milhouse is a meme
Score = 2
i'd like to thank my momma, and elivis
Score = 2
omg ya'll love the lulz!
Score = -5
wow,after that post i have nothing intelligent/racist to say...sorry
Score = 1
Anyone else notice that the top ten AND bottom ten are all insulting/rude?
Suckers! :p
Score = -1
PS: The 3rd worst rated commenter has Vampire Weekend listed as a top artist for 2008 on his blog. And Kings of Leon at no. 1???
No, those aren't cool pop bands; they're heaps unique and new.
Score = -1
There was one that I remember on the Coldplay thread that I thought for sure would make this list. I don't feel like looking but it said something like: "Dear Stereogum: Thanks for the avid Coldplay updates. I gotta go finish the laundry.- Mom"
Priceless
Score = 2
I never noticed the scoring before
Score = -1
these are hilarious
Score = 0
jeez now were just going to have a bunch of people trying really hard to be funny-- or really hated in hopes to make this list next year haha
Score = 1
I am commenting about your comments about other comments. whoa, that's so meta.
Score = 0
I'm surprised that none of the 1,000 comments about "this sucks, Clipse is awesome" made it.
Score = 0