Rock Star of the Year: Lil Wayne
Bucking fears that he was too prolific for his own good, Lil Wayne created one of 2008's true blockbusters. And now, after conquering the MC game, he's going off in a new, even weirder direction.
By David Peisner 12.15.08 4:32 PM
In the wee hours of a warm November morning, a piercing sound fills the cramped control room of Studio C at Miami's Hit Factory. Wreathed in smoke, with a long spliff hanging from his lips, Lil Wayne rocks back and forth, staring intently at the fingers of his left hand as they dance across the neck of a blue Gibson electric guitar.
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The 20 Best Songs of 2008
Whether embracing docile chamber pop or sampling gunshots, these songs racked up this year's highest play counts.
By Charles Aaron 12.12.08 10:36 AM
The 40 Best Albums of 2008
From grizzled vets to surprising upstarts, our annual ranking of all the must-hear music.
By Spin Staff 12.11.08 8:32 AM
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The Inquisition: Scott Weiland
From STP to Velvet Revolver to his new solo album, Weiland has mastered the art of living on the edge.
By John Sellers 11.23.08 11:53 AM
The binges, the arrests, the pimp hats -- Scott Weiland has lived dangerously for much of the past two decades. But the man can safely claim to be one of the most successful artists of the past 20 years, pushing 35 million records worldwide as frontman for grunge-era scene-stealers Stone Temple Pilots and supergroup Velvet Revolver.
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Echo & the Bunnymen: Heaven Down Here
Thirty years ago, Echo & the Bunnymen helped spark a Liverpool scene in sad decline since the Beatles broke up, rubbing black-clad elbows with the likes of U2 and Joy Division, and inspiring Coldplay and Arcade Fire. As they prepare to release their 11th album, Marc Spitz takes a walk on the Merseyside with post-punk's dark romantics.
By Mark Spitz 11.21.08 6:21 PM
The gods, being gods, have intervened. The autumn sky over Radio City Music Hall looks like the freaking album cover: wet, midnight blue, and barely lit by the moon. It's perfect weather for a full orchestral performance of Ocean Rain, Echo & the Bunnymen's masterpiece, 25 years old next spring and possibly the most romantic 36 minutes of nocturnal pop ever recorded.
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The SPIN Interview: Elvis Costello
He's tackled nearly every form of contemporary music over 27 albums. Now Elvis Costello is taking his cultural ambassador skills to their logical conclusion…as a talk show host. "Inside the Actor's Studio," he says. "Is that the guy with the extraordinary beard?"
By Chris Norris 11.21.08 5:50 PM
In December 1977, Saturday Night Live introduced America to a man who would become one of the most iconic and enduring figures in rock history: a spindly, pissed-off-looking Brit with oversize specs and a palsied stance who (as a last-minute sub for the Sex Pistols) halted a performance of "Less Than Zero" mid-verse to instead race through the uncleared anti-censorship screed "Radio Radi
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