Rock Albums Should Win Pulitzers
When John Adams's On the Transmigration of Souls won in 2003, some people grumbled that it won because it was written to commemorate 9/11. The real shame was that there was so much better rock music from that year that deserved consideration. Wilco released Yankee Hotel Foxtrot in 2002, and the Flaming Lips put out Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots . A lot of people have complain that the Pulitzer jury ignores jazz and rock, and there is a history there. But they can only judge what is nominated. This year, let's call their hand. Why not nominate The Hold Steady for Heaven is Whenever ? Or The National. People seem to like them. Steve Smith likes the Slow Six. He should nominate them. I'd nominate Broken Social Scene for their new album (their truly awesome You Forgot It in People came out in 2002) but the Pulitzer winner has to be written by an American.