THE NEW YEAR HOLIDAY STARTS HERE:

...with THE BEAT FARMERS!  Making a tradition of this more sober than usual, professionally-shot, early BF gig recorded at Universal Studios, including "There She Goes Again" (VU); "Road to Ruin," "Bigger Fool," "Reason to Believe" (Springsteen), "Powderfinger" (N. Young), "Happy Boy," "Big Ugly Wheels," "Bigger Stones," "Gun Sale at the Church," "Dallas Blues," "I Wanna Be Free," "Lakeside Trailer Park," "Death Train," and "Seven Year Itch."  If you're new to the band, my picks would be "Bigger Stones," "Happy Boy" and the cover of your choice.  BONUS:  Now how much would you pay?  But wait... there's more!  If you really want to see someone put the "bar" in "bar band," watch these NSFW clips from Houston, TX of the late Country Dick Montana leading the band through "Lucille" (K. Rogers) -- complete with his favorite beer bottle stunts -- followed by "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Wino," "Are You Drinkin' With Me, Jesus?" and "Mondo."  SUPER-SPECIAL BONUS: Country Dick rolls out "California Kid" and "Anarchy in the UK" (Language warning).

U2: Crushingly obvious, I know. 

NICK CAVE & SHANE MacGOWAN: "What a Wonderful World."

ABBA wishes you a "Happy New Year,"  but it doesn't sound anywhere as celebratory as "Take A Chance On Me." 

THE MOUNTAIN GOATS perform "This Year" at the M-Shop in Ames, IA.

OTIS & CARLA have a "New Year's Resolution."

CLAUDE PATE: Don't forget you can stream "New Year" on the Tube, with comments from a member of The Eclectics and Friend of Pate Ken King.

AULD LANG SYNE: All my life, I don't know what this song means.

JOE JACKSON: Pate frequently attempted "One More Time" to often hilarious effect, so today I stick with Joe's early material, including "Sunday Papers" live on the OGWT, "Kinda Kute" on the Kenny Everett Video Show, and a Beat Crazy-era run of "On Your Radio."  The Rock Goes To College show provides live takes on "It's Different For Girls,"  "I'm The Man," and this pulsing version of his signature "Is She Really Going Out With Him?"  BONUS: The appropos finale, "Got The Time?

FLUXBLOG 's massive 2022 Survey Mix, on Spotify and Apple Music.

JIMI HENDRIX's forgotten holiday EP.

THE TOP 50 ALBUMS of 2022, according to Brooklyn Vegan.

BILL'S INDIE BASEMENT has its Top 40 Albums of 2022, and its Best Box Sets, Reissues, and Comps.

THE BEST INDIE ALBUMS of 2022, according to Uproxx. And Steven Hyden.

THE 50 BEST ALBUMS of 2022, according to Stereogum.

THE 50 BEST LPs of 2022, according to Paste. 

THE 50 BEST ALBUMS of 2022, according to Pitchfork. And PopMatters.

THE 50 BEST ALBUMS of 2022, according to NME. 

THE 10 BEST ROCK ALBUMS of 2022, according to NPR. 

ROLLING STONE's Top Albums of 2022.

THE TOP 100 ALBUMS of 2022, according to The Quietus.

THE ZOMBIES: "This Will Be Our Year."

THE SIGHT & SOUND Directors' 100 Greatest Films.

THE BEST MOVIES of 2022, according to The Ringer. 

THE TEN BEST MOVIES of 2022, according to Uproxx.  And Vince Mancini.

THE BEST TV SHOWS of 2022, according to The Ringer. And Uproxx.

THE GREAT PERFORMANCES of 2022, according to Roger Ebert dot com.

THE TEN BEST FILMS of 2022, according to Sonny Bunch.

A CLEVER DOG, a ball, and a treat.

I IMMEDIATELY regret this decision.

NOTHING'S GONNA STOP US Now.

RYAN SEACREST: Don't drink and host. The More You Know. Whoosh.