The NME Albums of The Year Poll has been massaged by higher powers? You don't say.

For bonus points, the article also features Conor McNicholas having a whine, making lots of mentions of "Britain's biggest selling music magazine" (only to have Q figures thrown back at him).

I am assured that the upcoming poll of Static Multmedia writers will be free of such taint, but if anybody else has votes for Annie, Robyn and Rachel Stevens, I will be surprised (I suspect a slight US bias in the results).

But, for you lucky people! From tomorrow, a round-up of my favourite tracks of the year, one for each day of Advent. You've never had it so good. Honest.