Concord Music Group Detonates At "Best of iTunes 2008'

When the editorial staff at iTunes gathered this year to decide their favorite records of 2008, they chose many of the records released this year by the Concord Music Group, representing an incredible range of styles and genres. Jazz, bluegrass, classical, pop, traditional vocals, R&B, Americana, blues and Latin music are all included demonstrating the company's deep, talented and diverse roster of artists.

The Concord Music Group is one of the world's largest independent record companies made up of celebrated labels including Concord, Hear Music (a joint venture with Starbucks), Fantasy, Prestige, Telarc International, Heads Up International, Peak and Stax, just to name a few.

Highlights on the list include Sia, the former Zero 7 vocalist, whose album "Some People Have Real Problems" was released by Hear Music in January of '08 to a torrent of amazing press. iTunes list "Some People" among the best 8 albums of the year and 2008's Top Pop Album. Other notable releases were "Rhythm & Romance", from Kenny G, iTunes pick for the year's #1 Smooth Jazz Album and "Esperanza," from 23 year-old songwriter, vocalist and bassist Esperanza Spalding, who exploded on the jazz scene this year gracing magazine covers and the late night shows, heralding a crucial new artistic presence. In addition, Concord Music Group placed 4 records in iTunes' Top 10 selling jazz albums in 2008!

Here is the complete list:

Album of the Year
#4 Sia | Some People Have Real Problems

Best New Artist
#9 Esperanza Spaulding

Best Americana/Bluegrass Album
#8 Tift Merritt | Another Country

Best Jazz Vocal Album
#5 Esperanza Spaulding | Esperanza

Best Jazz Instrumental Album
#8 Christian Scott | Anthem

Top Selling Jazz Album
#3 Esperanza Spaulding | Esperanza
#4 SMV | Thunder
#5 Victor Wooten | Palmystery
#6 Various Artists | Sides of Blue

Best Jazz Reissue
#2 Miles Davis | The Musings of Miles
#10 Thelonious Monk | Brilliant Corners (Keepnews Collection)

Best Smooth Jazz Album
#1 Kenny G | Rhythm & Romance
#2 Marcus Miller | Marcus
#4 Incognito | Tales from the Beach
#7 George Duke | Dukey Treats

Best Smooth Jazz Track
#1 Kenny G | Tango
#15 Fourplay | Fortune Teller
#16 Jeff Lorber | Rehab
#19 Mindi Abair | Out of the Blue
#20 Yellowjackets | Lazaro

Top Selling Latin Album
#11 Sergio Mendes | Encanto

Best Pop Album
#1 Sia | Some People Have Real Problems

Best New R&B Artist
#10 Leigh Jones

Best Vocal Album
#10 Michael Feinstein | The Sinatra Project

Best Orchestral Album
#7 Paavo Jarvi & the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra / Prokiev: Lieutenant Kije Suite, Symphony No. 5 in B-flat

Best Vocals - Classical
#10 Robert Spano & Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus / Puccini: La Boheme

Best Instrumental Classical
#2 Cameron Carpenter / Revolutionary
#3 Simone Dinnerstein / The Berlin Concert

Best Blues Album
#2 Taj Mahal / Maestro
#5 Tab Benoit/ Lousiana's LeRoux / Night Train To Nashville

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