Allmusic's classical editors have handpicked their favorites from among the thousands of albums we've reviewed in 2008. Click through to see if your own picks made the list!

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Original Soundtrack - Notorious (Soundtrack)
The soundtrack to the Notorious B.I.G. biopic Notorious -- which lands in theaters this Friday – is a good sign the film has its heart in the right place. Passing on Puff Daddy’s polished tribute “I’ll Be Missing You”, the soundtrack sticks with songs that reflect the late rapper’s gangster lifestyle. This includes his biggest hits, some great early demos, plus a handful of new tracks, including an appearance from Biggie’s son Christopher "CJ" Wallace Jr.

Joshua Redman - Compass
The presence of jazz legend Sonny Rollins looms large over saxophonist Joshua Redman's 2009 release Compass. Similar to 2007's Back East, Redman once more explores a piano-less trio -- though there are some quartet and quintet numbers here. Looser and more relaxed on Compass than he has ever been on a studio recording, Redman leaves his studied and cautious approach at the threshold, even as his now trademark sense of melodic restraint is evident.

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For the second year running we decided to give control back to the artists and let them pick their top ten albums, songs or whatevers for the year. A quick poll shows that the musicians who gave us lists (like Crystal Stilts, Hercules and Love Affair, Nicole Atkins and Max Tundra to name a few) were quite fond of Fleet Foxes, Vampire Weekend and Bon Iver but also found room for R. Stevie Moore, Icy Demons and Boston Spaceships.

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