<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/40thlogo.jpg" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=150 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT>And I used to think our annual "<A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/showcategory.cgi?category=Records%202%20Die%… To Die For</A>" issue was difficult. Whew! When it came down to choosing the 40 most influential rock/pop, jazz, and classical records of the past 40 years, during which this magazine has been the most honest and enjoyable source of high-end audio journalism, my initial list contained more than 200 choices. A painful paring-down process ensued, with input from every member of the <I>Stereophile</I> staff.

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/40thlogo.jpg" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=150 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT>And I used to think our annual "<A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/showcategory.cgi?category=Records%202%20Die%… To Die For</A>" issue was difficult. Whew! When it came down to choosing the 40 most influential rock/pop, jazz, and classical records of the past 40 years, during which this magazine has been the most honest and enjoyable source of high-end audio journalism, my initial list contained more than 200 choices. A painful paring-down process ensued, with input from every member of the <I>Stereophile</I> staff.

<IMG SRC="/images/archivesart/40thlogo.jpg" WIDTH=150 HEIGHT=150 HSPACE=6 VSPACE=4 BORDER=0 ALIGN=LEFT>And I used to think our annual "<A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/showcategory.cgi?category=Records%202%20Die%… To Die For</A>" issue was difficult. Whew! When it came down to choosing the 40 most influential rock/pop, jazz, and classical records of the past 40 years, during which this magazine has been the most honest and enjoyable source of high-end audio journalism, my initial list contained more than 200 choices. A painful paring-down process ensued, with input from every member of the <I>Stereophile</I> staff.

<B>CARTER, COBB, COLEMAN, STERN: <I>4 Generations of Miles</I></B><BR> George Coleman, tenor sax; Mike Stern, electric guitar; Ron Carter, bass; Jimmy Cobb, drums<BR> Chesky JD238 (CD). 2002. David Chesky, prod.; Barry Wolifson, eng.; Nicholas Prout, mastering. DDD. TT: 67:06<BR> Performance <B>****&#189;</B><BR> Sonics <B>*****</B>

The <A HREF="http://www.riaa.com">Recording Industry Association of America</A> (RIAA) has gone on record opposing the <A HREF="http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A11926">Artistic Freedom Act</A>, introduced for consideration by the New York State Assembly on October 28 by Speaker Sheldon Silver. The bill would free artists from long-term contracts&mdash;now sometimes as long as 25 years&mdash;and would give them "free agency" status.

The latest figures for the music industry remain grim: Online sales of recorded music have dropped 20% through the first half of 2002 compared with the same period last year, losing ground faster than the overall US music market, which lost 7% during the same period, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). And the trend is accelerating. The latest numbers show online sales down 25% in the third quarter over last year.

John Atkinson and Arnis Balgalvis audition the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/703/">Avalon Eclipse loudspeaker</A>, whose quasi-anechoic TDS response prompted JA to exclaim, "Boy, that's flat!" But is flat where it's at? AB thought so: "The sound I heard was truly outstanding."

Growing pains aren't always unpleasant. In the case of Denver-based <A HREF="http://www.ultimateelectronics.com">Ultimate Electronics</A>, they might be completely enjoyable.

Folk wisdom has it that fools lock the barn door after the horses have escaped. They also chase all over the countryside trying to catch them. The music business is doing some of both in legal action brought against file-sharing service <A HREF="http://www.madster.com">Madster</A&gt;.