This year we've asked some of our favorite writers and editors to tell us what albums

stood out in '98. Today, SonicNet's Kevin John supplies his top 10.

1. Shania Twain, Come On Over (Mercury):

A Def Leppard record in country drag that's still riding Billboard's top 20? Have

the rock critics finally taken over the establishment?

2. Various Artists, Fat Beats & Bra Straps: Battle Rhymes & Posse Cuts

(Rhino):

"I'm in the history books and the hall of fame," boasts MC Tanya Winley. "Heard you

f---ed yourself with a motherf---in' pickle," spews Roxanne Shanté, and thank

God someone finally fused the two sentiments on one rather defenseless compilation.

3. Various Artists, A Night On South Bitch (Max):

Thanks to this ace collection of house-music bitch tracks, I now know how to say "your

p---y stinks" in Spanish and that's social relevance enough for me.

4. Sean "Puffy" Combs, Changing The Sound of Popular Music (Bad Boy

Promo):

Kind-of like a mix tape remembering 1997, the greatest year for singles since 1981,

which, of course, Puff-n-Stuff dominated.

5. Sonic Youth, A Thousand Leaves (DGC):

I bet everyone who hates this record could use an investment counselor.

6. Various Artists, Queer to the Core (Quick Nuts):

We politically incorrect fags can't really claim this collection of obscure novelty records

as our own history. But we do it anyway.

7. Suckdog, Onward Suckdog Soldiers (Tray Full of Lab Mice):

My ex-roommate made this incredible tape when he was 10 playing a lachrymose

version of "Upside Down" on the Casio at Diana Ross' imagined funeral. The tape (and

the roommate) are gone forever but this giggly pajama party is the next best thing.

8. Unkle, Psyence Fiction (Mo' Wax/London):

Now all I have to do is have a three-way with Josh Davis and James Lavelle and then I

will have lived.

9. George Clinton & The P-Funk All-Stars, Dope Dogs (Dogone):

If only all bizarre, self-indulgent hypotheses ended up as essential listening.

10. Various Artists, The Perfect Beats (Tommy Boy):

So you think disco died in the '80s? "F--- you," says this four-disc anthology.