Betty Freeman, an ardent supporter of contemporary composers like John Adams, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass, died at her home in Los Angeles this past Sunday, January 4, at the age of 87. Freeman will be remembered for her commitment to new music, commissioning such seminal works as Reich's Different Trains. She was also an accomplished photographer, deftly capturing the composers she supported, as in the cover photo of the Steve Reich's Works: 1965-1995, pictured here, taken during a 1976 rehearsal of Music for 18 Musicians.

Since the last Nonesuch Journal entry of 2008, which laid out scores of year-end best-of lists featuring Nonesuch albums and artists, still more critical praise has come in placing this music among the year's best.

While 2008 may go down as one of the more turbulent years in recent (or distant) memory, or, more optimistically, a time of change, there is much to celebrate in the year in music. Nonesuch artists across all genres have contributed to that and, accordingly, have made their way onto many critics' lists of the year's best. For the final Nonesuch Journal article of the year, we offer an overview of just some of that year-end critical praise.

'Tis the season for Top 10 lists, and there's no shortage of Nonesuch artists among the critics' choices for Best of 2008; the Nonesuch Journal will bring you the complete round-up next week in our year-end report. In the mean time, at the risk of being unseasonably un-humble, we would like to point out a different sort of best-of mention: The Independent (UK) has named Nonesuch.com one of the Top 10 Music Websites of the Year.

Revolutionary Road has been nominated for four Golden Globe awards. The Sam Mendes–directed film adaptation of the landmark novel by Richard Yates is up for Best Motion Picture, Drama; Best Director for Mendes; Best Actor, Drama, Leonardo DiCaprio; and Best Actress, Drama, Kate Winslet. Nonesuch will release the film's soundtrack on December 23, with original music by Thomas Newman, plus three songs from the film’s era by The Ravens, The Orioles, and The Ink Spots. Also nominated for a Golden Globe, for Best Motion Picture Made for Television, is A Raisin in the Sun, starring Audra McDonald, Sean Combs, and Phylicia Rashad.

The newly redesigned Nonesuch Records site, launched this past July, has been named the Site of the Day by Adobe, which explains its selection of Nonesuch.com this way: "This site goes way beyond album promotion and song previews by giving fans more ways to enjoy their favorite music." The Nonesuch Journal was recently included among 50 Beautiful Blog Designs chosen by Smashing Magazine for having designs "that literally stand out—either through their layout or through their design or through their attention to little details." Let us know what you think.

The successful of the vinyl release of Wilco's latest album, Sky Blue Sky, is one example the Chicago Tribune music critic Greg Kot uses to illustrate the recent resurgence of the medium for music fans, young and old alike. The Buena Vista Social Club at Carnegie Hall LP, released last week, joins other recent vinyl releases from Nonesuch like The Black Keys' Attack & Release, The Magnetic Fields' Distortion, and Laurie Anderson's 7" vinyl single "Mambo and Bling," the first recorded music from her piece, Homeland. Kot speaks with Sam Phillips, who asserts: "I love my vinyl, and I play it all the time. Nothing sounds like it. Who would've thought?"

Nonesuch Records is happy to announce the relaunch of its website, nonesuch.com. The new site will remain a great source for in-depth information on the extensive and diverse Nonesuch catalog, spanning more than 500 titles, and will include a number of new and improved features, in what we hope will be a much more user-friendly and enjoyable online experience.

The work of Cincinnati, Ohio-based photographer Michael Wilson has graced the covers of countless Nonesuch albums over the years, including the iconic imagery featured on Nonesuch albums by David Byrne, Bill Frisell, Emmylou Harris, Randy Newman, the Brad Mehldau Trio, and Nicholas Payton. His photography will be on display in an exhibit at the Boone County Public Library in Cincinnati beginning this Wednesday. Michael will be on hand to discuss his work in an opening reception that night.

Bang on a Can has announced the schedule for this year's Bang on a Can Marathon. A performance of Steve Reich's Daniel Variations, by Signal ensemble, will be a highlight of the 12-hour event, to be held at New York's World Financial Center Winter Garden on June 1. Also slated are works by John Adams, Terry Riley, Brian Eno, and many others, including Alarm Will Sound's take on the Beatles' Revolution No. 9.