So you may be aware by now that we put this book out. It's called The Pitchfork 500: Our Guide to the Greatest Songs From Punk to the Present, it bears the lovely logo of Simon & Schuster's Fireside imprint, and it's a pretty cool thing, in my totally bipartisan, unbiased opinion.

Well, as a way of saying "Thank you!" to everybody who has supported the book thus far-- and a way of saying "Hey, check this out!" to everybody who hasn't-- we're giving away an iPod! Call it a sweepstakes if you will. In fact, call it The Pitchfork 500 iPod Giveaway Sweepstakes.

And let me tell you folks, it couldn't be any easier to enter. Simply head on over to the sweepstakes website sometime before 9 p.m. EST on December 15, type in your information, hit "Submit", and fondle your rabbit's foot while you hope for the best. No purchase necessary! Void where prohibited! (Hey, that's kind of tautological, isn't it? Like saying "not valid where not valid," right? But I digress...)

Not only will one grand prize winner receive an iPod Classic, that lucky person will also get a $100 iTunes gift card, which should get said lucky person well on the way to loading that iPod with an "ultimate playlist" of his/her own. Or with the whole Rush catalog. The choice is yours. What's more, 10 lucky first prize winners will score a copy of the book.

Ah yes, and speaking of the book, here's that rundown again:

This handy paperback chronologically explores Pitchfork's 500 favorite songs from 1977-2006, constructing an alternate history of the past three decades of popular music-- one that extends beyond the typical Baby Boomer-approved canon of the Clash, Prince, Public Enemy, Nirvana, Radiohead, and Outkast.

From art-rock and proto-punk godfathers such as Brian Eno, Iggy Pop, and David Bowie to today's leading lights such as the Arcade Fire, the White Stripes, and Kanye West; from superstars to cult heroes; and from punk, indie, and pop to hip-hop, electronic music, and metal, we've created the ultimate playlist. Interspersed throughout are sidebars on the most vital subgenres from electro to grime to riot grrrl, along with pieces like "Career Killers: The Songs That Ended It All" and "Runaway Trainwrecks: The Post-Grunge Nadir."

Edited by Pitchfork founder/president Ryan Schreiber and editor-in-chief Scott Plagenhoef, and written by an all-star team of contributors, The Pitchfork 500 is the perfect book for the train ride to work, a cozy winter's night by the fireside, or extended stays on the toilet. And it sure would make for a nice holiday gift, hint hint.

The book is available in your friendly neighborhood bookstore right now. Or you can order it via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Insound, Powell's, or Simon & Schuster.

Photo: Getty

MTV will celebrate the Januay 20th inauguration of new President Barack Obama with “Be the Change Inaugural Ball” celebrating young voter turnout and volunteer services. The ball will take place at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center and feature “leading artists, celebrities and government officials” who will be named soon. The ball will be simulcast live across all the MTV platforms. “Over the last year and culminating in this election, we have seen a groundswell of engagement and a refreshed spirit of activism from young people,” MTV general manager Stephen Friedman said. “We want to celebrate young people across the nation who are answering the call and working to make changes in their communities and beyond.”

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They say no man is an island, and, uh, punningly parlay that however you will into the announcement that pop dynamo Annie has left the confines of Island Records in her native Europe.

Annie herself broke the news in a MySpace post, expressing some frustration at the label's reluctance to give the already-delayed Don't Stop a release date, and concluding, "I think it's a great label, but I never felt they were that positive to my ideas...so we decided that we're not gonna work together anymore.

"I'm an artist with lots of ideas, plans," Annie continues, "so I'm gonna do things my own way from now on."

A representative for Annie confirmed the departure.

Lest you thirst for beef, Annie made sure to stress that this development is in the best interest of all parties. "I think Island are great...it just wasn't the place for me........no hard feelings, the show will go on......the Annie caravan will keep on moving, and the dogs'll keep on barking :-)" Shucks Annie, Don't Stop...being adorable.

For the moment Annie intends to set up shop in a Helsinki studio, presumably to continue perfecting that second LP of hers, and she's got an appearance scheduled at the city's Erotajja on November 28.

She also revealed plans to unleash a new track called "Ánthonio" via Richard X's Black Melody label early next year, so keep your ears peeled.

[808s and Heartbreak is out now on Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam]

One of the best years for kids' music in recent memory includes releases from artists with feet firmly in both kid-friendly and adult-oriented worlds. Old favorites went in new directions, while emerging artists gave a glimpse of the future of a genre as diverse and unpredictable as kids themselves.

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[808s and Heartbreak is out now on Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam]

For the 2008 version of the Rolling Stone “Hot Issue,” Britney Spears found her way onto the cover of the magazine for the seventh time on the heels of her new album Circus and her seemingly unlikely comeback. Click above to go behind the scenes at Britney’s cover shoot and to hear Rolling Stone’s Jodi Peckman discuss the ideas behind the cover.

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• Album Review: Britney Spears, Circus