Best National Electronica Act

Fatboyslim

Norman Cook's sophomore release as Fatboy Slim, You've Come a Long Way, Baby (Astral-werks), pulses through half the commercials on TV these days, and a multiplex-load of movies. You know something's up when Entertainment Weekly has to do a chart. But Cook's gleeful sellout has actually made his album sound better, revealing its goofy-groove pleasures, the super disco breakin' that first prompted the money-makin'. In other words, though "The Rockafeller Skank" was instantly, obviously the best rock-rock-rock-rock-rock song of the year, even before it funked up the prom scene in She's All That, "Gangster Trippin' " didn't seem quite so cool until it underscored the riotous wigger ball-busting in Go! "Praise You" rules as a nostalgic raver's love dedication, a "Wonderwall" for guys who value their vinyl copies of Screamadelica more than life itself, but it's equally thrilling as Nike gospel. And as for "Soul Surfing," Adidas hasn't had a jingle this catchy since Run-D.M.C. found God. Meanwhile, Norman got crazy paid, started dating British TV presenter Zoe Ball, and (presumably) spent early '99 laughing his ass off. Bonus points for dropping "When Doves Cry" during his unpretentiously cheesy DJ sets.

-- Alex Pappademas