As if the past days hadn't already delivered enough good news, Film Score Monthly Online has just gone live with its 2010 in Review issue. I'm incredibly honored to find that The Music of The Lord of the Rings Films has earned a number of mentions, and that I was named as one of FSMO's Film Music People of the Year.

"This wonderful book is indispensable for fans of the films and students of movie music itself. Elegantly researched and written, smartly organized and beautifully published ..."

"[T]he finest film music book ever published ... "

Zenith Award

Doug Adams, The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films

Every now and then, a rising star reaches a pinnacle so significant that you just know the mark they leave will last for generations. This year (and we don’t give this award every year) probably belongs to Doug Adams, whose excellent analysis and tribute to the work of Howard Shore marks a significant milestone in film music criticism. It may have taken seven years to gestate, but the time allowed Adams to refine his approach to the material, carefully paring away potentially distracting elements that might have stolen the focus from the music itself.

I'm moved. Film Score Monthly gave me my very first professional break of any kind, and served as my introduction into the inner workings of the wonderful world of film music. Today it is home to some of the very finest and most perceptive writers in the field, and I'm honored to be associated with them. Kyle, Jon, Al, Saul -- and as always, Jim and Tim: thank you, guys!

Incidentally -- and probably more importantly -- Howard Shore's brilliant work on both Edge of Darkness and Eclipse is mentioned several times in the issue as well. Congrats, Howard!