Hall of Famers

That which endures:

Amazon.com celebrates it's 10th anniversary this month. To mark the event they've compiled a "Hall of Fame" for a few product categories, presenting the top 25 sellers in music, books, and DVDs for the past decade. Among the usual suspects in each category, some surprises.

The Beatles are #1 in the top music category. No real shocker, and likely boosted strongly by recent release of a "new" greatest hits compilation. A true surprise in the top 25 is Van Morrison. He's one of my favorites, a fine artist, but more popular then I thought.

The Woodstock generation is well represented over all. Baby boomers replacing vinyl with CDs? A new generation discovering "roots music"?

But perhaps the most unexpected musician in the group is Frank Sinatra. When I was growing up he was the definition of square. But now, of course, I recognize hip when I hear it. Note: outdated phrases used intentionally - but I do enjoy Sinatra's music. For the record, I also like Cold Play, Puddle of Mudd, and any other number of modern artists too numerous to mention here.

Slightly off topic: John Prine is the current #5 CD at Amazon. That's cool. Your opinion may vary.

Turning to top authors, among the usual suspects (diet books, Dr. Phil, The Da Vinci Code) there's a surprising and welcome stand out. C.S. Lewis. Although perhaps carried by the Narnia series (which might be coat-tailing both Harry Potter and Lewis' contemporary and friend Tolkein, and boosted by the upcoming film) I'd like to think some of his weightier stuff is also still circulating. His WWII-era writing certainly resonates today.

Perhaps that's what the Amazon all-time top 25 really demonstrates. For all those who think we're in unique and exciting new times there's actually a strong link to the recent past, where issues we think of as today's are revealed as timeless.

Speaking of which, among the generally unsurprising list of top 25 DVDs (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc) Band of Brothers really shines. It certainly deserves it's place, but I'd have thought the price (which, by the way, is lower than ever) would have kept it on the shelves of only a few collectors. It's worth the cost.