Crystal Castles singer tops NME Cool list

Relative newcomer to the indie scene Alice Glass has scooped the title of coolest person in music in the NME's seventh annual Cool List, released today!

The Toronto based singer, who fronts electro punk band Crystal Castles, and is famed for her crowd surfing antics, has narrowly beaten off competition from heavy weight hip hop icon Jay Z.

Glass told NME: "I'm flattered, thank you. Why do I think I won? My pact with Satan hasn't expired yet."

However Beyonce's other half shouldn't be too disheartened with second place - the godfather of rap rounds off a storming year in which he defied his deriders including the mighty Noel Gallagher, to triumphantly headline Glastonbury.

Finishing off the top three is Stateside newcomer Andrew VanWyngarden, who makes up one half of band-of-the-moment MGMT – the duo's synth-funk hits which include Electric Feel and Kids, have not only provided the soundtrack to the summer but also featured in hit TV show Skins.

Arctic Monkey's frontman Alex Turner sees his coolness increase in 2008 – rising two places from sixth to fourth place. A model girlfriend, a new musical foray with the Last Shadow Puppets and a vigorous presence on the indie social scene all meaning his star continues to rise.

Late Of The Pier's Sam Dust, Ladyhawke, Caleb Followill of Kings Of Leon and British songwriter MIA come in fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth respectively, whilst Oasis singer Liam Gallagher makes a triumphant return to the top 10 at 9. Brother Noel, who last year was placed at a very respectable 16 has dropped entirely out of this year's list, proving that front man Liam's storming live performances in 2008 have only helped to cement his rating as the cooler Gallagher.

Meanwhile those who have slipped entirely off the cool radar in 2008 include tabloid favourites Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty. Winehouse, who last year featured at number 8 has had a tumultuous twelve months in and out of re-hab, leaving fans to wonder if her talent has been overshadowed by tabloid mayhem. Likewise, front-page stable mate Doherty who in 2007 was featured at 34 is nowhere to be seen in 2008, whilst ex-Libertines band mate Carl Barat still scrapes the top fifty at 49.

Conor McNicholas, Editor for NME said: "The NME Cool List is the year's definitive list, acknowledging those who have - and have not - made the rock'n'roll grade in 2008. It's a testament to the current eclectic scene that we can have a new pretender such as Alice Glass enthroned at the top alongside the likes of global rap megastar Jay Z and British music icon Liam Gallagher. The likes of Amy and Pete have dropped off the list altogether this year, perhaps because they are more known for their tabloid antics than their music at the moment".

NME Cool List in full (last year's position):

1) Alice Glass, Crystal Castles – new entry
2) Jay-Z – new entry
3) Andrew VanWyngarden, MGMT – new entry
4) Alex Turner, Arctic Monkeys/The Last Shadow Puppets - 6
5) Sam Dust, Late Of The Pier – new entry
6) Ladyhawke – new entry
7) Caleb Followill, Kings Of Leon - 21
8) M.I.A. - 11
9) Liam Gallagher, Oasis – new entry
10) Caroline Mackay, Glasvegas – new entry
11) Pink Eyes, Fucked Up – new entry
12) Guy Garvey, Elbow – new entry
13) Lil Wayne – new entry
14) Dave Sitek, TV On The Radio – new entry
15) Johnny Marr – new entry
16) Ezra Koenig, Vampire Weekend – new entry
17) Santogold – 48
18) Ed MacFarlane, Friendly Fires – new entry
19) Florence Welch, Florence And The Machine – new entry
20) Dev Hynes, Test Icicles – 49
21) Damon Albarn – new entry
22) Jay Reatard – new entry
23) Jamie Reynolds, Klaxons - 2
24) Zack de la Rocha, Rage Against The Machine – new entry
25) Peter Gabriel – bew entry
26) Nick McCabe, The Verve – new entry
27) Yannis Philippakis, Foals - 45
28) Miles Kane, The Rascals/The Last Shadow Puppets – new entry
29) Scarlett Johanssen – new entry
30) Will Roan, Amazing Baby – new entry
31) Rivers Cuomo, Weezer – new entry
32) Lovefoxxx, CSS - 3
33) Josh Homme, Queens Of The Stone Age - 34
34) DJ Muhava – new entry
35) Little Boots – new entry
36) Frank Carter, Gallows - 1
37) Brandon Flowers, The Killers - 44
38) Jason Pierce, Spiritualized – new entry
39) Robbie Furze, The Big Pink – new entry
40) Robert Plant – new entry
41) Shunda K, Yo Majesty – new entry
42) Tom Vain, SCUM – new entry
43) Karen O, Yeah Yeah Yeahs - 28
44) Gruff Rhys, Neon Neon – new entry
45) Brian Fallon, Gaslight Anthem – new entry
46) Matt Bellamy, Muse - 19
47) Eva Spence, Rollo Tomassi – new entry
48) Lethal Bizzle - 5
49) Carl Barat, Dirty Pretty Things – new entry
50) Jon McClure, Reverend And The Makers – new entry

The NME Cool List is now in its seventh year. Previous winners include:

· 2002 – Jack White
· 2003 – Justin Timberlake
· 2004 – Pete Doherty and Carl Barat joint first position
· 2005 – Alex Turner
· 2006 – Beth Ditto
· 2007 – Frank Carter