The Consensus Top 10

Lauryn Hill’s commercial and critical blockbuster “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” is the winner in the 18th annual best album voting by The Times’ pop music contributors, but it was no runaway: English rock singer and critics’ fave PJ Harvey, right, fell just one point short in the balloting by 15 participants.

The list is notable for the showing of the small DreamWorks label, for the absence of some perennial picks (Hole, the Smashing Pumpkins, R.E.M.) and for the fading of the Brit-rock resurgence: After having five acts cited last year, only Harvey and Fatboy Slim represent the U.K. in 1998.

Albums receive 10 points for a first-place vote, nine for second, etc.

THE CONSENSUS TOP 10

Artist, Title (Label): 1. Lauryn Hill, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” (Ruffhouse/Columbia)

Total points: 42

No. of Ballots (Firsts): 8 (2)

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Artist, Title (Label): 2. PJ Harvey, “Is This Desire?” (Island)

Total points: 41

No. of Ballots (Firsts): 5

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Artist, Title (Label): 3. Eels, “Electro-Shock Blues” (DreamWorks)

Total points: 37

No. of Ballots (Firsts): 5 (2)

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Artist, Title (Label): 4. Elliott Smith, “XO” (DreamWorks)

Total points: 28

No. of Ballots (Firsts): 4 (1)

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Artist, Title (Label): 5. Rufus Wainwright, “Rufus Wainwright” (DreamWorks)

Total points: 25

No. of Ballots (Firsts): 4 (2)

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Artist, Title (Label): 6. Beck, “Mutations” (DGC)

Total points: 23

No. of Ballots (Firsts): 3

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Artist, Title (Label): 7. Beastie Boys, “Hello Nasty” (Grand Royal/Capitol)

Total points: 21

No. of Ballots (Firsts): 3 (1)

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Artist, Title (Label): 8. Lucinda Williams, “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road” (Mercury)

Total points: 20

No. of Ballots (Firsts): 2 (2)

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Artist, Title (Label): 9. Alanis Morissette, “Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie” (Maverick)

Total points: 17

No. of Ballots (Firsts): 2

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Artist, Title (Label): Fatboy Slim, “You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby” (Astralwerks)

Total points: 17

No. of Ballots (Firsts): 2

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The first-place votes: Beastie Boys, Lorraine Ali. Eels, Richard Cromelin, Steve Hochman. 4 Hero, “Two Pages” (Mercury), Ernesto Lechner. Garbage, “Version 2.0” (ALMO Sounds), Natalie Nichols. Lauryn Hill, Robert Hilburn, Connie Johnson. Monster Magnet, “Powertrip,” (A&M;), Sandy Masuo. OutKast, “Aquemini” (LaFace/Arista), Soren Baker. Shaver, “Victory” (New West), Randy Lewis. Elliott Smith, Steve Appleford. Rufus Wainwright, Marc Weingarten, Elysa Gardner. Lucinda Williams, Mike Boehm, Michael McCall.