Yet, in the midst of the bling-bling celebration of earning power, across the tracks where music's wage slaves live, notice was giving to a few worthies.

Down in the dumps of the contemporary world music album list, a place few dare to visit without armed guards and an NPR-sanctioned guide, genuine music is found.

Albums from Amadou & Mariam, Gilberto Gil, and the Kronos Quartet & Asha Bhosle belong in everyone's diet. These records didn't get the big payola push this year because no amount of clean cocaine could persuade a commercial radio station to play any of it.