Compared to The Roanoke Times Music Poll, the James Webb-George Allen Senate race was a blowout.

Out of 511 votes cast, the competition for Best Local Band was the most tightly contested category.

The winning band claimed victory by one vote.

Congratulations to the Seed.

Roanoke's funk/rock/soul brothers edged hard-rock heroes TK-421 by a single vote in the fourth annual music poll, which asks readers to choose their favorite music of the year.

(As a side note, TK-421 could ask for a taxpayer-financed recount, but preliminary canvassing shows that the Seed's lead will hold.)

Shed no tears for TK-421. Their album "Disengaged" won best local album for the second year in a row, even though we usually ask voters to limit their choices to music released in 2006. That fact wasn't made as clearly this year, so we let it slide. Next year, boys, give us some new music.

TK-421's lead singer, Chuck Johnson, claimed best male vocalist. Lisa Martin of Monkey Fuzz took top female honors locally.

Few surprises arose in the national arena, where Carrie Underwood, Justin Timberlake, Nickelback, Beyonce and Keith Urban were top vote-getters.

Voters had an abundance of choices for worst artist, album, song and video categories, thanks especially to the collected works of Kevin Federline, Paris Hilton and Timberlake. Federline, who went from K-Fed to Fed-Ex in stunningly swift fashion, topped the worst performer and album categories. Timberlake was first in worsts for song and video.

A few cool acts got some Timesland love. Gnarls Barkley scored well in the R&B/Hip-Hop categories and the indestructible Red Hot Chili Peppers topped three lists.

So, 2006 offered few surprises, but was generally a good year for music nationally and locally. Can't wait for lucky '07.

LOCAL SCENE

BEST BAND

1. The Seed

2. TK-421

3. Groova Scape

4. Drivn

5. Bitter Rain

BEST ALBUM

1. “Disengaged,” TK-421

2. “Drivn Volume I,” Drivn

3. “Illbotz 2: Electric Boogaloo,” Illbotz

FEMALE VOCALIST

1. Lisa Martin

2. Sarah Garrison

3. Sally Williams

MALE VOCALIST

1. Chuck Johnson

2. Stephen Lewis

3. Trampus Stamper

BEST CONCERT/FESTIVAL

1. FloydFest

2. Festival in the Park

3. First Fridays at Five

BEST PLACE TO HEAR LIVE MUSIC

1. Awful Arthur’s at Towers

2. Martin’s Downtown Bar and Grill

3. Greystone Tavern

BEST LOCAL RADIO STATION

1. WROV

2. K92

3. The Bear

NATIONAL SCENE

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

1. Carrie Underwood

2. John Mayer

3. (tie) Justin Timberlake/ Panic! at the Disco

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

1. (tie) "The Black Parade," My Chemical Romance

"Stadium Arcadium," Red Hot Chili Peppers

3. "How to Save a Life," The Fray

SONG OF THE YEAR

1. "Sexy Back," Justin Timberlake

2. "Lips of an Angel," Hinder

(4-way tie for 3rd)

MALE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

1. Justin Timberlake

2. John Mayer

3. James Blunt

FEMALE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

1. Carrie Underwood

2. (tie) Amy Lee, Christina Aguilera

BAND OF THE YEAR

1. Nickelback

2. Rascal Flatts

3. Hinder

BEST ROCK ALBUM

1. "Stadium Arcadium," Red Hot Chili Peppers

2. "Sam's Town," The Killers

3. "Welcome to the Black Parade," My Chemical Romance

BEST ROCK SONG

1. "Lips of an Angel," Hinder

2. "Dani California," Red Hot Chili Peppers

3. "Crazy Bitch," Buckcherry

BEST COUNTRY ARTIST

1. Keith Urban

2. Carrie Underwood

3. Rascal Flatts

BEST COUNTRY SONG

1. "What Hurts Most," Rascal Flatts

2. (tie) "Not Ready to Make Nice," Dixie Chicks

"Jesus Take the Wheel," Carrie Underwood

COUNTRY ALBUM

1. "Me and My Gang," Rascal Flatts

2. "Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing," Keith Urban

3. "Taking the Long Way," Dixie Chicks

BEST R&B/HIP-HOP ARTIST

1. Beyonce

2. Justin Timberlake

3. Jay-Z

BEST R&B SONG

1. "Crazy," Gnarls Barkley

2. "Sexy Back," Justin Timberlake

3. "Irreplaceable," Beyonce

R&B ALBUM

1. "St. Elsewhere," Gnarls Barkley

2. "FutureSex/LoveSounds," Justin Timberlake

3. "Kingdom Come," Jay-Z

BEST VIDEO

1. "Dani California," Red Hot Chili Peppers

2. "Here It Goes Again," OK Go

3. "Helena," My Chemical Romance

WORST ARTIST

1. Kevin Federline

2. Paris Hilton

3. Nickelback

WORST ALBUM

1. "Playing With Fire," Kevin Federline

2. "Paris," Paris Hilton

3. "FutureSex/LoveSounds," Justin Timberlake

WORST SONG

1. "Sexy Back," Justin Timberlake

2. "London Bridge," Fergie

3. "Lips of an Angel," Hinder

WORST VIDEO

1. "Sexy Back," Justin Timberlake

2. "Turn it Up," Paris Hilton

3. "Love Me or Hate Me," Lady Sovereign

BEST NET RADIO

1. wrov.cc

2. music.yahoo.com

3. virginradio.co.uk

BEST SATELLITE RADIO STATION

1. Left of Center (Sirius)

2. Lucy (XM)

3. Ethel (XM)

BEST MUSIC WEB SITE

1. myspace.com

2. itunes.com

3. rocknroanoke.com