Music — Utah had its fair share of first-rate concerts, huge dose of 'Idol'-mania

In a little less than a week, 2008 will be history. That's right — done, finished, dead, kaput, ended, over and out.

But it was a year that will be long remembered.

While some of the stories of the year were things like Barack Obama being elected as the 44th president of the United States of America, the country's shaky economy and Hurricane Ike, there were some major head-turners in the music world.

First off, Neil Diamond, after more than 40 years in the business landed his first No. 1 album, "Home Before Dark," on the Billboard 200.

Then Guns N' Roses, albeit comprised of main guy W. Axl Rose, finally released its CD "Chinese Democracy," 17 years after the last GN'R CD, "The Spaghetti Incident?"

And there's the fact that the Police reunion show made its way to Utah and Journey recruited yet another lead singer.

As for trends, there was significant buzz about female artists. Sara Bareilles, Lenka, Katy Perry, Natasha Bedingfield, Leona Lewis, Keyshia Cole, Ingrid Michaelson, Colbie Caillat, Taylor Swift, Duffy, M.I.A., Rihanna, Pink, the return of Alicia Keys and Beyonce, and the resurrection of Britney Spears' career were a few notable stories of the year.

And let's not forget about Miley Cyrus and her infamous Vanity Fair magazine photo shoot by award-winning photographer Annie Leibovitz. The photos made it appear that the then 15-year-old Cyrus was topless and covered by a sheet.

Still, those stories paled in comparison, at least in Utah, when Murray's own David Archuleta garnered the runner-up position to winner David Cook in the seventh season of "American Idol."

Utah celebrated with a huge homecoming appearance at Murray High in May, a few days before the "American Idol" finale, and then Utah fans helped sell out the "American Idol" tour, during which Archuleta appears, of course, that made a stop at the E Center last July.

Fans also made everything from scrapbooks to a corn maze in the likeness of Archuleta to celebrate his near victory. And when his self-titled debut CD hit the market a month ago, it effortlessly settled in the No. 2 spot on the Billboard 200.

Sadly there were a few deaths that took some of the musical talent from this world.