Welcome to the very first installment of the Friday links roundup here at Serve The Song. Today’s helping is all things Twitter. Get tips for songwriters, find Apps to help you promote, and dive deeper into the Twitter universe.

’tis the year for publishing “best of the year” lists and I thought I’d take this opportunity to put together a list of the lists that are floating around the music world.

I separated the list into two sections: The first is a roundup of the common best albums and best songs list (from both mainstream media, and others). The second is a list of lists with a twist, which put a healthy spin on their recap of 2008.

Whether you’re looking for new music to fill your shiny new ipod, or you’re in the mood to criticize the critcs (a favorite pastime for most songwriters), this list of lists should help you pass the time between the family roundups and the drunken holiday parties. Enjoy…

Holiday shopping season is upon us and with the state of the economy, this year’s theme is save cash wherever you can. That means getting more bang for your buck. For songwriters and producers who run a home studio, the wish list of hot gear items seems to last all year long. While many of you may be dreaming of a shiny new pro tools rig, a smooth condenser vocal mic, or a trusted name-brand piece of vintage outboard gear, I’m here to tell you that this is the year to think on a smaller scale. But that’s OK, because there are several key pieces that are both essential to any recording studio and also cost under $100.