As listeners vote in NPR's online poll for the year's best music, All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen sees three emerging trends: more bands from Canada, more bands from Sweden and an obsession with animals.

The music scenes in Canada and Sweden have produced a wealth of new and groundbreaking artists in 2007. Bands like Arcade Fire, Stars, Peter Bjorn and John, and Loney, Dear are already cropping up in the poll as listener favorites.

Boilen tells All Things Considered host Michele Norris that he's also seeing more artists and fans fixated on animals, particularly bears. Panda Bear, Grizzly Bear, Giant Bear and Lucinda Black Bear are just a few.

Full results of the poll will be posted on All Songs Considered Dec. 20.

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