TorrentFreak’s Top 10 Most-Read Articles of 2008

Written by Ernesto on December 31, 2008 

TorrentFreak published 688 articles during the last year, a record for us. We’d like to end 2008 with our latest chart which uniquely, is determined by you, our readers. Additionally, our three regular writers reveal their personal favorites from an eventful year.

Before we go on to the list of the 10 most popular articles based on the number of views per article, Ben, Enigmax and Ernesto pick their personal favorites of 2008.

Ernesto

It is hard to pick one article out of the hundreds of posts we have done. The BuckCherry article is definitely one of the most enjoyable articles of 2008. The band issued a press-release complaining about the early leak of their album, but with a little bit of research we found out that it was actually the manager of the band who had uploaded it onto various BitTorrent sites.

Enigmax

When Ernesto’s Top 10 Most Pirated Games 2008 article went mainstream, culminating in the BBC using TorrentFreak as a source, it was a proud moment. But i’d like to say a special thanks to international megapopstar entrepreneur extraordinaire and established anti-piracy writer Indiana Gregg, for her contribution to TorrentFreak. Unintentionally the best laugh of the year, with heaps of good old fashioned Interwebs drama on top.

Ben

My favorite story of the year has to be the near bankruptcy of MediaDefender, a year after we reported on the release of their emails. Shoddy enforcement techniques, and a spot of DDoSing have put their share price in the toilet. To paraphrase MediaDefender’s Randy Saaf, “They’re f*cked”.


TorrentFreak’s Most-Read Articles of 2008

Below are the 10 most read articles. The ‘RIAA’ hack leads with well over 300,000 views, followed by the Pirates of the Amazon add-on article we posted only a few weeks ago. We’d love to hear what your favorite article was of course, so feel free to drop a comment.


1. RIAA Website Wiped Clean by “Hackers”


2. Firefox Pirates Take Over Amazon


3. The BitTorrent Legend Returns: I Am aXXo


4. Top 10 Most Pirated Games of 2008


5. Test: Does Your ISP Slow Down BitTorrent Traffic?


6. Spore: Most Pirated Game Ever Thanks to DRM


7. Don’t Humiliate Yourself Complaining to The Pirate Bay


8. Pirated by iTunes, Artist Turns to BitTorrent


9. How a BitTorrent Tracker Owner Hides from the MPAA/RIAA


10. The Pirate Bay Interrogations


That’s it for 2008. Happy 2009 to you all!

Previously: Pirate Party Fulfills Opentracker’s Beerware License

Next: Company Offers Lifetime Anonymous BitTorrent For $50.00

14 Responses

1 Dec 31, 2008 at 09:41 by EZEE

I think I'll go with Ben's choice… that post made my day, and seeing MD going down the drain was.. well, the icing on the cake!

Most informative: How a BitTorrent Tracker Owner Hides from the MPAA/RIAA
real good reading, great tips, and a look at how things are run in these secret lairs.

Indiana Gregg + Ian Morrow article, funniest… esp with the user comments, loved that one, surprised its not closer to the no.1 spot.

Overall: Good work guys!

Cheers!
http://www.eZee.se

2 Dec 31, 2008 at 10:22 by Roze

Indeed, TorrentFreak is an important balancing force against the MAFIAA Nazis. I suppose that TorrentFreak itself does an important service in ensuring that the lies from the MAFIAA Nazis are cleared up.

3 Dec 31, 2008 at 11:46 by Sid the kid

Yeah, good job guys, you helped me a lot with some university research!!!

4 Dec 31, 2008 at 23:26 by Dare

Happy New Year TorrentFreak!!!!

Thanks again for being a balancing force standing for the human side of bittorrent technology, against the machinations of the corporate wanna be kings of the world…

Your work is SOOO Greatly appreciated by all of us!

5 Jan 01, 2009 at 02:07 by DH kid

gosh i barely cant remember my 1st comment in TorrentFreak. well,My favorite story of the year has to be The BitTorrent Legend Returns: I Am aXXo
happy new year to Ernesto and axxo!!

6 Jan 01, 2009 at 03:38 by Jess Howell

Wow, thats a real trip down memory lane for sure. Well done!

Jess
privacy.es.tc

7 Jan 01, 2009 at 04:58 by ali3nx

Torrentfreak staff's unwaivering resolve to publishing the truth while never submitting to the propaganda machine earned you all a top 10 spot in my Firefox bookmark toolbar :) Grats on another year of success and happy new year from Canada!

8 Jan 01, 2009 at 05:04 by Jason

Thanks for information ;)

__________________________
http://kisalink.info/a/420a89d/

9 Jan 01, 2009 at 05:39 by Izkata

I don't even remember seeing #1 when it was first posted, but pretty much all the Spore news land in my favorites.

10 Jan 01, 2009 at 06:52 by

@kT123

A top 100 list? Sounds like fun! I think I'll hop the bandwagon and make a top 100 list of all the bullshit I've ever witnessed on Torrent Freak.

#100. Your comment.

11 Jan 01, 2009 at 12:17 by TorrentFreak

Thanks for all the kind words :)

12 Jan 01, 2009 at 12:50 by kT123

@ali3nx: Torrent freak publishing the truth?? Now, that's hilarious! I'll need to make a list of the top 100 lies and fallacies that torrent freak published last year. that's so funny

13 Jan 05, 2009 at 16:03 by Ernesto

It was in 2007 :)

14 Jan 05, 2009 at 12:56 by CMG

I thought Demonoid's article about being shut down would have been on there… bet it was close though.

The aXXo one is only popular because of all the flaming, so I don't like that that one is there. People complaining about his uploads… I don't really care whose name is on it as long as I can watch it… and obviously if it's a good enough copy remember to say thanks…

I bet you all at TF are looking forward to what 2009 will bring… Happy New Year!

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