Summer 2008 report card

Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends”

Performance: There was little doubt Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida” would be one of the summer’s biggest albums, and its first-week sales exceeded 700,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. That was in June, and two months later, the album is still in the Top 20. Coldplay has been selling out tour dates and is likely on its way to a bevy of Grammy nominations.

Assessment: There was plenty of critical anticipation for the album, as “Viva la Vida” saw Coldplay bringing its gentle arena rock to famed producer Brian Eno, who has worked with U2 and the Talking Heads, among others. Eno, known for his more ambient and experimental soundscapes, helped add some orchestral flourishes to Coldplay’s repertoire, but nothing that veered too drastically from the band’s rock ‘n’ ballads. In short, “Viva la Vida’s” textures and upbeat drive were welcome additions for Coldplay, but it wasn’t the artisitic breakthrough it could have been.

Grade: C+  (J.P. Moczulski / Associated Press)

Iron Man

Performance: As of this week, the Marvel movie has made more than $317 million to rank as the summer’s second-biggest film behind comic book rival “ The Dark Knight.” A sequel is already in the works, and word of tie-ins with a possible Avengers movie have gotten fanboys in a lather.

Assessment: Robert Downey Jr. is almost universally liked, but audiences did not know what to expect of him in the role of a superhero. Meanwhile, director Jon Favreau‘s “Swingers” is a classic, but could he handle a big-budget, effects-driven spectacle? The critical and commercial success of the film shows what a good actor and a good script can do, even with what many called a second-tier superhero.

Grade: A  (Zade Rosenthal / Associated Press)

Summer report card

” The Hills” (MTV)

Performance: Summer wouldn’t be complete without Lauren Conrad and her many foes, giving viewers the Monday night drama needed to power through the workweek. So far, the sun-kissed gang has stood strong against the Beijing Olympics -- more than 3.5 million tuned in to the first episode, giving “The Hills” its second-best premiere -- and ratings continue to climb. The media haven’t lost interest either: Lauren’s carefully made up face graced the cover of Entertainment Weekly for the first time in advance of the fourth season.

Assessment: Too early to tell, but things look like they’ll be getting juicy. All thanks to budding villainess Stephanie. Audrina’s early smackdown with Lo made for a nice season launch, and thanks to MTV’s extended season four trailer, audiences can count on Lauren getting betrayed repeatedly before it’s all over. All of which at least seems more interesting that last year’s Speidi break-up nonsense.

Grade: B   (Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images)

“Wall-E”

Performance: The Disney/Pixar machine continued its strong ways as the cute robot movie rung up more than $215 million, so far besting the other big animated summer movie, “ Kung Fu Panda.”

Assessment: Most critics believe the movie is the best Pixar has produced, with many calling it a Chaplinesque hit. And with films like “Finding Nemo” and “Toy Story” in their stable, that’s saying a lot -- maybe too much. It didn’t blow away the competition and become a marketing juggernaut like other Pixar films have, but with its staying power, indomitable cuteness and ecological message, it had a little something for everyone.

Grade: B+  (Frantzesco Kangaris / EPA)

Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter III”

Performance: Most music industry watchers knew “Tha Carter III” was one of the most anticipated albums of 2008. Few would have thought it would sell more than 1 million copies in its first week, the first time an album had achieved such a feat since 50 Cent’s “The Massacre” did so three years ago. And then it was off to the races. “Tha Carter III” will undoubtedly be 2008’s biggest blockbuster from the music world, barring anything completely unexpected in the fourth quarter, and it is still in the Top 10.

Assessment: After releasing a string of mix tapes straight to his fanbase, Lil Wayne had won over critics. His oddball, spacey raps had an adventurous streak and a mainstream appeal, and Wayne had no problem mastering new models of distribution. “The Carter III” didn’t veer too far from his earlier work, and it earned him one of the best-reviewed albums of the year, boasting a Metacritic score above 80.

Grade: A  (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)

“Sex and the City”

Performance: The highly anticipated film that caused groups of women (and the show’s other fans) to band together for viewing parties and high-fashion trips to the theater has made more than $152 million. Hey, that’s a lot of Manolos.

Assessment: The show and movie played to a loyal female audience and still managed to hold its own against “ Indiana Jones” while satisfying the die-hards who needed their ‘Samantha, Miranda, Carrie and Charlotte ‘ fix. While it had a more than respectable box-office haul, real fans maintain that the movie wasn’t as good as the show, which didn’t help lead to overwhelming repeat audiences.

Grade: B+  (Craig Blankenhorn / Associated Press)

Jonas Brothers: “ Camp Rock” and “A Little Bit Longer”

Performance: Jonas Brothers hype hit a fever pitch this spring. First was the “Camp Rock” announcement, then a tour and then sophomore effort “A Little Bit Longer.” It’s early going, but “A Little Bit Longer” spent its first two weeks of release atop the U.S. pop chart in August, and “Camp Rock” premiered to boffo ratings, if not “High School Musical”-like numbers.

Assessment: The summer of Jonas? Not quite, but close. “A Little Bit Longer” actually has a slightly higher Metacritic score than Miley Cyus’ “Breakout,” which is baffling, and “Camp Rock” is still a Top 20 album as of mid-August. And “Camp Rock” did well, bringing in 8.9 million viewers, but that was still only about half of those who watched “High School Musical 2,” and reviews didn’t seem to be as kind. Ah, who are we kidding? They’re inescapable, for now, and we’re docking points for overexposure.

Grade: C+  (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press)

“The Dark Knight”

Performance: The film is already a classic, and it’s not even out of theaters yet. At more than $490 million, it has passed “ Star Wars” as the No. 2 film in U.S. box-office history. Keep in mind, it’s only in its sixth week of release.

Assessment: To say that Heath Ledger‘s performance as the Joker put the film over the top would be an understatement. A great script, nuanced acting by Christian Bale, Michael Caine and others, plus Ledger’s death converged to make this film more of an event than a release.

Grade: A+  (Stephen Vaughan / Associated Press)

Fleet Foxes’ self-titled debut

Performance: Riding a string of buzz that began at the Austin, Texas-based South by Southwest Music Conference last March, the debut from indie folk-rockers the Fleet Foxes landed at No. 82 on the U.S. pop charts. For a rootsy band on an independent label, a Top 100 debut is not to be taken lightly. The act followed it up with a high-profile gig at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago in July.

Assessment: The Fleet Foxes are proving to be one of 2008’s surprise indie acts. The five-piece was still hovering around the Top 150 on the pop chart as of late August, and thus far, the band has the third-highest Metacritic score for the year (88). Marked by Beach Boys-like harmonies and vintage instrumentation, the 11 songs of the Fleet Foxes’ debut possess a calming beauty. It’s a slow-moving album, sure, but one that’s rapturous with its gentle melodies and background vocals.

Grade: A  (Kevin P. Casey / Los Angeles Times)