2010 in music.

Manchester Orchestra's Mean Everything to Nothing won 2009. A new decade and the year I started using this dumbass site. Let's see who wins 2010.

Billboard chart-topping albums of 2010:
Susan Boyle - I Dreamed a Dream (cont. from 2009)
Kesha - Animal
Vampire Weekend - Contra
Various Artists - Hope for Haiti Now
Lady Antebellum - Need You Now
Sade - Soldier of Love
Ludacris - Battle of the Sexes
Justin Bieber - My World 2.0
Usher - Raymond v. Raymond
Glee - The Power of Madonna
B.o.B - The Adventures of Bobby Ray
Godsmack - The Oracle
Glee - Showstoppers
Jack Johnson - To the Sea
Glee - Journey to Regionals
Drake - Thank Me Later
Eminem - Recovery
Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Katy Perry - Teenage Dream
Disturbed - Asylum
Sara Bareilles - Kaleidoscope Heart
Linkin Park - A Thousand Suns
Zac Brown Band - You Get What You Give
Kenny Chesney - Hemingway's Whiskey
Toby Keith - Bullets in the Gun
Lil Wayne - I Am Not a Human Being
Sugarland - The Incredible Machine
Taylor Swift - Speak Now
Susan Boyle - The Gift
Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Billboard chart-topping singles of 2010:
Kesha - Tik Tok (cont. from 2009)
The Black Eyed Peas - Imma Be
Taio Cruz - Break Your Heart
Rihanna - Rude Boy (cont. from 2009)
B.o.B - Nothin' on You
Usher - OMG
Eminem - Not Afraid
Katy Perry - California Gurls
Eminem - Love the Way You Lie
Katy Perry - Teenage Dream
Bruno Mars - Just the Way You Are
Far East Movement - LIke a G6
Kesha - We R Who We R
Rihanna - What's My Name
Rihanna - Only Girl
Pink - Raise Your Glass
Katy Perry - Firework

What are your top three albums for 2010? We will keep a running tally and eventually have some sort of bracket. For me it would be:
1. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor
2. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
3. Tame Impala - Innerspeaker

What are some of the forgotten gems from the year? What is overrated? What did you discover at a young age and what did you discover later?

YEARS IN MUSIC • forum.chorus.fm

 

rest of the top 12:
4. Spoon - Transference
5. Frightened Rabbit - The Winter of Mixed Drinks
6. Ceremony - Rohnert Park
7. The National - High Violet
8. A Great Big Pile of Leaves - Have You Seen My Prefrontal Cortex?
9. Drive-By Truckers - The Big To-Do
10. Deftones - Diamond Eyes
11. The Walkmen - Lisbon
12. Motion City Soundtrack - My Dinosaur Life

honorable mentions:
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Bad Books - Bad Books
Beach House - Teen Dream
Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot
The Black Keys - Brothers
The Chariot - Long Live
Circa Survive - Blue Sky Noise
Colour Revolt - The Cradle
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis
Drake - Thank Me Later
Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
Kvelertak - Kvelertak
Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can
Los Campesinos - Romance is Boring
Midlake - The Courage of Others
My Chemical Romance - Danger Days
Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz
Superchunk - Majesty Shredding
The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt
Taylor Swift - Speak Now
Tera Melos - Patagonian Rats
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Mojo
Underoath - Ø
Vampire Weekend - Contra
Wavves - King of the Beach
Wolf Parade - Expo 86
The Young Veins - Take a Vacation

stuff to check out:
Agalloch - Marrow of the Spirit
Best Coast - Crazy for You
Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
Intronaut - Valley of Smoke
Kylesa - Sprial Shadow
Katy Perry - Teenage Dream
Robyn - Body Talk
The Roots - How I Got Over
Sade - Soldier of Love
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - I Learned the Hard Way
Ted Leo - The Brutalist Bricks

 

Officially into the "these albums feel like they came out last week" range now.

Also, I don't think I knew Kaleidoscope Heart topped the charts. That's cool.

 

1. 65daysofstatic – We Were Exploding Anyway
2. Murder By Death – Good Morning, Magpie
3. Amia Venera Landscape – The Long Procession

Kesha – Animal / Cannibal
Los Campesinos – Romance is Boring
Yeasayer – Odd Blood
Two Door Cinema Club – Tourist History
Jonsi – Go
Kayo Dot – Coyote
Minus the Bear – Omni
Foals – Total Life Forever
Kvelertak - s/t
Sleigh Bells – Treats
Drake Thank Me Later
Tera Melos – Patagonian Rats
Robyn – Body Talk
Dessa – A Badly Broken Code
Sage Francis – Li(f)e
Stars – The Five Ghosts
Girl Talk – All Day
Envy – Recitation
God is an Astronaut – Age of the Fifth Son
The Saddest Landscape – You Will Not Survive
Laura Viers – July Flame

https://rateyourmusic.com/list/ecirht/best_of_10/

 

1. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
2. The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
3. Tame Impala - Innerspeaker

ALSO
Jimmy Eat World - Invented
Circa Survive - Blue Sky Noise
Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager
Four Year Strong - Enemy of the World
Wiz Khalifa - Kush & Orange Juice
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
Minus the Bear - OMNI
Motion City Soundtrack - My Dinosaur Life
A Day To Remember - What Separates Me From You
Deftones - Diamond Eyes
Drake - Thank Me Later
The Menzingers - Chamberlain Waits
My Chemical Romance - Danger Days
Rick Ross - Teflon Don
Bomb the Music Industry! - ADULTS!!!!
The Wonder Years - The Upsides
Mac Miller - K.I.D.S
Pretty Lights - Glowing in the Darkest Night
Kendrick Lamar - Overly Dedicated
Beach House - Teen Dream
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Lil Wayne - I Am Not A Human Being
Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
The Black Keys - Brothers
Linkin Park - A Thousand Suns
Vampire Weekend - Contra
Skrillex - Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites
J. Cole - Friday Night Lights

 

1. letlive - fake history
2. beach house - teen dream
3. underoath - disambiguation

-------------------------------

four year strong - enemy of the world
the morning benders - big echo
envy on the coast - low country
pmtoday - in medias res
oceana - clean head
the black keys - brothers
seahaven - ghost
tokyo police club - champ
now, now - neighbors
big boi - sir lucious left foot
lydia - assailants
colour revolt - the cradle
land of talk - cloak and cipher
tides of man - dreamhouse
such gold - pedestals
deerhunter - halycon digest
bad books - s/t
small black - new chain
trophy scars - darkness, oh hell
hellogoodbye - would it kill you?
kanye west - my beautiful dark twisted fantasy
the chariot - long live
circa survive - blue sky noise

 

Can everyone please do my a favor and listen to this album. I seriously think it is perfect in every conceivable way. It just makes me feel every emotion.

 

This year is ridiculous.

1. Kanye - MBDTF
2. Tallest Man - The Wild Hunt
3. Vampire Weekend - Contra

HM: The Walkmen - Lisbon

I think this is as good of an album as I’ve kept out of my top 3 in any of these, there are absolutely years around here where it could be 1 for me. It was pretty well praised at the time if I remember right but it feels a little underappreciated 12 years later.

Beach House - Teen Dream
LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening
Katy Perry - Teenage Dream
Titus - The Monitor

Shoutout to Dancing On My Own, a top 10 song all time. Anti shout out to three of the four most disappointing albums of my lifetime (Adz, burbs, HV. At least the latter has grown on me!)

 

Some all-times on this list for me

01) AGAINST ME! - White Crosses

Controversial in the Against Me catalog but this is by far the most personal album Laura Jane Grace (then Tom Gabel) ever wrote with big glossy shiny production disguising the torment going on underneath. "Because Of THe Shame" still gives me chills.

02) THE NATIONAL - High Violet

Some ultimate "sad bastard" music, The National build a tragic soundtrack to the slow decay of adulthood.

03) LINKIN PARK - A Thousand Suns

The nu metal "Kid A" where Linkin Park stopped worrying about hit singles and went and made their own version of an art-rock record.

04) MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE - Danger Days

A futuristic color-drenched energetic blast of rock their somehow was a commercial dud.

05) MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK - My Dinosaur Life

A last hitch effort on a major label to breakthrough, this might not have made MCS stars but might be their best work.

06) THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM - American Slang

Some bands you don't want to change that much and TGA streamlined their approach on The 59 Sound to make a rousing and bluesy rock album.

07) YEASAYER - Odd Blood

Williamsburg hippies tone down their arty weirdness and make a pop record full of psychedelic hooks without sacrificing too much of their quirks.

08) VAMPIRE WEEKEND - Contra

If the backlash to Vampire Weekend influenced the band they certainly didn't show it as they made their logical next step, silencing the haters and cranking out note-perfect indie pop.

09) THE ARCADE FIRE - The Suburbs

I was fairly agnostic on Arcade Fire until this album. A fantastic sprawling (no pun intended) big-sounding indie rock album that rightly desrves all the praise it got.

10) SLEIGH BELLS - Treats

While they've had diminished returns since, this was a fantastic debut and a brilliant mix of hyper pop with hardcore-based guitar riffing

11) DEFTONES - Diamond Eyes

Doing this best to rebound from tragedy, Deftones bring themselves into the new decade and courted a new audience with their most song-focused album to date.

12) BEACH HOUSE - Teen Dream

This is where Beach House hit upon the winning formula that they've been refining ever since.

13) BUTCH WALKER & THE BLACK WIDOWS - I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart

Even at hist most efortless, Butch Walker still turns out pop/rock ear-candy with a good sense of humor and flashy playing.

14) CIRCA SURVIVE - Blue Sky Noise

Another scene band got one stab at a major label debut which found them emphasizing more traditional song structures with great results

15) SCISSOR SISTERS - Night Work

NYC night life faves go full-on camp with sharp hooks and humor-filled romps.

16) LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - This Is Happening

Often mislabled as "Electronic" this album was the logical conclusion (at the time at least) of LCD's 00's dominance which does everything the band does well on steroids.

17) FOXY SHAZAM - Foxy Shazam

Fun, campy yet also tragic Queen-style big stadium rock that unfortunately never made it out of small clubs

18) JIMMY EAT WORLD - Invented

Coming off a commerical disappointment, Jimmy Eat World expanded their pallet a bit and made one of those rare records where the back half is superior to the first half.


19) HOT CHIP - One Life Stand

UK nerds continue cranking out the dance-rock jams while adding enough variation to maintain interest for a full album.

20) ANBERLIN - Dark Is The Way, Light Is The Place

Major label album #2 from Anberlin finds them going deeper and darker, seemingly not so concerned with radio success while crafting some huge emotionally-heavy songs.

21) FRIGHTENED RABBIT - The Winter Of Mixed Drinks

Speaking of dark and emotionaly-heavy songs, this is one of those listens that just gets more brutal as the years pass.

22) BAD RELIGION - The Dissent Of Man

It's a reductive statement to say all BR records sound the same as the band always makes a point to slightly vary their winning style. Dissent Of Man still has plenty of ragers but also some nice melodic mid-tempo tunes that stand out in their catalog.

23) THE BLACK KEYS - Brothers

Garage rock goes R&B, this was rightfully the breakthrough for this band.

24) THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS - Together

Effortlessly hooky indie pop, this album finds The New Pornographers continuing their winning streak

25) SPOON - Transference

I can't really ever find a BAD Spoon song and while this album had a bit more muted response than others, still so many jams on here.

26) BROKEN BELLS - Broken Bells

Danger Mouse joining forces with Jamer Mercer of The Shins finds him bringing Mercer's melodies more to the front with a melancholic production feel.

27) MIDDLE CLASS RUT - No Name No Color

Another two-man duo of guitar and drums that makes a good melodic racket.

28) BAND OF HORSES - Infinite Arms

This album has since been memory-holed but, like a lot of other acts on this list, this was a major label debut that found a long-running indie band streamlining their sound slightly for a more accessible record.

29) OK GO - Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky

Power-pop goes Prince with the addition of the usual amazing music videos

30) MINUS THE BEAR - Omni

A slight switch in style for the long-running band embracing a funky R&B side.

 

Wow. We were listening to the same stuff in 2010 for sure, haha.

Because of the Shame fucking rocks and I'd argue that "Closer" is as radio-grabby of a song as Anberlin ever wrote, but the rest of the album is not that way for sure.

 

Closer, Art Of War, Down are some of the best songs Anberlin has ever done.

 

i almost choked laughing at nu-metal kid a

 

1. Kanye West - MBDTF
2. How to Dress Well - Love Remains
3. Bomb the Music Industry - Adults!!!

Joanna Newsom - Have One on Me
The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt
Taylor Swift - Speak Now
The Menzingers - Chamberlain Waits
Los Campesinos - Romance is Boring
Nana Grizol - Ruth
The National - High Violet
Perfume Genius - Learning
Weezer - Hurley
The Flatliners - Cavalcade
Waka Flocka Flame - Flockaveli
The Roots - How I Got Over
Rick Ross - Teflon Don
Black Milk - Album of the Year
Shad - TSOL
Diddy/Dirty Money - Last Train to Paris
The Holy Mess - Benefit Sesh EP

 

1. Minus the Bear - OMNI
2. Circa Survive - Blue Sky Noise
3. Envy on the Coast - Lowcountry

 

This won't be in my top three but I need to get someone into Agent Fresco. Amazingly technically proficient melding of math rock, prog, pop influences, alternative metal. Great musicians and as a pure singer, Arnor's the closest to a male Björk that I can think of.

 

Mainly due to the ambition, not the sound.

 

i knew what you meant, that's why it's funny

 

1. The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt
2. Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues
3. Gil Scott Heron - I’m New Here
4. Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
5. Beach House - Teen Dream
6. Ty Segall - Goodbye Bread
7. Caribou - Swim
8. Jamey Johnson - The Guitar Song
9. Blitzen Trapper - Destroyer of the Void
10. Anais Michell - Hadestown
11. Deer Tick - The Black Dirt Sessions
12. Josh Ritter - So Runs The World Away
13. Nas & Damien Marley - Distant Relatives

 

1. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
2. The National - High Violet
3. The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang

First two are a couple of my favorite albums ever. I've really fallen in love with American Slang again. The Monitor from Titus Andronicus just misses the cut.

 

totally spaced blue sky noise. my fav circa album.

 

1. The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt
2. Shad - TSOL
3. Axeman - Arrive

 

1. Linkin Park - A Thousand Suns
2. Sara Bareilles - Kaleidoscope Heart
3. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

4. I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody's Business - The World We Know
5. My Chemical Romance - Danger Days
6. Katy Perry - Teenage Dream
7. Taylor Swift - Speak Now
8. The Black Keys - Brothers
9. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
10. Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr Rager

11. Drake - Thank Me Later
12. Hellogoodbye - Would It Kill You?
13. Deftones - Diamond Eyes
14. Eminem - Recovery
15. Sade - Soldier of Love
16. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
17. Against Me - White Crosses
18. Vampire Weekend - Contra
19. The National - High Violet
20. Bruno Mars - Doo Wops & Hooligans

Honorable mentions: She & Him, Kings of Leon, MGMT, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj

 

Good year, definitely still feels like an industry in transition to me.


1. Marianas Trench - Masterpiece Theater

• I wanted to pick something a little different for my number 1 this year. I definitely did not know about this album until a few years later, but it's about as ambitious and consistent as pop punk can get. I really love the heavy dose of harmonies and the variation from song to song. I personally like Ever After just a touch more, but there are few flaws to be found in this bombastic level-up.

2. Jimmy Eat World - Invented

• My first new Jimmy Eat World album as a fan! I learned how to drive to this album and whenever I hear "My Best Theory," I think back to asking my dad to go log hours driving with me solely so I could turn on Alt Nation in hopes of hearing the track. I remember when Alt Nation debuted Stop as well and after that I was hooked.

3. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

• Though there are some in the honorable mentions I arguably like more than this, I picked this for my number 3 because of the re-eval I gave it a few years ago. When it came out in 2010, I sure didn't hate it, but it was not the Demon Days pt. 2 that I was looking for. When Humanz was announced, I did a discog run and was pleasantly surprised to find how much I enjoyed this album. I love Empire Ants and I truly think the production is as immaculate as Gorillaz ever got.

Honorable Mentions
Vampire Weekend - Contra

• It was the Zach Galifianakis-hosted episode of SNL's 35th season where I realized I like Vampire Weekend. They performed "Cousins" and "Giving Up the Gun" and were a much-needed jolt of energy to an episode mired in the mediocre recurring sketches of the era (this was the best sketch of the episode). I didn't connect with this entire album at the time, but I do now and it's a good one!

Linkin Park - A Thousand Suns

• This and Plastic Beach share a same story. Not at all what I wanted from the band at the time, but I've re-evaluated it in recent years and found a lot to love. I think it showcases some of Mike's best swagger and the album literally sounds like a movie trailer stretched out to album length. Their best? Probably not. Their most ambitious? Certainly.

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

• I guess I was just behind on music at the time because I also didn't listen to his album until college, where I fell in love with it. Pretty handily his best album in my eyes, it's a shame to look back on in hindsight.

Motion City Soundtrack - My Dinosaur Life

• I remember buying this at Hot Topic after AltPress gave it a five-start review. Still love it and think there are 2-3 weak songs, but this also contains a ton of their best material. They lost the plot after this though (and I kinda like Go).

The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang

• Technically my first Gaslight album, but I didn't get it at the time and would not get the band until Handwritten released two years later. I still think this album is a little slighter than those around it, but not a bad song to be found on here.

My Chemical Romance - Danger Days

• This must've been the year of hating albums by bands I loved. Like those mentioned above, I re-visited this one years later and like it WAY more than I did at the time.

hellogoodbye - would it kill you?

• What a great album. Not a miss on here.

Against Me! - White Crosses

• One of my fav Against Me! albums. The gloss has never bothered me because I jumped onto the bandwagon with New Wave. Some incredible songs here and I wish more fans would go back and give it a fair shake.

Butch Walker - I Liked It Better...

• Some top-tier Butch mixed in with some middle-tier Butch.

Foxy Shazam- Foxy Shazam

• The best Foxy Shazam album by a long shot. Every single song soars and this is the only album where they distilled their strangeness into something entirely palatable. People like to waffle about why this band never got huge and I think it's pretty obvious. This is theater rock for the weirdos and an album that starts with the frontman melodically barking like a dog is never going to take off.

Anberlin - Dark Is The Way, Light Is The Place

• My favorite Anberlin album for a long time because it was the first new one to come out after I became a fan. I still love it and think it is their best sounding album.

Bad Religion - The Dissent Of Man

• A middle-tier Bad Religion album with some awesome mid-tempo jams. Drops off in the back half, unfortunately.

Ok Go - Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky

• My more indie friends were obsessed with this album and it took me a long time to come around to it, but I'm glad I did. Easily the band's most complete work.

Jukebox the Ghost - Everything Under the Sun

• A banger of a piano pop album that is solid front to back.

Ludo - Prepare the Preparations

• My favorite Ludo album because they lean completely into the pastiche and also show off their technical abilities.

You, Me, & Everyone We Know - Some Things Just Don't Wash Out

• Perfect power pop. Have loved this album for a long time and even did a little one-on-one songwriting workshop with Ben at the start of the pandemic.

Steel Train - Steel Train

• Not quite up there with Trampoline for me, but so obviously set the course of where Jack would be headed.

Bo Burnham - Words, Words, Words

• Some of Bo's best work ("Art Is Dead," "Rant") mixed in with some of his most blatantly offensive.

Others
The Black Keys - Brothers

• Who didn't hear this album? The singles are STILL unavoidable.

Weezer - Death to False Metal

• Meh.

Weezer - Hurley

• The first of my two least favorite Weezer albums that also happened to be released the same year. I know folks stump for this one, but I think outside of maybe 2 songs that it is the most plasticine, inauthentic work the band has put out.

Alkaline Trio - This Addiction

• The worst Alkaline Trio album still has some good songs on it!

Neon Trees - Habits

• Didn't get into the band until the next album, but there's some great stuff on here and "Animal" still goes hard.

Marina and the Diamonds - The Family Jewels

• Baroque power pop? Not sure what to call it, but it sure is fun.

 

Loving the love for A Thousand Suns

 

I somehow forgot about Danger Days and Omni, though those wouldn't be top 3 probably would have been top 10.