This past year has been a very productive one. I have been able to explore more and more styles of music this year, and I have probably reviewed about five times what I did last year. I always find it difficult to rank albums in a manner to determine the best. There are just so many great albums that I think are on level ground with one another. Therefore, I am presenting a list of my favorite and least favorite albums of the year (in no particular order). Please enjoy my personal Best Of...
...The Names You Know
BILLY IDOL
Devil's Playground
COLLECTIVE SOUL
Youth
ERIC JOHNSON
Bloom
BRYAN ADAMS
Anthology
DEF LEPPARD
Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection
JOHN FOGERTY
The Long Road Home
NICKELBACK
All the Right Reasons
THE CURE
Seventeen Seconds & Faith
STYX
Big Bang Theory
KELLY CLARKSON
Breakaway
...The Names You Should Know
(but probably don’t)
SILVERTIDE
Show and Tell
BETTER THAN EZRA
Before the Robots
40FT RINGO
Funny Thing
STREET DOGS
Back to the World
HEAVEN & EARTH featuring STUART SMITH
S/T
BLACKFIELD
S/T
HAVOCHATE
Cycle of Pain
WALTHAM
S/T
MACK
S/T
BULLISTIC
Chronicles of Love & Hate
$UPERMER¢ADO
Scary Baby
BALZAC
Out of the Grave & Into the Dark
...The Euro
GLENN HUGHES
Soul Mover
JOE LYNN TUNRER
The Usual Suspects
THUNDER
The Magnificent Seventh
SOUL SIRKUS
World Play
LANA LANE
Lady Macbeth
BRAZEN ABBOT
My Resurrection
ALLEN * LANDE
The Battle
PLACE VENDOME
S/T
SEVENTH KEY
Live in Atlanta
...The DVD
TALISMAN
World’s Best Kept Secret
BRIAN WILSON
presents Smile
PETER GABRIEL
Play: The Videos
EAGLES
Farewell I Tour: Live in Melbourne
VARIUOS ARTISTS
Live Aid Box Set
HELLOWEEN
Hellish Videos: The Complete Video Collection
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Let It Rock: Live at the Crossroads of Rock N Roll
...THE WORST
HED P.E.
Only in Amerika
KOTTONMOUTH KINGS
Ten Years Deep DVD
ELECTROCUTE
Troublesome Bubblegum
BLOODHOUND GANG
Heft Fine
DAVID TURBOW
Gold Standard
THE VACATION
Band From Ground Zero
NIACIN
Live in Tokyo DVD
FEAR FACTORY
Transgression
For a more detailed list & full reviews of each, visit Rock-Is-Life.com
Article comments
1 - Michael J. West
Good list, but does anyone not know Better Than Ezra? They're not exactly obscure...
2 - George Dionne
I wouldn't say they were obscure, but they weren't exactly breaking down the doors of rock radio for very long. I think people forgot about them.
3 - Connie Phillips
Great lists, George, and I agree about BTE - I love them, but think they tend to fly under most people's radar.
4 - Paul Roy
Good List. Glenn Hughes "Soul Mover" was such a pleasant surprise. I think it is the best thing he has EVER done, solo-wise.
5 - George Dionne
Glenn Hughes WAS a surprize. His last studio album, Songs in the Key of Rock wasn't so great, but Soulfully Live had promise. With Soul Mover, Glenn really hit it out of the park.
6 - Elvis Gardner
I disagree, Only In Amerika by (Hed) P.E. is a great album, probably my favorite of the year, Biohazzard made the Rapcore genre big in my opinion, and (Hed) P.E. is revolutionizing it, its not the lyrics that make it a great album, it's the concept, free speech, go to one of thier concerts (never heard of them before one) you will understand what I'm talking about, It is one of few albums that i have every song on my ipod, why? because overall one of the best albums of the year, and the songs get stuck in your head, and in the words of (Hed) P.E. in the song "Raise Hell": " If Your not with me then get the **** Out" Sorry just my little piece