The Best of 2010 - The Albums

15. The Pretty Reckless - Light Me Up

14. Black Label Society - Order of the Black

13. Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare

12. Bad Religion - The Dissent of Man

11. Joe Bonamassa - Black Rock

10. Coheed and Cambria - Year of the Black Rainbow

9. Jimmy Eat World - Invented

8. Manic Street Preachers - Postcards From A Young Man

7. Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier

6. Slash - Slash

5. Reckless Love - Reckless Love

4. Courtney Marie Andrews - For One I Knew

3. Stone Sour - Audio Secrecy

2. Black Country Communion - Black Country

1. Shooter Jennings and Hierophant - Black Ribbons

The Best of 2010 - The Songs

15. B.o.B featuring Rivers Cuomo - Magic

14. Eminem featuring Lil Wayne - No Love

13. The Gaslight Anthem - American Slang

12. Jimmy Eat World - Action Needs and Audience

11. Rumer - Slow

10. My Chemical Romance - Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)

9. Weezer - Memories

8. The Like - Release Me

7. Linkin Park - The Catalyst

6. Black Country Communion - "Song of Yesterday"

5. Reckless Love - Back to Paradise

4. Tinie Tempah featuring Eric Turner - Written in the Stars

3. Missing Andy - Sing For the Deaf

2. Pulled Apart by Horses - Back to the Fuck Yeah

1. The Vaccines - Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)

The Best of 2010 - Number 8

Albums of the Year

8. Manic Street preachers - "Postcards From A Young Man"

James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire heralded the Manics' tenth studio album as "one last shot at mass communication". With appearances on "Strictly Come Dancing" and a Channel 4 Documentary, the headline seems to have worked.

From the outset, "Postcards..." is not as abrasive as 2009's "Journal For Plague Lovers", but loses none of what amkes the Manics great. One of the year's finest alternative rock records from start to finish, and hopefully not their last shot overall.

Essential tracks: "(It's Not War) Just the End of Love" "Auto-Intoxication" "A Billion Balconies Facing the Sun"

Watch: "(It's Not War) Just the End of Love"

Songs of 2010

8. The Like - "Release Me"

The long awaited and much delayed follow up to 2005's "Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking" was launched with a 50's retro slice of indie pop, both unexpected and brilliant.

"Release Me" came from nowhere with one of the catchiest choruses of the year, and should have had everyone up dancing. Superb.

Watch: "Release Me (live at Rolling Stone)"

The Best of 2010 - Number 9

Albums of 2010

9. Jimmy Eat World - "Invented"

Jimmy Eat World are the greatest "emo" band of all time. There is no question, there can be no argument. The fad may have come and - thankfully - gone fairly quickly, but Jimmy Eat World have stood the test the time better than any.

Their seventh album is quite frankly superb, the mix of uptempo bouncy punk tracks mix with the mellow, introspective tracks to create an excellent album, filled to the brim with great songs. "Invented" sees a band still at the top of their game.

Essential Tracks: "Coffee and Cigarettes" "Movielike" "Action Needs An Audience"

Watch: "My Best Theory"

Songs of 2010

9. Weezer - "Memories"

Weezer released "Hurley" their fantastically titled and adorned eighth album in 2010 and it was preceeded by "Memories", their best single since, well since their last single.

"Memories" was a blast from the past of epic proportions, even the lyrics harked back to the olden days. Weezer are quite fantastic. Simple as.

Watch: "Memories"

The Best of 2010 - Number 10

Albums of 2010

10. Coheed and Cambria - "Year of the Black Rainbow"

Coheed and Cambria's fifth studio album - a spellbinding concept prequel to their previous works hits the same heights as the band's existing albums, but hits further heights not yet explored.

As over the top and complex as before, Coheed and Cambria weave a story through their lush progressive symphonies. An incredible album, worthy of continuing the saga.

Essential Tracks: "Guns of Summer" "Pearl of the Stars" "The Black Rainbow"

Watch: "Here We Are Juggernaut"

Songs of 2010

10. My Chemical Romance - "Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)"

The lead single from My Chemical Romance's fourth album is a high octane, high energy punk rock attack which should have made the world stand up and notice.

Gleefully stupid, fun and downright catchy, this was the return of a band who know exactly what they're doing. And doing it well.

Watch: "Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)"

The Best of 2010 - Number 11

Albums of 2010

11. Joe Bonamassa - "Black Rock"

The eighth solo studio album from New York blues rock legend Joe Bonamassa is his standard mix of startling original songs and covers that may just surprise. Recorded in its entirity in greece, Bonamassa once again stuns and entertains in equal measures.

The guitar work is second to none, the vocals are supreme. This is Bonamassa at his best, and at still only 33 years old, how much more can come from this man?

Essential tracks: "Quarryman's Lament" "Bird on a Wire" "Blue and Evil"

Watch: "Bird on a Wire (live)"

Songs of 2010

11. Rumer - "Slow"

Pakistani born English singer songwriter Rumer has been in and around the fringes of the music scene for going on ten years now, but finally in 2010, she released her debut solo work. And it was wonderful.

"Slow" is a quiet, introspective song, with sedate yet lush instrumentation underneath Rumer's smoky vocals. A beautiful song, and one that left you waiting for more.

Watch: "Slow"

The Best of 2010 - Number 12

Albums of the Year

12. Bad Religion - "The Dissent of Man"

Bad Religion have been around for over thirty years now, yet every few years they manage to put out something that perhaps eclipses their previous output. "The Dissent of Man" is one of those somethings.

Bad Religion basically invented pop-punk, and are still more than relevent in 2010. "The Dissent of Man" is the best punk album of the year, and shows that there's still life in the old dogs yet.

Essential Tracks: "The Day the Earth Stalled" "The Devil in Stitches" "Avalon"

Watch: "The Devil in Stitches (live)"

12. Jimmy Eat World - "Action Needs an Audience"

The standout song from Jimmy Eat World's seventh album is a startling midpaced dual vocalled wildcard of a song. Completely expected from such an incredible band, but completely unexpected at the same time. Let the song do the talking.

Watch: "Action Needs an Audeince (live)"