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)"

The Best of 2010 - Number 13

Albums of the Year

13. Avenged Sevenfold - "Nightmare"

The death of drummer, founding member and key songwriter Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan in December of 2009 could have spelt the end for Orange County metallers Avenged Sevenfold, but in an incredible show of solidarity, tghey teamed up with (at the time) Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and recorded the best album of their career.

"Nightmare" covers all the bases you expect from the band, thrashing riffs, powerful vocals, and the epic ballads they have become accustomed to. Portnoy's drumming gives a distinctive edge never before heard on a Sevenfold record and the lyrics, while deeply personal, resonate easily.

As a tribute, this is great, as a standalone piece of music, this is fantastic.

Essential Tracks: "Nightmare" "Victim" "Fiction"

Watch: "Nightmare"

Songs of the Year

13. The Gaslight Anthem - "American Slang"

The lead track from the Springsteen endorsed Jersey folk punk heroes' third album is everything you would come to expect and more.

"American Slang" is a Gaslight Anthem song, plain and simple, with progression thrown in. Folkier, yet still harder than before, great lyrics and a great melody. Another triumph.

Watch: "American Slang"

The Best of 2010 - Number 14

Albums of the Year

14. Black Label Society - "Order of the Black"

Over eleven years since their debut, with "Order of the Black", Zakk Wylde and Black Label Society have finally recorded their masterpiece.

Splitting with Ozzy has clearly helped Wylde's songwriting, as he seems to completely writing for himself, without thinking about how his former boss may sound on the tracks. The pounding harmonics mix well with the piano led ballads to give the band's most complete album to date.

Essential Tracks: "Parade of the Dead" "Darkest Days" "War of Heaven"

Watch: "Parade of the Dead"

Songs of the Year

14. Eminem feat Lil Wayne - "No Love"

Eminem, with Lil Wayne in tow, sampling Haddaway. This really shouldn't work. But yet not only does it work, it's one of the finest hip hop songs of the past five years.

The lyrics and flow are at Eminem's ferocious, angry best, and the sample, on paper a ridiculous idea, is absolutely inspired. Eminem back at his best, and about time.

Watch: "No Love"

The Best of 2010 - Number 15

Albums of the Year

15. The Pretty Reckless - "Light Me Up"

When it was revelaed that teenage tearaway actress Taylor Momsen was fronting a rock band, it was easy to scoff and think that it was going to be a pseudo pop monstrosity akin to much of the musical output from the "Disney Generation".

Someone forgot to mention that Momsen has a bit of attitude however, and "Light Me Up" turned out to not only be a rather enjoyable 35 minutes, but actually really good. Momsen does not sound like a seventeen year old at any point, and her vocal maturity, coupled with what are some pretty killer riffs melted into one of the most surprising debuts of the year.

Essential Tracks: "My Medicine" "Make Me Wanna Die" "Miss Nothing"

Watch: "Miss Nothing"

Songs of the Year

15. B.o.B. feat Rivers Cuomo - "Magic"

Following up "Airplanes", which contained some of the worst 'white girl wants to be ghetto' singing I've ever heard from Hayley Williams, was always going to be hard, but amazingly, B.o.B. not just followed it up, but blew it right out the water. Gone were the memories of one of the year's most overrated songs, in was a hip-pop masterpiece.

Produced by pop meaestro Dr Luke, and co-written and featuring the talents of Weezer's Rivers Cuomo, this track is one of the biggest guilty pleasures of 2010, as well as one of the best pop songs released this year.

Watch: "Magic"