The Best Of 2010
As I prepare to celebrate another year’s end, I can’t help but reminisce about the whirlwind year that has passed by so quickly. If 2010 brought one thing, it was great music. Some of the best albums of the new millennium’s decade popped up in its last year and I was there salivating over each and every note. This year also granted me access to some new discovery, as I traveled to music festivals across the country, including South By Southwest and The UMS, discovering bright new gems to add to my ever growing playlist. And finally, my year ended with a move east to the “Crazy Town”: Nashville, Tennessee. In the song by country’s Jason Aldean, the hillbilly rocker refers to this “Hollywood with a touch of twang” as the crazy town where “everybody plays” and “everybody sings”, leaving little room for talented musicians to shine. In 2011, I am excited to bring you some of the most deserving talent in this town and spotlight some of the incredible songwriters that this city has to offer. But as we say goodbye to 2010, sit back, relax, and enjoy Tragic Kingdom’s countdown of the best albums and artists of the year.
Best Albums/Artists of 2010:
10. Katy Perry (Teenage Dream): Before 2010, Katy Perry was best known for the girl-kissing tunes from her debut album One of the Boys. But this year, she burst onto the scene with her follow up release Teenage Dream. Critics approached the disc with caution questioning if the singer could really combine another string of pop tracks with her indie, punk attitude and deliver them with the same ease as the first go around. The answer was yes, as the lead single from the sophomore release “California Gurls”spent most of the summer atop the Billboard charts. The album, released in late August, debuted in the top spot and has already housed three number-one singles. The entire disc showcases the singer’s unique and emotional vocals and includes a ton of delicious ear candy that will leave us dancing long into 2011.
9. Andrea Ball (Dial Tone): We first discovered Andrea Ball in 2008, when her first LP titled Beat Beat Pound made its way to iTunes. A native to Denver, Colorado, Ball received praise from her local community as she performed at some of the city’s most notable venues. This year, she celebrated the release of her follow up LP, entitled Dial Tone, which continues to showcase her ability to write sincere and personal tracks to tell a story through her music. The more grown up version of the singer-songwriter takes what fans came to love about her on her first release and multiplied it by ten. The singer, who’s voice could be compared to some of music’s greatest talents, showcases a unique sound radio stations across the country are lacking. We hope 2011 brings much success to this indie song bird.
8. Bruno Mars (Doo-Wops & Hooligans): When I first heard the hook, “I wanna be a billionaire, so fucking bad”, I knew that Bruno Mars was good people. After co-writing and being featured on a string of major hits, Bruno Mars released his debut album Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Debuting at number three in October and delivering a number of international hits like “Just the Way You Are” and “Grenade”, the album received much critical acclaim and is up for a number of awards at the 53rd Annual Grammys. The artist, who also co-wrote the smash single “Fuck You” for Cee Lo Green, has a total of seven nominations at this year’s Grammy’s making him 2010’s brightest new star. So early in his young career, I can’t wait to see what’s next for the crooner.
7. Lady Antebellum (Need You Now): Whether you’re a fan of country music or not, this year you could not resist the force of Lady Antebellum‘s success. The Nashville trio that released their sophomore album Need You Now in February has been on a non-stop thrill ride all year: winning countless awards, selling out shows on a headlining tour, racking up three number one singles, and even garnering the Entertainer of the Year trophy from CMT. The lead single from the the album which shares the same name has become one of the biggest crossover hits in history and, aside from garnering six Grammy nominations, continues to do well on both the country and pop charts a year after its release. If this year was any glimpse into the future for Charles Kelley, Dave Haywood, and Hillary Scott, the future is going to be long and full of great success.
6. Jason Aldean (My Kinda Party): With three successful albums and 3.5 million records sold worldwide under his belt buckle, Jason Aldean started the year as a seasoned country artist that was widely received in his genre. But in 2010, the country rocker went from genre favorite to American treasure. He gained the attention from music lovers everywhere with his smash hit single “My Kinda Party” and his fourth album of the same name, which debuted at the second spot on the Billboard charts, just short of Taylor Swift’s newest release. Since then, I haven’t stopped taking in this masterfully crafted 15 track LP, where Aldean takes on music row with fierce originalism breaking the good ole boy mold that so many have done before him. The newest disc is just getting its start on the charts, but with tracks and future singles like “Dirt Road Anthem” and “Don’t You Wanna Stay”, a song with pop diva Kelly Clarkson, as well as a slew of other radio-friendly country jams like “Country Boy’s World”, 2011 could very well be the year of Aldean.
5. Eminem (Recovery): If art imitates life, then Eminem is the perfect illustration of an artist. From the top of the charts to a devastating drug addiction and battle with violence that led to the death of friend and protege, Proof, it was only fitting that 2010 would be the year he finally “recovered”. Em’s seventh studio record and sixth consecutive number one album, Recovery, was the comeback that had fans around the world rejoicing the return of a king and made Eminem the greatest story of the year. The radio-friendly tracks “Not Afraid”, “No Love”, and “Love the Way You Lie” spent most of the year being celebrated by critics and radio despite the dark lyrical content and fans agreed as the album went on to sell millions in the later half of the year. Ranked as the seventh biggest icon on the planet by MTV, Eminem has secured his place in history and there seems to be no slowing Marshall Mathers. This year he also appeared on the new albums of T.I., Rihanna, and Nicki Minaj, and began talks to star in his second major motion picture.
4. Miranda Lambert (Revolution): If country music was a prom, Miranda Lambert would be this year’s queen. The badass lady of country music has spent years being second to the other blonde haired beauties in the business, but this year was the year she broke through and stepped ahead of the rest. And even though her third album, Revolution, was released in late 2009, it wasn’t until this year that the album took flight with the single “White Liar”. The follow up single “House That Built Me” became her first number one hit and touched so many as it burned up radio stations across the country. The track was named Song of the Year by the Country Music Association and is up for the same award at the 53rd Annual Grammys, where Lambert will learn the fate of her five nominations. In 2011 Miranda will marry this year’s country king, Blake Shelton, and continue to promote the album of her career. One thing is for sure, with The Shelton’s ruling the Row, Nashville will never be the same.
3. Lady Gaga (The Fame Monster): Before Lady Gaga was on the lips of every living being on Earth (and arguably some of those from a world beyond our knowledge), I was fascinated with a story of a young girl who would stop at nothing to make it big and expose her music to the world. When the transformation from Stefani to Lady Gaga took place, I was like a proud papa watching my little girl graduate. Knowing that what she had was rare and unique, it was only a matter of time before the world would take notice. And they did. On her debut album, The Fame, Lady Gaga took the world by storm with her in-your-face dance tracks and, er uh, unique outfits choices. In 2010, the dance diva who was being compared to Britney Spears early in her career, emerged with her second release The Fame Monster and put her talent on blast. Vocally stunning and soul baring, the album showcased the real Gaga: the singer, the writer, the systematic hit maker. Reading like the top of Billboard, the album is filled with singles that each spent a significant stay at the top of the charts. The lead single “Bad Romance” will ultimately go down in history as one of the most well respected pop tracks and “Telephone”, which featured Beyonce, gained critical attention for both it’s catchy beat and controversial video. Selling out arenas all over the world and accepting the critical applause from her peers and fans is just the beginning to this story. As 2011 arrives and a third album on the way (titled Born This Way), it seems music has found its newest icon.
2. Matt Morris (When Everything Breaks Open): Spending his childhood days with artists like Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera on The New Mickey Mouse Club, it seemed Matt Morris should have been dancing and dirty-popping his way through the late nineties. But instead he gently crafted his talents and developed a sincere skill for songwriting that very few can accomplish. A long time fan of his independent release Unspoken, it was with great pride to learn that Morris was starting 2010 with a bang. After being signed to Tennman Records, Morris began work on his first major release with some of the industry’s finest, including Patti Griffin, Justin Timberlake, and Charlie Sexton. When Everything Breaks Open was released on January 12th and was immediately accepted by indie fans and critics. That same month, Morris and Timberlake had the number one most downloaded track with their live performance of “Hallelujah” from the Hope For Haiti telethon. Matt Morris was on the fast track, appearing on David Letterman, Ellen, and The Early Show. A few months later he was picked up by Interscope Records to release the album internationally and with a fresh look (pictured) and a fan base that had grown significantly in six months time, the album was rereleased in July. The first single “Live Forever” was accompanied by a music video and was featured on American Idol’s Idol Gives Back special. This winter, Matt released a holiday song “My First Snow”. With a year of successful firsts, I’m already ready for seconds and thirds from this incredible talent.
1. Neon Trees (Habits): While the selection for best album and artist of the year was a tough one and ultimately a toss up between the top two choices, Neon Trees have earned the spot. After an awe-inspiring performance at South By Southwest, I was obsessed with this Utah based band. On their first major label release, Habits, the four piece band, while individually unique, blend well on the indie pop tracks. Each track finds its way to everything between garage punk rock and hook-happy new wave, offering a variety of styles appealing to the masses. The lead single, “Animal”, is fueled by adrenaline which calls listeners to jump up out of their seats and move to the synth-driven beats. Undoubtedly one of the most pop driven tracks in the bunch, it showcases what else the heavy hitting newcomers have to offer on the disc. The single reached number one and was featured in a variety of box-office movies and popular T.V. shows. And while the comparisons to The Killers are painfully obvious, Neon Trees seems prepared to stay true to their diverse indie sound despite where the success they’ve experienced takes them. Spending most of the year on the road, I can only assume there will be some new tunes from these hot newcomers in the future. But, as the most promising new band of the year, I can’t wait to see what they deliver when their seasoned professionals. If I were a betting man, I’d go all in on Neon Trees.
Well there you have it, my picks for 2010’s best moments in music, it was a good year indeed. And while these are just my own picks, I know that there are many opinions and choices, so please feel free to share them with us on Twitter or Facebook. And since it was only a top ten list, I could only do so much, but I’d be a fool not to mention the notable releases from Robyn (Body Talk), Florence and the Time Machine (Lungs), Alicia Keys (The Element of Freedom), Drake (Thank Me Later), Nicki Minaj (Pink Friday), and Taylor Swift (Speak Now). Taylor Swift?! Yes, more on that in the new year. Now, go party like its 2011 and have a very happy new year!!
