This one took a surprising amount of time to iron out. Am I entirely happy with this list? Ehhhh, I think there's another album or two I want to fit in somewhere. Maybe another day they'll be a part of this list. Or maybe not.
Honorable Mention: Book of Mormon, soundtrack
I don't know if I want to totally include this in the list, so I have it as an honorable mention. Because it should be mentioned. Because it's great. The entire show is great, and I'm not sure the same effect would be had by taking the soundtrack alone. I do love listening to it on its own. Favorites include: Two By Two, Man Up, I Believe, though I really like all of them a fair amount.
30. City of Evil - Avenged Sevenfold
I once heard somebody describe Avenged Sevenfold as being "my first metal band," and though they weren't for me, I understand where they're coming from. Yeah, the music can at points feel formulaic, and, hell, I hesitate to sometimes describe them as "bro metal," but I can really dig em. Hell, I enjoy this album enough to toss it on, and I enjoy their first as well too.
Favorites include: Beast and the Harlot, Bat Country, The Wicked End
29. American Idiot - Green Day
This was one of the first albums I had, and probably top 3 in total time spent listening to. It really kinda shaped rock music for me as a kid, and though I never really took the time to analyze symbolism, I didn't care then, and I don't really care now. Album's great.
Favorites include: Homecoming, Jesus of Suburbia, Letterbomb
28. Nevermind - Nirvana
I almost forgot about this album, but this has been something in my collection for almost 9 years or so. A long time ago, I got it from a friend. This year, hell, a couple months ago, I listened to it throughout. Then the same week I listened to it like 4 more times. Each song in this album is pretty damn good, and given more time with it, it may move higher.
Favorites include: Lithium, In Bloom, On A Plain
27. Favorite Noise - Reel Big Fish
This, along with some other albums, were the things pushing this list to be 30. After listening to some songs on this album, having them come up on shuffle and not skipping them, there was no way I couldn't include this album. Too many great, fun songs to not include. Favorites include: Somebody Hates Me, Sell Out, and The Set Up (You Need This). And also the Take On Me cover, which incidentally is my favorite cover of all time.
26. Does This Look Infected? - Sum 41
I had a CD as a kid that had a big mish-mash of music of around this time, mostly pop punk. After discovering the full album many years later, I do quite like the album. It's still when Sum 41 got too serious for their own good, though it is noticeably heavier, darker, more minor than their previous album and a half. Less happy, though still quite good.
Favorites include: Hooch, The Hell Song, Thanks For Nothing
25. Eisenhower - The Slip
Got this album from a friend. I've been a huge fan of Even Rats since 2005, as it was on Guitar Hero, then it was on Rock Band. I got the album and the whole thing is pretty chill. I can really just kinda lean back and let the album pass through, or some time play some certain songs and really enjoy singing along. The songs are fairly differing from anything else I listen to, and sometimes fairly varied amongst themselves.
Favorites include: Paper Birds, Even Rats, If One of Us Should Fall
24. Mirrored - Battles
This is one of the few albums I've purchased on iTunes on a whim and have been wholly impressed with my purchase. Again, this is just an album that's so different than most things I listen to, I believe under the genre of "math rock." Everything's just so tight together, and even though almost all the lyrics are completely incomprehensible, it's just fun to jam out to the odd time signatures, the sporadic direction of the songs. Really, I just love how different everything is and how well it works together.
Favorites include: Rainbow, Tonto, Race-In
23. Chutes Too Narrow - The Shins
I had always heard of The Shins from a friend and have always been interested in finding some music from them. Picked this album up from a flea market and was pretty surprised with how much I enjoyed it. Though some songs do stand out as being great, it's certainly an album I enjoy listening to in its entirety.
Favorites include: Kissing the Lipless, Saint Simon, So Says I
22. Dookie - Green Day
This was a tough one. I knew I was gonna have at least one Green Day album. Almost was Warning or Nimrod, and though both are very good, I dunno. Really it's a toss up amongst the all four of their albums mentioned for being my favorite at the time. Today it happened to be Dookie.
Favorites include: Longview, Basket Case, Pulling Teeth
21. Showroom of Compassion - Cake
This is another entry that's kinda hard to explain. No it doesn't have The Distance or Shirt Skirt Long Jacket, or even Guitar or Waiting, but it's certainly an album that I like as a whole. Like Chutes Too Narrow, it's something that is less about the individual songs to me and more so of the album entirely. Though there are some songs I'll raise above the rest including: The Winter, Italian Guy, Teenage Pregnancy
20. Absolution - Muse
First Muse album I heard, and favorite with Black Holes and Revelations in close second. Six entries in, I certainly notice it's getting harder to explain exactly why I like it. It shouldn't be hard to figure out why somebody likes things, and if I need to explain why I like this album after listening to my favorite songs, I imagine it's difficult for you to understand a lot of things.
Favorites include: Blackout, Thoughts of a Dying Atheist, Hysteria.
19. This Addiction - Alkaline Trio
This was probably the latest entry on this. I only really started listening to this album this year, though it's however old now. Alkaline Trio churn out some good punk music that I like to listen to, song along to, play on whatever instruments.
Favorites include: Fine, Kick Rocks, Dead on the Floor
18. Train of Thought - Dream Theater
This is Dream Theater at their heaviest. Each song on the track averages to 10 minutes a song, and each one is just endless awesome, shreddery, kick ass-ery. My dad once described them as brute force with finesse, and I believe that's a perfectly appropriate way to describe them, as well as this album. It's got my favorite instrumental of all time, and the rest of the album kicks ass as well.
Favorites include: Stream of Consciousness, As I Am, Honor Thy Father
17. Hypnotize - System of a Down
This was pretty tough to choose, this almost was Toxicity, but I went for Hypnotize. I do really like System of a Down and still listen to them, even if they haven't released an album in 9 years. I'm eagerly awaiting their next one, if they ever decide to make it, given it's as good as what they've made before.
Favorites include: Tentative, Lonely Day, She's Like Heroin.
16. Mezmerize - System of a Down
Another tough choice for obvious reasons, and pretty similar to Hypnotize, which makes sense because they both were a double album. There's really not too much left to say. Love the album, love the band.
Favorites include: Question!, Violent Pornography, Lost in Hollywood.
15. Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords
This is an album I got from a good friend of mine and became quite attached to even before watching the excellent TV show that it's partially based from. On its own, it holds up quite well. You don't need the context of the show to understand the wit. They're like Weird Al or Bo Burnham, incredibly talented musically, but also quite witty and clever with their lyrics. It works wonderfully.
Favorites include: Leggy Blonde, Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenocerous, Robots.
14. Cheer Up! - Reel Big Fish
This was an album I listened to a couple times many years ago, and then it had just been pretty good. Honestly, this album would not be on here had it not been for two songs, namely Drunk Again and Sayonara Señorita, the #8 and #9 songs on my top 100. Those songs are incredible, and I can always enjoy over and over and over. Sure, without em, the album would be good enough, but top 30 worthy.
Favorites include: Drunk Again, Sayonara Señorita, Valerie
13. No Pads, No Helmets... Just Balls - Simple Plan
I get a little upset when people insinuate that one's too old too enjoy certain music. I'm still a kid at heart, and some of the first songs I really listened to over and over came from this album. I really do enjoy silly pop-punk like this, and I don't give a toss what anyone tells me, I'm still singing along to the songs on this album.
Favorites Include: Addicted, You Don't Mean Anything, One Day
12. Paper Walls - Yellowcard
I'm glad I took the time to hear more Yellowcard past the song Ocean Avenue. Heard it on the radio and always liked it, but never took the time to really pick out and listen to their albums. And wow, have I been missing out. I finally got most of their albums about a year and a half ago, and, yeah, they're all pretty good. Like this one. This one's really damn good. I don't know, it's pop punk/alternative that manages to sound more than just pop fluff, and though pop fluff may not necessarily be a bad thing (hint hint), it manages to be catchy but at the same time seem to be intricate than other albums.
Favorites include: Cut Me, Mick, The Takedown, Paper Walls
11. Weezer (Blue) - Weezer
Oh, Weezer. How your early albums are so wonderful. I do enjoy blue, it's clean, it's catchy, it's just... It's wonderful. And you should know that.
Favorites include: Only In Dreams, Undone (The Sweater Song), Holiday
10. Ocean Avenue - Yellowcard
Yeah, yeah, it's certainly a bit more poppy than Paper Walls, but every song is so catchy and fun to listen to. Something about it, almost every song I just want to sing along with. It's a great, fun album. Favorites include: Life of a Salesman, Miles Apart, Ocean Avenue
9. Enema of the State - Blink-182
This is another entry that was kinda tough. This was kinda close with their eponymous album, another album that could probably be on this list on another day, but I really enjoy every song on this album, while there are a small number on Blink that I'm not as hot about. The album is a wonderful listen, even if I did get it some 8-10 years after it was released.
Favorites include: Dysentery Gary, Adam's Song, The Party Song
8. From Here To Infirmary - Alkaline Trio
It's getting really hard for me to think of things to say about some of these albums. Like hell, what can I say about this album? Uhmm... Armageddon is on Tony Hawk's Underground, and that's cool. Private Eye is in Watch Dogs, and that's cool too. About the album though? Well, all the songs are good, fun listens whenever.
Favorites include: Mr. Chainsaw, Steamer Trunk, Stupid Kid
7. Goddammit - Alkaline Trio
Almost had this swapped with 8, but I bumped this higher because I just love the kind of rough, frantic, but controlled nature of the entire album, save the acoustic songs, and though they never feel particularly clean, I like that about this album. And the drumming on this album is absolutely fantastic. I heard this album was produced in a week with a thousand bucks. If that's true, I have an insane amount of respect for the band and the album. And if not, I still do.
Favorites Include: Cringe, Sorry About That, My Little Needle
6. Pinkerton - Weezer
Much like with entries 8 and 9, I tossed this above the other Weezer album partially because of how much more rough it sounds, it sounds more, I don't know, natural maybe? Less studio, less processed, more raw. And I love that. Not to mention some songs just feel relatable. SOME songs, not all. Obviously not anything like The Good Life or Tired of Sex. But you know what I mean.
Favorites include: Pink Triangle, Falling For You, Across the Sea
5. Welcome to the Black Parade - My Chemical Romance
This album has some damn killer songs. All the songs are good, yes, but a good handful just make you wanna sing at the top of your lungs. Because they're just so damn catchy and beautiful and Gerard Way has the best voice. Side note, Teenagers, great song, I absolutely hate hearing it on the radio or censored, chorus is just super annoying.
Favorites include: Dead!, Welcome to the Black Parade, Sleep
4. Costello Music - The Fratellis
I got this album because I heard a couple of they're songs. They were catchy, and I really liked em. I listened to the entire album. EVERY song was like that. Even the lesser songs are still pretty good. EVERYTHING is good on this album. Kinda makes it confusing why it's at 4, but while everything's good, it doesn't quite evoke as much emotions as the top albums. Great album though.
Favorites include: Creeping Up the Backstairs, Flathead, For the Girl
3. Take Off Your Pants and Jacket - Blink-182
Much like Enema, but I heard this one first and more frequently. I listened to it once through and knew then that it would be something I listen to frequently. Each song was so catchy, each one was such fun. I still listen to it on occasion, though usually not completely through. Still love it though. And the points I made on the Simple Plan album apply as well.
Favorites include: First Date, The Rock Show, Rollercoaster, as well as the real songs on any of the deluxe versions.
2. Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory - Dream Theater
This was also an early album I heard, first hearing Beyond This Life. I was blown away by it, so intense all throughout its 11 minute run. I listened to the whole album, and it was also my first experience with a concept album, one that I enjoy, even if the ending doesn't really make sense. Someone once described Dream Theater as something along the lines of brutal finesse, and I wholeheartedly agree. There's a lot of power in some of these songs, but each one is so tight from every performer. So good.
Favorites include: Beyond This Life, Fatal Tragedy, Overture 1928
1. All Killer, No Filler - Sum 41
It's fitting, number 1 favorite song comes from my number 1 favorite album. This is a lot like Take Off, but I heard it later. I listened to it once through and noticed that every song is really good, really, REALLY good. I can listen to each one over and over without getting bored of it. It's upbeat, it's fun, it's energetic. I love it.
Favorites include: Fat Lip, Rhythms, Summer
So there it is, my favorite albums. From this, you can probably gauge my musical interests, if any genre were to be under represented, it's pop music, I do enjoy good pop music. Some other albums that didn't quite make the cut, Nimrod, Warning, Young and the Hopeless, Avenged Sevenfold, Half Hour of Power, Blink-182, Southern Air, Toxicity, Boston, Hemispheres, and many others.
