My Favorite Albums Of 2011#1 – Foo Fighters – Wasting LightDave Grohl’s Foo Fighters have finally found the perfect chemistry for the ultimate hard rock album. Recorded in Grohl’s garage entirely in analog and produced by Buch Vig (Nirvana – Nevermind) this is the best Foo album yet. Wasting Light is nominated for six grammys…

My Favorite Albums of 2011 #2 – Black Country Communion – 2 I have to thank @EddieTrunk for suggesting this one for me. Glen Hughes is by far the best vocalist in hard rock today.  Joe Bonamassa has become a guitar god by reinventing the classic guitar riff. Jason Bohnam’s drums are tunes perfectly giving…

My Favorite Albums Of 2011#3 – Foster The People – TorchesThis album is a pure Indie Pop masterpiece. Incorporating original sounds and textures into great grooves topped with deep and hunting lyrics. Torches has been deservedly Grammy nominated for Best Alternative Music Album. This album goes so much deeper than their hit single Pumped Up…

My Favorite Albums Of 2011#4 – The Script – Science & FaithDanny O’Donoghue’s unique vocal stylings of blending melodic singing with rhythmic prose along with clever lyrics make up one of the best relationship albums I have ever heard. Released just 18 days into 2011 I have not been able to stop listening to this…

My Favorite Albums Of 2011#5 – Taking Back Sunday – Taking Back SundayScreaming guitars and intense vocals that combine to make an unrelenting collection of songs from beginning to end. This is the record that a lot of people never thought would happen: A brand new Taking Back Sunday album that features the same line-up…

My Favorite Albums Of 2011#6 – Mr. Big – What If…So much talent in one band ought to be illegal. Mr. Big has always stood out above the rest of the late 80’s early 90’s hard rock groups. They have a unique way of making their songs sound simple on the outside, but when you…

My Favorite Albums Of 2011#7 – Sixx A:M – This Is Gonna HurtProbably the best commercial hard rock album I have ever heard. Every single song on this album is great from the riff driven rockers to the slow soulful ballads. If you haven’t yet, you must listen to this album. One time through and…

My Favorite Albums of 2011#8 – Jane’s Addiction – The Great Escape ArtistStarting a new chapter for the band with a new sound, The Great Escape Artist is their heaviest and most focused album of the four. Stephen Perkins lays down a huge foundation on which Dave Navarro layers wall of guitar sounds only to…

My Favorite Albums Of 2011#9 – Blink 182 – NeighborhoodsGone are the days of overproduced pop punk. What we are left with is an amazing self produced comeback album by the genre pioneers Blink 182. Travis Barker has to be the most underrated drummer in rock music. His extremely intricate and original drum patterns really…

My Favorite Albums Of 2011 #11 – Red Hot Chili Peppers – I’m With You The album is the Chili Peppers doing what they do best, writing disco and funk influenced hit rock songs. I’m With You has the vibe of a late night basement jam session. Brendan’s Death Song is a beautiful ode to…

My Favorite Albums Of 2011#10 The Airborne Toxic Event – All At OnceHuge sound, deep lyrics, and dark themes make up this sophomore album by indie rockers The Airborne Toxic Event. The first single “Changing” is a great 2-4 stomping anthem. “The Kids Are Ready To Die” followed by “Welcome To Your Wedding Day” is…

My Favorite Albums Of 2011#12 – Burn Halo – Up From The AshesA ferocious hard rock masterpiece. Filled with driving guitars and drums, while James Hart’s vocals are cast with great emotion.

My Favorite Albums Of 2011#13 – Bush – The Sea Of MemoriesFor their first album in 10 year Bush teamed up with uber-producer Bob Rock (Metallica, Aerosmith, Motley Crue) to create a alt-rock album reminiscent of the 90’s. I have to admit that I am a sucker for 90’s music and will argue all day…

My Favorite Albums Of 2011#14 – Lady GaGa – Born This WayA pop masterpiece filled with great vocal hooks and layers upon layers of original sounds. This album flows from one hit song to the next seamlessly. It’s no surprise that this album was nominated for the Album of the Year Grammy.

My Favorite Albums Of 2011#15 – Anthrax – Worship MusicTheir first album with former singer Joey Belladonna since 1990’s “Persistence Of Time” is an amazing collection of songs. Blazing thrash metal straight out of the late 80’s and early 90’s. On this album you can hear influences from their two biggest albums, “Among the Living”…

My Favorite Albums Of 2011#16 – Avril Lavigne – Goodbye LullabyJust a great pop vocal album featuring three unique yet equally impressive voices from Avril. The angst rock voice on songs like “What The Hell” and “Smile”, the bubblegum pop voice on “Push” and “I Love You” and her soaring traditional voice on “Black Star”…

My Favorite Albums Of 2011#17 – Coldplay – Mylo XylotoThe simple fact is that Coldplay has never not made it on my list over the years. From the opening of the album right through each song flows beautifully into the next. Songs like Paradise and Charlie Brown play off each other with similar themes. Just…

My Favorite Albums Of 2011 #18 – Adelitas Way – Home School Valedictorian There was an amazing amount of great commercial hard rock albums this year and this is the first of many on my list. Featuring blistering dueling guitar riffs and great melodies, Home School Valedictorian is front to back an awesome album. There…

#19 – Dream Theater – A Dramatic Turn Of Events I wondered if Dream Theater would be able to survive after the departure of founding member and true backbone of the band, drummer Mike Portnoy. The answer is a resounding yes, they have found new life from Mike Mangini. A Dramatic Turn of Events is…

#20 – REM – Collapse Into Now It’s sad to think this is the last studio album that R.E.M. will ever produce. This is probably their best album since 1994’s Monster. Thank R.E.M. for 31 years of amazing music.