Jesse

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Top 30 Albums:

1. TV on the Radio - Dear Science - It's easy to agree with everybody else, when they're all right.

2. Matt Mays - Terminal Romance - The most overlooked album of the year, and one of the best rock records in ages.

3. Gaslight Anthem - 59 Sound - Stirring, powerful, and joyful - the perfect combo for fun and singing along.

4. Senses Fail - Life is Not a Waiting Room - A dark and emotive journey into self destruction and possible redemption.

5. Lupe Fiasco - The Cool - Technically from 2007, but either way, it's an amazing disc.

6. Reggie and the Full Effect - Last Stop Crappy Town - Depressing and ugly, every song is important, combining for a great concept album.

7. People in Planes - Beyond the Horizon - The most surprising album of the year, which rocks very hard.

8. British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music? - A swirling mess of echo-y goodness, this is an album that will move you.

9. Hold Steady - Stay Positive - I never "got" this band, but after an album this great, how could I not?

10. Kanye West - 808s and Heartbreaks - The best "emo" album this year, with its themes of loss and isolation - completely brilliant and completely unexpected.

11. Bayside - Shudder - A powerful collection of uplifting pop-punk greatness.

12. Bloc Party - Intimacy - By far the worst of their three discs, but it's wildly experimental while still being great at times, and ok at others.

13. Does if Offend You Yeah - You Have No Idea What You Are Getting Yourself Into - Part rave-like techno, part uplifting pop, this is another surprisingly good disc.

14. The Stills - Oceans Will Rise - After a boring second disc, they fired back with a far more fun and exciting collection of tracks.

15. Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell - With this awesome album, they proved they were more then just a blog-hyped band of the moment.

16. Kings of Leon - Only By the Night - Another band I never really "got", but by cranking up the arena-sized anthems, they won over my interest.

17. Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead - A superb collection of synth-driven indie rock that's equal parts moving and catchy.

18. Girl Talk - Feed the Animals - More of the same mash-up greatness that you either love or hate.

19. M83 - Saturdays = Youth - Amidst swirling synth and multiple layers of sound, this album becomes almost magical at points.

20. Goldfinger - Hello Destiny - Returning to thier older sound, this album was a tremendous amount of fun, reminding me of why I loved Goldfinger in the first place.

21. The Bronx - the Bronx - Another excellent album full of dusty rock and roll, with roaring vocals and amped up guitar work.

22. TI - Paper Trail - A wonderful blend of "gangsta-rap" and straight up top 40 pop, TI hit the gold mine with a great collection of singles.

23. Hot Chip - Made in the Dark - More subdued and mellow then previous efforts, its still endlessly catchy and pretty at times.

24. Ben Folds - Way to Normal - Ben Folds is the master of upbeat and fun piano punk, and this album is no exception.

25. We Are Scientists - Brain thrust Majesty - Less straightforward then thier last disc, this is an uneven but fun pop rock album.

26. Jack's Mannqeuin - The Glass Passenger - Andrew McMahon is the master of moving and building piano punk, and this album is no exception.

27. F*cked Up - Chemistry of Common Life - A roaring punk epic that rock's extremely hard.

28. Why? - Alopecia - I won't even attempt to try and describe this album, or fit it into a genre, it's just really great.

29. Crystal Castles - Self Titled - Off putting at times and poppy at others, this album's absolutely captivating.

30. The Killers - Day and Age - The worst of their three albums, but still great at some points, and horribly boring at others.