The 55 Best Albums of 2011 (12-22)

No song was more infectious this year than Foster the People's Pumped up Kids.  What started as a catchy indie rock diddy took off and became an international hit rocketing up the Billboard charts and propelling rock album sales.  Most people still don't know the song is about a school shooting.  Maybe that why despite its popular success, it's still retained its indie cred.  Hopefully this is a sign that there's still a place for rock music on the charts...or maybe it's opening the floodgates for a rock music revival.  One can only hope.

Send in your BEST OF LISTS!!!  I want your top 20 albums of the year...or as many as you would like to send.  Just stick them in the comment section or email them to me.  I will compile a list by New Year's and share it with you all.

Here are the 55 Best Songs of 2011 (12-22):

12.       War on Drugs - Slave Ambient (Baby Missiles)

13.       Bright Eyes - The People's Key

14.       Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math

15.       Middle Brother - Middle Brother (Portland)

16.       Wye Oak - Civilian

17.       Jeff the Brotherhood - We Are Champions

18.       Foster The People - Torches

19.       Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch The Throne

20.       Jason Isbell - Here We Rest

21.    VHS or Beta - Diamonds and Death

22.    Dawes - Nothing Is Wrong

Buy these albums and more from 2011...all for under $5...for a limited time!!!

The 11 Best Songs By VHS or Beta

The other day I was trying to compare the choosing of song files (MP3 vs. AAC) to what it was like choosing between VHS and BETA.  Back in the 80s, this was an issue that split societies.  I remember losing friends because my parents went rogue with the less main stream Betamax, despite it being the higher quality choice.  One day I was at a swim party and a friend offered to loan me his copy of ET on VHS.  I had to admit publicly the reason why I couldn't take it.  I could have said I didn't like Ewoks and I would have received less flack from the crowd (remember it was the 80s...ewoks were still okay).  Betamax was hot for one minute then then quickly became the Arbys of home entertainment and it took all its loyal social standing with it.  You had to live in that era to get that.  so when I was making this comparison to a bunch of kids who were born in the 90s...it went over their heads.  I changed my strategy to "choosing between Team Edward and Team Jacob" and they knew exactly what I was talking about.

I wonder if the band, VHS or Beta's name makes sense to the audience they're trying to sell their music to?

Here are the 11 Best Songs By VHS or Beta:

1.  The Melting Moon (Night On Fire)
2.  Alive (Night On Fire)
3.  Take It or Leave It (Bring On The Comets)
4.  Bring on the Comets (Bring On The Comets)
5.  Night on Fire (Night On Fire)
6.  You Got Me (Night On Fire)
7.  We Could Be One (Bring On The Comets)
8.  Ocean (Night On Fire)
9.  Heaven (Le Funk)
10.  Feel It When You Know (single)
11.  Disco Paradise (Le Funk)

Buy the new VHS or Beta album, Diamonds and Death...now!!!