First things first. I know there are plenty of you who have submitted user lists to us in the past, and because we’re fine gentleman of the people, we’ve posted them. The good thing about this blog is that it grows every year, and this year is easily our biggest year – so I really didn’t have the heart, time and patience to sift through what was sure to be a hefty list of user submissions. That being said, I’ve sought out a few of my colleagues and closest musical comrades in Texas, Colorado, LA and NYC to compile a somewhat “exclusive list” of user lists.

I’d like to thank all of the submitters for taking time to send em over. I owe you all several hugs and drinks. And by drinks, I mean more posts of support from this here website. I urge all of you to check out this fine group of folks’ respective websites, twitters and works of art.

-grizzly

Todd Louis, producer for The Niceguys

Download their full length, The Show.

Follow him on Twitter.

Top 10 Albums:

Honorable Mention: Rick Ross – Teflon Don

10. Reflection Eternal – Revolutions Per Minute

9. Wiz Khalifa – Kush and OJ

8. Big Boi – Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty

7. Sade – Soldier of Love

6. The Roots – How I Got Over

5. TiRon – MSTRD

4. Washed Out – Life of Leisure

3. The Foreign Exchange – Authenticity

2. Kendrick Lamar – OD

1. The Niceguys – The Show

Mike Damante, writer for 29-95.com

Honorary Polar Bear

Top 15 Albums:

15. Jimmy Eat World – Invented

14. Fat Tony – RABDARGAB

13. B.o.B. – The Adventures of Bobby Ray

12. The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang

11. Tokyo Police Club – Champ

10. Fake Problems – Real Ghosts Caught on Tape

1960s pop is revived, mixed with 1970s rock but still manages to sound new and fresh from a band that keeps impressing.

9. Weezer – Hurley

Nerd rock is back! This is simply a good pop-rock record.

8. Eminem – Recovery

Recovery is a triumphant step in the right direction and can’t wait to see what Eminem comes out with next.

7. Motion City Soundtrack – My Dinosaur Life

Sony really dropped the ball on promoting this record. The Weezer worship is in full force this time, and I mean this in a good way.

6. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

The production genius of 808s and Heartbreak continues, but also has a renewed resurgence of West’s rap skills. Rolling Stone said it best: “No one sane could have made this record.”

5. Rufio – Anybody Out There

The new wave of “pop-punk” bands take notice on how new school pop-punk is done properly. Get out your skateboards and rock this album like it was 2001.

4. Against Me! – White Crosses

Punk’s most polarizing band returns to piss off the bearded, Gainesville, Fla. elite even more!

3. Alkaline Trio – This Addiction

A great bridge between ‘old’ and ‘new’ style Alkaline Trio. Matt Skiba and Dan Andriano’s stand-alone songs are the best since their efforts on Good Mourning.

2. Bad Religion – The Dissent of Man

Bad Religion has been schooling the scene since the start, and this album celebrates their 30th anniversary as a band and showcases the punk-rock legend’s evolution.

1. Angels and Airwaves – LOVE

LOVE seems to get better with every listen, and I’ve been jamming it since it was released. Sonically, it has the same combination of energy and arena rock of I-Empire but conceptually probes deeper.

Top 10 Shows:

10. Street Dogs – Wreck The Halls; Houston, TX

9. Warped Tour 2010; Houston, TX

8. Alkaline Trio/Cursive/The Dear and the Departed; Houston, TX

7. New Found Glory/Saves The Day/hellogoodbye/Fireworks; Houston, TX

6. Paramore/Tegan and Sara/New Found Glory; Houston, TX

5. Lupe Fiasco/B.o.B; Houston, TX

4. Screeching Weasel; Austin, TX

3. Angels and Airwaves – LOVE Tour; Houston, TX

2. Bad Religion – 30th Anniversary Tour; Houston, TX

1. The Gaslight Anthem/Fake Problems/Rival Schools; Houston, TX

Hollywood Floss, Houston rapper

Download his album, House of Dreams

Follow him on Twitter.

Top 5 Shows I Played:

5. Free Press at Fitzgeralds with Prince Paul and The Ton Tons

4. Warehouse Live with Raekwon

3. Houston Press Awards Showcase

2. Warehouse Live – One Mic Opening Show

1. A3C Festival in Atlanta, GA

Top 5 TV Shows:

5. How I Met Your Mother

4. The Hard Times of RJ Berger

3. Entourage

2. Boardwalk Empire

1. Californication

Top 10 Albums:

10. Curren$y – Pilot Talk

9. Hollywood FLOSS – House of Dreams

8. Beach House – Teen Dream

7. Eminem – Recovery

6. Dom Kennedy – From The Westside With Love

5. Big K.R.I.T. – Wuz Here

4. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach

3. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

2. Big Boi – Sir Lucious Leftfoot: The Son of Chico Dusty

1. Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager

Fat Tony, Houston rapper

Download his full length, RABDARGAB.

Follow him on Twitter.

Top 5 Albums:

Honorable Mentions (since they came out December 2009, technically):

B L A C K I E – Spred Luv

Supreeme – God Bless the Child

5. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today

I love this weirdo. His weirdness and sound is very L.A. He got that Thriller and Off the Wall era Michael Jackson on (more?) drugs mixed with Kurt Cobain swag. And he smokes menthol cigarettes. My favorite songs are “Beverly Kills” and “Round and Round” and “Menopause Man.”

4. Das Racist – Sit Down, Man

They bringing back that New York rap shit. Are they joking? They’re not joking. Just joking. And they remixed my song “Luv it Mayne” on their shit. If you haven’t heard this album/mixtape, you are not cool. My favorites are “All Tan Everything” and “Rooftop” and “hahahaha jk?”

3. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

This is his best album. I’m glad that ever since Graduation he’s stopped doing those 20+ track albums. “All of the Lights” is my favorite. Any rap record with a nigga talking about putting pussy in a sarcophagus makes a fan out of me in a heartbeat.

2. Fat Tony – RABDARGAB

Not only did I make this album, but I jam the hell out of it like it was the next nigga’s record. It’s got my favorite producer Tom Cruz from one of my favorite groups of all-time Atlanta’s Supreeme (who recently broke up in 2009) producing an entire album bringing that ATLien/Jamaican jerk chicken dance hall swag to a young Texas nigga raps. Like the press release said about Fat Tony, “he sounds like a nigga that’s read a book, but a nigga nonetheless.” Plus it’s got Murs, another of my all-time favorites, flowing on a extra Houston influenced song “Luv It Mayne” talm’ ’bout “Rest in peace, Fat Pat.” If you slept on this, you suck dick.

1. Toro y Moi – Causers of This

Beautiful album. Every time I listened to this record I listened to it from front to back with no hesitation. Sometimes I listened to the whole album two or three times in a row, never getting bored. Full of electronic sounds, good pop melodies, and some ill-ish drum programming. Finally somebody that makes beats takes some late era J Dilla influence and doesn’t be lame as fuck. Got some 80’s/90’s R&B/New Jack Swing swag to it too. This lil nigga is the indie chill ‘n’ roll Tevin Campbell.

Tu-Anh Pham, colleague/pal
Check out her homepage.

In the words of that Best Week Ever guy, “Who had the best week ever?” Or in this case, year? I’d probably say ballerinas. And maybe this guy here. Well I hate to be part of the bandwagon, but if you ask me, Kanye West knows how to sell it. (Yeah I ‘ll admit it, I’m typing this from the bandwagon as you read this) I had Beach House on the top of the list for some time, until I heard and saw that Runaway movie. Sold.

For some reason, there were not as many stand out albums for me this year, but a lot of albums that just grew and grew on me. You know that moment where you hear a song and it’s just so awesome that it’s on replay for weeks. And next thing you know, its the entire album is on replay for the rest of the month. It was like that for my favorite albums of the year.

Top 7 Albums

7. The Love Language – Libraries
6. Robyn – Body Talk
5. The Roots – How I Got Over
4. Local Natives – Gorilla Manor
3. Phantogram – Eyelid Movies
2. Beach House – Teen Dream
1. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Top 30 Songs: (in no order)

“Runaway” Kanye West (ft. Pusha T)
“Flying Overseas” Theophilus London (ft. Devonte Hynes & Solange Knowles)
“Old Fashioned” – Cee-Lo Green
“Teenage Dream” – Katy Perry (yeah I went there)
“When I’m Small” – Phanotgram
“All of the Lights” – Kanye West, etc.
“Airplanes” – Local Natives
“Dancing on my Own” – Robyn
“Ghost in the Machine” – B.O.B.
“Excuses” – Morning Benders
“The Mall and Misery” – Broken Bells
“Giving Up the Gun” – Vampire Weekend
“Mouthful of Diamonds” – Phanotgram
“Don’t Look Down” – Kanye West (ft. Mos Def, Lupe Fiasco, & Big Sean)
“Right On” – The Roots (Feat. Joanna Newsom & STS)
“Wilmont” – The Love Language
“Communion” – Maximum Balloon
“On Melancholy Hill” – Gorillaz
“Somebody to Love Me” – Mark Ronson & The Business Intl (ft. Rose Elinor Dougall, Andrew Wyatt)
“Half Light I” – Arcade Fire
“Zebra” – Beach House
“Silver Soul” – Beach House
“Laura Palmer’s Prom” – You say Party We Say Die!
“I Remember” – Yeasayer
“Big Jet Plane” – Angus & Julia Stone
“Impossible” – Shontelle
“Right Behind You” – Brandon Flowers
“Space Bound” – Eminem
“Only Girl in the World” – Rihanna
“Tell ‘Em” – Sleigh Bells

FAVORITE MOVIES 2010

1. Black Swan (This movie literally kept me on the edge of my seat throughout, and I DO love a good dramatic ending)
2. Inception (Sooo good and worth the wait. Made even better with post-movie memes)
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1 (I’m a big Harry Potter dork, but this really is the best movie of the franchise, so far until the next installment releases next year! )
4. Valhalla Rising
5. I Am Love (see dramatic ending comment above. Also. I saw a screening of this film at the Houston Cinema Arts Festival last year, but still loved it at a second screening this year. It realyl indulges all your visual senses.)
6. Oxford Murders
7. How to Train Your Dragon

WORST MOVIES 2010

1. Salt (sighs. Over-hyped, Over produced. Too much lip)
2. Eat, Pray, Love (I don’t know what’s worst, watching Julia Roberts mope around for two and a half hours whining about why she has everything in the world but still can’t be happy, or the fact that Julia Roberts goes on vacation to expensive and exotic places like Italy, India, and Bali to get her soul searching on.)
3. Sex and the City 2 (Over-hyped, Over produced. Too much cheese)
4. Date Night
5. Cop Out
6. Alice in Wonderland (Technicolor does not suit you Tim Burton)
7. The Human Centipede (OK the movie was actually not bad, but I cringed so much throughout the movie I had to walk away from some of the scenes. Maybe I’m just getting old, but I just can’t handle these realistic horror scenes anymore).

Kat Swansey, photographer/friend/foe

Her homepage.

Five favorite albums of 2010:

Dr. Dog – Shame, Shame

This album was not turned off for a couple of months, at least. I fell in love with Dr. Dog a few years ago and have only fallen MORE in love since. They have the most fun, “feel good” songs that always bring a smile to my face.

Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

Aweseom album. End of story.

Surfer Blood – Astro Coast

I was a little unsure of this band due to the name being kind of dumb. However, I thoroughly enjoyed every song on this album which is rare for me. I couldn’t find a single song I wanted to skip through.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Beat the Devil’s Tattoo

I like everything they have ever done. I am biased. The end.

Minus the Bear – OMNI

This is by far not their best album. But I still love Minus the Bear and blasted it for a solid month or so. Worthy of mention.

Five favorite shows of 2010:

Dr. Dog – Shame, Shame Tour

Definitely one of the most fun shows I’ve ever been to. Everyone was singing and dancing and they sounded better than they do on the albums.

Joe Pug

This was a very personal show, due to the fact that it was inside Emo’s and there were maybe 20 people there at the most. His voice sounds just as wonderful as it does on the record and he’s actually sort of funny. Win.

Minus the Bear – OMNI Tour

They have always been one of my favorite bands to see live simply because they have always been one of my favorite bands. The crowd was annoying but it was awesome seeing them play all the old junk.

Best Coast

That chick is so cute. I could just pinch her cheeks. And let’s face it, I’m a girl and I am allowed to like poppy chick music.

The Descendents – Reunion Show (Fun Fun Fun Fest)

Ummmm… enough said.

Josh Cornejo, friend/bearded man who filmed all of our SXSW videos

Follow him on Twitter.

Living in Houston, we tend to get looked over as a tour stop a lot of the time. Bands will always hit up Austin first, and leave the rest of the Texas cities as an afterthought. San Antonio is a great city for anything and everything Punk Rock, those motherfuckers can bring it. Dallas. Well, being from Houston, I consider Dallas an after thought. Now lets move on to the real shit, shall we?

Houston is very finicky to say the least. Some nights you can walk into a venue expecting 200 people, and the place is at capacity. Then other nights, its the exact opposite. With that being said, that does not mean Houston cannot wreck shop on a regular basis.

Top 5 Houston shows of 2010 That Got It Right:

5. Local Natives – Mangos – April 24, 2010

Local Natives were one of the few bands I have seen come through Houston on their first tour. Most bands would pass us up for the more hippy friendly Austin. However, Houston showed up to Mangos for a sold out show. While Mangos isn’t the best venue in Houston, it was still a magical night nonetheless. You could feel the energy; everyone in the room could not wait to see the Natives, and when they came on, they brought it. If you have not seen this band, I highly recommend checking them out. Oh, and do it sober, I wish I remembered more of this show. Damn you, Grizzly. [ed note: SHOTS SHOTS SHOTSHOTSHOTSHOTS]

4. Social Distortion – House of Blues – Nov. 19, 2010

“It’s been 10 years since I’ve seen Social D. I’m not old, I just started young.” Seeing Social Distortion again almost brought tears to my eyes. Mike Ness came out looking dapper as fuck, and played like he was 19 again. Social D sounded just as they always have, angry with just a little hint of class. The crowd here was great, and was singing along to every song, even songs off the new CD that haven’t been released yet. Social Distortion is timeless, and I’m glad I got to see them one more time (Hey, Ness is old, get off my back.)

3. Mayer Hawthorne – Warehouse Live (Studio) – March 17, 2010

I’m going to be honest here. When I went to this show, I may have heard about 3 Mayer Hawthorne songs. But damnit, that didn’t stop me from drinking whiskey and dancing my ass off. That’s all I’m going to write about this one. Lets dance. [ed note: This bastard bought me a drink at this show; more specifically a whiskey and water. I hate him.]

2. The Gaslight Anthem – Warehouse Live (Ballroom) – October 7, 2010

Do I really have to say anything about this band? Ever since “Sink or Swim” came out, these guys have been on heavy heavy rotation. Hell, I drove 12 hours just to catch a show, because I could. While I have see TGA several times (and one I will never forget, San Antonio, Texas, Whaddup?!) This show was by far their best setlist. They played for nearly 2 hours, and ran through the entire catalog, busting out songs from Senor and the Queen to American Slang. Oh, and lets not forget the “U-S-A, U-S-A” Chant for the encore. God bless The Gaslight Anthem. [ed note: I blacked out this night, definitely remember the USA chant, though.]

1. New Found Glory – Warehouse Live (Studio) – February 4, 2010

When NFG rolled through Houston for their 10th anniversary of their S/T, I thought about skipping it. My initial thought was, “Oh man, its going to be in the Ballroom, its going to be packed and I’m going to have to deal with tons of 17 year olds.” I’m an old man, and this shit doesn’t fly with me anymore. But then I found out they were playing The Studio at Warehouse Live which is my favorite venue in Houston. Amazing sound system and a room that holds about 300 people, max. When NFG came out and played their entire S/T album from start to finish, I was 17 again (except this time I was highly, highly intoxicated.) This show is easily in my 10 top shows of all time, and definitely takes the #1 spot this year.

Oh, and there is this video.

Alas, I was not able to make it out to very many shows this year, the man is keeping me down. However, 2011 is shaping up quite nicely. Here are the next 3 shows that are sure not to disappoint.

1. The Get Up Kids at Warehouse Live (The Studio)

TGUK is starting their North American Tour right here in Houston, at the best venue in the city. I’m going to get shitty drunk, and not remember anything, and then boast about how bad ass of a show it was. Let’s do this.

2. Against Me! at Warehouse Live (The Studio)

See: #1

3. Less Than Jake at Warehouse Live (The Studio)

Seriously, If you have never seen LTJ, then shame on you. I know SKA isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but you can’t help but to move your feet to this band live. And I am going to get Grizzly and Sunbear out to this show and pour whiskey down their throats until I have video of them skanking. …So it is written…

Anyways, my apologies if this EOTY list isn’t up to par, but I wrote this in about 15 minutes. Regardless, Keep reading the blog, and doing what makes you happy. Happy Holidays!

GregGiant, beatmaker/photographer

Download his beat tape, Pharmacy

Follow him on Twitter.

Top 10 Albums:

10. Black Milk – Album of the Year.

9. Eminem – Recovery

8. Jamie Cullum – The Pursuit

7. Shad – TSOL

6. The Niceguys – The Show

5. The Foreign Exchange – Authenticity

4. N.E.R.D. – Nothing

3. Erykah Badu – New Amerykah II

2. The Roots – How I Got Over

1. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Thurogood Wordsmith, Houston emcee

Download his EP, The Appetizer

Follow him on Twitter.

Top 10 Albums, in no particular order:

Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Hollywood Floss – House Of Dreams

Bob Dylan – The Bootleg Series Vol. 9 – The Witmark Demo

The Niceguys – The Show

Eminem –Recovery

hasHBrown – Rap Mayor

Bun B – Trill OG

Nas/Damian Marley – Distant Relatives

Janelle Monae – The ArchAndroid

Gorillaz – Plastic Beach

Alex Thornton, reader; fellow Yeezy stan, critic

Follow Alex on Twitter.

Top Ten Albums of 2010 That Aren’t My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Because, obviously, Ye killed it this year.

Diddy Dirty Money – Last Train to Paris: Yeah, that’s right—it’s hot.

Toro y Moi – Causers of This: For “Minors” alone, but it’s all very good.

Broken Bells – Broken Bells: Classic rock inspiration filtered through modern techniques—very well done.

Here We Go Magic – Pigeons: A random recommendation from a friend that I loved.

Daedelus & Jogger – Friends of Friends: They did what they do before it was popular and they’ll keep doing it well long after.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World OST: I would gladly buy full LPs from Sex Bob-Omb, Crash & The Boys and The Clash at Demonhead.

Vampire Weekend – Contra: Familiar to the first album but with a clear evolution.

Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday: Not what people expected but get over it—she is not Jasmine, she is Aladdin.

Dirty Projectors & Bjork – Mount Wittenberg Orca: It was easy to miss but well worth seeking out.

Sleigh Bells – Treats: Giving Us Sleigh Bells was the best thing M.I.A. did all year. Speaking of which…

Top Ten Albums of 2010 That I Didn’t Like As Much as I Wanted To and Their Real Names in My Mind

They’re not bad albums, and most of these artists are personal favorites but… meh.

MIA – “///Y/” is Such a Pain to Type: It hurts me to say it, but the handful of great songs are buried under a lot of junk.

MGMT – It Doesn’t Sound Like the Other One: Look, I get it, but don’t make this record unless you can make it “Embryonic.”

N.E.R.D. – You Used to Be My Favorite Band: This just feels lazy and a bit repetitive.

Gorillaz – You’re Still Doing That, Huh?: I still haven’t really listened to it, but it’s not for lack of trying.

Arcade Fire – LIKE THIS OR YOU AREN’T COOL!!1: What album were you all listening to? Whatever.

Dead Weather – Another Dead Weather Album Already?: I’m still listening to “Horehound,” both because it isn’t that old and because it’s way better.

Ratatat – Hanging Out With Kid Cudi Changed Us: Sorry, guys—I tried, but it just kinda wanders around aimlessly.

Janelle Monae – Something With Robots or Whatever: A great EP with another 12 or so boring ass-songs tacked on.

LCD Soundsystem – Yes, I’ve Heard That New LCD Soundsystem Album: Interesting music for boring people. (see also: The Suburbs)

Kid Cudi – It’s So Hard Being Rich: I lied—This one is a bad album and so was his first. He can’t rap, he can’t sing, he’s all affect and I’m sick of hearing him bitch and moan. Fuck you, dude. #thereisaidit

Emily Driskill, photographer/long time friend of the bears

Emily’s Flickr.

My Top Ten of ’10 (in no particular order)

1. The state of Colorado

2. Wikileaks

3. Robyn’s Body Talk

4. Inception

5. Michael James Ray

6. anything by David Bazan

7. My anticipation of the new Adele record

8. Air Dubai

9. Pho

10. Envy on the Coast‘s Lowcountry

Julian Thomas , vocals for Air Dubai

Follow Air Dubai on twitter.

Top 10 Albums:

10. Vampire Weekend – Contra

9. Two Door Cinema Club – Tourist History

8. Natural Selection – White Picket Fence

7. Delphic – Acolyte

6. Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz

5. Beach House – Teen Dream

4. Foals – Total Life Forever

3. Miami Horror – Illumination

2. Jónsi – Go

1. LCD Soundsystem – This is Happening

Michael Ray, keyboards for Air Dubai

Follow Air Dubai on twitter.

Top 10 Albums:

10. Beach House – Teen Dream

9. Jamie Cullum – The Pursuit

8. Ra Ra Riot – The Orchard

7. LCD Soundsystem – This is Happening

6. Foals – Total Life Forever

5. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

4. Yeasayer – Odd Blood

3. The Roots – How I Got Over

2. The Black Keys – Brothers

1. The National – High Violet

Brandon West, singer of Brandon West & The Black Hats

Check out their Reverbnation page.

Top 10 Albums of 2010 (in no particular order):

1. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings – I Learned the Hard Way

2. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach

3. Roky Moon & BOLT! – Roky Moon & BOLT!

4. Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday

5. Sade – Soldier of Love

6. Fat Tony – RABDARGAB

7. Cee-Lo Green – The Lady Killer

8. The Black Keys – Brothers

9. Robyn – Body Talk

10. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Thanks to all my ladies (all two of you), gentleman, artists, and writers who contributed after being asked. You guys make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. That’ll do it! Till next year…

-Grizzly