Following weeks of discussions, it was decided that there was simply no way for our site to present a collective “best of” list for 2010. So, in order to give everyone’s opinion a chance to be heard, we decided to post each staff member’s entire list individually. What was your favorite album of the year? Comment below and let us know!

James Shotwell – Founder/Editor/UTG TV Host/Co-owner

Best Album:

1. The Wonder Years – The Upsides

Given the amount of coverage we’ve given The Wonder Years over the year (and those past), it should come as no surprise that The Upsides tops my list this year. From the opening moments of “My Last Semester,” to the closing anthemic lines of “All My Friends Are In Bar Bands,” there is simply no denying the raw, honest emotion poured into each and every track of this album. Not a person I know whose heard this record, be it age 13 or 44, has walked away saying “I can’t relate to that.” Something about the way stream of consciousness style lyrics pour from vocalist Dan “Soupy” Campbell’s pen captures the human experience in a way few ever have and wins over even the biggest naysayers.

Released in January, I think it’s safe to say the replay value of The Upsides has already surpassed 85% of albums put out this year and when Alternative Press eventually does a “People’s History” on the band 10 years, this will be the album that “broke” them. If you haven’t heard this album, please, PLEASE, give it a moment of your time. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

2. Man Overboard – Real Talk
3. Parkway Drive – Deep Blue
4. My Chemical Romance – Danger Days
5. The Gay Blades – Savages
6. Pierce The Veil – Selfish Machines
7. Transit – Keep This To Yourself
8. Deftones – Diamond Eyes
9. Hellogoodbye – Would It Kill You?
10. You, Me, And Everyone We Know – Some Things Don’t Wash Out

Best EP:
1. Fireworks – Bonfires
2. Vanna – The Honest Hearts
3. Live It Out – Little Bear. Big Forest.
4. Such Gold – Pedestals
5. SeaLakes – Every Heart

Worst Album:
1. Various – Punk Goes Classic Rock
2. Escape The Fate – Escape The Fate
3. Linkin Park – A Thousand Suns
4. Hinder – All American Nightmare
5. Korn – Korn III: Remember Who You Are

Best Song (Single): Cee-Lo – “F*ck You”

Best Song (Non-single): The Wonder Years – “It’s Never Sunny In South Philadelphia”

Best New Artist/Band: Bruno Mars

Best Unsigned Band: Live It Out

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Grant Trimboli – Chief Operations Manager/Co-Owner

Best Album:

1. Four Year Strong – Enemy of the World

This album is a consistent blend of some of the most intense and lively punk rock to hit the scene in some time. A testament to how having such a distinct message can reflect on the positive attitude of their band and the way they interact with their fans. Every track is as memorable and uplifting as the next and that’s what makes FYS one of my current favorite bands around. These guys can turn any song into their own piece of art while not overdoing it in any aspect.

2. The Wonder Years – The Upsides
3. My Chemical Romance – Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys
4. PMtoday – In Medias Res
5. Circa Survive – Blue Sky Noise
6. Eminem – Recovery
7. You, Me, and Everyone We Know – Some Things Don’t Wash Out
8. Drake – Thank Me Later
9. Foxy Shazam – Foxy Shazam
10. In Fear and Faith – Imperial

Best EP:
1. Go Radio – Do Overs and Second Chances
2. Alexisonfire – Dog’s Blood
3. Live It Out – Little Bear. Big Forest
4. Your Best Friend – RE:MISSION
5. Keys To The Midwest – Keep It To Yourself

Worst Album:
1. Brokencyde – Will Never Die
2. Escape The Fate – Escape The Fate
3. Attack Attack! – Attack Attack!

Best Song (Non-single): Four Year Strong – “Enemy Of The World”

Best New Artist/Band: Athletics

Best Unsigned Band: Your Best Friend

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Ben Howell – Videographer/Wed Design/Co-Owner

Best Album:

1. Parkway Drive – Deep Blue

I cannot explain why Parkway Drive always has been and continues to be my one true love in music. As much as I wanted to pick an unpredictable album to gloat about, my final decision came down to the album that hasn’t left my player since the day I received it. After the release of Horizons, I started to question my loyalty to Parkway, but they’ve more than redeemed themselves with the release of Deep Blue last June.

Deep Blue contains both my favorite single and non-single songs of the year. While “Sleepwalker” was one of the least appealing songs on the album initially to me, I’ve come to enjoy the mix of style they settled on between their old and new. The new album holds all of the raw guitar and vocal styles that I loved so much on Killing With A Smile while still retaining the melodic qualities that were pushed so hard in Horizons. What can I say? Aussie metal strikes again.

2. In Fear And Faith – Imperial
3. The Wonder Years – The Upsides
4. Foxy Shazam – Foxy Shazam
5. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
6. Pierce The Veil – Selfish Machines
7. Deftones – Diamond Eyes
8. Four Year Strong – Enemy of the World
9. Eminem – Recovery
10. My Chemical Romance – Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys

Best EP:
1. SeaLakes – Every Heart
2. Vanna – The Honest Hearts
3. Live It Out – Little Bear. Big Forest.
4. Such Gold – Pedestals
5. Ghost Thrower – Ghost Thrower

Worst Album:
1. Various – Punk Goes Classic Rock
2. Ke$ha – Cannibal
3. Escape The Fate – Escape The Fate
4. Linkin Park – A Thousand Suns
5. Hinder – All American Nightmare

Best Song (Single): Parkway Drive – “Sleepwalker”

Best Song (Non-single): Parkway Drive – “Karma”

Best New Artist/Band: SeaLakes

Best Unsigned Band: SeaLakes

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Melanie Hodgins – Photographer:

1. Isles And Glaciers- The Hearts Of Lonely People
2. A Day To Remember – What Separates Me From You
3.The Summer Set- Love Like This
4.The Scene Aesthetic – Brother
5.My Chemical Romance- Danger Days
6.Hellogoodbye- Would It Kill You
7.The Gay Blades- Savages
8.Vampire Weekend- Contra
9.The Ready Set- I’m Alive, I’m Dreaming
10.Sufjan Stevens- The Age Of Adz

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Matt Haines – News writer/Feature writer

1. The Wonder Years – The Upsides

The Wonder Years have completely dominated the pop punk game with the release of The Upsides. It’s inspiring from beginning to end that tells different tales of sadness and depression but knowing that everything will be okay in the end. They express everything they have experienced into their music. There is no other album more perfect than this.

2. Mac Miller – K.I.D.S.
3. The Ghost Inside – Returners
4. Grave Maker – Ghosts Among Men
5. Me Vs. Hero – Days That Shape Our Lives
6. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
7. A Loss For Words – Motown Classics
8. Eminem – Recovery
9. Whitechapel – A New Era Of Corruption
10. Comeback Kid – Symptoms + Cures

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Tori Thomas – News posting/Photographer

Best Album:
1. Two Door Cinema Club – Tourist History

Tourist History is my number one album of 2010 because of the sound. I was introduced to them while I was looking around iTunes, and their song clips catches my eyes. I decided to download the cd and I love the whole sound. It’s an awesome driving CD and great CD to study too. Overall the CD is great and a different sound from all the catchy songs of today.

2. The Young Veins – Take a Vacation
3. You, Me, And Everyone We Know – Some Things Don’t Wash Out
4. Tokyo Police Club – Champ
5. Vampire Weekend – Contra
6. Hellogoodbye – Would It Kill You?
7. 3OH!3 – Streets of Gold
8. Never Shout Never – Harmony
9. Gold Motel – Summer House
10. Girl Talk – All Day

Top EPs of the year:
Lucas Carpenter – Evolution/Mystery
Brighten – Be Human
Japandroids – Younger Us/ Sex and Dying in High Society

Worst album of the year: MGMT – Congratulations
Best song (single): Tokyo Police Club – “Bambi”
Best song (non single): AM/FM Sound- Matt & Kim
Best video: Kids in Love- Mayday Parade
Best artwork: Night & Day- The Secret Handshake
Best new artist: Two Door Cinema Club
Best Unsigned band (if different than new artist):Lucas Carpenter
Most anticipated albums of 2011 (up to 5):
Panic! At The Disco
Of Legends
Cobra Starship

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Laura Haggard – News writer/Feature Writer/UTG TV co-host

1. The Gay Blades – Savages

The Gay Blades trash pop masterpiece Savages has by far been the soundtrack to my 2010. Every song tells a different story, and The Gay Blades have a special tie in my heart and are part of the reason I even work with UTG. Do yourself a holiday favor and pick up a copy of this album as soon as you possibly can.

2. Jukebox The Ghost – Everything Under The Sun
3. Alkaline Trio – This Addiction
4. Jimmy Eat World – Invented
5. The Wonder Years – The Upsides
6. Smoking Popes – It’s Been A Long Day
7. Motion City Soundtrack – My Dinosaur Life
8. Beach House – Teen Dream
9. Gaslight Anthem – American Slang
10. Girl Talk – All Day

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Eric Dexter – Feature Writer

Top 10 albums of the year
1. The Black Keys – Brother

It was just great to hear the Black Keys’ experiment with a few new things but still hang onto their
signature bluesy style overall. Brothers is a seriously smart rock album that mixes new and old thoughts
on blues, soul, and R&B. Put that all together on a solid black disc that changes color when it warms up in
your player and I become a kid with a new toy. Oh and Dan Auerbach’s use of falsetto in combo with his
signature gritty soul vocals is genius.

2. Deftones – Diamond Eyes
3. The Gay Blades – Savages
4. Crash Kings – Crash Kings
5. Girl Talk – All Day
6. My Chemical Romance – Danger Days (Although I’m still not cool with the hypocrisy MCR dons as
they spit on the “Rock Star” stereotype while constantly employing the same methods of image
reinvention Motely Crue used to catapult themselves into legendary status.)
7. Kings Of Leon – Come Along Sundown
8. The Dead Weather – Sea Of Cowards
9. Semi Precious Weapons – You Love You
10. Priestess – Prior To The Fire (released in Canada Oct 2009, but USA Feb 2010 so it still counts)

Top EP of the year: Die Antwood – 5 The mix of English and Africaans in this ZEF style hip-hop is alien and addicting.
Worst album of the year:Ke$ha – Animal– Mark my words, she is just a William Hung backed by a bigger budget and with a nicer rack.
Best song (single): Cee-lo – “F*ck You” – It’s fun and catchy as hell without relying on the “F-word” gimmick to maintain your attention like Puddle of Mudd had to.
Honorable Mention: American Bang – “Whiskey Walk” – This riff is an instant ear-gasm… you’re gonna
need a cotton swap for sure.
Best video: Free Energy – “Bang Pop” – Makes me wish I would have gone to high school in the
80s. Great head nod moments to some Reagan-era classics.
Best New Artist: Bruno Mars – Talented producer and live performing artist who knows how to make a strong and successful musical collaboration. In today’s industry, playing well with others is a must.
Best Unsigned band: Edsel Very- Emerging from the Detroit based band Apollo’s demise in late 2009, Edsel Very hit 2010 with full force. This band has all the categories covered in my book. Unique vocals, great musicianship,
original song structure, catchy hooks and gritty production. Stoner/riff rock, prog rock, and raw energy combine ftw.

Most anticipated albums of 2011
Lady Gaga – Born This Way

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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