As many of you know, I am a music enthusiast and have written about it before. I have talked about certain genres, analyzed music, and talked about how music has helped me in life. With the year coming to an end, I have decided to write about my top ten albums of the year.

10. Panic! At the Disco - Death of Bachelor

I chose this album for #10 because it wasn't really anything new. It was fun, don't get me wrong, but that's pretty much all it was. It's the album I would play in my car when I wanted something to keep me awake, but something I didn't feel like paying much attention to. The tracks on here are solid, and Brendon's voice is great, but this is a pop album, and that's all it is; a fun pop album that I enjoyed.
Best song: "Emperor's New Clothes"

9. Knocked Loose- Laugh Tracks

Want an album you can break things to? Look no further. Lately, a lot of hardcore punk bands have started to sound the same to me. I've been feeling like a lot of them are just having a competition of who can write the heaviest "chug chug chug" breakdown. I love hardcore, and I hope it continues to evolve, not regress. I feel like Knocked Loose is going to be at the forefront of that evolution, and I'm excited for what this band will do in the future.
Best song: "My Heroes"

8. Testament -Brotherhood of the Snake

This album is great. This album is heavy and is everything I like in a thrash album: heavy riffs, harsh vocals, pounding drum beats. You can definitely find me in the pit when songs from this album are being played. Solid stuff from thrash legends.
Best song: "Seven Seals"

7. Conor Oberst - Ruminations

Conor Oberst is an amazing songwriter, and on his this new record he dives deep into his personal life. He sings about his life, his health, depression, and of course, death. Ever since his Bright Eyes days, Oberst has been releasing extremely well-written tracks. Definitely check this one out if you're looking for some indie/folk.
Best song: "Till St. Dymphna Kicks Us Out"

6. Gouge Away -Dies

This band is PISSED. OFF. And each track expresses that. There are some killer riffs on here and the vocalist sounds like she's about to burst a vocal cord. This album is a great example of not having to agree with what the music says in order to enjoy it, my point being that I don't agree with some of the views expressed on this record, but that doesn't make the music bad. This album is not bad at all, and you should check it out if you're into hardcore punk. (and if you're an extreme animal lover).
Best song: "Uproar"

5. Silent Planet - Everything Was Sound

I'm a sucker for poetic lyrics. This album is full of them. These guys really know how to write music, and Garrett is an expert lyricist. Seriously, the guy should write some fiction of a collection of poems or something. There are also some sweet breakdowns in here and melodic moments that give the album a certain atmosphere for each song. The album is also a concept album that deals with a different type of mental illness. I suggest you check it out. These guys know how to keep metalcore fresh.
Best song: "Nervosa"

4. Weezer - Weezer (The White Album)

Just like Death of a Bachelor, this album really brings nothing new to the table. It's just an extremely fun album to listen to. I remember playing it on my way to work for at least two weeks after its release. The songs are catchy, the guitar work is upbeat, and your conservative parents will probably freak out when you play "Do You Wanna Get High?" so go listen to this album! It's a fun one.
Best song: "King of the World"

3. Gojira - Magma

Mario Duplantier is one of the best drummers to ever live. Don't argue with me on this.
In all seriousness, this album was great. I'm not sure if it tops their previous work, but it was still a killer album. Heavy riffs, personal lyrics, and more of Mario's sick drum fills; Gojira has become one of my favorite bands because of this release. The Duplantier brothers grieve over their late mother through the music in this album. She would be proud, guys.
Best song: "The Cell"

2. Touche Amore - Stage Four

Another album about grief and the loss of a mother. Jeremy Bolm and the band seem to have dedicated the entire album to Jeremy's late mother who was diagnosed with cancer. Hence the name of the album, "Stage Four." Jeremy writes about everything he was going through when his mom passed. He sings about his regret about not being there, about God and his struggling with/lack of faith, and about many other personal topics that tug at your heartstrings. This album is about loss. This album is about heartache. And the emotion that flows through this album makes it one of the best things I've heard all year. It's sad, yes, but it's very, very good. Check it out.
Best song: "New Halloween"

1. Kelechi - Before the Quarter

Here it is! My number 1 spot goes to an album in the genre I listen to the least! But I will tell you why...
Every song on this album is golden. Seriously, I loved every single minute of this album. The beats are fresh and loud, and almost every word Kelechi says on this album is fire. Odd thing is I can't say much about this album, I can just say that it's good and I've been listening to it consistently ever since it was released. Funny thing is, I actually found this album by word of...tweet. There's this guy named Tripp Durden who created a cool podcast called "Locals Only," and he tweeted about the album. I was curious so I looked it up on Spotify and I was hooked from the first lines, "Don't shame your father's name. Don't stop your mother's laughing. Don't take your girl for granted. Don't make these hoes a habit. Don't your brothers friends. Don't make your haters captains of your ship, and promise when you make it, make shit happen." Love it. Check out this album.
Best song: "Bet"

All of these songs have caught my attention for many reasons, I hope that my readers check some, if not all of these albums out.