The Best of the Best: Bring Back Glam! Picks the Most Awesome Albums and Songs of 2009

Well, it’s that time of the year again. Yep, time for the best Glam of 2009.  A few weeks ago I asked for your input and many of you sent me your lists for the top ten Glam releases of the year. I’ve looked at all the ballots and compiled the winning list below. Some of you also had some off-the-wall choices, which helped me expand my musical horizons. For this list, we’re staying strictly Glam. Later on we’ll look at the best Metal of 2009 and toward the end of the week, a look at the best music of the last decade.  The only rules for the lists below were 1) all music must have been released in 2009, including radio-ready singles, 2) no compilations were allowed, 3) no re-releases were allowed. When there were ties in the lists you submitted, I broke them based on my opinion.

Without further adieu, the Bring Back Glam! best albums of 2009:

10. Chickenfoot – S/T
09. Dirty Penny – Young & Reckless
08. Charm City Devils – Let’s Rock-n- Roll
07. Winger – Karma
06. Billy Sheehan – Holy Cow
05. Europe – Last Look at Eden
04. The Last Vegas – Whatever Gets You Off
03. Vains of Jenna – Art of Telling Lies
02. Papa Roach – Metamorphosis
01. Steel Panther – Feel the Steel

Just because a band didn’t make the best album cut doesn’t mean they didn’t have some great songs.

Here’s the Bring Back Glam! best songs of 2009:

10. “Flatine” – from the album Sick by Duff McKagan’s Loaded
09. “Let’s Rock n’ Roll (Endless Road)” – from the album Lets Rock n’ Roll by Charm City Devils
08. “Aftermath” – from the album For Your Entertainment by Adam Lambert
07. “I’m Bad” – from the album Whatever Gets You Off by The Last Vegas
06. “I Get Off”  -from the album Halestorm by Halestorm
05. “100 in a 55” – from the album Lipstick on the Mirror by Pop Evil
04. “Lifeline” – from the album Metamorphosis by Papa Roach
03. “Enemy in Me” from the album Art of Telling Lies by Vains of Jenna
02. “Death to All But Metal” – form the album Feel the Steel by Steel Panther
01. “I Almost Told You That I loved You” – from the album Metamorphosis by Papa Roach

Well, there you go. What do you think? Agree? Disagree? I’m not surprised by the outcome. From the first listen of both the Papa Roach and Steel Panther albums, I knew they would be the top of my year-end list. Basically, the vote was dead even for both and I sat for a long time, debating which band deserved the top spot. Steel Panther is a parody act, but the guys in the band really do live as professional musicians and they are awesome at their craft. Papa Roach has the more radio-friendly songs and flat out rock live. I decided to pretend it was 1989 and gave the best album award to Steel Panther because, well, they wear spandex on stage.

Oh and if you're keeping score at home, you'll notice that KISS, Ace Frehley, Bon Jovi and Queensryche didn't make the list.  Yes, some of you voted for them - but not enough to make a difference in the countdown.

My Problem with the 'Rolling Stone' "Best of 00s" Issue

Last week, I received my copy of Rolling Stone's "Best of 00s" issue. The magazine features sections on the decades best songs and albums and things like that. So I read the entire edition cover to cover - because Rolling Stone has beautiful writing - but the feature left me mad.

The best of the best went to the same people Rolling Stone always picks: Bob Dylan, U2, Springsteen. I'm not denying that these are great, legendary acts...but come on. I'm certain the Rolling Stone editors picked the same artists as "the best" at the end of the 90s and the 80s too. Isn't there room for some new blood? Some innovators? Some metal?

I'll agree with the sections of the magazine that spoke about the recording industry imploding over the past decade - it sure did. When I finished college, everyone was still buying CDs by the truckload. We all know that is no longer the case.

For the best albums, Rolling Stone's "expert" panel selected a mix of rock and country and rap - anything them deemed worthy, which is fine. Again, I just feel like it was the same people over and over.

The panel selected Radiohead's Kid A as the number one album of the decade. The Strokes, Wilco, Jay-Z, The White Stripes, Arcade Fire, Eminem, Bob Dylan, M.I.A. and Kanye West rounded out the top ten. 

Over and over, the magazine mentions the "return of guitar rock" over the past decade...but where is that reflected in the above bands? I mean, truly reflected. I'm aware Motley Crue was never going to make Rolling Stone's "best of" list...but that is guitar rock, no?

The "best songs of the decade" list isn't much better. The voting panel selected "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley as the best tune of the 00s. A whole lot of other crap made the top ten including "Seven Nation Army" (White Stripes), "Maps" (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and "Beautiful Day" (U2). I like U2 well enough - I just think "Beautiful Day" is one of the band's weaker tracks.

The looking-back segments are the best part of the special 00s edition of the magazine. We're reminded that the 00s gave us American Idol, the iPod and major American festivals like Lollapalooza. I''ll agree the iPod is the invention of the decade.

My main problem with Rolling Stone in general is that the magazine tries so painfully hard to be...hip. Why chase trends? Rolling Stone can afford to be above any trend. Just because a lot of whiny college kids like indie rock doesn't mean the rest of America - and the world - does. Nay, the rest of the world likes real rock and pop music. Crap that isn't so complicated it can't be enjoyed...or so pretentious it's unapproachable.

I've wanted to write for Rolling Stone since like...forever but the magazine always infuriates me. Would it be so criminal to do a real feature on the return of rock, dare I say Glam? A two sentence mention in the outdated news section doesn't count, either. There are real stories about money and middle America tied up in 80s bands that I could pitch until I'm blue in the face, but the editorial team doesn't care. I guess that's why print media is dying as more and more of us migrate online to talk about what we really like.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised or offended. Everyone knows the best music isn't played on the radio or on television - it isn't mainstream. We seek out what we like, so bands like Lynam and Crazy Lixx and Brother Firetribe may never make a Rolling Stone list...but that doesn't make them any less awesome.

You can read the special segments and check out the entire "best of" lists online at Rollingstone.com

Tomorrow - my top ten of 2009 and later this week...a look back at the best music over the past decade. 

Sammy Hagar Sunday!

A cold Sunday is a perfect day for Sammy Hagar! Just listening to the red rocker makes me think of Cabo, the sun and tequila. Here's hoping Sammy plays some festivals this summer - either as a solo act or with Chickenfoot. I haven't seen Chickenfoot live, but I know Sammy's shows with the Wabos are a big party. Here are some of my favorite Sammy clips.

"Give to Live."

"Little White Lie"

"Mas Tequila"

The week ahead on Bring Back Glam! will be a big one. I'll reveal the top 10 Glam releases of 2009, look back on the best metal of the past decade and rip apart Rolling Stone's weak attempt at a "best of 00's" issue. See you tomorrow!

Alice Cooper Knows How to Record a Christmas Song

If you're anything like me, you despise Christmas music. Naturally, the annoying songs are everywhere these days: the mall, cafes, bookstores, the doctor. Still, every once in awhile, a Christmas song breaks through that doesn't make me want to pull out my hair. Enter Alice Cooper's version of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." If you're not familiar, the song is included on the album We Wish You A Metal XMas...And A Headbanging New Year! In addition to Cooper, the album also includes songs by Geoff Tate ("Silver Bells"), Stephen Pearcy ("Grandma Got Runover by a Reindeer") and Lemmy Kilmister ("Run Rudolph Run").

Here's the Alice Cooper tune. Let me know your thoughts.

See Shinedown, Halestorm and Rev Theory Live Tonight...for Free!

Like Shinedown, Halestorm or Rev Theory? Plan on staying in tonight? Might as well see all three bands live in concert...free.

There's a new social networking site called TheRave.com that is based around live music. The online network will air the live Shinedown show tonight. The concert takes place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The broadcast starts at 8pm CDT. Shinedown is touring behind their awesome album, The Sound of Madness.

You already know I love Shinedown - and my husband says the band is his favorite.

You have to register to watch the concert. Here's the steps:

Visit http://www.theravelive.com/webcast  to register in advance for this exclusive event.

Click on the ‘Free Signup’ button at the upper right of the page.
Choose the ‘Fan’ option and fill out the information.
Sign in on December 11th and click on the ‘Live Webcast’ tab to watch.

Oh, and before anyone complains about these bands being modern or not Glam or whatever - give props. The music industry is changing and it's smart Shinedown is letting fans watch their live show for free. This just means more of the bands we love will be jumping on the bandwagon soon enough. 

Lady So Divine

Shinedown | MySpace Music Videos

Rocklahoma Book Christmas Special

If you haven’t bought your copy of the 2008 Rocklahoma Coffee Table Book, now is a nice time to buy. The book creator (and no, it’s not me) is running a special where you can buy the book for $35 and shipping is free. This promotion runs through the holiday season. Click here to purchase.



Miley Cyrus Goes Glam?

Briefly: People Magazine is reporting that Miley Cyrus has recorded a version of Poison's "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." Apparently Bret Michaels is on the recording too.

I don't think I have anything else to say about this. It's all just a little too insane for me. To be fair, Miley is apparently a huge Poison fan, which is cool. I'm just not sure I'll be able to take the teen-pop version of "Rose."