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.

Comments

[JT]

Only one of those bands made my top ten list, and another made it into the top fifteen. I'll be posting my list and playing some of my favorite songs from those discs on "The Best of 2009" on Hard Rock Nights soon.

I am surprised at the absence of KISS, Ace Frehley, and Paul Gilbert, and at the inclusion of Vains of Jenna. I'm sorry, I just never could get into that album.

[rockpressnroll]

Well
you forgot the very best album of the year 2009 Danger Danger REVOLVE, and i think Steel Panther are just clowns circus.
Congrats for the site.

[MotleyCrue666]

i totally agree with ur top 3 albums! go steel pather!!!!!
and r u gonna post a list with YOUR top albums?

[Snoot]

Sweet, Steel Panther deserves the top spot.

[Glenn]

One Question: Where's Black Butterfly?

[Brian]

Totally agree with your #1. Feel the Steel is the greatest album in years. Cant wait to see the band on 12/28 in LA!

[Lucifer]

Black Butterfly came out late 2008 I believe. That was a good list, Steel Panther and Papa Roach both had brilliant albums.
And I agree with MotleyCrue666, I want to know your top 10 albums and songs from 2009 Allyson!

[kari]

WORKS FOR ME!!!! Dirty Penny, Veins of Jenna, Chickenfoot, Papa Roach, and STEEL PANTHER!!!! OOOH, I love it, love it, love it!

[Allyson B. Crawford]

Black Butterfly came out in 2008 -

http://www.bringbackglam.com/journal/2008/12/27/the-best-albums-of-2008.html

I consider the best albums list equal to my own, especially since I broke the tie for the top spot.

The song list is 100% mine.

- Allyson

[GEO II]

Seriously, Steel Panther? I like the album, but it's a goof. Papa Roach has the #1 single, and #2 album? I thought this was a glam web site. Are they glam because the singer wears eye shadow. No Danger Danger? This list is totally irrelevant, as far as I'm concerned.

[Will]

Papa Roach's effort was their worst since lovehatetragedy. But thats why this is an opinion piece. Different strokes for different folks

[KixRules]

Nice List...good to see Charm City Devils make it!

[Ace Steele]

Can't believe KISS's "Sonic Boom" isn't on this list.
Not only is it one of the best Glam related records of the year, it's KISS's best since Revenge!

[Pantherrrr_ bitch]

YEAH STEEL PANTHER ARE AMAZING AND AWESOME LIVE
MOST BITCHIN BAND EVER THEY ARE FUNNY HOT AND TALENTED!!!!!

[Peter]

What Steel Panther ? There are like 4 great song on album rest is kind of boring and weak. Papa Roach isn't even Glam, there are hard rock at best, what is Glam about Papa Roach, if Papa Roach is Glam so The Crooked Vultures are and I don't see them on the list. Also I would add Vanity Bvld and Babylon Bombs

[Bob]

Hmmmm, Papa Roach? I simply don't understand that one, but this is an opinion blog after all.

the albums in my list that didn't make this list are:
Freakshow - Freakshow
'77 - 21st Century rock
Little Caesar - Redemption
Gunfire 76 - Casualties and Tragedies
ZO2 - Casino Logic
Them Crooked Vultures - them crooked vultures

[JT]

Bob, I love '77, but I think the CD was released in 2008. That's the copyright date on the disc, at least. Freakshow and ZO2 were in my list as well. Gunfire 76 probably would have been had I given them more time...I just found out about them recently and didn't really have the time to listen to it as much as the others.

[Kenny Ozz]

How could ANYPNE think Steel Panther is weak and/or boring? Peter you need to give the disk another spin dude. The list aint bad, I would of just included Danger Danger's Revolve, Bulletboys 10 cent billionaire, and Halestorm. And I wouldnt of had Papa Roach. But not a bad list at all Allyson.

[kari]

Kenny: I'm finding that those who haven't seen Steel Panther's LIVE show don't fully get it! That is why EVERYONE must see them LIVE!

EVERYONE MUST FEEL THE STEEL! 'nuff said!

I didn't know Z02 put out a cd this year. May have to check that out. I don't understand the hype of Them Crooked Vultures, I listened to it once and it did nothing for me. OH WELL, I'll stick with my Steel Panther and Dirty Penny!

[Peter]

I don't say that Steel Panther is the bad/boring, but their CD isn't Top3 material even for Glam, because apart from hilarious lyrics their album has like 4 awesome tunes but rest of them gets boring and is weaker. Also song construction is very simple without any kind of effort ( for example Vains of Jenna has some songs with much better song construction) solos on Steel Panther are boring and cliche. Album is great because of lyrics, yeah I haven't seen Steel Panther live but I'm going to in January or February at Key Club if they play.