My Top 11 Albums/Songs of 2011

1. Let's Cheers To This by Sleeping With Sirens

They're my favorite band and this album is definitely one of the best albums of 2011. And it's also their best album so far. This is a follow up to With Ears To See and Eyes To Hear. If you listen to their first album and then this one, you'll notice a very different sound. Less screams, less heavy guitars, etc. They've toned it done quite a lot but still kept that rock sound. Every song is great and I definitely have my favorites on here. I've been listening to it all year and I'll continue to do so this year.


Song Suggestions: Fire, Who Are You Now, Let's Cheers For This, If You Can't Hang, All My Heart (a beautiful song), and Do It Now Remember It Later. And take a listen to All My Heart below. I guarantee you'll like it, if not love it.

2. The Golden Age of Knowing by Funeral Party

I discovered Funeral Party on Youtube, while watching/listening to a song by Foster The People, this summer. I watched their video for "Finale" and I was hooked ever since. They have an unique sound and the singer has this gravel-y type voice, which works for their alternative sound. Their album, The Golden Age of Knowing is their debut album and I love every single song on that album. The songs are all very catchy and you can definitely dance to them. I've been listening to this album since the summer and I will continue to do so this year.

Song suggestions: Finale and NYC Moves To The Sound L.A. Take a listen to Finale, I guarantee you'll like it and dare you not to dance to this.

3. Marry The Night by Lady Gaga

4. Torches by Foster The People

I remember coming across this band in the spring of 2010, after downloading a free song or two of theirs. At the time, I wasn't crazy about them, but I decided to keep the songs on my computer. Then in May 2010, my computer crashed, I lost all my music, and I forgot about them. Then one day last year, I re-discovered them. I forget how, but I remember saying to myself "Oh this is the song that I downloaded and I didn't like". After giving Pumped Up Kicks a chance, I fell love with them, bought their album, saw them last August in concert, and they've been my favorite band ever since. Anyway, their debut album, Torches, is one of the best albums of 2011. I love all the songs on that album (except for one). Even though they have other singles out, unfortunately those singles will never get radio play. All they keep playing is Pumped Up Kicks and to be honest I wish they'd play another single because they're just as good as Pumped Up Kicks. They have such a fun sound and you can dance to all the songs. That's what I love about them; they create fun, dance-y songs.

Song Suggestions (besides Pumped Up Kicks): Houdini, Helena Beat, Call It What You Want, Don't Stop (Color On The Walls), Miss You, and Warrant (basically the whole album). And take a listen to Miss You. I guarantee you'll like it and I dare you not to dance to it.

5. Bad Habits by Every Avenue

Every Avenue has been a band that I would listen to every once in a while. I wasn't crazy about their debut, it was poppy for me. Then their sophomore album, Picture Perfect, came out. That's the album where I started listening to them more. They're sound changed; it was as poppy as their debut, but their songs were catchy and all. Bad Habits is the follow up to Picture Perfect and I must say they've definitely changed their sound, for the better, and the band itself has gotten a lot better. This album has more of a rock sound, but at the same time they've kept those catchy tunes.

Song Suggestions: Hit Me Where It Hurts The Most, Watch The World, There Tonight, Whatever Happened To You, and Only Place I Call Home. And take a listen to Watch The World. I think you'll like it.

6.  You Make Me Feel by Cobra Starship

I must admit I'm addicted to this song; I love it. I don't care for the radio, since they play the same stuff over and over, but I do I like this one. I'm a sucker for catchy dance/pop music, like this one. What can I say? It's fun to sing and dance to.

7. We Found Love by Rihanna

8. Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars

Now I'm not a big fan of folk music. It's nice but no artist has really caught my attention, until The Civil Wars came to town. I remember listening to their single, Barton Hollow, and I was hooked right away. I decided to listen to the whole album and I loved it. It has a folk/acoustic sound and it's pretty toned down. Which is quite different from what I normally listen to. Definitely check them out, it'll be worth your time.

Song suggestions: Barton Hollow, Poison & Wine, I've Got This Friend, To Whom It May Concern, Girl With The Red Balloon, Birds of A Feather, I Want You Back, and Dance Me To The End of Love. And take a listen to Birds of a Feather. I think you'll like it.

9. Sound of Fire by This Century

I've always been a fan of This Century. There's just something about them that appealed to me. And I can't quite put my finger on it. You need to listen for yourself, I guess. They're a piano rock band and I love music with piano in it, so that's probably why I liked them from the beginning. I remember listening to an old song of theirs, that's not on Itunes anymore, and I was hooked. It was a soft piano rock song and they lyrics were beautiful (it's a shame they took it off Itunes). Anyway, Sound of Fire is their debut album. and it's pretty good for a debut. They've put out 2 or 3 E.Ps before this and they're sound has changed somewhat, which is good. I love the whole album and it's hard to explain as to why, so you'll need to listen to it for yourself.

Song Suggestions: Young and Useless, Everywhere Everything, To Love and Back, Do It To Me, Loud, and Sound of Fire (basically the whole album). And take a listen to Sound of Fire. I think you'll like it. It's dance-y, catchy, and just a lot of fun to listen to .

10. The Kids Will Take Their Monsters On by Automatic Loveletter

The Kids Will Take Their Monsters On is an acoustic album and follow up to their recent album, Truth Or Dare. Every song on here is great and I love them. Her voice is gravel-y and it overpowers the guitar, that's how good she is. She has a powerful voice and belt out a song like you wouldn't believe but at the same time she can tone it down. And her lyrics are great as well. Her songs are just heart wrenching and *sigh* I love her. You really need to listen to her and this album, to understand what I'm talking about because it's hard to explain.


Song Suggestions: The whole album; but more specifically Click Your Heels, Black Ink Revenge, Cruel Cruel, The Curtain Close, Carry The Fire, and Save Me. And take a listen to Click Your Heels. I guarantee you'll like it and maybe even love it.

11. In The Mourning by Paramore

This is a single that Paramore released only to their fan club, which I'm apart of. It was one of 3 songs that they released to us for free. Don't get me wrong, I loved the other two songs, but this has to be my favorite. It   has a different sound then their other songs, more country/acoustic, and I didn't think it would work for them, but it definitely does. I've always been a fan of them but never loved them, until now. Even though they lost 2 members, I think they're going to do fine without them and they're going to progress even more. And so far, I like the new approach and their new sound.