I figure I would get this done now, just to get it over with. I think I’m done listening to new music of the year 2011 and these 15 albums were the ones that I could find that were really good this year. Here are my choices of the best albums of 2011. This year wasn’t a good year for music but sometimes good stuff do come around.

I’ll do the “Best Movies of 2011” as soon as I see, “Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” and “MI: Ghost Protocol”.

Enjoy the Best of 2011 Music Albums, folks!

15. William Shatner – “Seeking Major Tom”

(The Shat is back with another album this year, doing his usual spoken word music that he’s known for. This album is an album full of rock n’ roll covers. He also collaborates with a bunch of music legends. It’s a serious album and he has stories to tell on it. It’s a concept album, telling stories about Major Tom. This is a very good album, listened to it at least a couple of times. What I’m most impressed with the album is that the songs on it had some really great guitar solos. Shatner knows his stuff with music and he proves that with this album.)

14. “Weird Al” Yankovic – “Alpacolypse”
(The latest parody album by the comic genius and legend, “Weird Al” who I’ve been a fan of for years. This is his best work. He’s maturing as a songwriter and he’s becoming a little more experimental. This is a different sounding album then his earlier stuff. Even though I felt that the songs aren’t as funny, I just thought the music played on it was brilliant. There are some pretty tight songs on the album, I liked it.)

13. Nirvana – “Nevermind – 20th Anniversary Edition”

(In celebration of this iconic album, there are tons of unreleased material that were recorded that didn’t make the album, plus there are different versions of the same songs. Out takes that didn’t make the album. There are a few live stuff on there as well. It’s a long album to listen to, but once you finish the actual “Nevermind” album itself, you’ll be hooked throughout the rest of it. These guys were musical geniuses even if they were just fooling around playing songs.)

12. Bjork – “Biophelia”

(I absolutely love Bjork! I’ve been a fan of hers for years and once again, this is her best album. It’s trippy and out of space like music. Her voice sends chills down your spine. It’s a thrilling album and so amazing. Get it!)

11. Jane’s Addiction – “The Great Escape Artist”

(Perry Ferrell has finally got Jane’s Addiction together after a really long hiatus. This is their 4th album since “Strays” in 2003. The boys in Janes still got it. This album is pretty strong and tight. Staying true to the old school Janes sound they had in the past. Awesome guitar playing and Perry’s voice is at his best.)

10. Jeff Bridges

(I’m not really into country that much anymore but I loved this album because this is the way country is supposed to be. T-Bone Burnett and Jeff, knows what country is supposed to sound like. This is a beautiful album, I listened to it at least 4 or 5 times this year. Jeff is an actor turned musician who has real talent. Loved this album.)

9. Chickenfoot – “III”

(Don’t be confused by the title of this album, this is not Chickenfoot’s 3rd release, it’s actually their second. I hate most supergroups, but Sammy Hagar’s, Chickenfoot, is actually a very good band. I loved their first album and this one is even better. This album is heavier and tighter than the last one. Joe Satriani does a fanastic job playing with a band with vocals and Sammy’s getting better with the singing too. Check it out.)

8. Dream Theater – “A Dramatic Turn of Events”

(So Dream Theater lost their longtime drummer, Mike Portnoy, and he was replaced by Mike Mangini. I can definitely tell by the difference. Mangini is definitely a better drummer, and they sound much better now. There’s a mix of heavy rock and slow ballads on this album, but a pretty amazing album. I’m most impressed with John Petrucci’s guitar solos on this album because the solos on it are pretty sick. Wish I can play guitar like that.)

7. Glen Campbell – “Ghost On The Canvas”

(This is the country legend’s last and final album ever, due to being diagnosed with Alzeimer’s disease. He’s retiring from music for good. I remember listening to Glen’s older music and this album is his best album. The songs on this album are great. He’s a great guitar player and singer.)

6. Lady Gaga – “Born This Way”

(Yes, I am a fan of Gaga. Thinks it’s weird? I don’t care. I like what I like. This album is the best out of the three she has. Surprisingly, there is more guitar playing and solos on it as well. I was pretty surprised by that. You can hear the passion and emotion in Gaga’s songs on this album. I don’t consider it a guilty pleasure, I call it great music.)

5. Lou Reed & Metallica – “Lulu”

(I’m pretty sure, I’m gonna get hated on for putting this album high on the list in the top 5, but I meant what I said when I said this album is a masterpiece. A lot of people trashed this album to death, and I still don’t hear anything bad about it. I thought the songs were very powerful especially the last track, “Junior Dad”, which was the best song on it. I always believed that anyone that bashed this album either don’t know anything about Lou Reed or bashing it ’cause it’s Metallica. I was never afraid to be honest about music whether people liked it or not.)

4. Amy Winehouse – “Lioness – Hidden Treasures”

(Once again, this is an album full of unreleased songs over the years of Amy’s work. The songs on this album will give you goosebumps. It’ll make you listen from start to finish, her voice does that to you. While it’s too bad that she’s gone now and won’t be able to release any new music ever, this album is better than nothing. I thought Mark Ronson did a great job choosing songs for this album.)

3. Eddie Vedder – “Ukulele Songs”

(Eddie Vedder’s debut solo album was the “Into the Wild” soundtrack in which he composed music for the movie directed by Sean Penn. This is his second album, full of new songs played on a ukulele instrument. There are other instruments played on the album, of course. Eddie’s an amazing songwriter doing solo. I couldn’t stop listening to this album all year.)

2. Megadeth – “Thirteen”

(Dave Mustaine, is back with another Megadeth album and this is their strongest album ever. It’s definitely a huge improvement than “United Abominations”, and “Endgame”. Those two albums were pretty good, I thought “Thirteen” was more impressive. This album is more thrashier, the way Megadeth is supposed to sound. The guitar playing is pretty sick and it’s just a fun album to listen to. I’m gonna be addicted to this album for a while.)

1. Foo Fighters – “Wasting Light”

(Do you find this a surprise that this is my no. 1 choice? Foo Fighters “Wasting Light” is the best album of the year. A true rock n’ roll record, made in a true way. Recorded in Dave’s garage at home, gives it an old school sound. It doesn’t sound clipped, edited, and sounds like nothing you would hear on ProTools. It’s the way an album is supposed to sound in the 70’s. I hope the Foo Fighters record all of their upcoming new albums this way. This was my most played album on CD, it just couldn’t leave my CD player.)

Kev