Top 25 Albums cont...(3-1)

3) Metallica - Metallica
A.K.A. The Black Album. This is a staple in every male's CD collection. Metallica is a staple in every male's listening selection. If you don't have this album or like Metallica, I can only assume A) You're a flaming homosexual or B) You have never heard a song by them in your entire life. Every single song is great on this album. Not good...great. The Black Album turned the table for Metallica. This is supposedly the album where they "took a different path" and they "went soft." BS. The Black Album separates Metallica from everyone else in the music industry. Metallica are the gods of heavy metal and will remain unfathomed for eternity.

2) Guns N' Roses - Use Your Illusion 1&2
They are basically a 2 disc set. Both released at the same time, these albums are legendary. Guns N' Roses are indescribable in the Use Your Illusions. Don't Cry, Garden of Eden, Coma, Civil War, Yesterdays, Knockin' On Heaven's Door, Live and Let Die, Get In the Ring (love it), and You Could Be Mine. Of course November Rain and Estranged are two of the most well-written songs I have ever heard in my life. They both sound like it was written to portray 3 songs into 1. Axl Rose, Slash, Duff, and Izzy symbolize Guns N' Roses as legendary figures in the world of rock.

1) Metallica - ...And Justice For All
Easily the most talented display of musical skills that's ever been recorded. Anyone who knows their music knows that these 4 guys are the most talented on every level. No one can touch Metallica's intensity in ...And Justice For All. The speed and precision possesed in this album will forever be unmatched. From the likes of Blackened, ...And Justice For All, the instrumental To Live Is To Die, and the legendary One. The double bass drum, guitar speed, and precision are downright freakish. It almost seems literally impossible to play instruments the way Metallica does. That's probably why no one ever covers Metallica songs...they can't! Best album = best band. I'm out.

Top 25 Albums cont...(10-4)

10) Pearl Jam - Ten
No pun intended, this is defintely a top 10 album. After Nirvana paved the way for grunge, Pearl Jam followed up nicely with Ten. The list of hits such as Even Flow, Alive, Black, and Jeremy remain unfathomed by today's music standards (which isn't saying much). The guitar in Even Flow and Alive kicks...that is all.

9) The Beach Boys - Sounds of Summer
The Beach Boys are classics. All of their songs are classics. I don't see how anyone in their right mind can't like The Beach Boys. It's like blasphemy against music. I seriously can't list all of their hits on this blog. It would take up too much space. So I'll just name a few of my favorites: California Girls, I Get Around, Don't Worry Baby, Help Me, Rhonda, When I Grow Up (To Be A Man) - one of the greatest songs ever, God Only Knows, Wouldn't It Be Nice, and Good Vibrations. Every single one of those songs brings back great memories and instills happiness. They all have legendary voices that will probably never be matched....ever.

8) Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine
There is definitely a fair share of rage being expressed in this album. Talk about your "anti-government, political views" band. The way the bass and guitar coincide display jumpy beats. I think it's safe to say every song on this album is pretty dang good. With the stylings of Bombtrack, Killing In the Name, Take the Power Back, Know Your Enemy, Wake Up, and Freedom, this album expresses everything Rage Against the Machine ever wanted in their music, plus the flowing lyrics of Zack de la Rocha will forever go untouched.

7) 311 - 311
I remember my friend, Jacob saying this album was "big boy" music along with the Rage album and the KoRn album. His older brother used to have these albums and we would listen to them in his room in 7th grade. It was pretty hardcore at the time. This is another one of those albums where it's good all the way through. 311 displays very distinctive guitar effects with the scratching strings between measures along with a very talented drummer, and 2 amazing lyricists who switch off almost every verse. Down, Jackolantern's Weather, the jam Hive, Misdirected Hostility, the soothing Purpose, and Brodels are the more notable songs on this album for me. I hope you share my sentiments.

6) KoRn - KoRn
I had never heard anything as heavy as KoRn the first time I listened to this album. Wow. Talk about a band that wanted to be different. This is probably one of the darkest albums in the music world. The album opens with Blind, which is an amazing song. Then you go on to listen to Jonathan Davis yelling gibberish in Ball Tongue. Maybe Davis was speaking in tongue? Only KoRn can make children's nursery rhymes in Shoots and Ladders dark and pleasant to sing along to. Bagpipes? In a heavy metal band? Brilliant. The high speed drums and heavy bass really define what this album is: a freaking badass display of musical talent.

5) Metallica - Master of Puppets
Let's see...Genius? Fast? Precise? Insane? Freakish? Those should be the exact words going through your mind when you listen to Metallica's Master of Puppets. Plus, this album contains one of my favorite songs, Master of Puppets. Cliff Burton was the musical genius behind it all, and it's very unfortunate that this was his last album. I can't even begin to describe the speed at which the greatest band ever plays their instruments. Is Lars kidding with that double bass? Is it even possible for Hetfield and Hammett to play their guitars that precise and that fast? How the heck can Burton make his bass stand out above the guitars in most songs? Listen and find out. You won't be disappointed.

4) Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction
I have an appetite...for good music. Ok, so that was a horrible joke, but Guns N' Roses makes that statement true. Welcome To the Jungle was their first hit and they weren't messing around. They pretty much said "Here it is. Hate it or love it." I choose the latter. This album is pure rebelliousness. GNR indeed had an appetite for destruction. Yet the bad boys showed their soft side with their ballad, Sweet Child O' Mine. Slash is a guitar master, and Axl Rose has some of the most legendary vocals in the biz.

Top 25 Albums cont...(14-11)

14) Blink 182 - Enema of the State
It was very tough to decide between this particular album and Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. I gave the edge to Enema of the State mainly because it contains one of my all-time favorite songs in Adam's Song. This is one of those rare albums where you can listen to it all the way through. Plus the immature nude video for What's My Age Again? really put these adolescent figures on the map.

13) Live - Throwing Copper
A very solid band that kind of fell off the face of the earth. Selling the Drama is a very mellow, deep song. The notes in this album mesh well together and feature very aggressive guitar work. I Alone, Lightning Crashes, and All Over You are all great melodies that should have been given more credit during their prime.

12) Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Definitely one of my favorite bands. Their funkadelic style of music is unlike any other band. It seems like this album produced hit after hit. Breaking the Girl is an unusual RHCP song (yet clever). Flea demonstrates his bass playing abilities and shows why he is one of the best in the biz. The precise start-stop beats, and upbeat tempo in Suck My Kiss keep the listener on the edge while entertaining them with "tongue in cheek" lyrics. Give It Away is played with a heavy bass and drums that personifies who the Red Hot Chili Peppers are. And who could forget the classic, Under the Bridge? Just a pure song with brilliant tabbing.

11) Aerosmith - Big Ones
A breakthrough in the music world, Aerosmith put great albums on the map. This is a must have for anyone who has ever liked music in their entire life. There are too many great songs to name, but you get the idea. Are you a fan of the wide open mouthed screams of Steven Tyler? Do you like 50 year old men named Joe Perry who still have abs of steel and can wail on the guitar? Do you like vidoes of Alicia Silverstone and Liv Tyler? Then you would like this album. I rest my case.