Welcome to Part II of the "Best of the Best" series in 2005.
This week we continue with the Top Ten Lists with the 10 best albums of 2005. Now granted, this list only goes as far as the albums I have bought or d/l the majority of online. So there won't be as open of players as in Movies, and there won't be no Emancipation of Mimi (aka the sweet story of Mariah's return to Glory crap), no U2 glory here (runaway winners from the Grammys) and no Steely Dan upsets.
So, without further ado, I bring to you what will surely be the most lopsided, comical top 10 albums list youll find, but MY list nonetheless:
#10 GET LIFTED: John Legend
John Legend broke the mold for the term "Rhythm and Blues" with his debut album "Get
Lifted." He recently won Best New Artist and Best Rn'B Album at the Grammys the other night and deservingly so. His opening single, "Ordinary People," rushed through the BillBoard singles charts over the summer and poeple quickly began raising their eyebrows to the piano-gifted singer. His stint with Kayne West, a big name in the rap game, helped get those in Hip Hop fashion to rub up to him more and the two's catchy single "Number One" was one of the more pleasant suprises of the year and should have been nominated for Best Song by Duo or Group in the Grammys. Look forward to this guy's next album in 06 and I doubt Mr. Legend has to worry about any sophmore slumps. Were looking at the male version of Alicia Keys on the piano keys and vocals. AMEN!
This week we continue with the Top Ten Lists with the 10 best albums of 2005. Now granted, this list only goes as far as the albums I have bought or d/l the majority of online. So there won't be as open of players as in Movies, and there won't be no Emancipation of Mimi (aka the sweet story of Mariah's return to Glory crap), no U2 glory here (runaway winners from the Grammys) and no Steely Dan upsets.
So, without further ado, I bring to you what will surely be the most lopsided, comical top 10 albums list youll find, but MY list nonetheless:
#10 GET LIFTED: John Legend
John Legend broke the mold for the term "Rhythm and Blues" with his debut album "Get
Lifted." He recently won Best New Artist and Best Rn'B Album at the Grammys the other night and deservingly so. His opening single, "Ordinary People," rushed through the BillBoard singles charts over the summer and poeple quickly began raising their eyebrows to the piano-gifted singer. His stint with Kayne West, a big name in the rap game, helped get those in Hip Hop fashion to rub up to him more and the two's catchy single "Number One" was one of the more pleasant suprises of the year and should have been nominated for Best Song by Duo or Group in the Grammys. Look forward to this guy's next album in 06 and I doubt Mr. Legend has to worry about any sophmore slumps. Were looking at the male version of Alicia Keys on the piano keys and vocals. AMEN! 
#9 CERTIFIED: David Banner "David Banner, David Banner"
The man has been around dishing hot beats to rap artists long before he debut his album in the rap game a couple years back. His newest album, "Certified", recently dropped this winter, is easily his best work to date. He dropped the HOT commercial radio success hit "Play," (if you havent heard the un-edited version, you haven't heard the real track), has many duets with some of Hip Hops finest artists (tracks with Jagged Edge, Twista, Jadakiss, Case, Three 6 Mafia and Talib Kwali) and really broke out his range in this album. The tracks "My Life" and "Crossroads" brings depth to his talent we have yet to see from his gangsta-driven songs of past albums. And he still gives audiences those hot joints with tracks like "X'd" and "Lost Souls." Banner, unlike most rap artists, is getting better with each album. That is a promising sign that we don't see often in rap music these days.
#8 BREAKAWAY: Kelly Clarkson
Everyone's favorite American Idol has made it. She was the first Idol winner 4 years ago and we still hear her name, but we haven't heard much from the likes of Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken. The recent Carrie Underwood has just gotten started. Clarkson is lightyears ahead of the other Idol winners and she has all the reason to have died out by now. She had 3 number one singles and her fourth "Because of You" is going to make it also. The girl can sing and has tremendous appeal. Young or old, guy or girl, this chick is causing people to turn heads and makes pop music cool again. However, if anyone is more primed for a down album it might be her. It's going be hard to top this album in a genre where one hit wonders "wonder" the most. Then again, she has already reversed the odds against her so far...who's to say she doesn't have more to show than we ever expected. Behind Those Hazle Eyes....we can only hope and pray that Kelly can keep this going. I aint afraid to put her on this list...you go girl!#7 CONFESSIONS: Usher
These were his confessions: 1.2 million units sold in his first week of release. A solo RnB record. 
Usher continues to pour out his heart n soul into his albums and has solidified himself as one of the genre's elite artists. Although to me, 8701 (his previous album) was much too underrated and his best album by far, nevertheless Confessions was a terrific album. He dished out the club hit of the year "Yeah" and slow-jam successes like "Burn" and "Confessions," which is when Usher is at his best when it comes to songs of the heart. He is one of the few RnB artists that can run both angles of the game and still be able to sit atop. Hip Hop, rap, slow jams that utilize his incredible vocal ability. The guy is on a rampage and despite record numbers can still find ways to compete amongst his fellow singers. Just recently, an article was released that hearing Chris Brown all over the radio got Usher calling Jermaine Dupri to tell him "I think its about that time." Were waiting Raymond....YEAH!
Usher continues to pour out his heart n soul into his albums and has solidified himself as one of the genre's elite artists. Although to me, 8701 (his previous album) was much too underrated and his best album by far, nevertheless Confessions was a terrific album. He dished out the club hit of the year "Yeah" and slow-jam successes like "Burn" and "Confessions," which is when Usher is at his best when it comes to songs of the heart. He is one of the few RnB artists that can run both angles of the game and still be able to sit atop. Hip Hop, rap, slow jams that utilize his incredible vocal ability. The guy is on a rampage and despite record numbers can still find ways to compete amongst his fellow singers. Just recently, an article was released that hearing Chris Brown all over the radio got Usher calling Jermaine Dupri to tell him "I think its about that time." Were waiting Raymond....YEAH!#6 RENT: Movie Sountrack
Yup...it's back. For those that read the list below on the Top Ten Movies of 2005 know this was a MAJOR reason why...the music. This soundtrack falls at Number 6 only b/c the Broadway version of the same music is ten times better, however not to take away anything from the actors who sang well on the movie version. It was the movie that caught my attention so the soundtrack isn't at all a knock-off. From the opening title track "Seasons of Love" it hits you the harmony of these voices coming as one, not more than a song or two of the 27 tracks aren't harmony songs. As I posted in the Movie List, if you don't enjoy Larson's style of music in the film, it'll be hard to enjoy the movie. Thus you must have a taste for the alternative/poppy themed beat that is ran throughout the sountrack. I can't even list one or two that stand above the others, it's a terrific soundtrack along with an excellent film that deserved more credit than it received.
#5 DA CARTER II: Lil Wayne
Weezy Baby, Please save the Baby
Say what ya want about this list, itll continue to get on your nerves. But Yes you can have a top 10 list with John Legend, Kelly Clarkson, a musical and Weezy Baby. Oh yes you can. This album came into my lap luckily b/c a friend paid me 5 dollars to d/l and burn it for him. I found it in like half an hour and made myself a copy too. What an LP. It made me want to d/l more Lil Wayne stuff. So I can't really compare this album to the first Carter LP or his albums before, however I find it hard to believe they top this. From what I hear, it's his best album to date and I can believe it. The "Fireman" has got to be, hands down, the hottest rap song Ive heard, radio-play wise, since Lloyd Bank's "On Fire." This jam will never grow old, it's up there wit In Da Club! Weezy, keep banging out the hits, you've grown a new fan outta me.
#4 URBAN LEGEND: TI"You might have seen me in the streets, but nigga you don't know me"
The only track hotter than "Fireman" on this list (rap wise) in 2005 was "U Don't Know Me." I'm still trying to find the ringtone for my phone. This jam alone would have probably put this album on the list. TI made his breakthrough on this sophmore album. After turning things out with "Trap Muzik" album with hits like "24s" he pulled out all the stops on "Urban Legend." From his opening single "Rubberband Man" (produced by David Banner) he made noise after noise in 2005. Tracks like "ASAP" and "Motivation" elaborated his rhyming skills to more than just hot beats and a catchy chorus. Along with songs like "Dont Hate Me Shawty" displaying a side of emotion we didn't hear out of TI from his first LP. But no single put this album over the top more than "U Don't Know Me" did. If I found the time and patience to make a top single list of 2005, it just might have been number 1. "Don't make me bring the chevy to a real slow creep."
#3 LATE REGISTRATION: Kayne West
What can I say about the roc's finest and brightest young star that hasn't been repeated a dozen times during his last album. The guy got mad squabbles son. "Diamonds" may have been one of the smoothes singles to open an album with. That Sierre Leon beat was genius, I wonder sometimes the lengths rappers will go to find the next hot beat. However, when your second single is "Golddigger," you start asking questions as a fan like why on earth did Kayne NOT choose this song first. Jamie Foxx erupts on the chorus and Kayne's lyrics just roll out his mouth as smooth as any rapper can. It's like the man doesn't even try to force the lyrics to sound "hard" or "painful." I can totally picture Kayne sounding the same when he first ran the lyrics to himself before lacing the track. He's a gifted artist that brings so much diversity in his albums than most rappers dare. Late Registration had a lot of Blues type feel to it. It followed up an album that was almost impossible to top in "College Dropout." So he only put out a sophmore album that was a couple bonus tracks too much to coming close.
#2 GAME: the Documentary
The best thing to ever happen to G-Unit just as it was becoming repetative and sounding the same. Was it any surprise he left because he didn't want to fall into that circle of recycle and re-produce. Game literally put the entire West Coast rap regime on his back and like a whirlwind slammed the door hinges down and welcomed the coast back. The hurricane has a voice resembling the likes of DMX when he puts his emotion and heart into his tracks. Tracks like the Swizz Beats produced "Church for Thugs" and "No More Fun and Games" are perfect examples of how Game's pain can be distinguished through his vocals and rhymes. This is one of those special albums where I can say top to bottom there isn't a single track that's unbareable. If there's anything that keeps this album from reaching number one it's the obvious change in demeanor and voice when 50 cent appears on a few of the tracks. Even so, songs like the incredibly catchy "Hate it or Love it" and "Westside Story" are still great songs, but you take out the Fiddy Invested tracks and listen to the rest, you get a totally different experience in "the game." This is one rap artist that is sure to stir more controversy with his beef against G-Unit and a sophmore album that can only be better because of the jumpship. # 1 Album of 2005
AMERICAN IDIOT: Green Day
Shocking I'm sure for those that know me best, but when I jotted down the 20 or so albums I had in their entirity for 2005, no album had me bobbin my head, repeating the songs and blasted their CD more so than Green Day's "American Idiot." Sure half of the album is politically aimed by a certain band's opinion on our president and our country's poor state. However, I didn't allow someone's opinion on our country to dismay what a great and downright Classic Album this was. Green Day has been around since early 90s. For any artist/band of any genre to have that sort of longevity says something. Whats even more astounding is to be around that long and still be able to put out your Best Work! Green Day's smash single "Blvd. of Broken Dreams" was one of those perfect songs. It can relate to almost anyone who listens to music, send shear chills down one's spine and make even some cry. The entire album is enjoyable, not a single track worthy of skipping. Not many albums exist in this day and age like that, in a generation where commercial success is having two hit singles and you can go platinum. Green Day did it top to bottom and are still growing as a band. They alone can still make people (like myself) who mostly listen to one or two types of genres that are polar opposites of rock and still find appeal to it! Then again, that's how this entire lists ended up didn't it....
Just Outta Humor, here is a list of a few of the albums I had that DIDNT make the list: Eminem's "Encore," Lil Jon's "Crunk Juice," Tony Yayo's "Thoughts of a Predicate Felon," 112's "Pain and Pleasure" and 50 Cent's "The Massacre"
Coming Up: the Best in Video Games in 2005
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