It’s that time of year again. In years past I’ve done this a little differently, but it’s time once again to reveal my favorite music of the past year. I started this during lunch yesterday, but haven’t had time to finish it until now. I love music, especially stuff that rocks, so here’s a list of what I listened to and liked the most during 2006:

The Top 10

• 10. Us and Them - Shinedown
  I heard someone on a talk radio show talking about Shinedown earlier this year, and decided to check them out. This album is nothing new or special, but for a long period of time I just couldn’t stop listening to it.
  Favorite tracks: Save Me, I Dare You, Beyond The Sun.

• 9. Comatose - Skillet
  I’ve loved Skillet’s sound, especially John Cooper’s voice, since their first release 10 years ago. Their previous disc, Collide, I consider their best. This one is probably a close second.
  Favorite tracks: Rebirthing, Comatose, The Last Night.

• 8. Open - Jason Morant
  One review said that if Coldplay made a worship album, it would sound like this. This disc is long - 70+ minutes. It is also very good. If you’re looking for a worship album that doesn’t sound like all of the others, here it is.
  Favorite tracks: Open, Make Us One, Holy.

• 7. B Collision - David Crowder Band
  I almost didn’t include this because it consists only of different versions of songs on A Collision. But, it’s also very good, and so I couldn’t leave it out of the top 10. I love Crowder, and loved seeing them live a couple of months ago. This album is one of the reasons why. This version of “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven” was worth the $7 for me.
  Favorite tracks: A Beautiful Collision, Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven, I Saw The Light [live].

• 6. The Mission Bell - Delirious?
  I’ve liked Delirious? since their Cutting Edge was released here in the U.S., but over the years they’ve disappointed me a fair amount, too. I’d say for a while, I liked every other album they released a lot, but the others I couldn’t get into. For the first time, I believe, they’ve released two in a row that I’ve loved, and this one has become my favorite since that first release. Like Morant’s disc (and, for that matter, Crowder’s as well), another good worship disc that isn’t just the same old thing.
  Favorite tracks: Solid Rock, Miracle Maker, Our God Reigns.

• 5. End of Silence - Red
  I bought this album having heard very little of it. I bought as the second album from a 2-for-$20 sale, along with a disc I really wanted. Obviously, it became one of my favorites. Their sound is like a combination of Chevelle and Evanescence, and there’s not a bad song on the disc. By the way, the other disc I bought that day didn’t make the top ten…
  Favorite tracks: Breathe Into Me, Already Over, Break Me Down.

• 4. A Matter Of Life And Death - Iron Maiden
  Maiden has been one of my favorites since I was in high school (as was obvious in last week’s post) and still are today. After fading a bit in the 90’s, they came back strong on their last couple of discs with the return of Bruce Dickinson, but this year they put out their best disc since 1988 (and among their heaviest ever.) Again, a great disc with no sub-par songs. This is what heavy metal is supposed to sound like.
  Favorite tracks: For The Greater Good Of God, The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg, Brighter Than A Thousand Suns

• 3. Good Monsters - Jars of Clay
  Jars of Clay lost me for a few years. After their debut and Much Afraid, I found their next couple of releases less interesting. Then, I got back on board with 2003’s Who We Are Instead, and really loved last year’s Redemption Songs. But, for me, Good Monsters is their best release since those first two and proof of why they’re still one of the best bands to come out of the CCM industry.
  Favorite tracks: Dead Man (Carry Me), All My Tears, Oh My God.

• 2. Mockingbird - Derek Webb
  I had a hard time choosing between #1 and #2. I first began listening to Webb with Caedmon’s Call 10 years ago, but only began listening to his solo work last year. I gave I See Things Upside Down my #1 spot last year (although I would drop it and move Crowder’s A Collision were I making that list now). This album is better than that it’s predecessor, and it is an important album that I hope continues to be heard. If you don’t have this one, you should. Go get it today.
  Favorite tracks: A King and A Kingdom, Rich Young Ruler, Mockingbird.

• 1. See The Morning - Chris Tomlin
  I don’t know that there’s many out there in the world of Christian music (particularly worship music) that continue to put out quality songs like Tomlin does. As I said, it was hard to decide, but ultimately I gave this disc the edge over Webb’s. While Webb’s provokes me to think on serious issues and my response to them, Tomlin’s drives me to worship, and it does so with quality lyrics and music.
  Favorite tracks: Awesome Is The Lord Most High, Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone), Glorious.

And, a few Honorable Mentions:

• The Legend Of Johnny Cash - Johnny Cash
  I have a cousin who is Johnny’s nephew. My dad grew up down the road from Johnny and I had an uncle who was married to Johnny’s sister (thus the cousin.) This might’ve been in the top 10, but it’s a greatest hits collection, and I chose not to include such discs. Nevertheless, this is great stuff. I never realized how much I liked Cash’s music until I got this disc for my birthday.

• Christmas Offerings - Third Day
  I might’ve included this one as well, but it’s a Christmas disc, and I just didn’t want to include a disc I probably won’t listen to as much until late next year. But this is one of my favorite Christmas discs ever, mainly because I like Third Day’s sound and will likely enjoy their take on anything. Aside from the traditional stuff you expect on holiday discs, they added some very nice originals here as well.

• Dusk And Summer - Dashboard Confessional
  I’ve always like Chris Carrabba since I first heard Further Seems Forever’s debut five years ago. I’ve liked each Dashboard disc a little more than the last, and I’ve spun this a lot this year.

• How To Save A Life - The Fray
  Seems that some people like them, some people don’t. I’m one who does. They’ve gotten a lot of exposure with songs played in several movies and television shows. I like this album more each time I listen to it.

Finally, since there can only be 10 entries in a top 10, here’s a list of other good stuff I listened to this year.

• Define The Great Line - Underoath
• Testify - P.O.D.
• Vheissu - Thrice
• Everything Glorious - Passion Worship Band
• Honkin’ On Bobo - Aerosmith
• Operation: Mindcrime II - Queensryche
• The Great Divide - Scott Stapp
• Hearts Of The Innocent - Kutless
• Cut And Move - Day of Fire
• Let The Worshipers Arise - Phillips, Craig & Dean
• Sound Of Melodies - Leeland
• Flying Into Daybreak - Charlie Hall

One more thing - here’s a few discs I hope to hear soon and/or am looking forward to (some are yet to be released, others have been released but I do not yet have.) Some of these will likely appear on next year’s list.

• Oh! Gravity - Switchfoot
• One Zero (acoustic) - Derek Webb
• Beyond Measure - Jeremy Camp
• The Open Door - Evanescence
• Live In Portland - Kutless
• Rock Garden - Ty Tabor
• Welcome to the Drama Club - Everclear
• Highway Companion - Tom Petty
• The Reckoning - Pillar

That’s it. That’s the list. Tomorrow or Thursday, I’ll post my favorite books of the year. (And, due to my lack of time for reading this year, it will be a shorter list than usual.)