Top 10 Most Anticipated Albums of 2007

2006 was a phenominal year in music. Though not as strong as 2005 or 2003, it had some amazing releases that will go down as some of my favorite of all time. But that was the past, and now the future awaits. The future is 2007. Though currently anyone's guess, 2007 looks to be another fantastic year for music. What am I turning into a giddy schoolgirl over? The short list looks a little something like this:

10. M.I.A. - No. I still hate her. And why shouldn't I? Her music is everything that sucks about music today, but her back story is cool enough to inspire oohs and aahs from even the most hardened indie music journalists. No sir. I'm not hopping on that train. M.I.A. is a music travesty, and I'm holding out on a flop of epic proportions. I'm hoping that it comes out and people realize, "Hey, this is kind of a gimmick. I can't believe I didn't realize it was dog yelps placed over cool beats before, but now it's totally aparent." That's what I'm hoping for at least.

9. Iron and Wine - I wasn't really an Iron and Wine fan. To me, he was the guy that took an energetic, beautiful, and classic Postal Service song and turned it into a straight up wrist-cutter's wet dream (turned M&M commercial song...WTF?). But after listening to his collaboration with Calexico in 2005, I changed my mind a little. The guy's got a great voice and his lyrics are amazingly vivid. His next album will make or break me as a fan, though I doubt he cares.

8. Ladytron - 2005's "Witching Hour" blew me away. I was already familiar with a few of their other albums, but aside from the song "Seventeen," there wasn't a whole lot to keep my interest. But "Witching Hour" was, song for song, one of the best electronic albums I've ever heard. I specifically remember it keeping me company on a long-night's drive to a far away city. I have high hopes for Ladytron's next album. If it actually releases this year, I'll be very pleased.

7. Bright Eyes: "Cassadega" - Conor Oberst is a fantastic songwriter, an average musician, and a terrible vocalist. That aside, he still manages to make some truly captivating music that often borders genius. I haven't listened to Bright Eyes at all since the last time I seriously considered offing myself, as the two just seem to mesh incredibly well. Of course, if 2007 doesn't really go my way, I know I'll have ol' Bright Eyes there to keep me company and remind me that life is sometimes crappy, but never as crappy as Conor Oberst's voice. It helps.

6. Tegan and Sara - My #1 guilty pleasure. The fact that I am a heterosexual male should really make me a big Tegan and Sara hater, but I love these two to death! Their music is so fun, yet it manages to pay homage to some great rock music of the past. Heart comes to mind. Regardless. I have nothing but love for Tegan and Sara. The sooner they get their album out, the happier I'll be.

5. Stars - I love me some Stars. The cute romantic comedy soundtrack Stars of "Heart," and even the politically inept, "trying to be rock" Stars. So if they manage to put out a new album this year, you better believe I'm going to be there to snatch it up.

4. Metric - Right now, I'm throwing my hands up in the air in celebration over the fact that Metric is working on some new songs. For a while there I thought they'd go the route of No Doubt after Gwen's conquest of all things shite, but they have proven me wrong. Though Emily Haines' solo career is still going strong, she and her bandmates have already started recording. I am extatic. Here's hoping that the cover of the album features a scantily clad Haines. Or better yet...

3. Rilo Kiley - Jenny Lewis needs to redeem herself. Her solo album was a mess, meanwhile The Elected shot all the way to #3 on my Top Albums of 2006. They are supposedly in the early stages of recording a new album as a band, so here's hoping that it's just as magical as their last three albums.

2. The New Pornographers - It's been a year and a half since "Twin Cinema" was released and it's still getting regular spins in my stereo. No joke. I listen to it every week. It's simply one of the best albums ever made. Period. Consider me hyped for this one, if and when it releases.

1. Radiohead - It's been a long time coming, but with several songs supposedly finalized already, it's only a matter of time before Radiohead drops their next album on us. No record label yet, but I highly doubt that Radiohead will have to claw on the doors of the labels to put out an album. With the freedom to make whatever they want, I'm totally pumped for the possibilities. Bring it on! And make it quick too.


Note: Most of these upcoming releases don't have titles yet. At the moment, only Bright Eyes has a confirmed title and release date (April 10). That being said, I really want all these albums to release this year. And according to many credible sources, they just may.