samedi 1 Jan 2011, 16h00m

This year I decided that I wanted to do a journal over my most scrobbled artists for the year. There are some definite surprises compared to what I would’ve expected a year ago. At first I wanted to do top 20 or 25, but decided that was too little, then I decided on top 50, but 35-50 are basically artists I listen to regularly which I don’t have anything interesting/surprising to say about. In the end I decided to comment on my top 27, since I didn’t have anything interesting to say past 27, but to include 38-50, so I can look back in a year, and maybe laugh or be surprised. Or maybe I won’t care. I’ll find out then!
Happy new year, everyone! :)

1. Sonata Arctica (628)

I had a small (or maybe not so small) flip with SA for a while this year, which resulted in a bunch of scrobbles. I’ve grown to love especially In The Dark, and I like The Truth is Out There in a weird way, and heard both a lot. But the vast majority of SA’s tracks are really good. I don’t think I would’ve predicted them for #1 last year, but it doesn’t surprise me that they claim a spot in top 5. They are awesome after all. Now I just need to see them live!

2. Rammstein (524)

This is definitely the surprise of the year. If you told me last year that these guys would be #2, I just might have laughed in your face. For this I must apologize. They’ve reached a #3 spot on my overall list as well, with 537 tracks scrobbled. 97,6% of my scrobbled Rammstein-tracks was scrobbled in 2010. No wonder it’s a surprise. They slowly grew on me during the spring, and when they performed in Denmark in the beginning of June I ended up going as a result of peer pressure and rumors of an awesome stage show. I was not disappointed. After the show I basically just heard a LOT of their music during the next couple of months, and they’re a great band, I must say.

3. Nightwish (388)

I think I would be very surprised if I knew Nightwish would end up in spot #3 at the end of the year. Especially so far behind #1 and #2 scrobble-wise. A great band, but they’re seriously overdue for some new music. Get your rear in gear Tuemos! It appears they’re pretty far in the recording-process, but seem to insist that they won’t release the album until fall. I can’t wait!

4. Within Temptation (287)

Not a surprise that these guys are right behind Nightwish. A really great band as well, and Sharon simply has one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard. They’re releasing they’re new album The Unforgiving in March, and released the first single in December 2010. It was a really good track, and I’m extremely excited for they’re new album! I was gonna see them live in March 2011, but Sharon got pregnant, so the show was moved to fall. 2011 will be a great musical year. Yay!

5. Delain (256)

Got their album April Rain last Christmas, and they have some really great tracks. There are also a few that I’m not crazy about. But overall a nice band. Sharon Den Adel (Within Temptation) is singing on a few tracks from their first album, which is pretty awesome.

6. Eminem (241)

A slightly different genre from the first 5, but the guy made some pretty good music, which I listen to every now and then. Didn’t particularly love anything of the new stuff I heard from him. But the older stuff can hold up on its own, if you ask me.

7. Aerosmith (240)

Another surprise. Not exactly a new band, but I fell in love this fall. Hadn’t really listened to them a lot before. Sunshine got me hooked, and Falling in love (is hard on the knees) helped keeping me hooked. They made a lot of great stuff. They’ve also reached a #9 spot on my overall list, with 250 plays, so like Rammstein, 2010 was the year that made them visible on my charts with 96% of the plays scrobbled this year.

8. Leaves' Eyes (215)

I don’t feel like I’ve listened a lot to these guys this year compared to last year. I’m excited to hear their new album which is planned to be released in April, so I expect them to get more scrobbles in 2011.

9. Glee Cast (212)

Brand new on my charts of 2010. The first season of the show Glee was made of 90% Awesome, and they made a bunch of great covers. I can’t decide if I think they’re my guilty pleasure or just plain ol’ good.

10. Red Warszawa (158)

This band brings me so many memories. I saw them live twice when I was 14-15 or something like that, and it was a great experience. I’m currently expecting to see them live in the new year, which will definitely be a blast. These guys are so unholy, and a lot of fun. Can’t help loving them just a little bit.

11. AC/DC (150)

Classic. Not much to say.

12. Sarah Brightman (138)

Another artist I heard quite a bit in 2010. She has a rather beautiful voice and have sung so many songs. She’s one of the artists I like to listen to as “chill-music”.

13. Gregorian (137)

Definite chill-music, and another discovery of 2010. Their long, seemingly random outros are kind of annoying because they don’t really fit in (if you ask me), but they’re pretty good anyways.

14. DJ Earworm (135)

This guy makes some seriously good mash-ups. They can be really addicting, which is also the reason for the number of scrobbles.

15. Judas Priest (119)

Another classic I listen to regularly.

16. Hans Zimmer (118)

This guy has made some really great soundtracks. I particularly like the music he did for Crimson Tide and PoTC.

17. Amberian Dawn (114)

These guys are surprisingly low. A great band, whose singer has an incredible voice. It’s not that they aren’t good, I just haven’t been in the mood for them much this past year even though they released a new album.

18. Evanescence (109)

The band that got me into the whole metal-genre. I feel like I have a lot to thank them for, but they’re just so surrounded by drama with the whole Amy Lee/Ben Moody thing, that I don’t feel like listening to them a lot except for nostalgia. I can’t help but to love Fallen a little bit.

19. Robbie Williams (99)

My guilty pleasure #1. Especially You Know Me, Let Me Entertain You and Sin Sin Sin, was driving me insane, those songs just would not get out of my head for a month or two. Or three. Or longer, I don’t know. Bottomline is that this guy was my guilty pleasure #1 of 2010.

20. Trans-Siberian Orchestra (97)

TSO have some interesting stuff, they’ve made a LOT of Christmas-music, and I’m rather intrigued by the house that choreographed a lightshow to Wizards in Winther. Insane!

21. Epica (94)

Pretty good band. I must admit I think a bunch of their songs have too much growling (for my taste). I don’t mind growling as a complimentary thing to the song, but I don’t like it when it takes overhand.

22. Lacuna Coil (90)

I stick with a few of their songs which I really like. I should listen to more of them to get a proper opinion of the band. Maybe I will in 2011?

23. Fall Out Boy (78)

Another band who brings back memories. I believe they were top 3 one year, which was the year I saw them live with my best friend, and also had a tiny crush on Pete after the concert. Since then I rarely hear them when it isn’t for my shuffle-button. But then again – shuffle rules.

24. Lostprophets (76)

I “rediscovered” these guys some time during the spring, and listened to them a lot for about a month, but I only have one album with them, so I became a little bored after a while. But they’ve made some pretty good songs.

25. Simple Plan (73)

One of the bands I like without loving. It’s pretty much been this way always, so my guess is they’re kinda steady around this place in my charts.

25. Apocalyptica (73)

Nice cello-band. I love strings (cello and violin in particular) and these guys are cello metal which is awesome. They had Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil singing on the track S.O.S. (Anything but Love), which happens to be my 5th most scrobbled track of the year with 44 scrobbles. I kinda overheard it, but still a nice track.

27. Elysion (70)

Yet another discovery of 2010. A band in style with NW, WT, LE etc. However, I don’t find them as good. They were founded in 2006, so there’s plenty of time for improvement, and it’ll be very interesting to see with way they’ll go with their next album.

28. Good Charlotte (67)

29. Avantasia (65)

30. Green Day (62)

30. After Forever (62)

31. Tarja (61)

31. The Cab (61)

33. Queen (60)

34. Gary Moore (59)

35. Hoobastank (57)

36. My Chemical Romance (55)

37. The Lonely Island (50)

38. Marilyn Manson (49)

40. Nickelback (47)

40. Pink (47)

40. Iron Maiden (47)

40. Puddle of Mudd (47)

44. No Doubt (46)

44. Orkrist (46)

46. Klaus Badelt (45)

47. Xandria (44)

47. Jersey Boys (44)

49. Brother Firetribe (43)

50. Disney (42)

50. Ayreon (42)

Honorable mentions:
Cain’s Offering – heard about these guys through os_teriyaki, and am currently deciding what I think about them. So far I think they’re pretty good. They definitely have a chance for at top 30 spot next year, if not higher.

Sam Tsui – somebody posted one of his songs on Facebook, and I just heard a lot of his songs on youtube, and downloaded those I could. It’s pop, but I looove mash-ups, so I’m hoping for more free downloads! Even though I just found him about a month ago, he claims a #54 spot in my charts of the year with 40 scrobbles. I’ll see if I can leash my inner pop-girl. If not, he’ll probably rank pretty high next year. ;)

Predictions for 2011: Since Within Temptation, Leaves’ Eyes and Nightwish (YAY! finally) are going to release new albums this year they’re all bound to have more plays in 2011. I think all three of them have a pretty good chance of making top 5, and NW and WT will battle for #1. We’ll see.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Enjoy 2011, and make it a spectacular year. :)