10. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade
Another surprise entrance into my list, MCR managed to create something that, while not straying completely from their sound, loosened them up and freed them from the confines of a screamo stereotype. I'm a sucker for rock operas, and MCR's is right up there with recent efforts from Green Day and the Killers. Surprising in its scope, The Black Parade finds the band at their undisputed pinnacle.

Album Track: Disenchanted - A more subdued track from the band, this song has one of the best melodies and vocal performances of the year. More than almost any other track the band's recorded, Disenchanted is a classic, epic pop song.

9. McFly - Motion In The Ocean
The fact that this album made the countdown (and so high) surprised the hell out of me. I never thought a McFly album would end up in my top ten, but here we are. A cornucopia of power pop styles, this is a mature yet youthful effort. Each song is its own entity and the boys imbue every of the album's many styles with a sense of urgency and playfulness. Motion really is the album that should catapult McFly to a wider audience. I have yet to play it for someone who didn't instantly love it.

Album Track: Transylvania - A bizarre marching band/opera/pop song hybrid that's unrivaled in its joyful weirdness, it is one of the standouts of the band's career, begging to be a single.