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STEPHEN PEDERSEN
Criteria vocalist/guitarist
Latest release: "When We Break" (Saddle Creek)
1. Andrew Bird, "... and the Mysterious Production of Eggs" (Righteous Babe).
2. Spoon, "Gimme Fiction" (Merge).
3. Headphones, "Headphones" (Suicide Squeeze).
4. Crystal Skulls, "Blocked Numbers" (Suicide Squeeze).
5. Bright Eyes, "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning" (Saddle Creek).
6. Low, "The Great Destroyer" (Sub Pop).
7. M. Ward, "Transistor Radio" (Merge).
8. The Nein, "Wrath of Circuits" (Sonic Unyon).
9. M.I.A., "Arular" (XL).
10. Criteria, "When We Break" (Saddle Creek).
ROBERT POLLARD
Latest release: "From a Compound Eye" (Merge, Jan. 24)
Oh, Christ, dude. I didn't like anything [laughs hard].
In no particular order:
Wigwam, "Tombstone Valentine" (Love). A double album that is kick ass. It was an inspiration for me to make a double album. It's a bit prog-rock and weird.
Wire, "Send" (Pink Flag). It was sad to hear they're not going to make any more records. What happens now?
Various Artists, "Mindrockers" (Past & Present). I dabble
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into psychedelic stuff from the late '60s. A label called Mindrocker compiles all that stuff, and I found a boxed set with all their compilations. That was a good find.
The Homosexuals, "Astral Glamour" (Morphius).
Orange Juice, "The Glasgow School" (Domino).
The Moles, "On the Street/Rare & Weird" (Wishing Tree reissue).
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RASCAL FLATTS
Latest release: "Feels Like Today" (Lyric Street/Hollywood)
1. Coldplay, "X&Y" (Capitol).
2. Nickelback, "All the Right Reasons" (Roadrunner).
3. Martina McBride, "Timeless" (RCA).
4. Madonna, "Confessions on a Dance Floor" (Warner Bros.).
5. Gwen Stefani, "Love. Angel. Music. Baby." (Interscope).
6. Joe Nichols, "III" (Universal South).
7. Brooks & Dunn, "Hillbilly Deluxe" (Arista Nashville).
8. Green Day, "American Idiot" (Reprise).
9. System Of A Down, "Hypnotize" (American/Columbia).
10. Smokie Norful, "Nothing Without You" (EMI Gospel).
JULIE ROBERTS
Latest release: "Julie Roberts" (Mercury)
1. Lee Ann Womack, "There's More Where That Came From" (MCA Nashville). This is an amazing record. I love the lyrics, her voice, and the production. Pure perfection. I listen to it every single day.
2. Gavin DeGraw, "Chariot Stripped" (Atlantic). He's really got soul and I can hear his roots in classic rock.
3. Bonnie Raitt, "Souls Alike" (Capitol). I have always been able to count on Bonnie's music to be true to her heart, and this record just does it again.
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4. Rascal Flatts, "Feels Like Today" (Lyric Street). This is full of great songs and beautiful vocal harmonies. I just love it.
5. Usher, "Confessions" (LaFace). I love working out at the gym to the uptempos on this album, especially "Burn" and "Yeah."
6. Brooks & Dunn, "Hillbilly Deluxe" (Arista Nashville). One of the few groups left that knows how to make a straight-ahead country record.
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MORGAN ROSE
Sevendust drummer
Latest release: "Next" (Winedark)
1. Nine Inch Nails, "With Teeth" (Interscope).
2. Gavin DeGraw, "Chariot" (J Records).
3. Black Eyed Peas, "Monkey Business" (A&M/Interscope).
4. 30 Seconds To Mars, "A Beautiful Lie" (Geffen).
5. Depeche Mode, "Playing the Angel" (Sire/Reprise).
6. Foo Fighters, "In Your Honor" (Roswell/RCA).
7. Mudvayne, "Lost and Found" (Epic).
8. System Of A Down, "Mezmerize" (American/Columbia).
9. Coldplay, "X&Y" (Capitol).
10. My Chemical Romance, "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" (Reprise).
MATT RUBANO
Taking Back Sunday bassist
Latest release: "Louder Now" (Warner Bros., spring 2006)
In no particular order:
Queens Of The Stone Age, "Lullabies To Paralyze" (Interscope).
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, "Howl" (RCA).
Muse, "Absolution" (Warner Bros.). That definitely didn't leave my CD player for a while.
Thrice, "Vheissu" (Island).
Gorillaz, "Demon Days" (Virgin). I'm a huge closet Gorillaz fan. I have posters and action figures. I'm pretty devoted.
The Mars Volta, "Frances the Mute" (GSL/Universal).
SASHA
Latest release: "FundacionNYC" (Global Underground)
1. Four Tet, "Everything Ecstatic" (Domino).
2. Khonnor, "Handwriting" (Speak N Spell).
3. Gonzalez, "Solo Piano" (Universal).
4. Doves, "Some Cities" (Capitol).
5. Sasha, unreleased Spooky remix (2006).
6. Kate Bush, "Aerial" (Columbia).
7. Mercury Rev, "The Secret Migration" (V2).
8. Jack Johnson, "In Between Dreams" (Brushfire/Universal).
9. The Postal Service, "Give Up" (Sub Pop).
10. M83, "Before the Dawn Heals Us" (Mute).
SEN DOG
Latest Release: Cypress Hill, "Greatest Hits From the Bong" (Columbia)
1. Ludacris, "Red Light District" (Def Jam).
2. Disturbed, "Ten Thousand Fists" (Warner Bros.).
3. System Of A Down, "Hypnotize" (American/Columbia).
4. Alicia Keys, "Unbreakable" from "Unplugged" (J).
5. Gorillaz, "Demon Days" (Virgin).
6. Johnny Cash, "The Legend of Johnny Cash" (Island/American/Columbia/Legacy).
7. Guns N' Roses, "Greatest Hits" (Geffen).
8. The Rolling Stones, "Rarities 1971-2003" (Starbucks Hear Music).
9. The Game, "The Documentary" (Aftermath/Interscope).
10. Thelonious Monk Quartet With John Coltrane, "At Carnegie Hall" (Blue Note/Thelonious Records).
AARON TIPPIN
Lyric Street recording artist
1. Gretchen Wilson, "All Jacked Up" (Epic). Wonderful, fresh new addition to country music bringing back the traditional roots.
2. Blake Shelton, "Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill" (Warner Bros.). Great artist. Great guy. Unique songs.
3. Craig Morgan, "My Kind Of Livin'" (Broken Bow). Hunter, Army ranger, country singer, this guy can do anything!
4. Lee Ann Womack, "There's More Where That Came From" (MCA Nashville). The whole album is incredible, makes you feel like you stepped back in time.
5. Brad Paisley, "Time Well Wasted" (Arista Nashville). Amazing guitar player, incredible songwriter, this guy has talent.
JEFF TWEEDY
Wilco vocalist
Latest release: "Kicking Television: Live in Chicago" (Nonesuch)
In no particular order:
Deerhoof, "The Runners Four" (Kill Rock Stars). Everytime Deerhoof makes a record it kind of blows my mind.
Animal Collective, "Feels" (Fatcat).
Joanna Newsom, "The Milk-Eyed Minder" (Drag City).
I think everybody in the band, to be honest, still spends a
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lot more time digging through all the archival material that keeps coming out. All the reissues. It seems like somebody has gone back in time and made more records from a period that I love and somehow they're coming out now.
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CARRIE UNDERWOOD
Latest release: "Some Hearts" (Arista Nashville/19 Recordings/J Records)
1. My Chemical Romance, "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" (Reprise). I don't think anyone quite realizes what a rock fan I am and this album is all I could ever ask for! I know every song by heart! It's my favorite album to listen to on long trips because it keeps me interested all the way through!
2. Kenny Chesney, "The Road and the Radio" (BNA). Being a huge fan of Kenny Chesney myself, he can pretty much
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do no wrong! I think there are millions of ladies from around the world who would agree with me!
3. Rascal Flatts, "Feels Like Today" (Lyric Street). My Flatts boys keep churning out the hits! It's like they're a machine for goodness sakes!
4. Foo Fighters, "In Your Honor" (Capitol). This is a great double album showing huge versatility from the Foo Fighters. There really is something for everyone here?hard rock songs as well as soft sensitive songs for every Foo lover!
5. Brad Paisley, "Time Well Wasted" (Arista Nashville). Brad has had a great year! I love how he can pull off really serious songs as well as make fun of things. He has a great charm in his voice and in his personality.
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JOHNNY VAN ZANT
Van Zant vocalist
Latest release: "Get Right With the Man" (Columbia)
1. Gretchen Wilson, "All Jacked Up" (Epic). Because she's a redneck, and I love her voice.
2. Craig Morgan, "My Kind of Livin'" (Broken Bow). Craig is a great singer, and just a great person. We love that guy!
3. Shinedown, "Us and Them" (Atlantic) I love that band, they rock! Somebody save me!
4. Montgomery Gentry, "Something To Be Proud Of: The Best of 1999-2005" (Columbia). I love those good ole boys, and they do it best! Cheers!
5. The Warren Brothers, "Barely Famous Hits" (BNA). 'Cause they're our brothers, and partners in crime.
6. Nickelback, "All the Right Reasons" (Roadrunner). These guys are a great rock band. I love their new song, "Photograph."
7. Big & Rich, "Comin' to Your City" (Warner Bros.). I love their attitude and style of music.
8. Keith Anderson, "Three Chord Country and American Rock & Roll" (Arista Nashville). This guy's voice kills me. I just love his attitude.
9. Miranda Lambert, "Kerosene" (Epic). Very sweet and is a great artist. Go girl, go!
10. Larry The Cable Guy, "The Right to Bare Arms" (Warner Bros.). This guy is so funny he cracks me up. What a nut but we love him. Redneck, redneck, redneck!
MARTHA WAINWRIGHT
Latest release: "Martha Wainwright" (Zoe)
1. Antony and the Johnsons, "I Am a Bird Now" (Secretly Canadian).
2. Kaiser Chiefs, "Employment" (Universal).
3. Madeleine Peyroux, "Careless Love" (Rounder).
4. Rufus Wainwright, "Want Two" (Geffen).
5. Sufjan Stevens, "Illinois" (Asthmatic Kitty).
RICKY WILSON
Kaiser Chiefs vocalist
Latest release: "Employment" (Universal)
1. Various Artists, "Help: A Day in the Life" (Independiente).
2. Belle & Sebastian, "Push Barman To Open Old Wounds" (Matador).
3. Clor, "Clor" (EMI).
4. The Cribs, "The New Fellas" (Wichita).
5. Field Music, "Field Music" (Memphis Industries).
6. Foo Fighters, "In Your Honor" (RCA).
7. Graham Coxon, "Happiness in Magazines" (Astralwerks).
8. Morrissey, "Live at Earls Court" (Attack/Sanctuary).
9. OK GO, "Oh No" (Capitol).
10. Supergrass, "Road to Rouen" (Capitol).
LEE ANN WOMACK
Latest release: "There's More Where That Came From" (MCA Nashville)
1. George Strait, "Somewhere Down in Texas" (MCA Nashville). George is the best at marrying the traditions of country music with what's going on today and making it work for everyone. He gets better and better, which is amazing considering he started out one of the best. He's now in a category all his own.
2. George Jones, "Hits I Missed and One I Didn't" (Bandit). The best country singer singing some of the
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greatest country songs ever written. What a combination.
3. Ronnie Bowman, "It's Gettin' Better All the Time" (Koch). Ronnie wrote the title song that Brooks & Dunn took to No. 1. I always encourage people to seek out the writer's versions of songs when they're available. Ronnie's one of those artists people hear and invariably ask, "Why can't I hear that guy on the radio?" I wish I had the answer.
4. Dolly Parton, "Those Were the Days" (Sugar Hall). The concept surprised me at first. She's the only person I know of that could pull it off and she did it so beautifully.
5. Shooter Jennings, "Put the 'O' Back in Country" (Universal South). I'm all for anyone who wants to put the "O" back in country. Such a fun album. His Dad would be proud.
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Beck, Oakenfold, members of Rascal Flatts, QOTSA, Doves & more share their faves of 2005.
The personal picks of the year's best from the Billboard Information Group staff and our freelance writers.
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MELISSA AUF DER MAUR
Latest Release: "Auf Der Maur" (Capitol)
BECK
Latest release: "Guerolito" (Geffen)
DIERKS BENTLEY
Latest release: "Modern Day Drifter" (Capitol Nashville)
ADELE BETHEL
Sons And Daughters guitarist
Latest release: "The Repulsion Box" (Domino)
KIX BROOKS
Brooks & Dunn
Latest release: "Hillilly Deluxe" (Arista Nashville)
CARRIE BROWNSTEIN
Sleater-Kinney guitarist
Latest release: "The Woods" (Sub Pop)
COWBOY TROY
Latest release: "Loco Motive" (Warner Bros.)
THE CRYSTAL METHOD
Latest release: "London" (Tiny E, Jan. 24)
JOHN DOE
Latest release: "Forever Hasn't Happened Yet" (Yep Roc)
THE EARLIES
Latest release: "These Were the Earlies" (Secretly Canadian)
SARA EVANS
Latest release: "Real Fine Place" (RCA)
JACE EVERETT
Latest release: "Jace Everett" (Epic)
SAM FORREST
Nine Black Alps vocalist/guitarist
Latest release: "Everything Is" (Universal International)
GIANT DRAG
Latest release: "Hearts & Unicorns" (Kickball)
BILLY GILMAN
Latest release: "Everything and More" (Image Entertainment)
JIMI GOODWIN
Doves vocalist/bassist
Latest release: "Some Cities" (Capitol)
GOLDFRAPP
Latest release: "Supernature" (Mute)
ALBERT HAMMOND JR.
Strokes vocalist
Latest release: "First Impressions of Earth" (RCA, Jan. 3)
JOSH HOMME
Queens Of The Stone Age vocalist/guitarist
Latest release: "Over the Years and Through the Woods" (Interscope)
PATTERSON HOOD
Drive-By Truckers vocalist/guitarist
Latest release: "Live at the 40 Watt: August 27 & 28, 2004" (New West)
IDLEWILD
Latest release: "Warnings/Promises" (Capitol)
MIRANDA LAMBERT
Latest release: "Kerosene" (Epic)
BLAINE LARSEN
Latest release: "Off To Join the World" (BNA)
LAUREN LUCAS
(Warner Bros. Nashville debut forthcoming)
ROCKIE LYNNE
(Universal South debut due in March)
M83
Latest release: "Before the Dawn Heals Us" (Mute)
JAMES McNEW
Yo La Tengo bassist
Latest release: "Prisoners of Love: A Smattering of Scintillating Senescent Songs: 1985-2003" (Matador)
NATE MENDEL
Foo Fighters bassist
Latest release: "In Your Honor" (Roswell/RCA)
SERGIO MENDES
Latest release: "Timeless" (Concord/Starbucks Hear Music, Feb. 14)
PETE MOSELY
Yellowcard bassist
Latest release: "Lights and Sounds" (Capitol, Jan. 24)
BOB MOULD
Latest release: "Body of Song" (Yep Roc)
JAMES MURPHY
LCD Soundsystem
Latest Release: "LCD Soundsystem" (DFA)
THE NATIONAL
Latest release: "Alligator" (Beggars Banquet)
JAMIE O'NEAL
Latest release: "Brave" (Capitol Nashville)
PAUL OAKENFOLD
Latest release: "Perfecto Presents ... The Club" (Thrive)
O.A.R.
Latest release: "Stories of a Stranger" (Lava)
ADAM OLENIUS
Shout Out Louds vocalist
Latest release: "Howl Howl Gaff Gaff" (Capitol)
STEPHEN PEDERSEN
Criteria vocalist/guitarist
Latest release: "When We Break" (Saddle Creek)
ROBERT POLLARD
Latest release: "From a Compound Eye" (Merge, Jan. 24)
RASCAL FLATTS
Latest release: "Feels Like Today" (Lyric Street/Hollywood)
JULIE ROBERTS
Latest release: "Julie Roberts" (Mercury)
MORGAN ROSE
Sevendust drummer
Latest release: "Next" (Winedark)
MATT RUBANO
Taking Back Sunday bassist
Latest release: "Louder Now" (Warner Bros., spring 2006)
SASHA
Latest release: "FundacionNYC" (Global Underground)
SEN DOG
Latest release: Cypress Hill, "Greatest Hits From the Bong" (Columbia)
AARON TIPPIN
Lyric Street recording artist
JEFF TWEEDY
Wilco vocalist
Latest release: "Kicking Television: Live in Chicago" (Nonesuch)
CARRIE UNDERWOOD
Latest release: "Some Hearts" (Arista Nashville/19 Recordings/J Records)
JOHNNY VAN ZANT
Van Zant vocalist
Latest release: "Get Right With the Man" (Columbia)
MARTHA WAINWRIGHT
Latest release: "Martha Wainwright" (Zoe)
RICKY WILSON
Kaiser Chiefs vocalist
Latest release: "Employment" (Universal)
LEE ANN WOMACK
Latest release: "There's More Where That Came From" (MCA Nashville)
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