20 Bands I Loved The Most in 2010

Sure, we all love The National... but whatever. I like this lot more.

My Chemical Romance for bringing colour back, for an addictive new album, and for Gerard and Frank being such super-lovely interviewees that I will definitely be a hopeless fan girl forever. OK Go for continuing to be super-smart, super-creative, and super-hot. Also, for the lemonade. LightGuides for making awesome songs, being pretty, and hosting the best Christmas parties. The Xcerts for making exactly the album I wanted from them in Scatterbrain. Paramore for being the best live band in the world. Twin Atlantic for consistently outdoing themselves in every way. Can't wait to hear the album. Fun. for bringing together two of the greatest pop songwriters of our time – Nate Ruess and Jack Antonoff. The Boxer Rebellion for being awesome big shot movie stars now. Little Comets for simply filling me with joy, making me dance, and Advent Calendar days 5 and 24. Steel Train for making an awesome album with a particularly awesome first track. The Format for 'If Work Permits' and all their other songs. (Wish I didn't miss the boat so badly). New Rhodes for a wonderful finale and for years of enriching my life in many ways. Lions.chase.tigers for being one of the very very best wee Scottish bands til they split :'( Kitty The Lion for being good enough for me to accept Jocasta Sleeps no longer existing. Jocasta Sleeps for getting back together for a one-off show and being as good as I remembered. Biffy Clyro for being even bigger mega-famous rock stars now and making Scotland very proud. 30 Seconds To Mars for incredible rock shows, 'Alibi', 'This Is War', and for complimenting my cashmere hoodie. Penguins Kill Polar Bears for not ditching 'Sandcastles'. Mumford & Sons for 'Lover Of The Light' and making me almost able to tolerate banjo. Idlewild for playing a crazy amount of post-announcement, pre-hiatus shows and often playing 'Everyone Says You're So Fragile'.