Does anyone actually care that Michael Phelps smokes weed? Jesus Christ, it seems like we have more important things to worry about. Also, does anyone actually think they can form a convincing argument for pot being illegal? It's like alcohol but much better and safer, plus fewer calories!

15. Lucero – Tennessee
Lucero has put out a bunch of great southern rock albums, full of great southern rock songs, but the one that has to stick out as the absolute best is their second album, Tennessee. Songs like Here At the Starlite, Nights Like These, and pretty much every other song on the album are simple, rocking songs complete with awesome guitar work and great lyrics. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Lucero are keeping rock and roll alive.

14. Mountain Goats – The Sunset Tree
Unlike some of the other bands on this list that I had trouble picking the best albums of, this one was a no brainer. Not to say that the Mountain Goats haven’t put out a lot of good albums; they have. The Sunset Tree, however, is far and away the best album Mr. Darnielle has released. For this one he turned his microscope inward, and what results are some of the most painfully honest songs ever put to tape. This is his best use of the full band, and nearly every song on here could squeeze a tear from any cold hearted bastard who gives it a listen.

13. Alkaline Trio – Maybe I’ll Catch Fire
It was between this album and From Here to Infirmary, but I picked Fire because it’s more diverse than the other album, and the high points on this album are several of the best songs Alk3 has ever released. Find someone who doesn’t like the song “Radio” and I’ll find you a liar. Other tracks like “You’ve Got So Far to Go,” “Fuck You Aurora,” and the title track reach soaring heights that this band has never reached before and never will reach again.

12. Blink 182 – Dude Ranch
Alright, look. For one brief shining moment, Blink-182 came together and released what could be the best pop punk album ever made. This is that album. What came before and what came after were decent efforts, but Dude Ranch is one hell of an album. I remember when my step sister Taylor (God rest her soul) first played me this on a cassette tape in the back of the car on a dark ride home from somewhere, and from that night onward, my musical tastes were changed. Later, my friend Ryan Priest reminded me of how good this was. I’ve moved on to other music since then, but this album will always hold a special place in my heart.

11. Thursday – Full Collapse
Listening to Full Collapse is a journey through a sonic landscape. That sounds weird, but I remember when I first experienced this album, it was like nothing I had ever heard before. Now looking at the mess of terrible screamo bands this spawned, it’s kind of hard to judge on its original merits, but I had never heard anything even close to it, and still it’s the best example of how to do melodic hardcore or whatever you want to call it. Geoff’s vocals were the exact right amount of off pitch, the screams were perfectly timed, and the production focused on the right amount of punch at the right times. Try not to scream along to “Understanding in a Car Crash,” “Autobiography of a Nation,” “Paris in Flames,” “I Am the Killer,” or really any other song on here. Thursday has never been CLOSE to this good, before or since.

Stay tuned for more!