From the editorial genius of Kevin Hellions, and from the mind of me, Rob Kristoffersen, comes the 50 part series…my top 50 albums of the decade!

50. Avril Lavigne – Let Go (2002)/O.A.R. – In Between Now and Then (2003)

I originally posted this on my Facebook page, but you’re going to get a few new additions on here including a few new albums that deserve to be on here and recommended tracks that you should check out. Here it goes.

When Let Go came on the scene back in 2002, it was a breath of fresh air, in a pop sense. It was refreshing to hear someone young put forth listenable pop songs. In a way, Avril paved the way for great songwriters like Taylor Swift and the members of the outstanding group Poplyfe to polish their craft at such a young age.

Recommended Tracks: “Losing Grip,” “I’m With You,” “Tomorrow,” “Too Much to Ask,” “Naked”

I couldn’t let this list go without putting In Between Now & Then. This is the album that introduced me to O.A.R. back in 2003. I first heard of it through an MTV interview they were doing with the band. I’m a big fan of jam bands and when I heard the label I just had to check them out. I went through they’re back catalog and it was all pretty good, but this was GREAT. This elevated O.A.R. to a more mainstream level and from then on I’ve heard them on the radio.

Recommended Tracks: “Dareh Meyod,” “Risen,” “Revisited,” “Hey Girl,” “Who’s Chariot?”