Top 10 Albums of 2006

The 2006 year in music provided an array of new artists breaking in and a return of old familiars. In honor of the upcoming Grammy Awards, The Rider News Top 10 Albums of 2006 was created to list the best and biggest overall albums of last year based on staff votes. Here’s the tallied-up results:

Rider News Top 10 Albums of 2006

1. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Stadium Arcadium
Released May 9, 2006, the two-disc album from the Chili Peppers sold an estimated 6 million copies worldwide.

2. Gnarls Barkley – St. Elsewhere
The album’s hit single “Crazy” earned Rolling Stone magazine’s title of Best Song of 2006. Barkley is also a contender for two Grammy Awards, one for Album of the Year and the other for Record of the Year.

3. John Mayer – Continuum
Mayer’s third album sold more than half a million copies after its release. He is also in the Grammy runnings for Best Male Pop Vocalist for the song “Waiting on the World to Change.”

4. The Killers – Sam’s Town
Although the second album from the Killer’s arrived with mixed reviews, Sam’s Town still managed to sell 2 million
copies worldwide and produce the hit single “When You Were Young.”

5. Beyoncé Knowles – B’Day
The second album from Beyoncé Knowles hit stores on the singer’s 25th birthday. B’Day is nominated for five Grammy Awards, including Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for “Ring the Alarm,” Best R&B Song for “Déjà Vu” and Best Contemporary R&B Album.

6. My Chemical Romance – The Black Parade
The third album for this New Jersey-based band was released on Oct. 24, 2006.

7. Justin Timberlake – Future Sex / Love Sounds
Timberlake’s album became a success after its September release, selling more than 5 million copies to date. The album is up for two Grammy Awards: Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album.

8. Christina Aguilera – Back to Basics
Aguilera’s new album focuses more on blues and jazz influences. Her album is also a contender for Best Pop Vocal Album.

9. Nelly Furtado – Loose
Furtado’s third album eventually became the most successful one of her career, selling enough copies to be certified platinum in the U. .

10. Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
Before selling more than a million copies in the U.S., this record became the fastest selling debut rock album in British
history.