End of Year thread (close enough!)

[Rob]

Hey guys,

So we're almost winding down on 2011 and I don't think there's going to be any ground-breaking events happening in the next month, so I'm asking what for you guys have been the biggest events in the last year, albums, break-ups, reformations, gigs, anything!

For me, 3 things have made this year pretty noteworthy in the year of music! 2 of them heart-breaking and 1 of them a bit of an annoyance for me,

1) Amy Winehouse dying. Such a shame she joined the list of pop musicians dying at 27 years young. Big shame, fantastic voice and brilliant writer. I guess it was an implosion but that doesn't hide the fact she was awesome at what she did.

2) R.E.M. breaking up. Bit of a shock, but I guess 30 years later you can't expect bands to stay together forever and lesser bands have broken up after 3 years (see no. 3)

3) Stone Roses reforming. I think the mystery of the Stone Roses was better off left unsaid. I don't think musically they can accomplish anything ground-breaking now. They're brilliance was in the young, exuberance and now they don't really have a place in current music if you ask me. But I suppose we'll find out sooner or later. (side note, anyone going to any of their new shows?)

What about you guys? Any thouhgts on 2011?

[Marq]

1.) Amy Winehouse's passing was huge for a lot my friends who are vocalists, and as someone who appreciated her work a lot, I definitely agree this was a big blow to music.

2.) The White Stripes announcing their break-up. 'Nuff said.

3.) Beyonce and Jay-Z announcing their first child. Say what you will about rap being stupid, or Beyonce being overrated, but this is basically Superman and Wonder Woman having a baby. Fact.

[Sgt. Josh Underpants]

1.  I think for most people it's going to be the death of Amy Whinehouse and the same goes for me.

2.  The actual stuido return of Blink 182.  We knew it was coming, but now that it has finally happened, I have been loving the new album and glad to know they are back.

3.  The end of R.E.M was a shocker, but like Rob said, we couldn't expect them to go on forever.

4.  For me it was actually discovering a new band in Kicking Daisies and getting a chance to talk with them.

[Rob]

I love Beyonce... Her singing ability and the fact she's stayed relevant for as long as she has is just a testament to how versatile and fantastic she is. I wouldn't go out of my way to go to a gig of hers but I'd never turn her music off on the radio.