FThe end of the year is always the mite for year-end lists, where writers worldwide share their top albums of the year. While we’ve currently been doing that ourselves, we figured it would be fun to highlight albums that we feel deserve anniversary tours next year. There are 10 albums we have included below, some that turn 10, 15, or even 20 years old. Anniversary tours have of course really picked up in popularity this decade, so hey, anything is possible right?
We’ll be leaving out albums that are celebrating anniversaries of 11, 12, 13, 16, etc years — as those don’t often happen on odd anniversaries like that. Finally, this isn’t even a list of albums we think will get anniversary tours; in fact, it’s quite the opposite in that most of those won’t be celebrated. But if they do, we’ll be there in unison with you re-living the olden days.
Check out our list below, feel free to yell at us on social media about how we are wrong — or even what you would like to see!
The Wonder Years – The Upsides
Anniversary: 10 years
This was the first album I thought of when putting this piece together, and also it’s the one that really hurts the most. 10 years old, are you kidding me? I remember when this record came out and at first going “man, he’s got a whiny voice” and then a few days later I re-listened and everything just clicked. This album was everything was right with pop-punk in 2010, while at the same time it set The Wonder Years apart form their peers. Dan “Soupy” Campbell’s lyrical storytelling really shined on The Upsides, serving as their coming out party of sorts — after a few years as a synth-driven band with less-than-serious lyrics. I was at their shows in Philadelphia in 2015 where they celebrated 10 years as a band and played The Upsides, Suburbia I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing, and The Greatest Generation in full, but I would kill for another shot at hearing The Upsides in full.
Conditions – Fluorescent Youth
Anniversary: 10 years
Talk about a band that just deserved better. I looked back on my top ten list from 2010, and this was number three that year, and this album is one of the few from that list that just really holds up. Conditions took all of the best parts from already great bands like Senses Fail and threw in impressive vocals and uplifting, positive lyrics that will ring in your head all day. I’ve linked to “Better Life” above, but seriously, listen to the rest of this record.
Limp Bizkit – Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water
Anniversary: 20 years
I don’t trust anyone that can’t listen to Limp Bizkit un-ironically. There’s just too much to enjoy about this band. Fred Durst’s antics, his whimsical lyrics, honestly impressive musicianship, and even the many different faces/costumes of Wes Borland. Chocolate Starfish culminated what was an impressive three album run from Limp Bizkit, and depending on who you ask, may be their best album. An anniversary celebration is not likely, but if they even announced a single show — you would likely find me there.
The Maine – Black & White
Anniversary: 10 years
It would be very tough to pick a favorite album from The Maine, but Black & White would have to be in the conversation for this writer. It’s no secret that their one album stint on Warner Brothers wasn’t smooth, ruined by the ever-so-familiar broken promises leading the way — but the good news for all of us, is we still got a great album out of it. The Maine don’t make the same record twice, making Black & White all the more special. It’s a country infused pop-rock album that also gave us one of the best album openers from the band with “Don’t Stop Now” — the Tom Petty-esque song deserves a prominent place in their setlist.
Thirty Seconds to Mars – A Beautiful Lie
Anniversary: 15 years
Let’s just say it: this one certainly isn’t happening. Jared Leto has spent this whole career balancing his music and acting careers, and if he were to turn his attention back to Thirty Seconds to Mars, it would likely be with new music. America came out in 2018 and was lead by the Fall Out Boy/jock-jam type single, “Walk on Water” — and there was a five year waiting period for that new album. So, maybe Jared Leto and co. throw us a bone? “The Kill” may be the most popular song from A Beautiful Lie, but my vote for best song goes to “Attack.” If there’s any sort of anniversary celebration, give me that Thirty Seconds to Mars 2005 look.
Man Overboard – Real Talk
Anniversary: 10 years
This one is up there with The Upsides as one that really stings. Man Overboard was the epitome of a band that really benefited from Tumblr, and used it to their advantage. Real Talk leaked onto the internet fairly early, and it immediately blew up — you couldn’t scroll through your feed for more than a few posts without seeing their lyrics plastered overtop a live photo of Man Overboard. You could argue this is really where that trend started, and made Man Overboard the face of new age pop-punk for a while. The likelihood of an anniversary celebration is higher than you might think. Hopefully you didn’t throw away your “Defend Pop-Punk” hoodie.
Papa Roach – Infest
Anniversary: 20 years
I’m a sucker for nu-metal, what can I say? There haven’t been many great nu-metal albums since the early-2000’s and maybe that’s for the best. That shouldn’t stop us from celebrating when it was really good though, right? They did just release Who Do You Trust? earlier this year, and continue to be a consistent force in the rock world, so it might not be likely. But don’t kid yourself, “Last Resort” still pops into your head every one in a while, and you still know the words. “Last Resort,” “Broken Home,” “Dead Cell,” and “Between Angels and Insects” back-to-back-to-back-to-back live would just be too much fun.
Panic! at the Disco – A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out
Anniversary: 15 years
I told you up front that the albums included on this list weren’t ones that I necessarily thought would happen — and this falls under that. Panic! at the Disco is bigger than ever before, cranking out radio hits like it’s nothing, routinely playing arenas like never before, but A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out remains their best selling album. Much like their peers and who they’ve mirrored their career after, Fall Out Boy, they’re not in any hurry to celebrate the past while maintaining mainstream relevance. It is possible to do both, but don’t hold your breath. If anything, don’t be surprised if they pull the plug on performing playing songs from this record live in the near future.
Pierce the Veil – Selfish Machines
Anniversary: 10 years
Selfish Machines is a complicated record. It’s one that very much so feels 10 years old while simultaneously feeling the opposite. There are times when listening to the record where it feels very dated, mostly lyrically, and musically parts were it still holds up going into 2020. It was the beginning of Pierce the Veil’s alternative/post-hardcore takeover, one that has been very complicated since then. They’ve seemingly gone on two mini-hiatuses, between 2012’s Collide With the Sky 2016’s Misadventures, and now again. What better way to make a huge return than by celebrating the record that helped really kick off your career?
Four Year Strong – Enemy of the World
Anniversary: 10 years
Four Year Strong already did a 10 year anniversary world tour for Rise or Die Trying in 2017, and Enemy of the World was undoubtedly the bigger/more successful record, so why not? Depending on who you ask, you might even hear that Enemy of the World is the better record (something I would agree with). This record really put Four Year Strong on top of the new age pop-punk game for a while, debuting at #47 on the Billboard 200 — a crazy accomplishment at the time. That debut and this record laid the groundwork for bands like The Wonder Years, The Story So Far, Man Overboard, etc., to hit similar — and some even better — positions on that same chart. The best part about Enemy of the World is that it still holds up incredibly well, being a high energy rock album that is hard to turn off once you get started with it. Give me “This Body Pays the Bill$” live or give me death.
