There’s a general idea that creativity tends to bloom out of controversy, heartache, and anger. How many of your favorite artists achieved their goals and success not because of their background but in spite of it? Our country realized a second revolution in the 1960′s as a direct result of both the civil rights movement and the Vietnam war and many would argue it’s a time period that has also spawned some of the most emotional and honest music to date. It’s a generation of music which will never age and will be a major influence on future musicians, whether they are aware of it or not.

Now while I can appreciate my parent’s generation of music and understand what it’s meant for generations to come, I cannot call it my own. I also can’t compare the impact of the music to the albums that are going to follow. Anyone who would make such a futile attempt to would come off looking like a jackass. But I can list my generation’s artists who’ve impacted my life. So I leave you with the following list — five albums that I think you should check out. Five albums that have influenced me creatively or have had some significance on music that I think is important. Five albums that I just think will put you in a better state of mind. Here are my top five albums for the past decade.

1) The Ataris - End Is Forever (2001)

The Ataris made a name for themselves in 1999 with their sophomore effort Blue Skies, Broken Hearts… Next 12 Exits, an album full of emotional lyrics and big, pop-punk guitar riffs. Their third album, End Is Forever, continued where that left off but turned the volume up. Warm over-driven guitars and Kris Roe’s blunt words about growing up, breaking up, and giving up blend in a more mature production without ever taking themselves too seriously (see: Welcome to the Night). This is a band I’ve gone over on the site before and they’re one of the bands on the list that made it simply because I can get into the band regardless of my mood.

2) Jimmy Eat World – Bleed American (2001)

People often attribute emo music with stereotypes of dark clothing, guy-liner, and dudes in their sister’s jeans. Those people don’t listen to Jimmy Eat World. Founded in 1993, front man Jim Adkins and company defined 90′s emo before the scenesters were able to eat solid food. 1999′s Clarity, while an initial commercial failure causing them to get dropped from Capitol Records, would eventually achieve cult status with an album that showcased a much softer alternative rock not heard on the band’s first and second efforts.

Clarity’s failure would soon be a turnaround for the band, earning them enough to start recording Bleed American on their own while being free of contractual restrictions with Capitol. Jimmy Eat World’s Bleed American released mid-summer 2001 to critical acclaim. The album hits much harder than Clarity and features a much more commercial sound while maintaining a unique feel that’s clearly Jimmy Eat World. With the second single The Middle getting massive video rotation on music television networks, Bleed American has since gone platinum. It should be noted that the album became self-titled after the September 11TH attacks and the lead track was changed from Bleed American to Salt, Sweat, Sugar.

3) blink-182 – Self-Titled (2003)

blink-182 gained popularity in the mid-to-late 90′s when their three-man line up solidified it’s sound with Travis Barker replacing Scott Raynor. The band, infamous for dick and fart jokes, unabashed nudity, and simple “three chord” pop-punk split vocal duties between guitarist Tom DeLonge and bassiest Mark Hoppus. With DeLonge’s knack for melodies, Hoppus’ bright, crunchy bass, and the extremely talented Barker on the set the band has a simple but effective recipe which has made their popularity blow up and created thousands of “copy cat” bands over the years. The 2003 self-titled album put aside the dick jokes and humorous bonus tracks in an effort to show off a more mature and skilled band. The album has gone on to sell over two-million copies since it’s release. Unfortunately the band’s popularity and years of touring took it’s toll in 2005 and the band went into a mysterious hiatus. A blame-game between DeLonge and Hoppus would surface in interviews and the band appeared to be permanently done. DeLonge would go on to form Angels and Airwaves and it wasn’t long before Hoppus and Barker followed suit with their new project +44. After four years of silence the three members of blink-182 would reunite as friends following Travis Barker’s close brush with death in 2008 and as a band the following spring. blink-182 recently completed a successful summer tour and is currently recording their sixth studio album. I didn’t really get into blink-182 until after they broke up. I knew some of their big songs but it wasn’t until the fall of 2005 that I got into them I got into them hard. I still get together with friends and play old blink tracks from time to time. Their the only band to which I’ve memorized the guitar, bass, and vocals to most of their albums. This site wouldn’t exist if this band didn’t.

4) Death Cab For Cutie – Transatlanticism (2003)

I first discovered Ben Gibbard  through his electronic efforts with The Postal Service. I was trading music a lot back then with friends when someone I went to high school with overheard me talking about the lyrics to one of the bands songs and recommended Death Cab. My first experience with DCFC was their 2003 album Transatlantiscism, a lighter indie record. I was pretty much hooked when I heard Title & Registration, the albums second track and third single. Guitarist Christopher Walla’s rhythmic hooks and Ben Gibbard’s airy voice are prime examples of indie nirvana. If there’s any doubt of Ben Gibbard’s abilities I would only ask you to keep in mind he recently married actress Zooey Deschanel. I’d consider that an impressive feat of its own.

5) Motion City Soundtrack – Commit This To Memory (2005)

Motion City Soundtrack competes with blink-182 for one of my favorite bands. Let me just get that out there. I love Motion City Soundtrack. There are no MCS tracks I ever hit skip on because I’m not into the song. The guys in the band are awesome, down to earth dudes. Alright? So my unconditional support for this band is out in front. Feel free to judge me for a second before you continue reading.

Motion City Soundtrack is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They’re a pop-punk outfit with an original sound featuring Justin Pierre’s high voice exploring tales of love, childhood, mental stability and drug and alcohol abuse. Commit This To Memory, produced by blink-182′s Mark Hoppus, is the band’s sophomore release following I Am The Movie. Making MCS different from every other power pop group is Jesse Johnson on the Moog, a special keyboard synthesizer that the band manages to use correctly when so many bands can’t seem to. The only thing better than their ability to mix in that synth as a band in the studio is Jesse’s awesome moog-stand skills, as shown to the left.