Right then pop-pickers, because I am 1) bored and, more importantly 2) governed by my love of music, here is a run-down of my favourite albums of the year:

10. Dirty Pretty Things - 'Waterloo to Anywhere'.

While Pete Doherty spent most of the year numbing his creativity through over-indulgence in Class-A drugs (aside from the recently released Babyshambles 'The Blinding EP'), fellow ex-Libertine Carl Barat kept it real and produced a memorable album combining the spirit of 'Up The Bracket' with a Clash-esque Last Gang In Town ethos. They feel like outsiders on the indie-rock scene, which is ironic considering that the Libertines opened a lot of doors for the current crop of new bands. Still, these songs reek of classic rock and roll, and songs like 'Bang Bang You're Dead' and 'Last Of The Small Town Playboys' are among my favourites from 2006.

9. Arctic Monkeys - 'Who The Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys?' EP.

I actually preferred this release to the album, largely because it features my favourite track on the LP itself - 'View From The Afternoon' - with four cracking new songs. To be honest, the EP is majestic for the opening to 'No Buses' alone, but overall this warrants a place because it goes beyond the hype that surrounded them earlier in the year. I personally feel that countless other bands have made music which observes the humdrum of life, and so I find the fascination with Alex Turner's "cutting-edge" lyrics confusing. But it is hard to deny that on the EP he hits a new level of wit, wordplay and introspection, and the playing is amazing - after all, brilliant lyrics are all well and good, but they have to be conveyed successfully through the music.

8. Nicky Wire - 'I Killed The Zeitgeist'/ James Dean Bradfield - 'The Great Western'.

These are two solo-albums released by members of the Manic Street Preachers, and I found them hard to separate....Nicky goes for a scuzzy, low-fi rocky vibe underpinned by romantic poetry taking in everything from suicide to rebirth, while JDB gives his poptastic persuasions full rein, and to brilliant effect, as on tracks such as the single 'Thats No Way To Tell A Lie'. Bodes well for the new Manics album.

7. The Streets - 'The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living'.

Put simply, Mike Skinner is the greatest lyricist in England - maybe Doherty comes close - and while he addresses the same situations as the Arctic Monkeys he manages to do so in a manner which betrays real depth and intelligence. His third album takes a wry look at the beast of celebrity, and is by far his most personal record to date. No other record this year has made me laugh, cry or think as much as this one.

6. Muse - 'Black Holes And Revelations'

Muse succeeded in a task which many bands today find impossible when releasing a new album - developing their ideas further and discovering new facets to their sound whilst simultaneously increasing their commerical success without alienating their core fanbase...genius. This album has everything from political meditations ('Take A Bow') and sexed up Prince gyrations ('Supermassive Black Hole') to gothic-classical freakouts ('Hoodoo'), over the top 70s madness ('Knights of Cydonia') and a track that should have been the new Bond-theme ('City Of Delusion'). Plus, in a live setting they are better than any other band I have ever seen.

So, tune in for the next installment in which the coveted Top 5 are revealed. Will Rogue Traders appear? Exactly how many bicycles does Katie Melua think are in Cambridge? Has anyone bothered to read this far? Does anyone actually give a flying fuck? Find out soon.

:)