Like many, my love of music started with my parents' collection and the first time I heard my mother's copy of The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour. This week's Five and Alive attempts to see if our parents feel any love for our iPod mixes. La Dispute's Adam Vass sat down with his mom to attempt to close the generational gap. See his results in the replies and discuss what albums/songs are "okay" to put on in the car or at the house...[read more]

For this week's Five and Alive, Colin Frangicetto of Circa Survive lays down five things you upstart bands should know. Hit the replies for some great advice this week. I invite any of our users in bands out there (both newbies and veterans alike) to share their advice as well.

This week's Five and Alive is brought to you by Therefore I Am's Brian Marquis. It's a morbid and fearful one, but a creative and beautiful topic nonetheless. Hit the replies to check out his choice of topic and picks. Big thanks to Brian for participating this week.

This week's Five and Alive is brought to you by the letter S: Summer, sun and soaking up the rays. Check it out and let's put together the ultimate playlist in the replies. Congrats to all of this year's graduates as well.

This afternoon's Five and Alive is dedicated to the Sports Forum. Go in and discuss the NBA playoffs, the upcoming World Cup or just talk about your favorite teams. Just don't ask anyone if their mother is a prostitute. That's a new standard now.

This week's Five and Alive is brought to you by the majors. With some of our favorite bands moving on up, I dedicate this one to the ones who used their time in the big leagues wisely and produced some stellar albums. Discuss your thoughts on them and other major label debuts in the replies. Is it really such a bad thing?

This week's Five and Alive is dedicated to those bands we lost last year. Head to the replies and pay your respects to anyone you will miss making an audible footprint.

Minus the Bear's new album OMNI is beautiful. While many of us on the site say it may be their best album to date, the band didn't get to this point without an already solid catalog. This week I'm spotlighting five songs that are the absolute jam when it comes to the already hefty discography. I brought along Gregory Robson on this one too. Hit the replies and show the band some love, and know when OMNI hits on May 4, it'll only add to an already great catalog of music thus far.

After coming off a year of smoking hot releases, 2010 hasn't left us feeling empty. With releases out by Motion City Soundtrack, Joanna Newsom, Dessa, Crime in Stereo and upcoming releases from read more]

This week, Adam passed along the Five & Alive torch to me, and fresh passed V-Day, I figured now would be a great time get a bit tender in here. Here it is: five songs in which I am the most emotionally bonded. What songs are the most touching and sentimental in your collection?

It's a constant battle between artists and their fans. A war rages between progressive initiative and listener expectations. For some of us who've discovered albums later in a band's career, or even worse, after their demise, we can take a more complete look at a band's catalog and realize the impact an album had before its critical downfall. Today I present five albums that are favorites to a future generation, and a few who "got it" the first time. For some of these artists, it is just a lot of praise a bit too late. Discuss more albums we all looked over in the replies. Props to Mike Kraft...[read more]

No matter how good a band sounds on record, some just pull off their sound with an intensity that can only be felt in the live setting. It's not that a particular band's studio recording lacks sharpness, but their in-person experience only cuts deeper. Below are five bands that are more than worth seeing unfold on the stage. Discuss your picks in the replies.

We can all have a really bad day, or if it decides to drag itself through the dirt, an insanely horrible week. There are two routes to take: a) throw on the heaviest album to barrel through it or b) throw on something to ease the nerves - an album or a song that lets us count backwards from 10 and realize everything is going to be okay. This week kidchino08 gives us five songs that severs the ties of the worst times of our lives, and puts us on cloud nine. Head to the replies, and let's create a playlist that does just...[read more]

I'll make this simple. Music has the ability to heighten the senses, while at the same time, it can also freeze us in our tracks. It may not be a whole song or album, but one particular riff, vocal line or mood at a point within the song that sends a paralyzing feel down the back of our spine. Unique Dragon has given us five of his picks this week. Discuss yours in the replies.

Talking with artists and industry people is what I love to do. It's interesting to see the side of creation, when we constantly look at it from its execution. Sometimes, what you think is true, isn't always the mindset you have perceive as a listener. Deborah Remus and I have given thought to some of the things said to us last year. What quotes from artists or industry personal really influenced the way you thought about music in general? Come in the replies and let us discuss.

Absolutepunk is built on discovery. So with the help of Anton, I bring you five artists to watch for in 2010. Join us in the replies to discuss who we all should be keeping an eye out for as well. Tell us that you knew these artists when...go ahead, be an elitist before your favorite local act blows up on magazine covers and sold out headliners everywhere!

There were many great entries for the contest this week. In the end, I gave it to anthonydarko. His top five albums of the year are in the replies. Jump in and discuss. I encourage many of the writers who entered to repost their entries in the replies. Great job all around!

This week's Five and Alive comes from Jason Tate. He gives us five things we should watch out for in the next decade to come. Join his thoughts in the replies and discuss what you think worked this past decade and what may or may not work in the next one to come.

We're busy getting our "End of the Year" lists together here at Absolutepunk. This community is based on all of our picks and loves of music though. Head here to give me the best reason to listen to your Album of the Year. I'll pick a winner next Wednesday, and they'll have to give me four more albums and reasons for next week's Five and Alive column. Get writing! Get convincing! I'm eager for you to change my list.

It's been quite a year for albums, but don't let us forget about what makes up those albums - individual tracks. Here's my top five favorite songs this year. Discuss in the replies your picks.

Vinyl nerds discuss! These are my top five picks this year for the resurgence of wax. What 12", 7" or 10" records did you guys pick up this year, and won't be bringing back to sit in the used bin?

There's been quite a bit of music out there this year. Miss some stuff? Blake Solomon is going to recap five releases that may have gotten by you. What albums do you think people are missing out on? There's two months left until those "end of the year" list, what went over our heads? Discuss.

I've asked Drew Beringer to give us his top five most anticipated albums to finish up the year. They can be found in the replies. What are you guys still looking forward to? Hasn't this been a great year thus far?

A few months back, Jason had an idea to do a top list column interactive with users and staff alike. I sort of took his idea and ran with it. Some weeks I don't feel like tackling the topics and have asked users and staff to give me their picks (Anton, anamericangod, Adrian). This week I have asked the talented read more]