Top 10 Things To Look Forward To In 2011

All things considered, 2010 wasn't the best year to be a music fan in the UK. Guitar music died a cold death, X Factor tried to fool pop fans with some frankly rubbish autotuning, and R&B crooners who sing their own names at the start of songs kept going to number one.

But as the following feature shows, 2011 is shaping up to be a much better year. Here's the Rockinfreakopotimus! guide to the next twelve months...

10. The Strokes Return (maybe...)

Ok, so the New Yorkers have been promising their new album for since 2008, and has faced delays thanks to at least two returns-to-drawing-board and the altogether more exciting Julian Casablancas solo album. The Strokes also have a lot of work to recover lost work, slipping from THE indie heros of the 00s to a band treading water by 2006's First Impressions Of Earth. Can they pull off their return?
Due: Spring


9. White Lies- Ritual
Their first album, To Lose My Life... found them hitting the ground running with a series of doom-laden, well written insights into death and fear. The critical noise around the follow up Ritual has been overwhelmingly positive and exciting, and if first single Bigger Than Us is anything to go by, this might be one of the first great albums of the year.
Due: 17th January

8. What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
One of the most best new bands of 2010 and certainly one of the few indie groups to really thrill, The Vaccines have announced today that their new album will be called What Did You Expect From The Vaccines. Opening on the NME tour is often a sign of greatness to follow, and if they can deliver on the promise of the first two singles, Vaccines could put guitar bands back on top.
Due: March


7. The Flaming Lips to play The Soft Bulletin live, in full!
The idea of playing a classic album in full is frequently a quick way for a band to make easy money. That and can you really think of an album you want to hear every track of? The Soft Bulletin might be the exception. The first of their trio of classic albums, the 1999 masterpiece deserves to be brought to wider attention.
Expected: Summer

6. New Radiohead Material
The follow up to 2007's game-changing In Rainbows was expected last year, but the band announced they needed a little more time to get finished in November. What's not yet clear is how we'll recieve the new music, or even what form it will take, with talk even of a classical EP. Whatever and however we get it, expectations are extremely high
Expected: Unknown


5. Sonisphere 2011
Just for the headliners: Metallica, Iron Maiden, Anthrax, Megadeath and Slipknot. Just that alone is enough to ensue that this year's Download is probably going to be very quiet indeed...
Expected: 8th July

4. Build A Rocket Boys- Elbow
Any worries about expectations getting to them were blown away last week with the premiere of new song Lippy Kids. There was a sense with their Mercury Music Prize win of just reward, and the follow up promises to be the same combination of songwriting mastery, and epic intimacy as their very best work.
Expected: March

3. Glastonbury 2011
Glasto last year was a mixed one...true they had Stevie, but as a symbol of the mixed reaction, it was Michael Eavis singing Happy Birthday. Headliners are booked (one of them probably being U2) and it promises to be an exciting year
Expected: 22nd June

2. New music scene?
2010 was completely dead for guitar bands. But through the last few decades repressive Tory governments have bred wonderful and exciting new music. A good tip? Dubstep elements find their way into unusual places...

And at number 1...

Pulp reuinite!
It's been rumoured for years, but finally the Sheffield Britpoppers are returning for a victory lap. A whole new generation are about to be introduced to the wit and wisdom of Jarvis Cocker, and the band are promising a classic show. There's also a gap in their schedule for Glasto...