Having seen that controversial Facebook app of "The 100 Most Influential Albums," I set out to capitalize and create the correct list upon which men could measure their manhood and women could be reassured that it's a man's man's man's white man's world out there. Magazines and websites have been doing this kind of thing forever with the exact same results and my entire existence depends upon making these meaningless lists. So humor me.

First thing I did was get rid of that awful "Influential" word and go for the less controversial "essential," where no one has to be influenced by anything. Unfortunately, upon doing the preliminary work, I ended up wasting four hours compiling a list of albums that turned into the 125 Most Essential Albums of 1964-1980. I wasn't putting down the albums I liked best but the ones that seemed like other people thought were pretty important, since they show up on other lists. I would've started the post-1980 list but things gets so esoteric it's impossible to determine which subgenres things need be divided into.

[Photo by KMazur/WireImage]With Super Bowl XLVII (47) upon us and a performance from Beyonce and Destiny's Child pending, it's time to go to the videotape and determine with scientific accuracy who was very good and who was very bad. For the record, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were 'Very Bland' and The Who were 'Very Old.'

And here's where I suggested who should play the Super Bowl after viewing the Who's olden performance…so far, the Super Bowl Honchos have taken up my idea for the Black Eyed Peas, but that still leaves nine more!

Ten Performers Who Could Play The Super Bowl

We don't count performances before the modern era, which began with 1991's nod to New Kids On the Block. Previous to their performance, the Super Bowl halftime show featured a lot of marching bands and performances from Up With People!, who may have done a wonderful job in 1982 with their "Salute to the 1960s and Motown" or in 1986 with their "Beat of the Future" but I don't want to encourage those kinds of choices in the future. Especially when many legends are still potentially semi-living. We need David Bowie, not Up With People's "Tribute to Sexually Ambiguous Rockers of the 1970s."

Let's all be grateful that there won't be any more tributes to the Big Band Era, now that its fans are either dead or in places where they're not in control of the TV remote. Laugh all you want, but it comes to us all.

Unlike so many publications that start making up their annual "best of" lists sometime in late September, I pride myself with procrastinating until the year is over. I don't profess to have heard every new album released last year. Nor do I try. I limit the new data input to the point where I still feel optimistic at the end of the day and not beaten down by a sense of duty. I don't think music listening should be like an all-you-can-eat-buffet. I need time to digest what I've heard. However, if I make a meaningful emotional connection with a musical one-night-stand, then that's cool, too. It's why I write things down.

I like to do things in lists of 25. Keeps it simple. Keeps it regular. It's in my contract. Do I remember all 25 of these albums? Absolutely not. But that's because my memory is not what it once was. It's why I write things down. I should also admit there are technically two releases here that came from my list of potentials in the first half of the year. They made more of an impression on me between July 12 and the third week of October.

For the record, I don't think anyone would like more than a few of these. I'd worry if we agree on too much. Just look at all the awful things people say about me.

[Photo by Marc Piasecki/FilmMagic]Judas Priest hints at new music. Fleetwood Mac are said to be reuniting. Albums by Backstreet Boys, Alice In Chains, Cher, Pearl Jam, Rage Against The Machine, The Black Keys, Eminem, AC/DC, Beyonce, Black Sabbath with Ozzy Osbourne, Katy Perry and Mariah Carey are all said to be coming very soon or soon enough. This is the music business, folks! Everything is subject to change!

With that in mind, I've searched high and mostly low for the albums that have tentative names and nearly firm release dates! The first quarter of 2013 looks to be a great time for people who enjoy illegally downloading albums! Though, I should point out, it would be much better for the continuance of the music industry and your favorite artists' careers if you actually shelled out some cash for their records! After all, they didn't illegally download their instruments!

Note: albums are listed by release date.

25) Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals and Warbeast -- War of the Gargantuas (split album), 1/8: This