The Top 50 Albums of 2007

31 Because of the Times
Kings of Leon (RCA)
Sometimes a band can be too tight. Compared with the rigid, chunky fury of their previous records, the Followills' third album opens with a shock: groove. "Knocked Up" is extended, rolling funk noir with the guitars snarling behind the pulse, and the new-daddy worry and wonder in Caleb's bark is like a chorus of wolves. Kings of Leon were a dynamic band from jump street. But the fuzzy goth of "On Call" and the depth of attack in "McFearless" — U2-style reverb, stuttering soprano-distortion guitar — show them exploring the dynamics within garage-quartet basics with pop-sonics flair.

32 Maroon 5
It Won't Be Soon Before Long (Geffen)
Songs About Jane made Adam Levine a certified pop star, putting his soulful croon all over the radio and helping him get dates with a slew of Hollywood hotties. On this even-better followup, his mates came up with music to match his self-assuredness. The sound was both tougher and sweeter — no simple thing. "Makes Me Wonder" was a dance-pop kiss-off that seemed cribbed from some boy-band hit, but there and throughout, the candy-coated shell concealed a yearning for sex, affection, romance — whatever's handy — that was more wild than dark. These are vivid tunes that young girls can love and grown-ups can respect.