10. 50 Cent

Shady/Aftermath/Interscope

America still loves this bullet-riddled gangsta man like a fat kid loves cake: At 4.7 million and counting, The Massacre is the biggest album of the year. 50 goes for the massive pop hooks, singing each chorus with that half-awake singsong flow of his, and expanding his thug-identified brand equity by beefing up his ladies'-man credentials. In "Disco Inferno," "God Gave Me Style" and "Candy Shop," he reaches out to touch the shorties in that very special way, while "Baltimore Love Thing" makes the connection between love and heroin addiction. Indeed, the weakest tracks here are straight-up gangsta business like the corny Eminem duet "Gatman and Robbin' " -- Fiddy clearly has his eyes on the love-jones prize.

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