He likes to party. That's an easy and totally accurate way to describe Andrew W.K. But the full truth of the man as an artist and performer is delightfully layered. After all, it's hard to define a guy who combines his classically trained piano skills with his love of heavy metal and Max Martin's productions of Backstreet Boys music. How many artists would hit themselves in the face with a brick for their album cover photo? How many artists can go from Ozzfest to the motivational speaking circuit? How many artists' debut albums could feature songs called ""It's Time to Party,"" ""Party Hard,"" and ""Party Til You Puke""? W.K. peaked with that anthemic first album, 2001's I Get Wet, as his follow-up, The Wolf, was redundant and disappointing. His most recent album, 55 Cadillac, is a collection of car-themed piano instrumentals. But as a man who really knows his way around music and studio recording and is hell-bent on making party music, and as an energetic performer so fiercely affectionate to his fans that he famously signed autographs from the ambulance after breaking his foot onstage, he is easily among the most interesting and memorable artists of the decade. Party hard, Andrew W.K.
Honorable Mention - Andrew W.K.
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