It can't happen every year, but every so often, Christian music is blessed with a year of incredible, special releases--one after another. For Christian rock, 2006 was one of those years. 

Along with several legendary releases from music veterans, we also were introduced to many bands that have turned out to be mainstays in the genre. We learned the definition of a true "Kountry Gentleman," narrowly avoided the end of the world thanks to some punk-loving Canadians, and witnessed the fastest-selling debut rock album of all time. Check out 10 of the best Christian rock albums that are 10 years old.

1. RED - END OF SILENCE
Ten years ago an unknown band with a simple, unassuming name teamed up with producer Rob Graves for what would arguably be one of the strongest and most surprising debut albums in Christian rock history. Instantly memorable, End of Silence checked all the boxes for a successful rock album while also establishing RED's signature sound. 

Frontman Michael Barnes quickly became one of the better lead singers in the genre, effortlessly switching between soothing, clean vocals and grungy growls. Lead single (and fan-voted best RED music video) "Breathe Into Me" was a smash hit, the first of four straight No. 1 singles at Christian Rock radio for the album. End of Silence's impressive run continued when it was nominated for "Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album" at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards. RED's dominance culminated when  singles "Breathe Into Me" and "Lost" both won "Rock Recorded Song of the Year" at the 38th and 40th GMA Dove Awards, respectively. 

Ten years, five albums, and 20 No. 1 singles later, RED's career is still going strong with no signs of stopping. To this day, End of Silence--which recently saw a 10th anniversary--has sold more than half a million copies, recently earning RIAA Gold Certification. If End of Silence taught us one thing, it was that we should always bet on RED. 
 
2. FAMILY FORCE 5 - BUSINESS UP FRONT/PARTY IN THE BACK
When Family Force 5 exploded onto the scene in 2006 with their debut Tooth & Nail Records album, not many people knew what to make of the "Kountry Gentlemen" with the odd band name from the ATL. 

An experience from start to finish, Business Up Front/Party In The Back was filled to the brim with fun, tongue-in-cheek lyrics, Southern slang, and ear-splitting screams. This strangeness, coupled with an unforgettably high powered live show, helped Family Force 5 stand out from the many other Christian artists of the day. 

Despite a lack of overtly spiritual songs, Business Up Front/Party In The Back did have depth if you knew where to look; songs such as "Peachy", "Replace Me", and "Love Addict" did a good job expressing the band's surprisingly bold faith. Almost exactly a year later, the album would re-release with three extra tracks and a new album cover to coincide with a Dove Award nomination. With Business Up Front/Party In The Back, Family Force 5 proved that it is possible for Christians to have good, clean fun and look cool doing it. Here's to another decade of crunk.
 
3. SKILLET - COMATOSE
Arguably the most influential album on this list, Comatose was the album that made Skillet a household name. Widely considered to be the best album of the band's storied career, Comatose once again demonstrated Skillet's musical fluidity by expounding on the orchestral elements found in their previous release, Collide. As a whole, Comatose birthed some of the most popular and relatable Christian rock songs of all time with "Whispers In The Dark", "Rebirthing", and "The Last Night" all cementing their place in just about every youth group playlist over the past decade. 

Loaded from start to finish with catchy rockers and introspective ballads, Skillet found the perfect balance of angst and accessibility, satisfying both teenagers and any parents who found themselves dragged to the closest Skillet concert. Comatose would net Skillet their second career Grammy nomination, along with their first career Dove Award win for the title track. With Comatose, Skillet found a sound they were comfortable with and it paid off, setting the bar high for future Christian rock releases. Skillet has now become the face of Christian rock and thanks to Comatose, rock music will never be the same.
 
4. P.O.D. - TESTIFY
Easily the oldest group on this list, P.O.D. had already been around for 14 years when they released Testify in 2006. After finding major mainstream success with the band's 2001 album Satellite and its 2003 follow-up Payable On Death, P.O.D. exchanged one legendary producer for another, abandoning Howard Benson for Glen Ballard.

As a result, Testify found a sweet spot between reggae, nu-metal, and rapcore, focusing on lyrics and content rather than the blistering guitar sounds for which the band had been known in the Marcos Curiel era. Lead single "Goodbye For Now" stood as P.O.D's most successful song in more than three years and featured background vocals from a pre-pop Katy Perry--then known as Katy Hudson. Ten years later, Testify has sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide, earning its place among the most popular Christian rock albums of all time.
 
5. DISCIPLE - SCARS REMAIN
You'd be hard-pressed to find a Christian rock article that doesn't feature industry veterans Disciple, and sure enough, the group released their sixth full-length album Scars Remain in 2006. Featuring raw, in-your-face lyrics backed by wild guitar licks and Kevin Young's signature screams, Scars Remain represents everything right with Christian rock. 

The album gained plenty of critical and media traction, with the anthem "Game On" being its breakout hit, landing placement on various media outlets such as ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS, and NFL Network. Melodic ballad "After The World" highlighted Disciple's softer side, netting them a Dove Award nomination for the song in 2008. Scars Remain would go on to win Rock Album of the Year that same year.
 
6. SWITCHFOOT - OH! GRAVITY
Jon Foreman is considered a musical genius, and for good reason. Foreman has kept Switchfoot at the forefront of Christian rock for more than 20 years now with a seemingly endless supply of bitingly clever lyrics and constant musical innovation. Oh! Gravity, Switchfoot's third mainstream release and sixth overall album, was another solid entry in the band's already loaded arsenal. The dark bluesy rocker "Dirty Second Hands" stood out as the clear oddball against its poppier counterparts and quickly became a staple of Switchfoot's live concerts.  

The music video for "Awakening"--the second single from Oh! Gravity--featured appearances by several well-known actors and took fledgeling website YouTube by storm, amassing 1 million views in its first three months. This success paid off as Switchfoot garnered three nominations at the 39th GMA Dove Awards, including a nod for "Short Form Music Video of the Year" for "Awakening."

Oh! Gravity isn't considered Switchfoot's strongest album by many longtime fans, but it did what it set out to do: produce fan favorites and underrated gems that won't soon be forgotten. With Foreman at the helm, the band would only get stronger.
 
7. HAWK NELSON - SMILE, IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD
Riding the momentum of their impressive Tooth & Nail/BEC Recordings debut album Letters To The President, Hawk Nelson had big hype to live up to when it came to their sophomore release. The result was Smile, It's The End of the World, a piece of punk rock perfection. Hawk Nelson had recently undergone a member change, adding guitarist (and eventual frontman) Jonathan Steingard and drummer Aaron "Skwid" Tosti (formerly of PAX217) to the line-up. 

The impact of Steingard and Tosti was immediately evident, as Smile provided enough musical substance to match the infectious style. Songs like "Bring 'Em Out" (featured in the mainstream film Yours, Mine and Ours) and "The Show" were true crowd-pleasers, while "Zero" and "Everything You Ever Wanted" tackled tough issues such as suicide and growing up in a broken home. Smile, It's The End of the World was a clear maturation for Hawk Nelson, filled with honesty, and above all, positivity. Because of this, it has stood the test of time and is remembered as one of the best albums of 2006.
 
8. FIREFLIGHT - THE HEALING OF HARMS
The year 2006 featured yet another major label debut of an eventual Christian rock mainstay with Fireflight's The Healing of Harms. While not a perfect album, The Healing of Harms laid a solid foundation for Fireflight, allowing them to explore their pleasantly heavy musical identity--It should be noted that David Paul Pelsue of Kids in the Way lends his screams to a fantastic feature on "Liar."

The album's first two singles, "You Decide" and "Waiting", both reached No. 1 on Christian Rock radio, showcasing Fireflight's growing popularity in the Christian rock market.
 
9. DAUGHTRY - DAUGHTRY
It would be impossible to mention 2006 without first mentioning American Idol. Wrapping up its fifth season, the show was in full force, a true cultural phenomenon at the height of its popularity. Season 5 had many memorable performers, perhaps none more-so than breakout rocker Chris Daughtry.

Unfortunately, Daughtry's time on the show ended prematurely when he was eliminated two weeks before the finale. America was blindsided, but thankfully Chris Daughtry capitalized on this momentum by forming a band and releasing a self-titled album later that year. 

The album proved to be a smash hit. Daughtry became the fastest-selling debut rock album of all time, with more than 5 million copies sold and several successful radio singles. While Daughtry was not explicitly a Christian album, its second single "Home" was sent to Christian radio, and reached No. 12 on the Hot Christian Songs chart, and many of its lyrics were faith-based. Chris Daughtry also flexed his writing muscle by penning tunes for influential Christian rock groups such as 12 Stones, Day of Fire, Lifehouse, and most recently, Colton Dixon.
 
10. KUTLESS - HEARTS OF THE INNOCENT
Although Kutless is primarily known today as a worship band, there was a time when they were at the cutting-edge of Christian rock. Kutless poured their heart and soul into Hearts of the Innocent, speaking into topics such as social justice, materialism and unashamed faith.

Hearts of the Innocent was the last album for longtime guitarist Ryan Shrout, whose driving, gritty guitar was a terrific compliment to singer Jon Micah Sumrall's vulnerable lyrics. This is most evident on the title track where Sumrall croons, "Can't you see / We're crushing the hearts of the innocent / We're teaching them to fail / And how it breaks me / To see how we're living / And punishing the ones that need us to care / To see them hurting / Feels like knuckles to the back of my head." 

This marriage of high-powered rock and lyrical and vocal emotion helped strike a chord with listeners and the media alike, landing many impressive sponsorships over the course of the year. Like many other bands on this list, Hearts of the Innocent earned Kutless two Dove Award nominations, proving once again that 2006 was one of the best years ever for Christian rock.
 
Which rock album do you think was the best of 2006? Did we miss one? Comment below!