Thanksgiving for Rock Fans: What We're Thankful for This Year

This year, we bid farewell to Amy Winehouse, Clarence Clemons and Heavy D and said hello to 'Lulu.' R.E.M. called it quits, while Creed began work on a new album. Axl Rose took Guns N' Roses back on the road, but Izzy, Slash and Duff were still nowhere to be found. Clearly, 2011 has been less than perfect.

But the news hasn't been all bad, and if New England's 17th century pilgrims -- a group of people even crankier and more self-righteous than today's indie-rock fans -- could find it in their hearts to co-invent Thanksgiving, we here at Spinner can show our gratitude for what blessings the year has brought.

So, in the spirit of the season, consider us thankful ...

... R.E.M. split up before making their dubstep album. Why couldn't Korn have done likewise?

... jurors in California and coroners in Britain have brought some closure to the deaths of Michael Jackson and Amy Winehouse. We prefer to remember these tragic heroes for their music, not for who or what did them in.

... for the 'Drive' soundtrack. Smooth as Ryan Gosling's scorpion-embroidered satin jacket, intense as a fork to the eyeball, Cliff Martinez's moody electro-pop score is one of this year's best surprises.

... Odd Future is running out of people to piss off. Once Tyler, the Creator drops his diss track about left-handed Inuit stamp collectors, his work will be done.

... for the next five or 10 years, we can listen to Nirvana's 'Nevermind' without having to dwell on, like, what it all means, man.

AOL Music's Thanksgiving Survival Playlist
... the walls between hip-hop, R&B, pop, dance, indie-rock and perhaps even freestyle are more porous than ever, as exemplified by Little Dragon's killer 'Ritual Union.'

... Live reformed and Bush released a new album, reminding us that, no matter how good that Yuck record is, not everything about '90s alt-rock is worth getting nostalgic for.

... Beavis and Butt-Head are back on the air. These relics from the worry-free '90s stand to do more for mankind than a million Occupy Wherever protestors.

... F---ed Up and Iceage are bringing some creativity back to punk rock.

... Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band may be down a big man, but they're already getting us primed for 2012 with news of a new tour and album.