Best Music Photography of 2010

2010 has come to a close, and it's been a fantastic year. Heading into the new year, I thought I'd put together some of my favorite images from the past year, from small club shows to sold-out arenas.

In no particular order, here are some of my favorite shots of the artists I had the privilege of photographing this year.

Photos of American rock band The Flaming Lips performing at the Pageant in St. Louis on September 17, 2010. (Todd Owyoung)

Metric perfroming at Lilith Fair 2010 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in St. Louis, MO on July 16, 2010 (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos of Christian metalcore band Underoath performing at the Pageant in St. Louis on July 25, 2010 on "The Cool Tour." (© Todd Owyoung)

Indie-rock band Broken Social Scene performing at LouFest in St. Louis on August 28, 2010. (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club performing live at the Pageant in St. Louis on March 23, 2010. (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos: Portraits of The Devil Wears Prada

Photos of The National performing at the Pageant in St. Louis on September 30, 2010. (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos of the band Drive-By Truckers performing at the Pageant in St. Louis on October 2, 2010 (© Todd Owyoung)

 (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos of The Dresden Dolls performing at the Pageant in St. Louis on November 16, 2010 (© Todd Owyoung)

Photos of funk singer Janelle Monáe performing at the Pageant in St. Louis on October 21, 2010. (© Todd Owyoung)

Portraits of UK rock band Band of Skulls photographed in St. Louis on March 23, 2010. (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos of the Canadian band Japandroids on tour with The Walkmen, performing at Off Broadway in St. Louis on October 20, 2010. (© Todd Owyoung)

 (TODD OWYOUNG)

Wolf Parade performs on November 20, 2010 at the Pageant in St. Louis, Missouri (Todd Owyoung)

Portraits of musician Luis Dubuc, AKA The Secret Handshake, photographed in St. Louis on his headlining tour for Day & Night. November 5, 2010 (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos of Rob Zombie performing on The Halloween Hootenanny Tour at the Family Arena in St. Louis on October 7, 2010 (Todd Owyoung)

Metal band As I Lay Dying performing at the Pageant in St. Louis on July 25, 2010 on "The Cool Tour." (Todd Owyoung)

Photos Brooklyn-based band The Walkmen performing at Off Broadway in St. Louis on October 20, 2010 (© Todd Owyoung)

Photos of Alice Coooper performing on The Halloween Hootenanny Tour at the Family Arena in St. Louis on October 7, 2010 (Todd Owyoung)

Alice in Chains performing on the Black Diamond Skye Tour on October 1, 2010 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. (Todd Owyoung)

 (TODD OWYOUNG)

The Deftones performing in support of Alice in Chains on the Black Diamond Skye Tour on October 1, 2010 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. (Todd Owyoung)

 (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos of Finnish metal band Apocalyptica performing at the Pageant in St. Louis on August 31, 2010. (Todd Owyoung)

Jason Evigan of L.A.-based band After Midnight Project photographed backstage on Warped Tour, July 5, 2010 (TODD OWYOUNG)

Andrew W.K. photographed backstage on Warped Tour, July 5, 2010 (Todd Owyoung)

Photos of Rob Zombie performing on The Halloween Hootenanny Tour at the Family Arena in St. Louis on October 7, 2010 (Todd Owyoung)

Photos of the Japanese band Dir en grey on tour with Apocalyptica, performing at the Pageant in St. Louis on August 31, 2010. (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos of Alice Coooper performing on The Halloween Hootenanny Tour at the Family Arena in St. Louis on October 7, 2010 (Todd Owyoung)

 (TODD OWYOUNG)

Grant Harris of Breathe Electric photographed backstage on Warped Tour, July 5, 2010 (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos of the Upright Animals performing at the Pageant on February 13, 2010. (Todd Owyoung)

Photos of Brooks and Dunn on their farewell tour, "The Last Rodeo," photographed in St. Louis on August 7, 2010. (© Todd Owyoung)

 (TODD OWYOUNG)

Rob Zombie performing at Mayhem Fest 2010 on July 20 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in St. Louis (Todd Owyoung)

Korn performing at Mayhem Fest 2010 on July 20 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in St. Louis (Todd Owyoung)

Pierce The Veil photographed backstage on Warped Tour, July 5, 2010 (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos of heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch performing on Mayhem Fest 2010 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in St. Louis on July 20, 2010. (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos hip hop group Black Eyed Peas performing at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on August 14, 2010. (Todd Owyoung)

Photos of Avenged Sevenfold performing at Pointfest 27 on August 14, 2010 in St. Louis. (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos of The Devil Wears Prada performing at The Bamboozle in East Rutherford, New Jersey on May 2, 2010. (Todd Owyoung)

Photos of pop singer Kesha performing at The Bamboozle on May 1 in East Rutherford, New Jersey (© Todd Owyoung)

 (Todd Owyoung)

Motion City Soundtrack performing at The Bamboozle in East Rutherford, New Jersey on May 2, 2010. (Todd Owyoung)

Paramore performing at The Bamboozle in East Rutherford, New Jersey on May 1, 2010. (© Todd Owyoung)

Portraits of VersaEmerge members Sierra Kusterbeck, Blake Harnage and Devin Ingelido, photographed backstage at The Bamboozle Festival in East Rutherford, New Jersey on May 1, 2010. (Todd Owyoung)

Photos of alternative rock band Angels and Airwaves performing at the Pageant in St. Louis on April 19, 2010. (TODD OWYOUNG)

Roger Waters performs "The Wall" on October 29, 2010 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri (TODD OWYOUNG)

American Idol season 9 winner Lee DeWyze performing on the American Idols Live tour 2010 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, August 25, 2010. (Todd Owyoung)

Photos of Queensryche performing on September 18, 2010 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos of Celebration Day, the St. Louis-based Led Zepplin Tribute band performing at the Pageant in St. Louis on February 26, 2010. (TODD OWYOUNG)

The Dillinger Escape Plan performing at the Blue Note in Columbia, MO on March 16, 2010 in support of their fourth studio release, Option Paralysis. (TODD OWYOUNG)

 (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos of Cross Canadian Ragweed performing at the Pageant in St. Louis on April 18, 2010. (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos of goth metal band Dommin supporting HIM at the Pageant in St. Louis on April 7, 2010 by music photographer Todd Owyoung. (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photos of Cobra Starship performing at the Uptown Theater in Kansas City on May 19, 2010. (© Todd Owyoung)

Photos of metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada performing live at the Pageant in St. Louis in support of Killswitch Engage. (TODD OWYOUNG)

Singer/guitarist John Mayer performing live at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on March 20, 2010 on the Battle Studies Tour. (Todd Owyoung)

Photos of Adam Young - AKA Owl City - performing at the Pageant in St. Louis on the closing concert of their five-month tour. May 5, 2010. (Todd Owyoung)

Photos of Canadian heavy metal band Anvil on the Anvil Experience Tour 2010. (TODD OWYOUNG)

Photographer's Notes:

This year was a blast. What more can I say? Hope you all had a fantastic year, and best of luck in 2011.

In the final post in this end-of-the-year wrap-up, I'll be posting some of my favorite tutorials and music photography articles on Friday, so stay tuned!

Cameras Used:

Lenses Used:

Buy Yourself Something Nice

Simply clicking through either B&H or Amazon.com here for your purchases helps me bring you free content like these 6-tips for the new concert photographer, and naturally it doesn't cost you a cent more. If you do grab some gear, drop me a line! I’d love to hear about what you picked up.