Comeback/Hiatus/Gap Albums

I don't know what you would actually call them, but it seems 2011 is the year for artists who have been off the grid for a while to release an album. The Strokes just released Angles (which I reviewed) after 5 years without a new album and the most recent album I reviewed, Screaming Bloody Murder, comes from Sum 41, whose last album released in 2007. And plenty more albums are expected later in the year from bands that haven't been in the studio for quite some time. The Foo Fighters album should be out in April and their last also came out in 2007, and the same for the Beastie Boys. The Red Hot Chili Pepper's new album, currently titled Dr. Johnny Skinz’s Disproportionately Rambunctious Polar Express Machine-head, is expected this year and Stadium Arcadium released in 2006. Radiohead gapped from 2007 to 2011 for The King of Limbs and Blink 182's album if released this year will gap from 2003 to now. I could go on and on with examples of this. At first, I thought it must have been due to 2009 and 2010 being a big period of reunions and reformations. But so many of these bands and those not listed here, never broke up officially. I can't explain why this is, but based on the records released thus far in 2011, I think I don't mind bands spending the time to create a solid album. So long as bands stagger their release years. That way we don't go years without new music and as an added bonus that makes it easier to win awards with less bands competing simultaneously.