We still have plenty of time and music left in 2011, but since we’re at the halfway (or so) mark, we thought it made sense to pause and take stock of the best albums of the year so far. There was some science behind the final tally: Each one of us made a list and assigned points to the records on it; Scott handled the complex mathematics and figured out the exact rankings based on those results. (Not all the bands each one of us voted for made it onto the Top 20, so we’ve also included smaller lists of personal, excluded favorites.)
Things to consider: We didn’t include any albums that haven’t surfaced (aka “leaked”) on any larger scale as of yet (see: Beirut). We also didn’t include deeply underground metal or noise: You’ll notice a couple of metal bands on the Top 20 (and one noise project) — all are groups we believe have crossed over enough into the non-metal/noise dialogue/iPod and make sense for inclusion. (For a more extensive metal-specific list, you’ll have to wait for Haunting The Chapel to get its act together.)
Take a look, and let us know what we missed.
20 Puro Instinct – Headbangers In Ecstasy (Mexican Summer)
19 Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop)
18 Liturgy – Aesthetica (Thrill Jockey)
17 Toro Y Moi – Underneath The Pine (Carpark)
16 Krallice – Diotima (Profound Lore)
15 Yuck – Yuck (Fat Possum)
14 Destroyer – Kaputt (Merge)
13 Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde (Fat Possum)
12 Prurient – Bermuda Drain (HydraHead)
11 Pure X – Pleasure (Acephale)
10 Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra (Fat Possum)
09 The Weeknd – House Of Balloons (self-released)
08 PJ Harvey – Let England Shake (Island)
07 Adele – 21 (XL)
06 Pictureplane – Thee Physical (Lovepump United)
05 Fucked Up – David Comes To Life (Matador)
04 Iceage – New Brigade (Dais)
03 Austra – Feel It Break (Domino/Paper Bag)
02 Gang Gang Dance – Eye Contact (4AD)
01 Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver (Jagjaguwar)
You can read our original review of Bon Iver, Bon Iver here.
And our favorite EPs of the year so far…
03 Laurel Halo – Hour Logic (Hippos In Tanks)
02 Holy Other – WITH U (Tri Angle)
01 Clams Casino – Rainforest (Tri-Angle)
//
Finally, six albums from each of us that didn’t make the final album list. Unranked…
Scott
Tom Vek – Leisure Seizure (Island)
Ford & Lopatin – Channel Pressure (Software)
Bill Callahan – Apocolypse (Drag City)
tUnE-yArDs – w h o k i l l (4AD)
Beyoncé – 4 (Columbia)
Washed Out – Within And Without (4AD)
Amrit
SBTRKT – SBTRKT (XL)
Beyoncé – 4 (Columbia)
Julianna Barwick – The Magic Place (Asthmatic Kitty)
Cold Cave – Cherish The Light Years (Matador)
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Belong (Slumberland)
Dirty Beaches – Badlands (Zoo)
Brandon
Julianna Barwick – The Magic Place (Asthmatic Kitty)
Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1972 (Kranky)
Grouper – A I A (Self-Released)
The Caretaker – An Empty Bliss Beyond This World (History Always Favours The Winners)
Cold Cave – Cherish The Light Years (Matador)
Zomby – Dedication (4AD)
//
Who’s on your list?
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Toro Y Moi.
Where is Nicolas Jaar?
The King of Limbs is nowhere to be found! Thank God…
As far as non-metal, I also give my regards to Colin Stetson’s ‘New History Warfare…’, The Men’s ‘Leave Home’, and Chelsea Wolfe’s ‘Ἀποκάλυψις.’
Co-sign all of those.
Also I liked Antlers, Wild Beasts, Hooray For Earth, Zomby.
Wonder where we’ll stand in December!
Cass McCombs, Chelsea Wolfe, the Antlers, Man Man, The Men, Frank Ocean, tUnE-yArDs, John Maus, Tom Vek, Grouper, and Kurt Vile are among those that shifted in and out of position for me. These lists are snapshots in time, snapshots take time to develop. We’ll see what more exposure brings come winter time.
And Low is on my long list too.
Biggest disappointment goes to Robbie Robertson.
Hooray for Earth is about two stellar jams short of greatness, but really quite sexcellent (in my ever humble estimation).
Kinda feel like Okkervil River’s ‘I Am Very Far’ deserves a mention in there. and by ‘kinda’, i mean, really.
Also, where’s Lykke Li? Timber Timbre’s album is fantastic. to name a few.
An good list till it got to #1 *Whomp whomp whomp*
srsly. dont see the thrill with bon iver.
at least there are quite a few bands on here i’m not familiar with, will give me something to look into.
I know Sound Kapital by Handsome Furs isn’t technically released yet, but there are a bunch of streams and leaks and Sub Pop gives you 320 mp3′s with preorder. So I think that awesome awesome album should be somewhere in here.
uh, james blake.
oversight or trying to be anti-pitchfork?
Neither, I’m guessing. The album was far from universally appreciated. A lot of people have expressed their distaste for it (even those who enjoyed his earlier output and were anticipating a great album). Moreover, it’s pretty hard to claim its non-inclusion is a result of ‘anti-Pitchfork’ sentiment, when the top 20 includes about 10 albums (by my count) that have been similarly championed by Pitchfork.
I guess stereogum is aloud to leave it off their list just b/c they didn’t think it was that great and not b/c they are trying to be anti-pitchfork, but it seems crazy that they would not only have it outside their top 20 but all three people left if off their best of the rest list. Would love to hear the reasoning for omitting it.
Also, no Panda Bear. Another Pitchfork fav, just saying…
Your reasoning is contradictory. You know why all three people left it off their ‘best of the rest’ list’? Because, as you said yourself, “they didn’t think it was that great”. I sincerely doubt that the omission is borne out of editorial politics. What would they have to lose by including it, or gain by leaving it out? The vast majority of Pitchfork’s demographic will also read Stereogum, because the larger part of their editorial output covers the same genre(s) and artists, so from an ‘audiencing’ perspective it would make good business sense to include James Blake/Panda Bear in their top 20. You can bet that the ONLY reason they weren’t included was because the Stereogum staff liked it less than the albums represented above.
And in response to your final point: you know another website that counts Panda Bear/Animal Collective among its perenially covered artists? Stereogum. Type ‘Panda Bear’ into the search bar and see how many posts have made mention of his name. Would it make sense, after following Panda Bear for years and documenting details of the album release extensively prior to its release, for Stereogum to suddenly neglect him due to an anti-Pitchfork agenda? No, it wouldn’t. They simply weren’t enamoured with the album itself.
Dude they left James Blake off the list because the album well……..SUCKS! Aurthur Russell did this 25 years ago (but much more brilliantly) trust me you will forget all about james Blake by next week.
complete oversight.
Coj- I understand that saying that James Blake was left off this list just to stick it to Pitchfork is a bit of a reach, but Stereogum and Pitchfork ARE rival sites and I do think stereogum wants to establish it’s own identity. I think Stereogum is an anti-Pitchfork in some ways. Mainly because they are actually interested in their readers opinions. Can’t be that crazy that they would want to conciously or unconciously separate themselves through some of the artists they get behind. I know they have other albums that Pitchfork liked on here, but James Blake is Pitchfork’s guy. I don’t know if it is fair to say that they discovered him, but they were partly responsible for his meteoric rise. Also, I understand that just because I loved the James Blake album doesn’t mean everyone else has to and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but look at all the comments wondering where it is. I feel like leaving it off a top 20 list(really top 25 or 30 included the best of the rest notes) is almost as big of a reach as my little conspriracy theory.
Could it be because Jessica isn’t here? You boys are slipping up!!
She does have a James Blake tattoo.
Julian Lynch’s “Terra” is one of the tops so far this year.
Overall, underwhelming year imo.
I loved Man Man – Life Fantastic
James Blake is no. 1
Glad to see Toro y Moi, Destroyer and Puro Instinct on there but they should be higher.
What about all of these?
Thee Oh Sees – “Castlevania”
Tennis – “Cape Dory”
Papercuts – “Fading Parade”
Metronomy – “The English Riviera”
The Babies
Holy Ghost!
The new Beirut album is going to destroy Bon Iver. Heard the new songs live last weekend and they’re some of the best yet. Also looking forward to the new albums from YACHT and CSS!
Cults, James Blake, Panda Bear
I want to party with this guy.
The Honorable Worm – “Consider the bees.”
Wow I gotta say I laughed when I saw this list. James Blake’s album should be #1, or on the list at the very least (it is a 2011 release if I remember correctly). Fleet Foxes’ Helplessness Blues barely makes the list? That’s a top 3 album imo. I can support Bon Iver at number 1, but no Radiohead? I know TKOL isn’t a typical Radiohead masterpiece, but it is certainly strong enough to make the top 20. Some other bands/artists that should have easily made the list: Ducktails, Wild Beasts, Timbre Timbre, Tuneyards, Kurt Vile, Washed Out. Step up your game Stereogum.
Glad you’re adding your two cents here. Stereogum doesn’t agree, darn. Neither do I. You can keep your James Blake in your personal top 20 list, but I can’t ignore that the hype completely overshadows its delivery.
I may have come off sounding a bit pretentious with the “I laughed when I saw this list” comment. The good folks at Stereogum are “professionals” (however you wish to interpret that) and these types of lists are totally subjective. However, the comment sections are obviously here for us to voice our opinions (I applaud stereogum for having them) and I truly feel leaving James Blake’s album off the list is a inexpiable omission from any “indie” websites best of 2011 list. I will admit that when the album first came out I was somewhat indifferent to it, but that all changed when I saw his awe-inspiring performance at SXSW. Maybe more people just need to see him in a live setting to appreciate what he is doing in the studio (by himself).
See him live before further commenting on its delivery. Jus sayin’
Absolutely dumbfounded that Tune-Yards is not anywhere in the top 20.
Also….Cults? Lykke Li?
And I can see how they make not make a list, but I’ve enjoyed Tennis, the Raveonettes, Joy Formidable, and Nicole Atkins. The new Viva Voce album came out today and is very, very good.
I’ve also been a bit disappointed by Art Brut.
Agreed about Tune-Yards. I’ve really enjoyed that album.
I’ve only listened to Bizness and couldn’t get past her voice. The music is really cool, but I got too annoying to listen further. Does it get better or is it all pretty similar?
Well, after getting down-voted like a motherfucker, I gave tUnE-yArDs another shot and listened to the full album. I guess there’s just something I don’t get – I still think it’s super annoying. Also, I realize I sounded like an idiot in my last post. I should have said “it got too annoying”, it meaning her voice, rather than “I got too annoying”. Finally, I wish she didn’t spell tUnE-yArDs like a middle school girl.
respectable. tough for me to understand, though, how someone couldn’t enjoy songs like es-so, bizness and gangsta. but i understand how someone’s voice could be a make-or-break. your tune-yards is my clap your hands say yeah.
yeah, i’d put tune-yards in my top 5, for sure. other absent favorites would be the tennis album, white denim’s new one, starfucker’s “reptilians,” the king of limbs, the my morning jacket album, cults, panda bear, junior boys, battles, foster the people, cut copy. not a whole lot i concur with here, really, although the list gives me a lot of new stuff to check out, which i appreciate. bon iver at #1 is fair. i can get behind that.
Agree with you wholeheartedly!
No James Blake, thank god.
Where is Dawes?
My top albums so far – http://musicsnobsanonymous.blogspot.com/2011/05/best-albums-of-2011-version-20.html
1. Blue Scholars – Cinemetropolis
2. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
3. R.E.M. – Collapse into Now
4. Radiohead – The King of Limbs
5. Death Cab for Cutie – Codes and Keys
6. The Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck
7. TV on the Radio – Nine Types of Light
8. Noah and the Whale – Last Night on Earth
9. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
10. The Get Up Kids – There Are Rules
11. Battles – Gloss Drop
12. Bright Eyes – The People’s Key
13. Explosions in the Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
14. Cold War Kids – Mine is Yours
15. The Wooden Birds – Two Matchsticks
16. Okkervil River – I am Very Far
17. The Decemberists – The King is Dead
18. Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean
19. Maritime – Human Hearts
20. Damien Jurado – Live at Landlocked
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Haha, you’re pathetic, you hipster jackass. “Oh, those bands were popular before and aren’t all being gushed over by indie critics anymore, UR lame”. Get out of here.
And guess what? Even with 3 totally bum songs, I’d still put the new Strokes on, regardless of critical opinion. How 2001 is that, right?
wow
Wild Beasts??????????????
No, like this:
Wild Beasts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also: I’m now SUPER excited for Pictureplane
Seriously, Smother has been making a run for my AOTY since it leaked, and it’s hardly slowed down since. That album is too good.
Nice list. These are fun too:
The Go! Team – Rolling Blackouts
Total Warr – Please Never Come Back Again
We All Have Hooks for Hands – Girls
I think some of the more popular music deserves mention, too, like James Blake and possibly Panda Bear. Also, I don’t quite agree with the number one.
Given that Adele is in the top 10, I don’t think they’re biased against popularity. Just an eclectic list, to say the least.
Vetiver album is great
yes
If you’re going to include The Weeknd, then how about Frank Ocean?
I’ll also echo votes for James Blake, Mountain Goats, and Antlers.
Frank Ocean will definitely be the best Odd Future release this year. Interested to see the official release since Frank himself doubts they’ll get the “Hotel California” sample cleared.
wye oak – civilian should be up in there.
agree with the antlers,tune-yards, lykkie li and cults suggestions as well
Yeah, how did Wye Oak not make the list? The Crystal Stilts and Snowman also released noteworthy albums. I’m not sure if Surf City counts since their album only came out in 2011 in the US, but someone needs to start giving that album some recognition. As for Tune-Yards, I really want to love whokill because I loved Bird-Brains so much, but so far I mostly just miss the personal feel of the debut.
agree with all of the above, especially wye oak. come on people…
1. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
2. Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver
3. My Morning Jacket – Circuital
4. The Antlers – Burst Apart
5. Wye Oak – Civilian
6. Austra – Feel It Break
7. Other Lives – Tamer Animals
8. Chad VanGaalen – Diaper Island
9. The Dodos – No Color
10. Bodies of Water – Twist Again
11. Tennis – Cape Dory
12. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
13. Cults – Cults
This pleases me.
You look like someone who can explain to me what’s so good about Circuital.
It sounds so… conventional and tame to me. What am I missing?
panda bear?
Maybe I’m just a helpless fanboy (of Tomboy), but I honestly think it’s the album of the year so far.
Agreed. I’m shocked how quickly talk of Tomboy came and went. It’s actually kind of upsetting because this album means so much to me. “Benfica” is seriously the greatest song I’ve heard in a long time, like I straight up almost cried after listening to it. I feel that this album will gain more momentum as time goes on. Instrumentally, it’s basically the first hip hop/rock album to actually not sound disgusting (ie Limp Bizkit sounding) and in the next couple of years that’s going to be a huge trend in indie rock. Right now I guess people have their heads so far up James Blake’s ass (and every other dubstep/hip hop production artist–srsly pitchfork/gvb can you guys stop pawning this shit on us?) to realize how great of an album this is.
i feel like this list avoided the “big bands” on purpose, i thought tomboy was great and Circuital, and the new Arctic Monkeys. wtf stereogum?
“White Silence” by Cave In is my #1 album so far.
From a tracklist with brutal hardcore metal to metalcore to post-metal with a pop flair to a couple of Beatle-esque tunes that all seamlessly works together?……… SOLID. For a band that’s been in the game since the mid-90′s and tasted mainstream success for a minute, and to release a mindfuck like this unlike anything they have ever done and is unlike anything out there is ballsy, unheard of, inspiring as a musician myself, and just cool.
And I don’t normally listen to metal but this band has changed that.
Uh, forgot Junior Boys and Tuneyards…
Friendly Fires-Pala
Battles-Gloss Drop
Arctic Monkeys-Suck It and See
Metronomy-The English Riviera
The Strokes-Angles
Arctic Monkeys fuck ya
I agree with this. I feel like Stereogum is ignoring some good “rock” albums. Arctic Monkeys was quite fantastic. Strokes record got a bad wrap because of the conditions involved making it, but I also thought it was excellent.
so, horrible year in music so far, then, right?
I forget just how much Stereogum sways into Metal/Hardcore etc. this list really reflects that.
Junior Boys anyone?
Fleet Foxes at 19? For shame. Also, No Color, I Am Very Far, and Cults should be in there somewhere. But whatever!
Lykke Li’s album has actually been my personal favorite.
Also, in no particular order:
Tennis – “Cape Dory”
Cloud Nothings – “Cloud Nothings”
Foster the People – “Torches”
Radiohead – “The King of Limbs”
James Blake – “James Blake”
I kind of have to agree with the sentiments that this year hasn’t had as many utterly amazing releases as last year.
David Bazan’s new record didn’t make the list or anyones comments? I never loved Bazan until this one, and I actually would say his new one is the best album of the year so far.
Here’s my top 10, for what it’s worth.
1. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
2. Destroyer – Kaputt
3. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
4. Jame Blake – James Blake
5. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
6. The Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck
7. Okkervil River – I am Very Far
8. TuNe-YaRdS – w h o k i l l
9. Yuck – Yuck
10. Cults – Cults
in no particular order: Other Lives – Tamer Animals, Liam Finn – FOMO, Antlers – Burst Apart, Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues, Givers – In Light, Arctic Monkeys – Suck it And See, Bon Iver – Bon Iver.
Kind of forgot when things came out but Shannon & The Clams “Sleep Talk”, Ty Segall’s “Goodbye Bread” and The Babies S/T probably top mine. Not sure when “Sports” by Weekend came out but I fucking love that record. Oh I really liked Ducktail’s “Ducktails III: Arcade” or whatever it’s called and Kurt Vile’s new record. honorable mention goes to vivian girls, cosmonauts, ponytail and cloud nothings
1. Destroyer … Kaputt
2. Wild Beasts … Smother
3. The Sea and Cake … The Moonlight Butterfly
4. TV on the Radio … Nine Types of Light
5. Metronomy … The English Riviera
6. Mogwai … Hardcore Will Never Die But You Will
7. The Weeknd … House of Balloons
8. Cut/Copy … Zonoscope
9. The Antlers … Bust Apart
10. Kurt Vile … Smoke Ring For My Halo
Fleet Foxes needs to be at the top of that list. Kurt Vile and Bill Callahan belong in the top 10.
I’m really surprised ‘Bon Iver’ is number one, and The Anlers aren’t anywhere…
I’m not impressed with the year yet. But I’m hopeful for the summer releases- especially Washed Out, Little Dragon, and *hopefully* Rye Rye
I can forgive the omission of Panda Bear and Radiohead but no Cass McCombs? For shame.
“Arabian Horse” by GUS GUS = the album of the year so far! “See The Light” by Jessica 6 follows closely after… So disappointed none of them were mentioned…
Thought the Rome project might have made your list, but I can’t complain generally. And even though Bon Iver’s been officially out less than 24 hours, I can’t argue with that as #1, either.
“Zonoscope” and “Holy Ghost!” have both made my year happier and my LCD Soundsystem withdrawl less painful.
1. Panda Bear — Tomboy
2. Mountain Goats — All Etenral
3. tune-yards — Bird-Brains
Yeah, Mountain Goats is another one of mine that just missed.
1. Gang gang Dance
2. Bon Iver
3. Tune Yards
4. Woods
5. The Go! Team
6. Is Tropical
7. When Saints go Machine
8. Explosions in the Sky
9. Givers
10. Panda Bear
11. The Pains of being pure at heart
12. The Antlers
13. Peter Bjorn and John
14. TV on the Radio
15. Proviant Audio
16. Cults
17. Thurston Moore
18. The Gin and Tonic Youth!
19. Einar Stray
20. Monteè
I absolutely adore Adele, but half of the album is sadly forgettable. Also, James Blake.
this list might have most of the correct albums, but the fact that fleet foxes isn’t in the top 3 is an astounding oversight.
(or just a sad sign of the times).
Yuck is very Goo Goo Dolls reminiscent. Why does everybody dig them? Pretty boring to me. Just saw them open for Tame Impala, and they are equally boring live.
i saw them open up for tame impala too and they were fucking great
Shabazz Palaces – Black Up (later this month)
Dude, how limited are your musical reference points? Yuck sounds like a mix of Teenage Fanclub and Pavement, with dashes of Dinosaur Jr. I mean, anyone who can’t spot those influences has no business criticizing Yuck, who by the way are anything but boring live. Feel free to retake the Indie Rock 101 class…
obviously coming from someone who aced “Music Snobbery 4400: Condescension and Self-Validation” ;)
Actually, I have you to thank for the validation. Mission accomplished.
No love for Panda Bear? That is a damn shame- here is my recent best of 2011 list:
http://thehipsterfiles.wordpress.com/2011/06/20/best-of-albums-2011-thus-far/
1. Panda Bear – Tomboy 9.1
2. Teeel – Amulet 9.0
3. James Blake – James Blake 8.8
4. White Denim – D 8.8
5. Destroyer – Kaputt 8.8
6. Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde 8.7
7. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues 8.7
8. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo 8.7
9. Peaking Lights – 936 8.6
10. Com Truise – Galactic Melt 8.6
11. Cut Copy – Zonoscope 8.6
12. Holy Other – With U (EP) 8.6
13. TOKiMONSTA – Creature Dreams (EP) 8.5
Artists that would have been on my list if I would have taken more time to listen to them:
The Antlers
Gang Gang Dance
Puro Instict
Bon Iver
Honorable mentions:
Cold Cave
Comma
Teams vs. Starslinger
Pains of Being Pure At Heart
The Weeknd
tUnE-yArDs
yeahyeah dude, great list
‘Leg England Shake’?
It’s a sad commentary on music that an album that technically came out today is the best of the whole year to this point.
That was in my top 20, forgot to list PJ on my honorable mention list.
I just meant the ‘Leg’ part.
Or perhaps the album is just THAT good?
Perhaps. But it might also just be snap reactions and hyperbole. Can’t say which personally, because I haven’t listened to it yet.
Keep in mind journalists have had it for a month or so. That said, it still a hyperbolic choice for #1.
Let England Shake came out in February
i think he meant bon iver
When I posted that, the post still said ‘Leg England Shake.’ That was the point of that first question.
Helplessness Blues is way better than #19. House of Balloons is top 5 for me…and to not even include Panda Bear and Radiohead…what a shame
There’s no excuse for excluding ‘Zonoscope’ and I feel that Cults should have been included as well. Fleet Foxes should have been higher as well, in the Top 5 for sure. Otherwise, it’s a decent list.
The only glaring omission that I can think of is The Antlers. Interesting to list, though.
Also, I love seeing Unknown Mortal Orchestra getting so much love. Great album, really nice guys.
A few points:
1. Pictureplane and Washed Out aren’t out yet, they shouldn’t be listed. Love both bands but I don’t even think they’ve leaked.
2. This list is PRETTY GOOD. Fair and balanced and not fawning over p4k favs. All these bands that people are whining about being excluded– if they were all on here, wouldn’t that be boring?? I’m sure you can find a list with James Blake, Panda Bear, Cults, Cut Copy, etc, on a million and one other internet sites.
3. I can’t believe that not one commenter has complained about Tyler the Creator missing from the list! Has the hype wave turned? Just wondering why the header pic is a mock-Goblin cover and it’s not present.
Yeah i was wondering the same thing about tyler missing. I’m guessing it’s because they ate up that stupid little rant that tegan and sara had against tyler the creator – http://stereogum.com/706042/tyler-the-creator-responds-to-tegan-sara/franchises/wheres-the-beef/
They probably think it’s funny to mock the leader of an extremely talented group of young kids who are making stuff that’s way more interesting than the boring bullshit that tegan and sara churn out. So they replaced tyler’s face with some idiot’s face! How hilarious! The idiot probably also excluded Tomboy and Circuital from his list and put Bon Iver – who SUCKS – as his #1.
very good:
—–
tennis
destroyer
cut copy
times new viking
bill callahan
gang gang dance
also good:
—–
tune-yards
tv on the radio
sbtrkt
elbow
pains of being pure at heart
gil scott-heron & jamie xx
thao & mirah
lia ices
dale earnhardt jr. jr.
tyler, the creator
dale jr jr should be on very good and on stereogum’s list.
missing:
James Blake
Panda Bear
Shabazz Palaces
Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx
Tune-Yards
Has the Shabazz Palaces album been released yet? I’d hate to have been pumped for it for as long as I have been and then just have missed listening to it altogether.
you can listen to it on spinner.com. So, yes, it has been released.
Uh, where’s Times New Viking and Battles? Also, Bon Iver at #1? I mean, it’s good and all, but when can we get off of folk music’s dick?
If stereogum was, as you so elegantly put it, on folk music’s proverbial dick, they would have had Fleet Foxes, not Bon Iver, as #1. The new Bon Iver album is by no means a folk album, but more of an updated Bruce Hornsby sound. You should probably give it a listen before you make misinformed comments about it.
hahaha, it DOES kind of sound like bruce hornsby! thats funny
Gang Gang Dance, Austra…good choices! They’re at the top of my personal list, along with Is Tropical’s Native To. tUnE-yArDs should have been here as well!
EMA — Past Life Martyred Saints
Bill Callahan — Apocalypse
Destroyer — Kaputt
Cass McCombs — Wit’s End
Tune-Yards — whokill
Woods — Sun and Shade
Paul Simon — So Beautiful or So What
Callers — Life of Love
Anna Calvi — Anna Calvi
Ty Segall — Ty Segall
The ty segall record that came out this year is called Goodbye Bread. I think the S/T came out in 08.
Callers – Life Of Love is from 2010.
Really? No tune-yards or Destroyer?
Puro Instinct? Adele? Yuck? Smith Westerns? These are all really problematic albums to me. Even the Gang Gang Dance album, while good, doesn’t strike me as album of the year material. Best to see them live, anyway.
I’d petition for:
Wild Beasts’ Smother
Cass McCombs’s Wit’s End
James Blake’s S/T
Battles’ Gloss Drop (I was against this at first, but it steadily won me over)
Metronomy’s The English Riviera
Action Bronson’s Dr. Lecter
John Maus’s We Must Become The Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
Seconding your Gang Gang Dance observation. Anyone familiar with Saint Dymphna knows that Eye Contact isn’t even their best album. It’s really good! But better than Kaputt? Nope.
And again: Smother, Smother, Smother. Everyone just wait til Winter rolls around and you’ll be playing Smother on your mp3 player under the sheets at night. The End Comes Too Soon.
I looooved Wild Beasts’ last album, but I’ve tried to get into Smother and it’s been very difficult. It just seems to lack a lot of the spirit on Two Dancers.
Eye Contact is totally their best album! (And yes, I’ve listened to Saint Dymphna. God’s Money, too)
Appreciate the unranked inclusion of Bill Callahan’s “Apocalypse,” that’s my favorite of the year so far. Wye Oak’s “Civiian” is also up there.
Panda Bear, Wye Oak, and KURT VIIIIIILLLLLEEEEE!!!!!
Yeah, I agree with those wondering where w h o k i l l is. That album was fire. Also, I know this is more of an indie blog, but for an album that would have, if not for years of label issues, called forth a new generation of lyrically dexterous NY rappers, Saigon’s The Greatest Story Never Told has been criminally overlooked this year (I was surprised that P4K didn’t even review it). People should really give that one a chance.
Oh yeah, and someone just reminded me of that EMA album. It’s pretty vital.
I’m glad to see Yuck, Smith Westerns, Bon Iver, Fucked Up, Liturgy, and Destroyer all getting their due though.
Guess I’m the only Bibio supporter
haha, i had bibio on my above list of unmentioned favorites, but pulled him (and a few others) after looking at what i wrote because i didn’t want to be that guy who just lists, like, 20 bands. love that new bibio album, though – kinda feel like pitchfork screwed his hype wave a bit.
great great album, maybe just lacking in crossover appeal?
“Excuses” is one of the dopest tracks to be released this year for sure. It’s going to be tough to remember Mind Bokeh even came out this year though.
It’s tragically being overlooked.
Glad to see GGD so high, eye contact is fantastic. Shabazz Palaces is my favorite by far of this year (not out yet, but it’s incredible)
Other favorites:
Grouper – A I A
Destroyer – Kaputt
Timber Timbre – Creep on Creepin On (not as good as medicinals or cedar shakes, but still solid)
Dirty Beaches – Badlands
Big K.r.i.t. – return of 4eva
Sven Kacirek – The kenya sessions
Gil Scott-heron/ jamie xx – We’re new here
Can’t wait to jam Shabazz Palaces! Definitely forgot about Big K.R.I.T. though, that mixtape is solid Southern rap.
Katy B’s “On a Mission” is on non-stop replay for me. Totally my #1 so far.
panda bear, tune-yards, dale earnhardt jr jr, teams vs starslinger, TV on the radio. There has been a lot of good music…promising to say the least. There were definitely some great albums left out of this list, but it looks like everyone is commenting on the same 10-15 additions/ and questioning the same few on the list. We’re all on the same page here.
I stand by my original assessment of Iceage. If someone tells you to listen to them, just punch them in the face.
Seriously, though, I don’t get it. Tune-Yards gets left off the list completely, and Iceage is number 3? Oh, Stereogum.
thank you
god damn it! David Bazan!
i get the feeling the year end/best of lists for 2011 will over-look the amazing albums by Bazan and J Mascis.
Lykke Li should be on here. Royal Bangs deserve a mention. TV On The Radio, for sure!
The Mascis album is great, true.
The EMA & Dirty Beaches LPs are running away with this year thus far for me.
can’t wait to see bjork, st.vincent, washed out and fiona on here ;o
Low – C’mon
The Raveonettes – Raven In The Grave
Peter Murphy – Ninth
TV On The Radio – Nine Types Of Light
Steve Earle – I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive
Tim Booth – Love Life
http://www.brethelm.blogspot.com
Don’t see a lot of love in here for PJ Harvey who imo deserves a spot on the top 3.
#1 : Metronomy, and by far, with The English Riviera
Also: GusGus, Junior Boys, Cut Copy, PJ Harvey
Good list. My list is very similar buy I would like to give mention to the following:
Cut Copy
Love Inks
Acid House Kings
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
frontin on james blake AND frank ocean?
No one cares about kravilliane come on brobro.
I’m sorry, but how the hell is Panda Bear not on this list?
glad to see gang gang dance so high, but this is a strange list. top 10 has mostly smaller acts, and adele? also the antlers, wild beasts, fleet foxes @ 19th, panda bear…
also i’m not obsessed with james blake, but his was a pretty big record and it’s not even on here.
1 Bon Iver
2 Gang Gang Dance
3 Fleet Foxes
4 Destroyer
5 Yuck
6 Wild Beasts
7 The Antlers
8 Panda Bear
9 Explosions In The Sky
10 My Morning Jacket
11 PJ Harvey
12 Arctic Monkeys
13 Radiohead
14 The Beastie Boys
15 The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
16 Grouper
17 Tune-Yards
18 TV On The Radio
19 The Strokes
20 The Weeknd
21 Smith Westerns
22 James Blake
23 Tim Hecker
24 Bright Eyes
25 Mogwai
26 Cut Copy
27 Alex Turner
28 Iron & Wine
29 The Low Anthem
30 Kurt Vile
Let lack of Raphael Saadiq on all of these lists is appalling.
Just goes to show you that white hipsters stay losing ignoring authentic music made by black artists. But they’ll bend over backwards for Bon iver or dancing-monkey acts like Tyler the Creator.
I couldn’t agree more!
Stone Rollin’ is great!!!
Blitz The Ambassador’s Native Sun is also one of the best albums I’ve heard this year. What’s more you can stream the whole album on his youtube video for it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG4c2Xh5FuE
Charles Bradley – No Time For Dreaming is also amazing!
Echoing Wild Beasts sentiment.
what the hell is this?
No Radiohead?
No TV On The Radio?
No James Blake?
No Explosions in the Sky?
No Frank Ocean?
The Bon Iver album is good… but It’s repetitious… every song sounds exactly the same on the album. Oh Stereogum… disappointed
i dont really know how you can say every song on bon iver sounds the same..
I love you stereogum, but our tastes are not in alignment this year. Yuck, The Weeknd, and Fucked Up instead 3 of my favorite albums, Panda Bear, Tune-Yards, and James Blake? And Fleet Foxes only at #19? Personal taste, I guess. But still, no Panda Bear/Tune-Yards/James Blake?!?
More like Top 20 Albums I’ve Never Heard.
umm did no one like Cut Copy’s Zonoscope? It deserves at least an honorable mention.
I would have loved to see some love for Heidecker & Wood.
where is cults? and Foster the People?
I haven’t heard a lot of this but from what I have, Fleet Foxes, I’d say it’s pretty good. And no Tyler the Creator?! I’m surprised.
10. Goblin – Tyler
9. TKOL – Radiohead
8. I am very far – Okkervil River
7. Burst Apart – Antlers
6. Smother – Wild Beasts
5. Wounded Rhymes
4. Yuck
3. Kaputt – Destroyer
2. Bon Iver
1.Gang Gang
I don’t get the whole Weeknd load-blowing I mean there are some good tracks on there but at least 1/4 of it is just silliness. The same applies to James Blake, that album has 2 great songs a couple good ones and the rest is forgettable… but I suppose I could see how people would say that about Bon Iver.
Great list…except for Tyler…that’s a joke.
I’d say that the new Kurt Vile record is one of the best of the year for sure. Sad that not many people thought so….
Rolling in the deep is an excellent song but the album is boring. If it weren’t for adele’s amazing vocals, it is probably worse. Just very boring songwriting. The weeknd has really cool sounds but the lyrics kinda kill it for me.
i second the weeknd thing – the very first thing i thought when i played the first track was that it was a smooth sound but the lyrics were just juvenile
Is it me or is everyone jumping on the Bon Iver bandwagon all of the sudden? Come on! give it some time, let the album sink in!! It was just released today!
It all reminds me of last december when everyone named Kanye West’s MBDTF the best album of the year only weeks after it’s release. SHEEESH! !!
This implies that MBDTF wasn’t the best album of the year last year, when in fact, it absolutely was and the whole hype train that carried it to that spot in everyone’s mind was just the result of how immediately apparent the greatness of that album was.
that album sucked
Whaaaaat?
1. Just because the Bon Iver album was released today doesn’t mean it hasn’t already been floating around the internet for a month: it has.
2. The year ended “only weeks” after MBDTF was released so they had to judge it then.
Besides, both of these albums are fantastic. I’ll gladly join those bandwagons.
Blah on that new Bon Iver album.
My Top 5:
1. EMA – Past Life Martyred Saints
2. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
3. Chris Thile and Michael Dawes – Sleep With One Eye Open
4. Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Belong
5. James Blake – s/t
Surprised Cut Copy, Kurt Vile, Panda Bear, and TVOTR didn’t make Stereogum’s list.
Good job not jumping on the Tyler the Creator hype wagon. Unbelievably awful crap.
I may get some disagreement, but this has felt like a really weak year in music, or maybe it’s just because so many excellent albums came out in 2010 that it feels weak in comparison.
I’ve got to agree that compared to last year 2011 has been a bit weak. I still think it’s been a good year in music. There’s always more that I like than I get time to listen to. And nice putting EMA at #1. That’s definitely been under appreciated.