We’re deep enough into Listmas to know which albums to expect on year-end roll calls, and how to identify something approximating an outlier. SPIN‘s list of the year’s best LPs gives proper props to often overlooked records like The Men’s Leave Home, Tim Hecker’s Ravedeath, 1979, and Azari & III, keeps Bon Iver and Drake out of the Top 10, and makes Max Martin and Dr. Luke’s day with a nod for Britney’s Femme Fatale. Also: They’re shining a little light on David Comes To Life. Head to SPIN for their critics’ explanations and annotations, peruse the sheer data below:
50 Britney Spears – Femme Fatale
49 Yob – Atma
48 Various Artists – Drive (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
47Gillian Welch – The Harrow And The Harvest
46 Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
45 Azari & III – Azari & III
44 The Roots – Undun
43 Kendrick Lamar – Section.80
42 Eric Church – Chief
41 Frank Ocean – Nostalgia, Ultra
40 Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch The Throne
39 Beyoncé – 4
38 Zola Jesus – Conatus
37 The Field – Looping State Of Mind
36 The Black Keys – El Camino
35 Washed Out – Within And Without
34 St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
33 Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
32 Hayes Carll – KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories)
31 Yuck – Yuck
30 tUnE-yArDs – w h o k i l l
29 Lady Gaga – Born This Way
28 Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1979
27 Big K.R.I.T. – Return Of 4eva
26 Liturgy – Aesthetica
25 Cass McCombs – Wit’s End/Humor Risk
24 Deer Tick – Divine Providence
23 Iceage – New Brigade
22 Drake – Take Care
21 Youth Lagoon – The Year Of Hibernation
20 Shabazz Palaces – Black Up
19 M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
18 SBTRKT – SBTRKT
17 Dum Dum Girls – Only In Dreams
16 Das Racist – Relax
15 The Men – Leave Home
14 Bon Iver – Bon Iver
13 The Weeknd – House Of Balloons/Thursday
12 Telekinesis – Desperate Straight Lines
11 Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks – Mirror Traffic
10 Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
09 Wild Flag – Wild Flag
08 G-Side – The One…Cohesive
07 The Rapture – In The Grace Of Your Love
06 Danny Brown – XXX
05 Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
04 Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
03 EMA – Past Life Martyred Saints
02 PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
01 Fucked Up – David Comes To Life
You can check out Stereogum’s Top 50 Albums Of 2011 list here.
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Congrats on being the first list to get the top spot correct! You guys win!
To be fair, I like to think I had the first list to give David Comes to Life the top spot this year (for a complete list of lists, you can go to this site that was nice enough to include me: http://yearendlists.com/category/2011-albums) but hey, I’m just write a tiny blip in the blog world that no one gives a fuck about so apparently my opinion doesn’t mean anything.
That said, Ttoday I mulled over closing down shop for good, and had it not been for Titus Andronicus’ Patrick Stickles throwing some kind appreciation my way, I may just have. I’m beginning to find it difficult reasoning why I invest my time into it when no one takes it seriously, though.
Do your write everything on your blog on your own?
Yeah, it’s always been a one-man band and I don’t always have enough time to devote to it considering I work a full-time job. It gets the point across, I guess, if you’re a selective reader.
I appreciate the literature on your site. I miss bookgum. Solid year end list…If Wilco made the cut I’d be bout it. I look forward to your 2012 work.
Thanks! I’m still on the fence with where to go with it. I feel like I hit a wall, but who knows. 2012 may be an exciting enough year in music to help me forget about that.
Well, it’s definitely a list. Actually this has three of my top ten in its top ten, and five in its top 34, so it probably tracks as well with my preferences as anything so far.
I like this list. Too bad they missed Real Estate though
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see
Yawwwwn
A nice fresh new opinion. Too bad its hidden due to its low comment rating, but check it out if you get a chance, it’s totally worth it. You’ll like it I promise. Makes my top 50 comment list this year for sure.
LOL
Love Our Lists!
Confession. and maybe I’m alone at this. But with every list, there are probably only 15-20 CDs on any given list that I actually know about. Meaning, not a quick listen on Spinner or on Spotify. I don’t question anyone who individually can make a top 50 exclusively of 2011 releases. But I sure as hell did not listen to the soundtrack of Drive. I’m curious to read what the norm is for readers on Stereogum.
You’re missing out, its an awesome soundtrack.
I usually find that to be the case as well though more in the sense that while I listened to quite a few releases this year, they just aren’t necessarily the same realm of genres as is always represented. That being said I did actually listen to the Drive soundtrack a few times and it is not only some great original soundtrack music but there are also some nice gems of songs included that I wouldn’t have known about had I not seen the film.
I feel exactly the same way. With a limited music buying budget and the allure of older CDs competing with the class of 2011, I think I only got to about ten CDs that came out this year, of which four made this list. So yeah, if someone can make a list of the 100 CDs that they thought stood out, then that implies there were a great number left off that list, and I feel like only music journalists/bloggers/etc are the people with the time/knowledge to do this
Agree to disagree, with an penchant for pirating, frequent concert visiting, and the help of free music providing blog aggregators like hype machine, someone like me – a normal college student – can recognize and have a strong relationship with at least 2 thirds of this list.
If you can dream it you can do it.
p.s. the drive ost rawks
Yeah completely disagree, I made a list of all the new albums I enjoyed throughout 2011 and ended up with 46 albums (as in I would rank them about 7/10 or higher). While only about 20-30 of those are seen on a standard year end list it is definitely possible to keep up with music on that level. If youre wondering I usually buy new releases but also use Spotify and other sites. Keep in mind all these lists are compiled too
Let’s use your number 46 as an average. 46 CDs in 2011. 46 in 2010. 46 in 2009. 46 in 2008. 46 in 2007. I’m guessing you have been listening to music longer than 2007 but I’ll stop there. For every one of the 46, let’s argue there were two you didn’t like. And it doesn’t take into account CDs you might have discovered late, or classics you’ll never stop listening too. That’s a lot of music to digest.
For me, at least, getting the best out of any collection of music takes time. Especially when getting into new genres or styles of music. Plus, I’d rather not take Metacritic’s word on what CDs to listen to, although it’s a good resource.
I’m not judging anyone’s listening habits. And I don’t feel less of a music fan for not making a top 50 personal list. But from a financial standpoint, and the simple lack of time, I do argue it’s an unreasonable expectation to follow that much music.
In complete sincerity, i think you underestimate the music geekiness of the people who lurk these websites. These blogs aren’t for ‘typical’ music listeners. I’ve already got over 90 songs released in 2011 with over 100 listens recorded on my winamp, that’s not even including what i listen to in my car.
Not to sound disrespectful, but some might make the argument that 10 LPs a year is a lot for what they might call a passive listener of music. But if you want to be truly an active listener – be part of the milieu – I would expect you to know probably half these albums to join in the conversation.
I agree that it takes a lot of time to stay on top of everything. 2011 was the first year I felt I caught up with everything was actually staying on top of all the new releases but I still often find stuff from the last few years that slipped by for whatever reason.
I dont think there is any set limit, or expectation to be considered a music fan. This year it was easier for me to digest a ton of music because I could listen and read blogs at work but obviously not everyone has that luxury. Even now that Im back at school I generally have the time to listen to stuff I already like, check out stuff Ill probably like, as well as find completely new stuff. It takes up a pretty big chunk of my time but I honestly love doing it and dont see any reason to slow down
At least there is some love for big Malk over here.
25 Cass McCombs – Wit’s End/Humor Risk
because those are the same album. laziness!
13 The Weeknd – House Of Balloons/Thursday
it goes without listing that House of Balloons is the only one of these two that deserves a spot. this makes me so mad, Spin! Stereogum, make sure Spin finds out that this two-albums-one-spot is making me mad.
you guys they are NOT the same album, was my point. laziness!
Another different #1 for album. So which album has the most #1 right now? Anyone knows?
I would guess PJ Harvey? Not by much though.
http://www.metacritic.com/feature/music-critic-top-ten-lists-best-albums-of-2011
Hope this helps. It looks like PJ Harvey is in the lead right now.
The King of Limbs didn’t even make top 50? ouch…
Pfffffff.
I think you’re right
SpiiiiIIIIIIInnnnn, you’ve got some ‘splaining to doooooooooooo
I would like to thank Spin for giving love to Danny Brown’s XXX. If you haven’t already, please go download it right now (he is giving it away for free so don’t get it from a torrent website and feel dumb later). Some might not make it through the first few tracks because of his voice, but I promise that it will make sense if you listen to the whole CD.
His songs are a lot of “Suck my dick, bitch!” I think his album has that song, plus 2 remixes of it. Blunt after blunt after blunt after blunt…
I usually agree with Spin’s ratings/reviews more than any magazine and most blogs, but this list is complete crap. It barely reflects the scores they gave each album throughout the year and seems like the top 10 was chosen to confuse the shit out of people/ try to spite every other top 50 list
can we discuss britney spears being on the list?
My (humble) best of 2011:
http://ludditestereo.net/2011/12/13/best-music-of-2011-20-16/