AllMusic Loves 2011
Dec. 15, 2011
If any one trait defined 2011 it was that there was no defining trait. Plenty of albums inspired discussion and generated passion but there was no consensus pick for Album or Single of the Year...with the possible exception of Adele, who topped charts around the globe and captured plenty of Grammy nominations. As good as 21 is, Adele popped up on only one of the album lists from the 19 contributing editors to Allmusic Loves 2011, which goes a long way toward illustrating how much good music was released this year. Those 19 editors chose 297 different albums as their favorites and only 59 of those records appeared on multiple lists. And the one that showed up on the most lists? Shabazz Palaces' Black Up, the first hip-hop album to be released on Sub Pop, the first of many surprises: alt-rock veterans PJ Harvey and Stephen Malkmus jutted up against left-field balladeer James Blake, retro-soul singer Raphael Saadiq, indie poppers Veronica Falls, and '90s throwback Yuck, a diverse selection that proves that there was plenty of music to love in 2011.
Ongoing coverage of our editors' favorite 2011 recordings, including roundups of well over a dozen genres and styles, as well as reissues and compilations, can be followed on the AllMusic Blog.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Wild Flag - Wild Flag
Paul Simon - So Beautiful or So What
St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
The Black Keys - El Camino
Miranda Lambert - Four the Record
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 2
Brad Paisley - This Is Country Music
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Mirror Traffic
Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts
Yuck - Yuck
Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo
tUnE-yArDs - W H O K I L L
Wye Oak - Civilian
The Kills - Blood Pressures
Vince Gill - Guitar Slinger
Pistol Annies - Hell on Heels
Toby Keith - Clancy's Tavern
Tom Waits - Bad as Me
Lady Gaga - Born This Way
Ke$ha - "We R Who We R"
Miranda Lambert - "Baggage Claim"
Adele - "Rolling in the Deep"
Toby Keith - "Red Solo Cup"
Ke$ha - "Blow"
Lady Gaga - "Marry the Night"
Brad Paisley - "Old Alabama"
Beastie Boys - "Make Some Noise"
Lady Gaga - "Born This Way"
Britney Spears - "Till The World Ends"
Foo Fighters - "White Limo"
George Strait – "Here for a Good Time"
The Cars - "Blue Tip"
Beady Eye - "Bring the Light"
John Bush
Active Child - You Are All I See
And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - Tao of the Dead
Arctic Monkeys - Suck It and See
James Blake - James Blake
CANT - Dreams Come True
Class Actress - Rapprocher
Lupe Fiasco - Lasers
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch the Throne
Neon Indian - Era Extraña
Brad Paisley - This Is Country Music
Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx - We're New Here
Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
tUnE-yArDs - W H O K I L L
Washed Out - Within and Without
The Weeknd - House of Balloons
Wilco - The Whole Love
Yuck - Yuck
Active Child - "Hanging On"
Arctic Monkeys - "She's Thunderstorms"
The Ettes - "Stay Where You Are"
Mayer Hawthorne - "The Walk"
Beyoncé - "1+1"
CANT - "Too Late, Too Far"
Das Racist - "Brand New Dance"
Lupe Fiasco - "The Show Goes On"
Childish Gambino - "Fire Fly"
Washed Out - "Eyes Be Closed"
tUnE-yArDs - "Killa"
Yuck - "Get Away"
Dum Dum Girls - "He Gets Me High"
Thurston Moore - "Circulation"
Jason Aldean - "Dirt Road Anthem"
Toby Keith - "Red Solo Cup"
Brad Paisley - "This Is Country Music"
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - "Pure Radio Cosplay"
Wilco - "I Might"
Fleet Foxes - "Helplessness Blues"
Heather Phares
Atlas Sound - Parallax
Austra - Feel It Break
Battles - Gloss Drop
The Caretaker - An Empty Bliss Beyond This World
Disappears - Guider
EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Grouper - A I A
Hauschka - Salon Des Amateurs
Male Bonding - Endless Now
Metronomy - The English Riviera
Odonis Odonis - Hollandaze
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
People Like Us - Welcome Abroad
St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
Strange Boys - Live Music
tUnE-yArDs - W H O K I L L
Veronica Falls - Veronica Falls
Wild Beasts - Smother
Wild Flag - Wild Flag
Adele - "Rolling in the Deep"
Atlas Sound - "Mona Lisa"
Austra - "The Beat and the Pulse"
Battles - "Ice Cream"
Björk - "Virus"
Jay-Z & Kanye West - "Ni**as in Paris"
The Kills - "Future Starts Slow"
Lil Wayne - "6 Foot 7 Foot"
David Lynch - "Pinky's Dream"
M83 - "Midnight City"
Male Bonding - "Dig You Out"
Metronomy - "Everything Goes My Way"
Nicki Minaj - "Super Bass"
Odonis Odonis - "Blood Feast"
Rihanna - "We Found Love"
Ringo Deathstarr - "So High"
SBTRKT - "Wildfire"
TV on the Radio - "Will Do"
Veronica Falls - "Bad Feeling"
Wild Flag - "Romance"
Tim Sendra
Amor de Dias - Street of the Love of Days
Benny Sings – Art
Brite Futures – Dark Past
City Center – Redeemer
Class Actress – Rapprocher
Comet Gain – Howl of the Lonely Crowd
Deadbeat Beat – When I Talk to You
Destroyer - Kaputt
The Golden Awesome – Autumn
Korallreven – An Album by Korallreven
The Ladybug Transistor - Clutching Stems
Moon Duo – Mazes
Walter Schreifels – An Open Letter to the Scene
The Sound of Arrows – Voyage
Swimsuit – Swimsuit
Tennis – Cape Dory
Those Darlins – Screws Get Loose
Veronica Falls – Veronica Falls
Woods - Sun and Shade
Yuck – Yuck
AraabMuzik – "Streetz Tonight"
Class Actress – "Love Me Like You Used To"
Help Stamp Out Loneliness – "Record Shop"
Metronomy – "Everything Goes My Way"
Robyn – "Call Your Girlfriend"
Shimmering Stars – "I'm Gonna Try"
Those Darlins – "Screws Get Loose"
Times New Viking – "Fuck Her Tears"
Veronica Falls – "Bad Feeling"
Weekend – "Hazel"
Chrysta Cherrie [Spotify]
Broken Water - Peripheral Star
Bill Callahan - Apocalypse
Household - Items
Hunx & His Punx - Too Young to Be in Love
Iceage - New Brigade
Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise
The Ladybug Transistor - Clutching Stems
Moon Duo - Mazes
My Brightest Diamond - All Things Will Unwind
Odonis Odonis - Hollandaze
Peaking Lights - 936
Psychic Paramount - II
True Widow - As High as the Highest Heavens...
Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin'
Shimmering Stars - Violent Hearts
Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler/The Dream
Those Darlins - Screws Get Loose
Veronica Falls - Veronica Falls
Wax Idols - No Future
Widowspeak - Widowspeak
Julianna Barwick - "Prizewinning"
Cave - "O J"
Chain and the Gang - "Detroit Music"
The Dø - "Slippery Slope"
Lykke Li - "Youth Knows No Pain"
Lost Rivers - "See Me Alive"
Motel Beds - "Moondazed"
Patton Oswalt - "The Bugged Car"
Poison Control Center - "Underground Bed"
Pujol - "Mayday"
Radiation City - "The Color of Industry"
Rank/Xerox - "Sterile Regions"
Swimsuit - "Evaporation"
Thee Oh Sees - "Contraption/Soul Desert"
Total Control - "Carpet Rash"
Treefight for Sunlight - "Facing the Sun"
U.S. Girls - "Untie Me"
Veronica Falls - "Come On Over"
White Mystery - "Snack Culture"
Nat & Alex Wolff - "18"
Matt Collar
AM & Shawn Lee - Celestial Electric
Adele - 21
Bass Drum of Death - GB City
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Frankmusik - Do It in the AM
Diego Garcia - Laura
Mason Jennings - Minnesota
Jonny - Jonny
John Paul Keith - The Man That Time Forgot
Lights - Siberia
Maritime - Human Hearts
Memphis - Here Comes a City
The Naked and Famous - Passive Me, Aggressive You
New Villager - New Villager
Skysaw - Great Civilizations
Those Dancing Days - Daydreams & Nightmares
White Lies - Ritual
Alex Winston - Sister Wife
The Wombats - The Modern Glitch
Young Galaxy - Shapeshifting
Gregory Heaney
True Widow - As High as the Highest Heavens...
Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler/The Dream
Russian Circles - Empros
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - It's a Corporate World
The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
Portugal. The Man - In the Mountain in the Clouds
KEN Mode - Venerable
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Mirror Traffic
Still Corners - Creatures of an Hour
Atlas Moth - An Ache for the Distance
Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
Agesandages - Alright, You Restless
James Blake - James Blake
Earth - Angel of Darkness, Demons of Light
Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin'
Fucked Up - David Comes to Life
Wye Oak - Civilian
Total Control - Henge Beat
Tyler, the Creator - Goblin
I Come to Shanghai - "Halley's Comet/Mother's Arms/Great Escape"
tUnE-yArDs - "Gangsta"
Random Axe - "Random Call"
Craig Finn - "Honolulu Blues"
Battles - "Ice Cream"
Thee Oh Sees - "The Dream"
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - "Forever 28"
Patton Oswalt - "The Bugged Car"
The Lonely Island - "Turtleneck & Chain"
Jay-Z & Kanye West - "Otis"
Lil Wayne - "6 Foot 7 Foot"
Lil Wayne f/ Bun B, Nas, Shune, Busta Rhymes - "Outro"
Spank Rock f/ Big Freedia - "Nasty"
Total Control - "Retiree"
Stepkids - "Shadows on Behalf"
Young Widows - "Future Heart"
Iceage - "New Brigade"
CANT - "Too Late, Too Far"
Hematovore - "Scarlett Johansson"
Tyler, the Creator - "Burger"
David Jeffries
Boris - New Album
Danny Brown - XXX
Childish Gambino - Camp
Chino - Chino
J. Cole - Cole World: The Sideline Story
DJ Quik - The Book of David
Justice - Audio, Video, Disco
Katy B - On a Mission
Lil B - I'm Gay (I'm Happy)
Pharoahe Monch - W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)
Pusha T - Fear of God II: Let Us Pray
Random Axe - Random Axe
The Roots - Undun
Rustie - Glass Swords
Saigon - The Greatest Story Never Told
ScHoolboy Q - Setbacks
Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
Wale - Ambition
Zomby - Dedication
Various Artists - Blow Your Head, Vol. 2: Dave Nada Presents Moombahton
Andy Kellman [Spotify]
Andy Stott - Passed Me By/We Stay Together
Saturn Never Sleeps - Yesterday's Machine
Escort - Escort
Demdike Stare - Tryptych
Van Hunt - What Were You Hoping For?
Venice Dawn - Something About April
Meshell Ndegeocello - Weather
Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
Martyn - Ghost People
Thundercat - The Golden Age of Apocalypse
The Roots - Undun
Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin'
Phonte - Charity Starts at Home
Nicholas Payton - Bitches
Shackleton - Fabric 55
Big K.R.I.T. - Return of 4eva
Zomby - Dedication
The Field - Looping State of Mind
A Winged Victory for the Sullen - A Winged Victory for the Sullen
Marsha Ambrosius - Late Nights & Early Mornings
Braille - "The Year 3000"
Raphael Saadiq - "Good Man"
Factory Floor - "Two Different Ways"
King - "The Story"
Levon Vincent - "Impression of a Rainstorm"
Teedra Moses - "R U 4 Real"
Om'Mas Keith - "Uh Oh It's Love"
Hercules & Love Affair - "Falling"
Thundercat - "Walkin'"
Amalia - "Welcome to Me"
Venice Dawn - "It's Me"
Burial - "Street Halo"
Beyoncé - "Love on Top"
Anika - "No One's There"
Rainbow Arabia - "Without You"
Timothy Bloom - "'Til the End of Time"
Diddy Dirty Money - "Your Love"
Jazmine Sullivan - "Excuse Me"
Tiger & Woods - "Curb My Heart"
Frank Ocean - "Swim Good"
Jason Lymangrover
Atlas Sound - Parallax
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 2
Class Actress - Rapproacher
Danny Brown - XXX
Fucked Up - David Comes to Life
Ganglians - Still Living
Iceage - New Brigade
M83 - Hurry up We're Dreaming
Main Attrakionz - 808s & Dark Grapes II
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Mirror Traffic
Moon Duo - Mazes
Psychedelic Horseshit - Laced
Ringo Deathstarr - Colour Trip
SebastiAn - Trust
Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
The Stepkids - The Stepkids
Times New Viking - Dancer Equired
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Unknown Mortal Orchestra
White Denim - D
Yuck - Yuck
A$AP Rocky - "Peso"
AraabMuzik - "Streetz Tonight"
Cerebral Ballzy - "Insufficient Fare"
Cities Aviv - "Die Young"
Crystal Antlers - "Fortune Telling"
Das Racist - "Rainbow in the Dark"
Death Grips - "Known for It"
The Horrors - "Still Life"
James Pants - "Alone"
Jhené Aiko - "Stranger"
Justice - "On'n'on"
Mannequin Men - "Cheryl Tiegs"
Nacho Picasso - "Marvel"
Neon Indian - "Polish Girl"
Panda Bear - "Slow Motion"
Thundercat - "Fleer Ultra"
Ty Segall - "Goodbye Bread"
Tyler, the Creator - "Burger"
Young Prisms - "Sugar"
Zola Jesus - "Avalanche"
James Christopher Monger
Kaizers Orchestra - Violeta, Violeta
The Dø - Both Ways Open Jaws
Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials
British Sea Power - Valhalla Dancehall
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Gillian Welch - The Harrow and the Harvest
Anna Calvi - Anna Calvi
The Horrors - Skying
The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar
TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
The Leisure Society - Into the Murky Water
Beirut - The Rip Tide
Blitzen Trapper - American Goldwing
The Dears - Degeneration Street
Lisa Hannigan - Passenger
Thomas Dolby - A Map of the Floating City
The Unthanks - Last
Duran Duran - All You Need Is Now
Other Lives - Tamer Animals
Frank Turner - England Keep My Bones
Brett Anderson - "Brittle Heart"
The Low Anthem - "Boeing 737"
Deer Tick - "The Bump"
The Mummers - "Driving Home"
Van Hunt - "Eyes Like Pearls"
Luke Haines - "Gorgeous George"
A.A. Bondy - "The Heart is Willing"
The Cars - "Blue Tip"
Peter Murphy - "I Spit Roses"
The Vaccines - "If You Wanna"
They Might Be Giants - "Old Pine Box"
The Features - "Rambo"
The Rural Alberta Advantage - "Stamp"
Lindsay Buckingham - "That's the Way That Love Goes"
Eisley - "The Valley"
Lana Del Rey - "Video Games"
Hammers of Misfortune - "The Grain"
PJ Harvey - "Last Living Rose"
Chase & Status - "Blind Faith"
The Belle Brigade - "Losers"
Fred Thomas
Panda Bear - Tomboy
The Strokes - Angles
Lil B - I'm Gay (I'm Happy)
Stare Case - Lose Today
M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
Grouper - A I A
Real Estate - Days
Drake - Take Care
Kate Bush - 50 Words for Snow
Cass McCombs - Humor Risk
Atlas Sound - Parallax
Silk Flowers - Ltd. Form
James Blake - James Blake
Destroyer - Kaputt
Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
Iceage - New Brigade
Coasting - You're Never Going Back
Peaking Lights - 936
John Maus - We Must Become Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
Beyoncé - 4
Sean Westergaard
Muhal Richard Abrams - SoundDance
Bryan & the Haggards - Still Alive and Kickin' Down the Walls
Dennis Coffey - Dennis Coffey
Dick Curless - The Long Lonesome Road
Jeff Gauthier - Open Source
Jimi Hendrix - Winterland [Box Set]
Vijay Iyer - Tirtha
Mike Keneally Band - Bakin' @ The Potato!
A.J. Kluth's Aldric - Anvils and Broken Bells
Korekyojinn - Tundra
Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord - Quavers! Quavers! Quavers! Quavers!
Morgan Ågren/Henry Kaiser/Trey Gunn - Invisible Rays
Magic Sam Blues Band - West Side Soul
Mats/Morgan Band - Live
Mostly Other People Do the Killing - The Coimbra Concert
Pitom - Blasphemy and Other Serious Crimes
Planeta Imaginario - Optical Delusions
Sun Ra - Eternal Myth Revealed, Vol. 1
The Residents - Coochie Brake
Frank Zappa - Hammersmith Odeon
John Zorn - Dreamers: The Gentle Side
Zakarya - Greatest Hits
James Wilkinson
North Sea Radio Orchestra - I a Moon
Veronica Falls - Veronica Falls
Shimmering Stars - Violent Hearts
The Advisory Circle - As the Crow Flies
*AR - Wolf Notes
Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo
Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know
Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts
Josh T. Pearson - Last of the Country Gentlemen
Steve Mason & Dennis Bovell - Ghosts Outside
Papercuts - Fading Parade
Jonathan Wilson - Gentle Spirit
Jane Weaver - The Watchbird Alluminate
Ryan Adams - Ashes and Fire
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Other Lives - Tamer Animals
Real Estate - Days
Hong Kong in the 60s - My Fantoms
Beach Fossils - What a Pleasure
Craft Spells - Idle Labor
Matthew Garbutt [Spotify]
Barbara Lynn – A Good Woman: The Complete Tribe & Jet Stream Singles 1966-1979
Candi Staton – Evidence: The Complete Fame Records Masters
Charles Bradley – No Time for Dreaming
Dan Sartain – Legacy of Hospitality
David Thomas Broughton – Outbreeding
Dirty Beaches – Badlands
El Rego – El Rego
PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin'
Tav Falco & the Unapproachable Panther Burns – Conjurations : Séance for Deranged Lovers
The Dramatics – Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get
The Monitors – Say You!: The Motown Anthology 1963-1968
Tindersticks - Claire Denis Film Scores 1996-2009
Tino Contreras – Jazz Mexicana de Tino Contreras
Various Artists – DJ Andy Smith's Jam Up Twist: The Dynamite Sounds of the Nationwide Club Night
Various Artists – Brazil Bossa Beat!: Bossa Nova and the Story of Elenco Records
Various Artists - Keb Darge & Little Edith's Legendary Wild Rockers
Various Artists – Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love
Various Artists – The Fame Studios Story 1961-1973
Wild Billy Childish & the Spartan Dreggs – Forensic R'n'B
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears – "Livin' in the Jungle"
Claudia Aurora - "Cigana"
Dan Sartain – "Fuck Friday"
Lee Moses – "Reach Out I'll Be There"
Lykke Li – "Get Some"
Moon Duo - "Mazes"
Polly & the Billets Doux – "Follow My Feet"
Raf Vilar – "Bossa Me"
Shannon & the Clams – "Done with You"
Sharon Jones – "Genuine, Pt. 1"
The Brute Chorus - "Birdman"
The Caezars – "Heartache Overload"
The Caezars – "She's My Miss"
The Jim Jones Revue – "Dishonest John"
The Sidewinders – "I Like to Dance"
The Spectrals – "Get a Grip"
Two Wounded Birds – "Do the Jay Jay"
Two Wounded Birds – "Midnight Wave"
Two Wounded Birds – "Together Forever"
Various Artists – The Stars of Mirwood
John D. Buchanan
Fennesz + Sakamoto - Flumina
Lou Reed & Metallica - Lulu
Chihei Hatakeyama - Mirror
Prurient - Bermuda Drain
Jon Mueller - Alphabet of Movements
William Fowler Collins - The Resurrections Unseen
Nils Frahm - Felt
Taylor Deupree & Marcus Fischer - In a Place of Such Graceful Shapes
Lawrence English - The Peregrine
Stephan Mathieu - Remain
Dustin O'Halloran - Vorleben
Dir En Grey - Dum Spiro Spero
Demdike Stare - Tryptych
Bvdub - Tribes at the Temple of Silence
Ryan Teague - Causeway
FourColor - As Pleat
The Gazette - Toxic
*AR - Wolf Notes
Deepchord - Hash-Bar Loops
Andy Stott - Passed Me By/We Stay Together
Scott Kerr [Spotify]
Bon Iver - Bon Iver
The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar
Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
Slow Club - Paradise
Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know
The Antlers - Burst Apart
Wye Oak - Civilian
The Head and the Heart - The Head and the Heart
Gauntlet Hair - Gauntlet Hair
Beirut - The Rip Tide
Caveman - Coco Beware
Those Dancing Days - Daydreams & Nightmares
James Blake - James Blake
Feist - Metals
Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
I Break Horses - Hearts
Peggy Sue - Acrobats
Lanterns on the Lake - Gracious Tide, Take Me Home
The Field - Looping State of Mind
Aneet Nijjar
John Maus - We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
Hyetal - Broadcast
Perc - Wicker & Steel
Container - LP
The Haxan Cloak - The Haxan Cloak
Zola Jesus - Conatus
Cut Hands - Afro Noise, Vol. 1
Maria Minerva - Cabaret Cixous
Laurel Halo - Hour Logic
The Caretaker - An Empty Bliss Beyond This World
The Advisory Circle - As the Crow Flies
Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972
Sandwell District - Feed Forward
Morphosis - What Have we Learned
John Foxx & the Maths - Interplay
Zombi - Escape Velocity
Peaking Lights - 936
Roll the Dice - In Dust
Mika Vainio - Life (...It Eats You Up)
Andy Stott - Passed Me By/We Stay Together
Ital - Only for Tonight
Tropic of Cancer - The Sorrow of Two Blooms
Regis - In a Syrian Tongue
Rasmus Folk/Walter Schnaffs - Endless House: The Folk/Schnaffs EP
Powell - The Ongoing Significance of Flesh & Steel
Legowelt - Sark Island Acid
Innergaze - Shadow Disco
Pye Audio Corner with the Advisory Circle - Ghost Box Study Series 07: Autumnal Activities
Marco Shuttle - The Vox Attitude
Levon Vincent - Impressions of a Rainstorm
Richard Wilson
Alva Noto - Univrs
Bon Iver - Bon Iver
EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints
Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
I Break Horses - Hearts
Josh T. Pearson - Last of the Country Gentleman
Kangding Ray - OR
Lanterns on the Lake - Gracious Tide, Take Me Home
Low - C'Mon
Lucy - Wordplay for Working Bees
Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
Perc - Wicker & Steel
Planetary Assault Systems - The Messenger
Richmond Fontaine - The High Country
Siskiyou - Keep Away the Dead
Slow Club - Paradise
Surgeon - Breaking the Frame
The Haxan Cloak - The Haxan Cloak
Xhin - Sword
Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation
Ongoing coverage of our editors' favorite 2011 recordings, including roundups of well over a dozen genres and styles, as well as reissues and compilations, can be followed on the AllMusic Blog.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Wild Flag - Wild Flag
Paul Simon - So Beautiful or So What
St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
The Black Keys - El Camino
Miranda Lambert - Four the Record
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 2
Brad Paisley - This Is Country Music
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Mirror Traffic
Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts
Yuck - Yuck
Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo
tUnE-yArDs - W H O K I L L
Wye Oak - Civilian
The Kills - Blood Pressures
Vince Gill - Guitar Slinger
Pistol Annies - Hell on Heels
Toby Keith - Clancy's Tavern
Tom Waits - Bad as Me
Lady Gaga - Born This Way
Ke$ha - "We R Who We R"
Miranda Lambert - "Baggage Claim"
Adele - "Rolling in the Deep"
Toby Keith - "Red Solo Cup"
Ke$ha - "Blow"
Lady Gaga - "Marry the Night"
Brad Paisley - "Old Alabama"
Beastie Boys - "Make Some Noise"
Lady Gaga - "Born This Way"
Britney Spears - "Till The World Ends"
Foo Fighters - "White Limo"
George Strait – "Here for a Good Time"
The Cars - "Blue Tip"
Beady Eye - "Bring the Light"
John Bush
Active Child - You Are All I See
And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - Tao of the Dead
Arctic Monkeys - Suck It and See
James Blake - James Blake
CANT - Dreams Come True
Class Actress - Rapprocher
Lupe Fiasco - Lasers
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch the Throne
Neon Indian - Era Extraña
Brad Paisley - This Is Country Music
Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx - We're New Here
Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
tUnE-yArDs - W H O K I L L
Washed Out - Within and Without
The Weeknd - House of Balloons
Wilco - The Whole Love
Yuck - Yuck
Active Child - "Hanging On"
Arctic Monkeys - "She's Thunderstorms"
The Ettes - "Stay Where You Are"
Mayer Hawthorne - "The Walk"
Beyoncé - "1+1"
CANT - "Too Late, Too Far"
Das Racist - "Brand New Dance"
Lupe Fiasco - "The Show Goes On"
Childish Gambino - "Fire Fly"
Washed Out - "Eyes Be Closed"
tUnE-yArDs - "Killa"
Yuck - "Get Away"
Dum Dum Girls - "He Gets Me High"
Thurston Moore - "Circulation"
Jason Aldean - "Dirt Road Anthem"
Toby Keith - "Red Solo Cup"
Brad Paisley - "This Is Country Music"
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - "Pure Radio Cosplay"
Wilco - "I Might"
Fleet Foxes - "Helplessness Blues"
Heather Phares
Atlas Sound - Parallax
Austra - Feel It Break
Battles - Gloss Drop
The Caretaker - An Empty Bliss Beyond This World
Disappears - Guider
EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Grouper - A I A
Hauschka - Salon Des Amateurs
Male Bonding - Endless Now
Metronomy - The English Riviera
Odonis Odonis - Hollandaze
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
People Like Us - Welcome Abroad
St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
Strange Boys - Live Music
tUnE-yArDs - W H O K I L L
Veronica Falls - Veronica Falls
Wild Beasts - Smother
Wild Flag - Wild Flag
Adele - "Rolling in the Deep"
Atlas Sound - "Mona Lisa"
Austra - "The Beat and the Pulse"
Battles - "Ice Cream"
Björk - "Virus"
Jay-Z & Kanye West - "Ni**as in Paris"
The Kills - "Future Starts Slow"
Lil Wayne - "6 Foot 7 Foot"
David Lynch - "Pinky's Dream"
M83 - "Midnight City"
Male Bonding - "Dig You Out"
Metronomy - "Everything Goes My Way"
Nicki Minaj - "Super Bass"
Odonis Odonis - "Blood Feast"
Rihanna - "We Found Love"
Ringo Deathstarr - "So High"
SBTRKT - "Wildfire"
TV on the Radio - "Will Do"
Veronica Falls - "Bad Feeling"
Wild Flag - "Romance"
Tim Sendra
Amor de Dias - Street of the Love of Days
Benny Sings – Art
Brite Futures – Dark Past
City Center – Redeemer
Class Actress – Rapprocher
Comet Gain – Howl of the Lonely Crowd
Deadbeat Beat – When I Talk to You
Destroyer - Kaputt
The Golden Awesome – Autumn
Korallreven – An Album by Korallreven
The Ladybug Transistor - Clutching Stems
Moon Duo – Mazes
Walter Schreifels – An Open Letter to the Scene
The Sound of Arrows – Voyage
Swimsuit – Swimsuit
Tennis – Cape Dory
Those Darlins – Screws Get Loose
Veronica Falls – Veronica Falls
Woods - Sun and Shade
Yuck – Yuck
AraabMuzik – "Streetz Tonight"
Class Actress – "Love Me Like You Used To"
Help Stamp Out Loneliness – "Record Shop"
Metronomy – "Everything Goes My Way"
Robyn – "Call Your Girlfriend"
Shimmering Stars – "I'm Gonna Try"
Those Darlins – "Screws Get Loose"
Times New Viking – "Fuck Her Tears"
Veronica Falls – "Bad Feeling"
Weekend – "Hazel"
Chrysta Cherrie [Spotify]
Broken Water - Peripheral Star
Bill Callahan - Apocalypse
Household - Items
Hunx & His Punx - Too Young to Be in Love
Iceage - New Brigade
Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise
The Ladybug Transistor - Clutching Stems
Moon Duo - Mazes
My Brightest Diamond - All Things Will Unwind
Odonis Odonis - Hollandaze
Peaking Lights - 936
Psychic Paramount - II
True Widow - As High as the Highest Heavens...
Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin'
Shimmering Stars - Violent Hearts
Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler/The Dream
Those Darlins - Screws Get Loose
Veronica Falls - Veronica Falls
Wax Idols - No Future
Widowspeak - Widowspeak
Julianna Barwick - "Prizewinning"
Cave - "O J"
Chain and the Gang - "Detroit Music"
The Dø - "Slippery Slope"
Lykke Li - "Youth Knows No Pain"
Lost Rivers - "See Me Alive"
Motel Beds - "Moondazed"
Patton Oswalt - "The Bugged Car"
Poison Control Center - "Underground Bed"
Pujol - "Mayday"
Radiation City - "The Color of Industry"
Rank/Xerox - "Sterile Regions"
Swimsuit - "Evaporation"
Thee Oh Sees - "Contraption/Soul Desert"
Total Control - "Carpet Rash"
Treefight for Sunlight - "Facing the Sun"
U.S. Girls - "Untie Me"
Veronica Falls - "Come On Over"
White Mystery - "Snack Culture"
Nat & Alex Wolff - "18"
Matt Collar
AM & Shawn Lee - Celestial Electric
Adele - 21
Bass Drum of Death - GB City
Foo Fighters - Wasting Light
Frankmusik - Do It in the AM
Diego Garcia - Laura
Mason Jennings - Minnesota
Jonny - Jonny
John Paul Keith - The Man That Time Forgot
Lights - Siberia
Maritime - Human Hearts
Memphis - Here Comes a City
The Naked and Famous - Passive Me, Aggressive You
New Villager - New Villager
Skysaw - Great Civilizations
Those Dancing Days - Daydreams & Nightmares
White Lies - Ritual
Alex Winston - Sister Wife
The Wombats - The Modern Glitch
Young Galaxy - Shapeshifting
Gregory Heaney
True Widow - As High as the Highest Heavens...
Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler/The Dream
Russian Circles - Empros
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - It's a Corporate World
The Decemberists - The King Is Dead
Portugal. The Man - In the Mountain in the Clouds
KEN Mode - Venerable
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Mirror Traffic
Still Corners - Creatures of an Hour
Atlas Moth - An Ache for the Distance
Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
Agesandages - Alright, You Restless
James Blake - James Blake
Earth - Angel of Darkness, Demons of Light
Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin'
Fucked Up - David Comes to Life
Wye Oak - Civilian
Total Control - Henge Beat
Tyler, the Creator - Goblin
I Come to Shanghai - "Halley's Comet/Mother's Arms/Great Escape"
tUnE-yArDs - "Gangsta"
Random Axe - "Random Call"
Craig Finn - "Honolulu Blues"
Battles - "Ice Cream"
Thee Oh Sees - "The Dream"
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - "Forever 28"
Patton Oswalt - "The Bugged Car"
The Lonely Island - "Turtleneck & Chain"
Jay-Z & Kanye West - "Otis"
Lil Wayne - "6 Foot 7 Foot"
Lil Wayne f/ Bun B, Nas, Shune, Busta Rhymes - "Outro"
Spank Rock f/ Big Freedia - "Nasty"
Total Control - "Retiree"
Stepkids - "Shadows on Behalf"
Young Widows - "Future Heart"
Iceage - "New Brigade"
CANT - "Too Late, Too Far"
Hematovore - "Scarlett Johansson"
Tyler, the Creator - "Burger"
David Jeffries
Boris - New Album
Danny Brown - XXX
Childish Gambino - Camp
Chino - Chino
J. Cole - Cole World: The Sideline Story
DJ Quik - The Book of David
Justice - Audio, Video, Disco
Katy B - On a Mission
Lil B - I'm Gay (I'm Happy)
Pharoahe Monch - W.A.R. (We Are Renegades)
Pusha T - Fear of God II: Let Us Pray
Random Axe - Random Axe
The Roots - Undun
Rustie - Glass Swords
Saigon - The Greatest Story Never Told
ScHoolboy Q - Setbacks
Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
Wale - Ambition
Zomby - Dedication
Various Artists - Blow Your Head, Vol. 2: Dave Nada Presents Moombahton
Andy Kellman [Spotify]
Andy Stott - Passed Me By/We Stay Together
Saturn Never Sleeps - Yesterday's Machine
Escort - Escort
Demdike Stare - Tryptych
Van Hunt - What Were You Hoping For?
Venice Dawn - Something About April
Meshell Ndegeocello - Weather
Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
Martyn - Ghost People
Thundercat - The Golden Age of Apocalypse
The Roots - Undun
Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin'
Phonte - Charity Starts at Home
Nicholas Payton - Bitches
Shackleton - Fabric 55
Big K.R.I.T. - Return of 4eva
Zomby - Dedication
The Field - Looping State of Mind
A Winged Victory for the Sullen - A Winged Victory for the Sullen
Marsha Ambrosius - Late Nights & Early Mornings
Braille - "The Year 3000"
Raphael Saadiq - "Good Man"
Factory Floor - "Two Different Ways"
King - "The Story"
Levon Vincent - "Impression of a Rainstorm"
Teedra Moses - "R U 4 Real"
Om'Mas Keith - "Uh Oh It's Love"
Hercules & Love Affair - "Falling"
Thundercat - "Walkin'"
Amalia - "Welcome to Me"
Venice Dawn - "It's Me"
Burial - "Street Halo"
Beyoncé - "Love on Top"
Anika - "No One's There"
Rainbow Arabia - "Without You"
Timothy Bloom - "'Til the End of Time"
Diddy Dirty Money - "Your Love"
Jazmine Sullivan - "Excuse Me"
Tiger & Woods - "Curb My Heart"
Frank Ocean - "Swim Good"
Jason Lymangrover
Atlas Sound - Parallax
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 2
Class Actress - Rapproacher
Danny Brown - XXX
Fucked Up - David Comes to Life
Ganglians - Still Living
Iceage - New Brigade
M83 - Hurry up We're Dreaming
Main Attrakionz - 808s & Dark Grapes II
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Mirror Traffic
Moon Duo - Mazes
Psychedelic Horseshit - Laced
Ringo Deathstarr - Colour Trip
SebastiAn - Trust
Shabazz Palaces - Black Up
The Stepkids - The Stepkids
Times New Viking - Dancer Equired
Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Unknown Mortal Orchestra
White Denim - D
Yuck - Yuck
A$AP Rocky - "Peso"
AraabMuzik - "Streetz Tonight"
Cerebral Ballzy - "Insufficient Fare"
Cities Aviv - "Die Young"
Crystal Antlers - "Fortune Telling"
Das Racist - "Rainbow in the Dark"
Death Grips - "Known for It"
The Horrors - "Still Life"
James Pants - "Alone"
Jhené Aiko - "Stranger"
Justice - "On'n'on"
Mannequin Men - "Cheryl Tiegs"
Nacho Picasso - "Marvel"
Neon Indian - "Polish Girl"
Panda Bear - "Slow Motion"
Thundercat - "Fleer Ultra"
Ty Segall - "Goodbye Bread"
Tyler, the Creator - "Burger"
Young Prisms - "Sugar"
Zola Jesus - "Avalanche"
James Christopher Monger
Kaizers Orchestra - Violeta, Violeta
The Dø - Both Ways Open Jaws
Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials
British Sea Power - Valhalla Dancehall
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Gillian Welch - The Harrow and the Harvest
Anna Calvi - Anna Calvi
The Horrors - Skying
The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar
TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
The Leisure Society - Into the Murky Water
Beirut - The Rip Tide
Blitzen Trapper - American Goldwing
The Dears - Degeneration Street
Lisa Hannigan - Passenger
Thomas Dolby - A Map of the Floating City
The Unthanks - Last
Duran Duran - All You Need Is Now
Other Lives - Tamer Animals
Frank Turner - England Keep My Bones
Brett Anderson - "Brittle Heart"
The Low Anthem - "Boeing 737"
Deer Tick - "The Bump"
The Mummers - "Driving Home"
Van Hunt - "Eyes Like Pearls"
Luke Haines - "Gorgeous George"
A.A. Bondy - "The Heart is Willing"
The Cars - "Blue Tip"
Peter Murphy - "I Spit Roses"
The Vaccines - "If You Wanna"
They Might Be Giants - "Old Pine Box"
The Features - "Rambo"
The Rural Alberta Advantage - "Stamp"
Lindsay Buckingham - "That's the Way That Love Goes"
Eisley - "The Valley"
Lana Del Rey - "Video Games"
Hammers of Misfortune - "The Grain"
PJ Harvey - "Last Living Rose"
Chase & Status - "Blind Faith"
The Belle Brigade - "Losers"
Fred Thomas
Panda Bear - Tomboy
The Strokes - Angles
Lil B - I'm Gay (I'm Happy)
Stare Case - Lose Today
M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
Grouper - A I A
Real Estate - Days
Drake - Take Care
Kate Bush - 50 Words for Snow
Cass McCombs - Humor Risk
Atlas Sound - Parallax
Silk Flowers - Ltd. Form
James Blake - James Blake
Destroyer - Kaputt
Gang Gang Dance - Eye Contact
Iceage - New Brigade
Coasting - You're Never Going Back
Peaking Lights - 936
John Maus - We Must Become Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
Beyoncé - 4
Sean Westergaard
Muhal Richard Abrams - SoundDance
Bryan & the Haggards - Still Alive and Kickin' Down the Walls
Dennis Coffey - Dennis Coffey
Dick Curless - The Long Lonesome Road
Jeff Gauthier - Open Source
Jimi Hendrix - Winterland [Box Set]
Vijay Iyer - Tirtha
Mike Keneally Band - Bakin' @ The Potato!
A.J. Kluth's Aldric - Anvils and Broken Bells
Korekyojinn - Tundra
Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord - Quavers! Quavers! Quavers! Quavers!
Morgan Ågren/Henry Kaiser/Trey Gunn - Invisible Rays
Magic Sam Blues Band - West Side Soul
Mats/Morgan Band - Live
Mostly Other People Do the Killing - The Coimbra Concert
Pitom - Blasphemy and Other Serious Crimes
Planeta Imaginario - Optical Delusions
Sun Ra - Eternal Myth Revealed, Vol. 1
The Residents - Coochie Brake
Frank Zappa - Hammersmith Odeon
John Zorn - Dreamers: The Gentle Side
Zakarya - Greatest Hits
James Wilkinson
North Sea Radio Orchestra - I a Moon
Veronica Falls - Veronica Falls
Shimmering Stars - Violent Hearts
The Advisory Circle - As the Crow Flies
*AR - Wolf Notes
Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo
Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know
Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts
Josh T. Pearson - Last of the Country Gentlemen
Steve Mason & Dennis Bovell - Ghosts Outside
Papercuts - Fading Parade
Jonathan Wilson - Gentle Spirit
Jane Weaver - The Watchbird Alluminate
Ryan Adams - Ashes and Fire
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Other Lives - Tamer Animals
Real Estate - Days
Hong Kong in the 60s - My Fantoms
Beach Fossils - What a Pleasure
Craft Spells - Idle Labor
Matthew Garbutt [Spotify]
Barbara Lynn – A Good Woman: The Complete Tribe & Jet Stream Singles 1966-1979
Candi Staton – Evidence: The Complete Fame Records Masters
Charles Bradley – No Time for Dreaming
Dan Sartain – Legacy of Hospitality
David Thomas Broughton – Outbreeding
Dirty Beaches – Badlands
El Rego – El Rego
PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin'
Tav Falco & the Unapproachable Panther Burns – Conjurations : Séance for Deranged Lovers
The Dramatics – Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get
The Monitors – Say You!: The Motown Anthology 1963-1968
Tindersticks - Claire Denis Film Scores 1996-2009
Tino Contreras – Jazz Mexicana de Tino Contreras
Various Artists – DJ Andy Smith's Jam Up Twist: The Dynamite Sounds of the Nationwide Club Night
Various Artists – Brazil Bossa Beat!: Bossa Nova and the Story of Elenco Records
Various Artists - Keb Darge & Little Edith's Legendary Wild Rockers
Various Artists – Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love
Various Artists – The Fame Studios Story 1961-1973
Wild Billy Childish & the Spartan Dreggs – Forensic R'n'B
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears – "Livin' in the Jungle"
Claudia Aurora - "Cigana"
Dan Sartain – "Fuck Friday"
Lee Moses – "Reach Out I'll Be There"
Lykke Li – "Get Some"
Moon Duo - "Mazes"
Polly & the Billets Doux – "Follow My Feet"
Raf Vilar – "Bossa Me"
Shannon & the Clams – "Done with You"
Sharon Jones – "Genuine, Pt. 1"
The Brute Chorus - "Birdman"
The Caezars – "Heartache Overload"
The Caezars – "She's My Miss"
The Jim Jones Revue – "Dishonest John"
The Sidewinders – "I Like to Dance"
The Spectrals – "Get a Grip"
Two Wounded Birds – "Do the Jay Jay"
Two Wounded Birds – "Midnight Wave"
Two Wounded Birds – "Together Forever"
Various Artists – The Stars of Mirwood
John D. Buchanan
Fennesz + Sakamoto - Flumina
Lou Reed & Metallica - Lulu
Chihei Hatakeyama - Mirror
Prurient - Bermuda Drain
Jon Mueller - Alphabet of Movements
William Fowler Collins - The Resurrections Unseen
Nils Frahm - Felt
Taylor Deupree & Marcus Fischer - In a Place of Such Graceful Shapes
Lawrence English - The Peregrine
Stephan Mathieu - Remain
Dustin O'Halloran - Vorleben
Dir En Grey - Dum Spiro Spero
Demdike Stare - Tryptych
Bvdub - Tribes at the Temple of Silence
Ryan Teague - Causeway
FourColor - As Pleat
The Gazette - Toxic
*AR - Wolf Notes
Deepchord - Hash-Bar Loops
Andy Stott - Passed Me By/We Stay Together
Scott Kerr [Spotify]
Bon Iver - Bon Iver
The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar
Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
Slow Club - Paradise
Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know
The Antlers - Burst Apart
Wye Oak - Civilian
The Head and the Heart - The Head and the Heart
Gauntlet Hair - Gauntlet Hair
Beirut - The Rip Tide
Caveman - Coco Beware
Those Dancing Days - Daydreams & Nightmares
James Blake - James Blake
Feist - Metals
Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
I Break Horses - Hearts
Peggy Sue - Acrobats
Lanterns on the Lake - Gracious Tide, Take Me Home
The Field - Looping State of Mind
Aneet Nijjar
John Maus - We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
Hyetal - Broadcast
Perc - Wicker & Steel
Container - LP
The Haxan Cloak - The Haxan Cloak
Zola Jesus - Conatus
Cut Hands - Afro Noise, Vol. 1
Maria Minerva - Cabaret Cixous
Laurel Halo - Hour Logic
The Caretaker - An Empty Bliss Beyond This World
The Advisory Circle - As the Crow Flies
Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972
Sandwell District - Feed Forward
Morphosis - What Have we Learned
John Foxx & the Maths - Interplay
Zombi - Escape Velocity
Peaking Lights - 936
Roll the Dice - In Dust
Mika Vainio - Life (...It Eats You Up)
Andy Stott - Passed Me By/We Stay Together
Ital - Only for Tonight
Tropic of Cancer - The Sorrow of Two Blooms
Regis - In a Syrian Tongue
Rasmus Folk/Walter Schnaffs - Endless House: The Folk/Schnaffs EP
Powell - The Ongoing Significance of Flesh & Steel
Legowelt - Sark Island Acid
Innergaze - Shadow Disco
Pye Audio Corner with the Advisory Circle - Ghost Box Study Series 07: Autumnal Activities
Marco Shuttle - The Vox Attitude
Levon Vincent - Impressions of a Rainstorm
Richard Wilson
Alva Noto - Univrs
Bon Iver - Bon Iver
EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints
Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
I Break Horses - Hearts
Josh T. Pearson - Last of the Country Gentleman
Kangding Ray - OR
Lanterns on the Lake - Gracious Tide, Take Me Home
Low - C'Mon
Lucy - Wordplay for Working Bees
Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
Perc - Wicker & Steel
Planetary Assault Systems - The Messenger
Richmond Fontaine - The High Country
Siskiyou - Keep Away the Dead
Slow Club - Paradise
Surgeon - Breaking the Frame
The Haxan Cloak - The Haxan Cloak
Xhin - Sword
Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation