OPEN THREAD: Favorite Albums of 2010

These aren’t the best albums of the 2010, but they’re by far my favorite, which means you can’t argue against the validity of their inclusion on this list. Let us know which albums you had on repeat this year in the comments!

Gold Panda

· Lucky Shiner ·

It’s not easy for an electronic album to nab the top spot for favorite album, but U.K. producer Gold Panda takes the prize. Lucky Shiner is a perfect example of how electronic music can transcend the club and invade bedroom stereos. If you have any preconceptions about this genre, Gold Panda might shatter them.

Standout Tracks: You · Same Dream China

Jenny & Johnny

· I’m Having Fun Now ·

Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley may have brought a legion of fans to her new project with boyfriend Jonathan Rice, but I’m Having Fun Now stands up on its own two feet. The album’s 11 tracks are chock full of sing-along harmonies, so prepare yourself to beg your friends/girlfriend to sing with you. It’s pop candy for your ears.

Standout Tracks: Just Like Zeus · Straight Edge of the Blade

The National

· High Violet ·

Mumbly, obscure lyrics and moody compelling melodies — the National’s High Violet is brilliant from start to finish. I can’t put it any better than NPR’s Stephen Thompson: “[High Violet] locates the sweet spot between majesty and mopery, catharsis and wallowing, soaring grace and wounded confessionals.”

Standout Tracks: Bloodbuzz Ohio · Lemonworld

Robyn

· Body Talk ·

Swedish pop star Robyn experienced a resurgence in 2010 with Body Talk, her three-part album. It was her first release in five years. Robyn called the  move “selfish,” but her fans might think of it differently. Body Talk Pt. 1, 2 and 3 offered insights into the pop star’s production process with two versions — both a stripped down version and dance rendition — of “Hang With Me” and “Indestructible.” Sure, Robyn could’ve edited down her three albums into one, but I’m not complaining.

Standout Tracks: Dancing on my Own · Hang With Me · Indestructible

Josh Ritter

· So Runs The World Away ·

When it comes to spinning a yarn, few do it better than Josh Ritter. Take “The Curse,” which tells the tragic love story of an archeologist and the mummy she unearths. So Runs the World Away is Ritter’s sixth studio album, and he just keeps getting better.

Standout Tracks: Folk Bloodbath · The Curse

Sufjan Stevens

· The Age of Adz ·

I’ve never understood all the fuss about Sufjan Stevens. Sure, he was prolific (despite abandoning his states project), but his sound was a little too delicate for me. In The Age of Adz though, Stevens pairs his wispy voice with beefed up production and the result is a must-listen record.

Standout Tracks: Too Much · Vesuvius

Crystal Castles

· Crystal Castles (II) ·

“Fainting Spells,” the opening track of Crystal Castle’s Crystal Castles II, may or may not have given me nightmares, but I continued on and discovered a noisy album that I love. Alice Glass’ strained vocals over Ethan Kath’s experimental beats are some powerful sh*t, so try this out if you need a dose of dance music with a splash of head-banging.

Standout Tracks: Baptism · Empathy

Jonsi

· Go ·

Jon (Jonsi) Thor Birgisson is the front man for Sigur Ros, the Icelandic band known for its huge, lush arrangements. On Jonsi’s debut solo album Go, he takes that aesthetic and shrinks it down to the size of a pop song.

Standout Tracks: Go Do · Animal Arithmetic

Laura Veirs

· July Flame ·

Laura Veirs, the bespectacled singer-songwriter from Portland, is a little nerdy and a lot of adorable. July Flame is her seventh record, and her finger-picked guitar and lyrical sincerity make for a winning combination. Folk music lovers, give this one a listen.

Standout Tracks: July Flame · Carol Kaye

Laura Marling

· I Speak Because I Can ·

This summer, I obsessed about Laura Marling’s indie-folk love triangle but there’s more to her than her boyfriends. At only 20 years old, Marling sings with the wisdom of someone twice her age. And with her sophomore album I Speak Because I Can, she exhibits more confidence than the meek singer-songwriter that burst onto the London anti-folk scene just three years ago.

Standout Tracks: Blackberry Stone · Rambling Man

More Best of 2010:

+ NPR Music’s Best Music of 2010
+ Rough Trade’s Albums of the Year
+ Spinner’s 30 Best Albums of 2010
+ Rolling Stone’s Best Albums of 2010

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Jess G.

Jess is a writer/producer with a knack for audio and online production. She grew up in California and now lives in Washington, DC, where she recently graduated from Georgetown University. Jess' jacket collection is obscenely large, and so is her music library. In her spare time, Jess enjoys riding her bike in the city, blogging, writing songs, and eating good food.

Jess has written 44 articles for us.

119 Comments

  1. Florence + the Machine … Lungs
    Kings of Leon … Come Around Sundown
    Eminem … Recovery
    Kanye West … My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
    Black Keys … Brothers
    Cee Lo Green … The Lady Killer

    • This list read my mind! Plus:

      Girl Talk – All Day
      Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
      Taylor Swift – Speak Now
      Hanson – Shout It Out

  2. The Suburbs by Arcade Fire. Good to see them back in Funeral-form after the misstep that was Neon Bible.

    Also their SNL appearance was really great, so that made me love the record even more.

  3. #1 for me has got to be Goodbye To The Rank and File by Casey Neill & The Norway Rats. Includes members from The Decemberists. Pretty much sounds like a cross between The Pogues, Bruce Springsteen and REM. If this doesn’t appeal, I have nothing more to say to you.

    Lightning From The North by The .357 String Band
    Basically punk bluegrass. Fuck. Yeah.

    Genuine Negro Jig by Carolina Chocolate Drops
    Old timey music for the 21st century. That made sense in my head.

    That’s all I can think of for now…more may come to me.

    • Oh my god the carolina chocolate drops, how can I not have heard of them before now? Thanks for mentioning their name on a website i happen to frequent:)

    • LUNGS came out last year, & i put it on my Best of 2009 list, but it’s SO GOOD it’s a repeat on my 2010 list :]

  7. so many albums this year.

    Wavves – King of the Beach
    Toro Y Moi – Causers Of This
    Charlotte Gainsbourg – irm
    Scissor Sisters – Night Work
    Flying Lotus – cosmogramma
    Four Tet – There Is Love In You
    Zola Jesus – Stridulum
    etc.

  8. titus andronicus – the monitor
    chris pureka – how i learned to see in the dark
    janelle monae – the archandroid
    florence + the machine – lungs
    yeasayer – odd blood

    those are just the ones i can think of off the top of my head! 2010 = awesome music year.

  9. I wish someone could just give me all these files of music and the time to listen to them and discard the ones I dislike and adore the ones I do and then the original person(s) who sent me those files would not be allowed to judge me based on those choices.

  10. Beach House- Teen Dream

    Laetitia Sadier- The Trip

    Warpaint-The Fool

    Frankie Rose and The Outs- Frankie Rose and The Outs

    The Mynabirds- What We Lose In The Fire, We Gain In The Flood

    Caribou- Swim

    Joanna Newsom- Have One on Me

  11. The Gaslight Anthem-American Slang

    Murder By Death-Good Morning Magpie

    I think those were the only two albums from 2010 I listened to. At the rate I generally go at, I’ll get to the rest of this stuff in, like, 2016.

      • Yes! I’m glad someone else agrees. I love indie and Janelle Monae as much as the next queer, but sometimes I feel that no one I like aside from my girlfriend actually enjoys the vast majority of music I listen to. Aside from Ani. She bridges all divides.

  12. WOW WOW WOW

    I don’t see any Erykah Badu or Janelle Monae on this thread!

    but i’ll forgive you this time…..

    • Jeez, people, top ten lists are subjective! If you don’t agree, write your own top ten list!

      That being said, I love me some Janelle Monae. :3

    • I liked Janelle Monae, but it just didn’t make my Top 10. I loved the video for “Cold War,” though.

  13. Lungs (Florence + The Machine) was 2009, ya’ll! But it didn’t really get attention until this year, true.

    I liked:
    The Suburbs, Arcade Fire
    Fields, Junip
    Crazy For You, Best Coast
    Sea of Cowards, The Dead Weather
    The ArchAndroid, Janelle Monae
    This is Happening, LCD Soundsystem (except that awful single)
    Brothers, The Black Keys
    Have One On Me, Joanna Newsom
    All Delighted People EP, Sufjan Stevens
    Familial, Philip Selway
    Maximum Balloon (self-titled)

    I don’t follow new music enough to assert that these are THE BEST, but they’re what I heard and liked.

      • They’re in the studio, so hopefully they’ll release something new soon! Phil’s album is definitely not Radiohead, but it is very lovely. I love listening to the last two songs before I go to bed – they’re beautiful and soft and uplifting.

  14. taking a little from everyone above, plus off the top of my head:

    arcade fire
    janelle monae
    marina and the diamonds
    laura veirs
    fences
    robyn

    i have to go to work now but i will be back!

  16. Just want to add that Sufjan never abandoned the 50 states project because he was never serious about it in the first place. I think he may have jokingly mentioned it once or twice in an interview, and then his fans seized upon it.

  17. 1/ *Pantha Du Prince* – Black Noise ( http://www.last.fm/music/Pantha+du+Prince )

    2/ I completely agree with you on *Gold Panda* – Lucky Shiner ( http://www.last.fm/music/Gold+Panda )

    3/ *Four Tet* – There Is Love In You ( http://www.last.fm/music/Four+Tet )

    4/ *Baths* – Cerulean (is it 2010? I always have a hard time telling what year stuff happened) ( http://www.last.fm/music/Baths )

    5/ and I’ve had *How to Dress Well* – Love Remains (http://www.last.fm/music/How+to+Dress+Well )
    on repeat for far longer than I’m comfortable admitting.

  18. I liked the releases by these guys:

    Robyn
    Holly Miranda
    Kanye West
    Sleigh Bells
    Deerhunter
    Janelle Monae
    Arcade Fire
    The National
    Marina & The Diamonds
    Black Keys

    But mostly I just listened to the ‘American Idiot’ Original Cast Recording

  19. totes agree with the national’s high violet and jonsi. i also have to add in band of horses’ infinite arms.

  20. oh geez, that new sujfan album has all of my attention right now. I always liked him to some degree, but this one is a total departure. Hearing it for the first time reminded me of the way I reacted to first hearing OK Computer when it was released. There’s so much going on, so many new layers to discover. effin’ love it.
    Sharon Van Etten’s Epic is another incredible one that came out this year.

        • Muchas gracias. Favorite tracks, y’all? “Jump on Stage” is my current fave, but it changes hourly. I’m seriously obsessed.

          • Abby, are you kidding? The record is supposed to be listened to as a whole. To divide it into tracks is, if I may, “risky business in the A.” I am truly shocked you would insult the integrity of the album in this unforgivable way. Girl, you better check yourself before you wreck yourself.

          • It’s obviously amazing and a million times better as a whole, but there are certain tracks that get me more excited than others. Mostly “Steady Shock”, “Oh No” and “Triple Double”. SO GOOD ALL OF THEM. I haven’t stopped listening since it was released.

          • Hot damn. All of the tracks are my favorite, obvs, I just have a soft spot for some Big Boi. Can we be friends?

  22. My top 5 would go little something like this:

    The National – High Violet
    Birds of Tokyo – Birds of Tokyo
    Kings of Leon – Come Around Sundown
    Band of Horses – Infinite Arms
    Ellie Goulding – Lights

  23. First albums that come to mind are:

    Arcade Fire – Suburbs
    Karkwa – Chemins de Verre

    A lot of my favs for 2010 were released in ’09. (The XX, Regina Spektor, YSP!WSD! Tegan & Sara…etc.)

  24. Geez, this whole thread makes me feel old. I don’t know who half these artists are.

    I do love the new Kanye, Arcade Fire and Black Keys (happy to see them finally getting some national attention).

  25. I swear i’m not being obscure just for cred but my two absolute favourites for 2010 are Isabeau et les chercheurs d’or by Isabeau et les chercheurs d’or and Skir by Majorstuen.

    But I’m into hardcore fiddling so what do I know.

  26. ahh, great list. i am obsessed with laura marling, blackberry stone is in the running for My Favorite Song Ever (also, if you like LM, you should check out jolie holland)!

    also, i’d add ‘the big black and the blue’, by first aid kit. and things other people mentioned (KANYE). oh, also the tallest man on earth album, ‘the wild hunt’.

    also i agree that taylor swift’s new album is weirdly SUPER FANTASTIC. though that hilarious article about how taylor swift is so awful is what made me aware of autostraddle’s existence, i can’t deny how much i like this album… whoops

    • Laura Marling and The Tallest Man on Earth have taken over every music I own and I absolutely love it.

  28. I LOVE TO MAKE LISTS

    Vampire Weekend – Contra
    Jónsi – Go
    Two Door Cinema Club – Tourist History
    The Morning Benders – Big Echo
    Local Natives – Gorilla Manor
    Freelance Whales – Weathervanes
    CocoRosie – Grey Oceans

    also…Whip My Hair by Willow Smith was a damn catchy single. Seriously. Kid can sing and the video is too cute.

  29. 1. Beach House – Teen Dream
    2. The National – High Violet
    3. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
    4. Basia Bulat – Heard of My Own
    5. You Say Party – XXXX
    6. Robyn – Body Talk

    • Is Heart of My Own amazing? Because I’ve heard it’s amazing, and if it’s anything like Oh My Darling I’m betting it’s amazing.

      • It IS amazing!!! My fave tracks = “Run” & “Heart On my Own”

        btw hey Faith, it’s Rin! haha :D see ya Sat.

  30. I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart – Butch Walker and the Black Widows Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys – My Chemical Romance
    The ArchAndroid – Janelle Monae
    Scratch The Aether -The Extraordinary Contraptions
    Night Work – Scissor Sisters
    Plastic Beach – Gorillaz
    The Lady Killer – Cee Lo Green

    These were my absolute favorites from this year, but I did enjoy the new Arcade Fire and Kanye as well. Jenny and Johnny was great too, but I got more enjoyment out of seeing them perform acoustically at Criminal Records in Atlanta. Jenny Lewis has the voice of an angel. *-*

    • I feel like the Glee soundtracks are going to become much like the ‘Now! that’s what I call music’ albums. They have cool songs and everyone likes them but there are so many that most are forgotten or unknown

  32. I want Jenny Lewis to have fun with me now.

    Top 5:
    1. Arcade Fire- The Suburbs (back to pre-Neon Bible)
    2. Wavves– King of the Beach (Post Acid is golden)
    3. Robyn– Body Talk (I’ve been in corners watching people, while listening to Robyn, for years)
    4. Matt and Kim- Sidewalks (not as good as Grand, but oh well)
    5. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis- VS. Redux (Remixes are key in any collection)

    I feel like every Sub Pop release this year was super well done.

  33. I love that you have Josh Ritter on this list. He is crazy underrated/awesome. High Violet is a great album, too.

    And while I agree that Lungs is an amazing album, I’m about 99% sure it came out in ’09, so that’s probably why it didn’t make the cut…

    On a super stereotypical note, Melissa Etheridge’s “Fearless Love” = pretty damn good. :D

    • Me encanta Gordita y Loca! Pero yo no adoré el álbum entero. Me encanta Shakira. Adoré el Shakira concierto!!

      • You’re going to make me gush over Shakira aren’t you? Seeing Shakira in concert totally won me over. I wasn’t a fan really until about 6 or so weeks ago when I saw her on her last U.S. tour date in Chicago. So going back and listening to her albums now is probably a little different experience than for someone who’s been following her for a while. But I see where you’re coming from – I guess I’m still in obsession mode. Loca is one of those songs that’s easy to get stuck in your head. I like the Spanish version better though. I think her songs in Spanish, in general, sound better anyway; the meaning of her songs get lost in translation otherwise. Hearing Gordita live, with the bass on steroids, is freaking awesome – definitely got me looking closer at reggaeton music. Her cover of Islands by The Xx is also a surprise but it just goes to show you the range she’s capable of. Antes De Las Seis probably has the strongest lyrics and is worth another listen in my opinion though. Hearing her perform that live is awe-inspiring and a worthy part of the encore. But the soccer fan in me still says Waka Waka is the best song on the album if not her career.

        FYI: I started typed this response in Spanish before I realized how hard it actually was, even with 5 semesters of Spanish. I’m out of practice!

        • I am glad you didn’t. lol. I don;t know Spanish, I just love it.

          I have loved Shakira ever since she jumped out of the water, danced with horses and sang whereever whenever we’ll be together! And I finally got to see her in concert almost 10 years later! I was the one of the only 4 black people there and I went alone. But she was FANTASTIC!!

          Certain songs I like in English some in Spanish. Loca sounds better in Spanish but I like the actual meaning of the English chorus better. So its a toss up. When I sing her songs people are always like do you know what she is saying.. I know the general meaning of the song but you don;t have to know exactly what she is saying to love it. And I love her style of writing! Plus she combines sexy and cuteness in a way I haven’t seen before.. Just love her!

          • I went with a group of guys but I did my best to fit in by waving my Venezuelan friend’s flag. :) What was more awkward for me was going to a Tegan and Sara concert (or more like 4 in a single year) by myself and as a single, straight, and “foreign-looking” (not my words) man.

          • As a tall straight black woman, tegan and sara was a little different for me too but its alternative ppl so they are less judgy. Also brought my sister along. I saw T&S 3 times this year! And it was the first time. Aerosmith and Kings of Leon/Black Keys was the most awkward because I went by myself.

            I also went to see one of my favorite bands As Tall As Lions. Lupe Fiasco was also playing in the same building. When I got to the door before I said or gave him anything the staff said, ‘Um your in the wrong place Lupe is downstairs.’ I said, ‘I am going to see As Tall as Lions.’ He then gave me the most raised eyebrow and side glance I have ever seen.

          • Wow, that guy was being a little presumptuous – and at 6’3″ I get the height thing too. I’m going to be honest when I say I don’t know who Lupe Fiasco is but I do have Ghosts of York from As Tall As Lions. I’ll definitely have to sample more of their stuff now.

          • YES! As Tall As Lions is right after Tegan and Sara in my book. Their self-titled album, As Tall As Lions and You Can’t Take It With You(2009) and Into the Flood EP.. Love!! Ghost of York is amazing, my second fav. My favorite from them and really an all time favorite is ‘Maybe I’m Just Tired’. I tear up every time!

    • I love Kylie. My favorites on the album is All the Lovers, Get Outta My Way and Everything is Beautiful. I really love Get Outta My Way!

      I am counting the minutes till she graces the US with her presence again! I am flying to wherever to see the Synth Pop Goddess

  37. Megan Washington’s debut album:

    I believe you liar,

    is AMAZING. She’s even better live, and is deservedly going through the roof here in Australia :)

  39. yes. yes. yes. freelance whales’ weathervanes made every morning better.
    also:
    arcade fire — the suburbs.
    the black keys — brothers.
    broken bells — broken bells.

    yeasayer — odd blood? (i listened to it for a month non stop and then stopped listening to it, except for o.n.e. which i love forever. so, odd blood for album of the april?)

    surprised that more people haven’t mentioned lcd soundsystem! so good, so very good.

  40. Can I just say the Melvin’s The Bride Cried Murder?
    Not because it’s all that spectacular of a Melvins’ album or anything, because by comparison to other Melvins’ albums, it’s not.
    BUT, it IS the Melvins, and therefore more awesome than 99% of anything, ever.
    Also, the Lollipop Factory’s Eat Cake.

    That is all, ladies.

  41. My top 3:

    1. Superchunk- Majesty Shredding (I don’t think anyone has mentioned this one yet, but it is SO good)
    2. Beach House- Teen Dream
    3. The ArchAndroid – Janelle Monae

    • I just didn’t get around to listening to Superchunk’s new album, but “Learned To Surf” came up on a Merge sampler I have and I wanted to hear more. Good picks!

    • Majesty Shredding was awesome! I hate to admit this, but I had never listened to Superchunk before that album, even though I probably listen to every band they influenced. I can’t believe I was in the dark for so long. “My Gap Feels Weird” is so excellent.

  43. Excellent list, Jess.

    Y La Bamba – Lupon : Plus she’s super hot and says things like “this song is for my friend Megan because she’s so beautiful”.
    http://vimeo.com/16496271
    Jenny and Johnny – I’m Having Fun Now
    Horse Feathers – Thistled Spring
    Rae Spoon – Love Is A Hunter
    Though she doesn’t have a solo album out right now, I’ve had quite a few solo songs from Ambrosia Parsley on a loop. So I feel she’s an honorary mention.

  45. DON’T FORGET HOLLY MIRANDA! so much love for her. i mean her album. what?

    (2010 albums by kaki king, peggy sue, washington & the jezabels were all pretty swell in my book)

  46. you guys it’s official, i live under a rock. it’s just me, glee, ani difranco, jimi hendrix, the american idiot original broadway recording, handel and a bottle of whiskey. who are these bands you kids are listening to these days. were any of their songs on The O.C.

    i think the only reason i’m even semi-aware of any of these things like um, florence & the machine or the black keys, is from editing/reviewing music articles for autostraddle.

    • Riese, a bunch of .mp3s are coming your way when I get home from work.

      You may not know who Laura Veirs is, but the only thing I know about television right now is that Dexter is still free to murder serial killers. That is all.

  47. – Arcade Fire
    – Sleigh Bells
    – Sarah Harmer
    – Stars
    – Belle & Sebastian

    And a bunch of old stuff that isn’t from this year that I loved and listened to a hy-uuuuuge amount.

  50. I’m ashamed. I don’t know any of these bands. And when I looked through my iTunes, I only downloaded 4 albums this year.

    Hope for Haiti Now
    Girl Talk – All Day (coz it was free)
    Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (which for some reason I always call My Beautiful Dark Twisted Family)
    Mark Ronson – Record Collection

    Of these, I absolutely ADORE Record Collection. It’s the only one in that list that I listen to almost daily.

  51. Oh, I found another one that I listened to that actually came out this year! Motion City Soundtrack’s My Dinosaur Life. Absolutely brilliant album that shows it is totally possible to play pop-punk goodness in your 30s.

  53. yeah i’m here to agree with everyone who said broken bells.

    also i really like the way jess linked to videos of the standout tracks of each album. everyone should always do this.

  55. age of adz, age of adz, age of adz.

    goddamn, this album- feeling scared of love and running away and not knowing what you’re doing with your life and losing your soul and it’s perfect, i tell you, it’s PERFECT.

    • OMG thank you so much for existing!
      I’m a total music fan but I didn’t notice this album was out….i just heard it, it’s awesome! LOVE YOU xoxo

  56. Crystal Castles- Crystal Castles II
    El Guincho- Pop Negro
    Washington- I Believe You Liar
    Best Coast- Crazy For You
    M.I.A- Maya
    Kyu- Kyu
    Waaves- King of the Beach
    Warpaint- The Fool
    Zola Jesus- Stridulum II
    so many more. such a beautiful year!

  57. Yeasayer – Oddblood
    Robyn – Body Talk
    Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More
    Beach House – Teen Dream
    Best Coast- Crazy For You
    Girl Talk – All Day
    Janelle Monae – The Archandroid
    Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can
    Sia – We Are Born
    Two Door Cinema Club – Tourist History
    Caribou – Swim
    Tracey Thorn – Love and Its Opposite

  58. Best lists can be hard for me because there are some albums that I think are fantastic for everything except for being listenable. For me that would include albums like Kanye’s “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”, Janelle Monae, Neko Case’s 2008 “Fox Confessor Brings the Flood”. All well-crafted albums that show a lot of heart and artistry but, for me, listening to them takes a whole lot of patience.

    These are my best albums of the year I actually listen to:

    Nas & Damien Marley/ Distant Relatives – Fantastic. Best of the best.
    The Black Keys/ Brothers
    Taylor Swift/ Speak Now
    Cee-lo Green/ The Ladykiller
    Bruno Mars/ Doo-wops and Hooligans
    Little Big Town/ The Reason Why
    The Dead Weather/ Sea of Cowards
    Maxwell/ Fistful of Tears
    Glee: The Music Showstoppers
    Amerian Idiot/ Broadway Cast Recording
    Florence + The Machine/ Lungs (I know it was released last year but I didn’t hear of it until this year and it one of the best albums I’ve heard.)

    If we were doing singles I’d show love for:
    Kem “Why would you stay”
    Nicki Minaj feat. Eminem “Roman’s Revenge”
    Kanye & friends “Monster”
    B.o.b. feat. Hayley Williams “Airplanes”
    Lady Antebellum “Need You Now”
    Rihanna “What’s My Name”

  59. Most of my list has already been said, but I really like sharing my opinion so I’ll repeat them.

    Girl Talk – All Day
    Wavves – King of the Beach
    Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More
    Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
    Vampire Weekend – Contra
    Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager (SERIOUSLY HOW WAS THIS NOT MENTIONED YET IT’S THE BEST THING EVER)

    …although most of my current faves were released in ’09. What a good year that was.

    • I’m so with you with Kid Cudi! he’s awesome! Mumford and Sons are super,(and they sound like accountants or something) but they’re also ’09

  60. I’m such a full album girl and this year felt so much more like the year of the single to me. So there were a lot of songs that I loved, but not full albums. My number one favorite album of this year, I could listen to completely over and over again. Those vocals were just mesmerizing.

    1. Beach House – Teen Dream – How can you deny this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK_IyLEo6o4

    Some other albums I enjoyed this year, in no particular order:

    Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz – Hard to just pop in the player and listen to whenever, but so gorgeous and a great album. The first time I heard it I thought Sufjan had become the child of Radiohead’s Kid Amnesiac/In Rainbows and Bjork circa any album.

    Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings – I Learned The Hard Way – I went to see Lady Gaga and SJDK is STILL my favorite concert experience of the year.

    Arcade Fire – The Suburbs – one of my favorite bands and another great album from them!

    Phantogram – Eyelid Movies – that Sarah is such a cutie, plus the music of course: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHo5S93cEi0&feature=related

    Surfer Blood – Astro Coast – just nice fuzzy fun
    Matt & Kim – Sidewalks
    Frightened Rabbit – The Winter of Mixed Drinks
    Vampire Weekend – Contra
    The National – High Violet
    Josh Ritter – So Runs The World Away
    Belle & Sebastian – Write About Love
    Patty Griffin – Downtown Church
    Warpaint – Exquisite Corpse ( I know it’s the EP from 2009, but it’s wonderful and their album dropped in 2010!)
    Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Soundtrack – Just has this old alternative 90s feel to it that I love. Plus Metric! Hello!
    Lissie – Why You Runnin’ – (also an EP, but her album dropped in 2010 as well)
    Ra Ra Riot – The Orchard
    Mates of State – Crushes: The Covers Mixtape
    The New Pornographers – Together

    I’m sure there’s more! I won’t even begin to list all the singles or stand alone tracks that I’ve loved from this year. It’s a good mix of pop, indie, singer/songwriter, blues, bluegrass, rock, etc… Just really some great tracks that broke my heart or made me rock out in the car. And that’s the way life should be :)

  61. Sia- We Are Born
    Vampire Weekend- Contra
    Sara Bareilles- Kaleidoscope Heart
    The New Pornographers- Together

    Sia’s new album is perfection itself.

  63. Ok, fair warning, I practically listened to NOTHING in album format this year. I was working like a maniac and then studying like a maniac and I lost the will to search out cool new stuff, besides making an effort to go to some shows now and then.

    However I will point out these albums:
    – Owen Pallett – Heartland
    – Belle & Sebastian – Write About Love (It’s not the golden age of Belle & Sebastian but it’s new Belle & Sebastian and I really liked some of the songs!)
    – Woodhands – Remorsecapade. I didn’t like this as much as their previous album but hey, new Woodhands, all right.
    – Yeasayer – Odd Blood – the major exception to my “no albums” thing of 2010. If you could wear out MP3s I would have nothing left of Odd Blood, especially Madder Red and The Children. Amazing.
    – The Roots and John Legend – Wake Up. I really enjoyed this, it got me into listening to a lot of 70s soul and R&B this fall.

    I also listened to a lot of Arcade Fire, Robyn, Warpaint, Crystal Castles and Klaxons. I’m now looking forward to going on a listening binge of new music on people’s best-of-2010 lists now that my exams are over.

  65. I Blame Coco “The Constant” – wow, the voice, the mimic, gestures like the father!

    30 Seconds To Mars “This Is War”

    The Limousines “Get Sharp”

    Morning Parade (This Band will smash 2011!)

  66. So looking back on it, most of the albums I had on repeat this year are actually from LAST year (Passion Pit, Florence and the Machine, Bon Iver, Sunny Levine, Miike Snow, La Roux

    But, here are my actual ones for this year:

    Buke and Gass — Riposte
    I CAN’T BELIEVE no one has mentioned this yet – absolutely fantastic! It took a couple of listens for me to get into it, but it is awesome, noisy, driving, dissonant goodness. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj0HooCrw4w (I can only find a love version to listen to)
    The Black Keys — Brothers
    Barefoot Truth — Threads
    You may not have heard of them but they are fabulous. Kind of like if OCMS, Dispatch, (old school) Bob Dylan, and the Indigo Girls had a love child. With harmony and fiddle.
    Chris Pureka — How I learned to see in the Dark
    Sufjan Stevens — The Age of Ahz
    Mumford and Sons — Sigh No More
    Broken Bells — Broken Bells

    Thanks to you all and to the NPR All Songs Considered lists (http://www.npr.org/programs/all-songs-considered/) I now have about fifty new albums to download…

  67. The Five Ghosts- Stars. This album is fantastic!
    Romance is boring- Los Campesinos
    Danger Days- My Chemical Romance(Just saw them live and they were fantastic)
    American Slang- The Gaslight Anthem

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