Year-End Lists

Stephen Thompson of NPR: 10 Favorite Albums of 2011

[see also 2017]

1. Diamond Mine
   King Creosote & Jon Hopkins
2. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
3. Civilian
   Wye Oak
4. The Magic Place
   Julianna Barwick
5. Days
   Real Estate
6. We Are the Tide
   Blind Pilot
7. Talk That Talk
   Rihanna
8. The Whole Love
   Wilco
9. Undun
   The Roots
10. Come Back to Us
    Release the Sunbird

Ann Powers of NPR: 10 Favorite Albums of 2011

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2016]

1. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
2. Whokill
   Tune-Yards
3. Black Up
   Shabazz Palaces
4. Hell on Heels
   Pistol Annies
5. Strange Mercy
   St. Vincent
6. Barton Hollow
   The Civil Wars
7. 50 Words for Snow
   Kate Bush
8. Take Care
   Drake
9. Back to Love
   Anthony Hamilton
10. Undun
    The Roots

Peter Bradshaw: Best Films of 2011, as published by The Guardian

[see also 10 Best Films of 2012 • Top 5 Films of 2012]

Best Film

1. The Artist
   Michel Hazanavicius
2. Margaret
   Kenneth Lonergan
3. A Separation
   Asghar Farhadi
4. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
   Tomas Alfredson
5. Poetry
   Lee Chang-dong
6. The Tree of Life
   Terrence Malick
7. Le quattro volte
   Michelangelo Frammartino
8. We Need to Talk About Kevin
   Lynne Ramsay
9. The Skin I Live In
   Pedro Almodóvar
10. Bridesmaids
    Paul Feig

Best Documentary

1. Senna
   Asif Kapadia
2. George Harrison: Living in the Material World
   Martin Scorsese
3. Cave of Forgotten Dreams
   Werner Herzog
4. Pina
   Wim Wenders
5. Inside Job
   Charles Ferguson
6. Dreams of a Life
   Carol Morley
7. Bobby Fischer Against the World
   Liz Garbus
8. Waste Land
   Lucy Walker
9. TT3D: Closer to the Edge
   Richard de Araques
10. Project Nim
    James Marsh

Jim DeRogatis: 40 Favorite Albums of 2011, as posted by WBEZ and aired on Sound Opinions

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. Sin Sin Sin
   Le Butcherettes
2. Wild Flag
   Wild Flag
3. Relax
   Das Racist
4. Here Before
   The Feelies
5. Rome
   Danger Mouse & Daniel Luppi
6. David Comes to Life
   Fucked Up
7. Birds & Drums
   Bewitched Hands
8. Whokill
   Tune-Yards
9. The King is Dead
   The Decemberists
10. Rolling Blackouts
    The Go! Team
11. Black Up
    Shabazz Palaces
12. The Whole Love
    Wilco
13. Do Whatever You Want All the Time
    Ponytail
14. Stone Rollin’
    Raphael Saadiq
15. Helplessness Blues
    Fleet Foxes
16. When Fish Ride Bicycles
    The Cool Kids
17. Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
    Beastie Boys
18. Nine Types of Light
    TV on the Radio
19. 50 Words for Snow
    Kate Bush
20. The Hunter
    Mastodon
21. What Were You Hoping For?
    Van Hunt
22. Mirror Mirror
    Sons & Daughters
23. Blessed
    Lucinda Williams
24. Go-Go Boots
    Drive-By Truckers
25. The Fall
    Gorillaz
26. Indestructible Machine
    Lydia Loveless
27. Mirror Traffic
    Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
28. Lasers
    Lupe Fiasco
29. The King of Limbs
    Radiohead
30. False Beats and True Hearts
    Damon & Naomi
31. Grace for Drowning
    Steven Wilson
32. For True
    Trombone Shorty
33. Civilian
    Wye Oak
34. Mannequin Men
    Mannequin Men
35. Wounded Rhymes
    Lykke Li
36. Elektrafone
    Beats Antique
37. This Is Only A Test
    Smoking Popes
38. Keys to the Kingdom
    North Mississippi Allstars
39. Anar
    Marketa Irglova
40. Dye It Blonde
    Smith Westerns

Dummy: 12 Albums for 2011, chronologically:

[see also 2015]

• James Blake
  James Blake
• Let England Shake
  PJ Harvey
• Space is Only Noise
  Nicolas Jaar
• One Nation
  Hype Williams
• Watch the Throne
  Jay-Z and Kanye West
• Instrumentals
  Clams Casino
• Tragedy
  Julia Holter
• Father, Son, Holy Ghost
  Girls
• Glass Swords
  Rustie
• Severant
  Kuedo
• Far Side Virtual
  James Ferraro
• Replica
  Oneohtrix Point Never

Richard Brody: 26 Best Films of 2011, as published by The New Yorker

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2012]

1. The Future
   Miranda July
2. The Tree of Life
   Terrence Malick
3. Film Socialisme
   Jean-Luc Godard
4. Hugo
   Martin Scorsese
5. Certified Copy
   Abbas Kiarostami
6. Margaret
   Kenneth Lonergan
7. Petition
   Zhao Liang
8. Putty Hill
   Matthew Porterfield
9. Silver Bullets
   Joe Swanberg
10. A Screaming Man
    Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
11. The Interrupters
    Steve James
12. You All Are Captains
    Oliver Laxe
13. Bellflower
    Evan Glodell
14. J. Edgar
    Clint Eastwood
15. Midnight in Paris
    Woody Allen
16. Terri
    Azazel Jacobs
17. Impolex
    Alex Ross Perry
18. Moneyball
    Bennett Miller
19. Road to Nowhere
    Monte Hellman
20. Bridesmaids
    Nicole Holofcener
21. The Descendants
    Alexander Payne
22. Uncle Kent
    Joe Swanberg
23. The Time That Remains
    Elia Suleiman
24. Le Havre
    Aki Kaurismäki
25. The Skin I Live In
    Pedro Almodóvar
26. Restless
    Gus Van Sant

The Wire: Top 50 Albums of 2011

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. Far Side Virtual
   James Ferraro
2. Glass Swords
   Rustie
3. Transamorem – Transmortem
   Eliane Radigue
4. One Nation
   Hype Williams
5. The SMiLE Sessions
   The Beach Boys
6. The Resurrection and Revenge of the Clayton Peacock
   Michael Chapman
7. Just A Taste
   DJ Rashad
8. Hour Logic
   Laurel Halo
9. Lulu
   Lou Reed & Metallica
10. Work 2006-2011
    John Wall & Alex Rogers
11. In a Flash Everything Comes Together As One There Is No Need For A Subject
    Keiji Haino / Jim O’Rourke / Oren Ambarchi
12. Ancient Romans
    Sun Araw
13. How the Thing Sings
    Bill Orcutt
14. Replica
    Oneohtrix Point Never
15. 936
    Peaking Lights
16. Garten Der Unberwusstheit
    Corrupted
17. Wander/Wonder
    Balam Acab
18. Re: ECM
    Ricardo Villalobos & Max Loderbauer
19. Presents Kentje’sz Beatsz
    Anti G
20. Forma II
    Thomas Ankersmit & Valerio Tricoli
21. Let England Shake
    PJ Harvey
22. The Great Learning
    Cornelius Cardew
23. The Golden Age of Apocalypse
    Thundercat
24. Speculative Solution
    Hecker
25. We Stay Together
    Andy Stott
26. Remix of Rinse 16
    Ben UFO
27. The King of Limbs
    Radiohead
28. Margaret Dygas
    Margaret Dygas
29. Old News #5
    Jim O’Rourke
30. Bangs & Works Vol. 2: The Best of Chicago Footwork
    various artists
31. Intrusive Incidentalz Vol 1
    Ekoplekz
32. Ravedeath, 1972
    Tim Hecker
33. As The Crow Flies
    The Advisory Circle
34. Live In Europe 1967: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1
    Miles Davis
35. Dorwytch
    Alexander Tucker
36. Cryptography
    Helm
37. The Luminous Ground
    John Chantler
38. TxN
    Ectoplasm Girls
39. Hold Everything Dear
    Cindytalk
40. Nostalgia, Ultra
    Frank Ocean
41. Severant
    Kuedo
42. Toad Blinker
    Structure
43. Ersatz GB
    The Fall
44. Intrigue & Stuff Vol. 1
    Leyland Kirby
45. Cashmere Sheets
    Patrice & Friends
46. Dedication
    Zomby
47. Music For Merce (1952-2009)
    various artists
48. Ghosts
    Peter Evans Quintet
49. Motormouth Variations
    Rrose x Bob Ostertag
50. Trainsongs: Guitar Compositions 1967-2010
    Michael Chapman

Rolling Stone: 50 Best Albums of 2011

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. 21
   Adele
2. Watch the Throne
   Jay-Z and Kanye West
3. So Beautiful or So What
   Paul Simon
4. Helplessness Blues
   Fleet Foxes
5. The King of Limbs
   Radiohead
6. Born This Way
   Lady Gaga
7. The King is Dead
   The Decemberists
8. The Whole Love
   Wilco
9. Wild Flag
   Wild Flag
10. How To Become Clairvoyant
    Robbie Robertson
11. Circuital
    My Morning Jacket
12. El Camino
    The Black Keys
13. Whokill
    Tune-Yards
14. Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
    Beastie Boys
15. Thank You, Happy Birthday
    Cage the Elephant
16. Collapse Into Now
    R.E.M.
17. Nine Types of Light
    TV on the Radio
18. Metals
    Feist
19. Chief
    Eric Church
20. Wasting Light
    Foo Fighters
21. Bon Iver
    Bon Iver
22. Take Care
    Drake
23. Bad as Me
    Tom Waits
24. Nostalgia, Ultra
    Frank Ocean
25. 4
    Beyoncé
26. Strange Mercy
    St. Vincent
27. Ceremonials
    Florence + The Machine
28. Relax
    Das Racist
29. Hell on Heels
    Pistol Annies
30. World Wide Rebel Songs
    Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman
31. Four the Record
    Miranda Lambert
32. Return of 4Eva
    Big K.R.I.T.
33. Last of the Country Gentlemen
    Josh T Pearson
34. SuperHeavy
    SuperHeavy
35. Nothing is Wrong
    Dawes
36. Mirror Traffic
    Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
37. Tomboy
    Panda Bear
38. The Hunter
    Mastodon
39. Smoke Ring for My Halo
    Kurt Vile
40. The Bright Lights
    Gary Clark Jr.
41. Ritual Union
    Little Dragon
42. Kaputt
    Destroyer
43. Blood Pressures
    Kills
44. Stone Rollin’
    Raphael Saadiq
45. Revelator
    Tedeschi Trucks Band
46. D
    White Denim
47. Let England Shake
    PJ Harvey
48. No Time for Dreaming
    Charles Bradley
49. Life Sux
    Wavves
50. Turtleneck & Chain
    The Lonely Island

NME: Best Albums of 2011

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
2. The English Riviera
   Metronomy
3. Skying
   The Horrors
4. Smother
   Wild Beasts
5. Smoke Ring for My Halo
   Kurt Vile
6. Suck It and See
   Arctic Monkeys
7. Strange Mercy
   St. Vincent
8. On A Mission
   Katy B
9. Whokill
   Tune-Yards
10. Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
    WU LYF
11. Anna Calvi
    Anna Calvi
12. Again Into Eyes
    Scum
13. Zeroes QC
    Suuns
14. What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
    The Vaccines
15. Wild Flag
    Wild Flag
16. A Different Kind of Fix
    Bombay Bicycle Club
17. Gloss Drop
    Battles
18. Cat’s Eyes
    Cat’s Eyes
19. A Creature I Don’t Know
    Laura Marling
20. The King of Limbs
    Radiohead
21. Velociraptor!
    Kasabian
22. Last Night on Earth
    Noah & The Whale
23. Yuck
    Yuck
24. Big Talk
    Big Talk
25. W
    PLANNINGTOROCK
26. Father, Son, Holy Ghost
    Girls
27. Arabia Mountain
    Black Lips
28. Looping State of Mind
    The Field
29. Dye It Blonde
    Smith Westerns
30. Pala
    Friendly Fires
31. Ceremonials
    Florence + The Machine
32. Submarine OST
    Alex Turner
33. Audio,Video,Disco
    Justice
34. Unknown Mortal Orchestra
    Unknown Mortal Orchestra
35. Nine Types of Light
    TV on the Radio
36. New Brigade
    Iceage
37. D
    White Denim
38. Biophilia
    Björk
39. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
    Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
40. Cherish the Light Years
    Cold Cave
41. Exmilitary
    Death Grips
42. Lupercalia
    Patrick Wolf
43. Wasting Light
    Foo Fighters
44. Kaputt
    Destroyer
45. Feel It Break
    Austra
46. Bon Iver
    Bon Iver
47. Days
    Real Estate
48. Paradise
    Slow Club
49. SBTRKT
    SBTRKT
50. Watch the Throne
    Jay-Z and Kanye West

The Atlantic’s literary editor, Benjamin Schwarz, chooses the best five books of 2011:

[see also 2012]

1. The Hare with Amber Eyes

   A Family’s Century of Art and Loss
   Edmund de Waal
2. Letters to Monica
   Philip Larkin, edited by Anthony Thwaite
3. The Complete Architecture of Adler & Sullivan
   Richard Nickel and Aaron Suskind, with John Vinci and Ward Miller
4. Saints and Sinners

   Stories
   Edna O’Brien
5. Emily, Alone
   Stewart O’Nan