Year-End Lists

Jason Bentley: Top 10 Albums of 2011, as posted by KCRW

[see also 2012]

1. Nine Types of Light
   TV on the Radio
2. Build a Rocket Boys!
   Elbow
3. Circuital
   My Morning Jacket
4. Helplessness Blues
   Fleet Foxes
5. 21
   Adele
6. Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
   Beastie Boys
7. In the Mountain in the Cloud
   Portugal. The Man
8. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
9. The English Riviera
   Metronomy
10. Metals
    Feist

Honorable Mentions

• Thank You, Happy Birthday
  Cage the Elephant
• SBTRKT
  SBTRKT
• A Different Kind of Fix
  Bombay Bicycle Club
• Laura
  Diego Garcia
• Reworked/Remixed
  Trentemoller
• Collapse Into Now
  R.E.M.
• Pala
  Friendly Fires
• Rave On Buddy Holly
  various artists
• Tassili
  Tinariwen
• Ashes & Fire
  Ryan Adams

Clash Magazine: Top 40 Albums of 2011

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

1. Monkeytown
   Modeselektor
2. Skying
   The Horrors
3. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
4. Gloss Drop
   Battles
5. The King of Limbs
   Radiohead
6. The English Riviera
   Metronomy
7. Blood Pressures
   Kills
8. 21
   Adele
9. Circuital
   My Morning Jacket
10. Dedication
    Zomby
11. The Rip Tide
    Beirut
12. Biophilia
    Björk
13. Helplessness Blues
    Fleet Foxes
14. Diamond Mine
    King Creosote & Jon Hopkins
15. Smother
    Wild Beasts
16. Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
    Beastie Boys
17. W
    PLANNINGTOROCK
18. Hotel Shampoo
    Gruff Rhys
19. Wounded Rhymes
    Lykke Li
20. The Less You Know The Better
    DJ Shadow
21. Replica
    Oneohtrix Point Never
22. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
    M83
23. The Whole Love
    Wilco
24. Mind Bokeh
    Bibio
25. Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
    Explosions in the Sky
26. Bon Iver
    Bon Iver
27. Smart Flesh
    The Low Anthem
28. Ceremonials
    Florence + The Machine
29. One Pig
    Matthew Herbert
30. Ashes & Fire
    Ryan Adams
31. Ritual Union
    Little Dragon
32. Watch the Throne
    Jay-Z and Kanye West
33. Velociraptor!
    Kasabian
34. D
    White Denim
35. I’m With You
    Red Hot Chili Peppers
36. Progress Chance
    Richard Donoso
37. Toomorrow
    Wagon Christ
38. West
    Wooden Shjips
39. Konkylie
    When Saints Go Machine
40. Rome
    Danger Mouse & Daniel Luppi

AwkwardSound: 25 Best Albums of 2011

1. David Comes to Life
   Fucked Up
2. Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me
   Touché Amoré
3. Yuck
   Yuck
4. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
5. Awake EP
   Trash Talk
6. Conatus
   Zola Jesus
7. New Brigade
   Iceage
8. Leave Home
   The Men
9. Take Care
   Drake
10. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
    M83
11. Belong
    Pains of Being Pure at Heart
12. Replica
    Oneohtrix Point Never
13. No Devolución
    Thursday
14. Cloud Nothings
    Cloud Nothings
15. Skying
    The Horrors
16. The Tao of the Dead
    …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead
17. Parallax
    Atlas Sound
18. Days
    Real Estate
19. We Are the Champions
    JEFF The Brotherhood
20. Shed
    Title Fight
21. Aesthethica
    Liturgy
22. Cherish the Light Years
    Cold Cave
23. The Year of Hibernation
    Youth Lagoon
24. Guider
    Disappears
25. Trash Hit
    Mr. Dream

Greg Kot: Top Albums of 2011, as published by The Chicago Tribune and aired on Sound Opinions

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

1. Wild Flag
   Wild Flag
2. Undun
   The Roots
3. Whokill
   Tune-Yards
4. What Were You Hoping For?
   Van Hunt
5. David Comes to Life
   Fucked Up
6. Here Before
   The Feelies
7. Stone Rollin’
   Raphael Saadiq
8. Birds & Drums
   Bewitched Hands
9. Relax
   Das Racist
10. Helplessness Blues
    Fleet Foxes
11. Indestructible Machine
    Lydia Loveless
12. Nine Types of Light
    TV on the Radio
13. Solid State: Songs from the Long Play
    Sam Phillips
14. Strange Mercy
    St. Vincent
15. Bad as Me
    Tom Waits
16. Rome
    Danger Mouse & Daniel Luppi
17. Anna Calvi
    Anna Calvi
18. Lenses Alien
    Cymbals Eat Guitars
19. Sin Sin Sin
    Le Butcherettes
20. C’mon
    Low

Music Writers for the BBC: Top 25 Albums of 2011

1. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
2. Smother
   Wild Beasts
3. Skying
   The Horrors
4. Burst Apart
   The Antlers
5. Bad as Me
   Tom Waits
6. The English Riviera
   Metronomy
7. 4
   Beyoncé
8. Last of the Country Gentlemen
   Josh T Pearson
9. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
10. New Brigade
    Iceage
11. Biophilia
    Björk
12. SBTRKT
    SBTRKT
13. On A Mission
    Katy B
14. Go-Go Boots
    Drive-By Truckers
15. We’re New Here
    Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx
16. Anna Calvi
    Anna Calvi
17. 50 Words for Snow
    Kate Bush
18. Helplessness Blues
    Fleet Foxes
19. The Magic Place
    Julianna Barwick
20. Past Life Martyred Saints
    EMA
21. The King is Dead
    The Decemberists
22. Darker Handcraft
    Trap Them
23. Cherish the Light Years
    Cold Cave
24. A Creature I Don’t Know
    Laura Marling
25. The People’s Key
    Bright Eyes

Filter Magazine: Top 20 Albums of 2011

[see also 2012]

1. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
   M83
2. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
3. Helplessness Blues
   Fleet Foxes
4. How Do You Do?
   Mayer Hawthorne
5. House of Balloons
   The Weeknd
6. 21
   Adele
7. Build a Rocket Boys!
   Elbow
8. Arabia Mountain
   Black Lips
9. Within and Without
   Washed Out
10. LIVE.LOVE.A$AP
    A$AP Rocky

Honorable Mentions (in order)

11. James Blake
    James Blake
12. Ashes & Fire
    Ryan Adams
13. Wounded Rhymes
    Lykke Li
14. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
    Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
15. Bad as Me
    Tom Waits
16. Ritual Union
    Little Dragon
17. Wasting Light
    Foo Fighters
18. The King of Limbs
    Radiohead
19. David Comes to Life
    Fucked Up
20. Audio,Video,Disco
    Justice

Fact Magazine: 50 Best Albums of 2011

[see also 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. House of Balloons
   The Weeknd
2. Glass Swords
   Rustie
3. Instrumentals
   Clams Casino
4. Bermuda Drain
   Prurient
5. Electronic Dream
   AraabMuzik
6. Far Side Virtual
   James Ferraro
7. Take Care
   Drake
8. The Magic Place
   Julianna Barwick
9. Routes
   LV & Joshua Idehen
10. Nostalgia, Ultra
    Frank Ocean
11. Hour Logic
    Laurel Halo
12. James Blake
    James Blake
13. Tragedy
    Julia Holter
14. LIVE.LOVE.A$AP
    A$AP Rocky
15. Dedication
    Zomby
16. Severant
    Kuedo
17. Seeping Through The Veil Of The Unconscious
    Motion Sickness of Time Travel
18. Cashmere Sheets
    Patrice & Friends
19. XXX
    Danny Brown
20. Afro Noise Vol. 1
    Cut Hands
21. Aftertime
    Roly Porter
22. Replica
    Oneohtrix Point Never
23. We’re New Here
    Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx
24. We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
    John Maus
25. Room(s)
    Machinedrum
26. SyMeta
    Byetone
27. 936
    Peaking Lights
28. Passed Me By
    Andy Stott
29. GLAQJO XAACSSO
    patten
30. Eye Contact
    Gang Gang Dance
31. Re: ECM
    Ricardo Villalobos & Max Loderbauer
32. Skying
    The Horrors
33. 808s & Dark Grapes II
    Main Attrakionz
34. Black Sun
    Kode9 and The Spaceape
35. Music For Thomas Carnacki Vol. 1
    Jon Brooks
36. The End of All Things
    Tropic of Cancer
37. Wander / Wonder
    Balam Acab
38. Breaking the Frame
    Surgeon
39. James Pants
    James Pants
40. The Haxan Cloak
    The Haxan Cloak
41. The Teac Life
    Legowelt
42. Fever
    2562
43. Smother
    Wild Beasts
44. Biophilia
    Björk
45. Blanck Mass
    Blanck Mass
46. Unity
    Damu
47. LP
    Container
48. Rubba Band Business 2
    Juicy J & Lex Luger
49. 93 Million Miles
    Africa Hitech
50. Urban Gothic
    Xander Harris

Mojo Magazine: Best Albums of 2011 [writers]

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

1. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
2. Skying
   The Horrors
3. Helplessness Blues
   Fleet Foxes
4. Gentle Spirit
   Jonathan Wilson
5. 50 Words for Snow
   Kate Bush
6. D
   White Denim
7. Last of the Country Gentlemen
   Josh T Pearson
8. Anna Calvi
   Anna Calvi
9. Bad as Me
   Tom Waits
10. Smother
    Wild Beasts
11. A Creature I Don’t Know
    Laura Marling
12. Smoke Ring for My Halo
    Kurt Vile
13. Cat’s Eyes
    Cat’s Eyes
14. Diamond Mine
    King Creosote & Jon Hopkins
15. So Beautiful or So What
    Paul Simon
16. Bon Iver
    Bon Iver
17. Everything’s Getting Older
    Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat
18. Demolished Thoughts
    Thurston Moore
19. James Blake
    James Blake
20. Circuital
    My Morning Jacket
21. Slave Ambient
    The War on Drugs
22. The Rip Tide
    Beirut
23. Apocalypse
    Bill Callahan
24. Past Life Martyred Saints
    EMA
25. The Stepkids
    The Stepkids
26. Go-Go Boots
    Drive-By Truckers
27. The Gathering
    Arbouretum
28. Wounded Rhymes
    Lykke Li
29. The Whole Love
    Wilco
30. Father, Son, Holy Ghost
    Girls
31. The Old Magic
    Nick Lowe
32. Biophilia
    Björk
33. The Wanting
    Glenn Jones
34. The Harrow & The Harvest
    Gillian Welch
35. Tassili
    Tinariwen
36. Black Up
    Shabazz Palaces
37. Road Trip
    Duane Eddy
38. All Through The Night
    The Sand Bag
39. Suck It and See
    Arctic Monkeys
40. No Time for Dreaming
    Charles Bradley
41. Kaputt
    Destroyer
42. The Road From Memphis
    Booker T. Jones
43. Good Days At Scholss Elmau
    Gwilym Simcock
44. Ghost On The Canvas
    Glen Campbell
45. Whokill
    Tune-Yards
46. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
    Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
47. The King of Limbs
    Radiohead
48. Red Barked Tree
    Wire
49. Nostalgia, Ultra
    Frank Ocean
50. Reverie
    Joe Henry

FasterLouder: Best Albums of 2011

[see also 2015 • 2012]

1. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
2. Unknown Mortal Orchestra
   Unknown Mortal Orchestra
3. Bad as Me
   Tom Waits
4. Adalita
   Adalita
5. David Comes to Life
   Fucked Up
6. Yuck
   Yuck
7. Harmony
   Harmony
8. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
9. Royal Headache
   Royal Headache
10. Nine Types of Light
    TV on the Radio
11. James Blake
    James Blake
12. The Hunter
    Mastodon
13. Wild Flag
    Wild Flag
14. SBTRKT
    SBTRKT
15. To the Horses
    Lanie Lane
16. Father, Son, Holy Ghost
    Girls
17. FOMO
    Liam Finn
18. A Creature I Don’t Know
    Laura Marling
19. Watch the Throne
    Jay-Z and Kanye West
20. Zonoscope
    Cut Copy
21. Metals
    Feist
22. Mirror Traffic
    Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
23. The Harrow & The Harvest
    Gillian Welch
24. Helplessness Blues
    Fleet Foxes
25. Smother
    Wild Beasts
26. Smoke Ring for My Halo
    Kurt Vile
27. Gloss Drop
    Battles
28. The English Riviera
    Metronomy
29. Only in Dreams
    Dum Dum Girls
30. Suck It and See
    Arctic Monkeys
31. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
    Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
32. Rain on the Humming Wire
    The Panics
33. Vows
    Kimbra
34. Making Mirrors
    Gotye
35. El Camino
    The Black Keys
36. Kiss Each Other Clean
    Iron & Wine
37. Whokill
    Tune-Yards
38. Tambourine
    Teeth and Tongue
39. Secret Rituals
    The Grates
40. The Whole Love
    Wilco
41. Past Life Martyred Saints
    EMA
42. Torches
    Foster the People
43. Good Times
    Eagle and the Worm
44. The Vasco Era
    The Vasco Era
45. Circuital
    My Morning Jacket
46. Angles
    The Strokes
47. Blood Pressures
    Kills
48. No Time for Dreaming
    Charles Bradley
49. Rumble, Shake & Tumble
    Wagons
50. The King of Limbs
    Radiohead

The Guardian: Best Albums of 2011

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

1. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
2. On A Mission
   Katy B
3. Nostalgia, Ultra
   Frank Ocean
4. 4
   Beyoncé
5. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
6. James Blake
   James Blake
7. The English Riviera
   Metronomy
8. House of Balloons
   The Weeknd
9. Glass Swords
   Rustie
10. Whokill
    Tune-Yards
11. D
    White Denim
12. Smother
    Wild Beasts
13. Diamond Mine
    King Creosote & Jon Hopkins
14. Bad as Me
    Tom Waits
15. SBTRKT
    SBTRKT
16. Skying
    The Horrors
17. Biophilia
    Björk
18. Strange Mercy
    St. Vincent
19. Take Care
    Drake
20. Helplessness Blues
    Fleet Foxes
21. The Harrow & The Harvest
    Gillian Welch
22. Last Night on Earth
    Noah & The Whale
23. A Creature I Don’t Know
    Laura Marling
24. The Bad in Each Other
    Feist
25. Smoke Ring for My Halo
    Kurt Vile
26. Eye Contact
    Gang Gang Dance
27. The King of Limbs
    Radiohead
28. Gentle Spirit
    Jonathan Wilson
29. 50 Words for Snow
    Kate Bush
30. We’re New Here
    Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx
31. Born This Way
    Lady Gaga
32. Wounded Rhymes
    Lykke Li
33. Kaputt
    Destroyer
34. Mirrorwriting
    Jamie Woon
35. Cat’s Eyes
    Cat’s Eyes
36. Hell on Heels
    Pistol Annies
37. Kanye West/Jay-Z
    Watch the Throne
38. Cinderella’s Eyes
    Nicola Roberts
39. Computers and Blues
    The Streets
40. Hotel Shampoo
    Gruff Rhys
41. Black Up
    Shabazz Palaces
42. Felt
    Nils Frahm
43. Unto the Locust
    Machine Head
44. Golden Xplosion
    Marius Neset
45. New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges
    Colin Stetson
46. The Rip Tide
    Beirut
47. As High as the Highest Heavens and from the Center to the Circumference of the Earth
    True Widow
48. Ashes & Fire
    Ryan Adams
49. Burst Apart
    The Antlers
50. New Brigade
    Iceage