Year-End Lists

Pitchfork: Top 50 Albums of 2011

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

1. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
2. Kaputt
   Destroyer
3. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
   M83
4. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
5. Father, Son, Holy Ghost
   Girls
6. Replica
   Oneohtrix Point Never
7. Whokill
   Tune-Yards
8. Take Care
   Drake
9. Days
   Real Estate
10. House of Balloons
    The Weeknd
11. Strange Mercy
    St. Vincent
12. James Blake
    James Blake
13. Past Life Martyred Saints
    EMA
14. Black Up
    Shabazz Palaces
15. Helplessness Blues
    Fleet Foxes
16. Smoke Ring for My Halo
    Kurt Vile
17. Instrumentals
    Clams Casino
18. Parallax
    Atlas Sound
19. XXX
    Danny Brown
20. Space is Only Noise
    Nicolas Jaar
21. Watch the Throne
    Jay-Z and Kanye West
22. An Empty Bliss Beyond This World
    The Caretaker
23. Apocalypse
    Bill Callahan
24. The Magic Place
    Julianna Barwick
25. Eye Contact
    Gang Gang Dance
26. Looping State of Mind
    The Field
27. 4
    Beyoncé
28. Zonoscope
    Cut Copy
29. The Book of David
    DJ Quik
30. Ravedeath, 1972
    Tim Hecker
31. Goodbye Bread
    Ty Segall
32. Tomboy
    Panda Bear
33. David Comes to Life
    Fucked Up
34. On A Mission
    Katy B
35. Nostalgia, Ultra
    Frank Ocean
36. 50 Words for Snow
    Kate Bush
37. New Brigade
    Iceage
38. Impossible Spaces
    Sandro Perri
39. Slave Ambient
    The War on Drugs
40. Electronic Dream
    AraabMuzik
41. Aesthethica
    Liturgy
42. SBTRKT
    SBTRKT
43. Wounded Rhymes
    Lykke Li
44. New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges
    Colin Stetson
45. Section.80
    Kendrick Lamar
46. Cults
    Cults
47. Sepalcure
    Sepalcure
48. Underneath the Pine
    Toro y Moi
49. Wild Flag
    Wild Flag
50. The Year of Hibernation
    Youth Lagoon

Ben Ratliff: Top 10 Albums of 2011, as published by The New York Times

1. Hell on Heels
   Pistol Annies
2. Live 1/15/11 WBGO
   Jason Moran / Robert Glasper Double Trip
3. Ravedeath, 1972
   Tim Hecker
4. So Beautiful or So What
   Paul Simon
5. Atma
   YOB
6. Aeriol Piano
   Kris Davis
7. Owl Splinters
   Deaf Center
8. Avenging Angel
   Craig Taborn
9. Section.80
   Kendrick Lamar
10. Cosmic Ocean Ship
    Mia Doi Todd

Jon Pareles: Top 10 Albums of 2011, as published by The New York Times

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017]

1. Metals
   Feist
2. So Beautiful or So What
   Paul Simon
3. Watch the Throne
   Jay-Z and Kanye West
4. Ashes & Fire
   Ryan Adams
5. Bad as Me
   Tom Waits
6. Take Care
   Drake
7. Whokill
   Tune-Yards
8. Wounded Rhymes
   Lykke Li
9. Cotonou Club
   Le Tout Puissant Orchestre Poly-Rythmo
10. Aesthethica
    Liturgy

Nate Chinen: Top 10 Albums of 2011, as published by The New York Times

[see also 2022 • 2017]

1. When the Heart Emerges Glistening
   Ambrose Akinmusire
2. Oblique-1
   Tyshawn Sorey
3. Whokill
   Tune-Yards
4. Avenging Angel
   Craig Taborn
5. Take Care
   Drake
6. Alma Adentro: The Puerto Rican Songbook
   Miguel Zenón
7. Hearts Wide Open
   Gilan Hekselman
8. Undun
   The Roots
9. Strange Mercy
   St. Vincent
10. Double Demon
    Starlicker

Jon Caramanica: Top 10 Albums of 2011, as published by The New York Times

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017]

1. Take Care
   Drake
2. Own the Night
   Lady Antebellum
3. Yuck
   Yuck
4. Only in Dreams
   Dum Dum Girls
5. Aesthethica
   Liturgy
6. Dr. Lecter
   Action Bronson
7. Watch the Throne
   Jay-Z and Kanye West
8. House of Balloons
   The Weeknd
9. Hell on Heels
   Pistol Annies
10. 4
    Beyoncé

Drowned in Sound: Favourite Albums of 2011

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

1. Burst Apart
   The Antlers
2. Ravedeath, 1972
   Tim Hecker
3. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
4. SBTRKT
   SBTRKT
5. 50 Words for Snow
   Kate Bush
6. Konkylie
   When Saints Go Machine
7. Felt
   Nils Frahm
8. The People’s Key
   Bright Eyes
9. The Rip Tide
   Beirut
10. The English Riviera
    Metronomy
11. Strange Mercy
    St. Vincent
12. Bon Iver
    Bon Iver
13. Bad as Me
    Tom Waits
14. C’mon
    Low
15. Past Life Martyred Saints
    EMA
16. A Winged Victory for the Sullen
    A Winged Victory For The Sullen
17. Smother
    Wild Beasts
18. Everything’s Getting Older
    Aidan Moffat & Bill Wells
19. Looping State of Mind
    The Field
20. Kaputt
    Destroyer
21. New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges
    Colin Stetson
22. Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
    Mogwai
23. Hearts
    I Break Horses
24. Feel It Break
    Austra
25. Slave Ambient
    The War on Drugs
26. David Comes to Life
    Fucked Up
27. House of Balloons
    The Weeknd
28. Skying
    The Horrors
29. Last of the Country Gentlemen
    Josh T Pearson
30. Biophilia
    Björk
31. Nostalgia, Ultra
    Frank Ocean
32. The King of Limbs
    Radiohead
33. Whokill
    Tune-Yards
34. All Things Will Unwind
    My Brightest Diamond
35. Wounded Rhymes
    Lykke Li
36. Smoke Ring for My Halo
    Kurt Vile
37. The Tao of the Dead
    …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead
38. On A Mission
    Katy B
39. Coracle
    WALLS
40. The Hunter
    Mastodon
41. Far Side Virtual
    James Ferraro
42. Watch the Throne
    Jay-Z and Kanye West
43. Marissa Nadler
    Marissa Nadler
44. Tomboy
    Panda Bear
45. New Look
    New Look
46. Crazy Clown Time
    David Lynch
47. Night of Hunters
    Tori Amos
48. Eye Contact
    Gang Gang Dance
49. Born This Way
    Lady Gaga
50. Space is Only Noise
    Nicolas Jaar
51. Pala
    Friendly Fires
52. Replica
    Oneohtrix Point Never
53. We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
    John Maus
54. The Year of Hibernation
    Youth Lagoon
55. Zonoscope
    Cut Copy
56. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
    M83
57. Dedication
    Zomby
58. Parallax
    Atlas Sound
59. The Whole Love
    Wilco
60. New Brigade
    Iceage
61. Dust Collision
    Kate Wax
62. Glass Swords
    Rustie
63. Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
    Explosions in the Sky
64. Father, Son, Holy Ghost
    Girls
65. Virtue
    Emmy the Great
66. Mazes
    Moon Duo
67. 936
    Peaking Lights
68. Cinderella’s Eyes
    Nicola Roberts
69. A Young Person’s Guide
    Mark McGuire
70. Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
    WU LYF
71. Veronica Falls
    Veronica Falls
72. You & I
    The Pierces
73. Hello Sadness
    Los Campesinos
74. James Blake
    James Blake
75. Femme Fatale
    Britney Spears

Slant Magazine: 25 Best Albums of 2011

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

1. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
2. Wounded Rhymes
   Lykke Li
3. Born This Way
   Lady Gaga
4. Black Up
   Shabazz Palaces
5. Strange Mercy
   St. Vincent
6. Whokill
   Tune-Yards
7. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
8. On A Mission
   Katy B
9. Smother
   Wild Beasts
10. House of Balloons
    The Weeknd
11. Relax
    Das Racist
12. Nine Types of Light
    TV on the Radio
13. Weather
    Meshell Ndegeocello
14. Take Care
    Drake
15. Lupercalia
    Patrick Wolf
16. James Blake
    James Blake
17. Watch the Throne
    Jay-Z and Kanye West
18. Kaputt
    Destroyer
19. Eye Contact
    Gang Gang Dance
20. Ghost to a Ghost/Gutter Town
    Hank 3
21. Shapeshifting
    Young Galaxy
22. Ceremonials
    Florence + The Machine
23. Inclusions
    Ben Sollee
24. Part IV
    Fred Falke
25. Yuck
    Yuck

DIY Magazine: Albums of 2011

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2016]

1. Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam
   Ghostpoet
2. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
3. The English Riviera
   Metronomy
4. Smother
   Wild Beasts
5. Burst Apart
   The Antlers
6. Father, Son, Holy Ghost
   Girls
7. Strange Mercy
   St. Vincent
8. Eye Contact
   Gang Gang Dance
9. House of Balloons
   The Weeknd
10. 21
    Adele
11. Bon Iver
    Bon Iver
12. Skying
    The Horrors
13. Suck It and See
    Arctic Monkeys
14. Smoke Ring for My Halo
    Kurt Vile
15. We’re Here Now
    Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx
16. Wounded Rhymes
    Lykke Li
17. Wild Flag
    Wild Flag
18. Hello Sadness
    Los Campesinos
19. Paradise
    Slow Club
20. Yuck
    Yuck
21. Welcome to Condale
    Summer Camp
22. Last Summer
    Eleanor Friedberger
23. Route One Or Die
    Three Trapped Tigers
24. Lenses Alien
    Cymbals Eat Guitars
25. Kaputt
    Destroyer
26. James Blake
    James Blake
27. Whokill
    Tune-Yards
28. Helplessness Blues
    Fleet Foxes
29. Hotel Shampoo
    Gruff Rhys
30. Banjo or Freakout
    Banjo or Freakout
31. Endless Now
    Male Bonding
32. Slave Ambient
    The War on Drugs
33. Glaqco Xaacsso
    patten
34. The People’s Key
    Bright Eyes
35. Goblin
    Tyler, The Creator
36. Days
    Real Estate
37. Biophilia
    Björk
38. Belong
    Pains of Being Pure at Heart
39. Gloss Drop
    Battles
40. Past Life Martyred Saints
    EMA
41. Within and Without
    Washed Out
42. A Creature I Don’t Know
    Laura Marling
43. Valhalla Dancehall
    British Sea Power
44. Veronica Falls
    Veronica Falls
45. New Brigade
    Iceage
46. An Album By Korallreven
    Korallreven
47. Mirror Traffic
    Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
48. Tamer Animals
    Other Lives
49. Acrobats
    Peggy Sue
50. Every Kingdom
    Ben Howard

Resident Advisor: Top 20 Albums of 2011 [as voted by staff]

[see also 2023 • 2018 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012]

1. Space is Only Noise
   Nicolas Jaar
2. Room(s)
   Machinedrum
3. Fatty Folders
   Roman Flügel
4. What Have We Learned
   Morphosis
5. Dedication
   Zomby
6. It Can Be Done, But Only I Can Do It
   Omar S
7. Instrumentals
   Clams Casino
8. Severant
   Kuedo
9. Replica
   Oneohtrix Point Never
10. Pinch & Shackleton
    Pinch and Shackleton
11. Passed Me By
    Andy Stott
12. The Story About You
    Moomin
13. Yours & Mine
    Steffi
14. James Blake
    James Blake
15. Through the Green
    Tiger & Woods
16. House of Balloons
    The Weeknd
17. Ravedeath, 1972
    Tim Hecker
18. Black Square
    BNJMN
19. Resolution 653
    Instra:Mental
20. We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
    John Maus

Lucy Jones: 10 Favourite Albums of 2011, as published by The Telegraph

• James Blake
  James Blake
• D
  White Denim
• Let England Shake
  PJ Harvey
• The King of Limbs
  Radiohead
• Coracle
  Walls
• Whokill
  Tune-Yards
• Biophilia
  Björk
• House of Balloons
  The Weeknd
• Glass Swords
  Rustie
• Skying
  The Horrors