Year-End Lists

The Fly: Top 50 Albums of 2011

[see also 2012]

1. The Antlers — Burst Apart
2. Metronomy — The English Riviera
3. The Horrors — Skying
4. Smith Westerns — Dye It Blonde
5. Bombay Bicycle Club — A Different Kind of Fix
6. PJ Harvey — Let England Shake
7. Wild Beasts — Smother
8. Girls — Father, Son, Holy Ghost
9. The Vaccines — What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
10. Battles — Gloss Drop
11. Kurt Vile — Smoke Ring for My Halo
12. Radiohead — The King of Limbs
13. Yuck — Yuck
14. Friendly Fires — Pala
15. Anna Calvi — Anna Calvi
16. Washed Out — Within and Without
17. Bon Iver — Bon Iver
18. James Blake — James Blake
19. Veronica Falls — Veronica Falls
20. Florence + The Machine — Ceremonials
21. Unknown Mortal Orchestra — Unknown Mortal Orchestra
22. Real Estate — Days
23. Black Lips — Arabia Mountain
24. Laura Marling — A Creature I Don’t Know
25. White Denim — D
26. Baxter Dury — Happy Soup
27. Fleet Foxes — Helplessness Blues
28. WU LYF — Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
29. Braids — Native Speaker
30. Gardens & Villa — Gardens & Villa
31. Mazes — A Thousand Heys
32. Dutch Uncles — Cadenza
33. Noah & The Whale — Last Night on Earth
34. Gruff Rhys — Hotel Shampoo
35. St. Vincent — Strange Mercy
36. Arctic Monkeys — Suck It and See
37. EMA — Past Life Martyred Saints
38. Lykke Li — Wounded Rhymes
39. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks — Mirror Traffic
40. SBTRKT — SBTRKT
41. The War on Drugs — Slave Ambient
42. Coldplay — Mylo Xyloto
43. Shabazz Palaces — Black Up
44. Cerebral Ballzy — Cerebral Ballzy
45. Elbow — Build a Rocket Boys!
46. The Strokes — Angles
47. Slow Club — Paradise
48. British Sea Power — Valhalla Dancehall
49. The Naked and Famous — Passive Me, Aggressive You
50. Joy Formidable — The Big Roar

Publishers Weekly: Best Books of 2011 [fiction, nonfiction]

[see also 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2012]

Fiction

1. The Marriage Plot
   Jeffrey Eugenides
2. The Devil All the Time
   Donald Ray Pollock
3. State of Wonder
   Ann Patchett
4. There but for the
   Ali Smith
5. The Wandering Falcon
   Jamil Ahmad
6. The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar
   Alina Bronsky (translated by Tim Mohr)
7. The Sisters Brothers
   Patrick deWitt
8. Say Her Name
   Francisco Goldman
9. Volt
   Alan Heathcock
10. The Stranger’s Child
    Alan Hollinghurst
11. Train Dreams
    Denis Johnson
12. Changó’s Beads and Two-Tone Shoes
    William Kennedy
13. The Night Circus
    Erin Morgenstern
14. The Call
    Yannick Murphy
15. The Tiger’s Wife
    Téa Obreht
16. Cain
    José Saramago
17. Luminarium
    Alex Shakar
18. Someday This Will Be Funny
    Lynne Tillman
19. I Married You for Happiness
    Lily Tuck
20. Leche
    R. Zamora Linmark

Nonfiction

1. Bossypants
   Tina Fey
2. Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman
   Robert K. Massie
3. Hemingway’s Boat
   Paul Hendrikson
4. One Day I Will Write About This Place
   Binyavanga Wainaina
5. Arguably: Essays
   Christopher Hitchens
6. The Convert: A Parable of Islam and America
   Deborah Baker
7. The Anatomy of a Moment
   Javier Cercas
8. The Beautiful and the Damned:A Portrait of the New India
   Siddhartha Deb
9. Blue Nights
   Joan Didion
10. Townie: A Memoir
    Andre Dubus III
11. The Swerve: How the World Became Modern
    Stephen Greenblatt
12. Life Itself: A Memoir
    Roger Ebert
13. A World on Fire: Britain’s Crucial Role in the American Civil War
    Amanda Foreman
14. Tiger, Tiger
    Margaux Fragoso
15. Love and Capital: Karl Marx and Jenny Marx and the Birth of a Revolution
    Mary Gabriel
16. The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood
    James Gleick
17. Blood, Bones, and Butter
    Gabrielle Hamilton
18. A Book of Secrets: Illegitimate Daughters, Absent Fathers
    Michael Holroyd
19. Rome: A Cultural, Visual, and Personal History
    Robert Hughes
20. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin
    Erik Larson
21. Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World
    Michael Lewis
22. Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention
    Manning Marable
23. Believing is Seeing: Observations on the Mysteries of Photography
    Errol Morris
24. Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend
    Susan Orlean
25. The Long Goodbye: A Memoir
    Meghan O’Rourke
26. The Psychopath Test
    Jon Ronson
27. The Price of Civilization: Reawakening American Virtue and Prosperity
    Jeffrey D. Sachs
28. Charles Dickens: A Life
    Claire Tomalin
29. The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt
    Toby Wilkinson

The New York Times: Ten Best Books of 2011

[see also 100 Notable Books of 2012, 100 Notable Books of 2011]

Fiction (alphabetical)

• The Art of Fielding
  Chad Harbach
• 11/22/63
  Stephen King
• Swamplandia!
  Karen Russell
• Ten Thousand Saints
  Eleanor Henderson
• The Tiger’s Wife
  Téa Obreht

Nonfiction (alphabetical)

• Arguably: Essays
  Christopher Hitchens
• The Boy in the Moon: A Father’s Journey to Understand His Extraordinary Son
  Ian Brown
• Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention
  Manning Marable
• Thinking, Fast and Slow
  Daniel Kahneman
• A World on Fire: Britain’s Crucial Role in the American Civil War
  Amanda Foreman

American Songwriter: Top 50 Albums of 2011

[see also 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012]

1. Wilco — The Whole Love
2. Gillian Welch — The Harrow & The Harvest
3. Adele — 21
4. Drive-By Truckers — Go-Go Boots
5. Dawes — Nothing is Wrong
6. Hayes Carll — KMAG YOYO
7. Paul Simon — So Beautiful or So What
8. Pistol Annies — Hell on Heels
9. The Black Keys — El Camino
10. Feist — Metals
11. Tom Waits — Bad as Me
12. Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit — Here We Rest
13. Lucinda Williams — Blessed
14. My Morning Jacket — Circuital
15. Bon Iver — Bon Iver
16. Miranda Lambert — Four the Record
17. Jessica Lea Mayfield — Tell Me
18. Ryan Adams — Ashes & Fire
19. Radiohead — The King of Limbs
20. Laura Marling — A Creature I Don’t Know
21. Fleet Foxes — Helplessness Blues
22. Bright Eyes — The People’s Key
23. The Civil Wars — Barton Hollow
24. The War on Drugs — Slave Ambient
25. Sarah Jarosz — Follow Me Down
26. Pieta Brown — Mercury
27. Deer Tick — Divine Providence
28. St. Vincent — Strange Mercy
29. A.A. Bondy — Believers
30. The Felice Brothers — Celebration, Florida
31. Robert Ellis — Photographs
32. The Decemberists — The King is Dead
33. Honeyhoney — Billy Jack
34. Joe Henry — Reverie
35. KORT — Invariable Heartache
36. Old 97′s — The Grand Theatre, Vol. 2
37. Steve Earle — I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive
38. Real Estate — Days
39. Those Darlins — Screws Get Loose
40. Middle Brother — Middle Brother
41. Kurt Vile — Smoke Ring for My Halo
42. Noel Gallagher — Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
43. Jonny Corndawg — Down On The Bikini Line
44. Tristen — Charlatans At The Garden Gate
45. JEFF The Brotherhood — We Are the Champions
46. Loney Dear — Hall Music
47. Caitlin Rose — Own Side Now
48. Abigail Washburn — City of Refuge
49. Beirut — The Rip Tide
50. Centro-matic — Candidate Waltz

Sonic Magazine: Best Albums of 2011 [staff lists]

[see also 2012]

1. PJ Harvey — Let England Shake
2. Gillian Welch — The Harrow & The Harvest
3. My Morning Jacket — Circuital
4. Paul Simon — So Beautiful or So What
5. Lykke Li — Wounded Rhymes
6. James Blake — James Blake
7. Fleet Foxes — Helplessness Blues
8. Ryan Adams — Ashes & Fire
9. Tinariwen — Tassili
10. Feist — Metals
11. Bon Iver — Bon Iver
12. The Weeknd — House of Balloons
13. Shabazz Palaces — Black Up
14. Wilco — The Whole Love
15. Frank Ocean — Nostalgia, Ultra
16. A.A. Bondy — Believers
17. Kurt Vile — Smoke Ring for My Halo
18. Adele — 21
19. Tim Hecker — Ravedeath, 1972
20. Tyler, The Creator — Goblin
21. Deportees — Islands & Shores
22. Zomby — Dedication
23. Ison & Fille — För evigt
24. Holy Ghost! — Holy Ghost!
25. Jonathan Johansson — Klagomuren

Paste Magazine: 50 Best Albums of 2011

[see also 2020, 2010s, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012]

1. Bon Iver — Bon Iver
2. Fleet Foxes — Helplessness Blues
3. My Morning Jacket — Circuital
4. Tune-Yards — Whokill
5. Middle Brother — Middle Brother
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. — It’s A Corporate World
7. Wilco — The Whole Love
8. Dawes — Nothing is Wrong
9. M83 — Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
10. The Decemberists — The King is Dead
11. St. Vincent — Strange Mercy
12. Iron & Wine — Kiss Each Other Clean
13. Radiohead — The King of Limbs
13. Girls — Father, Son, Holy Ghost
14. Adele — 21
15. Deer Tick — Divine Providence
16. Yuck — Yuck
17. The Civil Wars — Barton Hollow
18. Wye Oak — Civilian
19. Cults — Cults
20. Beirut — The Rip Tide
21. Charles Bradley — No Time for Dreaming
22. The Black Keys — El Camino
23. The Belle Brigade — The Belle Brigade
24. TV on the Radio — Nine Types of Light
25. The Antlers — Burst Apart
26. The Low Anthem — Smart Flesh
27. Black Lips — Arabia Mountain
28. Lykke Li — Wounded Rhymes
29. Feist — Metals
30. Tom Waits — Bad as Me
31. Telekinesis — 12 Desperate Straight Lines
32. Ryan Adams — Ashes & Fire
33. The Head and the Heart — The Head and the Heart
34. Seryn — This Is Where We Are
35. Childish Gambino — Camp
36. Mister Heavenly — Out of Love
37. The War on Drugs — Slave Ambient
38. Over the Rhine — The Long Surrender
39. Foster the People — Torches
40. Portugal. The Man — In the Mountain in the Cloud
41. James Blake — James Blake
42. Wild Flag — Wild Flag
43. Joy Formidable — The Big Roar
44. Kurt Vile — Smoke Ring for My Halo
45. Those Darlins — Screws Get Loose
46. Holy Ghost! — Holy Ghost!
47. Real Estate — Days
48. Drake — Take Care
49. Mates of State — Mountaintops
50. Frank Turner — England Keep My Bones

Q Magazine: Top 50 Albums of 2011

[see also 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012]

1. Florence + The Machine — Ceremonials
2. PJ Harvey — Let England Shake
3. Adele — 21
4. Bon Iver — Bon Iver
5. Coldplay — Mylo Xyloto
6. Jay-Z and Kanye West — Watch the Throne
7. Arctic Monkeys — Suck It and See
8. St. Vincent — Strange Mercy
9. WU LYF — Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
10. Elbow — Build a Rocket Boys!
11. The Horrors — Skying
12. Laura Marling — A Creature I Don’t Know
13. Bombay Bicycle Club — A Different Kind of Fix
14. The Weeknd — House of Balloons
15. Baxter Dury — Happy Soup
16. Kurt Vile — Smoke Ring for My Halo
17. Metronomy — The English Riviera
18. Anna Calvi — Anna Calvi
19. Cass McCombs — WIT’S END
20. The Weeknd — Thursday
21. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds — Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
22. White Lies — Ritual
23. Björk — Biophilia
24. Real Estate — Days
25. Wild Beasts — Smother
26. Lykke Li — Wounded Rhymes
27. Ed Sheeran — +
28. Gillian Welch — The Harrow & The Harvest
29. Kasabian — Velociraptor!
30. Lady Gaga — Born This Way
31. Beastie Boys — Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
32. Radiohead — The King of Limbs
33. Tune-Yards — Whokill
34. Gruff Rhys — Hotel Shampoo
35. Cass McCombs — Humor Risk
36. Katy B — On A Mission
37. Washed Out — Within and Without
38. Feist — Metals
39. James Blake — James Blake
40. Danger Mouse & Daniel Luppi — Rome
41. Girls — Father, Son, Holy Ghost
42. Josh T Pearson — Last of the Country Gentlemen
43. King Creosote & Jon Hopkins — Diamond Mine
44. Death In Vegas — Trans-Love Energies
45. Miles Kane — Colour of the Trap
46. SBTRKT — SBTRKT
47. Mastodon — The Hunter
48. Noah & The Whale — Last Night on Earth
49. Frank Ocean — Nostalgia, Ultra
50. Justice — Audio,Video,Disco

Rise: Records of the Year 2011 [main list]

1. The War on Drugs — Slave Ambient
2. Tune-Yards — Whokill
3. Walls — Coracle
4. Jonathan Wilson — Gentle Spirit
5. Josh T Pearson — Last of the Country Gentlemen
6. Kurt Vile — Smoke Ring for My Halo
7. PJ Harvey — Let England Shake
8. The Antlers — Burst Apart
9. Little Dragon — Ritual Union
10. Shabazz Palaces — Black Up
11. Metronomy — The English Riviera
12. Balam Acab — Wander / Wonder
13. Wooden Shjips — West
14. Braids — Native Speaker
15. Nicolas Jaar — Space is Only Noise
16. Veronica Falls — Veronica Falls
17. Lykke Li — Wounded Rhymes
18. Real Estate — Days
19. St. Vincent — Strange Mercy
20. Wye Oak — Civilian
21. White Denim — D
22. Ghostpoet — Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam
23. Fair Ohs — Everything Is Dancing
24. Ryan Adams — Ashes & Fire
25. Other Lives — Tamer Animals
26. The Field — Looping State of Mind
27. Tom Waits — Bad as Me
28. Wilco — The Whole Love
29. Girls — Father, Son, Holy Ghost
30. Lanterns on the Lake — Gracious Tide, Take Me Home
31. Anna Calvi — Anna Calvi
32. Battles — Gloss Drop
33. EMA — Past Life Martyred Saints
34. Hyetal — Broadcast
35. Cults — Cults
36. Cat’s Eyes — Cat’s Eyes
37. Dutch Uncles — Cadenza
38. Blood Orange — Coastal Grooves
39. Deerhoof — Deerhoof vs. Evil
40. Little Roy — Battle For Seattle
41. Mastodon — The Hunter
42. PLANNINGTOROCK — W
43. Zun Zun Egui — Katang
44. Wild Beasts — Smother
45. Bill Callahan — Apocalypse
46. Gang Gang Dance — Eye Contact
47. King Creosote & Jon Hopkins — Diamond Mine
48. James Blake — James Blake
49. The Decemberists — The King is Dead
50. Summer Camp — Welcome to Condale