Best (or Favorite) Music of 2011: A Roundup of the Critics' Picks

What was the best music to come out in 2011? Such lists are all over the Internet and print media this time of year, so I thought I'd present a look at some of the opinions from some major music critics and journalists, as well as music fans who I follow. (Note: I've never really done a list of top 10 or so best or favorite songs/albums/artists of the year, because it's always been too hard to narrow them down to such a small number, and to quantify what makes one album or band with a certain sound "better" than another with a different sound or approach.)


PJ Harvey's "The Last Living Rose," from "Let England Shake."

Here are links to some opinions of the best (or favorite) music of 2011, many of which include streaming songs from the artists:

• Paste's 50 best albums of 2011 (#1: "Bon Iver" by Bon Iver) 
• The Sound Opinions top picks of 2011, with separate lists from hosts Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis. (Kot's #1 album: Wild Flag's self-titled debut album; DeRogatis had "Sin Sin Sin" by Le Butcherettes in the top spot)
• NME's 50 best albums of the year (link is to top 10; #1: "Let England Shake: by PJ Harvey)
• Pitchfork's top 50 albums (link is to top 10; #1: "Bon Iver" by Bon Iver)
• NPR Music's top 50 albums (list presented in alphabetical order, for some reason. They also have an equally baffling version, two letters of the alphabet at a time, with audio clips)
• WFUV's best of 2011, staff picks and listener picks (listeners' #1 album: "The King is Dead" by The Decemberists)
• Ken Tucker (of Entertainment Weekly and NPR's "Fresh Air") top 9 albums (#1: "Hot Sauce Committee, Part Two" by the Beastie Boys)
• The No Depression community's 50 favorite albums (Americana/roots music) (#1: "The Harrow and the Harvest" by Gillian Welch) 
• Fellow music blogger Ben at I Have 19 Voices: his best songs, albums, and gigs of 2011 (#1 album: "Go Tell Fire to the Mountain" by WU LYF)
• List by music blogger Will of We All Want Someone to Shout For, with 31 best albums of the year (#1: "The Year of Hibernation" by Youth Lagoon)

Besides hearing songs from many of the artists at some of the links above, the hosts of Sound Opinion have put up their annual mixtape podcast, which features some of their favorite new songs from 2011. The podcast has excerpts of the songs, but you can stream full versions from the shownotes page.

As usual, I love poring over these year-end lists not because I care about the scorekeeping of who made it onto the most lists, but because they're valuable for discovering new albums and artists that I may have overlooked.

OK, those are the opinions of some music critics, fans, and bloggers. What are your favorites?

What's the Best Music of 2010? Some Early Opinions from Radio

The end of the year is always a time for looking back at the best albums, artists, etc. of the last 12 months, and here are some best-of lists that have already come out.

The DJs at L.A. radio station KCRW have each picked their top 10 albums of 2010, and the choices are the eclectic mix you'd expect from that station. Indie rock favorites like Arcade Fire, The Black Keys, Band of Horses, and The National are all on the list, as well as less mainstream acts as Frazey Ford, UNKLE, The Fall, and !!! (Chk Chik Chick).

Of course, there's a lot of good music coming out of KCRW's backyard, so the station's DJs offer a review of the best L.A. bands of 2010. They range from veteran Latino group Ozomatli to surf-rock newcomers The Best Coast to the retro-soul sounds of Fitz and the Tantrums.

The members of NPR's All Songs Considered review the year in music in their latest podcast.
a discussion, and also review their top 50 releases of the year. The list includes albums by Arcade Fire, Jonsi (of Sigur Ros), singer Janelle Monae, The Black Keys, and more.

In their following podcast, the All Songs staff took a look at the albums they missed in 2010. Most of the artists I hadn't heard of, except for Dean & Britta (formerly of Luna).

The year's end is also time for the Bucky Awards, when CBC Radio 3 recognizes in top vote-getters from its listeners in categories including Most Canadian Song, Lifetime Achievement, and Sexiest Canadian Artists, as well as some more traditional awards. Among other awards, Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs" won for best song, while Sarah Harmer's song "Captive" took the Bucky for best vocals.

The nearly two-hour-long Bucky Awards podcast features songs from the nominees and winners. (You'll find just the list of Bucky Awards winners here at the Canadian indie blog NxEW.ca.)