12.31.2010

Top of the Pops: 2010

This was a really great year for new music. A lot of newcomers made a big splash, a lot of heavyweights made a comeback, two legends provided us their last words and their lost words, and a bunch of Irish artists (like Glen Hansard, Damien Rice, Liam Clancy, Sinead O'Connor, and Damien Dempsey) provided us one of the better compilation albums in recent memory. I usually do a top ten, but this year I think I'll do a top thirty, because I really can't decide who should be honored and who shouldn't. Without any further ado, here we go go:

31) The Promise - Bruce Springsteen (honorable mention as this was all recorded in 1978)












30) Permalight - Rogue Wave












29) How I Got Over - The Roots












28) The Five Ghosts - Stars












27) God Willin and the Creek Don't Rise - Ray LaMontagne












26) Brothers - The Black Keys














25) Come Around Sundown - Kings of Leon













24) Sea of Cowards - The Dead Weather












23) Women and Country - Jakob Dylan












22) Welcome Home: the Music of Ireland - Various Artists













21) I Speak Because I Can - Laura Marling












20) Ain't No Grave - Johnny Cash












19) Becoming a Jackal - Villagers













18) Together - The New Pornographers











17) So Runs the World Away - Josh Ritter













16) Go - Jonsi












15) Forgiveness Rock Record - Broken Social Scene












14) The Winter of Mixed Drinks - Frightened Rabbits












13) Transference - Spoon












12) This Is Happening - LCD Soundsystem












11) The Monitor - Titus Andronicus












10) I Learned the Hard Way - Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings














9) Contra - Vampire Weekend













8) Treats - Sleigh Bells












7) The Age of Adz / All Delighted People - Sufjan Stevens













6) The Wild Hunt - The Tallest Man On Earth













5) High Violet - The National













4) Sigh No More - Mumford and Sons












3) The ArchAndroid - Janelle Monae













2) The Suburbs - Arcade Fire












1) My Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West