2010 Magazine's Albums Of The Year Thread For Posting Lists and Discussion

Unperson, have you done a separate list for the Latin music you listen to?

No, but I might do that on my blog. Also, The Wire asked for a Top Five list of reissues, and these were the first two:

1. Fania All-Stars, Ponte Duro: The Fania All-Stars Story (Fania)
2. Los Saicos, ¡Demolición! The Complete Recordings (Munster)

just want to be the annual grouch to point out that it's FUCKING NOVEMBER

well played

just want to be the annual grouch to point out that it's FUCKING NOVEMBER

And you're expecting to be blown away, to have your whole perspective on 2010 altered, by exactly...what?...in the next four weeks?

well, it looks like these lists came out before kanye's album, for one thing.

(maybe that disc didn't make these lists, but . . .)

I think it's very imaginable that in a month's time an album could come out that would have made it on someone's list otherwise.

Yeah, not to mention that if these lists are coming out now, when were they actually finalized?

i think it's good to have a month (december) where little comes out but you have a chance to catch up and/or reevaluate before making your list.

I'm hopeful that I might find some good stuff on some of the December/EOY lists that I haven't heard yet.

And you're expecting to be blown away, to have your whole perspective on 2010 altered, by exactly...what?...in the next four weeks?

the ciara and diddy/dirty money albums aren't out yet. neither is the nicolas jaar compilation. the jazmine sullivan, kanye west, rihanna and yelawolf albums have only just been released (not that i like the kanye/rihanna ones but they were certainly anticipated for good reason). nov/dec release dates for big artists are par for the course in the music industry.

big partists, particularly hip-hop, r&b and pop ones - it's just a commercially obvious time to release it

*artists

ugh typos

http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=10&title=albums_of_2010_75_73&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

― Algerian Goalkeeper, Sunday, 28 November 2010 06:04 (10 hours ago)

Dude [Visitor] //November 25 2010 at 11:42
I see Sufjan Stevens got a complimentary nod because you all realised you'd be totally fucking lame if you ignored it completely. This angers me.

loooooool at the mgmt on this thread.

2010 has been terrific although you wouldn't have guessed it by looking on here.

yup

Wow, some kind of turning point for me -- I know and like 6 of the things on the Decibel list, which is more than on any of the other ones.

And there's at least 3 or 4 more things on the Decibel list I really want to check out, which is also more true than for Q or Mojo.

commenters under NME articles are so overwhelmingly miserable and solipsistic

I see [x] got a complimentary nod because you all realised you'd be totally fucking lame if you ignored it completely

going to catch on in 2k11 imo

five years since 'no sufjan, no credibility' and, well, how life changes

John Grant's my album of the year - unusually Mojo of me. I don't see it getting much ILX love though.

maybe it's a 'we ignored the czars mostly' thing so they overpraise his mediocre solo record.

Or maybe not.

I don't think it's a mediocre album.

Not a magazine, but here's the Rough Trade Shops 100 of the year:

1. Caribou - Swim
2. Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here
3. These New Puritans - Hidden
4. Caitlin Rose - Own Side Now
5. Phosphorescent - Here's To Taking It Easy
6. Darkstar - North
7. Charlotte Gainsbourg - IRM
8. Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner
9. Wild Nothing - Gemini
10. Tame Impala - Innerspeaker
11. Broken Bells - Broken Bells
12. Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo
13. The National - High Violet
14. Emeralds - Does It Look Like I’m Here?
15. Beach House - Teen Dream
16. Voice Of The Seven Thunders - Voice Of The Seven Thunders
17. Perfume Genius - Learning
18. Crocodiles - Sleep Forever
19. The Black Keys - Brothers
20. The Morning Benders - Big Echo
- Foals - Total Life Forever
21. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
22. Salem - King Night
23. Brian Eno - Small Craft On A Milk Sea
24. Dylan Leblanc - Paupers Field
25. Joanna Newson - Have One On Me
26. Matthew Dear - Black City
27. Warpaint - The Fool
28. Liars - Sisterworld
29. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening
30. John Grant - Queen Of Denmark
31. Konono No 1 - Assume Crash Position
32. Smoke Fairies - Through Low Light And Trees
33. Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
- Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
34. Villagers - Becoming A Jackal
35. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
36. Mount Kimbie - Crooks And Lovers
37. Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma
38. Best Coast - Crazy For You
39. PVT - Church With No Magic
40. Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can
41. Vampire Weekend - Contra
42. Edwyn Collins - Losing Sleep
43. Yeasayer - Odd Blood
44. Midlake - The Courage Of Others
45. The Soft Pack - The Soft Pack
46. Sleigh Bells - Treats
47. O Children - O Children
48. Glasser - Ring
49. Zola Jesus - Stridulum 2
50. Holly Miranda - The Magician's Private Library
51. Sea Of Bees - Songs For The Ravens
52. JJ - No3
53. Pantha Du Prince - Black Noise
54. Twin Shadow - Forget
55. Gonjasufi - A Sufi And A Killer
56. Bear In Heaven - Beast Rest Forth Mouth
57. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti - Before Today
58. Cours Lapin - Cours Lapin
59. Darwin Deez - Darwin Deez
60. School Of Seven Bells - Disconnect From Desire
61. Beach Fossils - Beach Fossils
62. Shit Robot - From The Cradle To The Rave
63. Jonsi - Go
64. Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be
65. Belle And Sebastian - Belle And Sebastian Write About Love
66. Chilly Gonzales - Ivory Tower
67. Connan Mokasin - Please Turn Me Into The Snat
68. Holy Fuck - Latin
69. The School - Loveless Unbeliever
70. Tobacco - Maniac Meat
71. Dios - We Are Dios
72. Allo Darlin’ - Allo Darlin’
73. Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky
74. Male Bonding - Nothing Hurts
75. El Guincho - Pop Negro
76. Oneohtrix Point Never - Returnal
77. Kort (Kurt Wagner And Cortney Tidwell) - Invariable Heartache
78. Solar Bears - She Was Coloured In
79. Free Energy - Stuck On Nothing
80. Sufjan Stevens - The Age Of Adz
81. Kings Go Forth - The Outsiders Are Back
82. Grinderman - Grinderman 2
83. Dan Michaelson And The Coastguards - Shakes
84. Stornoway - Beachcomber’s Windowsill
85. Tamaryn - The Waves
86. The Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt
87. Four Tet - There Is Love In You
88. Magic Kids - Memphis
89. Marina And The Diamonds - Family Jewels
90. Mystery Jets - Serotonin
91. Black Angels - Phosphene Dream
92. Danger Mouse And Sparklehorse - Dark Night Of The Soul
93. Fool’s Gold - Fool’s Gold
94. Frankie Rose And The Outs - Frankie Rose And The Outs
95. Aloe Blacc - Good Things
96. Drums Of Death - Generation Hexed
97. Am - Future Sons And Daughters
98. Field Music - Field Music (Measure)
99. Hot Chip - One Life Stand
100. Time And Spacemachine - Set Phazer To Stun

I have 11.

(Not tellin' which ones.)

33 The Roots – How I Got Over You

love Mojo's inadvertent "we love this album so much we can't remember the exact title" over here

maybe it's a 'we ignored the czars mostly' thing so they overpraise his mediocre solo record.

― keythhtyek, Sunday, 28 November 2010 17:48 (33 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

I've not heard the album in question (dude is only on my radar at all cos two of my friends made a lol video for him, so I'm mildly o_0 about him being near the tops of these lists) but this makes no sense - why would mags have any obligation to care about him?

They have an obligation to write about him because youtube commenters say he writes beautiful melodies

I really like the new MGMT, better than the first in fact.

dunno if it's in the 'spirit' of this thread but here is a bunch of dorks from bands etc listing their 'best sounds of 2010': http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/nov/28/best-sounds-2010?CMP=twt_gu

dude from Magnetic Man just edging out Antony in the thinly-disguised nepotism contest

Serge Pizzorno, Kasabian
Katy B

I heard a tune on the radio that I liked so much that I went and bought it, which proves it must be the best thing I've heard this year, because no one buys anything these days! It was "On a Mission" by Katy B. I love the bass on it; it reminds me of the old rave days. And I don't know the first thing about who she is or who made the record, and I like that about it as well.

not following your emphasis tbh - wouldn't exactly expect Kasabian bro to study the pop landscape day-by-day

as in she couldn't possibly have made it herself

tbf to kasabro, i guess his syntax allows that....but suggests otherwise

I had no idea who Serge Pizzorno was before I read that.

Is that Plan B album (#3 on the Q list) generally considered a big deal in the U.K.? It comes out in the States in January, and the advance I heard was okay, but not what I'd call exciting. Didn't get through half of it, though. Maybe I'll listen to it more, maybe not.

Didn't realize people cared about the Robert Plant album (which I haven't heard, and don't expect I'd like much given his output over the past couple decades, but who knows), either. And Ludicra at #7 on the Decibel list is a surprise for me, too -- I liked an Alternative Tentcales EP they did several years ago called Fex Urbis Lex Orbis, but had no idea metal critics had since fallen for them in such a big way. (Assuming it's the same Ludicra, I guess.)

I agree Thanksgiving weekend is way too early to publish best-of-the-year lists, but I've said that for years. (Do publications that do that count December '09 releases as 2010, by the way? Or are all December, and presumably most November releases given deadlines, always just shit out of luck?) Doubt my own list will change much if any between now and year's end, but odder things have happened.

the national?? really?? what a dire thing that record is.

National is a fucking bore, and the fact that p4k celebratest this .... well I don't even know.

i wuzzzz afraaaid i'd eat ur brainnnnnnns
i wuzzzzz afraiiid i'd eat ur brainnnnnnns
caus im evillllllllll
cause im evillllllll

UUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I really like the Plan B album, xhukx. It helps that I didn't get a copy when it came out so the singles just sneaked up on me one by one over the course of a few months. On first exposure it may seem like Mark Ronson-style retro-soul but it's packed with earworms and I like the tension between the violence and gloom of the lyrics and the sweetness of the voice and production. No more retro than the Cee Lo album at any rate so it would be nice to see Plan B make some impact in the US.

Enjoyed that bloke from MGMT declared DI Go Pop as his album of the year (in Mojo).

Listening to John Grant and not liking it. Sounds like sub-Silver Jews jokery and confessions backed by... Midlake

that ludicra album is really good, fwiw. (and not an accident that two of the top 10 decibel albums have the same drummer, imo.)

the rough trade shops list is pretty good -- i can get behind a 1-2 punch of caribou + gil scott heron, that's unfuckwithable

looool @ mojo and q lists

at closer examination, Q is really the worst offender here -- yaaaaaawn!

the Mojo list at least has a few more adventurous choices i can get behind (matthew dear, swans, gonjasufi, m.i.a. in 2010, neil young, gil scott heron, grinderman, caribou -- all great albums)

rough trade is a goldmine, i own close to 30 of those ^____^

decibel i'm satisfied having heard 7 of the 40, i'm not a HUGE metal fan but do need a little in my listening diet

all lists need more hip-hop/r&b/dance btw

33 The Roots – How I Got Over You

love Mojo's inadvertent "we love this album so much we can't remember the exact title" over here

― some dude, Sunday, 28 November 2010 18:25 (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Its printed correctly in the magazine, was this not a typo on the part of whoever uploaded the list to the interwebs, ie not MOJO?

disappointed that taylor swift didnt make the decibel list

Well, it apparently had more impact on him, which it what matters, since it's his list. (Not defending the 2006 choice, which I know nothing about. But also, I don't get how "late impact" can't happen just as much with albums as with singles -- especially, say, November or December releases that wind up breaking a couple hits the following year, or barely distributed albums on tiny labels that everybody ignored the year before. Not all critics feel the compulsion to hear albums the day they come out, thank God.)

reposting this from Marathonpacks, v interesting:

The sales numbers for Pitchfork’s 2010 top 50 albums, as represented by the January 12 Soundscans (some weren’t present, of course). Erykah Badu and Hot Chip I ballparked based on the last charts they appeared on a couple months ago. Otherwise: listicle without commentary!

50 Wavves – King of the Beach (18,563)
49 Wild Nothing – Gemini (8,773)
44 Kylesa – Spiral Shadow (7,778)
43 Tame Impala – Innerspeaker (15,101)
42 Drake – Thank Me Later (1,219,473)
39 Best Coast – Crazy For You (48,296)
38 Rick Ross – Teflon Don (541,299)
35 Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (385,454)
34 Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles (39,368)
33 The Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt (35,524)
29 The Fresh & Onlys – Play It Strange (3,633)
28 The National – High Violet (211,615)
27 Four Tet – There Is Love in You (22,228)
26 Twin Shadow – Forget (10,985)
25 Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz (100,405)
24 Hot Chip – One Life Stand (~30k)
22 Girls – Broken Dreams Club EP (10,266)
21 The Walkmen – Lisbon (39,159)
18 Erykah Badu – New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh (~300k)
17 Caribou – Swim (33,803)
16 Sleigh Bells – Treats (94,478)
15 Robyn – Body Talk (23,869)
14 Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma (33,574)
13 No Age – Everything In Between (13,802)
12 Janelle Monae – The ArchAndroid (129,152)
11 Arcade Fire – The Suburbs (459,083)
10 Titus Andronicus – The Monitor (26,090)
09 Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today (25,942)
08 James Blake – The Bells Sketch EP / CMYK EP / Klavierwerke EP (511/4,091/na)
07 Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me (48,754)
06 Vampire Weekend – Contra (454,914)
05 Beach House – Teen Dream (104,217)
04 Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty (208,747)
03 Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest (59,879)
02 LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening (126,288)
01 Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (915,391)

some of these are genuinely sad to me! like, these are both FANTASTIC-- & i thought both had more big fans??

44 Kylesa – Spiral Shadow (7,778)
27 Four Tet – There Is Love in You (22,228)

You're seriously Kylesa and Four Tet have only sold that much?

im surprised four tet sold that much

Yeah.

Interesting to see the different brackets:

Drake/Kanye/Rick Ross >>> Arcade Fire/Vampire Weekend/Gorillaz >>> Erykah/Big Boi/National >>> LCD/Janelle/Beach House/Sleigh Bells/Sufjan >>> everyone else

I guess the Joanna Newsom album really stiffed in relation to her profile. Nothing else surprises me as much.

Are those stats US only?

Also, depending on chart rules, the Joanna Newsom might have only sold a third that many copies, surely? Doubles counting as two sales etc in the UK.

Those are US.

07 Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me (48,754)

this is surprising no matter how sales are counted, i would've expected her up there at 100,000+ with sufjan, beach house, etc.

I wouldn't have!

I still have no idea who the hell Beach House are.

Nor did I til a month ago and now it's one of my favourite records of the year. 104,217 Americans can't be wrong.

I still have no idea who the hell Beach House are.

― flutes & fucking mexican death horns (The Reverend), Thursday, January 13, 2011 3:37 PM (22 minutes ago) Bookmark

lol rev we covered this earlier in this thread i think!

I just prefer thinking about Beach House as a bad Goa trance album name from 1998 on Moonshine.

I would still prefer that to the actual Beach House

lol you listen to beach house

they are good. it's crazy they sold 100 000+ copies! they seem like really great people, too. didn't listen to the new album much but devotion is an all time classic

15k in the US for Tame Impala is pretty impressive since, afaik, it still hasn't been given a domestic release (Amazon still has only the import for like $30)

Don't know if this has been posted yet:

Geoffrey Himes' Top 100 Albums of 2010

http://option-magazine.com/2011/01/01/himes-hundred-best-albums-of-2010/

awesome!