Post Your Top 20 Albums of 2011

So, I figured it's just about that time to start a top 20 albums of the year thread. I'll start by posting my top 20 so far. There may be some adjustments as a few anticipated albums come out in the next 7 weeks, but this is pretty much my solid top 20. Not everyone listens to as much music as I do, so if you can only come up with a top 10, that's cool. If anyone has any questions about any of the artists I listed, just ask. I'm looking forward to seeing what the other members are listening to.

My top 20:

01 James Blake-Self titled
02 M83-Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
03 Jay Z and Kanye-Watch the Throne
04 Sun Airway-Nocturne of Exploded Cristal Chandelier
05 Starfucker-Reptilians
06 Big Krit-Return of 4eva
07 The Weeknd-House of Balloons
08 Washed out-Within without
09 Stendeck-Scintilla
10 4mat-Surrender
11 Bon Iver-Self titled
12 Araabmuzik-Electronic Dream
13 The Advisory Circle-Self titled
14 The Field-Looping State of Mind
15 Thrice-Major/Minor
16 Wolves in the Throne Room-Celestial
17 Giacomo-Patchwork
18 City Center-Redeemer
19 Adele-21
20 Blanck Mass-Self titled

 

People still buy albums? I believe my total purchases of new (as in released this year) albums has been zero. I buy tracks here and there on iTunes but those are usually the ones that had the radio play and that I liked enough.
Looking at the list in the OP, I have never heard of most of them. The last album I purchased was back in October of this year and was "Vivaldi: the Four Seasons Etc" By Janine Jansen from 2005.

I do buy vinyls though, and I suppose that counts as albums and answers my own question.

 

Well, I look forward to seeing your top albums of 2011 list.

 

I agree with several of these, but still think it is too soon for this. Oh, ok, I'll play: I'd include the new albums by Dawes, Rachael Yamagata, St. Vincent, The Civil Wars (I think they came out this year), Tom Waits and Lykke Li to my list. Maybe Fleet Foxes and The Decemberists...now that I think of it, it has been a good year in music.

 

I need to correct myself, forgot something important earlier. I have handled more than a few "new" CDs to me this year, some of them from this year. My wife orders them through the library and I turn them into FLAC or Wavpack files before returning them. It would be hard for me to rank them though as they tend to be added the list of albums that I have in my collection but have not listened in their entirety. Was not fond of the Black Eyed Peas CD what I heard of it though. Could hear Patrck Swayze rolling over in his grave on the "Time of my life" remix creation they did.
Adding at least something here:
> I like the songs that Owl City released this year that I have heard (iTunes tells me the 'Deer in the Headlights" single was released in May of this year) and strongly suspect I would like the full CD.
> and I can list one album that I think is absolutely fantastic but just slightly out of this range as it was released back in October 2010:
Steve Martin - The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo

I forgot about the Steve Martin album mentioned previously and the Ella Fitzgerald best of album that were recent additions to my collection.

 

I love the Decemberists. Picaresque is one of my all time favorite albums. I may have to spend some more time with their new one to see if it wants to squeeze into my top 20.

 

I don't know if I have 20 albums from this year. Let's see...

In no particular order-

1) Kopek-White Collar Lies
2) Adelita's Way-Home School Valedictorian
3) Danger Mouse-Rome (probably my favorite of the year)
4) Puscifer-Conditions of my Parole
5) Pop Evil-War of Angels
6) One Less Reason-Faces & Four Letter Words
7) Ty Stone-American Style
8) Above & Beyond-Group Therapy

wow. Yeah, that's not 20.

 

Is it the top 20 albums released this year or the 20 albums I listened to most in 2011? These would be non-intersecting circles if diagrammed.