Here is our list of the best albums of 2010.
1. The Black Keys , Brothers
2. Local Natives , Gorilla Manor (Review)
3. Ryan Bingham , Junky Star (Interview with Ryan Bingham)
4. Phosphorescent , Heres To Taking It Easy (Review)
Phosphorescent – Mermaid Parade
Phosphorescent – It’s Hard To Be Humble (When You’re From Alabama)
5. Delta Spirit , History From Below (Review)
6. The Moondoggies , Tidelands (Review)
The Moondoggies – It’s a Shame, It’s a Pity
7. The Tallest Man on Earth , The Wild Hunt (Review)
The Tallest Man On Earth – King Of Spain
8. Joe Pug , Messenger (Review)
9. Titus Andronicus , The Monitor (Review)
Titus Andronicus – A More Perfect Union
10. The Love Language , Libraries (Review)
Hear more from our Live Session with The Love Language.
11. The Morning Benders , Big Echo (Review)
12. Trampled By Turtles , Palomino (Review)
Trampled By Turtles – Wait So Long
13. Futurebirds , Hamptons Lullaby (Review)
14. Josh Ritter , So Runs The World Away (Review)
15. Drive-By Truckers – The Big To Do (Review)
Drive-By Truckers – This Fucking Job
16. Surfer Blood , Astro Coast (Review)
Surfer Blood – Swim (To Reach The End)
Hear more from our Live Session with Surfer Blood.
17. Spoon – Transference
18. Broken Bells – Self-Titled
19. The Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
20. Lost In the Trees , All Alone In An Empty House (Review)
Lost In The Trees – Walk Around The Lake
Lost In The Trees – All Alone In An Empty House
21. Blitzen Trapper , Destroyer of the Void (Review)
Blitzen Trapper – Heaven and Earth
Blitzen Trapper – Dragon’s Song
22. The Dead Weather , Sea of Cowards
23. Dr. Dog , Shame Shame
Dr. Dog – Nobody Knows Who You Are
24. The Walkmen , Lisbon
25. Justin Townes Earle , Harlem River Blues (Review)
Justin Townes Earle – Harlem River Blues
26. Dylan LeBlanc – Paupers Field (Review)
Dylan Leblanc – If Time Was For Wasting
27. Strand Of Oaks , Pope Killdragon (Review)
Here more from our Live Session with Strand of Oaks.
28. The Mynabirds , What We Lost In the Fire We Gain In The Flood (Review)
The Mynabirds – Let The Record Go
The Mynabirds – Numbers Don’t Lie
Hear more from our Live Session with The Mynabirds.
29. Sam Quinn , The Fake That Sunk A Thousand Ships
30. Horse Feathers , Thistled Spring (Review)
Horse Feathers – Belly of June
Hear more from our Live Session with Horse Feathers.
31. Ben Sollee & Daniel Martin Moore – Dear Companion
Something, Somewhere, Sometime
32. Ray Lamontagne and The Pariah Dogs – God Willin’ and The Creek Don’t Rise
33. Beach House – Teen Dream (Review)
34. First Aid Kid , The Big Black and The Blue (Review)
35. Wolf People , Steeple (Review)
36. Mavis Staples , You Are Not Alone (Review)
37. J. Roddy Walston & the Business , Self-Titled (Review)
J. Roddy Walston and The Business – Don’t Break The Needle
38. The Black Angels , Phosphene Dream
Hear more from our Live Session with The Black Angels.
39. Pepper Rabbit , Beauregard (Review)
40. The Henry Clay People , Somewhere On the Golden Coast (Review)
The Henry Clay People – Slow Burn
Hear more from our Live Session with The Henry Clay People.
41. Black Dub – Self Titled (Review)
42. The Wilderness of Manitoba – When You Left The Fire (Review)
The Wilderness Of Manitoba – Hermit
43. Midlake – The Courage Of Others (Review)
44. Chief – Modern Rituals (Review)
45. Menomena – Mines (Review)
46. Black Mountain – Wilderness Heart (Review)
Black Mountain – The Hair Song
47. Frightened Rabbit – The Winter of Mixed Drinks (Review)
48. The Head and The Heart – Self Titled
49. Peter Wolf Crier – Inter-Be (Review)
Peter Wolf Crier – Crutch and Crane
Peter Wolf Crier – Hard As Nails
Hear more in our Live Session with Peter Wolf Crier.
50. The Corin Tucker Band – 1,000 Years (Review)
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Phenomenal list. “Junky Star” is really great.
I love that you guys include alt. country in your lists. Its hard to come by, but when found, its usually such a gem.
—-top 2 0 1 0
—-Beach House – Teen Dream
—-Avey Tare – Down There
—-The National – High Violet
—-Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz
—-Owen Pallett – Heartland
—-Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today
—-The Radio Dept. – Climbing to a Scheme
—-Caribou – Swim
—-Julian Lynch – Mare
—-Gil-Scott Heron – I’m New Here
—-Shearwater – The Golden Archipelago
—-Tame Impala – Innerspeaker
—-Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me
—-Liars – Sisterworld
—-The Walkmen – Lisbon
—-The Books – The Way Out
—-Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record
—-The Besnard Lakes – The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night
—-Menomena – Mines
—-How to Dress Well – Love Remains
—-Here We Go Magic – Pigeons
—-Pantha du Prince – Black Noise
—-Emeralds – Does It Looks I`m Here
—-Sam Amidon – I See The Sign
—-Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
—-The Fresh & Onlys – Play It Strange
—-Gold Panda – Lucky Shiner
—-The Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt
—-The Naked and Famous – Passive Me, Aggressive You
—-To Rococo Rot – Speculation
—-Shearwater – The Golden Archipelago
—-Beat Connection – Surf Noir EP
—-Thee Oh Sees – Warm Slime
—-Gayngs – Relayted
—-Tame Impala – Innerspeaker
—-Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me
—-Liars – Sisterworld
—-The Walkmen-Lisbon
—-The Books – The Way Out
—-Sleepy Sun – Fever (2010)
—-Gold Panda – Lucky Shiner
—-Jónsi – Go
—-Golden Triangle – Double Jointer
—-Glass Vaults – Glass ep
—-Icarus Himself – Mexico ep
—-Clive Tanaka y su orquesta – Jet Set Siempre 1°
—-Blackbird Blackbird – Blackbird Blackbird
Wolf Parade’s Expo 86 is noticably absent from this fine list of quality albums.. Oversight or just not worthy?
I really think this is a great list….. BUT!!! I think you forgot Yeasayers, Odd Blood.
See I don’t agree with this list whatsoever. I would definetly put Nightmare by Avenged Sevenfold up there. If you haven’t heard it yet that needs to be your new years resolution. Best Band, best Album, Best Musicians! There drummer won the God Drummer Award, (givin to his family because Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan was unable to attend) because he is dead. R.I.P. Rev You will be forever in our hearts.
Josh – I think you may be on the wrong site.
dunno if its a best album list but here are the albums i listened to the most this year(i know some of these arnt really genre fitting but hey i like all sorts of music)
1 the national – high violet 8 were here because-anathema
2 wild hunt – the tallest man on earth 9 flaws -bombay bicycle club
3 at echo lake – woods 10history from below-delta spirit
4 lisbon- the walkmen 11brothers – the black keys
5 someone here is missing – pineapple thief
12becoming a jackal – villagers
6 black ribbons- shooter jennings 13the monitor -titus andronicus
7 ecallies de lune- alcest 14 grinderman 2 – grinderman
Wow! Awesome guys…thanks so much for your list and this site…it has shown me much. Of course everyone has some dissappointment and mine is that you supported the overrated and boring Beach House album. lame music. Otherwise, you guys rock like a hot fudge sundae.
Here is my Top 20 of 2010. yes I put Mumford on there representing 2010 because it didn’t hit states till then.
20. “The Post War Musical” by Pilotlight
19. “In the Doorway” by Vinyl Station
18. “Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum
17. “Thistled Spring” by Horse Feathers
16. “Gorilla Manor” by Local Natives
15. “See You On the Moon” by Tift Merritt
14. “Mobile Chateau” by Matt Costa
13. “The Place We Ran From” by Tired Pony
12. “God Willin’ and the Creek Don’t Rise” by Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs
11. “Moon Food” by Unbunny
10. “Infinite Arms” by Band of Horses
9. “Self-Titled” by The Head and The Heart
8. “All Alone In An Empty House” by Lost in the Trees
7. “Go” by Jonsi
6. “History From Below” by Delta Spirit
5. “Champ” by Tokyo Police Club
4. “Sigh No More” by Mumford & Sons
3. “Suburban Nature” by Sarah Jaffe
2. “Dark Night of the Soul” by Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse
1. “Bird In The Tangle” by Brett Detar (MY CLEAR WINNER THIS YEAR!)
why hasnt anyone metioned foals!!
10. The Walkmen – Lisbon
9. Active Child – Curtis Lane EP
8. Gayngs – Relayted
7. The Morning Benders – Big Echo
6. The National – High Violet
5. Local Natives – Gorilla Manor
4. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
3. Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record
2. Menomena – Mines
1. Beach House – Teen Dream
Far too many country albums on this list for my liking but each to their own I guess.
Why oh why Spoon made it to the list I’ll never know, that is without doubt on of the worst albums on my list.
Some albums I would have added include:
Sleepy Sun » Fever
Hey Marseilles » To Travels & Trunks
Crocodiles » Sleep Forever
Gram Rabbit » Miracles and Metaphors
Villagers » Becoming A Jackal
The Radio Dept » Clinging To A Scheme
The Courteeners » Falcon
We Have Band » We Have Band
UNKLE » Where Did The Night Fall
Far too many country albums on this list for my liking but each to their own I guess.
Why oh why Spoon made it to the list I’ll never know, that is without doubt on of the worst albums on my list.
Some albums I would have added include:
Sleepy Sun » Fever
Hey Marseilles » To Travels & Trunks
Crocodiles » Sleep Forever
Gram Rabbit » Miracles and Metaphors
Villagers » Becoming A Jackal
The Radio Dept » Clinging To A Scheme
The Courteeners » Falcon
We Have Band » We Have Band
UNKLE » Where Did The Night Fall
I don’t understand how you cold make this list without The National and Sufjan Stevens in the top 10.
@Julie – We don’t really like Sufjan so it was pretty easy for us. As for The National, I listened to it plenty but it never made any sort of impression with me. I liked Alligator and Boxer much more. Still think they’re a fine group but High Violet left me wanting more.
@meUnkle – Spoon made the list because we like Spoon and liked this album. I do really like that Sleepy Sun album and that was a tough one to leave off.
@Zach – Didn’t forget Yeasayer. Just not our cup of tea.
@Dani Shmani – Oz really liked Wolf Parade. I am not too keen on them. For what its worth, they were in the discussion.
Really amazing list—my favorite that I have seen-
My Best of 2010–
Midlake-The Courage of Others
Mumford & Sons- Sigh no more
The National-High Violet
The Wilderness of Manitoba-When you left the fire
Sufjan Stevens-All delighted people (EP) and The Age of Adz
Local Natives-Gorilla Manor
Shearwater-The Golden Archipelago
Ryan Bingham-Junky Star
Junip-Fields
Matt Pond PA-The Dark Leaves
Mt. Desolation-Mt. Desolation
Patrick Park-Come what will
Caribou-Swim
Electric President-The Violent Blue
Tallest Man On Earth-The Hunt and Sometimes the blues are just a passing bird
Ray Lamontagne and the Pariah Dogs-God willin and the creek don’t rise
S. Carey-All we grow
Yeasayer-Odd Blood
Frightened Rabbit-The winter of mixed drinks
Citizen Cope-The Rainwater LP
Chief-Modern Rituals
Broken Social Scene-Forgiveness Rock Record
Beach House-Teem Dream
Arcade Fire-The Suburbs
The Besnard Lakes-The Besnard Lakes are the roaring night
Belle and Sebastian-Write about love
Damien Jurado-Saint Bartlett
The Hold Steady-Heaven is whenever
Phosphorescent-Here’s to taking it easy
Joe Purdy-This American
Joe Pug-Messenger
Laura Marling-I speak because I can
Erland and the Carnival-Erland and the Carnival
I really dislike Spoon and The New Pornographers so while I respect them…they are never on my lists for best albums of the year.
Personally I loved – Full Moon Fiasco – Cosmic Palms (Barrett like Pink Floyd), Street Chant- Means (All your Favourite 90′s bands) and Rotate the Completors: Completed Rotations of the… (Weirdest stuff ever.) .All excellent artists from New Zealand. Internationally I really enjoyed the new Grinderman and Robert Plant albums.
I posted on last years list, just thought i would say thanks again from the UK, giving a great list of albums which are almost unheard of over here, your site is my only source of quality music as we’ve been destroyed by x factor and alike, Dylan LeBlanc in always on my mac, so thanks for the heads up guys.
i hardly liked any of the songs listed here…that’s really sad.
dr. dog’s songs were pretty good….
sam quinn’s gun was good
nothing truly great…and most of them sound like they could all be the same band making the same music…with the same voices…where’s the uniqueness?
i totally agree with tony geeks list it has most bands that are currently MY favorite bands to listen to right now
How can Yeasayer not be your cup of tea? Damn, Odd Blood was just FANTASTIC.
@ Lindsey. It was a grueling experience. I listened a couple of times. I let it swirl around in my empty head for a bit. And then decided, ” you know what, I am not really a fan of Yeasayer.” I was frickin’ exhausted at the end of it but it felt good to form my own opinion.
thanks for introducing me to dylan leblanc and strand of oaks. Simply brilliant. Like others have mentioned – High Violet by the National was in heavy rotation on my ipod in 2010
How Frightened Rabbit’s ‘Winter of Mixed Drinks’ isn’t at least top 10 is beyond me. It’s easily one of the strongest albums from start to finish.
I’ve checked out about 5 albums so far. The Dead Weather is top notch–Jack White, of course. Got the album they released before that and it bores me. Harlem River Blues isn’t my kind of music, usually, but I’ve listened twice. Solid. I’m really glad I found this list. Black Dub might be great with someone who could sing. Arcade Fire and Inter-Be both suffer from really annoying sound quality. I’m so sick of this 1930s low fi sounding production for so many years now on so many albums! What a crappy sound this era will be known for. When’s it gonna end?!! Sounds like the end might be upon us. That Justin Earle recording sounds great!
Love the list.
I’d like to know what you think of mine!
check it.
http://theramblings-ofamadman.blogspot.com/
Although we are well into 2011, I still can’t get over the fact Tame Impala’s ‘Innerspeaker’ missed out. That was definitely my top album of 2010.
My Top 10:
1. The Morning Benders- Big Echo
2. Spoon- Transference
3. Band of Horses- Infinite Arms
4. She & Him- Volume Two
5. Los Campesinos!- Romance is Boring
6. Minus the Bear- Omni
7. Ra Ra Riot- The Orchard
8. Crystal Castles- Crystal Castles II
9. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin- Let It Sway
10. Sufjan Stevens- Age of Adz
I am very glad to see lost in the trees on this list. However, I must say that I’m extremely surprised, and almost devastated that Owen Pallett’s Heartland isn’t on here.
Where is Grinderman 2?
i’m really liking ‘first aid kit.’ thanks for sharing the top 2010 albums:)
Amazing list— i am about to produce my own list on my blogg and it is always nice to look around to get get a better prospective. Good working!
what about warpaint???!!!!
Hi.
This is a massive list.
After reading this post I am going to give Ryan Bingham , Junky Star a go.
Great site by the way.
Sævar.
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