My Top 10 Albums of 2011 January 1, 2012

I delayed writing this post because I was going to post it on Hypable, and then as I was drafting I realized I don’t even think I have 10 separate albums that I listened to this year. But, I figured in keeping with tradition, it would only make sense to do so. Click here to check out my top 10 albums of 2009 and 2010.

Be prepared: this year was all about top 40 female pop stars.

So here are my top 10 albums of 2011 (as in the albums I listened to the most, not necessarily the albums that have been released this year).

10. Foo Fighters – Wasting Light

I got this album when it came out and listened to it for a few weeks and it’s VERY very good. But then after that I sort of lost the appeal of it. This isn’t typically my genre of music so maybe that’s why but I lost interest. But don’t get me wrong, it’s a fantastic album and should be required listening for everyone.

9. Lady Gaga – The Fame Monster

This album has been out for a couple years but it was definitely one of my most played. It was No.2 in 2009 and 2010. Looking back I still find it to be one of the most enjoyable albums in the last decade. I have a feeling it will make it in to the next coupe of year-end wrap ups as well.

8. Rihanna – Talk That Talk

Sticking to her one-album-every-year-for-the-last-7-years mantra, Talk That Talk came out late in 2011. I haven’t had a chance to listen to the whole thing over and over again but the couple of songs that I have heard I’ve been jamming to. I just wish she wasn’t so disgusting and gross.

7. Amy Winehouse – Lioness: Hidden Treasures

It almost seems impossible that we lost Amy this year. For the first time that I can remember I was actually upset with the death of a celebrity. Lioness was released in late 2011 and though I haven’t given it the attention that I should, it is definitely one of my favorite albums of the year.

6. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes

If there’s one thing Glee is good at it’s introducing me to new music. In the second half of season 2 they did Lykke Li’s “I Follow Rivers” and I LOVED it. I went and downloaded the entire album and low and behold it’s absolute magic. She has another album “Youth Novel” that came out in 2008 and I can’t wait to explore it the same way I did this one. Definitely check this album out regardless of your musical tastes.

5. Britney Spears – Femme Fatale

I am not a Britney Spears fan but she puts out some fun dance music. I am not invested in this album in any way other than to have on in the background of a party or something.

4. Glee Cast – Music from Seasons 2 and 3

There’s no denying my love for Glee. Not just the show the music as well. It’s everything I love about television. Seasons 2 and 3 were basically my main albums this year but they weren’t even really albums (I would buy the music as it became available every week). I know people knock the show but it’s a fun way to spend your Tuesday evenings.

3. Beyonce – 4

I went back and forth about what I thought about this album. It was announced like a month or 2 before the release, there was next to no promotion, and none of the songs were huge hits. Talking to my other Beyonce expert Phillip, we both agreed that this seems like an album she made in an effort to have a repertoire of middle-ground material when she does her 3 year stints in Las Vegas down the road. Either way this album is her most mature and most interesting yet.

2. Adele – 21

This was the year of Adele. There’s no denying that. She is breaking records left and right and doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon as almost a year later the album is still No.2 on Billboard. I was on the Adele train in 2008 but it’s really fun to see everyone get just as excited about 21 as I was about 19!

1. Lady Gaga – Born This Way

I don’t remember the last time I was this excited about a new album. There was no way, even if this album tanked, that it was going to be anything other than No.1 for me this year. The sheer excitement for it alone would have put it at the top. I think this album is going to land in my top 10 every year for a while…she still has a tour coming up as well! This is another one that even if you aren’t a fan of pop music, you should definitely try it out!