There's a lot of best of 2010 and what to look for in 2011 lists popping up at sites I visit regularly. I thought I'd try to make one thread to hold a bunch of 'em. We'll see how it goes...

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Spin - The 40 Best Albums of 2010 Here's the list, more information and videos from each band available at the above link.

40. Teenage Fanclub - Shadows

39. Caribou - Swim

38. Eminem - Recovery

37. The Walkmen - Lisbon

36. Gaslight Anthem - American Slang

35. Robert Plant - Band of Joy

34. Against Me! - White Crosses

33. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks

32. Big K.R.I.T. - K.R.I.T. Wuz Here

31. Spoon - Transference

30. The Black Keys - Brothers

29. Sleigh Bells - Treats

28. Neil Young - Le Noise

27. Glasser - Ring

26. The National - High Violet

25. Of Montreal - False Priest

24. Wavves - King of the Beach

23. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

22. Cee Lo Green - The Lady Killer

21. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles

20. MGMT - Congratulations

19. No Age - Everything In Between

18. Superchunk - Majesty Shredding

17. Beach House - Teen Dream

16. Drake - Thank Me Later

15. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor

14. Best Coast - Crazy For You

13. Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot

12. Yeasayer - Odd Blood

11. Vampire Weekend - Contra

10. Robyn - Body Talk Pt 1

09. Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr Rager

08. M.I.A. - Maya

07. Grinderman - Grinderman 2

06. Janelle Monae - The Archandroid

05. Jamey Johnson - The Guitar Song

04. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

03. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

02. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

01. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Spin - Twenty Best Songs of 2010 Here's the list, more information and videos (or audio) of each song available at the above link.

20. Les Savy Fav - Let's Get Out Of Here

19. Yeasayer - Ambling Alp

18. Tame Impala - Solitude Is Bliss

17. The Black Keys - Tighten Up

16. Das Racist - hahahaha jk?

15. Tracey Horn - Hormones

14. Chiddy Bang - Opposite Of Adults

13. Superchunk - Digging For Something

12. The Dream feat T.I. - Make Up Bag

11. Dom - Living In America

10. Gucci Mane - Lemonade

09. Janelle Monae feat Big Boi - Tightrope

08. Robyn - Cry When You Get Older

07. Kanye West - Runaway

06. Deerhunter - Helicopter

05. Neil Young - Hitchhiker

04. LCD Soundsystem - All I Want

03. Kanye West feat Dwele - Power

02. Arcade Fire - Ready To Start

01. Cee Lo Green - Fuck You

Stereogum - Top Fifty Albums of 2010 Streaming audio and downloads available at the above link.

50. Emeralds - Does It Look Like I'm Here?

49. Small Black - New Chain

48. Sharon Van Etten - Epic

47. Baths - Cerulean

46. Frank (Just Frank) - The Brutal Wave

45. Perfume Genius - Learning

44. Field Music - Field Music (Measure)

43. Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot

42. Lower Dens - Twin-Hand Movement

41. Oneohtrix Point Never - Returnal

40. Glasser - Ring

39. Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner

38. Avey Tare - Down There

37. jj - jj nº3

36. the morning benders - Big Echo

35. Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky

34. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor

33. MGMT - Congratulations

32. Twin Shadow - Forget

31. Warpaint - The Fool

30. Das Racist - Shut Up, Dude

29. Matthew Dear - Black City

28. Delorean - Subiza

27. Janelle Monae - The Archandroid

26. Tame Impala - Inner Speaker

25. ceo - White Magic

24. Tamaryn - The Waves

23. SALEM - King Night

22. Marnie Stern - Marnie Stern

21. Liars - Sisterworld

20. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today

19. Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma

18. Abe Vigoda - Crush

17. Owen Pallett - Heartland

16. The National - High Violet

15. The Dream - Love King

14. Yeasayer - Odd Blood

13. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

12. Crystal Castles - II

11. Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me

10. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

09. Wild Nothing - Gemini

08. Antony & The Johnsons - Swanlights

07. Vampire Weekend - Contra

06. Sleigh Bells - Treats

05. Robyn - Body Talk

04. Sufjan Stevens - The Age Of Adz

03. Beach House - Teen Dream

02. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

01. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Rolling Stone - Top Thirt...ms of 2010

30. Rick Ross - Teflon Don

29. The Roots - How I Got Over

28. My Chemical Romance - Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

27. Peter Wolf - Midnight Souvenirs

26. Yeasayer - Odd Blood

25. Superchunk - Majesty Shredding

24. Maximum Balloon - Maximum Balloon

23. Elizabeth Cook - Welder

22. Spoon - Transference

21. Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot

20. Neil Young - Le Noise

19. M.I.A. - Maya

18. Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown

17. Beach House - Teen Dream

16. Kid Rock - Born Free

15. The National - High Violet

14. Robyn - Body Talk

13. Taylor Swift - Speak Now

12. John Mellencamp - No Better Than This

11. The Dead Weather - Sea Of Cowards

10. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

09. Eminem - Recovery

08. Robert Plant - Band Of Joy

07. Drake - Thank Me Later

06. Vampire Weekend - Contra

05. Jamey Johnson - The Guitar Song

04. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

03. Elton John and Leon Russell - The Union

02. The Black Keys - Brothers

01. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Rolling Stone - Top Fifty...es of 2010

50. Ke$ha - We R Who We R

49. Elizabeth Cook - El Camino

48. Das Racist - hahahaha jk?

47. Kid Rock - Born Free

46. MGMT - Congratulations

45. The Rolling Stones - Plundered My Soul

44. Neil Young - Love and War

43. B.o.B. feat. Bruno Mars - Nothing on You

42. Surfer Blood - Floating Vibes

41. Junip - In Every Direction

40. Kanye West - Power

39. The Gaslight Anthem - The Diamond Church Street Choir

38. Spoon - The Mystery Zone

37. Lloyd Banks feat. Juelz Santana - Beamer, Benz, or Bentley

36. Drake feat. Nicki Minaj - Up All Night

35. Massive Attack feat. Hope Sandoval - Paradise Circus

34. Gorillaz feat. Mos Def and Bobby Womack - Stylo

33. Wavves - Post Acid

32. Die Antwoord - Enter The Ninja

31. Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here

30. Jakob Dylan - Nothing but the Whole Wide World

29. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - The Trip to Pirate's Cove

28. Band of Horses - Laredo

27. The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio

26. Robyn - Dancing On My Own

25. Nicki Minaj - Did It On 'Em

24. Eminem - Not Afraid

23. Jamey Johnson - Macon

22. Rick Ross feat. Styles P - B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)

21. Sleigh Bells - Infinity Guitars

20. Best Coast - Boyfriend

19. The New Pornographers - Your Hands (Together)

18. Jenny and Johnny - Scissor Runner

17. LCD Soundsystem - I Can Change

16. Cold War Kids - Coffee Spoon

15. Drake - Over

14. Big Boi feat. Cutty - Shutterbugg

13. The Dead Weather - Hustle and Cuss

12. Mark Ronson and the Business International feat. Q-Tip and MNDR - Bang Bang Bang

11. The Black Keys - Everlasting Light

10. Kanye West feat. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj and Bon Iver - Monster

09. Broken Bells - The Ghost Inside

08. Janelle Monáe feat. Big Boi - Tightrope

07. Vampire Weekend - White Sky

06. Mavis Staples - You Are Not Alone

05. Arcade Fire - We Used To Wait

04. Katy Perry - Teenage Dream

03. Sade - Soldier Of Love

02. Cee Lo Green - Fuck You

01. Kanye West feat. Pusha T - Runaway

Cerebus said:

Rolling Stone - Top Thirt...ms of 2010

30. Rick Ross - Teflon Don

29. The Roots - How I Got Over

28. My Chemical Romance - Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

27. Peter Wolf - Midnight Souvenirs

26. Yeasayer - Odd Blood

25. Superchunk - Majesty Shredding

24. Maximum Balloon - Maximum Balloon

23. Elizabeth Cook - Welder

22. Spoon - Transference

21. Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot

20. Neil Young - Le Noise

19. M.I.A. - Maya

18. Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown

17. Beach House - Teen Dream

16. Kid Rock - Born Free

15. The National - High Violet

14. Robyn - Body Talk

13. Taylor Swift - Speak Now

12. John Mellencamp - No Better Than This

11. The Dead Weather - Sea Of Cowards

10. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

09. Eminem - Recovery

08. Robert Plant - Band Of Joy

07. Drake - Thank Me Later

06. Vampire Weekend - Contra

05. Jamey Johnson - The Guitar Song

04. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

03. Elton John and Leon Russell - The Union

02. The Black Keys - Brothers

01. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Im actually scared that RS has 6 of my choices on their list, but the lose total cred when i see taylor swift at 13

Spin - 27 Winter Albums T...atter Most More information as well as some streaming tracks and videos available at the above link.

Deadmau5 - 4x4=12

Duffy - Endlessly

T.I. - No Mercy

Daft Punk - Tron: Legacy

Cage The Elephant - Thank You, Happy Birthday

Rye Rye - Go! Pop! Bang!

The Decemberists - The King Is Dead

Social Distortion - Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes

Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde

Iron And Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean

Cold War Kids - Mine Is Yours

Gang Of Four - Content

Destroyer - Kaputt

The Get Up Kids - There Are Rules

The Go! Team - Rolling Blackouts

Esben and The Witch - Violet Cries

Cut Copy - Zonoscope

Telekinesis - 12 Desperate Straight Lines

Chiddy Bang - The Swelly Life

Adele - 21

J. Cole - TBD

The Streets - Computers and Blues

Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes

Lupe Fiasco - Lasers

Plan B - The Defamation of Strickland Banks

The Pains Of Being Pure Of Heart - Belong

The Strokes - TBD

And I'm adding The Gorillaz, who will apparently be releasing a new, recorded while they were on their current tour or America, for FREE on Christmas day.

There a few on this list that I'm VERY interested in, but none more than Aphex Twin. However, I've not heard one single word regarding Rich releasing anything new anytime soon. It's likely just wishful thinking based on the fact that he's been playing a lot of new songs on his recent and ongoing DJ tours. But he's been doing that forever. Like, since the early 90s. So I'm not counting on that one until I see something official.

Stereogum - Fifty Most An...ms Of 2011

01 Aphex Twin – TBA

02 Fiona Apple – TBA

03 The Avalanches – TBA (via Modular)

04 Beastie Boys – Hot Sauce Committee, Vol. 2 (via Capitol)

05 James Blake – James Blake (2/07 via Atlas/A&M)

06 The Cars – TBA

07 The Cave Singers – No Witch (2/22 via Jagjaguwar)

08 Cloud Nothings – Cloud Nothings (1/24 via Carpark)

09 Cut Copy – Zonoscope (2/08 via Modular)

10 Death Cab For Cutie – TBA (via Atlantic)

11 The Decemberists – The King Is Dead (1/18 via Capitol)

12 Destroyer – Kaputt (1/25 via Merge)

13 Dr. Dre – Detox (February via Aftermath/Interscope)

14 Fleet Foxes – TBA

15 Foo Fighters – TBA

16 The Go! Team – Rolling Blackouts (2/14 via Memphis Industries)

17 PJ Harvey – Let England Shake (2/15 via Island)

18 Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean (1/25 via Warner Bros.)

19 Krallice – TBA (April via Profound Lore)

20 La Sera – La Sera (Early 2011 via Hardly Art)

21 Lady Gaga – Born This Way (Interscope)

22 Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes (3/1 via LL Recordings)

23 Lil Wayne – TBA

24 Liturgy – TBA (Thrill Jockey)

25 The Lonely Island – TBA

26 M83 – TBA

27 Jessica Lea Mayfield – Tell Me (2/8 via Nonesuch)

28 MINKS – By The Hedge (1/12 via Captured Tracks)

29 Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. (2/15 via Sub Pop)

30 My Morning Jacket – TBA (ATO)

31 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – TBA

32 The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Belong (March via Slumberland)

33 Panda Bear – Tomboy

34 R.E.M. – Collapse Into Now (Spring via Warner Bros.)

35 Radiohead – TBA (via Teh Internetz)

36 Gruff Rhys – Hotel Shampoo (2/14)

37 The Rome (Danger Mouse & Daniele Lupi) – The Rome

38 Santigold – TBA

39 The Shins – TBA

40 Paul Simon – So Beautiful Or So What

41 Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde (1/18 via Fat Possum)

42 The Streets – Computers And Blues

43 The Strokes – TBA

44 Tennis – Cape Dory (1/18 via Fat Possum)

45 Shugo Tokumaru – Port Entropy (2/15 via Polyvinyl.)

46 Toro Y Moi – Underneath The Pine (2/22 via Car Park)

47 The Twilight Singers – Dynamite Steps (2/15 via Subpop)

48 Kanye West & Jay-Z – Watch The Throne (via Def Jam)

49 The Wrens – TBA

50 U2 – Songs Of Ascent

HONORABLE MENTIONS & SPECULATIONS:

• …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead – Tao Of The Dead Part I: Tao Of the Dead (2/4 via Richter Scale)
• Akron/Family – S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT (2/8 via Dead Oceans)
• Damon Albarn/Flea/Tony Allen Project – TBA
• Asobi Seksu – Fluoresence (2/15 via Polyvinyl)
• Banjo Or Freakout – TBA (via Rare Book Room)
• Battles – TBA
• Beady Eye – TBA
• Beck – TBA
• Black Lips – TBA
• Bon Iver – TBA
• BRAIDS – Native Speaker (1/18 via Kanine Records)
• Bright Eyes – The People’s Key (2/15 via Saddle Creek)
• British Sea Power – Valhalla Dancehall (via Rough Trade)
• Burial – TBA
• Cake – Showroom Of Compassion (1/11 via Upbeat)
• Coldplay – TBA
• Cornershop – Cornershop & The Double ‘O’ Groove Of
• Crystal Stilts – TBA
• Danielson – Best of Gloucester County (2/22 via Sounds Familyre)
• The Death Set – Michel Poiccard (via Ninjatune)
• Deerhoof – Deerhoof Vs. Evil (1/25 via Polyvinyl)
• DeVotchKa – 100 Lovers (2/15 via ANTI-)
• Drive-By Truckers – Go-Go Boots (2/15 via ATO)
• Ducktails – Ductails III: Arcade Dynamics (1/10 via Woodsist)
• East River Pipe – We Live In Rented Rooms (2/15 via Merge)
• Eleventh Dream Day – Riot Now! (3/22 via Thrill Jockey)
• Esben & The Witch – Violet Cries (2/8 via Matador)
• Explosions In The Sky – TBA
• Matthew Friedberger – Solos (Jan, March, May, July, Sept, Nov via Thrill Jockey)
• The Feelies – TBA (Spring via Bar/None)
• Lupe Fiasco – Lasers (2/14 via Atlantic)
• The Forms – Derealization (2/15 via Threespheres/Ernest Jenning)
• Fujiya & Miyagi – Ventriloquizzing (1/25 via Yep Roc)
• Peter Gabriel – New Blood
• The Get Up Kids – There Are Rules (via Quality Hill Records)
• The Good, The Bad, & The Queen – TBA
• Gorillaz – TBA
• The Human League – Credo
• Islands – TBA
• Jane’s Addiction – TBA
• Keren Ann – TBA
• The Kills – TBA
• Talib Kweli – Gutter Rainbows (1/25 via Talibra)
• Avril Lavigne – Goodbye Lullabye (3/8 via RCA)
• Jens Lekman – TBA
• Low – TBA
• The Luyas – Too Beautiful To Work (2/22 via Dead Oceans)
• MEN – Talk About Body (2/1 via IAMSOUND)
• Mister Heavenly – TBA
• Neon Indian – TBA
• Noah & The Whale – TBA (via Lost Club/Mercury Records)
• Okkervil River – TBA
• Beth Orton – TBA
• Portishead – TBA
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – TBA
• Rick Rizzo & Tara Key – Double Star
• Sic Alps – Napa Asylum (1/25 via Drag City)
• The Skull Defekts – Peer Amid
• Britney Spears – TBA
• Tape Deck Mountain – Secret Serf EP
• Telekinesis! – 12 Desperate Straight Lines (2/15 via Merge)
• John Vanderslice – White Wilderness (1/25 via Dead Oceans)
• VEGA – TBA
• White Lies – Ritual (1/18 via Fiction)
• Wild Flag – TBA
• Lucinda Williams – Blessed (3/1 via Lost Highway)
• Win Win – Win Win (Vice
• Patrick Wolf – TBA (via Hideout)
• Wye Oak – Civilian (3/8 via Merge)
• Yuck – Yuck (2/15 via Fat Possum)

[Edited 12/8/10 17:06pm]

lastdecember said:

Im actually scared that RS has 6 of my choices on their list, but the lose total cred when i see taylor swift at 13

You'll get no argument from me on that one, but I'm not really qualified to judge that type of music, either. New country is just really not my cup o' tea. Bluegrass and the more traditional old timey stuff I can do. The stuff that dominates country radio these days - that slick, over produced pop crap - couldn't listen to that stuff to save my life.