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Pretty Much Amazing's 40 Best Albums of 2011

LIST SUMMARY

VIEW ORIGINAL LIST

List Rating: 81

Based on 456 album ratings

Genre Breakdown:

Indie Pop (7), Indie Rock (6), Experimental (5), Hip Hop (4), Alternative Rock (3), Electronic (3), Pop (2), Experimental Rock (2), Dubstep (2), Indie Folk (2), Post-Punk (1), Psychedelic (1), Dream Pop (1), Garage Rock (1), Singer-Songwriter (1)

1. Nerves Junior - As Bright As Your Night Light

Nerves Junior - As Bright As Your Night Light

Released: Sep 6th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock

CRITIC SCORE

80

Based on
1 review

USER SCORE

94

Based on
2 ratings

2. tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l

tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l

Released: Apr 19th, 2011
Genre: Experimental

CRITIC SCORE

87

Based on
16 reviews

USER SCORE

85

Based on
25 ratings

3. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Released: May 3rd, 2011
Genre: Indie Folk

CRITIC SCORE

86

Based on
16 reviews

USER SCORE

87

Based on
37 ratings

4. Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver

Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver

MUST HEAR

Released: Jun 21st, 2011
Genre: Indie Folk

CRITIC SCORE

83

Based on
16 reviews

USER SCORE

89

Based on
54 ratings

5. Shabazz Palaces - Black Up

Shabazz Palaces - Black Up

Released: Jun 28th, 2011
Genre: Hip Hop

CRITIC SCORE

88

Based on
11 reviews

USER SCORE

84

Based on
14 ratings

6. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

MUST HEAR

Released: Sep 13th, 2011
Genre: Indie Pop

CRITIC SCORE

89

Based on
16 reviews

USER SCORE

88

Based on
38 ratings

7. Panda Bear - Tomboy

Panda Bear - Tomboy

Released: Apr 12th, 2011
Genre: Experimental

CRITIC SCORE

81

Based on
14 reviews

USER SCORE

82

Based on
13 ratings

8. James Blake - James Blake

James Blake - James Blake

MUST HEAR

Released: Feb 8th, 2011
Genre: Dubstep

CRITIC SCORE

85

Based on
16 reviews

USER SCORE

87

Based on
43 ratings

9. The Antlers - Burst Apart

The Antlers - Burst Apart

MUST HEAR

Released: May 10th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock

CRITIC SCORE

82

Based on
14 reviews

USER SCORE

85

Based on
23 ratings

10. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost

Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost

MUST HEAR

Released: Sep 13th, 2011
Genre: Indie Pop

CRITIC SCORE

83

Based on
15 reviews

USER SCORE

87

Based on
24 ratings

11. Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials

Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials

Released: Nov 1st, 2011
Genre: Indie Pop

CRITIC SCORE

74

Based on
13 reviews

USER SCORE

82

Based on
17 ratings

12. Cults - Cults

Cults - Cults

Released: Jun 7th, 2011
Genre: Indie Pop

CRITIC SCORE

77

Based on
11 reviews

USER SCORE

74

Based on
14 ratings

13. Radiohead - The King of Limbs

Radiohead - The King of Limbs

Released: Feb 19th, 2011
Genre: Experimental Rock

CRITIC SCORE

80

Based on
13 reviews

USER SCORE

81

Based on
37 ratings

14. Lady Gaga - Born This Way

Lady Gaga - Born This Way

Released: May 23rd, 2011
Genre: Pop

CRITIC SCORE

66

Based on
10 reviews

USER SCORE

49

Based on
9 ratings

15. TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light

TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light

Released: Apr 12th, 2011
Genre: Experimental Rock

CRITIC SCORE

81

Based on
15 reviews

USER SCORE

80

Based on
13 ratings

16. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

MUST HEAR

Released: Feb 15th, 2011
Genre: Alternative Rock

CRITIC SCORE

90

Based on
18 reviews

USER SCORE

87

Based on
36 ratings

17. Kanye West & Jay-Z - Watch the Throne

Kanye West & Jay-Z - Watch the Throne

Released: Aug 8th, 2011
Genre: Hip Hop

CRITIC SCORE

78

Based on
12 reviews

USER SCORE

79

Based on
22 ratings

18. Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation

Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation

MUST HEAR

Released: Sep 27th, 2011
Genre: Dream Pop

CRITIC SCORE

79

Based on
10 reviews

USER SCORE

84

Based on
31 ratings

19. Drake - Take Care

Drake - Take Care

Released: Nov 15th, 2011
Genre: Hip Hop

CRITIC SCORE

82

Based on
13 reviews

USER SCORE

82

Based on
17 ratings

20. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes

Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes

Released: Mar 1st, 2011
Genre: Indie Pop

CRITIC SCORE

82

Based on
14 reviews

USER SCORE

82

Based on
11 ratings

21. Destroyer - Kaputt

Destroyer - Kaputt

MUST HEAR

Released: Jan 25th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock

CRITIC SCORE

85

Based on
16 reviews

USER SCORE

84

Based on
30 ratings

22. Korallreven - An Album by Korallreven

Korallreven - An Album by Korallreven

Released: Nov 15th, 2011
Genre: Electronic

CRITIC SCORE

78

Based on
6 reviews

USER SCORE

77

Based on
3 ratings

23. Zola Jesus - Conatus

Zola Jesus - Conatus

Released: Oct 4th, 2011
Genre: Psychedelic

CRITIC SCORE

77

Based on
13 reviews

USER SCORE

67

Based on
8 ratings

24. Atlas Sound - Parallax

Atlas Sound - Parallax

MUST HEAR

Released: Nov 8th, 2011
Genre: Experimental

CRITIC SCORE

84

Based on
15 reviews

USER SCORE

81

Based on
13 ratings

25. Black Lips - Arabia Mountain

Black Lips - Arabia Mountain

MUST HEAR

Released: Jun 7th, 2011
Genre: Garage Rock

CRITIC SCORE

78

Based on
10 reviews

USER SCORE

84

Based on
7 ratings

26. Wilco - The Whole Love

Wilco - The Whole Love

Released: Sep 27th, 2011
Genre: Alternative Rock

CRITIC SCORE

77

Based on
14 reviews

USER SCORE

73

Based on
11 ratings

27. Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx - We're New Here

Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx - We're New Here

Released: Feb 22nd, 2011
Genre: Dubstep

CRITIC SCORE

81

Based on
9 reviews

USER SCORE

84

Based on
10 ratings

28. Active Child - You Are All I See

Active Child - You Are All I See

Released: Aug 23rd, 2011
Genre: Experimental

CRITIC SCORE

74

Based on
8 reviews

USER SCORE

78

Based on
3 ratings

29. Twin Sister - In Heaven

Twin Sister - In Heaven

Released: Sep 27th, 2011
Genre: Indie Pop

CRITIC SCORE

75

Based on
11 reviews

USER SCORE

82

Based on
4 ratings

30. The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient

The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient

Released: Aug 16th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock

CRITIC SCORE

82

Based on
13 reviews

USER SCORE

78

Based on
10 ratings

31. EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints

EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints

MUST HEAR

Released: May 10th, 2011
Genre: Experimental

CRITIC SCORE

84

Based on
12 reviews

USER SCORE

82

Based on
13 ratings

32. The Roots - Undun

The Roots - Undun

Released: Dec 6th, 2011
Genre: Hip Hop

CRITIC SCORE

85

Based on
10 reviews

USER SCORE

83

Based on
13 ratings

33. Feist - Metals

Feist - Metals

Released: Oct 4th, 2011
Genre: Indie Pop

CRITIC SCORE

81

Based on
12 reviews

USER SCORE

80

Based on
20 ratings

34. Beyoncé - 4

Beyoncé - 4

Released: Jun 28th, 2011
Genre: Pop

CRITIC SCORE

72

Based on
14 reviews

USER SCORE

77

Based on
5 ratings

35. Iceage - New Brigade

Iceage - New Brigade

MUST HEAR

Released: Jun 21st, 2011
Genre: Post-Punk

CRITIC SCORE

84

Based on
11 reviews

USER SCORE

83

Based on
12 ratings

36. Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise

Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise

Released: Jan 31st, 2011
Genre: Electronic

CRITIC SCORE

82

Based on
6 reviews

USER SCORE

86

Based on
12 ratings

37. The Horrors - Skying

The Horrors - Skying

MUST HEAR

Released: Jul 26th, 2011
Genre: Alternative Rock

CRITIC SCORE

83

Based on
19 reviews

USER SCORE

85

Based on
12 ratings

38. Austra - Feel It Break

Austra - Feel It Break

Released: May 17th, 2011
Genre: Electronic

CRITIC SCORE

74

Based on
11 reviews

USER SCORE

79

Based on
13 ratings

39. Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde

Smith Westerns - Dye It Blonde

Released: Jan 18th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock

CRITIC SCORE

85

Based on
13 reviews

USER SCORE

79

Based on
8 ratings

40. Wild Beasts - Smother

Wild Beasts - Smother

MUST HEAR

Released: May 10th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock

CRITIC SCORE

82

Based on
13 reviews

USER SCORE

86

Based on
15 ratings

Recommend:

Original Source: http://prettymuchamazing.com/feature/best-albums-2011

MORE 2011 YEAR END LISTS:

American Songwriter

Bigger Than The Sound

Cokemachineglow

Consequence of Sound

Drowned in Sound

Gorilla vs. Bear

Under the Radar

MORE YEAR END LISTS FROM PRETTY MUCH AMAZING:

Check out our 2011 Year End Summary.

COMMENTS

2011 YEAR END SUMMARY

2011 YEAR END LISTS

American Songwriter

Bigger Than The Sound

Cokemachineglow

Consequence of Sound

Drowned in Sound

Gorilla vs. Bear

Under the Radar

MORE 2011 LISTS

AoTY Readers 2011

Drowned in Sound (First Half)

Exclaim! (Dance & Electronic)

Exclaim! (Pop & Rock)

New York Magazine

One Thirty BPM (EPs)

Pitchfork Readers

PopMatters (Worst Albums)

PopMatters (Electronic)

PopMatters (Indie Pop)

PopMatters (Indie Rock)

Spinner (First Half)

Stereogum (First Half)

Urban Outfitters

TOP RATED FOR 2011

Album of The Year

Beats Per Minute

Consequence of Sound

Drowned in Sound

Under The Radar

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73 Above the City by Club 8

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67 I'm Leaving by Is Tropical

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NR Still Awake by Ryan Hemsworth

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BEST ALBUMS OF 2011 BY GENRE

Alternative Rock

Experimental Rock

Psychedelic Rock

Singer-Songwriter