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Paste's 50 Best Albums of 2011

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LIST SUMMARY
List Rating: 77
Based on 501 album ratings

Genre Breakdown:
Folk (9), Indie Rock (8), Indie Pop (7), Alt-Country (4), Indie Folk (3), Electronic (2), Soul (2), Hip Hop (2), Rock (2), Alternative Rock (2), Experimental Rock (2), Folk Rock (1), Garage Rock (1), Lo-Fi (1), Electropop (1), Experimental (1), Dubstep (1), Blues (1), Psychedelic Rock (1)

1. Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver

Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver
MUST HEAR
Released: Jun 21st, 2011
Genre: Indie Folk
Overall Rating: 84


2. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
Released: May 3rd, 2011
Genre: Indie Folk
Overall Rating: 85


3. My Morning Jacket - Circuital

My Morning Jacket - Circuital
Released: May 31st, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock
Overall Rating: 74


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

tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l
Released: Apr 19th, 2011
Genre: Experimental
Overall Rating: 87


5. Middle Brother - Middle Brother

Middle Brother - Middle Brother
Released: Mar 1st, 2011
Genre: Alt-Country
Overall Rating: 74


6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - It's A Corporate World

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - It's A Corporate World
Released: Jun 7th, 2011
Genre: Electropop
Overall Rating: 65


7. Wilco - The Whole Love

Wilco - The Whole Love
Released: Sep 27th, 2011
Genre: Alternative Rock
Overall Rating: 77


8. Dawes - Nothing Is Wrong

Dawes - Nothing Is Wrong
Released: Jun 7th, 2011
Genre: Folk
Overall Rating: 76


9. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
Released: Oct 18th, 2011
Genre: Electronic
Overall Rating: 77


10. The Decemberists - The King is Dead

The Decemberists - The King is Dead
Released: Jan 18th, 2011
Genre: Folk Rock
Overall Rating: 75


11. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
MUST HEAR
Released: Sep 13th, 2011
Genre: Indie Pop
Overall Rating: 88


12. Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean

Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean
Released: Jan 25th, 2011
Genre: Folk
Overall Rating: 80


13. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost

Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
MUST HEAR
Released: Sep 13th, 2011
Genre: Indie Pop
Overall Rating: 86


13. Radiohead - The King of Limbs

Radiohead - The King of Limbs
Released: Feb 19th, 2011
Genre: Experimental Rock
Overall Rating: 80


14. Adele - 21

Adele - 21
Released: Feb 22nd, 2011
Genre: Soul
Overall Rating: 77


15. Deer Tick - Divine Providence

Deer Tick - Divine Providence
Released: Oct 25th, 2011
Genre: Folk
Overall Rating: 62


16. Yuck - Yuck

Yuck - Yuck
MUST HEAR
Released: Feb 15th, 2011
Genre: Alternative Rock
Overall Rating: 78


17. The Civil Wars - Barton Hallow

The Civil Wars - Barton Hallow
Released: Feb 1st, 2011
Genre: Folk
Overall Rating: 80


18. Wye Oak - Civilian

Wye Oak - Civilian
Released: Mar 8th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock
Overall Rating: 79


19. Cults - Cults

Cults - Cults
Released: Jun 7th, 2011
Genre: Indie Pop
Overall Rating: 77


20. Beirut - The Rip Tide

Beirut - The Rip Tide
Released: Aug 30th, 2011
Genre: Indie Folk
Overall Rating: 79


21. Charles Bradley - No Time for Dreaming

Charles Bradley - No Time for Dreaming
Released: Jan 25th, 2011
Genre: Soul
Overall Rating: NR


22. The Black Keys - El Camino

The Black Keys - El Camino
Released: Dec 6th, 2011
Genre: Rock
Overall Rating: 76


23. The Belle Brigade - The Belle Brigade

The Belle Brigade - The Belle Brigade
Released: Apr 19th, 2011
Genre: Indie Pop
Overall Rating: 74


24. TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light

TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light
Released: Apr 12th, 2011
Genre: Experimental Rock
Overall Rating: 81


25. The Antlers - Burst Apart

The Antlers - Burst Apart
MUST HEAR
Released: May 10th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock
Overall Rating: 82


26. The Low Anthem - Smart Flesh

The Low Anthem - Smart Flesh
Released: Feb 22nd, 2011
Genre: Folk
Overall Rating: 67


27. Black Lips - Arabia Mountain

Black Lips - Arabia Mountain
MUST HEAR
Released: Jun 7th, 2011
Genre: Garage Rock
Overall Rating: 78


28. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes

Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes
Released: Mar 1st, 2011
Genre: Indie Pop
Overall Rating: 82


29. Feist - Metals

Feist - Metals
Released: Oct 4th, 2011
Genre: Indie Pop
Overall Rating: 81


30. Tom Waits - Bad as Me

Tom Waits - Bad as Me
Released: Oct 25th, 2011
Genre: Blues
Overall Rating: 85


31. Telekinesis - 12 Desperate Straight Lines

Telekinesis - 12 Desperate Straight Lines
Released: Feb 15th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock
Overall Rating: 69


32. Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire

Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire
Released: Oct 11th, 2011
Genre: Alt-Country
Overall Rating: 72


33. The Head and The Heart - The Head and The Heart

The Head and The Heart - The Head and The Heart
Released: Apr 19th, 2011
Genre: Folk
Overall Rating: 53


34. Seryn - This Is Where We Are

Seryn - This Is Where We Are
Released: Jan 25th, 2011
Genre: Folk
Overall Rating: NR


35. Childish Gambino - Camp

Childish Gambino - Camp
Released: Nov 15th, 2011
Genre: Hip Hop
Overall Rating: 59


36. Mister Heavenly - Out of Love

Mister Heavenly - Out of Love
Released: Aug 16th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock
Overall Rating: 70


37. The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient

The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient
Released: Aug 16th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock
Overall Rating: 82


38. Over the Rhine - The Long Surrender

Over the Rhine - The Long Surrender
Released: Feb 8th, 2011
Genre: Folk
Overall Rating: 81


39. Gillian Welch - The Harrow & The Harvest

Gillian Welch - The Harrow & The Harvest
Released: Jun 28th, 2011
Genre: Alt-Country
Overall Rating: 83

The Harrow & The Harvest is simply one of the richest, most expansive roots albums to be released in some time.



40. Portugal. The Man - In the Mountain in the Cloud

Portugal. The Man - In the Mountain in the Cloud
Released: Jul 19th, 2011
Genre: Psychedelic Rock
Overall Rating: 71


41. James Blake - James Blake

James Blake - James Blake
MUST HEAR
Released: Feb 8th, 2011
Genre: Dubstep
Overall Rating: 85


42. Wild Flag - Wild Flag

Wild Flag - Wild Flag
Released: Sep 13th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock
Overall Rating: 82


43. The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar

The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar
Released: Mar 15th, 2011
Genre: Indie Rock
Overall Rating: 78


44. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for My Halo

Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for My Halo
MUST HEAR
Released: Mar 8th, 2011
Genre: Rock
Overall Rating: 80


45. Those Darlins - Screws Get Loose

Those Darlins - Screws Get Loose
Released: Mar 29th, 2011
Genre: Alt-Country
Overall Rating: 67


46. Holy Ghost! - Holy Ghost!

Holy Ghost! - Holy Ghost!
Released: Apr 5th, 2011
Genre: Electronic
Overall Rating: 68


47. Real Estate - Days

Real Estate - Days
MUST HEAR
Released: Oct 18th, 2011
Genre: Lo-Fi
Overall Rating: 80


48. Drake - Take Care

Drake - Take Care
Released: Nov 15th, 2011
Genre: Hip Hop
Overall Rating: 81


49. Mates of State - Mountaintops

Mates of State - Mountaintops
Released: Sep 13th, 2011
Genre: Indie Pop
Overall Rating: 72


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Original Source: http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2011/11/the-50-best-albums-of-2011.html

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BEST ALBUMS OF 2011 BY GENRE
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