What a year for music in 2010! An abundance of sound and styles from all genres flourished across the board. One of the more interesting years of music with so many great records arriving, picking a Top 10 list, Honorable Mention List and League of Their Own was difficult and probably the most difficult it has been in a while. Yet, after much contemplating and discussion, here is our list of Top 10 Albums of 2010. This list is truly a display that music is our universal language, with albums hailing from America, England, Canada, Sweden and Iceland. There is something for everyone here and if there are albums you have not heard, we suggest taking a listen.
In Short Form:
10 - The Hold Steady - Heaven is Whenever
9 - Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More
8 - The Roots - How I Got Over
7 - Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
6 - Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
5 - Robyn - Body Talk
4 - The National - High Violet
3 - Jonsi - Go
2 - Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
1 - Portugal. The Man - American Ghetto
Now in Long Form:
10 - The Hold Steady - Heaven is Whenever
The best band to come from New York City since The Ramones goes a bit soft and much more romantic on their fifth album. Heaven is Whenever is an intimate portrait of a band coping with fame and rock stardom and still trying to be guys from the neighborhood. Though it is not filled with the rock anthems they are known for and take more of a ballad approach that does not mean it should be discounted or over looked. Craig Finn is still a master lyricist and his fingerprints are all over these songs.
Key Tracks: The Weekenders, We Can Get Together
9 - Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More
If the Appalachian Trail had a soundtrack it would be Mumford and Sons stunning debut. Released last year independently by the band in their native England, Sigh No More finally was brought to the masses earlier this year and has taken listeners by storm. A highlight of the year at Lollapalooza was seeing the band play to their largest crowd and seeing people walk away hysterically crying and full of emotion, it was a beautiful display of the power of music. This is a must listen and a must own.
Key Tracks: Sigh No More, Thistle and Weeds
8 - The Roots - How I Got Over
The hardest working band in music released two great records this year, one being a collection of soul covers of the 50's through 70's with John Legend and How I Got Over, the finest Roots album from since 2004's The Tipping Point. This is classic Roots and a record that really reflects our modern age and society, an album we will look back on in years to come for a time capsule to the age we live in.
Key Tracks - Dear God 2.0 (feat. Monsters of Folk), Right on (feat. Joanna Newsom)
7 - Gaslight Anthem - American Slang
New Jersey's new favorite sons return after the massive success of their 2008 sophomore breakthrough, The '59 Sound and bring a new found sense of maturity to their music. A polished effort and like The Hold Steady's Heaven is Whenever, it maybe a not so anthematic rock sound, but still packs a punch. Brian Fallon is quickly becoming one of rock and rolls great songwriters and his passion for punk and folk explodes on American Slang.
Key Tracks: Queen of Lower Chelsea, Orphans
6 - Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Canada's favorite exports and the benchmark of indie music gave us their much anticipated third album this year. Arcade Fire's The Suburbs is an introspective look at growing up in Suburbia and wanting more, yet returning to your roots maybe the only thing that is good for you. It is an ambitious album full of various styles and sounds and proves that are one of the most interesting acts on the planet (as well as one of the best live acts). Funeral gave them a name, Neon Bible gave them a new dialogue but its The Suburbs that will make Arcade Fire much more glorified than they already are. Just look at this years Grammy nominations.
Key Tracks: City with No Children, Sprawl II (Mountains Behind Mountains)
5 - Robyn - Body Talk
It has been said before by us and it will be said again, every other pop act right now needs to sit down and reevaluate themselves and bow down to Robyn. The NEW Queen of pop has crafted the greatest record from that genre since Madonna's Ray of Light. Sweden's princess has been making music since the 90's and in this new millennium she has found her own footing and Body Talk she finds her voice. Body Talk is a lesson in dance music and packs a punch with production by Diplo, Royksaap and guest appearances by Snoop Dogg, Robyn is not messing around and Body Talk is proof that she is poised to take over the world.
Key Tracks: Dancing on my Own, Call Your Girlfriend
4 - The National - High Violet
Moody Brooklyn rockers polish up their sound and style and bring forth one of their greatest achievements. The fifth album from The National sounds like a progress in therapy than in does in music, but for this acclaimed band it is what has finally gotten more eyes and ears on them. Driven by pounding drums and static guitars and Matt Berninger's baritone vocals, High Violet is The National at their best.
Key Tracks: Bloodbuzz Ohio, England
3 - Jonsi - Go
The solo debut from Sigur Ros' singer, Jonsi is not just stunning it is awe inspiring. A concept record that parallels nature and friendship. An interesting idea but so well done, it is beautiful, stunning and simply captivating. With the record mostly in English, he still sings in his native Icelandic language and manages to hit every octave range in the process. This is a record that is simply bursting with musical creativity. Jonsi proves that no matter what he does in the music world it is simply pure and genius.
Key Tracks: Go Do, Kolnidor
2 - Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
The most anticipated album of the year delivers in big ways. Kanye West has given the world his musical masterpiece and hip-hop a new direction to go in. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is as beautiful as it haunting in a lush piece of music that transcends genres and style. It is an intimate portrait of a conflicted artist trying to prove his worth to the world. While he has already done so in four other albums of solo material, all of the things Kanye has done off the mic have made him a publicist’s worst nightmare. Dark Twisted Fantasy exposes his duality as Kanye the rapper and West the person and his way to cope with both. Can he be a good person or a better one while being one of the greatest rappers of all time in a genre that is all about what you got and not who you are? This maybe verbal therapy for the rapper, but he is getting to where he needs to be as a person. In the meantime, what he has proven is that he cannot make a bad record.
Key Tracks: Power, Lost in the World (feat. Bon Iver)
1 - Portugal. The Man - American Ghetto
This is an album that is going to shock people, not just in how it is presented but the fact that it is indeed the best album of the year is as surprising because, there are still many who have no idea who Portugal. The Man are. The only band to ever appear on our Top 10 two years in a row, says something and as they contiue to prove and show who they are, American Ghetto is a reason to get started on what they are. What an achievement, just less than a year after releasing Satanic Satanist, Wasilla via Portland art rockers delivered their best album to date. American Ghetto is a record that shows why they sell out every show, gain more fans with each song and prove that if you are not listening to these guys…well, you are seriously missing something pretty incredible. This is psychedelic art rock at its finest and a record not to be missed!
Key Tracks: The Dead Dog, Just a Fool
This is how we listened to the music world this year, now in the new year we begin our lists for 2011.
Take a look at the other lists we had for 2011 -
2010 HONORABLE MENTIONS
2010 LEAUGE OF THEIR OWN
