1.Nothing's Gonna Change The Way that You Feel About Me – Justin Townes Earle – Just about perfect singer-songwriter malaise, a trip to nowhere and back in search of peace of mind.
2. The Idlers Wheel – Fiona Apple – Seven years later and she is better than she's ever been, great production, great songs, terrific voice. Amazing.
3.. What We Saw from the Cheapseats – Regina Spektor – Peaks so incredibly high that we can forgive the lack of a center.
4. R.A.P. Music – Killer Mike – This is gangsta if Malcolm X had turned to rap instead of politics.
5. Manifest – Friends – Hot beats, sexy voice, great songs.
6.. The Best Place – Best Coast – So dark you'll have to wear sunglasses.
7.. Blunderbuss – Jack White – A surprising return to form after years of thinking he was a performing flea.
8.. The OF Tapes Vol 2 – If this is a long way from perfect, it is still the most important hip hop album since Goblin.
9. Clear Heart Full Eyes – Craig Finn – He didn't nothing with it on stage, so let it stay on record.
10. Some Nights – fun. – An impossibly impressive debut pop album which improves as it storms the charts.
11. God Love And Romance – Fred Hammond – If it had no sketches it would be # 1.
12. Ugly – Screaming Females – They improve with every recording
11. Voyageur – Kathleen Edwards – A terrific singer-songwriter writing very well. Even the production works.
13. Dirty Bass – Far East Movements – Best dance pop album of the year!!
14. Love On A real Train – Love On A real Train – Ambience plus.
15. Ugly – Screaming Females – They improve with every recording.
16.. Beware And be Grateful – Maps And Atlases – Will they ever mix commercial and art this well again?
17. Overexposed – Maroon 5 – Album # 4 and they have emerged as a hit machine.
18.. Trespassing – Adam Lambert – Disco album # 1
19. Joyful Noise – Gossip – Disco album # 2
21.. Magic Hour – Scissor Sisters – Disco album # 3
22.. MDNA – Madonna – Disco album # 4
23. Open Your Heart – The Men -Punk album of the year
24. Go! Pop! Bang! – Rye Rye – And not just because it has the best and most accurate album name.
25.. + – Ed Sheeran – A hit in the UK and in the process of crossing over.
26.. The Absence – Melanie Gardot – Entirely lovely smooth jazz instant classic
28. . New Life – Monica – Atlanta diva cuts back on the TV show, releases a great album
29.. Wrecking Ball – bruce Springsteen – His ego gets the better of him, but would we expect any less at this point?
30.. Rize Of The Fenix – Tenacious D – Much better than it has any right to be
31.. OFF! – OFF! – The place where punk became hardcore the first time around
32. Born To Die – Lana Del Rey _ So she can't perform live, we still have the album
33.. Los Monsters – Elvis Crespo – More of the same
34. Out Of The Game – Rufus Wainwright – yeah, it's a disappointment… it's still Rufus.
35. WIXIW – Liars – Arty but awesome.
36.. Older Than My Old Man – Loudon Wainwright II – And younger than his son.
37. World, You Need A Change Of Mind – Kindness – Soul dipper plus tech
38. Eden's Edge – Eden Edge – This years Lady Antebellam meets Sugarland
39.. Blow Your Pants Off – Jimmy Fallon – Brings the funny
Comment: so a lot of individual achievements, the first four best of the year are solo artists. # 5 is a shocker, out of left field has blown me away. ANd if you double the amount of best albums we are at 80… down a bit but the tracks should be larger. Why? Musicians are having trouble sustaining albums since they don't have to.