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. Swing Lo, Magellan – Dirty Projectors – DP make their pop move and it sticks
3. Shake My Head – Spider Bags – The best rock and roll album of the year is also the most straightforward rock and roll. Recorded in Memphis, with some great local rockers, it is as thrilling as music gets.
4. The Idlers Wheel – Fiona Apple – Seven years later and she is better than she's ever been, great production, great songs, terrific voice. Amazing.
5. What We Saw from the Cheapseats – Regina Spektor – Peaks so incredibly high that we can forgive the lack of a center.
6. R.A.P. Music – Killer Mike – This is gangsta if Malcolm X had turned to rap instead of politics.
7. Manifest – Friends – Hot beats, sexy voice, great songs.
8. The Best Place – Best Coast – So dark you'll have to wear sunglasses.
9. Blunderbuss – Jack White – A surprising return to form after years of thinking he was a performing flea.
10. The OF Tapes Vol 2 – If this is a long way from perfect, it is still the most important hip hop album since Goblin.
11. Clear Heart Full Eyes – Craig Finn – He didn't nothing with it on stage, so let it stay on record.
12. Major – Fang Mountain – Best indie of the year?
13. Some Nights – fun. – An impossibly impressive debut pop album which improves as it storms the charts.
14. God Love And Romance – Fred Hammond – If it had no sketches it would be # 1.
15. Ugly – Screaming Females – They improve with every recording
16. Voyageur – Kathleen Edwards – A terrific singer-songwriter writing very well. Even the production works.
17. Dirty Bass – Far East Movements – Best dance pop album of the year!!
18. Love On A real Train – Love On A real Train – Ambience plus.
19. Ugly – Screaming Females – They improve with every recording.
20. Beware And be Grateful – Maps And Atlases – Will they ever mix commercial and art this well again?
21. This Is Pil – Public Image Limited
22. Overexposed – Maroon 5 – Album # 4 and they have emerged as a hit machine.
23. Trespassing – Adam Lambert – Disco album # 1
24. Joyful Noise – Gossip – Disco album # 2
25. Magic Hour – Scissor Sisters – Disco album # 3
26. MDNA – Madonna – Disco album # 4
27. Open Your Heart – The Men -Punk album of the year
28. Rebirth – Jimmy Cliff – Great reggae album by a master
29. Go! Pop! Bang! – Rye Rye – And not just because it has the best and most accurate album name.
30. + – Ed Sheeran – A hit in the UK and in the process of crossing over.
31. The Absence – Melanie Gardot – Entirely lovely smooth jazz instant classic
32. . New Life – Monica – Atlanta diva cuts back on the TV show, releases a great album
32. Wrecking Ball – bruce Springsteen – His ego gets the better of him, but would we expect any less at this point?
33. Rize Of The Fenix – Tenacious D – Much better than it has any right to be
34. OFF! – OFF! – The place where punk became hardcore the first time around
35. Born To Die – Lana Del Rey _ So she can't perform live, we still have the album
36.. Los Monsters – Elvis Crespo – More of the same
37. Out Of The Game – Rufus Wainwright – yeah, it's a disappointment… it's still Rufus.
38. Cafe Nights In New York – Jack Phillips – Jazz as exciting as nyc.
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. Antennas From Hell – Slipknot – Best hardcore album of the year.
40.. Blow Your Pants Off – Jimmy Fallon – Brings the funny
41. Undersea – The Antlers – Experimental rock band hit the mainstream.