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. What We Saw from the Cheapseats – Regina Spektor – Peaks so incredibly high that we can forgive the lack of a center.
3. R.A.P. Music – Killer Mike – This is gangsta if Malcolm X had turned to rap instead of politics.
4. The Best Place – Best Coast – So dark you'll have to wear sunglasses.
5. Blunderbuss – Jack White – A surprising return to form after years of thinking he was a performing flea.
6. . The OF Tapes Vol 2 – If this is a long way from perfect, it is still the most important hip hop album since Goblin.
7. Clear Heart Full Eyes – Craig Finn – He didn't nothing with it on stage, so let it stay on record.
8. Some Nights – fun. – An impossibly impressive debut pop album which improves as it storms the charts.
9. God Love And Romance – Fred Hammond – If it had no sketches it would be # 1.
10.Ugly – Screaming Females – They improve with every recording
11. Voyageur – Kathleen Edwards – A terrific singer-songwriter writing very well. Even the production works.
12. Love On A real Train – Love On A real Train – Ambience plus.
13 Ugly – Screaming Females – They improve with every recording.
14. Beware And be Grateful – Maps And Atlases – Will they ever mix commercial and art this well again?
15. Trespassing – Adam Lambert – Disco album # 1
16. Joyful Noise – Gossip – Disco album # 2
17. Magic Hour – Scissor Sisters – Disco album # 3
18. MDNA – Madonna – Disco album # 4
19. Open Your Heart – The Men -Punk album of the year
20. Go! Pop! Bang! – Rye Rye – And not just because it has the best and most accurate album name.
21. The Absence – Melanie Gardot – Entirely lovely smooth jazz instant classic
22.. New Life – Monica – Atlanta diva cuts back on the TV show, releases a great album
23.. Wrecking Ball – bruce Springsteen – His ego gets the better of him, but would we expect any less at this point?
24.. Rize Of The Fenix – Tenacious D – Much better than it has any right to be
25.. OFF! – OFF! – The place where punk became hardcore the first time around
26. Los Monsters – Elvis Crespo – More of the same
27. Out Of The Game – Rufus wainwright – yeah, it's a disappointment… it's still rufus
28.. Older Than My Old Man – Loudon Wainwright II – And younger than his son.