Year-End Lists

Spin: 50 Best Albums of 2011

[see also 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2012]

1. David Comes to Life
   Fucked Up
2. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
3. Past Life Martyred Saints
   EMA
4. Smoke Ring for My Halo
   Kurt Vile
5. Father, Son, Holy Ghost
   Girls
6. XXX
   Danny Brown
7. In the Grace of Your Love
   The Rapture
8. The One…Cohesive
   G-Side
9. Wild Flag
   Wild Flag
10. Wounded Rhymes
    Lykke Li
11. Mirror Traffic
    Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
12. 12 Desperate Straight Lines
    Telekinesis
13. House of Balloons & Thursday
    The Weeknd
14. Bon Iver
    Bon Iver
15. Leave Home
    The Men
16. Relax
    Das Racist
17. Only in Dreams
    Dum Dum Girls
18. SBTRKT
    SBTRKT
19. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
    M83
20. Black Up
    Shabazz Palaces
21. The Year of Hibernation
    Youth Lagoon
22. Take Care
    Drake
23. New Brigade
    Iceage
24. Divine Providence
    Deer Tick
25. Wit’s End/Humor Risk
    Cass McCombs
26. Aesthethica
    Liturgy
27. Return of 4Eva
    Big K.R.I.T.
28. Ravedeath, 1972
    Tim Hecker
29. Born This Way
    Lady Gaga
30. Whokill
    Tune-Yards
31. Yuck (specifically the Deluxe Edition)
    Yuck
32. KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories)
    Hayes Carll
33. Helplessness Blues
    Fleet Foxes
34. Strange Mercy
    St. Vincent
35. Within and Without
    Washed Out
36. El Camino
    The Black Keys
37. Looping State of Mind
    The Field
38. Conatus
    Zola Jesus
39. 4
    Beyoncé
40. Watch the Throne
    Jay-Z and Kanye West
41. Nostalgia, Ultra
    Frank Ocean
42. Chief
    Eric Church
43. Section.80
    Kendrick Lamar
44. Undun
    The Roots
45. Azari & III
    Azari & III
46. Wasting Light
    Foo Fighters
47. The Harrow & The Harvest
    Gillian Welch
48. Drive (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
    various artists
49. Atma
    YOB
50. Femme Fatale
    Britney Spears

musicOMH: Top 50 Albums of 2011

[see also 2012]

1. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
2. The English Riviera
   Metronomy
3. Smother
   Wild Beasts
4. Whokill
   Tune-Yards
5. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
6. Burst Apart
   The Antlers
7. Skying
   The Horrors
8. Biophilia
   Björk
9. Strange Mercy
   St. Vincent
10. Diamond Mine
    King Creosote & Jon Hopkins
11. Welcome to Condale
    Summer Camp
12. The King of Limbs
    Radiohead
13. Ravedeath, 1972
    Tim Hecker
14. SBTRKT
    SBTRKT
15. Ritual Union
    Little Dragon
16. Build a Rocket Boys!
    Elbow
17. Paradise
    Slow Club
18. 50 Words for Snow
    Kate Bush
19. We’re New Here
    Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx
20. Anna Calvi
    Anna Calvi
21. A Winged Victory for the Sullen
    A Winged Victory For The Sullen
22. Arctic Monkeys
    Arctic Monkeys
23. Kiss Each Other Clean
    Iron & Wine
24. Nine Types of Light
    TV on the Radio
25. Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam
    Ghostpoet
26. Everything’s Getting Older
    Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat
27. Hearts
    I Break Horses
28. The Rip Tide
    Beirut
29. James Blake
    James Blake
30. Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
    Explosions in the Sky
31. Pala
    Friendly Fires
32. Azari & III
    Azari & III
33. David Comes to Life
    Fucked Up
34. Wounded Rhymes
    Lykke Li
35. Watch the Throne
    Jay-Z and Kanye West
36. Within and Without
    Washed Out
37. Arabian Horse
    Gus Gus
38. Space is Only Noise
    Nicolas Jaar
39. Cat’s Eyes
    Cat’s Eyes
40. Past Life Martyred Saints
    EMA
41. Felt
    Nils Frahm
42. Feel It Break
    Austra
43. Belong
    Pains of Being Pure at Heart
44. Dedication
    Zomby
45. Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
    Mogwai
46. Smoke Ring for My Halo
    Kurt Vile
47. The Harrow & The Harvest
    Gillian Welch
48. Lupercalia
    Patrick Wolf
49. The King is Dead
    The Decemberists
50. Zonoscope
    Cut Copy

PopMatters: 75 Best Albums of 2011

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2012]

1. Helplessness Blues
   Fleet Foxes
2. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
3. David Comes to Life
   Fucked Up
4. Whokill
   Tune-Yards
5. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
   M83
6. House of Balloons
   The Weeknd
7. Strange Mercy
   St. Vincent
8. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
9. The Harrow & The Harvest
   Gillian Welch
10. The King of Limbs
    Radiohead
11. Smoke Ring for My Halo
    Kurt Vile
12. 21
    Adele
13. The King is Dead
    The Decemberists
14. James Blake
    James Blake
15. Yuck
    Yuck
16. Father, Son, Holy Ghost
    Girls
17. Stone Rollin’
    Raphael Saadiq
18. American Legacies
    Preservation Hall Jazz Band & The Del McCoury Band
19. Bad as Me
    Tom Waits
20. Build a Rocket Boys!
    Elbow
21. Burst Apart
    The Antlers
22. Wild Flag
    Wild Flag
23. Wounded Rhymes
    Lykke Li
24. Kaputt
    Destroyer
25. Ceremonials
    Florence + The Machine
26. Gimme Some
    Peter Bjorn and John
27. The Whole Love
    Wilco
28. Nine Types of Light
    TV on the Radio
29. Ashes & Fire
    Ryan Adams
30. Black Up
    Shabazz Palaces
31. All Eternals Deck
    The Mountain Goats
32. Within and Without
    Washed Out
33. So Beautiful or So What
    Paul Simon
34. Return of 4Eva
    Big K.R.I.T.
35. Past Life Martyred Saints
    EMA
36. Tomboy
    Panda Bear
37. Cults
    Cults
38. The Book of David
    DJ Quik
39. I Am Very Far
    Okkervil River
40. Slave Ambient
    The War on Drugs
41. Wasting Light
    Foo Fighters
42. Skying
    The Horrors
43. When the Heart Emerges Glistening
    Ambrose Akinmusire
44. Last Summer
    Eleanor Friedberger
45. No Time for Dreaming
    Charles Bradley
46. 17th Street
    Hammers of Misfortune
47. Go-Go Boots
    Drive-By Truckers
48. Ravedeath, 1972
    Tim Hecker
49. The Inside Room
    Watt Sun
50. Civilian
    Wye Oak
51. Dye It Blonde
    Smith Westerns
52. Arabia Mountain
    Black Lips
53. New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges
    Colin Stetson
54. Circuital
    My Morning Jacket
55. Join Us
    They Might Be Giants
56. Watch the Throne
    Jay-Z and Kanye West
57. Gloss Drop
    Battles
58. Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
    Mogwai
59. The People’s Key
    Bright Eyes
60. Metals
    Feist
61. The Hunter
    Mastodon
62. Feel It Break
    Austra
63. The Big Roar
    Joy Formidable
64. Nothing is Wrong
    Dawes
65. How Do You Do?
    Mayer Hawthorne
66. Parallax
    Atlas Sound
67. All at Once
    The Airborne Toxic Event
68. Paradise
    Slow Club
69. Blessed
    Lucinda Williams
70. Looping State of Mind
    The Field
71. Eye Contact
    Gang Gang Dance
72. What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
    The Vaccines
73. Conatus
    Zola Jesus
74. ISAM
    Amon Tobin
75. All Things Will Unwind
    My Brightest Diamond

Gigwise: Top 50 Albums of 2011

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2012]

1. The English Riviera
   Metronomy
2. Skying
   The Horrors
3. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
4. Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
   Beastie Boys
5. Angles
   The Strokes
6. Velociraptor!
   Kasabian
7. Suck It and See
   Arctic Monkeys
8. Ceremonials
   Florence + The Machine
9. Helplessness Blues
   Fleet Foxes
10. Pala
    Friendly Fires
11. Wasting Light
    Foo Fighters
12. Smother
    Wild Beasts
13. The King of Limbs
    Radiohead
14. Burst Apart
    The Antlers
15. Mylo Xyloto
    Coldplay
16. What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
    The Vaccines
17. Watch the Throne
    Jay-Z and Kanye West
18. Kiss Each Other Clean
    Iron & Wine
19. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
    Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
20. Mirrorwriting
    Jamie Woon
21. A Different Kind of Fix
    Bombay Bicycle Club
22. Biophilia
    Björk
23. Arabia Mountain
    Black Lips
24. Coastal Grooves
    Blood Orange
25. Computers and Blues
    The Streets
26. The People’s Key
    Bright Eyes
27. Cults
    Cults
28. Build a Rocket Boys!
    Elbow
29. Violet Cries
    Esben and the Witch
30. We’re New Here
    Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx
31. Hunger
    Frankie and the Heartstrings
32. Veronica Falls
    Veronica Falls
33. James Blake
    James Blake
34. The Big Roar
    Joy Formidable
35. On A Mission
    Katy B
36. A Creature I Don’t Know
    Laura Marling
37. Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
    Mogwai
38. Nine Types of Light
    TV on the Radio
39. Last Night on Earth
    Noah & The Whale
40. Unknown Mortal Orchestra
    Unknown Mortal Orchestra
41. Yuck
    Yuck
42. 21
    Adele
43. House of Balloons
    The Weeknd
44. Rome
    Danger Mouse & Daniel Luppi
45. Past Life Martyred Saints
    EMA
46. Carrier
    Sully
47. Glass Swords
    Rustie
48. SBTRKT
    SBTRKT
49. Leisure Seizure
    Tom Vek
50. Sinners Never Sleep
    You Me At Six

ChartAttack: 12 Favourite Albums of 2011, in no particular order

• Diaper Island
  Chad Van Gaalen
• Bon Iver
  Bon Iver
• Days
  Real Estate
• New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges
  Colin Stetson
• Within and Without
  Washed Out
• Whokill
  Tune-Yards
• Exmilitary
  Death Grips
• Cape Dory
  Tennis
• Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
  Explosions in the Sky
• Helplessness Blues
  Fleet Foxes
• Underneath the Pine
  Toro y Moi
• Watch the Throne
  Jay-Z and Kanye West

Claire Suddath: Top 10 Albums of 2011, as published by Time Magazine

1. 21
   Adele
2. Ceremonials
   Florence + The Machine
3. Watch the Throne
   Jay-Z and Kanye West
4. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
5. Nostalgia, Ultra
   Frank Ocean
6. Whokill
   Tune-Yards
7. Own Side Now
   Caitlin Rose
8. Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
   Beastie Boys
9. Barton Hollow
   The Civil Wars
10. El Camino
    The Black Keys

Magnet Magazine: Top 20 Albums of 2011

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. Yuck
   Yuck
2. Bad as Me
   Tom Waits
3. Wild Flag
   Wild Flag
4. Mirror Traffic
   Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
5. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
6. Collapse Into Now
   R.E.M.
7. The People’s Key
   Bright Eyes
8. Civilian
   Wye Oak
9. Defender
   Bird of Youth
10. Apocalypse
    Bill Callahan
11. David Comes to Life
    Fucked Up
12. The King of Limbs
    Radiohead
13. Bon Iver
    Bon Iver
14. Whokill
    Tune-Yards
15. The Whole Love
    Wilco
16. Blood Pressures
    Kills
17. Last Summer
    Eleanor Friedberger
18. Demolished Thoughts
    Thurston Moore
19. Tomboy
    Panda Bear
20. James Blake
    James Blake

David Ehrlich of Movies.com’s Criterion Corner: 25 Best Films of 2011

NOTE: In Boxoffice Magazine, Ehrlich lists Certified Copy (Kiarostami) as tied for first, noted that the Panahi film does not come out in the US until February 2012 (he says it’s available for streaming at Netflix, but as of December 12, 2011, that is not the case), and omits the Loktov and Naranjo films.

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. This is Not a Film
   Jafar Panahi & Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
2. The Tree of Life
   Terrence Malick
3. Kill List
   Ben Wheatley
4. The Arbor
   Clio Barnard
5. Melancholia
   Lars von Trier
6. Hugo
   Martin Scorsese
7. The Loneliest Planet
   Julia Loktev
8. Miss Bala
   Gerardo Naranjo
9. The Skin I Live In
   Pedro Almodóvar
10. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
    David Fincher
11. The Adventures of Tintin
    Steven Spielberg
12. The Turin Horse
    Béla Tarr & Agnes Hranitzky
13. A Separation
    Asghar Farhadi
14. The Interrupters
    Steve James
15. Footnote
    Joseph Cedar
16. How to Die in Oregon
    Peter Richardson
17. Shame
    Steve McQueen
18. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
    Nuri Bilge Ceylan
19. We Need to Talk About Kevin
    Lynne Ramsay
19. Pina
    Wim Wenders
20. Drive
    Nicolas Winding Refn
21. The Time That Remains
    Elia Suleiman
22. [missing]
23. The Trip
    Michael Winterbottom
24. Buddha Mountain
    Li Yu
25. The Descendants
    Alexander Payne

The Word Magazine: Best Albums of 2011, unordered

• So Beautiful or So What
  Paul Simon
• Smoke Ring for My Halo
  Kurt Vile
• 4everevolution
  Roots Manuva
• Let England Shake
  PJ Harvey
• Long Player Late Bloomer
  Ron Sexsmith
• 101
  Keren Ann
• Metals
  Feist
• Bon Iver
  Bon Iver
• The Whole Love
  Wilco
• An American Trilogy
  Mickey Newbury

Exclaim: 30 Best Pop & Rock Albums of 2011

[see also 2023]

1. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
2. Strange Mercy
   St. Vincent
3. Metals
   Feist
4. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
   M83
5. Kaputt
   Destroyer
6. Native Speaker
   Braids
7. Feel It Break
   Austra
8. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
9. Creep On Creepin’ On
   Timber Timbre
10. Impossible Spaces
    Sandro Perri
11. Wild Flag
    Wild Flag
12. Transistor Sister
    Shotgun Jimmie
13. Belong
    Pains of Being Pure at Heart
14. The Rip Tide
    Beirut
15. Father, Son, Holy Ghost
    Girls
16. Apocalypse
    Bill Callahan
17. Yuck
    Yuck
18. We’re All Dying to Live
    Rich Aucoin
19. Bad as Me
    Tom Waits
20. Gloss Drop
    Battles
21. Goodbye Bread
    Ty Segall
22. Wounded Rhymes
    Lykke Li
23. 21
    Adele
24. Sound Kapital
    Handsome Furs
25. Cults
    Cults
26. Past Life Martyred Saints
    EMA
27. Deformer
    Dog Day
28. Smoke Ring for My Halo
    Kurt Vile
29. The Whole Love
    Wilco
30. Departing
    The Rural Alberta Advantage