20. Chris Brown - F.A.M.E. (Forgiving All My Enemies)
19. Foster the People - Torches
18. Leann Rimes - Lady & Gentlemen
17. Jill Scott - Light of the Sun
16. Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
15. Rihanna - Talk That Talk
14. Florence + the Machine - Ceremonials
13. David Guetta - Nothing But The Beat
12. Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra
11. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
10. Miranda Lambert - Four the Record
I've recently taken a strong liking to country music... at first because it seems to be the only genre unaffected by auto-tune (for the most part), but now because country artists tell stories pretty much like rappers. You don't have to have a flawless voice and the ability to hit ever octave to do that. Miranda Lambert dropped the possibly highest rated country this album a few months ago and I haven't stopped listening since. The stories she tells are less pop-diluted than Carrie Underwood and more... not-stupid than Taylor Swift. Her vocals may be limited, but she her music is unmatched by any female country artist this year.
9. Lady Gaga - Born This Way
I had a tough time placing this album. First it was at the top of the list, the at the bottom, but I feel like it deserved somewhere right in the middle. Even though it was the most overrated album of the year, you can take away the fact that 70% of this album is still bearable after several months, which is more than most of her competition can say after a few weeks. Born This Way is the years most eclectic pop album with theatrics to match. She gives us the typical pop she is famous for, clubby, bass-heavy house music, a taste of country, some stellar rock jams and wraps the whole package in her classical singing style. I underestimated her vocal power until this album and I must say that Gaga could definitely compete in a ring with the likes of Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson when it comes to power and control. Her range may not be too long, but hey, it's 2011... have any sort of vocal skill and being in the music industry is always a plus because very few still do.
8. 9th Wonder - Wonder Years
This is a hip-hop album. A great one. No filler. No pop. No ********. If there was ever any question about the state of urban music, then I feel like it should be directed to this man. As he begins to wrap up his first decade in the industry, I feel like 9th finally leaves a mark on the music world and we will probably see him start working with some big names like Eminem. Mark my words...
7. Britney Spears - Femme Fatale
What's there left to say about Britney that the world hasn't been hearing for the past 12 years? Not much. Femme Fatale is pretty much all the things we love about Britney, past and present. It's a fun dance record that anyone of any age group can bop to. Sure, Britney may not have written every song or taken part in the production, but then again are her contemporaries really writing anything that's saving lives? I don't think so.
6. Bon Iver - Bon Iver
I imagine this is the music they play in the waiting rooms while they judge you at the gates of heaven. The music sounds just like the album cover. One song may sound like light peeping through you window. Another like soft rain dropping into a pond. Sounds corny and extremely boring, but turn this album on the next time your in the house alone. Turn it up loud. I promise you'll feel inspired to clean the house, cook a meal or some other house-wifey ******** that we should all be paying someone to do!
5. Jay-Z x Kanye West - Watch the Throne
Kanye & Jay-Z are artists who are both known for consistently delivering and man-oh-man they did a hell of a job on this album. I'm not sure whether I was a bigger fan of Jay-Z from being able to pour his heart out on one record, then seem like he was bouncing around in excitement the next or if I was falling in love with Kanye's cockiness all over again, but everything just worked! These two go together about as well as Andrè 3000 and Big Boi of Outkast. the chemistry was omnipresent, but they didn't overpower each other while remaining two completely different styles of rapper. Then there was the production qualities, which were enough to make me melt on their own. More please!
4. Beyoncè - 4
There are only two types of people in the world who dislike Beyoncè. The ones who think she is affiliated with Satan and are scared they will go to hell and the ones who are fans of any artists they think is competition for her. Let me let you in on a little secret; Beyoncè doesn't have any competition and if 4 is the music they play in hell then I'm ready to party! Excuse me while I go repent...
3. Nicola Roberts - Cinderella's Eyes
I'm sure many of you watched me fall in love with Nicola and some have even followed me in that respect. Cinderella's Eyes wasn't really just an album to a lot of people. It was the most relateable album since Alanis Morisette's Jagged Little Pill. It's the brash and brutal honesty of Nicola calling herself "a rude ginger bitch" or the hardcore dick reference that really make this album more than just another UK pop album. It's an album straight out of the nineties with dance hits, tear-jerkers and songs about boys... Nicola made the kind of music every other young adult in the world lives every single day and we can totally dig that.
2. Adele - 21
I'm pretty sure there will be more people questioning why this album isn't #1 than anything, but honestly I don't really hear anyone talking about Adele's album aside from the singles. That said, the singles on this album ****ING SLAY LIVES. If you want to talk about great writing, if you want to talk about great productions, if you want to talk about an album that people will be listening to in 20 years, then let's talk about this album. Plus, it's hard to argue with over 12,000,000 units scanned. I mean, seriously... people are still buying more copies of 21 every week than brought Keri Hilson's last album overall.
1. Drake - Take Care
I had to do it. It was a struggle, but I had to see Drake come out on top. There's something lovably emo and enviably cocky about him that drives me and just about everyone else who likes hip-hop or R&B absolutely bonkers. If you have a true appetite for good music then Drake is surely feeding people the best lines in this album. Forget Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and Kanye West. Drake has created a soft flow reminiscent of the late Heavy D or even Slick Rick... and in an instant he's giving you a hardcore 21 bars that will having you on a Google search bender looking for the meanings of metaphors. If there is any one album on this list we suggest you splurge on... Go for this.