PROGRESS: Winter ·
Spring ·
Summer ·
Fall ·
#40-36 ·
#35-31 ·
#30-26 ·
#25-21 ·
#20-16 ·
#15-11 ·
#10-6 ·
#5-1
Do not adjust your set. This is
TC's top 40 albums of 2011.
This is the 9th consecutive year that I'll be counting down my favorite music. This year-end tradition started in 2003 and has weathered everything you could throw at it. It's an institution at this point.
In recent years, Robyn, Lady Gaga, Santogold, Tegan and Sara, and Lily Allen have all taken the crown. This year, who will it be? Join me for another journey through the year's memorable singles of each season, followed by the main event, my top 40 albums. The road to this year's #1 album starts right here.
First, let's take a look back at all my previous year-end lists...
TC's top 40 albums of 2010 ·
THREAD
40. Girl Talk - All Day
39. Lillix - Tigerlily
38. The Watson Twins - Talking To You, Talking To Me
37. Lucy Schwartz - Life In Letters
36. Fitz And The Tantrums - Pickin' Up The Pieces
35. The Hold Steady - Heaven Is Whenever
34. Ted Leo And The Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks
33. Hole - Nobody's Daughter
32. KT Tunstall - Tiger Suit
31. The Black Keys - Brothers
30. The Dead Weather - Sea Of Cowards
29. Glasser - Ring
28. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening
27. Broken Bells - Broken Bells
26. Charlotte Gainsbourg - IRM
25. Devo - Something For Everybody
24. Ellie Goulding - Lights
23. Brooke Fraser - Flags
22. Karen Elson - The Ghost Who Walks
21. Goldfrapp - Head First
20. Taylor Swift -
Speak Now
19. Fefe Dobson -
Joy
18. Arcade Fire -
The Suburbs
17. Kate Nash -
My Best Friend Is You
16. Uffie -
Sex Dreams And Denim Jeans
15. Katy Perry -
Teenage Dream
14. Ke$ha -
Animal
13. The Like -
Release Me
12. Hunter Valentine -
Lessons From The Late Night
11. Kylie Minogue -
Aphrodite
10. Florence & The Machine -
Lungs
9. Sara Bareilles -
Kaleidoscope Heart
8. Best Coast -
Crazy For You
7. Janelle Monáe -
The ArchAndroid
6. Marina & The Diamonds -
The Family Jewels
5. Sleigh Bells -
Treats
4. Sia -
We Are Born
3. Kaki King -
Junior
2. Kanye West -
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
1. Robyn - Body Talk
TC's top 40 albums of 2009 ·
THREAD
40. The Lonely Island - Incredibad
39. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
38. Wilco - Wilco (The Album)
37. A Fine Frenzy - Bomb In A Birdcage
36. War Child Presents - Heroes
35. Adam Lambert - For Your Entertainment
34. The Ettes - Do You Want Power
33. Alicia Keys - The Element of Freedom
32. Bat For Lashes - Two Suns
31. Orianthi - Believe
30. Rihanna - Rated R
29. Selena Gomez & The Scene - Kiss & Tell
28. La Roux - La Roux
27. Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You
26. Pearl Jam - Backspacer
25. Norah Jones - The Fall
24. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
23. Kid Sister - Ultraviolet
22. Anya Marina - Slow & Steady Seduction: Phase II
21. Paramore - Brand New Eyes
20. Maria Taylor -
LadyLuck
19. Them Crooked Vultures -
Them Crooked Vultures
18. Meg & Dia -
Here, Here And Here
17. Monsters Of Folk -
Monsters Of Folk
16. Kelly Clarkson -
All I Ever Wanted
15. Neko Case -
Middle Cyclone
14. The Dead Weather -
Horehound
13. Shakira -
She Wolf
12. Amanda Blank -
I Love You
11. Demi Lovato -
Here We Go Again
10. Lights -
The Listening
9. Tegan and Sara -
Sainthood
8. Little Boots -
Hands
7. Kate Voegele -
A Fine Mess
6. Lykke Li -
Youth Novels
5. The Bird And The Bee -
Ray Guns Are Not Just The...
4. U2 -
No Line On The Horizon
3. Metric -
Fantasies
2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs -
It's Blitz!
1. Lady Gaga - The Fame / The Fame Monster
TC's top 120 songs and top 40 albums of 2008 ·
THREAD
TOP 120 SONGS
20. Lily Allen - "Everyone's At It"
19. Coldplay - "Violet Hill"
18. Adele - "Painting Pictures"
17. Ben Folds f/ Regina Spektor - "You Don't Know Me"
16. Juliana Hatfield f/ Richard Butler - "This Lonely Love"
15. Kate Nash - "Foundations"
14. The Raconteurs - "Carolina Drama"
13. Santogold - "Lights Out"
12. Nicole Atkins - "The Way It Is"
11. Rihanna - "Disturbia"
10. Cat Power - "Metal Heart"
9. The Watson Twins - "Just Like Heaven"
8. Lights - "White"
7. Sons and Daughters - "Gilt Complex"
6. Adele - "Chasing Pavements"
5. Jem - "Down To Earth"
4. Girl Talk - "Feed The Animals"
3. M.I.A. - "Paper Planes"
2. She & Him - "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?"
1. Santogold - "L.E.S. Artistes"
TOP 40 ALBUMS
40. Scarlett Johansson - Anywhere I Lay My Head
39. Charlotte Sometimes - Waves & The Both Of Us
38. Nine Inch Nails - The Slip
37. Beck - Modern Guilt
36. Cat Power - Jukebox
35. David Byrne and Brian Eno - Everything That Happens
34. The Offspring - Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace
33. Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple
32. Ben Folds - Way To Normal
31. Pink - Funhouse
30. Ladytron - Velocifero
29. Dido - Safe Trip Home
28. Cansei de Ser Sexy - Donkey
27. Lenka - Lenka
26. Nicole Atkins - Neptune City
25. Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy
24. Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
23. Kate Nash - Made Of Bricks
22. Sara Bareilles - Little Voice
21. Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends
20. Ashlee Simpson -
Bittersweet World
19. R.E.M. -
Accelerate
18. The Ting Tings -
We Started Nothing
17. The Gaslight Anthem -
The '59 Sound
16. Aimee Mann -
@#%&*! Smilers
15. Juliana Hatfield -
How To Walk Away
14. Annie -
Don't Stop
13. Taylor Swift -
Fearless
12. Katy Perry -
One Of The Boys
11. Lights -
Lights
10. The Hold Steady -
Stay Positive
9. Duffy -
Rockferry
8. The Raconteurs -
Consolers Of The Lonely
7. Adele -
19
6. Girl Talk -
Feed The Animals
5. The Watson Twins -
Fire Songs
4. Sons & Daughters -
This Gift
3. Jem -
Down To Earth
2. She & Him -
Volume One
1. Santogold - Santogold
TC's top 40 albums of 2007 ·
THREAD
40. Kylie Minogue - X
39. New Years Day - My Dear
38. The Hives - The Black and White Album
37. Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad
36. Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly, Angry Mob
35. Kelly Clarkson - My December
34. Bat for Lashes - Fur and Gold
33. Beastie Boys - The Mix-Up
32. The Shins - Wincing The Night Away
31. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship...
30. Bad Religion - New Maps Of Hell
29. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Is Is
28. Sally Shapiro - Disco Romance
27. Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight
26. Northern State - Can I Keep This Pen?
25. Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist
24. M.I.A. - Kala
23. Radiohead - In Rainbows
22. Band of Horses - Cease To Begin
21. Norah Jones - Not Too Late
20. Jesca Hoop -
Kismet
19. KT Tunstall -
Drastic Fantastic
18. Alicia Keys -
As I Am
17. Mark Ronson -
Version
16. The Go! Team -
Proof of Youth
15. New Young Pony Club -
Fantastic Playroom
14. Sahara Hotnights -
What If Leaving Is A Loving Thing?
13. The Vincent Black Shadow -
Fears In The Water
12. Kanye West -
Graduation
11. LCD Soundsystem -
Sound of Silver
10. Hilary Duff -
Dignity
9. Paramore -
Riot!
8. The White Stripes -
Icky Thump
7. The Good, The Bad & The Queen -
The Good, The Bad...
6. Foo Fighters -
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
5. The Arcade Fire -
Neon Bible
4. Amy Winehouse -
Back To Black
3. Nine Inch Nails -
Year Zero
2. Feist -
The Reminder
1. Tegan and Sara - The Con
TC's top 120 singles and top 20 albums of 2006 ·
THREAD
TOP 120 SINGLES
40. Morningwood - "Nth Degree"
39. Nas - "Hip Hop Is Dead"
38. The Pipettes - "Pull Shapes"
37. Beck - "Cell Phone's Dead"
36. Johnny Cash - "God's Gonna Cut You Down"
35. KT Tunstall - "Suddenly I See"
34. The Decemberists - "O Valencia"
33. Lacuna Coil - "Enjoy The Silence"
32. Metric - "Monster Hospital"
31. The Killers - "When You Were Young"
30. Franz Ferdinand - "The Fallen"
29. Editors - "Munich"
28. Death Cab For Cutie - "Crooked Teeth"
27. Audioslave - "Original Fire"
26. The Flaming Lips - "The W.A.N.D."
25. Gnarls Barkley - "Crazy"
24. AFI - "Love Like Winter"
23. The White Stripes - "The Denial Twist"
22. Nine Inch Nails - "Every Day Is Exactly The Same"
21. Chris Cornell - "You Know My Name"
20. Pearl Jam - "Life Wasted"
19. Cat Power - "Love & Communication"
18. Feist - "One Evening"
17. Outkast - "Mighty O"
16. KT Tunstall - "Black Horse And The Cherry Tree"
15. Nelly Furtado - "Maneater"
14. Gnarls Barkley - "Smiley Faces"
13. Thom Yorke - "Black Swan"
12. Jenny Lewis w/ Watson Twins - "Rise Up With Fists"
11. Lily Allen - "LDN"
10. Cat Power - "Living Proof"
9. The Raconteurs - "Steady As She Goes"
8. Nelly Furtado - "Say It Right"
7. TV On The Radio - "Wolf Like Me"
6. Pearl Jam - "World Wide Suicide"
5. Lily Allen - "Smile"
4. Beck - "Nausea"
3. Gnarls Barkley - "Gone Daddy Gone"
2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Gold Lion"
1. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Dani California"
TOP 20 ALBUMS
20. Evanescence - The Open Door
19. Thom Yorke - The Eraser
18. Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor
17. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
16. The Killers - Sam's Town
15. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
14. Jenny Lewis w/ Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat
13. KT Tunstall - Eye To The Telescope
12. Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam
11. TV On The Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain
10. Arctic Monkeys -
Whatever People Say I Am, That's...
9. Dixie Chicks -
Taking The Long Way
8. The Raconteurs -
Broken Boy Soldiers
7. Nelly Furtado -
Loose
6. Beck -
The Information
5. Gnarls Barkley -
St. Elsewhere
4. Neko Case -
Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
3. The Decemberists -
The Crane Wife
2. Cat Power -
The Greatest
1. Lily Allen - Alright, Still
TC's top 120 singles and top 10 albums of 2005 ·
THREAD
TOP 120 SINGLES
40. Foo Fighters - "Resolve"
39. Kaiser Chiefs - "I Predict A Riot"
38. Metric - "Monster Hospital"
37. Beck - "Girl"
36. System Of A Down - "B.Y.O.B."
35. Interpol - "Evil"
34. Le Tigre - "TKO"
33. Bloc Party - "Banquet"
32. The White Stripes - "The Denial Twist"
31. The Arcade Fire - "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)"
30. M.I.A. - "Galang"
29. Weezer - "Perfect Situation"
28. 311 - "Don't Tread On Me"
27. Garbage - "Why Do You Love Me"
26. U2 - "All Because Of You"
25. Audioslave - "Doesn't Remind Me"
24. Kasabian - "Club Foot"
23. The Decemberists - "16 Military Wives"
22. Jem - "24"
21. Coldplay - "Fix You"
20. M.I.A. - "Bucky Done Gun"
19. Kaiser Chiefs - "Oh My God"
18. Queens Of The Stone Age - "Little Sister"
17. Sum 41 - "Pieces"
16. Coldplay - "Speed Of Sound"
15. The Strokes - "Juicebox"
14. U2 - "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own"
13. Green Day - "Holiday"
12. Weezer - "Beverly Hills"
11. Foo Fighters - "DOA"
10. The White Stripes - "Blue Orchid"
9. Weezer - "We Are All On Drugs"
8. Beck - "Hell Yes"
7. Nine Inch Nails - "The Hand That Feeds"
6. Coldplay - "Talk"
5. Nine Inch Nails - "Only"
4. Franz Ferdinand - "Do You Want To"
3. Beck - "E-Pro"
1. Fiona Apple - "O' Sailor"
1. Foo Fighters - "Best Of You"
TOP 10 ALBUMS
10. M.I.A. - Arular
9. The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
8. The Decemberists - Picaresque
7. Audioslave - Out Of Exile
6. Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better
5. Coldplay -
X & Y
4. Nine Inch Nails -
With Teeth
3. Foo Fighters -
In Your Honor
2. Fiona Apple -
Extraordinary Machine
1. Beck - Guero
TC's top 120 songs of 2004 · THREAD
40. Ambulance Ltd. - "Primitive"
39. Thrice - "Stare At The Sun"
38. The Offspring - "Can't Get My Head Around You"
37. Gwen Stefani - "What You Waiting For"
36. The Von Bondies - "C'mon C'mon"
35. Sahara Hotnights - "On Top Of Your World"
34. The Used - "Take It Away"
33. Bumblebeez 81 - "Pony Ride"
32. The Music - "Breakin'"
31. Switchfoot - "Meant To Live"
30. Velvet Revolver - "Slither"
29. The Distillers - "Drain The Blood"
28. The Presidents of the U.S.A. - "Some Postman"
27. The Vines - "Ride"
26. Norah Jones - "Sunrise"
25. Green Day - "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams"
24. Shakira - "Poem To A Horse"
23. Jet - "Cold Hard Bitch"
22. Jimmy Eat World - "Pain"
21. Samantha Ronson - "Pull My Hair Out"
20. The Donnas - "Fall Behind Me"
19. The Offspring - "Hit That"
18. Matthew Good - "Alert Status Red"
17. Korn - "Word Up"
16. AFI - "Silver And Cold"
15. Phantom Planet - "Big Brat"
14. Tegan and Sara - "Walking With A Ghost"
13. 311 - "Love Song"
12. Cypress Hill - "What's Your Number"
11. Franz Ferdinand - "This Fire"
10. Modest Mouse - "Float On"
9. A Perfect Circle - "The Outsider"
8. The Hives - "Walk Idiot Walk"
7. The Cure - "The End Of The World"
6. Beastie Boys - "Right Right Now Now"
5. Beastie Boys - "Triple Trouble"
4. Green Day - "American Idiot"
3. Incubus - "Megalomaniac"
2. U2 - "Vertigo"
1. Beastie Boys - "Ch-Check It Out"
TC's top 120 songs of 2003 · THREAD
40. Korn - "Did My Time"
39. Thursday - "Signals Over The Air"
38. Michelle Branch - "Breathe"
37. Blue Man Group f/ Gavin Rossdale - "The Current"
36. Rancid - "Fall Back Down"
35. A Perfect Circle - "The Outsider"
34. Transplants - "Diamonds And Guns"
33. Dave Matthews - "Gravedigger"
32. Stone Temple Pilots - "All In The Suit You Wear"
31. Switchfoot - "Meant To Live"
30. AFI - "Silver And Cold"
29. Jewel - "Intuition"
28. Billy Talent - "Try Honesty"
27. The Music - "Take The Long Road And Walk It"
26. Audioslave - "Show Me How To Live"
25. Evanescence - "Bring Me To Life"
24. Radiohead - "Go To Sleep"
23. Outkast - "Hey Ya" / "The Way You Move"
22. Liam Lynch - "United States Of Whatever"
21. Fefe Dobson - "Take Me Away"
20. Metallica - "St. Anger"
19. Michelle Branch - "Are You Happy Now"
18. Foo Fighters - "Times Like These"
17. Kings Of Leon - "Molly's Chambers"
16. Deftones - "Minerva"
15. Electric Six - "Danger! High Voltage!"
14. AFI - "The Leaving Song Pt. 2"
13. Radiohead - "There There"
12. Evanescence - "Going Under"
11. Thrice - "All That's Left"
10. 311 - "Creatures (For Awhile)"
9. A Perfect Circle - "Weak And Powerless"
8. Sum 41 - "The Hell Song"
7. AFI - "Girl's Not Grey"
6. No Doubt - "It's My Life"
5. The White Stripes - "Hardest Button To Button"
4. Queens Of The Stone Age - "Go With The Flow"
3. The Darkness - "I Believe In A Thing Called Love"
2. The White Stripes - "Seven Nation Army"
1. Jane's Addiction - "Just Because"
I'll soon make my way through some of the year's memorable singles that are not part of my top 40 albums, as I do every year before the actual countdown. First up: Winter. Be there!
looking forward to your lists as usual!
amazing album! Can't wait for this year!
