I love the TV list! Also love the one-line reviews (though, I thought 30 Rock's 5th season was really strong, with tons of great episodes, but different strokes, etc). I love pretty much all those shows, minus the ones I haven't seen. Good stuff!
As for the albums, RHCP! Nice words on them. I really like that album, and i'm glad it placed this high.
Hey, if nothing else, AD proved that there's still hope for Community, even if it is cancelled.
As for RHCP, I enjoyed that album, but it just didn't really leave THAT much of a lasting impression on me. "Monarchy of Roses" is legit one of my favorite songs of the year, though.
I approve of the RHCP love. Great TV list, too. I started watching more 'Real Time' last year into this year than I ever have before. So much truth on 'South Park' and 'B&B'. Save 'Community'!
Welcome people. It is almost the year of the apocalypse. It will begin with a Denver Superbowl win. The Earth will never be better than on that day, thus it has no reason to continue existing. Expect lots of super-volcanos, the best kind of volcano. Volcanos won't stop this albums list from finishing. And to bring in the new year it's time for a triple update! Warning: many embedded videos ahead.
#7:
"Hot Sauce Committee Part 2" by Beastie Boys
Once a 2010 album, cancer pushed this album to 2011. I don't know if this is the same album that was supposed to be released then, but I would not be surprised if they added a bit after. Hot Sauce plays like the Beastie Boys reflecting on their entire career. "Make Some Noise" obviously has call backs to first hit "Fight For Your Right To Party". The upcoming "Multilateral Nuclear Development" is straight off of "Ill Communication".
Their recent instrumental "The Mix Up" obviously used a lot of sounds like this, but it was nowhere to be found on "To The 5 Boroughs". Not to mention something like "Lee Majors Comes Again", which goes back to their days before become a "hip hop" group. Indeed, in 2011 the Beasties moved forward by looking back.
#6:
"Nine Types of Light" by TV On The Radio
I'm gonna end up rehashing alot of what I said about Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs", which also placed at #6 I believe. TV On The Radio are expected to make great albums. Then when they do, people are surprised that they aren't surprised how good it is. So far, both of these bands have managed to live up to every expectation given to them, though rarely aiming to shoot past these great heights.
Unlike the Beastie Boys, TV On The Radio were not so fortunate with their own bout of cancer. Bassist Gerard Smith passed away on April 20th. Not sure what this means for the future of the band, but the loss is a terrible one. Probably the most tragic musician death of the year.
#5:
"The Double Cross" by Sloan
George Carlin once proposed building a giant wall at the Canadian to keep out the cold air. I'm not sure if they could build a wall that big though. And anyways, if there was a big wall we couldn't hear excellent Canadian music like Sloan. Another band that doesn't really have one genre tag.
Each song on "The Double Cross" seemingly brings a new sound to the table. The above "Unkind" sounds like it should be in Feris Buehler's Day Off. I guess the entire album sounds like a history class of rock n roll. Don't be worried, you don't have to learn or read if you don't want to.
Was very hard to rank those 3. Better to get it out of the way all at once. Happy New Year.
Holy moly! I love that, not only did you place the Sloan album on your list, but above Beastie Boys and TVOTR!!! So happy to see that. That truly is a fantastic album.
Nice write-ups! And comparing the TVOTR album with The Suburbs is something I never thought of, but it makes sense.
Whoa! What a massively great update right here. You said it better than I did on both Beasties and TVOTR. This also cements Sloan as my Greatest Regret of 2011 that I haven't heard that album in several months.
Double update here. Time to get this list pregnant.
We're in the playoffs! Wooo! Only scoring 3 points was enough!
#4:
"Wasting Light" by Foo Fighters
Every self respecting rock fan has "Wasting Light" somewhere in their favorite albums of 2011. This is the Foos returning to pure badassology 101 and getting an A+. The last couple Foo albums were good, but trying to achieve that "big" sound that "big" bands have. Perhaps it was reuniting with Butch Vig (he who produced "Nevermind"), perhaps it was recording the entire record in a garage. I dunno, but the Foos deliver their most powerful record yet.
It is an accepted fact that putting your song at the end of a great movie makes it even better. "Walk" proves this rule exceptionally, bringing an entire new meaning to the song for me and actually summing up the movie "Thor" quite well. I highly doubt this was intentional, but it works so who cares. Even slow songs like "Walk" and "These Days" eventually rock the eff out. It's like the Foos couldn't resist playing hard for more than a minute and a half. Love it.
#3:
"El Camino" by The Black Keys
Talk about drastically altering your sound. Instead of feeling like a Dangermouse produced album, "El Camino" sounds like Dangermouse straight up joined the band. Do the tour, do Leno, Saturday Night Live, everything together as one. I know that the D has this effect on folks, but going from the raw sound of "The Big Come Up" to this is crazy. Yet in no way does it feel like The Black Keys are selling out. There isn't an obvious pop hit on the record. And it is just as great as their best! "Brothers" also placed #3 on the 2010 list (against a stronger top 2, but overall 2011 had a better crop of albums).
The Black Keys will be coming to Cleveland in March with Arctic Monkeys! What a great show! That is the must see concert of the year. Even if U2 toured with Bruce Springsteen and a hologram of Elvis, I would still choose Keys/Monkeys. On a side note, I hope we get a new Blackroc record sometime soon. Not at the expense of a new Black Keys record every year, but Blackroc was too great to disappear.
What will the top 2 be? Shocking is what! One is foreign and one American. Will the USA win out once again? If I'm correct the only international band to top the charts is Dragonforce. Have they done it again? ... No.
but "I'm With You" is a great album 
, love those shows 
but definitely my favorite is "Nine Types of Light"