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EPs & Honorable Mentions | 50-31 | 30-11 | 10-1


10. Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me

[Myspace] // [Review]

As much as year-end lists are basically a conglomeration of everything said about an album over a twelve-month period, it would be criminal not to repeat once more the artistic merits of Joanna Newsom. Newsom went from a quirky (bordering on annoying) harpist intent on increasing her listeners’ patience to a well-developed songwriter and accomplished vocalist who learned how to trim the fat from her songs to create a much better product, and from an elfish girl who posed in animal skins to a sexy woman in hot pants and high heels. She has always had ambition, but never has she been as focused as she is on Have One on Me, which overflows with realized potential and the kind of songs we always knew she could write. Perhaps what is most surprising about the album is the fact that, after her grating warble on Ys, the songs on this album go down easy. Yes, like falling asleep. – Channing F.

09. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest

[Myspace] // [Review]

Perhaps the most surprising thing about Halcyon Digest was just how warm everything sounds. Whereas Bradford Cox and company’s earlier work was an unwieldy mess of noise thrown loosely under the shoegaze label, Halcyon Digest continues what 2008’s Microcastle began: transforming Deerhunter into a full-fledged rock band, feet firmly planted in pop territory and beckoning us to just relax and enjoy. It’s not just direct: there’s a depth to these songs that makes Halcyon Digest something more than just a really good rock album. Songs like the self-destructing ‘Desire Lines’ and the gorgeous dream of ‘Helicopter’ sound like the new classic rock, all substance and style without a tipping of the scales one way or the other. Halcyon Digest is Deerhunter’s most deft accomplishment yet, and they’ve done it not with bells or whistles or 20-minute-plus compositions but by writing perfect rock ‘n roll, pure and simple. – Rudy K.

08. Janelle Monae – The ArchAndroid

[Myspace] // [Review]

Janelle Monae’s The ArchAndroid is soo much more than just music. If you can excuse the wording inflection, there’s a good reason behind it: it really is. Who, after all, can remember the last time a pop album was executed on such a grand and fantastic scale? We’re talking an r&b concept album, revolving around a messianic robot-like figure, infused with a generous helping of funk, jazz, swing, hip hop, classical. You name it, it’s probably there. And not just it, but them too: Big Boi, Of Montreal, Saul Williams – a guest list as expansive and breathtaking as the ambition itself. Oh and then there’s Monae. Say it slow now: best voice of 2010. But all that aside – because it wasn’t enough already? – what pushes The ArchAndroid over the edge is its enduring freshness. Listening to Monae tread a tightrope of disparate musical influences while pouring her heart into an endeavor she has command of from top to bottom is nothing short of spellbinding. Pop music hasn’t seen anything like this since… ever. – Alex S.

07. Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty

[Myspace] // [Review]

Only a few years ago, the much-hyped Speakerboxxx/The Love Below had people wondering whether Outkast were better as a duo or as a unit. Now it seems like the only debate is about who’s the better of the pair. Sure, that’s a mark of how long it’s been since they released a proper album together (it’s an entire decade if you don’t include film scores and compilations), but it’s also a telling reflection of just how brilliant Sir Lucious Left Foot is. There’s no need to argue about whether either member can release an album as good as Aquemini or Stankonia any more: Big Boi’s already done it. For an album of such length, and for an album that broadly stays within mainstream-friendly boundaries, the consistency of Sir Lucious Left Foot is astonishing. Big Boi doesn’t try to do anything unusual or move the artform forward; he’s using the same old tricks as everybody else, but doing it so well that it becomes a sharp reminder of why those tricks were so thrilling in the first place. In a way, the album validates Speakerboxxx and casts a shadow over The Love Below: Big Boi’s had much greater artistic success with sticking to what he’s good at than his partner has with experimenting. Your move, Andre…. – Nick B.

06. Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma

[Myspace] // [Review]

To say that the talent of Steven Ellison has grown in leaps and bounds since his 2006 debut, 1983, would be the understatement of the year. While 1983 and Los Angeles were genre-defining, movement-sparking records, Cosmogramma feels like the album Flying Lotus was always destined to make. Subtly weaving a stronger free-jazz influence into his already packed collage of electronic-based music, Ellison has created a record that stretches his sonic and emotional palette considerably. The busy, messy beats are smeared with brilliant instrumental performances from, among others, Thom Yorke (vocals), Ravi Coltrane (tenor sax), Rebekah Raff (harp) and Thundercat (bass), and topped with spacey, intricate synthesiser parts that can only be described as epic. It’s not rare for an electronic-based record to be this overtly passionate; but for it to also be so perfectly consistent, experimental, and expansive means that it cannot be considered anything short of a classic. – Andrew H.

05. The National – High Violet

[Myspace] // [Review]

The National’s albums have each been portraits of growing up and the way that we interact with the world in the process. Alligator portayed the new found freedom of being a teenager and seeing the world as open and accessible for the first time. Boxer showed that same world as a series of carnival fun house mirrors, warped and shrouded in uncertainty and confusion. Now, with High Violet, they’ve documented the paranoia and claustrophobia of life in twenty-first century America. Vocalist Matt Berninger acts as your tour guide through the emotional void of modern existence, documenting the disconnect between people and the society in which they live. But he never loses hope in humanity itself: just when the world is about to swallow him alive there is one force that has the power to pull himself back from the edge of darkness – love. – Adam T.

04. Titus Andronicus – The Monitor

[Myspace] // [Review]

The Monitor is almost too ambitious. It’s always creaking and even cracking a little under the constant pressure and weight of its own lofty ambitions. Because The Monitor was not created to come off as merely another hyped album to you, the listener: it’s meant to be life-defining album, a signifier of what you’re about, of what we’re about; us, those who’ve listened to The Monitor. Those who’ve experienced it. Those who’ve lived it, these lyrics, the keggers and the humiliation and the hatefulness. Those who’ve sung (screamed) along with Patrick Stickles when he says that you, us, everyone, will always be losers. Those who’ve taken those last lyrics from ‘The Battle of Hampton Roads’ to heart. It’s an album that all but forces me to deploy ridiculous amounts of hyperbole, as I’ve thus done, but just to aptly describe what The Monitor does to me (right?). The Monitor means for us to feel this way; thing is, against seemingly insurmountable odds, it succeeds. This is why Titus Andronicus will live on, forever. – Cam

03. Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz

[Bandcamp] // [Review]

It’s easy to exaggerate the absurdity of what Sufjan Stevens has done with The Age of Adz. Cast him as the iconoclast – what is structure, what is convention, what is a song – but the ultimate question everyone seemed to ask was: “Has he gone mad?” The evidence, at first glance, seemed to indicate quite overwhelmingly that he’d come unglued, that every inch of him was bursting out onto this empty canvas and painting it with the most surreal sketches of a man not quite losing his mind but more lost in it than we’d ever realize. But to cast him as such a symbol – as distant, untouchable, different, like the age old caricature of a reclusive artist – is unfaithful to the most remarkable thing he achieves.

What shines through the chants, synths and crescendos, is the enormous amount of himself that Sufjan has poured into The Age of Adz and that’s an investment that he has made of his own accord and by his own observation. And, at least to me, that is the sign of a man not lost but rather more in tune with himself than we ever gave him credit for. Most importantly, it is a stunningly personal contribution. And despite the storm and swell of everything around him, it all still rests on the shoulders of our omniscient narrator: the colossal clutter filtered into ideas and themes as human and emotional as anything he wrote while parading as the cherub-voiced folk romantic. For all that has been made of Sufjan Stevens the personality, for every step that has been taken to distance this album as some demented portrait, what must not get lost in translation is just how strikingly intimate The Age of Adz manages to be. – Kiran S.

02. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

[Myspace] // [Review]

A few months ago, I read a review of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy where the author’s main argument was “the only thing that matters is the music.” Ever since, I have been burning to write on the album, because My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is so not a “just-the-music” record. Perhaps more so than any album released in recent memory and certainly more so than any record released in 2010, Dark Twisted Fantasy exemplifies the emerging trend in popular culture for an artist to totally transcend his art, as practically everything on this album is judged not necessarily on its own merits but rather through the omnipresent, awesome lens of Kanye West. And what makes this record vital is that Kanye West, “just a chi-town nigga with a nice flow,” can make himself look like the most interesting person ever.

It’s fitting that Kanye West takes a moment on his album to name-check Michael Jackson, the late King of Pop because with Dark Twisted Fantasy Kanye has played us all and is now reigning supreme as the King of Fucking Everything. With MJ’s scepter come MJ-like problems, all of which are artfully and crudely put on display for us to dissect and care about even if we never really cared about the cultural phenomenon of Kanye West. The meme-making business has made Kanye so relevant that one has to wonder if the infamous Katrina telethon and the Taylor Swift fiasco weren’t really meltdowns but genius career moves, a theory that doesn’t seem so far-fetched when you consider that everyone and their mother heard the record that emerged from Kanye’s self-destruction. More importantly, everyone loved it because Dark Twisted Fantasy offers us the Kanye West we’ve always wanted: a Kanye who shows us that underneath all of the legendary braggadocio is a guy who’s just as vulnerable and fucked up as we had suspected.  In the end, the only thing about My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy that matters is Kanye West, and we have to thank him for it. – Adam D.

01. The Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt

[Myspace] // [Review]

2010 featured more landmark releases than any year in recent memory. All of the albums we listed screamed excellence, invading our eardrums in ways we never thought possible. The album that tops our list, The Wild Hunt, also screams excellence; but whereas Kanye’s excellence is reverberated through Nicki Minaj’s monsters, and Sufjan’s excellence is filtered through auto-tune, Kristian Matsson alone makes the sound on his album. On The Wild Hunt, you will hear only one musician, but remarkably, no song on the album feels stark. Maybe it’s his abrasive, charming voice capable of so many inflections, or maybe it’s his deft fingerpicking or his full, confident strumming. I argue, however, that Matsson’s truest strength is his universality, his ability to transcend himself and speak from a higher plane–indeed, his ability to be The Tallest Man on Earth.

It’s the reason that ‘Kids on the Run’ succeeds as an album closer. Musically, the piano chords drag along, as Matsson pulls himself through the song like he’s dragging a dead horse through a swamp. His voice is more warbly than usual. Hell, the piano isn’t even really in tune, as if he stumbled upon the instrument in some broken down church in Mississippi. In the hands of anyone else, ‘Kids on the Run’ fails, but The Tallest Man on Earth collects himself in the deepest trench to gasp, “Oh, let’s break some hearts.” And the collective heart of hundreds of thousands of listeners breaks, as if on cue.

In places more confident, Matsson is quite simply the greatest songwriter of our generation. ‘King of Spain,’ arguably the best song he’s ever written, flies through its deceptively simple chord progression like a virtuosic masterpiece as Matsson weaves a fantastical tale about desire. But perhaps it was all just to throw in the sly taunt to his critics slapping the “Dylanesque” tag on him, beginning the third verse with, “And I wear my boots of Spanish leather/Oh, while I’m tightening my crown.” (Dylan had a song called ‘Boots of Spanish Leather.’) Dylan is his grounding, the boots on his feet, but Matsson still has the longest legs and the longest spine. He walks on rivers like it’s easier than land, holds glaciers to open flames, and embodies both fire on the mountain and water in the fountain. And for all this, he’ll stay the tallest man in our eyes for 2010. – Tyler F.

———————————————————————————

Contributing Staff Members
Sobhi Abdul-Rakhman | Nick Butler | Cam | DaveyBoy | Jared D.
Adam Downer | Jeremy F. | Tyler FisherRyan Flatley | Channing Freeman
Nick Greer | Andrew Hartwig | Jom | Rudy KlapperLewis P.Kiran S.
Alex Silveri | Trey Spencer | Mike StagnoDave de Sylvia | Adam Thomas

PreviousNext





Manic_
01.05.11
Kanye not number 1!

Baphomet
01.05.11
I hate this top 10 so, so much.

thebhoy
01.05.11
This is my favourite part so far

thebhoy
01.05.11
except Joanna Newsom, I just don't really like her

AggravatedYeti
01.05.11
I can stand by this.

robin
01.05.11
absolutely awesome.

kris.
01.05.11
how is kanye not 1 this is gay just kidding i'm happy with this good work staff
cept you chan
you do bad things

Athom
01.05.11
mmmmmhmmm

Gyromania
01.05.11
Fan-fucking-tastic list.

ConsiderPhlebas
01.05.11
The write-up for 2 is the most retarded thing ever spuffed onto the internet

Sowing
01.05.11
Was hoping 4 or 5 would be number 1, but so many of these are worthy I can't complain

Crimson Death
01.05.11
Thank you for not having Kanye at #1. 10 and 5 are good, need to listen to 1 and 3.

HallucinogeNick
01.05.11
most unimpressive top 10 of recent years.

Enotron
01.05.11
yaaaay 1 is my aoty

kris.
01.05.11
the kanye hate is ridiculous

mvood
01.05.11
Holy crap I didn't expect number 1 to be number 1. Also it is correct.

Enotron
01.05.11
also the write-ups for titus, the national, and tallest man were really really nice, brilliant job

Leatherneck
01.05.11
yeah 1 deserves this

acorncheese
01.05.11
the write up for janelle monae is fucking LOL.

Athom
01.05.11
"The write-up for 2 is the most retarded thing ever spuffed onto the internet"
you should have seen it in its original form good god.

Tyrael
01.05.11
This was so predictable...seriously

mvood
01.05.11
^ really? Maybe the albums were but the placements hell no.

Inveigh
01.05.11
the top 10 is fairly predictable, but the order wasn't. I've been convinced by more than a few write-ups from these lists to check out a few of the albums I missed.

list looks sexy as always too.

Mr Fahrenheit
01.05.11
No Flashbulb or 65 Days of Static anywhere (not that I thought they would be in the top 10)
... a little dissapointed

TMobotron
01.05.11
pretty much the top 10 i expected dont really like the order that much but twas a good list

IsItLuck?
01.05.11
Original was pretty lolbad, I wish Flying Lotus was a tad higher though.

mvood
01.05.11
this is the best top 10 ever guys, good job - and that's not just because you put The Wild Hunt at 1.

ZippaThaRippa
01.05.11
what's with all the fucking hip-hop

vanderb0b
01.05.11
Infinitely happy that the Wild Hunt is 1

AliW1993
01.05.11
Great top 10 other than Joanna Newsom, who I just can't stand. Really surprised to see The Wild Hunt top but it's a great record, and my top 3 are all top 5 here so no complaints

morte
01.05.11
c'mon guys! the list, as a hole, is good and has lots of good albums.
you need to realize that different people = different tastes and there are you can't put everything in a top 50 list.

thunder15
01.05.11
yay staff yay sputnik yay music

couldwinarabbit
01.05.11
1 and 3 kinda suck but other than that great list if not surprisng at all. Ow and high violet isn't that great either.


cfbassist
01.05.11
neither roots album on the top 50, kanye west is at number 2


for shame

DhA
01.05.11
Never heard of number 1. This is like when the BBC predict Gaga to be the FIFTH most successful new artist of 2009. Different for the sake of it.

Inveigh
01.05.11
lol there's only two hip hop albums in the top 10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3giSeLdjKJY&feature=related

Irving
01.05.11
Great staff....I mean stuff.

=)

cfbassist
01.05.11
also, no gavin castleton in top 50



wyankeif1337
01.05.11
totally saw 1 coming.

InASilentWay
01.05.11
o.0 Wheres Recovery????????????? Sputnik lost all its credibility for not nameing Recovery as every album in the top ten.

Ayon
01.05.11
Yea, the placements took me by complete surprise. When I scrolled through and saw Kanye as #2 I thought you guys just forgot about Tallest Man. Great list!

Also, in before someone complains about lack of metal or Agalloch.

DiceMan
01.05.11
10 was awful.

morte
01.05.11
lolz

Inveigh
01.05.11
also, just to be clear, my previous comment was intended solely for the purpose of insulting ZippaThaRippa

Strider
01.05.11
I'm digging the descriptions on each album

morte
01.05.11
"Never heard of number 1. This is like when the BBC predict Gaga to be the FIFTH most successful new artist of 2009. Different for the sake of it."

yo dawg, maybe you should give it a listen.

BigTuna
01.05.11
love 9

I was unimpressed with a lot of these (Kanye, Janelle Monae, Titus, The National especially), but nevertheless great artists all around (well, minus Kanye imo).

BigTuna
01.05.11
also this is beautifully laid out with really well-written descriptions

acorncheese
01.05.11
Mediocre year in music.

slep
01.05.11
top 10 was really good tbh. kind of surprised that The Wild Hunt made the top spot.

DocSportello
01.05.11
YES

Electric City
01.05.11
if you guys saw the original 3 paragraph monster i wrote for kanye you'd probably kill yourselves

shouldve kept it intact, come to think of it

cfbassist
01.05.11
am i the only one who thinks the only reason kanye's album is so popular is because he himself is popular?

and that it has nothing to do with the music?

i have never seen a positive review of the kanye album that didn't mention his personal life

Enotron
01.05.11
"i have never seen a positive review of the kanye album that didn't mention his personal life"

you probably skipped over the part of the reviews where they mention how ridiculously intertwined his personal life is with his music

Electric City
01.05.11
@cfbassist, that was basically the point of my soundoff

cfbassist
01.05.11
yea, which bugs me a bit, the album should be good because of the music, not because a jackass made it

cfbassist
01.05.11
or a better point, if i made my dark twisted fantasy, and not kanye, it wouldn't be reviewed as highly

Fugue
01.05.11
Cool list, I was very aware that I hadn't listened to The Wild Hunt when I wrote up my list, but I wasn't expecting it to get to number one on the staff list! Will definitely listen to it now.

Strider
01.05.11
you can't talk about Kanye's music without talking about his life, it's inconceivable. plus, most people hate the person, so by your logic, they should be hating the music, not liking it

viewerslikeyou
01.05.11
NO AXE TO FALL WHAT THE HELL SPUTNIK

ratedrsuperstar
01.05.11
i cannot see any cloudkicker nor Amia Venera Landscape :(

Thor
01.05.11
wow what a fucking snoozer of a list

Electric City
01.05.11
interestingly enough, when i cut my soundoff short, i cut the part where i specifically mentioned songs because it was so superfluous to the main point.

Enotron
01.05.11
"yea, which bugs me a bit, the album should be good because of the music, not because a jackass made it"

then why even bother having vocals or lyrics then? his image splits into the music really well, giving it context ad passion.

Shrapnel94
01.05.11
If MBDTF was #1 I would have raged SO hard. Good job on this, fuck the haters.

couldwinarabbit
01.05.11
"am i the only one who thinks the only reason kanye's album is so popular is because he himself is popular?" never liked kanye before this album and it was my third favourite of the year so ya no.

Transient
01.05.11
fucking delicious

this is why i love sputnik

DocSportello
01.05.11
List's top 4 were a slight rearranging of my personal top 4. I'm down with it.

Thor
01.05.11
If MBDTF was #1 it would have been the second year where this site just copies pitchfork

damn close though

qwe3
01.05.11
"or a better point, if i made my dark twisted fantasy, and not kanye, it wouldn't be reviewed as highly"

did you ever think that its probably because youre not as talented as him i mean

cfbassist
01.05.11
"did you ever think that its probably because youre not as talented as him i mean"

i meant, if the exact same album was made, and actually heard by people, but it wasn't made by kanye, would anybody actually like it?

qwe3
01.05.11
and holy shit

"This was so predictable...seriously"

of fucking course it was. what. did you think the site was gonna talk about how it loved certain albums all through this year and then come the end put different things on its list? are you fucking retarded

Greggers
01.05.11
#1 was a pleasant surprise

Inveigh
01.05.11
yes. I hated Kanye's last two albums and love the new one.

Have you ever thought about why he might be popular or famous in the first place? because it probably had something to do with the amazing music he makes.

qwe3
01.05.11
"i meant, if the exact same album was made, and actually heard by people, but it wasn't made by kanye, would anybody actually like it?"

oh so you're an idiot i see.

Inveigh
01.05.11
yeah that's what I was responding to as well qwe

I mean it wasn't like some dude just started acting crazy, everyone paid attention to him and he was like "shit, I should start making music and they'll love that too"

cfbassist
01.05.11
i was a big fan of college drop out, late registration and 808's

i just don't think my dark twisted fantasy is that good, and whenever i see a positive review of it, it's always "he is showing us his personality! he is an asshole and is showing it! amazing, 5 stars"


IsItLuck?
01.05.11
Thor, you're an idiot.

Strider
01.05.11
Well of course, mainly because it's the lyrics that talk about him, and in a lot of countries they don't understand them and still enjoy the music. c'mon, it was pretty bold and ambitious coming from a mainstream artist like Kanye. and it turned out extremely good

couldwinarabbit
01.05.11
The album is about him being an egomaniac and the most important artist in the world. So obviously if anyone else made it...they wouldn't

Enotron
01.05.11
qwe wins the thread(as usual)

Inveigh
01.05.11
"i was a big fan of college drop out, late registration and 808's"

but only because they were Kanye albums, right?

"whenever i see a positive review of it, it's always "he is showing us his personality! he is an asshole and is showing it! amazing, 5 stars""

I think you're mistaking that for Kid Cudi's last album

Thor
01.05.11
"Have you ever thought about why he might be popular or famous in the first place? because it probably had something to do with the amazing music he makes."

...no.



cfbassist
01.05.11
being bold and ambitious does not equal great music

this is just like people rating the new Gj low because "they are dicking their fans around"

FatChickIrl
01.05.11
Eh at least my number 8 made it

qwe3
01.05.11
"i just don't think my dark twisted fantasy is that good, and whenever i see a positive review of it, it's always "he is showing us his personality! he is an asshole and is showing it! amazing, 5 stars""

really because whenever i read a review of him sometimes theyll mention that because kanye has an insane personality that has an enormous effect on his music.
but they ALL say how fucking fantastic the music is. guest spots are basically all good. beats are amazing. production quality is amazing. even kanye's rapping is good for a change.

what more do you want

Inveigh
01.05.11
no Thor?

qwe3
01.05.11
cfbassist you can not like the album, thats fine. but dont make up retarded reasons why other people rate it highly. its because more people think its amazing than there are people who dont like it.

deal with it

FatChickIrl
01.05.11
"what more do you want"
Needs moar rush

Thor
01.05.11
You read correctly, Inveigh.

Inveigh
01.05.11
huh, so what made him famous in the first place then

Strider
01.05.11
Kanye has always been decent at rapping, but makes killer beats. in this album he manages to do both so...

cirq
01.05.11
isnt it "chi-town nigga with a Nas flow"?

cfbassist
01.05.11
i'm not "making up retarded reasons"

i'm just pointing out that almost every positive review about the new kanye is more about his personality then the actual music.

and FYI i don't hate it, i just don't think its 2nd best album of the year quality.

i just have never liked when reviewers rate the music based on the artist, not the music.

monae has the same problem to, though not as bad, and i fucking love archandroid.

FatChickIrl
01.05.11
omfg where the fuck is Immolation what the fuck

qwe3
01.05.11
ITT unearth fans refuse to admit kanye is talented

Manic_
01.05.11
moar Immolation

EVedder27
01.05.11
expected great list

cfbassist
01.05.11
implying i've even heard of unearth


unless you are referring to thor

Relinquished
01.05.11
too bad the long procession didn't have a chance

Inveigh
01.05.11
lol he was takling about Thor cfbassist

FatChickIrl
01.05.11
seriously though wtf, i know staff are a bunch of hipsters but still Immolation trumps like half of this

qwe3
01.05.11
"i'm not "making up retarded reasons"

i'm just pointing out that almost every positive review about the new kanye is more about his personality then the actual music.""

no dude, you are. your whole argument has insinuated that people are rating it high because its kanye. that's retarded.

but its ok we recognize your opinion and we're really happy for you.
you can stop now though

MunsuLight
01.05.11
Nice top ten. Strange to see number 3 here. He have made such strange things this year. But again I deplore the lack of metal album in the top ten.

Strider
01.05.11
"too bad the long procession didn't have a chance"

it came relatively late, it is too bad...

Benjomatico
01.05.11
I literally screamed 'FUCK YEAH' when i saw 1, totally love you guys for putting this album on 1. Overall very great list, 2010 was a BADASS year for music, any1 who thinks differently has absolutley no taste. 2010 gave us great albums in any section, even classical music

FatChickIrl
01.05.11
This thread is gonna feel my rage, where the funk is Immo

psykonaut
01.05.11
list was fantastic but ahhh the wild hunt was the only album i couldn't get into here. looks like i have no choice now

FatChickIrl
01.05.11
Lol Benjo I guess I my musical taste is total shit

Enotron
01.05.11
they are't rating it on his personality you fucking moron. they're rating it based on how he incorporated it within the music and how quality the whole output is.

how fucking thick are you?

Inveigh
01.05.11
FatChick read the other installments of this before you start hate-fucking your computer please

Electric City
01.05.11
how did being butthurt over glassjaw get into this thread

fr33convict
01.05.11
The vocals really hurt 1 for me quite a bit actually.

FatChickIrl
01.05.11
no thanks bro

qwe3
01.05.11
is fatchick talking inveigh holy shit must have gained weight or something cant hear ANYTHING over the fat.

FatChickIrl
01.05.11
why u gotta hate on my weight

coleba
01.05.11
Six Gallery not making Top 50 is pretty remarkable.

qwe3
01.05.11
plane its thor. he comes to dumb conclusions all the time. hes like an old man of the "in my day..." ilk. except he likes arsis and shit

joshuatree
01.05.11
this turned out so well, big ups to willie for all the work he put in designing/formatting all this, and the rest of the staff for the awesome write-ups

tmoe at 1 also makes me so happy =) =)

Electric City
01.05.11
in 2005 sputnik never wouldve liked hip hop, we've really lost our way

Electric City
01.05.11
oh yeah cam reminded me, how fucking awesome is tmoe at 1?? hell yes

LegendofPittman
01.05.11
YES! I am glad 2 or 3 wasn't 1.

botb
01.05.11
a super hipster top ten list with no metal.

i am disappoint

Inveigh
01.05.11
lol qwe

I think I'm going to give Titus and TMOE some additional listens

Spec
01.05.11
Shitty list.

Maniac!
01.05.11
1 was predictable, but correct.

Strider
01.05.11
I haven't listened to 1 yet, just finished downloading it

qwe3
01.05.11
nah titus was aoty ah well nice try sputnik

luci
01.05.11
Nice list, expected High Violet to be a bit higher though.

FatChickIrl
01.05.11
They had alot of good metal albums on this list but in the end Immo was the main album they needed here

sniper
01.05.11
fuck this except for 6.

DhA
01.05.11
"or a better point, if i made my dark twisted fantasy, and not kanye, it wouldn't be reviewed as highly"

could say this for every album ever. as if people aren't buying into something more than music when they butt lick the beatles or converge or anything else.

ConsiderPhlebas
01.05.11
Give us the original draft, EC. Y'know ya wanna.

Electric City
01.05.11
psh, wouldn't fit in a comment box

rainonmyparade
01.05.11
Can't get past the vocals on #1 and #10, Sufjan should've been #1.

vanderb0b
01.05.11
No, Sufjan shouldn't have even been on the list.

ConsiderPhlebas
01.05.11
Sufjan should be tied to a post and shot

Skimaskcheck
01.05.11
super happy for 1, well deserved

danielito19
01.05.11
agree with Thor, fatchick and bringonthebreakdown. Dillinger or Enslaved. at least should have been top ten. Plus, Amia Venera Landscape wasn't even on here. :/

Athom
01.05.11
i thought john was dead wtf

Electric City
01.05.11
JOOOOOOOHN IS DEEEEEEEEAD

AND NOOOOOOO ONE CARES

SpaceGhost
01.05.11
kanye haters fail... hard

Transient
01.05.11
I think my favourite thing about these lists is that they reflect how the taste of the staff is changing, too. 3 or 4 years ago there was no way these lists would've been as ~indie, but times change and it's good to see that reflected as a result.

conradtao
01.05.11
Yeah, this top 5 was really easy to predict. Good list, folks!

SpaceGhost
01.05.11
Oh and I can't believe there was no LCD Soundsystem on this entire list :(

omnipanzer
01.05.11
yay 1 but I don't get 2 and 5...

Defeater
01.05.11
10 on the top list at all is laughable, but the rest of the choices here are deserving enough.

Aspenshadow
01.05.11
Where is The Long Procession? :(

illmitch
01.05.11
pretty terrible list overall

djunior
01.05.11
well that wasnt predictable or anything

crowing51
01.05.11
I hate this top 10 so, so much[2]

This list is fucked not only is Dillinger and Deftones not in the top 10, they had the nerve to put big boi and Joane Newsom ahead?? Then had them below Plastic Beach??? This list did not even have The Contortionist. Who the hell made this list like really?!?!?!



brandnewAAAA
01.05.11
No way 1 beats 4. No way.

foreverendeared
01.05.11
Looks good, but probably my least favorite top 50 since I joined this site.

robertsona
01.05.11
i actually feel really happy with tallest man on earth at #1. although i am a little surprised 3 beat 4, but not too surprised (although #3 was like 30 on my list). gooood stuff yo

Electric City
01.05.11
robertsona you know who else had sufjan at 30?

robertsona
01.05.11
did they? hahahahahaha thats too good

geng
01.05.11
How Oceansize's 'Self Preserved While The Bodies Float Up' was not anywhere in the top 50 is a mystery and a travesty.

Cavs
01.05.11
Joanna Newsom is fucking hipster shit... anyone that likes that shit can suck my pen is

Defeater
01.05.11
not enough radio rock

Enotron
01.05.11
"How Oceansize's 'Self Preserved While The Bodies Float Up' was not anywhere in the top 50 is a mystery and a travesty."

No. It. Isn't.

This list doesn't represent the userbase of sputnik. This list represents the taste of a select group of 20 or so users that write on a professional level and contribute to the site's main features. They have their own tastes and these tastes can be very easily understood by simply browsing their ratings or reading their reviews.

You morons need to stop giving a shit about the staff's taste. For example; my list has a bunch of emo and electronic albums that for the most part weren't given a listen by any staffers. Do you see me complaining about "WHY THE FUCK IS SNOWINGS FULL LENGTH NOT ON HERE"? Nah because I realize that this list doesn't represent my tastes. Now stfu.

Willie
01.05.11
--Where is The Long Procession? :( --

Since a few people have asked... the album didn't even get released until December 4th and I didn't bother letting the other staff members know about it until I had reviewed it on December 16th...

myhigherpie
01.05.11
I LOVE this top 10 so so much.

so unexpected. And my favorite album of the year got number 1. Best of all, Age of Adz finally grew on me, and I agree with its placement completely.

I was hoping Janelle Monae would get the recognition it deserves. It's so unnoticed by everyone but critics.

crowing51
01.05.11
I mean not even Year of No Light made the list at all. Nor Foxy Shazam.

Defeater
01.05.11
WHERE THE HELL IS CONVERGE

gosk8n
01.05.11
love this list!

Knott-
01.05.11
Tallest Man On Earth? Did Knott see that coming.

Top 5 is all good to varying degrees... 4 should be #1 but this top 10 makes me happy anyway.

Also ITT: idiots.

Strider
01.05.11
why would Converge be on this list?

Athom
01.05.11
foxy shazam sucks.

iSkane
01.05.11
It's a good top ten, most of these people are just angry because it's not indie enough. Really, if other people have heard of it, it's not good to Sputnik. Honestly Kanye should have been #1, but The Wild Hunt is also amazing. I thought it was a great top 10, better than Pitchforks 10.

crowing51
01.05.11
Converge did not come out with a album this year Defeater.

Foxy sucks yet Joanne Newsom is on here? Right makes perfect sense lol

illmitch
01.05.11
to be fair list probably wouldve been even worse if it reflected the taste of most people on this site

so good job staff

Inveigh
01.05.11
whoa calm down crowing51

kangaroopoo
01.05.11
Dug J Monae but there should be at least one inclusion in the top 10 of the ilk of Deftones, Anathema, Enslaved which were such high quality, accessible releases.

Defeater
01.05.11
"Converge did not come out with a album this year Defeater."

o yeah I forgot my bad guys

Inveigh
01.05.11
kangaroopoo, the staff is not nearly as metal-oriented as a lot of the users, which is probably a big reason why albums like that weren't in the top 10. They were on the list though.

Knott-
01.05.11
Crowing, anyone told you how much of an idiot you are?

Oh right, loads of people. Ah well, one more can't hurt.

You're an idiot.

Defeater
01.05.11
Knott's the next Thor.

SmurkinGherkin
01.05.11
tallest man on earth

yesssssss

Imperial
01.05.11
My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky...

Josh D.
01.05.11
Extemely disapoointing, is that a surprise?

Inveigh
01.05.11
lol Josh if you're disappointed then doesn't that kind of imply you're also surprised?

Douglas
01.05.11
Yay, good top 10.

Imperial
01.05.11
I'm also disappointed at the lack of Intronaut...

killrobotmusic
01.05.11
Solid Top 10. I'm still not sure why I haven't bought 3 yet.

crowing51
01.05.11
Knott go fuck yourself. Knowing you, you a little died when you did not see Taylor Swift on here..

foreverendeared
01.05.11
yeah Knott, you a little died. take that.

Inveigh
01.05.11
that Intronaut album was pretty damn overlooked by a lot of people

it's delicious.

Nagrarok
01.05.11
Well at least I agree with number 1.

Mikesn
01.05.11
i love you guys

really

crowing51
01.05.11
lol porch, I just got a little pissed but I don't care anymore.

''that Intronaut album was pretty damn overlooked by a lot of people

it's delicious.''

They were amazing when I saw them with Cynic :)

Thor
01.05.11
Intronaut's first two stomp the shit out of Valley of Smoke though.

list needs more Monument To Time End

Inveigh
01.05.11
Monument to Time End was really good. I actually prefer both that and Woe's album to Enslaved's newest.

Inveigh
01.05.11
the other thing is, if anyone had even glanced at more than 2 or 3 of Willie's weekly album release schedules, they would have seen the staff last.fm counts and none of this would be at all shocking.

thebhoy
01.05.11
HOLY FUCK OF COURSE IT'S PREDICTABLE WE KNOW THE STAFF LISTS THEY POSTED THEM ALREADY INDIVIDUALLY AND IF YOU WERE PAYING ATTENTION WE KNOW WHAT THEY LIKED THROUGH THE YEAR YOU DUMBASSES

Trundle
01.05.11
^umadbro?

thebhoy
01.05.11
someone probably already said that but stupidity needs to be addressed more than once, twice, or even thrice.

crowing51
01.05.11
ohhhh thrice :)

kangaroopoo
01.05.11
Was stoked Dead Letter Circus, Anathema, Enslaved actually made top 50. Deftones still deserving of top 10 but that's the reality for hard rock/metal.

NailScarredHands
01.05.11
Great list, appreciate the work put into it. Here's to an even better year of music in 2011!

elephantREVOLUTION
01.05.11
hate to side with the faggy sputnik metalheads, but...NEEDS MOAR METAL.

still a decent list though.

Willie
01.05.11
I'm pretty damn sure that this is the most varied staff list that I've ever seen. It has more metal than ever before and probably more hip-hop too, which means that there's also less indie.

greg84
01.05.11
I like 3 of those. Janelle, Big Boi and Kanye. Not that bad, I guess.

AtavanHalen
01.05.11
WHERE IS CALEB MCALPINE'S "SCIENCE FICTION"

WHERE THE FUCK IS IT

KeithStone582
01.05.11
bad list!


greg84
01.05.11
Nah. Willie. There's plenty of indie on it too. Hip-hop? I counted 3 albums.

ConsiderPhlebas
01.05.11
Crowing's frantic illiteracy is a constant source of amusement.

Deviant.
01.05.11
I'm trying to decide which one I want to comment on first: the quality of the list, the idiocy of the userbase, or why Thor still hangs around

Willie
01.05.11
I said 'less indie' mainly because "too much indie" seems to be the biggest complaint every year.

There were a few other hip-hop albums in the top 50 (not that I know much about hip-hop).

crowing51
01.05.11
I am glad i can amuse you. I'm sorry for thinking Kanye should not be in the top ten. At least they got #1 right.

ThyCrossAwaits
01.05.11
Kanye not #1 makes me happy

ConsiderPhlebas
01.05.11
This list represents the taste of a select group of 20 or so users that write on a professional level


with Dark Twisted Fantasy Kanye has played us all and is now reigning supreme as the King of Fucking Everything


Yeah.



greg84
01.05.11
2. Kanye 7. Big Boi and 15. Dark Time Sunshine. That's all I found. All three are cool albums.

Willie
01.05.11
Like I said, I don't like hip-hop or anything similar. So there are albums on here that I lumped into the same category the same way someone that hates metal would put Korn, Isis and Dream Theater in the same category without knowing any better.

greg84
01.05.11
Aha. OK then. Still, people claiming there's a lot of hip-hop here are wrong. About 80% albums on here is indie.

Trundle
01.05.11
At least get someone to acknowledge the hip-hop that most ignore, like 09's OC and AG collab, and this year's group home album, that's all. also moar metal

Trundle
01.05.11
and omg how could i forget the new Big L compilation this year that held a ton of unreleased content.

Willie
01.05.11
I mean, I do like Public Enemy and Tech 9ine and all the cheesy 80s/90s singles by Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock, Sir Mix-a-lot and Digital Underground.

myhigherpie
01.05.11
I'm sorry. I just have to say something because the whole "staff being hipsters" thing is being raised a bit too much.

You people do realize that this whole "indie" scene is basically the continuation and carry-on of influences that have existed for many years before pitchfork even existed, right?

You think Deerhunter just poofed over night with their sound?

What the fuck is indie, really? Is it the music or the scene it belongs to, and do you people actually know how to tell the difference?

MCGF
01.05.11
kanye is still a great producer, shitty rapper, and he made a pretty good album (but no where near 5 stars or second best of the year).

the hate is exaggerated the love is exaggerated i win you all lose

foreverendeared
01.05.11
Indie is probably the most useless name to tag onto a genre ever.

Trundle
01.05.11
I just think that some of the fringe hip-hop classic mc's releases are being overlooked in favor for the more accessible ones. well no duh right? But OC and AG's album in 09 puts Big Boi's release to shame.

Plus KRS-One is releasing a new album in the near future, "Return of the Boom Bip", with DJ Premier producing and Q-Tip is assisting/ being featured.

Masta Ace is still releasing new material as well. I just think you guys should get someone like Hydeyomoney, Illmitch, Qwe3, to give you the info on the hip-hop scene. I think I'll start reviewing in the near future.

Deviant.
01.05.11
"Oh and I can't believe there was no LCD Soundsystem on this entire list :("

I am so happy it didn't make it

Electric City
01.05.11
considerphlebas what issue do you have with the sentence you quoted

Trundle
01.05.11
also, what's sputnik's code for bold/ italics, and a little do's and dont's about when and when not to use them.

InASilentWay
01.06.11
Of Course this was predictable, all are great albums.

Twas dissapointed to not see LCD anywhere. Idc if it was 50.

InASilentWay
01.06.11
If I could rearange the top 10 it'd be-

10.Big Boi
9.FL
8.Sufjan
7.TA
6.Monae
5.TTMOE
4. The National
3. Newsom
2. Kanye
1. Deerhunter

McCopper
01.06.11
Needs more paracletus

kris.
01.06.11
sweet jesus you people are impossible to please

StreetlightRock
01.06.11
I pleased myself to this list.

Deviant.
01.06.11
The list is great in general (and its been said before but how are people surprised by what made it to the top 10?), but it would've been nice to see some more "electronica". Would've liked to have seen how Clubroot would've done had the staff checked it out (or maybe they did and didn't like it, who knows?). Ditto TOKiMONSTA and Phaeleh

Was a little surprised that no one put forth Pariah for the EP section, it did pick up enough staff votes to get BNM

Athom
01.06.11
the internet was made for bitching

Ire
01.06.11
ew 10 other than that, great list

jeremologyy
01.06.11
im sooooo glad that tallest man beat kanye!!!!

illmitch
01.06.11
i agree that the list would be a lot better if i had significant input

Trundle
01.06.11
k someone tell me the code for putting italics into a review please and thanks.

Deviant.
01.06.11
[i ] [/i ]

without the spaces

tombits
01.06.11
fabulous list, congratulations to the staff

Trundle
01.06.11
thanks

Ayon
01.06.11
Man this is entertaining. There is so much fail being spewed out by people that the little punctuations of common sense are the most hilarious thing I've read all year. Too many to quote, just too many.

Trundle
01.06.11
eh, i feel i wasn't too far out of left field with my comments, didn't read the rest though.

ConsiderPhlebas
01.06.11
considerphlebas what issue do you have with the sentence you quoted


Just seems a little wild and shot-from-the-hip to be cosidered professional

DaveyBoy
01.06.11
Always fun reading these comments.

I'm with a couple of the other staff who have said this is not only the most varied Sputnik list we've seen, but it really was as much of a concensus as possible. So congrats to all my fellow colleagues.

Just reading through the blurbs of the top 10, a further congrats to Tyler (of the Fisher variety) for that fantastic closing write-up.

And just on The Tallest Man On Earth, almost every staff member had it somewhere on their list. I can sum it up with a comment of my own that I wrote somewhere: "I don't even like folk, but even I had 'The Wild Hunt' in my Top 20".

tombits
01.06.11
you don't like folk? getouttahere davey

Romulus
01.06.11
"Oh and I can't believe there was no LCD Soundsystem on this entire list :("

I am so happy it didn't make it [2]


list is perfectly fine, cool that 1 came in at 1

Trundle
01.06.11
not to be an attention whore, but did you see my comments about hip-hop? I just think that some releases are going unnoticed due to ignorance rather than opinion.

Bob Saget
01.06.11
Glad to see Big Boi and Kanye in the top 10.

scissorlocked
01.06.11
no matter how everyone tries, kanye west's album is still a pile of mainstream yet excellently produced shit

DaveyBoy
01.06.11
Ross, I'm no hip-hop afficianado either, but dabble on the mainstream edge of it (hence why I included Big Boi in my top 20). I can assure you however that Sobhi is regularly updating us on more little known hip-hop releases & will always provide us with info, links, etc...

I actually think the fact that there are 3 hip-hop LPs in the top 15 is a huge representation. Just think about the punk/hardcore fans out there!

RiversCuomo
01.06.11
2 is 1 ok

Enotron
01.06.11
uhm yes considerphlebas, my statement still holds true that they are under a professional status, regardless of whether you dislike a line in an individual staffer's write up

Thor
01.06.11
TRUST NO ONE. FUCK SCENES, FUCK LEECHES. FUCK BACKSTABBERS. FUCK YOU.


Trundle
01.06.11
Thanks Dave, I just hope you guys explore hip-hop fuller, and don't listen to bulldog (well duh) but definitely keep a look out for the new KRS-One album, I've got high hopes.

klap
01.06.11
staff is unable to listen to every single album released in a year, hip hop or ortherwise

Ire
01.06.11
the staff doesn't have the time to bash b4k noiz

bungy
01.06.11
didn't know crowing was an idiot until I read his comments

bungy
01.06.11
also, sweet list

FatChickIrl
01.06.11
hey guys what i miss

Electric City
01.06.11
"Just seems a little wild and shot-from-the-hip to be cosidered professional"

i might have no respect for protocol, but I'm a damn good cop

Captain North
01.06.11
Well this has prompted me to finally check out some of the artists. The National seem pretty cool...Titus Andronicus are at least more interesting than Gaslight Anthem but whats with all the fucking american flags.

kingsoby1
01.06.11
Ross, I listen to basically every notable underground, old-school, and mainstream hiphop record that is released throughout the year and do my best to keep everyone enlightened... no worries bud.

FYI, Raekwon was our #3 overall last year... Mos Def, Sole, and the UK's Orphans of Cush all made the top 50. I don't think anyone critically dug the OC & AG record; I personally thought it was pretty bland. I hear the new krs is supposed to be good, so yeah I will be listening to that when it the promos drop.

TheSpirit
01.06.11
Obvious top 10 because all the albums are awesome


although i wish janelle manoe was a bit higher

kingsoby1
01.06.11
yeah klapper hush. i probably should listen to less and write more, but oh well. i should get a tape recorder to record my thoughts on stuff while driving... thats where i do most of my listening

Electric City
01.06.11
not enough staffers checked out that eminem album

Knott-
01.06.11
2/10 rap albums here is representation enough. As people of said, the (post-)hardcore and metal are the under-represented shit but also everyone who has a favourite genre of music thinks there should be more doom/IDM/country on the list.

Sowing
01.06.11
I don't think there is anything wrong with the genre representation here

Willie
01.06.11
I even managed to sneak an industrial album in ;)

Relinquished
01.06.11
MORE DOOM WHERE'S EIBON

Imperial
01.06.11
did anyone listen to #1? It's basically the cryptkeeper's acoustic album

Willie
01.06.11
-did anyone listen to #1? It's basically the cryptkeeper's acoustic album--

I haven't heard a single one of the top 10, actually.

Dev518
01.06.11
The lack of Circa Survive and Devil Sold His Soul is extremely disappointing.

BigTuna
01.06.11
"This list did not even have The Contortionist."

well, that's because it's 50 good albums

And to all those hurt metal fans: there are plenty metal albums on the list. Expand your tastes for shit's sake. This isn't "hipster" music, it's good music.

Trundle
01.06.11
@soby, man really you thought the OC AG release was bland and that Raekwon's release wasn't? OC & AG are both very talented MC's that stayed true to themselves and did what they did best, while being accompanied by some awesome production, better than on Rae's record, just imo. Raekwon suddenly releases a hip-hop album, a Wu-Tang album, which on here gets overhyped like nothing else, and he goes and releases an album that stays true to his roots, yet it's a breath of fresh air and a classic? kind of odd if you ask me.

kingsoby1
01.06.11
Yes the OC & AG was very bland, could have been released in 1993 just as easily and definitely doesn't sound like music that should be around in 2009. It had a couple good tracks to start with, but dropped off quickly.

Rae's new record was hyped because it was incredible. Every track is amazing from his rapping to the guests, to the production. House of Flying Daggers is one of the best rap songs ever made. Wu records are not hyped just here; almost any hiphop fan will mention at least one Wu member in their top 5 mcs of all time. There is nothing odd here; the mcs are at their best, and the production is dope. Not much else I can say beyond my 2009 write up and review.

204409
01.06.11
I don't the Wild Hunt on my list :/

DaveyBoy
01.06.11
No Knott, no-one thinks there should be more country on this list.

Trey, listen to something off the top 10... Go on, just randomly pick something.


RadioYorke
01.06.11
Trust Sputnik to be the non conformists and put MBDTF at no.2 saw that coming. Like i mean pitchfork, rolling stone had already done that, that would just be too conformist.

Good top 10 mostly though...but serious lack of any LCD sound system in the top 50?

Captain North
01.06.11
What gets me is that Sputnik is increasingly a hardcore/metal orientated website (just look at the user reviews) but those genres are massively under-represented when it comes to Staff.

bungy
01.06.11
If only the staff were as smart as RadioYorke this site would go somewhere

Willie
01.06.11
--What gets me is that Sputnik is increasingly a hardcore/metal orientated website (just look at the user reviews) but those genres are massively under-represented when it comes to Staff. --

The issue isn't the site, so much. They have 3 reviewers that are supposed to be the metal representation for the staff... Me, Mike and Tyler.... Mike seems to have fallen into pop hell, Tyler didn't participate, which just leaves me. Problem there is I don't listen to a lot of the same metal as the majority of users, and what metal I did post had just about no chance of making it due to the lack of converging opinion.

Captain North
01.06.11
I was here 5 years ago but wasn't much of an active member. It seemed to die off a bit a few years ago then when I first started really getting active, and over the last year I've just noticed it getting bigger and bigger. I understand the staff is partly there to provide a source for users to increase their knowledge and taste, but it just doesn't seem to properly mix much.

Trundle
01.06.11
Sorry, Sobi, but this statement proves to be very biased,

"almost any hiphop fan will mention at least one Wu member in their top 5 mcs of all time."

Rae's album was over twenty tracks long, and you had to get through a lot of meh, to get to something with substance, however IMO, of course Oasis, grabs you by the balls and doesn't let you go.

Trundle
01.06.11
But i definitely appreciate these lists, after months of doubting it, I finally gave kveltertak a listen, the description totally convinced me and showed me that i had a lot of misconceptions about what i was getting myself into.

klap
01.06.11
don't lie to the fans guys

Imperial
01.06.11
"And to all those hurt metal fans: there are plenty metal albums on the list. Expand your tastes for shit's sake. This isn't "hipster" music, it's good music."

sounds like something a hipster would say

Athom
01.06.11
hey willie dont forget about me. i still dig hardcore/metal. i just like indie bands more.

StreetlightRock
01.06.11
Dude Dfel's math is totally self aware. Don't joke about that shit.

syco722
01.06.11
hahahahahahahaha kanye west even being on the top 50 is so much fail

RiversCuomo
01.06.11
2 should be 1 to ok

RiversCuomo
01.06.11
syco you must be new here

couldwinarabbit
01.06.11
Willie makes a good point the majority of the staff (and even contributors) have almost identical taste in music.

Willie
01.06.11
--hey willie dont forget about me. i still dig hardcore/metal. i just like indie bands more.--

Dude, I did forget. ha ha. I think the split is like 90/10 in favor of indie, though.

Aids
01.06.11
cirq is right, it's "chi-town nigga with a Nas flow"

but great list, I had the top 5 right although I'm admittedly surprised that The Tallest Man on Earth took the top spot. I'm listening to it now in honour of a job well done. Thanks, staff!

Athom
01.06.11
there's only a handful of metalheads on this site that write up to snuff for staff, there's dozens upon dozens that dig indie that write to that quality though. i would love to see more metal reviewed by staff but unless its some sludge or a big metalcore release i dont see that happening unless its covered by me, coke, trey, or mike.

qwe3
01.06.11
"hahahahahahahaha kanye west even being on the top 50 is so much fail"

5 classic
All Shall Perish The Price Of Existence
Antonio Vivaldi The Four Seasons
Between the Buried and Me Colors
Its funny how people call something a "guitarwankfest" just because they don't musically understand what's going on.

bungy
01.06.11
oh man if only the staff had the musical insight syco722 does this place would command some real respect

Ire
01.06.11
"hahahahahahahaha kanye west even being on the top 50 is so much fail"

5 Classic
Between the Buried and Me Colors

sup

couldwinarabbit
01.06.11
also where the fuck was the staff love for neil young (and to a lesser extent) I at least thought that someone like redsky would have vouched for it enough to get on the top 50. But I guess only me vedder and porch give a fuck about a band that has been around for more than 10 years.

Athom
01.06.11
not gonna lie The Price of Existence is a fun album.

Ire
01.06.11
oh shit qwe posted the same thing

couldwinarabbit
01.06.11
(and to a lesser extent to the fall)

Captain North
01.06.11
Who covers hardcore aside from redsky though?

ninjuice
01.06.11
"Kanye has always been decent at rapping, but makes killer beats. in this album he manages to do both so..."
hahahahaha
he's only slightly better than on Graduation, and that's his worst album.

Athom
01.06.11
i liked that neil young album but it didnt make my top 25. also just me. chan would kinda every once and a while but hes gonna be emeritus-ized any day now so its gonna be a lonely existence.

Captain North
01.06.11
Need someone else. We've had several good hardcore reviewers in the past, although most have left now.

Spare
01.06.11
postin to say this sucks etc

Aids
01.06.11
math is totally self-aware, and totally biased towards folk music duh

AtavanHalen
01.06.11
Here's a wild idea - let's ditch the whole "I only review [genre]" shit and just get some fucking music writers. It's not hard.

po0ty
01.06.11
Pretty solid list, hard to do better. Thanks.

DaveyBoy
01.06.11
"Who covers hardcore aside from redsky though?"

Emery is the best post-hardcore album ever!

(Davey runs & hides)


DaveyBoy
01.06.11
^^^ "has" instead of "is"

And all this talk of metal/hardcore vs Indie is leaving me left out.

couldwinarabbit
01.06.11
interesting fact: looking at the individual lists not staff member believes 1 aoty.

AnotherBrick
01.06.11
Well five is good

ntoman
01.06.11
SHIT LIST! SHIT LIST! I HATE THIS (cosmogramma is an exception)

this shit list is even more shitty than the pitchfork shit list

DaveyBoy
01.06.11
couldwinarabbit, despite the fact your sentence did not make sense, what you are trying to say is indeed correct. While some will see it as a negative, we all agreed it was in fact a positive.

starry
01.06.11
3 is the most consistently good, 10 has some good songs on it. The rest? Meh

Consensus lists will mean that some albums will be pushed higher than on individual lists simply because alot of people put them in their lists. It's like they all agree that an album is ok (maybe they have persuaded each other a bit), but doesn't necessarily mean they think it is one of the very very best.

Scoot
01.06.11
obviously it's going to be impossible to please everyone.

I would have liked to have seen The Long Procession somewhere on this list, along with Beacons and Exoplanet. But to each, their own.

Photon
01.06.11
only heard 1 2 and 5 from the top ten . i guess i should check out the rest soon ..

StreetlightRock
01.06.11
If it makes anyone feel better, The Long Procession came out more or less while we had already finalized our individual lists.

Steoandnoodles
01.06.11
Hell Yeah!
Tallest Man On Earth no.1 :D
Good stuff!

lucazade22
01.06.11
where's THE FLASHBULB??!!

StreetlightRock
01.06.11
not ON

this list.

I'm amazing.

flaffy
01.06.11
even though converge didn't release an album this year, they should be number 1... for just being converge...

YoungHeretic
01.06.11
No Graduate or Republic Wolves in the whole list? Kinda Mediocre list this year. Though I really dig your number 1.

lucazade22
01.06.11
I was just surprised considering the amount of praise it received for such a low key release. Also surprised to see Circa Survive missing.

Also...guilty pleasure of the year: American Hi-Fi - Fight the Frequency

FilthyBorgir
01.06.11
I can not believe this list. No Alcest????????

Scoot
01.06.11
"If it makes anyone feel better, The Long Procession came out more or less while we had already finalized our individual lists."

That's kinda what I figured, thanks for clarifying.

DoctorNurse
01.06.11
Just listened to some of the wild hunt. Guys voice is horrible.

FadeToBlack
01.06.11
"I can not believe this list. No Alcest????????"

because it sucks

Scoot
01.06.11
It grows on you. I found it abrasive and annoying at first.

Defeater
01.06.11
I just have a hard time realizing this website is not the same as it was in 2006/2007 when I was lurking. There seemed to be a lot more variety back then. I don't know if that's actually true but that's how it felt being here.

witchxrapist
01.06.11
sed non satiata's lp is vastly better than the saddest landscape's

js

Edwin
01.06.11
Haven't heard a big chunk of these albums, but I guess it just gives me a reason to give something new a chance. Always a good read, these things.

SeaAnemone
01.06.11
always the same... never know whether to laugh or cry when reading these threads.

oh well, either way this list is superb, especially a few of the write-ups on this page. I really enjoyed tyler's #1 soundoff.

Mendigo
01.06.11
Yesssss. Awesome list, as usual. Don't agree with Kanye being placed so high here, but top 10 placements for Flying Lotus and Titus Andronicus kinda compensate for that. Also, a completely suprising (at least for me) but not undeserving #1. And kudos to many of the write-ups.

I need to visit sputnikmusic more often in 2011, these lists always convince that there is no better music site around right now.

Sethcanes
01.06.11
Khoma - A Final Storm should have made the list.

BigTuna
01.06.11
"sounds like something a hipster would say"

21% dm 12% metal


luci
01.06.11
woah you have so much metal cred

ntoman
01.06.11
this list confirms that sputnik is the pitchfork's bitch

kris.
01.06.11
have you actually looked at pitchfork's list?

Aids
01.06.11
"this list confirms that sputnik is the pitchfork's bitch"

Congratulations! You're the one millionth person to say something along those lines!

original posts plz

DhA
01.06.11
Who cares if it's similar to Pitchfork? It''s a staff collaborative list - it's not as if it's one person dickriding Pitchfork. The staff at both sites are gonna have some common tastes, and these lists are gonna be similar when you take into account that quirks in personal taste won't make much of an impact on these lists.

ntoman
01.06.11
"Congratulations! You're the one millionth person to say something along those lines!

original posts plz"

way to go princess

couldwinarabbit
01.06.11
"this list confirms that sputnik is the pitchfork's bitch"

Ok one sputnik is not. But even if they were, what is so wrong about having a list of the top albums of the year similar to the most prestigous music review site?

Electric City
01.06.11
i bet if we had a list with nothing but bad metal people would shut the hell up

Apollo
01.06.11
this is fucking lame. Kayne West is a joke.

kris.
01.06.11
ntoman answer my fucking question
did you even look at pitchfork's list

Electric City
01.06.11
CHILDHOOD IS A JOKE

robertsona
01.06.11
james sprunt community college s-p-r-u-n-t guess what that spells with

rhymes with

204409
01.06.11
I think the real solution is for more regular users to become consistent good reviewers so they can be appointed to staff and contribute to these lists. Right now the only people who can write well listen to the 50+ albums you guys just wrote about. So spend more time working on writing than complaining.

cvlts
01.06.11
I write fairly well and I haven't listened to nearly 90% of all this... probably should though, I admit.

Electric City
01.06.11
ill hi5 you bro

Aids
01.06.11
"way to go princess"

sick burn, I am defeated

Manic_
01.06.11
surprised no one has said anything about the lack of Underoath

Comatorium.
01.07.11
holy shit i actually just realized uO wasnt on here. that is surprising actually. whole list is missing a few albums i wouldve included but GASP, its not my list. overall i like it. giving age of adz another whirl cause i never even got the whole way through. so happy to see tallest man on earth at 1. motherfucker deserves it. and crowing is still a fucking butthurt retard.

bbdmittenz
01.07.11
no Blue Sky Noise anywhere? -_-

qwe3
01.07.11
hey people who are saying this list is so pitchfork

you're really observant and we thank you for your cutting-edge analyses



theacademy
01.07.11
i think its understandable to complain about this list being similar to pitchfork's... its fruitless, of course, but downer is right when he says "i bet if we had a list with nothing but bad metal people would shut the hell up."

people (who say stuff like "this list confirms that sputnik is the pitchfork's bitch") should understand that the staff =/= sputnik... sputnik is very obviously still dryden and KILL and SeaEric and ragging on Hawks and motherfucking EMERY THREAD.


theacademy
01.07.11
also 2, 7, and 8 are incredible, and 4 is pretty good too.


Aids
01.07.11
"analyses"

analysi

Aids
01.07.11
"sputnik is very obviously still dryden and KILL and SeaEric and ragging on Hawks and motherfucking EMERY THREAD."

1 2 fucking 3

theacademy
01.07.11
...and also Opeth

Ire
01.07.11
lol hawks

Ire
01.07.11
dude opeth

climactic
01.07.11
fuk yeah opeth

theacademy
01.07.11
"that the user decade list is going to be TOTALLY AWESOME"

depends on how many of my alts were counted

Aids
01.07.11
I hear the decade list was compiled using only theacademy alts

Ire
01.07.11
hey guys



new emery thread in 2011

theacademy
01.07.11
cheers!

theacademy
01.07.11
"i kinda miss when all sputnik did was talk about dream theater and porcupine tree and how we would all totally drink every drop of jeff mangum's jizz ever"

sputnikdads

qwe3
01.07.11
""analyses"

analysi"

its actually analyses

Aids
01.07.11
i was joking.

lame I know, it sounded way funnier in my head

Deviant.
01.07.11
"I hear the decade list was compiled using only theacademy alts"

Only 4 snuck through actually

For all of this talk of pitchfork riding/hipster nonsense - even though the user 2010 list will undoubtedly have more diversity (and this is obvious as more users will be involved compared to the 15-20 involved in this), I'd put money on the top 10 being mighty similar to this

Aids
01.07.11
I agree with Deviant, for all of the general user's bitching about the staff's taste, the user list will be probably about 75% the same

qwe3
01.07.11
what's depressing about this thread is !) how moronic the general userbase is and (even more depressing) 2) how unsurprising it is

Electric City
01.07.11
there is no user 2010 list so far as i know

Deviant.
01.07.11
There is Downer

qwe3
01.07.11
such a downer

theacademy
01.07.11
i guarantee only 3, MAYBE 4, overlap w/ staff list's top 10...

point is that TDAGARIM will beat Kid A. IT SIMPLY MUST.

theacademy
01.07.11
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/feature.php?id=5769

^^^hey guys, check out #90

kris.
01.07.11
lol how is that even possible we have so many retarded users

qwe3
01.07.11
if it beats kid a it'll be an insult to music.

Ire
01.07.11

we have more than 500 users who fived btbam's colors.

kris.
01.07.11
and the great misdirect was apparently the third best album of '09 holy shit i can feel my iq dropping

theacademy
01.07.11
TDAGARIM is what plays in heaven after the angels' volleyball team has a big win and goes out to celebrate and everybody has a little too much champagne and starts lezzing

kris.
01.07.11
you just made milk come outta my nose you douche

qwe3
01.07.11
"TDAGARIM is what plays in heaven"

i knew there was a reason i was an atheist

witchxrapist
01.07.11
i will fight all of yew kthx

Mendigo
01.07.11
"I need to visit sputnikmusic more often in 2011, these lists always convince that there is no better music site around right now.



wut"


there was a 'me' lost somewhere. but yeah, generally speaking I like the sputnikmusic staff lists more than almost all of those end-of-the-year-lists that are always floating around throughout december. similarities to pitchfork are inevitable if you mostly write about pretty much the same area of music, but they're usually the similiarities I can live with, the albums that pitchfork "got right" imo. mostly. I mean, I don't agree with everything here, but with a lot.

DaveyBoy
01.07.11
I tried to get Circa Survive in, but I think (& I'll stand to be corrected) that it was only me & Chan that had it in our top 25.

Spec
01.07.11
That's fine. Circa Survive is terrible.

AztecChieftain
01.07.11
What the hell how is YEEZY TAUGHT ME not number 1 gay

231090
01.07.11
The Tallest Man On Earth deserves the number 1 spot - it's just one man and a guitar (and a busted piano) and some great songs both melodically and lyrically. If you don't dig him, fine, his voice is an acquired taste, but you can't blame cheap tricks and the tendencies of other critics for his #1 spot - it's all music :)

thebhoy
01.07.11
woah Mendigo, haven't seen him in a while

Mendigo
01.08.11
coo-coo-ca-choo

JayVex
01.08.11
Very glad about no. 1. Kanye West should never be that high up though. Ever.

kris.
01.08.11
unless ya know he actually releases an album worthy of being number one
which he did
get the fuck over the fact that he's a cunt if his music is awesome then it's awesome

JayVex
01.08.11
Kanye may be good but he's not number one good.

BigTuna
01.08.11
thank you Lucidity you beautiful human being you

exredhouseresident
01.08.11
Kanye's not top 10 good.

204409
01.08.11
The only best of list with more wild care status is tiny mix tapes.

Aids
01.08.11
"Kanye's not top 10 good."

he's right, he's Top 3 good

Spec
01.08.11
Why isn't [insert band no one has heard of] on here? WTF

Nomos
01.09.11
Where's all the good metal?

Too much pretentious indie garbage and intentionally-quirky drivel

DrKilljoy
01.09.11
Yeah, okay, i've had a few chuckles. Now please, post the actual top 10.

exredhouseresident
01.09.11
Kanye's like, you know, 'round top 37 good.

Shrapnel94
01.09.11
So why doesn't this list perfectly match my opinions? What the fuck, this is a fucking joke.

ihopeuchoke
01.09.11
1 sucks. Just sayin.

Supernewman1
01.10.11
Really impressed with Tallest Man getting number 1, it's a glorious thing to see really. I don't think Kanye didn't deserve #2, I think the publicity and hype make it appear better than it is, still definitely top 10 though, likely top 5, I do however understand its placing. Loving 10, 9, 5, 3, and 1. Anyways, great top 10, not what mine exactly looks like, but there are some very critical similarities, which is to say everything that was important to me got the recognition from you guys I thought it deserved. Awesome.

DeafMetal
01.10.11
"1 sucks. Just sayin."

Lol what a fag.

DeafMetal
01.10.11
And yeah where's Burzum, Electric Wizard, Immolation?

nsbm
01.10.11
i know man

greg84
01.10.11
Contrary to what everybody seems to say here, I think 2 is actually much better than 1.

AnotherBrick
01.11.11
the lack of prog on staff is sad

TREO5
01.11.11
No ORBS?!?! What a fat fucking piece of shit shit shitty shit list. Terrible. Oh my science, last year sucked ass apparently.

StreetlightRock
01.11.11
rofl. That was the funniest No [band]?!?! yet.

sphygmo
01.11.11
HOOM is just unlistenable. no idea why it keeps being listed as one of the best of the year, other than people feeling that they need to list it in order to look respectable to their peers. too ambitious, nothing that grounds the sound. and goddamn is it fucking long.



oh and where in the fuck is agalloch?

NeutralThunder12
01.11.11
great list, just looked now. Didn't follow the year as closely but I was actually delighted by 5's placement and surprised the The Tallest Man got No.1 (he basically deserves it though, just didn't think he'd win it)

toolguitarkid
01.12.11
list is full of shitttt

UnnamedOcean
01.12.11
No Max Richter. No Oceansize. No Minus the Bear. No Amia Venera Landscape. No Olafur Arnalds. No Demians. Is Sputnik seriously ignorant enough to not put at least ONE of those artists in the top 50?

Aside from The National, this is the worst top 10 list I have seen in ages.

SeaAnemone
01.12.11
Max Richter was good
Oceansize wasn't
Minus the Bear was divisive... I thought it was good but it wasn't necesarily top 50 material for most people
Demians were sorta under the radar
and Olafur Arnalds album was ok, but it's really random I didn't know anyone here had heard it
and Willie's explained the Amia V-Landscape thing a million times already, on this pg. alone

... don't know why you'd be surprised they weren't here. "Ignorant," lol.

Steoandnoodles
01.12.11
Dear UnnamedOcean. This is not your top 10, it's their's.
Opinions: They tend to differ. ;)

Makemebad35
01.12.11
lack of intronaut anywhere on the top 50. Sad =(

UnnamedOcean
01.13.11
I'm just saying I can't believe none of those artists made the list.

And also, calling The Tallest Man on Earth the greatest songwriter of the generation...what utter bullshit.

StreetlightRock
01.13.11
idc maybe you can cry about it on the internet

Knott-
01.13.11
Lol Minus the Bear.

Knott-
01.13.11
I CAN'T BELIEVE A BAND I LIKED THAT WASN'T WIDELY LOVED DIDN'T MAKE IT ONTO A LIST OF ALBUMS THAT WERE WIDELY LOVED!

Electric City
01.13.11
hey wheres that metal album that came out 2 weeks ago

okcomputer1016
01.13.11
I never agree with anyone about anything

Deviant.
01.13.11
"And also, calling The Tallest Man on Earth the greatest songwriter of the generation...what utter bullshit. "

Demand to speak to the manager, see what happens

acADHDemy
01.14.11
i'm super glad we added some non-metal staff to balance out all of this dreadful metal!

PuddlesPuddles
01.14.11
1 and 2 i find to be actually the among the most annoying albums

notorioussam23
01.16.11
Kanye isn't number 1??? Get outta here..... And it's Chi Town nigga with a NaS flow... you know like Nasir Jones.

notorioussam23
01.16.11
Yeezey is gonna see this and diss tallest man on earth on Twitter.

VJ90
01.17.11
Janelle Monae should've been higher. Also, I could've sworn that Diamond Eyes was going to be the number one album this year based on how long it remained in the "Popular Albums" list. Interesting list overall though, can't say that anything shocked me. Joanna Newsom's inclusion was surprising though, as for the most part she appeared to fly under the radar. However, gotta give her props for ambition.



thebhoy
01.17.11
Popular Albums list has everything to do with the community, this has only to do with the staff

sleepyhead
01.18.11
great top 10! 6 of these are in mine, 3 are pretty much in my top 20, but titus andronicus isn't even close! such an overrated album!

TheStefan
01.18.11
Pshaw. Titus Andronicus- The Monitor is probably going to be one of the greatest albums released this decade.

sleepyhead
01.18.11
not convinced. but that could always change i suppose

OysterizerInsomniac
01.18.11
wtf no Axe To Fall....

Deviant.
01.18.11
Oh god, I hope that's misplaced humour

ProYiffer
01.19.11
I don't agree with a couple of people's music! I'm gonna make a big deal about it by posting stuff with ALL CAPS, and with a LOT of exclamation marks!!! oh and question marks!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

TREO5
01.21.11
list is full of smelly queefs and bad opinions.

KTLL
01.22.11
Is #1 really that impressive?

Go to his myspace. Listen to the top three songs in succession (hell, listen to the 4th one). What do you notice?

Same exact song style in each track. Same vocal performance. Hyper-similar fast picked folk guitar in each song. Lyrics are ok. Nothing very important, revealing, or riveting.

I guess this band is cool to show your new girlfriend, if you really wanna be "sensitive alternative guy". Take a road trip and make it "your album" or some stupid shit.

treeqt.
01.23.11
Except for Kanye this whole top 10 wouldn't even find a way into my paper bin.
I wouldn't even waste any energy download this retarded bullshit.
May seem harsh, but imo 9/10 are total bullshit in this top10.

Blaizend
01.23.11
pretty bad list

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