As the ball dropped and the new year was welcomed, Pitbull could be heard yelling across Times Square. Lady Gaga made an appearance, encouraging New York to “Marry the Night” as she danced around with a birdcage encasing her head.
This year was dominated by infectious pop and pounding dubstep. It boasted top-ten tracks such as LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem” and, Z100’s number one song of the year, “E.T.” by Katy Perry.
It’s not that I don’t enjoy belting Bruno Mars when no one’s home, or blasting Justin Bieber so loudly in my car that I fear the windows will shatter. But these aren’t the artists I’m going to turn on when I have the choice between my iPod and the radio.
So if you’re feeling like a break from incessantly buoyant beats or you’re craving some good quality music to fall in love with, look no further. If you’re still not satisfied after this list- or my music taste has just blown you away to the point where you’re thirsting for more- Drake’s Take Care, Helplessness Blues by the Fleet Foxes, and Radiohead’s The King of Limbs certainly deserve honorable mentions.
Without further ado, here are my top five albums of 2011:
5. Foster the People – Torches
This indie-pop-rock band hit the scene a little late in the year, although its energizing debut Torches was released in May. Personally, they didn’t own me when “Pumped Up Kicks” began playing on the radio, although it possesses a certain beachy, careless and charismatic beat. But it interested me enough to buy the rest of the album, and it captured me with “Houdini.” The rest of the album is expertly crafted, interlacing upbeat tracks like “Call It What You Want” and “Don’t Stop (Color On The Walls)” with delightful lyrics in “I Would Do Anything For You.”
4. Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials
Florence Welch and her innumerable talents first caught my eye with “Dog Days Are Over” on her previous album, Lungs. I’ll be the first to admit that I absolutely played it to death. However, Florence and her crew have outdone themselves with their newest installment Ceremonials, which is more dramatic and remarkable than I thought that hey could have achieved. With each track shivers are sent down my spine, although I find “Shake It Out” and “Heartlines” particularly goose bump inducing. The amazing vocals blend seamlessly with perfect drum beats and an extraordinary orchestra.
3. The Black Keys – El Camino
This album is a catchy and funky masterpiece. Following their blues-esque breakout album Brothers, The Black Keys has managed to create intensely enjoyable tracks, including my favorite “Lonely Boy.” This album is one solid beat after another that may induce relentless head bobbing, but never loses the artistic flair that made me love this band in the first place. Masterful tracks like “Sister” and “Money Maker” prove that they’ve managed to produce a ridiculously likeable album whilst maintaining their musical sophistication.
2. Adele – 21
Say what you want about “Rolling In The Deep” being overplayed, it had everyone at Adele’s first word. Her incredible voice quickly skyrocketed her to female singer royalty, and grouping it with heart-wrenching lyrics and powerful arrangements secured 21 as one of my favorite albums of all time. The vulnerability that inspired this album is clear, as Adele transforms the end of her first serious relationship into mesmerizing tracks like “Someone Like You” and “I’ll Be Waiting.” However, other tracks demonstrate the strength that she refuses to relinquish, such as “Rumor Has It” and “Set Fire To The Rain.”
1. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
You’d think that with a debut album like Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago— which enjoys numerous nods from critics as well as a spot on Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the 100 Best Albums of the ’00s– the success would be difficult to recreate. However, the alluring subtlety of its follow-up, Bon Iver, makes it one of the most consistently captivating albums I’ve ever listened to, and an easy choice for number one. Justin Vernon layers delicate guitar plucks with piano, string instruments, and saxophones to create an almost hauntingly beautiful playlist. It opens with the severely underrated “Perth” which features a foundation of marching-band drums and continues with slightly faster-paced and poignant tracks such as “Calgary” and “Holocene.”
