The Experts’ Best Albums Of 2010
I’ve collected every year-end “best album” list published by reputable sources that I could get my hands on. The finalized tally below records the albums most frequently mentioned by music experts in their year-end lists. 115 lists have been compiled. With this many sources I consider the ranking below to be the definitive list of 2010. Much like the aggregate system Rotten Tomatoes employs, concensus is the key. In combining the lists I awarded albums points based on where they ranked on each year-end list. My points system works as follows:20 points for each 1st place ranking
15 points for each 2nd place ranking
10 points for each 3rd place ranking
8 points for being ranked 4th – 10th
5 points for being ranked 11th-25th
2 points for being ranked 26th-50th, or for being included on an unranked list
1 point for being ranked 51st – 100th
To view the complete list in spreadsheet form visit this link. Or if you’re a glutton for punishment and nerd out on Excel you can download a copy and re-sort the list by source to your heart’s content here. And for Mac users a Numbers version here.
ARTIST | ALBUM | ||
#1 – | Kanye West | My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy | |
#2 – | Arcade Fire | The Suburbs | |
#3 – | LCD Soundsystem | This Is Happening | |
#4 – | Janelle Monae | The ArchAndroid | |
#5 – | The National | High Violet | |
#6 – | Beach House | Teen Dream | |
#7 – | Big Boi | Sir Lucious Left Foot… The Son Of Chico Dusty | |
#8 – | The Black Keys | Brothers | |
#9 – | Deerhunter | Halcyon Digest | |
#10 – | Vampire Weekend | Contra | |
#11 – | Joanna Newsom | Have One On Me | |
#12 – | Titus Andronicus | The Monitor | |
#13 – | Caribou | Swim | |
#14 – | Ariel Pink’s Haunted Grafitti | Before Today | |
#15 – | Sleigh Bells | Treats | |
#16 – | Gorillaz | Plastic Beach | |
#17 – | Robyn | Body Talk | |
#18 – | Sufjan Stevens | The Age Of Adz | |
#19 – | Flying Lotus | Cosmogramma | |
#20 – | Drake | Thank Me Later | |
#21 – | Yeasayer | Odd Blood | |
#22 – | Four Tet | There Is Love In You | |
#23 – | Best Coast | Crazy For You | |
#24 – | Jamey Johnson | The Guitar Song | |
#25 – | The Roots | How I Got Over You | |
#26 – | Superchunk | Majesty Shredding | |
#27 – | Grinderman | Grinderman 2 | |
#28 – | Gil Scott-Heron | I’m New Here | |
#29 – | Laura Marling | I Speak Because I Can | |
#30 – | Deftones | Diamond Eyes | |
#31 – | Owen Pallett | Heartland | |
#32 – | Mumford & Sons | Sigh No More | |
#33 – | Warpaint | The Fool | |
#34 – | Cee Lo Green | The Lady Killer | |
#35 – | These New Puritans | Hidden | |
#36 – | Emeralds | Does It Look Like I’m Here? | |
#37 – | Neil Young | Le Noise | |
#38 – | The Walkmen | Lisbon | |
#39 – | Rick Ross | Teflon Don | |
#40 – | Broken Bells | Broken Bells | |
#41 – | Sharon Van Etten | Epic | |
#42 – | Oneohtrix Point Never | Returnal | |
#43 – | No Age | Everything In Between | |
#44 – | Liars | Sisterworld | |
#45 – | The Tallest Man On Earth | The Wild Hunt | |
#46 – | Foals | Total Life Forever | |
#47 – | MGMT | Congratulations | |
#48 – | Spoon | Transference | |
#49 – | Jónsi | Go | |
#50 – | Surfer Blood | Astro Coast |