1. The Hold Steady- Boys and Girls in America

Listen: “Stuck Between Stations” [Non-Album Live Version]

2. Ghostface Killah- Fishscale

Listen: “Shakey Dog”

3. Tom Waits- Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards

Listen: “Missing My Son”

4. Belle and Sebastian- The Life Pursuit

Listen: “Another Sunny Day”

5. Sonic Youth- Rather Ripped

Listen: “Another Sunny Day”

6. Yo La Tengo- I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass

Listen: “Mr. Tough”

7. Bob Dylan- Modern Times

Listen: “Thunder on the Mountain”

8. Bruce Springsteen- We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions

Listen: “We Shall Overcome”

9. Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Show Your Bones

Listen: “Gold Lion”

10. Neil Young- Living With War

Listen: “Let’s Impeach the President”

Archival Highlight: Neil Young- Crazy Horse at the Fillmore 1970

Listen: “Winterlong”

Honorable Mention: Lily Allen’s Alright, Still; Islands’ Return to the Sea; My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade; Sufjan Stevens’ The Avalanche; The Streets’ The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living; Justin Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveSounds

Updated: December 31, 2011

See Also: Top 10 Albums of 2007, Top 10 Albums of 2005, Top 10 Albums of 2004, Top 10 Albums of 2003, Top 10 Albums of 2002, Top 10 Albums of 2001, Top 10 Albums of 2000, Top 10 Albums of 1999, Top 10 Albums of 1998, Top 10 Albums of 1997, Top 10 Albums of 1996, Top 10 Albums of 1995, Top 10 Albums of 1994, Top 10 Albums of 1993, Top 10 Albums of 1992, Top 10 Albums of 1991, Top 10 Albums of 1990, Top 10 Albums of 1989, Top 10 Albums of 1988, Top 10 Albums of 1987, Top 10 Albums of 1986, Top 10 Albums of 1985, Top 10 Albums of 1984, Top 10 Albums of 1983, Top 10 Albums of 1982, Top 10 Albums of 1981, Top 10 Albums of 1980, Top 10 Albums of 1979, Top 10 Albums of 1978, Top 10 Albums of 1977, Top 10 Albums of 1976, Top 10 Albums of 1975, Top 10 Albums of 1974, Top 10 Albums of 1973, Top 10 Albums of 1972, Top 10 Albums of 1971, Top 10 Albums of 1970, Top 10 Albums of 1969, Top 10 Albums of 1968, Top 10 Albums of 1967, Top 10 Albums of 1966, Top 10 Albums of 1965

1. Jay-Z- The Black Album

Listen: “December 4th”

2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Fever to Tell

Listen: “Rich”

3. Radiohead- Hail to the Thief

Listen: “There There”

4. The White Stripes- Elephant

Listen: “The Hardest Button to Button”

5. Belle and Sebastian- Dear Catastrophe Waitress

Listen: “I’m a Cuckoo”

6. Death Cab for Cutie- Transatlanticism

Listen: “The New Year”

7. OutKast- Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

Listen: “Hey Ya!”

8. The Shins- Chutes Too Narrow

Listen: “Kissing the Lipless”

9. The Mars Volta- De-Loused in the Comatorium

Listen: “Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)”

10. Explosions in the Sky- The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place

Listen: “First Breath After Coma”

Archival Highlight: Led Zeppelin- How the West Was Won

Listen: “Stairway to Heaven”

Updated: December 31, 2011

See Also: Top 10 Movies of 2003, Top 10 Albums of 2007, Top 10 Albums of 2006, Top 10 Albums of 2005, Top 10 Albums of 2004, Top 10 Albums of 2002, Top 10 Albums of 2001, Top 10 Albums of 2000, Top 10 Albums of 1999, Top 10 Albums of 1998, Top 10 Albums of 1997, Top 10 Albums of 1996, Top 10 Albums of 1995, Top 10 Albums of 1994, Top 10 Albums of 1993, Top 10 Albums of 1992, Top 10 Albums of 1991, Top 10 Albums of 1990, Top 10 Albums of 1989, Top 10 Albums of 1988, Top 10 Albums of 1987, Top 10 Albums of 1986, Top 10 Albums of 1985, Top 10 Albums of 1984, Top 10 Albums of 1983, Top 10 Albums of 1982, Top 10 Albums of 1981, Top 10 Albums of 1980, Top 10 Albums of 1979, Top 10 Albums of 1978, Top 10 Albums of 1977, Top 10 Albums of 1976, Top 10 Albums of 1975, Top 10 Albums of 1974, Top 10 Albums of 1973, Top 10 Albums of 1972, Top 10 Albums of 1971, Top 10 Albums of 1970, Top 10 Albums of 1969, Top 10 Albums of 1968, Top 10 Albums of 1967, Top 10 Albums of 1966, Top 10 Albums of 1965

1. Weezer- Pinkerton

Listen: “Tired of Sex”

2. Fugees- The Score

Listen: “Ready or Not”

3. Jay-Z- Reasonable Doubt

Listen: “Dead Presidents 2”

4. Belle and Sebastian- If You’re Feeling Sinister

Listen: “Get Me Away From Here, I’m Dying”

5. Beck- Odelay

Listen: “Devil’s Haircut”

6. Nas- It Was Written

Listen: “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)”

7. Stereolab- Emperor Tomato Ketchup

Listen: “Cybele’s Reverie”

8. Wilco- Being There

Listen: “Outtasite (Outta Mind)”

9. Rage Against the Machine- Evil Empire

Listen: “People of the Sun”

10. Shawn Colvin- A Few Small Repairs

Listen: “Sunny Came Home”

Updated: April 5, 2012

See Also: Top 10 Albums of 2007, Top 10 Albums of 2006, Top 10 Albums of 2005, Top 10 Albums of 2004, Top 10 Albums of 2003,  Top 10 Albums of 2002, Top 10 Albums of 2001, Top 10 Albums of 2000, Top 10 Albums of 1999, Top 10 Albums of 1998, Top 10 Albums of 1997, Top 10 Albums of 1995, Top 10 Albums of 1994, Top 10 Albums of 1993, Top 10 Albums of 1992, Top 10 Albums of 1991, Top 10 Albums of 1990, Top 10 Albums of 1989, Top 10 Albums of 1988, Top 10 Albums of 1987, Top 10 Albums of 1986, Top 10 Albums of 1985, Top 10 Albums of 1984, Top 10 Albums of 1983, Top 10 Albums of 1982, Top 10 Albums of 1981, Top 10 Albums of 1980, Top 10 Albums of 1979, Top 10 Albums of 1978, Top 10 Albums of 1977, Top 10 Albums of 1976, Top 10 Albums of 1975, Top 10 Albums of 1974, Top 10 Albums of 1973, Top 10 Albums of 1972, Top 10 Albums of 1971, Top 10 Albums of 1970, Top 10 Albums of 1969, Top 10 Albums of 1968, Top 10 Albums of 1967, Top 10 Albums of 1966, Top 10 Albums of 1965