1. Arcade Fire- Funeral
Listen: “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)”
2. Kanye West- The College Dropout
Listen: “Never Let Me Down”
3. The Trash Can Sinatras- Weightlifting
Listen: “Leave Me Alone”
4. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds- Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus
Listen: “Get Ready for Love”
5. Brian Wilson- Smile
Listen: “Roll Plymouth Rock”
6. Iron & Wine- Our Endless Numbered Days
Listen: “Naked As We Come”
7. Sufjan Stevens- Seven Swans
Listen: “Abraham”
8. Rilo Kiley- More Adventurous
9. Wilco- A Ghost is Born
Listen: “At Least That’s What You Said”
10. Franz Ferdinand- Franz Ferdinand
Archival Highlight: Bob Dylan- The Bootleg Series Volume 6: Live 1964 - Concert at Philharmonic Hall
Listen: “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)”
Honorable Mention: Annie’s Anniemal; The Black Keys’ Rubber Factory; Morrissey’s You Are the Quarry; Prince’s Musicology; TV on the Radio’s Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes; U2’s How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb; Tom Waits’ Real Gone; The Walkmen’s Bows + Arrows
Updated: October 11, 2012
See Also: Top 10 Movies of 2004, Top 10 Albums of 2007, Top 10 Albums of 2006, Top 10 Albums of 2005, 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
