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
