List of lists 2011

From The Ruckus

I feel like the best of lists started early this year. Way to go Paste kicking it off with a bland and poorly thought out list before December! A lot of people complain about the frivolity of such lists, but for me it's like Christmas came early. It's impossible to listen to everything 2011 had to offer and impossible to keep up with all the blogs I like throughout the year, so to hear what other people enjoyed in a compressed and easy to browse format is a huge gift that only comes once a year. I look forward to these lists and the purchasing frenzy that follows as I kick myself for completely missing wonderful albums and songs. After all, that is the purpose of these lists--to get people to buy the music you honor with your "best of" tag, right?

I'll be constantly updating this page with lists from people whose opinions I respect and trust. I'm not going to flood you with 1,000 lists but pick and choose the creative, diverse, and true to taste lists. Almost every list has something I haven't heard before, so maybe some of it will be new to you too. Feel free to let me know if I've missed any lists. Merry Listmas!

Best Songs of 2011

Artist Mixtapes: 26 Songs of 2011

New to Me: Jeffertitti's Nile - Mountain Jam

Faronheit: Listmas 2011: The Top 50 Songs of 2011 (5 part list)

Songs For The Day: 50 Favorite Songs of 2011

Rollo Grady: Top 100 Songs of 2011

The Ruckus: Best 25 Songs of 2011
New to Me: Nightmare and the Cat - Sarah Beth

Slowcoustic: Top Songs of 2011
Based on play counts. Smart looking list.

Everybody Taste: Best of 2011: The Songs

Sunset in The Rearview: Top Songs of 2011 (writers' picks)

Wild Honeypie: 50 Best Songs of 2011

Sound on the Sound: Abby's (almost entirely local) favorite songs 
Yay Seattle sounds.
New to Me: Curtains For You - What Good am I to you now?

We Listen For You: Hank and Zach's top 10 tracks of the year
It's funny how their lists are the same but different.

Music For Ants: 50 Best Songs of 2011
New to Me: Bodies of Water – Mary, Don’t You Weep

Best EPs/ 7" of 2011

Everybody Taste: The Best of 2011: Vinyl Singles & EPs
Probably my favorite list of hidden gems so far. Highly recommended. If you haven't heard FIDLAR's "Wake Bake Skate" you're really missing out.
New to Me: Hundred Visions - Last Cab From Tunis

Rawk Blog: Best of 2011: Favorite EPs/Singles

Visible Voice: Favorite EPs of 2011
New to Me: Conrad Plymouth

Best Albums of 2011

Gorilla vs. Bear: GvB's Albums of 2011

Really great list with some real gems and surprises. 

New to Me: Korallreven - As Young As Yesterday (feat. Victoria Bergsman)

Sunset in the Rearview: Top 20 Albums of 2011
Hip hop is not a genre I actively search out so I only find myself listening to it if it's recommended by Lydia (or her bff - Confusion). True story. But I love her lists because it's a bit of everything and she's not scared to put Bon Iver at #1.
New to Me: Atlas Sound - The Shakes

The Ruckus: Best 10 Albums of 2011 
No numbers, just a bunch of good albums that aren't on anybody else's lists. Check it out.
New to Me: Sleepy Vikings - White Wolves

Listen Before You Buy: Counting down every day all month.
New to Me: Ghost Heart - No Canticle

Aquarium Drunkard: 2011 Year in Review
New to me: Ben + Vesper - Consubstantiation

Ride The Tempo: Top Albums of 2011
A list based on owning the albums and top listens, which frankly makes for a much more enjoyable and interesting list. I'm a big fan of Tiana's picks and happy to see so many Canadians on the list too.
New to Me: Graham Wright - Soviet Race

Quick Before It Melts: 10 Favorite Albums of 2011 (entirely Canadian list)
You should be reading this blog if you aren't already. It's been a pleasure to read every day and the list is solid.
New to Me: Grey Kingdom - Haunted

Mixtape Muse: 10 Top Albums of 2011
It's just 10 albums but it feels like a lot more because it covers all the bases going from indie rock, hip hop, to soul.

Chromewaves: Favourite Albums of 2011
Great to see Emmy the Great getting some recognition.

Aye Tunes: Best Albums of 2011
I should probably pay more attention to Scottish music
New to Me: Adam Stafford - Fire & Theft (bandcamp)...also new to me: 90% of the list

Folk/Alt-Country Lists

Captains Dead: Top 14 Records of 2011

I look forward to his lists each year because it's always different than all the rest. 

New to Me: Glossary - The Flood

Common Folk Music: April's Picks For Best Albums of 2011

Her #1 pick is a name your price download on bandcamp, and you should get it.
New to Me: Great American Desert - 18th & H (Formerly Known as South of Lincoln)

A Song For The Day: My Favorite Albums and EPs of 2011

We actually traded long list a week ago, we have lots of overlap.

New to Me: Kelli Schaefer - Black Dog (via)

Slowcoustic: Favourite Albums of 2011
New to Me: Frederick Squire - All Things Past Serve to Guide You On Your Way

Songs: Illinois: (waiting)

Miscellany 

We Listen For You - Best Vinyl of 2011


Music For Ants: 30 Best Videos of 2011
I don't know how anybody makes a best video list, that takes some serious time, but Music For Ants always does a great job.