NPR Music's 50 Favorite Albums Of 2011

The complete collection of NPR's recommendations for the best music of 2011.

Published: December 05, 2011 15:01 Source

# 1

21 by Adele

Album • Jan 24 / 2011 Pop Soul Adult Contemporary

# 2

D. Scarlatti : Sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti + Alexandre Tharaud

Album • Jan 21 / 2011

# 3

Where Country Grows by Ashton Shepherd

Album • Jan 01 / 2011 Country

# 4

Chamber Music by Ballaké Sissoko + Vincent Ségal

Album • Oct 12 / 2009 Mande Music

# 5

The Rip Tide by Beirut

Album • Aug 30 / 2011 Indie Folk

# 6

4 by Beyoncé

Album • Jun 24 / 2011 Contemporary R&B Pop

# 7

Agadez by Bombino

Album • Mar 28 / 2011 Tishoumaren

# 8

Bon Iver by Bon Iver

Album • Jun 21 / 2011

# 9

The People's Key by Bright Eyes

Album • Feb 15 / 2011 Indie Rock

# 10

Brooklyn Rider Plays Philip Glass by Brooklyn Rider

Album • Mar 01 / 2011

# 11

New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges by Colin Stetson

Album • Feb 22 / 2011 Post-Minimalism Experimental

# 12

Dwellings by Cormorant

Album • Dec 06 / 2011 Progressive Metal

# 13

Tan Bajo by Dávila 666

Album • Mar 01 / 2011 Garage Rock Garage Punk

# 14

Tryptych by Demdike Stare

Album • Jan 24 / 2011 Dark Ambient Ambient Dub

# 15

Grá agus Bás by Alan Pierson + Crash Ensemble

Album • Apr 29 / 2011 Post-Minimalism Orchestral Song

# 16

Chief by Eric Church

Album • Jan 01 / 2011 Contemporary Country Country Rock

# 18

David Comes To Life by Fucked Up

Album • Jun 06 / 2011 Post-Hardcore Rock Opera

# 19

Exits and All The Rest by Girl In a Coma

Album • Nov 01 / 2011 Alternative Rock

# 20

The Wanting by Glenn Jones

Album • Sep 13 / 2011 American Primitivism

# 21

The Lost and Found by Gretchen Parlato

Album • Apr 05 / 2011 Vocal Jazz

# 22

James Blake by James Blake

Album • Jan 01 / 2011 Art Pop Alternative R&B Electronic

# 23

Watch The Throne by JAY-Z + Kanye West

Album • Aug 08 / 2011 Hip Hop Pop Rap

# 24

Joseph Calleja - The Maltese Tenor by Joseph Calleja + Orchestre de la Suisse Romande + Marco Armiliato

Album • Jan 01 / 2011

# 25

The Magic Place by Julianna Barwick

Album • Feb 11 / 2011 Ambient Ambient Pop

# 26

Ashore by June Tabor

Album • May 29 / 2011 Contemporary Folk Sea Shanty

# 27

Section.80 by Kendrick Lamar

Album • Jul 02 / 2011 West Coast Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop

# 28

Diamond Mine by King Creosote + Jon Hopkins

Album • May 24 / 2011 Indie Folk

# 29

Nuestra by La Vida Bohème

Album • May 10 / 2011 Post-Punk Revival Dance-Punk Indie Rock

# 31

Chancletas y Camisetas Bordada by Los Rakas

EP • Aug 23 / 2011

# 32

Alma Adentro: The Puerto Rican Songbook by Miguel Zenón

Album • Aug 30 / 2011 Latin Jazz

# 33

Captain Black Big Band by Orrin Evans

Album • Mar 29 / 2011 Jazz Big Band

# 34

Let England Shake by PJ Harvey

Album • Feb 15 / 2011 Singer-Songwriter Art Rock

# 35

Fiction by Quatuor Ébène

Album • Oct 18 / 2010

# 36

The King Of Limbs by Radiohead

Album • Feb 18 / 2011 Electronic Experimental Rock

# 37

Black Up by Shabazz Palaces

Album • Jun 28 / 2011 Experimental Hip Hop Abstract Hip Hop

# 39

Strange Mercy by St. Vincent

Album • Sep 12 / 2011 Art Pop Indie Pop Art Rock

# 40

The Illustrious by STS

Album • Sep 20 / 2011 East Coast Hip Hop

# 41

Burst Apart by The Antlers

Album • May 10 / 2011 Indie Rock

# 42

Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars

Album • Feb 01 / 2011 Indie Folk

# 43

Undun by The Roots

Album • Dec 02 / 2011 East Coast Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop

# 44

Ravedeath, 1972 by Tim Hecker

Album • Feb 14 / 2011 Ambient Drone

# 45

Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) by Tom Waits

Album • Oct 21 / 2011

# 46

Lifeboats and Follies by Tommy Guerrero

Album • Feb 01 / 2011 Downtempo Jazz

# 47

The Book of Mormon (Original Broadway Cast Recording) by Trey Parker + Robert Lopez + Matt Stone

Album • May 17 / 2011

# 48

W H O K I L L by Tune-Yards

Album • Apr 18 / 2011

# 49

The Whole Love (Deluxe Version) by Wilco

Album • Feb 03 / 2011

# 50

Civilian by Wye Oak

Album • Mar 08 / 2011 Indie Rock Indie Pop