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
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 21 | Adele | Jan-24-2011, Pop Soul |
| #2 | D. Scarlatti : Sonatas | Domenico Scarlatti, Alexandre Tharaud | Jan-21-2011, |
| #3 | Where Country Grows | Ashton Shepherd | Jan-01-2011, Country |
| #4 | Chamber Music | Ballaké Sissoko, Vincent Ségal | Oct-12-2009, Mande Music |
| #5 | The Rip Tide | Beirut | Aug-30-2011, Indie Folk |
| #6 | 4 | Beyoncé | Jun-24-2011, Contemporary R&B |
| #7 | Agadez | Bombino | Mar-28-2011, Tishoumaren |
| #8 | Bon Iver | Bon Iver | Jun-21-2011, |
| #9 | The People's Key | Bright Eyes | Feb-15-2011, Indie Rock |
| #10 | Brooklyn Rider Plays Philip Glass | Brooklyn Rider | Mar-01-2011, |
| #11 | New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges | Colin Stetson | Feb-22-2011, Post-Minimalism |
| #12 | Dwellings | Cormorant | Dec-06-2011, Progressive Metal |
| #13 | Tan Bajo | Dávila 666 | Mar-01-2011, Garage Rock |
| #14 | Tryptych | Demdike Stare | Jan-24-2011, Dark Ambient |
| #15 | Grá agus Bás | Alan Pierson, Crash Ensemble | Apr-29-2011, Post-Minimalism |
| #16 | Chief | Eric Church | Jan-01-2011, Contemporary Country |
| #18 | David Comes To Life | Fucked Up | Jun-06-2011, Post-Hardcore |
| #19 | Exits and All The Rest | Girl In a Coma | Nov-01-2011, Alternative Rock |
| #20 | The Wanting | Glenn Jones | Sep-13-2011, American Primitivism |
| #21 | The Lost and Found | Gretchen Parlato | Apr-05-2011, Vocal Jazz |
| #22 | James Blake | James Blake | Jan-01-2011, Art Pop |
| #23 | Watch The Throne | JAY-Z, Kanye West | Aug-08-2011, Hip Hop |
| #24 | Joseph Calleja - The Maltese Tenor | Joseph Calleja, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Marco Armiliato | Jan-01-2011, |
| #25 | The Magic Place | Julianna Barwick | Feb-11-2011, Ambient |
| #26 | Ashore | June Tabor | May-29-2011, Contemporary Folk |
| #27 | Section.80 | Kendrick Lamar | Jul-02-2011, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #28 | Diamond Mine | King Creosote, Jon Hopkins | May-24-2011, Indie Folk |
| #29 | Nuestra | La Vida Bohème | May-10-2011, Post-Punk Revival |
| #31 | Chancletas y Camisetas Bordada | Los Rakas | Aug-23-2011, |
| #32 | Alma Adentro: The Puerto Rican Songbook | Miguel Zenón | Aug-30-2011, Latin Jazz |
| #33 | Captain Black Big Band | Orrin Evans | Mar-29-2011, Jazz |
| #34 | Let England Shake | PJ Harvey | Feb-15-2011, Singer-Songwriter |
| #35 | Fiction | Quatuor Ébène | Oct-18-2010, |
| #36 | The King Of Limbs | Radiohead | Feb-18-2011, Electronic |
| #37 | Black Up | Shabazz Palaces | Jun-28-2011, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #39 | Strange Mercy | St. Vincent | Sep-12-2011, Art Pop |
| #40 | The Illustrious | STS | Sep-20-2011, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #41 | Burst Apart | The Antlers | May-10-2011, Indie Rock |
| #42 | Barton Hollow | The Civil Wars | Feb-01-2011, Indie Folk |
| #43 | Undun | The Roots | Dec-02-2011, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #44 | Ravedeath, 1972 | Tim Hecker | Feb-14-2011, Ambient |
| #45 | Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) | Tom Waits | Oct-21-2011, |
| #46 | Lifeboats and Follies | Tommy Guerrero | Feb-01-2011, Downtempo |
| #47 | The Book of Mormon (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone | May-17-2011, |
| #48 | W H O K I L L | Tune-Yards | Apr-18-2011, |
| #49 | The Whole Love (Deluxe Version) | Wilco | Feb-03-2011, |
| #50 | Civilian | Wye Oak | Mar-08-2011, Indie Rock |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 21 | Adele | Album, Jan-24-2011, Pop Soul |
| #2 | D. Scarlatti : Sonatas | Domenico ScarlattiAlexandre Tharaud | Album, Jan-21-2011, |
| #3 | Where Country Grows | Ashton Shepherd | Album, Jan-01-2011, Country |
| #4 | Chamber Music | Ballaké SissokoVincent Ségal | Album, Oct-12-2009, Mande Music |
| #5 | The Rip Tide | Beirut | Album, Aug-30-2011, Indie Folk |
| #6 | 4 | Beyoncé | Album, Jun-24-2011, Contemporary R&B |
| #7 | Agadez | Bombino | Album, Mar-28-2011, Tishoumaren |
| #8 | Bon Iver | Bon Iver | Album, Jun-21-2011, |
| #9 | The People's Key | Bright Eyes | Album, Feb-15-2011, Indie Rock |
| #10 | Brooklyn Rider Plays Philip Glass | Brooklyn Rider | Album, Mar-01-2011, |
| #11 | New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges | Colin Stetson | Album, Feb-22-2011, Post-Minimalism |
| #12 | Dwellings | Cormorant | Album, Dec-06-2011, Progressive Metal |
| #13 | Tan Bajo | Dávila 666 | Album, Mar-01-2011, Garage Rock |
| #14 | Tryptych | Demdike Stare | Album, Jan-24-2011, Dark Ambient |
| #15 | Grá agus Bás | Alan PiersonCrash Ensemble | Album, Apr-29-2011, Post-Minimalism |
| #16 | Chief | Eric Church | Album, Jan-01-2011, Contemporary Country |
| #18 | David Comes To Life | Fucked Up | Album, Jun-06-2011, Post-Hardcore |
| #19 | Exits and All The Rest | Girl In a Coma | Album, Nov-01-2011, Alternative Rock |
| #20 | The Wanting | Glenn Jones | Album, Sep-13-2011, American Primitivism |
| #21 | The Lost and Found | Gretchen Parlato | Album, Apr-05-2011, Vocal Jazz |
| #22 | James Blake | James Blake | Album, Jan-01-2011, Art Pop |
| #23 | Watch The Throne | JAY-ZKanye West | Album, Aug-08-2011, Hip Hop |
| #24 | Joseph Calleja - The Maltese Tenor | Joseph CallejaOrchestre de la Suisse RomandeMarco Armiliato | Album, Jan-01-2011, |
| #25 | The Magic Place | Julianna Barwick | Album, Feb-11-2011, Ambient |
| #26 | Ashore | June Tabor | Album, May-29-2011, Contemporary Folk |
| #27 | Section.80 | Kendrick Lamar | Album, Jul-02-2011, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #28 | Diamond Mine | King CreosoteJon Hopkins | Album, May-24-2011, Indie Folk |
| #29 | Nuestra | La Vida Bohème | Album, May-10-2011, Post-Punk Revival |
| #31 | Chancletas y Camisetas Bordada | Los Rakas | EP, Aug-23-2011, |
| #32 | Alma Adentro: The Puerto Rican Songbook | Miguel Zenón | Album, Aug-30-2011, Latin Jazz |
| #33 | Captain Black Big Band | Orrin Evans | Album, Mar-29-2011, Jazz |
| #34 | Let England Shake | PJ Harvey | Album, Feb-15-2011, Singer-Songwriter |
| #35 | Fiction | Quatuor Ébène | Album, Oct-18-2010, |
| #36 | The King Of Limbs | Radiohead | Album, Feb-18-2011, Electronic |
| #37 | Black Up | Shabazz Palaces | Album, Jun-28-2011, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #39 | Strange Mercy | St. Vincent | Album, Sep-12-2011, Art Pop |
| #40 | The Illustrious | STS | Album, Sep-20-2011, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #41 | Burst Apart | The Antlers | Album, May-10-2011, Indie Rock |
| #42 | Barton Hollow | The Civil Wars | Album, Feb-01-2011, Indie Folk |
| #43 | Undun | The Roots | Album, Dec-02-2011, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #44 | Ravedeath, 1972 | Tim Hecker | Album, Feb-14-2011, Ambient |
| #45 | Bad As Me (Deluxe Edition) | Tom Waits | Album, Oct-21-2011, |
| #46 | Lifeboats and Follies | Tommy Guerrero | Album, Feb-01-2011, Downtempo |
| #47 | The Book of Mormon (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | Trey ParkerRobert LopezMatt Stone | Album, May-17-2011, |
| #48 | W H O K I L L | Tune-Yards | Album, Apr-18-2011, |
| #49 | The Whole Love (Deluxe Version) | Wilco | Album, Feb-03-2011, |
| #50 | Civilian | Wye Oak | Album, Mar-08-2011, Indie Rock |