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Listeners Pick Their Favorite Albums Of 2011

December 14, 2011

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[1 hr 59 min 53 sec]
 

Language Advisory: This program contains song lyrics that some listeners may find offensive.

All Songs Considered listeners picked their favorite albums of 2011.
Enlarge Mito Habe-Evans/NPR

All Songs Considered listeners picked their favorite albums of 2011.
Mito Habe-Evans/NPR
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December 14, 2011

This summer, when All Songs Considered asked listeners to vote for their favorite albums of the year so far, there were a handful of shoo-ins. Instantly beloved releases by Bon Iver, Adele, Fleet Foxes, The Decemberists and others all made a predictably strong showing.

Six months later, many of those albums have held their ground — but our poll of listeners' 100 favorite records from all of 2011 still had its surprises. The Black Keys swooped into the No. 6 slot with El Camino, an album just a few days older than the poll itself. Ceremonials, the follow-up to Florence + The Machine's sleeper hit Lungs, followed close behind. And it wasn't just the dark horses that stunned us — two of our personal favorites, the strong spring releases from Wye Oak and The Antlers, each dropped a dozen spots.

This week's episode includes songs from the Top 25 listener picks. Once you've listened to the show, head to the All Songs blog for the full list of your 100 favorite albums of 2011.

Listeners Pick Their Favorite Albums Of 2011

Cover for Bon Iver

1. Bon Iver

  • Album: Bon Iver
  • Song: Calgary
YouTube
 
Cover for Helplessness Blues

2. Fleet Foxes

  • Album: Helplessness Blues
  • Song: Grown Ocean
YouTube
 
Cover for 21

3. Adele

  • Album: 21
  • Song: Rolling In The Deep
YouTube
 
Cover for The King Is Dead

4. The Decemberists

  • Album: The King Is Dead
  • Song: June Hymn
YouTube
 
Cover for The King Of Limbs

5. Radiohead

  • Album: The King Of Limbs
  • Song: Lotus Flower
YouTube
 
Cover for El Camino

6. The Black Keys

  • Album: El Camino
  • Song: Lonely Boy
YouTube
 
Cover for Whole Love

7. Wilco

  • Album: Whole Love
  • Song: Born Alone
YouTube
 
Cover for Ceremonials

8. Florence + The Machine

  • Album: Ceremonials
  • Song: Shake It Out
YouTube
 
Cover for The Rip Tide

9. Beirut

  • Album: The Rip Tide
  • Song: Santa Fe
YouTube
 
Cover for Torches

10. Foster The People

  • Album: Torches
  • Song: Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)
YouTube
 
Cover for Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

11. M83

  • Album: Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
  • Song: Midnight City
YouTube
 
Cover for Metals

12. Feist

  • Album: Metals
  • Song: How Come You Never Go There
YouTube
 
Cover for Kiss Each Other Clean

13. Iron & Wine

  • Album: Kiss Each Other Clean
  • Song: Tree by the River
 
Cover for w h o k i l l

14. tUnE-yArDs

  • Album: w h o k i l l
  • Song: Bizness
YouTube
 
Cover for Strange Mercy

15. St. Vincent

  • Album: Strange Mercy
  • Song: Cruel
YouTube
 
Cover for Barton Hollow

16. The Civil Wars

  • Album: Barton Hollow
  • Song: Barton Hollow
YouTube
 
Cover for Codes And Keys

17. Death Cab For Cutie

  • Album: Codes And Keys
  • Song: You Are A Tourist
YouTube
 
Cover for Bad As Me

18. Tom Waits

  • Album: Bad As Me
  • Song: Bad As Me
YouTube
 
Cover for Circuital

19. My Morning Jacket

  • Album: Circuital
  • Song: Circuital
YouTube
 
Cover for The People's Key

20. Bright Eyes

  • Album: The People's Key
  • Song: Shell Games
YouTube
 
Cover for Watch the Throne

21. Jay-Z/Kanye West

  • Album: Watch the Throne
  • Song: Otis

Warning: This song contains language some listeners may find offensive.

YouTube
 
Cover for Mylo Xyloto

22. Coldplay

  • Album: Mylo Xyloto
  • Song: Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall
YouTube
 
Cover for Let England Shake

23. PJ Harvey

  • Album: Let England Shake
  • Song: Let England Shake
YouTube
 
Cover for Cults

24. Cults

  • Album: Cults
  • Song: Go Outside
YouTube
 
Cover for James Blake

25. James Blake

  • Album: James Blake
  • Song: The Wilhelm Scream
YouTube
 
 

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