Listeners Pick Their Favorite Albums Of 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
1. Bon Iver
- Song: Calgary
- from Bon Iver
2. Fleet Foxes
- Song: Grown Ocean
- from Helplessness Blues
3. Adele
- Song: Rolling In The Deep
- from 21
4. The Decemberists
- Song: June Hymn
- from The King Is Dead
5. Radiohead
- Song: Lotus Flower
- from The King Of Limbs
6. The Black Keys
- Song: Lonely Boy
- from El Camino
7. Wilco
- Song: Born Alone
- from Whole Love
8. Florence + The Machine
- Song: Shake It Out
- from Ceremonials
9. Beirut
- Song: Santa Fe
- from The Rip Tide
10. Foster The People
- Song: Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)
- from Torches
11. M83
- Song: Midnight City
- from
12. Feist
- Song: How Come You Never Go There
- from Metals
13. Iron & Wine
- Song: Tree by the River
- from Kiss Each Other Clean
14. tUnE-yArDs
- Song: Bizness
- from w h o k i l l
15. St. Vincent
- Song: Cruel
- from
16. The Civil Wars
- Song: Barton Hollow
- from Barton Hollow
17. Death Cab For Cutie
- Song: You Are A Tourist
- from Codes And Keys
18. Tom Waits
- Song: Bad As Me
- from Bad As Me
19. My Morning Jacket
- Song: Circuital
- from Circuital
20. Bright Eyes
- Song: Shell Games
- from The People's Key
21. Jay-Z/Kanye West
- Song: Otis
- from Watch the Throne
Warning: This song contains language some listeners may find offensive.
22. Coldplay
- Song: Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall
- from Mylo Xyloto
23. PJ Harvey
- Song: Let England Shake
- from Let England Shake
24. Cults
- Song: Go Outside
- from Cults
25. James Blake
- Song: The Wilhelm Scream
- from James Blake