It was my first full year living in Atlanta. Kanye was at the peak of his powers. Donald Glover was still awkward. Killer Mike hadn’t met El-P yet. No one knew what The Weeknd looked like.
It was a good year for music. I don’t listen to many of these albums anymore, but they feature some of my absolute favorite songs that I still listen to today. Even played three of them at my wedding.
These are my favorite albums from 2011, as ranked in 2011.
1. Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost
2. The Weeknd – House of Balloons / Thursday
3. mr. Gnome – Madness in Miniature
4. Killer Mike – PL3DGE
5. tUnE-YarDs – W H O K I L L
6. Mikal Cronin – s/t
7. Jay-Z and Kanye West – Watch the Throne
8. Drake – Take Care
9. Wilco – The Whole Love
10. Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
11. Big K.R.I.T. – Return of 4Eva
12. Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver
13. Hayes Carll – KMAG YOYO
14. The Rapture – In the Grace of Your Love
15. The Antlers – Burst Apart
16. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
17. Neon Indian – Era Extraña
18. Childish Gambino – EP
19. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
20. Tapes ‘n Tapes – Outside
21. Cults – s/t
22. Yuck – s/t
23. Wye Oak – Civilian
24. Cloud Nothings – s/t
25. St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
Honorable Mention
- Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde
- Jeff the Brotherhood – We Are the Champions
- Ty Segall – Goodbye Bread
- The Lonely Island – Turtleneck & Chain
- The Strokes – Angles
- My Morning Jacket – Circuital
- Gardens & Villa – s/t
- Wild Beasts – Smother
- The War on Drugs – Slave Ambient