The Albums Of The Year 2010

Every new year, my oldest friend and I exchange best of year music lists. This is based purely on how much we’ve enjoyed stuff, no attempts to be cool or comprehensive (well, OK, I do try to listen to everything, must have heard over a hundred new albums this year, some of which have yet to sink in). The positions freeze at midnight so maybe I’ve put Kanye too low and the Eels should have slipped in rather than The Fall, but it’s too late to change. Here’s my top twenty.

1  The National – High Violet

2  Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

3  John Grant – Queen Of Denmark

4  Spoon – Transference

5  Vampire Weekend – Contra

6  Robyn – Body Talk

7  Drive By Truckers – The Big To-Do

8  Steve Mason – Boys Outside

9  Band Of Horses – Infinite Arms

10 Teenage Fanclub – Shadows

11 Rumer – Seasons of My Soul

12 Scissors Sisters – Night Work

13 Goldfrapp – Head First

14 Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can

15 Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
16 Lloyd Cole – Broken Record

17 Tindersticks – Falling Down A Mountain

18 Janelle Monáe – The ArchAndroid

19 The Hold Steady – Heaven Is Whenever

20 The Fall – Your Future, Our Clutter