Music Lists Are Us: Favorite 2010s Albums by Year with brief comments

2010

Broken Bells by Broken Bells (James Mercer from The Shins & Danger Mouse from Gnarls Barkley)

I Learned the Hard Way by Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings

It Gets Better by Ryan Shaw

Write About Love by Belle & Sebastian

Chamber Music Society by Esperanza Spalding

Backatown  by Trombone Shorty

Together by The New Pornographers

Volume 2 by She and Him

Infinite Arms by Band of Horses

Zaz by Zaz

Inside This Heart of Mine by Catherine Russell

Of the Blue Colour of the Sky by Ok Go

The Sea by Corinne Bailey Rae

Lonely Avenue by Ben Folds and Nick Hornby

Sale el Sol by Shakira

Destroyer of the Void by Blitzen Trapper

Nothing's Impossible by Solomon Burke

Pete Yorn by Pete Yorn

Living Proof by Buddy Guy

Transference by Spoon

You Are Not Alone by Mavis Staples

Court Yard Dogs by Court Yard Dogs

...E a Gente Sonhando by Milton Nascimento

The Union by Elton John and Leon Russell

Soldier of Love by Sade

Trans-Continental Hustle by Gogol Bordello

Genuine Negro Jig by The Carolina Chocolate Drops (with Rhiannon Giddens: banjo, fiddle, voice)

Endlessly by Duffy

Vocabularies by Bobby McFerrin

Travellers in Space and Time by Apples in Stereo

ArchAndroid by Janelle Monae

Ain't No Grave by Johnny Cash

2011

Hold on Tight by Solomon Burke (last album by maybe greatest soul singer ever; it's good too)

Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars

Nine Types of Light by TV on the Radio

Sweetheart of the Sun by The Bangles

No Time for Dreaming by Charles Bradley

Dye It Blonde by Smith Westerns

Mountaintops by Mates of State

The Dreamer by Etta James

The King is Dead by The Decemberists

The Mosaic Project by Terri Lyne Carrington

American Goldwing by Blitzen Trapper

21 by Adele

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Different Gear, Still Speeding by Beady Eye

Paper Airplanes by Alison Krause & Union Station

I Am Very Far by Okkervil River

The Gadabouts by The Gadabouts

Last Night On Earth by Noah and the Whale

Stone Rollin' by Raphael Saadiq

Bella by Teddy Thompson

Edie Brickell by Edie Brickell

El Camino by The Black Keys

Give Til It's Gone by Ben Harper

Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes

Vows by Kimbra

Mylo Xyloto by Coldplay

Rome by Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi

Rabbits on the Run by Vanessa Carlton

Torches by Foster the People

Making Mirrors by Gotye

Charm School by Roxette

Rare Bird Alert by Steve Martin (Yes, THAT Steve Martin; a talented banjo player)

LP1 by Joss Stone

My Head is an Animal by Of Monsters and Men

Virtue by Emmy the Great

The Whole Love by Wilco

Move Like This by The Cars

In Your Dreams by Stevie Nicks

Lorraine by Lori McKenna

Mondo Amore by Nicole Atkins

2012

Home Again by Michael Kiwanuka

Radio Music Society by Esperanza Spalding

Real Love by Ryan Shaw

The Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan by various artists (Johnny Cash, Ziggy Marley, Betty LaVette, Diana Krall, Sting, Angelique Kidjo, Miley Cyrus, Raphael Saadiq, Pete Seeger, etc.)

Charmer by Aimee Mann

Out of the Game by Rufus Wainwright

Talking Book by Macy Gray

The Lion's Roar by First Aid Kit

Underwater Sunshine by Counting Crows

The Soul Sessions Vol. 2 by Joss Stone

Some Nights by fun

33 1/3 by Shemekia Copeland

That's Why God Made the Radio by The Beach Boys

What Comes After by The Honeydogs

Wrecking Ball by Bruce Springsteen

Strictly Romancin' by Catherine Russell

Milo Greene by Milo Greene

The Sound of the Life of the Mind by Ben Folds

Leaving Eden by the Carolina Chocolate Drops

Go Fly a Kite by Ben Kweller

Area 51 by Rodrigo y Gabriela

Lost in Transition by Sixpence None the Richer

Point of Morrow by The Shins

Little Broken Hearts by Norah Jones

Shut Down the Streets by A.C. Newman

Glad Rag Doll by Diana Krall

Locked Down by Dr. John

Songbook by Cat Doorman (children's music but pretty okay for almost anyone).

Boys and Girls by Alabama Shakes

Babel by Mumford and Sons

For the Good Times by The Little Willies

What We Saw From the Cheap Seats by Regina Spektor

Nothin' but Love by Robert Cray

The Tempest by Bob Dylan

Bring it on Home by Joan Osborne

Our Version of Events by Emeli Sande'

Spark Seeker by Matisyahu

The Truth About Love by Pink

Spirit in the Room by Tom Jones

2013

Bankrupt by Phoenix

Soft Will by Smith Westerns

Victim of Love by Charles Bradley

The Civil Wars by The Civil Wars

Volume 3 by She and Him

Inside Llewyn Davis (movie soundtrack) by Oscar Isaac, Marcus Mumford, Justin Timberlake and various artists

Boy Cried Wolf by The Feeling

Rhythm and Blues by Buddy Guy

Yes It's True by The Polyphonic Spree

The Worse Things Get...I Love You by Neko Case

Modern Vampires of the City by Vampire Weekend

Push Any Button by Sam Phillips

True Believers by Darius Rucker

The Diving Board by Elton John

The Electric Lady by Janelle Monae

Let's Be Still by The Head and the Heart

The Blessed Unrest by Sara Bareilles

Wakin' on a Pretty Daze by Kurt Vile

Automechanic by Jenny O.

My True Story by Aaron Neville

Two (ep) by Charlotte Church

Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole by George Benson

Days Are Gone by Haim

2014

Morning Phase by Beck

Timeless: Wendy Moten Sings Richard Whiting by Wendy Moten

Furr by Blitzen Trapper

Soul Power by Curtis Harding

Boy Cried Wolf by The Feeling

Seeds by TV on the Radio

The Voyager by Jenny Lewis

Give the People What They Want by Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings

Brill Bruisers by The New Pornographers

Cheek to Cheek by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga

Bad Self Portraits by Lake Street Dive

Childhood Home by Ben and Ellen Harper

Hungry Ghosts by Ok Go

Stay Gold by First Aid Kit

Fuego by Phish

1989 by Taylor Swift

Comet Come to Me by Meshell Ndegeocello

Everything Will be Alright in the End by Weezer

Shakira by Shakira

After the Disco by Broken Bells

Viper's Drag by Henry Butler & Steven Bernstein

Mandatory Fun by Weird Al

2015

Alone in the Universe by Jeff Lynne's ELO

All Across This Land by Blitzen Trapper

You're Going to Make It (EP) by Mates of State

Son Little by Son Little

Offering: The Music of Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson by Charenee Wade

The Firewatcher's Daughter by Brandi Carlile

Carrie and Lowell by Sufjan Stevens

So Familiar by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell

Tomorrow is My Turn by Rhiannon Giddens

Thompson Fields by the Maria Schneider Orchestra

The Epic by Kamasi Washington

Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance by Belle and Sebastian

Coming Home by Leon Bridges

Pageant Material by Kacey Musgraves

Blood by Lianne La Havas

So There by Ben Folds

California Nights by Best Coast

Lalah Hathaway Live by Lalah Hathaway

Born to Play Guitar by Buddy Guy

Traveller by Chris Stapleton

What For? by Toro y Moi

Wallflower by Diana Krall

Know It All by Alessia Cara

Something in the Water by Pokey LaFarge

Choose Your Weapon by Hiatus Kaiyote

2016

The White Album by Weezer

Do Hollywood by The Lemon Twigs

Second Love by Emmy the Great

Stripped by Macy Gray

Upland Stories by Robbie Fulks

Azel by Bombino

Here by Teenage Fanclub

Day Breaks by Norah Jones

Summertime by Willie Nelson

Colvin and Earle by Shawn Colvin and Steve Earle

Solid States by The Posies

Changes by Charles Bradley

Side Pony by Lake Street Dive

Velvet Portraits by Terrace Martin

The Ghosts of Highway 20 by Lucinda Williams

...and the Bass is Queen by Lindsey Abudei

Good Times! by The Monkees

Emily's D+Evolution by Esperanza Spalding

Young in All the Wrong Ways by Sara Watkins

Da som nu for allied by Kent

The Heart Speaks in Whispers by Corinne Bailey Rae

Love & Cannibalism by Honeydogs

The Dreaming Room by Laura Mvula

We're All Gonna Die by Dawes

case/lang/veirs by Neko Case, k.d. lang and Laura Veirs

Livin' On a High Note by Mavis Staples

Andando el Tiempo by Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard and Steve Swallow

For the Good Times by Willie Nelson

This Girl's in Love by Rumer

Call It What It Is by Ben Harper

2 by Mudcrutch

Detour by Cyndi Lauper

Love and Hate by Michael Kiwanuka

Fallen Angels by Bob Dylan

2017

Shag by Sitcom Neighbor

Parking Lot Symphony by Trombone Shorty

Pacific Daydream by Weezer

Freedom Highway by Rhiannon Giddens

Guppy by Charly Bliss

Heartworms by The Shins

Face Your Fear by Curtis Harding

The Order of Time by Valerie June

Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie by Buckingham McVie

New Magic by Son Little

Volume 1 by BNQT

El Dorado by Shakira

Ti Amo by Phoenix

Lotta Sea Lice by Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile

Joy Comes Back by Ruthie Foster

Step Into Light by Fastball

If All I Was Was Black by Mavis Staples

Colors by Beck

Whiteout Conditions by New Pornographers

TajMo by Taj Mahal and Keb Mo'

Exposure by Esperanza Spalding

Adios by Glen Campbell

Drunk by Thundercat

Graveyard Whistling by the Old 97s

Chuck by Chuck Berry

Not Dark Yet by Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer

Both Sides Now by Naturally 7

The 1st by Willow

Third by Cait Brennan

Third Set by Oleta Adams

MassEducation by St. Vincent

2018

Ruby by Macy Gray

Look Now by Elvis Costello

Golden Hour by Kasey Musgraves

12 by Sloan

Ventriloquism by Meshell Ndegeocello

Good Thing by Leon Bridges

Passwords by Dawes

By the Way I Forgive You by Brandi Carlile

Mixed Reality by Gin Blossoms

Black Velvet by Charles Bradley

After the Fall by the Keith Jarrett Trio

America's Child by Shamekia Copeland

Love is Here to Stay by Tony Bennett & Diana Krall

Maximum Rock Stupidity by Popdudes

Strange Angels: In Flight with Elmore James by various artists (Bettye LaVette, Rodney Crowell, Shelby Lynne, etc.)

Wax by KT Tunstall

No Mercy in This Land by Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite

La Fenice by Keith Jarrett

The Blues is Alive and Well by Buddy Guy

I Like Fun by They Might Be Giants

Love, Loss and Auto Tune by Swamp Dogg

Venom and Faith by Larkin Poe

Chicago Plays The Stones by various artists

Si by Andrea Bocelli

Lebroba by Andrew Cyrille

Semicircle by The Go Team

Dirty Computer by Janelle Monae

The Now Now by The Gorillaz

Man of the Woods by Justin Timberlake

2019

From Out of Nowhere by Jeff Lynne's ELO

Father of the Bride by Vampire Weekend

Capilalist Blues by Leyla McAlla

Hyperspace by Beck

Front Porch by Joy Williams

Real Life by Emili Sande'

In the Morse Code of Brake Lights by the New Pornographers

Alone Together by Catherine Russell

The Highwomen by The Highwomen

We Get By by Mavis Staples

Kiwanuka by Michael Kiwanuka

12 Little Spells by Esperanza Spalding

American Love Call by Durand Jones and the Indications

Brighter Days by Robert Randolph

The Cormorant I by San Fermin

Oklahoma by Keb' Mo'

Hotel Amour by Meow Meow, Thomas Lauderdale and Pink Martini

Live in London by Mavis Staples

On the Line by Jenny Lewis

Legacy! Legacy! By Jamila Woods

Forever Turned Around by Whitney

Africa Speaks by Santana

My Name is Michael Holbrook by Mika

Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration by Chaka Khan, Los Lobos, James Taylor, Brandi Carlile,  Seal, et al

This Land by Gary Clark Jr.

The Teal Album by Weezer

Young Enough by Charly Bliss

Days of Bagnold Summer by Belle & Sebastian

Atlanta Millionaires Club by Faye Webster