Music Lists Are Us: Favorite 2010s Albums by Year with brief comments
Last updated: Saturday January 29th, 2022
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My Favorite albums of the '10s, 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
Backatown by Trombone Shorty
Together by The New Pornographers
Nothing's Impossible by Solomon Burke
Pete Yorn by Pete Yorn
Soldier of Love by Sade
Genuine Negro Jig by The Carolina Chocolate Drops (with Rhiannon Giddens: banjo, fiddle, voice)
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
American Goldwing by Blitzen Trapper
Give Til It's Gone by Ben Harper
Rare Bird Alert by Steve Martin (Yes, THAT Steve Martin; a talented banjo player)
2012
Home Again by Michael Kiwanuka
Radio Music Society by Esperanza Spalding
Real Love by Ryan Shaw
Charmer by Aimee Mann
The Lion's Roar by First Aid Kit
Some Nights by fun
That's Why God Made the Radio by The Beach Boys
Boys and Girls by Alabama Shakes
What Comes After by The Honeydogs
Wrecking Ball by Bruce Springsteen
Leaving Eden by the Carolina Chocolate Drops
Area 51 by Rodrigo y Gabriela
Locked Down by Dr. John
2013
The Electric Lady by Janelle Monae
Inside Llewyn Davis (movie soundtrack) by Oscar Isaac & various artists (superb folk collection)
Bankrupt by Phoenix
Soft Will by Smith Westerns
My True Story by Aaron Neville
Wakin' on a Pretty Daze by Kurt Vile
Victim of Love by Charles Bradley
The Worse Things Get by Neko Case
Automechanic by Jenny O.
2014
Morning Phase by Beck
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
Comet Come to Me by Meshell Ndegeocello
Viper's Drag by Henry Butler & Steven Bernstein
Brill Bruisers by the New Pornographers
2015
Thompson Fields by The Maria Schneider Orchestra
Coming Home by Leon Bridges
All Across This Land by Blitzen Trapper
Son Little by Son Little
Carrie and Lowell by Sufjan Stevens
You're Going to Make It (ep) by Mates of State
Tomorrow is My Turn by Rhiannon Giddens
The Epic by Kamasi Washington
So There by Ben Folds
Something in the Water by Pokey LaFarge
2016
The White Album by Weezer
Upland Stories by Robbie Fulks
Here by Teenage Fanclub
Stripped by Macy Gray
Changes by Charles Bradley
Good Times! by The Monkees
Love & Cannibalism by Honeydogs
case/lang/veirs by Neko Case, k.d. lang and Laura Veirs
Call It What It Is by Ben Harper
2017
Mental Illness by Aimee Mann
Parking Lot Symphony by Trombone Shorty
Heartworms by The Shins
Pacific Daydream by Weezer
Face Your Fear by Curtis Harding
Step Into Light by Fastball
Freedom Highway by Rhiannon Giddens
Colors by Beck
Both Sides Now by Naturally 7
Whiteout Conditions by New Pornographers
New Magic by Son Little
2018
Ruby by Macy Gray
Look Now by Elvis Costello
Golden Hour by Kasey Musgraves
12 by Sloan
Good Thing by Leon Bridges
By the Way I Forgive You by Brandi Carlile
Maximum Rock Stupidity by Popdudes
Black Velvet by Charles Bradley
I Like Fun by They Might Be Giants
Love, Loss and Auto Tune by Swamp Dogg
2019
Father of the Bride by Vampire Weekend
12 Little Spells by Esperanza Spalding
Hyperspace by Beck
The Highwomen by The Highwomen
From Out of Nowhere by Jeff Lynne's E.L.O.
American Love Call by Durand Jones and the Indications
In the Morse Code of Brake Lights by New Pornographers
Brighter Days by Robert Randolph
Forever Turned Around by Whitney
Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration by Chaka Khan, Los Lobos, James Taylor, Brandi Carlile, Seal, et al
We Get By by Mavis Staples
Live In London by Mavis Staples