2011 sure gave us some good music. While we had some power houses collaborating, some decided to shake our expectations, exploring a different sound. We also had a couple of new comers coming into the limelight with impressive music. In all it was an interesting year. I’ve compiled a list of my top 20 albums for the year.
Check out the list after the cut.
20. David Guetta – Nothing But The Beat
19. Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials
18. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
17. Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto
16. Kendrick Lamar – Section. 80
15. The Roots - Undun
14. J Cole – Cole World: The Sideline Story
13. Big Sean – Finally Famous
12. Ed Sheeran - +
11. Wizkid – Super Star
10. Beyonce – 4
This was not the Beyonce album the world was expecting. That said this was the album Beyonce needed to make. Surprisingly more soulful and raw than what we have got from her in the past, 4 shows Beyonce's music maturing along with her advancement in life. Nice.
Fav Track – 1+1
9. Chris Brown – F.A.M.E
Say what you want but Chris Brown did the damn thing with this album. You can tell he really put his heart in it and was determined to show the world that he does make good music regardless of other issues. You may find it strange that F.A.M.E is in the top 10 but I ask you to go look at the album’s track list and think about how many catchy hits were actually on it.
Fav Track - Beautiful People
8. Common – The Dreamer/The Believer
Common hardly ever disappoints with his music, and this recently released album maintains his greatness. Assisted by No I.D’s top notch production, Common gives some reflective and cognizant tracks. The Dreamer/The Believer also has some cool features from Nas, Maya Angelou, John Legend, and others.
Fav Track – Blue Skies
7. Wiz Khalifa – Rolling Papers
Seen as too mainstream in some circles, Rolling Papers is a very likeable album with its fun and catchy songs; and really that’s never a bad thing is it? The production is also great. This is one rap album I can listen to from start to finish without skipping.
Fav Track – Hopes & Dreams
6. Drake - Take Care
Drake returned on the scene with this first-class effort. Take Care was seen as emotional by some, but Drake is comfortable with taking us on a reflective journey of his life and success.
Fav Track - Crew Love
5. Adele - 21
Hands down Adele slayed the charts in 2011 with her second album 21. When you have hard guys singing and quoting ‘Someone Like You’, and dozens of remixes of ‘Rolling In The Deep’ and ‘Set Fire To The Rain’ you know that you’ve got a hit on your hands.
The album is still number 2 on the Billboard album chart, even though it was released in January/February. Chock full of solid ballads, 21 is a classic that won’t be soon forgotten.
Fav Track – Rolling In The Deep
4. Wretch 32 -Black And White
For me UK Hip Hop had started to become a bit boring. Yes there was the funky house movement, but I’m talking about proper rap music. Well then I heard songs from Wretch 32’s Black And White album. The album was a standout of the UK output for the year. Wretch 32 jumps from spitting about fun stuff to reflective emotional songs, and he puts his heart in all of the tracks. Great features also upgrade this album.
Fav Track - Forgiveness
3. The Weeknd - House Of Balloons
The Weeknd came out of nowhere and changed the R&B game with his House Of Balloons mixtape. Along with Frank Ocean, Abel Tesfaye introduced us to what I now call 'Neo-R&B'. This mixtape reached great heights with heartfelt, haunting and mysterious songs. The production is also commendable.
Fav Track – House Of Balloons/Glass Table Girls
2. Frank Ocean – Nostalgia Ultra
2011 was a very good year for new guy Frank Ocean, with huge buzz, two unbelievable features on Watch The Throne, and Nostalgia Ultra, his ‘Neo-R&B’ mixtape. Although not his first (previously there was The Lonny Breaux Collection), Nostalgia threw Mr Ocean into the limelight. It is filled with songs that are mellow and yet rough around the edges, and samples from the indie world.
Fav Track - Novacane
1. Jay Z and Kanye West – Watch The Throne
Jay and Kanye? You knew this was gonna be big! The rap titans really went to town with this album – concepts, lyrical content, flow, samples and beats. Seen as an expression of wealth and excess, for me Watch The Throne is more than that, it’s a celebration of life.
Watch The Throne was the most eagerly awaited album in 2011, and it so did not disappoint.
Fav Track - N****s In Paris
No comments:
Post a Comment