{"id":47644,"date":"2010-12-21T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2010-12-21T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/features\/2010-albums-of-the-year\/"},"modified":"2026-07-04T11:49:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T11:49:19","slug":"2010-albums-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"feature","link":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/features\/2010-albums-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"2010: Albums Of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Music sales are still plummeting, but there are some gems in the rough that rise above the rest. And in a public consciousness more geared towards flashy hit singles and single downloads, there are nevertheless some standout albums that presented cohesive, catchy, and creative visions. Here\u2019s to those albums, which are guaranteed to still sound excellent after the blandness of 2010 has thankfully disappeared. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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10. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

This is the album that has (somewhat) saved Kanye from punchline status. To say he\u2019s wacky is an understatement, but when he puts out material as finely crafted and boundary-pushing as this, all is forgiven. The roster of artists here is endless, from Rihanna to Jay-Z to Justin Vernon, and every song is tricked out with precise layers and characteristic swagger. Above all, though, there is an openness here that reminds us that Kanye \u2013 diamond teeth, jackassery and all \u2013 can be endearing, too. <\/p>\n

Best Songs: the all-star casting on \u201cAll Of The Lights,\u201d powerful closer \u201cLost In The World.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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9. Stars – The Five Ghosts<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Stars scales back the overindulgence of their previous album, In Our Bedroom After the War<\/i>, and to great effect. What remains is a dark, pained beauty and songs of careful composition, but this time, they\u2019re not bogged down in extraneous layers. As always, Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan play together with charm and intimacy, creating an album that builds on their strengths while still retaining the sensibilities that made listeners fall in love. <\/p>\n

Best Songs: Millan\u2019s crystal-clear vocals on \u201cWinter Beauty,\u201d the sparkly disco of \u201cWe Don\u2019t Want Your Body.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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8. Crystal Castles \u2013 Crystal Castles II<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Beautiful and dense with a pop sensibility at its core, the latest self-titled album from Canada\u2019s electronica sensation Crystal Castles is stunningly listenable. For all the ambient noise, there are also many songs that could be singles, ready for the dance floor. Moreso, their sound is their own; it\u2019s not quite electronica, not quite pop, but a perfect blend of indie greatness.<\/p>\n

Best Songs:\u00a0 sparkling \u201cNot In Love,\u201d the fanged shredding of \u201cDoe Deer.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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7. Lil Wayne \u2013 I Am Not A Human Being<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

This disc was clearly just a placeholder while Weezy languished in Rikers, but it has its charm (that is, if you find a track called \u201cGonorrhea\u201d charming). Syrupy-slow and absolutely distinctive, Lil Wayne\u2019s rhymes are hard to reckon with. There\u2019s way too much of Young Money prot\u00e9g\u00e9 Drake here, but when Weezy has the reins himself, he\u2019s crude, weird, and absolutely awesome.<\/p>\n

Best Songs: simmering, radio-ready \u201cRight Above It,\u201d the title-track\u2019s throbbing electronica. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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6.\u00a0 Arcade Fire \u2013 The Suburbs<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

I probably will never fall as deeply in love with an Arcade Fire album as much as I did with their debut, Funeral<\/i>, but The Suburbs<\/i> is a classy, expansive entry into their critically-adored catalog. Win Butler and Co. have an innate feel for the sound and scope of a song, and under their care, this is heartfelt release. Like U2 before them, these tracks are made to be blasted to the rafters of stadiums \u2013 not bad for a Canadian indie band.<\/p>\n

Best Songs: coiled shimmer of energy \u201cReady To Start,\u201d the soaring strings of \u201cHalf Light II (No Celebration).\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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5. Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse \u2013 Dark Night Of The Soul<\/i><\/b> <\/i><\/p>\n

The loss of Mark Linkous (the foundation of Sparklehorse) earlier this year was jarring; there was a stunning beauty and clarity to Sparklehorse\u2019s work, spearheaded by Linkous\u2019 oftentimes surreal, wrenchingly poetic lyrics. This collaboration with Danger Mouse was his last, and it\u2019s an enduring legacy. With assists from artists as diverse as Iggy Pop, James Mercer (The Shins), and The Flaming Lips, Dark Night Of The Soul<\/i> is stunningly cohesive, lovingly assembled, and a testament to an amazing artist.<\/p>\n

Best Songs: cosmically swirling \u201cRevenge\u201d (feat. The Flaming Lips), the album\u2019s stormy title-cut.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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4. Matt & Kim \u2013 Sidewalks<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Tortured poetry set to song has its place, but the songs on Matt & Kim\u2019s latest \u2013 jubilant, three-minute bursts of singalong pop \u2013 force you to ditch the gloom. Even boasting richer, cleaner production and arrangements, this Brooklyn duo has lost none of their essential goodwill, crafting songs that hit your heart but also make you want to dance. <\/p>\n

Best Songs: amazingly cheery opener \u201cBlock After Block,\u201d ineffable single \u201cCameras.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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3. Taylor Swift \u2013 Speak Now<\/i><\/b> <\/p>\n

I\u2019m not taking sides on the Taylor Swift\/Kanye debacle, since both released great albums this year. Of course, Swift is at the opposite end of the spectrum with shimmery pop gems that make tweens and adults swoon, but what both artists have in common is the hearts-open honesty that makes them relatable. Whether Swift is crashing weddings, calling out exes and \u201cMean\u201d critics, or remembering lost love, it\u2019s all-too familiar and incredibly catchy. <\/p>\n

Best Songs: mature first single \u201cMine,\u201d rock-y kiss-off \u201cBetter Than Revenge.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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2. Band Of Horses \u2013 Infinite Arms<\/i>\u00a0<\/b> <\/p>\n

Their debut is Band of Horses\u2019 all-time best, but the latest entry into their warm, soaring, Southern-tinged oeuvre is another good one. It\u2019s hard to fault them for not evolving their sound when it\u2019s solidly signature \u2013 lovely with just enough sentiment and some moments that still rock. <\/p>\n

Best Songs: the chunky riff of opener \u201cFactory,\u201d slow-burning single \u201cLaredo.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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1. Eminem \u2013 Recovery<\/i><\/b> <\/p>\n

Call it a comeback if you will, but this disc is unabashedly amazing: it\u2019s honest and raw, packed with the mindblowing rhymes that Eminem has been spitting out since the \u201890s. While his past few releases were stagnated by drug addiction, Recovery blooms forth from that wreckage with all the furious energy we\u2019ve come to expect from Marshall Mathers. <\/p>\n

Best Songs: throbbing powerhouse cut \u201cNo Love,\u201d the mature, evocative \u201c25 To Life.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Music sales are still plummeting, but there are some gems in the rough that rise above the rest. And in a public consciousness more geared towards flashy hit singles and single downloads, there are nevertheless some standout albums that presented cohesive, catchy, and creative visions. Here\u2019s to those albums, which are guaranteed to still sound […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":48773,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"feature_type":[5609],"class_list":["post-47644","feature","type-feature","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","feature_type-best-of"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/feature\/47644","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/feature"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/feature"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/48"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48773"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47644"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"feature_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyvault.adishjain.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/feature_type?post=47644"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}