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[Jedeye Sniv]

I'm surprised Arcade Hipster isn't #1

Also, lol @ The Roots not being on there. Pitchfork is a joke.

Oh god it's you again. Why do you have to come into every indie thread and complain about hipsters? Seriously man, get the fuck over it. People have different tastes to you, shock horror.

That said, can't say I agree with the placements in this list, although my own list probably features many of these bands. The Guardian list seems more spot-on imo.

The lack of Fang Island is a shame though, that album is easily in my top 3, if not number one.

 

[Mileena]

I didn't complain about hipsters. I complained at The Roots album not being on the list.

readingisfun

 

[Chaser]

The Tallest Man on Earth should be way higher, if not number one. Probably one of the few truly sincere albums on the list. And in general they tend to ignore the whole of the independent punk scene.

It's not as terrible as it could be though. Kanye's album is solid, and Titus is up there.

 

[Xater]

I have not heard about 46 bands on this list. Maybe that's for the better because I see Arcade Fire on there and I don#t like their music at all.

 

[Blooper]

I have not heard about 46 bands on this list. Maybe that's for the better because I see Arcade Fire on there and I don#t like their music at all.

Yes, write off 46 albums because they are grouped in with 1 you don't like.

 

[talisayNon]

didn't realize Gil Scott came out with a new album..

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

I didn't complain about hipsters. I complained at The Roots album not being on the list.

readingisfun

Redubbing Arcade Fire as Arcade Hipster is pretty much complaining in my book. Your post implied that you're surprised that a 'hipster' site like p4k didn't choose a 'hipster' album like the Suburbs as number one.

I can read just fine thanks, and my memory is halfway decent too since I can remember you coming along and moaning about hipster music in the sleigh bells thread last week as well.

If nothing else though, this thread has convinced me to check out the Roots album to see what the fuss is about.

 

[Xater]

Yes, write off 46 albums because they are grouped in with 1 you don't like.

The other 3 I know I also don't like so there you go.

 

[Blooper]

The other 3 I know I also don't like so there you go.

what are the other three?

 

[Acosta]

Entered expecting My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy as number 1... I'm not disappointed.

Carry on.

 

[joelseph]

Nice of them to put James Blake in the top 10. Flying Lotus is where he should be, Four Tet and Caribou should be higher, no Pantha Du Prince Black Noise, no Darkstar North, no Mount Kimbie Crooks and Lovers, no Jacques Greene, etc. etc. They really need to make up their mind on backing edm or not.

 

[Xater]

what are the other three?

If you just have to know: Kanye, Vampire Weekend and Gorillaz (They never clicked for me again past the first album)

 

[Sweedishrodeo]

the arcade fire album should not be on the list. at all.

all in all a bunch of great picks as usual. OPN was way higher up than i expected, as was james blake. a year ago i never thought either would break through.

but no mount kimbie is bullshit

 

[joelseph]

didn't realize Gil Scott came out with a new album..

Jamie XX is doing a remix album on XL as well has helped out on Gil's release.

 

[sixteen-bit]

I haven`t heard of at least half of the artists on this list.

Same here. Pretty crazy there's a band name "Das Racist". I wonder if there are any other bands that got their names from internet memes.

 

[Davey Cakes]

the arcade fire album should not be on the list. at all.

Hmmm? I think it belongs in the top 5.

Don't think about how the album is a Grammy nominee. Just because Arcade Fire broke into the mainstream a teeny tiny bit doesn't mean they're suddenly terrible. The band's latest is arguably their greatest. I'm usually against albums being longer than 10-12 songs, but Arcade Fire make it work.

 

[joelseph]

Same here. Pretty crazy there's a band name "Das Racist". I wonder if there are any other bands that got their names from internet memes.

Das Racist is joke rap backed by Mischka NYC and MAD DECENT, not crazy to see them in a Pitchfork list.

 

[thekad]

So that Titus Andronicus album isn't good.

 

[Fina1e]

Hot Chip are fucking awful. How are they chosen over stuff like Jonsi's album or the new Agalloch?

jesus

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

the arcade fire album should not be on the list. at all.

all in all a bunch of great picks as usual. OPN was way higher up than i expected, as was james blake. a year ago i never thought either would break through.

but no mount kimbie is bullshit

They got Honorable Mention.

Nice of them to put James Blake in the top 10. Flying Lotus is where he should be, Four Tet and Caribou should be higher, no Pantha Du Prince Black Noise, no Darkstar North, no Mount Kimbie Crooks and Lovers, no Jacques Greene, etc. etc. They really need to make up their mind on backing edm or not.

A bunch of this stuff got Honorable Mention too.

 

[joelseph]

Hot Chip are fucking awful. How are they chosen over stuff like Jonsi's album or the new Agalloch?

jesus

Fuck you, Joe Goddard is awesome. If anything they should have put the Two Bears EP in the fucking list. Church is a top five single of 2010.

 

[Blooper]

If you just have to know: Kanye, Vampire Weekend and Gorillaz (They never clicked for me again past the first album)

Damn that sucks, you probably just don't like the poppier/most popular stuff on this list. I can guarantee most the rest isn't as immediate or pop oriented, and there is a variety. Unfortunately, the write-ups for these albums most of the don't give much of a hint of what type of music you might be listening to. There's a lot of rambling about the context around the album, which is fine if you've heard the album, but doesn't really serve the function of what a year end recommendations for the best albums should be.

But there is definitely a fair amount of good/great music on this list, of the 44 albums I've heard I've liked a little more than half of them quite a bit. Just don't let not liking 4 of the albums deter you from finding something interesting.

 

[blame space]

bad thread guys. a lot of good albums on that list.

 

[Robot 492]

I would have Arcade Fire higher up (they were #1 for me this year), but other than that, this seems like a fine list. Every artist in P4K's top 5 made it into my top 10, surprisingly.

 

[djtiesto]

Bunch of GAF-loved indie groups, the occasional nod to EDM (well, the Four Tet EP was pretty awesome), and super-commercial hiphop. Yup, it's a typical Pitchfork end of the year list.

 

[Complex Shadow]

Pitchfork makes me want to puke. I'm surprised they were able to devote enough time to assembling a Top 50 list, since they're usually too busy kissing the ground Thom Yorke walks on.

:lol :lol :lol

 

[theBishop]

Pretty good list overall. I think Liars' Sisterworld got majorly robbed not making the list.

Random points:
- Suburbs was way overrated.
- Cosmogramma was significantly underrated.
- Nice to see Joanna Newsom get a spot in the top 10
- Ugh @ Vampire Weekend
- I love Deerhunter, and I love Halcyon Digest, but it might be a little high on the list
- Sorry, but that Kanye West album is not a 10, and does not deserve the top spot.
- Who's this James Blake guy? I never heard of him

For all the hate Pitchfork gets as being too hipster, too obscure, I really think they're a bunch of starfuckers at the end of the day. If a popular artist does anything reasonably ambitious, PF gives it precedence over much better work from less notable acts. Almost every 10 they've given is a major label record. Take a look at their treatment of Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, and R Kelly for examples.

 

[theBishop]

Didn't like Cosmogramma at all - and I actually thing The Suburbs should have been higher.

Surprise!

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

- Who's this James Blake guy? I never heard of him

YouTube that shit. Best new electronic artist since Prefuse 73.

 

[theBishop]

YouTube that shit. Best new electronic artist since Prefuse 73.

I thought that was Burial! :lol

 

[jvalioli]

Pitchfork makes posts about The Roots every 30 seconds. People saying Pitchfork hates them obviously doesn't read Pitchfork ever.

 

[swoon]

it is sad that this thread will be larger and more diverse than either best music of 2010 thread or the monthly listening threads.

if you can make a list of 50 albums, you should do so and not just post 3 albums and say the year sucked.

make lists, participate in creating.

 

[joelseph]

I thought that was Burial! :lol

From a UK bass standpoint James Blake is one of the best new artists. With the likes of Jamie XX, SBTRKT, Mount Kimbie, Zomby, Becoming Real, Untold, etc. Burial is ancient news as fast as the genre moves.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

It really isn't elitist to suggest that anyone that thinks they care about modern music should know at least half of the acts listed there. Pitchfork does not review obscure artists. These are the musicians right behind the top 40 of today. Remember when you listened to Tool before they were played non-stop on rock radio? Most of these bands are in that same spot right now, and the best of them will be as well-known as Radiohead or the Arcade Fire in a few years.

I've heard everything on that list except Forest Swords. How could anyone not have heard of Four Tet? He's been one of the most popular electronic acts of the last decade. Even if you don't listen to that kind of music, he's likely done dozens of remixes of artists you do like. And haters gonna hate, but Kanye West really did put out the album of the year, and I've never liked Kanye West.

 

[joelseph]

I've heard everything on that list except Forest Swords. And haters gonna hate, but Kanye West really did put out the album of the year, and I've never liked Kanye West.

Agreed, Runaway is on a whole 'nother level.

 

[Blair]

Shearwater - The Golden Archipelago was probably my AOTY


yeah but the list has some great albums, tallest man on earth is surely top 10 material.

 

[theBishop]

And haters gonna hate, but Kanye West really did put out the album of the year, and I've never liked Kanye West.

Even if you like it (and I'm not saying it's terrible), I don't see how you could not prefer Sir Lucious Left Foot. The production is comparable, and the rhymes are dramatically better on Big Boi's album.

 

[Hot Coldman]

Pro-tip: ignore the numerical listing, and the list will make you feel 99% less irritated. This works for any numbered 'Best of' list.

You can all thank me later.

 

[theBishop]

Pro-tip: ignore the numerical listing, and the list will make you feel 99% less irritated. This works for any numbered 'Best of' list.

You can all thank me later.

I think that's true for #11 and beyond. Quibbling about whether every album is in the right slot along the way (is #31 really better than #48?) is pointless. But I think the top 10 is worth discussing. If you're going to list them, obviously the #1 spot is going to be the subject of debate.

 

[Blooper]

Pro-tip: ignore the numerical listing, and the list will make you feel 99% less irritated. This works for any numbered 'Best of' list.

You can all thank me later.

a wise sage

 

[BowieZ]

How do you claim to give a damn about music and have no awareness of most of the bands on that list?

Bands are a very narrow subset of music.

 

[Hot Coldman]

I think that's true for #11 and beyond. Quibbling about whether every album is in the right slot along the way (is #31 really better than #48?) is pointless. But I think the top 10 is worth discussing. If you're going to list them, obviously the #1 spot is going to be the subject of debate.

50 albums, no ordering, but 1 album chosen as the year's best. That, in my mind, is the best way to do an End of Year retrospective list. It'd get people to read the article, for one, and I believe it would reinforce the idea that, at the end of the day, these lists aren't necessarily about recognition as much as they are about recommendation.

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

Just listened to the Kanye and Roots albums so I could see what all the fuss was about. The roots album was OK, I think it was a little dull though, I was bored pretty much the whole way through. That said, it had a nice easy going vibe and I'll definitely go back to it. The Kanye album was pretty damn good though, I can see why Hip-hop fans were excited about it now. The song at the end with Bon Iver turned a lacklustre experimental b-side into something truly wonderful, very impressed with it. The female rapper on Monster was amazing as well, totally grabbed my attention.

Still, neither of these albums are as good as Fang Island, The Suburbs or The Monitor IMO. Kanye might be a close 4th, I'm not sure yet.

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

Bands are a very narrow subset of music.

What else would you suggest is the best music of the year then if you want to broaden it out from the obviously tiny sliver of music that 'bands' represent?

 

[JeTmAn81]

:lol

#1 is Kanye :lol

:lol

Damn that CD is so overrated.

I am with you. I'm really with you on this.

I did really like that LCD Soundsystem album at least.

 

[K.Sabot]

Aw man, that James Blake placement has got me listening on his EPs again, and OOOH boy, this guy is gonna smash his first album out of the park. Well, he better.

 

[kitchenmotors]

I don't agree with the ordering of this list, but there's a ton of great albums in there. Like it was said before, ignore the order and just check out some of these great albums.

Also, fuck the typical anti-Hipster GAF shit. You guys are douches.

 

[goldlion054]

50 albums, no ordering, but 1 album chosen as the year's best. That, in my mind, is the best way to do an End of Year retrospective list. It'd get people to read the article, for one, and I believe it would reinforce the idea that, at the end of the day, these lists aren't necessarily about recognition as much as they are about recommendation.

Love the idea. Nobel peace prize will be yours

 

[Sweedishrodeo]

Hmmm? I think it belongs in the top 5.

Don't think about how the album is a Grammy nominee. Just because Arcade Fire broke into the mainstream a teeny tiny bit doesn't mean they're suddenly terrible. The band's latest is arguably their greatest. I'm usually against albums being longer than 10-12 songs, but Arcade Fire make it work.

you are a poser. if you think "cred" matters in any way your opinion is not valid.

the reason that album is such a disappointment is because of who win butler is and how he started that band. funeral was the album of a lifetime. so much hope from so much pain... it flipped all the wink wink bullshit that was permeating through indie, told it straight, and reached out its hand. there was catharsis.

the last two albums on the other hand, have been a bunch of preachy nonsense. how many times can i listen to win say "the kids are fucked" myriad different ways without a release or solution? the songwriting has been taking a dive, and then at the end of a total downer of a set list, regine's song comes in and blows win away completely. they could have done that on the first fucking song, but instead win got to masturbate for thirteen songs.

thanks but no thanks, af

 

[Sweedishrodeo]

They got Honorable Mention.

i am well aware. mount kimbie has been hugely influential on james blake and visa versa. i think it is unfair to try and catapult blake to rising star status, as p4k often loves to do, and not show things the way they are.

i mean, mount kimbie and blake have performed as a three-piece for quite some time..

Best new electronic artist since Prefuse 73.

i hope you aren't serious.