Top Ten Albums of 2011

December 9, 2011

by Ryan Huber

This is the soundtrack of my life in 2011. They might not win Grammys or all be critically acclaimed but no matter how random and all over the place this list seems, it is 100% me.

-Ryan (@beastmodemusic)

I promise there is no bias here. I honestly was going to take this out of my Top 10 but thought better of it. This is the blueprint on how an unsigned band should go about doing things, period.

Listen. Buy.

Just when I’m ready to give up on new Rap music, this mixtape/album hit me ot of nowhere. XV brings a refreshing blend of witty lyrics and innovative flows to the table and it is in fact….“AWESOME”

Listen/Download

You can call me soft for putting a “Pop” record on here but I couldn’t leave it off just for the sake of trying to be tough or too cool. This is a versatile record that was executed flawlessly and is truly something special.

Listen. Buy.

Listening to this from front to back is like going on a journey. You might take the road less traveled, but in the end you come out learning more about yourself than you ever expected. The heart and emotion on this record is unmatched.

Listen. Buy.

If it wasn’t for these two men I would have never picked up a pen and tried to write rhymes. Over ten years later, the chemistry between Em and Royce is still just as effortless and fluid. When it comes to lyrics there aren’t many on the planet who can hang with these two. They continue to inspire me on a daily basis and give me hope that REAL Hip-Hop isn’t on an auto-tuned respirator.

Listen. Buy.

The return of Long Island’s indie rock heroes live up to the hype in my opinion. Most fans would say “well, it’s no Tell All Your Friends”. I say to them it’s not trying to be. The evolution of TBS is amazing to listen to and as fan a of honest music this truly embodies that.

Listen. Buy.

I am a fan of R&B music but not this modern Trey Song trash. Frank Ocean stands up for what he believes in and thankfully stood up for his music even when his label tried to hold him down and change him. He is an artist in every sense of the word and you have to respect that.

Listen/Download

If there was one album in 2011 that made me want to grow a beard, yell at the top of my lungs and punch faces as hard as humanly possible, it was this one haha.

Listen. Buy.

I know a lot of people see the name Joe Budden and automatically think “Pump It Up” but he has come a long way since the 2003 Grammy nominated hit single. In a world where actual talent doesn’t matter in mainstream Hip-Hop, Joey continues to blaze his own trail by abiding his own rules. Seeing him perform live this past summer was on par with seeing Michael Jordan play at The Garden. MM4.5 highlights his amazing range and versatility that puts him in a league of his own. Without a shadow of a doubt, he is the best rapper alive. SAY SOMETHING!!

Listen. Buy.

From Joey to Jack. Kind of funny how that works. I don’t even know where to start because it’s hard to explain the impact that Andrew McMahon has had on me not only as a fan but as a person in general. People and Things is exactly what it says it is. The simplicity is heartfelt and genuine but at the same time musically complex. After every listen I take something different away from it. I will listen to this record for the rest of my life.