Top 100 Music Albums of the 2010s by buzzdainer

The 2010s began for me in a cabin in the North Georgia mountains, an auspicious beginning to a decade that's had more than its share of ups and downs, but has also brought an incredible amount of musical inspiration. I have peers my age who won't listen to anything that's been released since they finished high school in the late eighties; they remind me of people in my dad's generation who think "the music died" when Don McLean said it did in "American Pie." No, no, no, folks. There is great stuff coming out all the time, if you're willing to go find it. I discover new stuff these days through BIRP! and No Depression and American Songwriter and the Americana Music Association and WNCW and Pitchfork, not to mention music festivals and word of mouth. And my tastes are surely inflected by the places I've lived--first Georgia, then across the state line in Western North Carolina, then Colorado's Front Range, then central Minnesota, and now southwest Montana, where I hope to remain. I like music from many different genres--whatever hits my sweet spot--though I am particularly fond of things that remind me of the mountain landscapes I love and the people most dear to me, even (and perhaps especially) the eccentrics, cranks, and weirdos who make life fun and constantly invigorating. I'm sure you've heard many things from this decade that I haven't, so I welcome your recommendations and your feedback on this chart. Happy reading and listening!

• Chart updated: 02/12/2023 19:15
• (Created: 02/16/2016 19:20).
• Chart size: 100 albums.

There are 17 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Music Albums of the 2010s has an average rating of 91 out of 100 (from 15 votes). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.

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4. (=)

Have One On Me 

 Joanna Newsom

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This triple album is where Joanna Newsom's performances and songwriting came to full maturity. Her previous work showcases her intricate harp playing, her complicated song structures and storytelling, and her endearingly idiosyncratic voice. But nothing she'd ever done before is as lovely and earthy and heartbreaking as on Have One on Me. Here she eschews some of the "freak" side of "freak folk," meaning that her vocal style here seems less intentionally quirky, more like a woman in full control of her artistic powers. And lest you be lulled by the sweetness of her voice into thinking that Joanna Newsom only sings about nice sentiments, check out these lines from the heartstoppingly beautiful "Baby Birch": "I saw a rabbit as slick as a knife and as pale as a candlestick / And I had thought it'd be harder to do but I caught her and skinned her quick, held her there / Kicking and mewling upended unspooling unsung and blue / Told her wherever you go little runaway bunny I will find you / And then she ran / As they're liable to do / Be at peace baby, and be gone." Damn. [First added to this chart: 02/16/2016]

Year of Release:

2010

Appears in:

486 charts

Rank Score:

4,965

Rank in 2010:

10

Rank in 2010s:

47

Overall Rank:

365

Average Rating:

 81 (504 votes)

Comments:

39

8. (=)

Early In The Morning 

 James Vincent McMorrow

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[First added to this chart: 09/08/2022]

Year of Release:

2010

Appears in:

39 charts

Rank Score:

238

Rank in 2010:

109

Rank in 2010s:

1,060

Overall Rank:

5,567

Average Rating:

 75 (45 votes)

Comments:

5

25. (=)

How I Got Over 

 The Roots

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This genre-exploding hip hop album opens with Dirty Projectors vocalists Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian humming along to a lush piano before drummer Questlove sparks a fully-formed instrumental revue. It’s the live formula that the Roots have done better than anyone since the group’s inception in the late eighties. How I Got Over features Monsters of Folk, Joanna Newsom, John Legend, and many more artists from a range of genres. It’s a comprehensive essay in the art of hip hop as a musical endeavor. Questlove’s arrangements and his backing band can go toe-to-toe with the best, no matter the genre. “Radio Daze” could be the album’s most accessible track, in incorporating background soul singers, live instrumentation, a jazz piano, Dice Raw’s silky hook and smooth flows from Blu and frontman Black Thought. But my favorite is "Right On," with its brilliant sampling of Joanna Newsom's "Book of Right-On," bringing one of my favorite freak folk artists into the hip hop mainstream. [First added to this chart: 09/07/2020]

Year of Release:

2010

Appears in:

194 charts

Rank Score:

1,070

Rank in 2010:

27

Rank in 2010s:

258

Overall Rank:

1,608

Average Rating:

 79 (222 votes)

Comments:

10

31. (=)

High Violet 

 The National

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Sometimes a song that didn't make a strong impression the first few times I hear it finds its way into my heart when encountered in a new context. That was the case for me with "Runaway," for me the standout track on High Violet. In this case I heard it in an unexpectedly moving way: the final credits of the underrated zombie rom-com Warm Bodies. It's the perfect indie folk song for the final scene of that film, as it's just earnest enough, and just emo enough, to be genuinely affecting without being overwrought. As with just about every album The National has made, "Runaway" is far from the only terrific song, as this is a band that delivers consistent quality (if not necessarily innovation). [First added to this chart: 02/24/2016]

Year of Release:

2010

Appears in:

1,070 charts

Rank Score:

11,595

Rank in 2010:

3

Rank in 2010s:

11

Overall Rank:

128

Average Rating:

 82 (1,310 votes)

Comments:

97

52. (51) 1

So Runs The World Away 

 Josh Ritter

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Josh Ritter has recorded a number of great albums, and while So Runs the World isn't in the very top tier, it's still an excellent album, deserving of a high ranking on this 2010s chart. This record is slightly more diverse in instrumentation than some of his other efforts, and maybe a little more experimental (though "experimental" isn't really a word you use to describe Josh Ritter). Populated with wandering mariners, lovesick Egyptian mummies, philosophical chemists, mountaintop seers, grim polar adventurers, and recurring black holes, Ritter’s exquisite collection of songs reflects a desire on the songwriter's part to break free of lyrical and narrative convention, offering something oddly adventurous to his often Dylan- and Cohenesque discography. My favorite tune here is "Change of Time," a song that grapples with the way love transforms over time: "I had a dream last night / And rusting far below me / Battered hulls and broken hardships / Leviathan and Lonely / I was thirsty so I drank / And though it was salt water / There was something 'bout the way / It tasted so familiar." [First added to this chart: 02/16/2016]

Year of Release:

2010

Appears in:

30 charts

Rank Score:

80

Rank in 2010:

309

Rank in 2010s:

3,037

Overall Rank:

14,162

Average Rating:

 74 (36 votes)

Comments:

4

66. (65) 1

Broken Bells 

 Broken Bells

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[First added to this chart: 02/29/2016]

Year of Release:

2010

Appears in:

224 charts

Rank Score:

1,331

Rank in 2010:

20

Rank in 2010s:

204

Overall Rank:

1,317

Average Rating:

 74 (406 votes)

Comments:

22

69. (68) 1

The Suburbs 

 Arcade Fire

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"So can you understand / Why I want a daughter / While I'm still young? / I want to hold her hand / And show her some beauty / Before this damage is done." Such are the sweet and heartbreaking sentiments Win Butler expresses on the title track from this album, which I recall most vividly riding the elliptical trainer in the fitness center at the college in Georgia where I used to work. Although that setting wasn't exactly suburbia--it was far more rural than that--the words nevertheless seemed to perfectly suit both the troubled times and my own conflicted feelings about my relationship to the world. What a thing to experience this world's breathtaking beauty, including the bouncy piano melody of the opening track, while also recognizing the human stupidity and abject cruelty that is bringing about its destruction. What a high-stakes time to be alive. [First added to this chart: 02/16/2016]

Year of Release:

2010

Appears in:

1,812 charts

Rank Score:

22,150

Rank in 2010:

2

Rank in 2010s:

4

Overall Rank:

45

Average Rating:

 84 (2,681 votes)

Comments:

253

93. (92) 1

Treats 

 Sleigh Bells

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[First added to this chart: 02/17/2016]

Year of Release:

2010

Appears in:

187 charts

Rank Score:

1,133

Rank in 2010:

24

Rank in 2010s:

242

Overall Rank:

1,529

Average Rating:

 73 (255 votes)

Comments:

24

95. (94) 1

Break In The Clouds 

 Elephant Revival

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When I was living in Colorado, I lived just a short distance from Nederland, the hometown of Elephant Revival. I saw them play live twice: once at the Boulder Theater and once at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival. They are beloved in their home state, and with good reason. They write terrific modern-day hippie folk songs, their instrumentation is impeccable, and they love to perform. The title track and "Breathe" are the two best songs here, but you really can't go wrong with anything in their catalog. [First added to this chart: 02/16/2016]

Year of Release:

2010

Appears in:

6 charts

Rank Score:

20

Rank in 2010:

920

Rank in 2010s:

9,374

Overall Rank:

37,020

Average Rating:

 73 (4 votes)

Comments:

1

98. (97) 1

Down The Way 

 Angus & Julia Stone

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This is Sydney, Australia, brother-sister duo Angus & Julia Stone's best album, whose flavor is probably best summarized by Angus's observation in "Yellow Brick Road": "I fell in love with California." This album's twee folk stylings lean heavily on California influences such as Fleetwood Mac and Joanna Newsom, a formula that works best on tracks such as the smooth and soaring "Big Jet Plane." The voices of the two siblings complement one another perfectly, with Julia's quirky, edgy style offset by Angus's laid-back surfer grooviness. [First added to this chart: 02/16/2016]

Year of Release:

2010

Appears in:

49 charts

Rank Score:

261

Rank in 2010:

91

Rank in 2010s:

971

Overall Rank:

5,134

Average Rating:

 74 (80 votes)

Comments:

1

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Total albums: 11. Page 1 of 2

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 2010s composition

Year	Albums	%
2010	11	11%
2011	8	8%
2012	15	15%
2013	14	14%
2014	8	8%
2015	7	7%
2016	5	5%
2017	5	5%
2018	8	8%
2019	19	19%

Artist	Albums	%
Josh Ritter	5	5%
alt-J	4	4%
James Blake	3	3%
Arcade Fire	3	3%
The National	3	3%
Lord Huron	3	3%
Bon Iver	3	3%
Show all

Country	Albums	%
	77	77%
	8	8%
	4	4%
	3	3%
	3	3%
	2	2%
	1	1%
Show all

Top 100 Music Albums of the 2010s chart changes

Biggest fallers
Down 1 from 41st to 42nd Vide Noir by Lord Huron
Down 1 from 42nd to 43rd Such Jubilee by Mandolin Orange
Down 1 from 43rd to 44th By Blood by Shovels & Rope

New entries
Ultraviolence by Lana Del Rey

Leavers
Tomorrowland by Ryan Bingham

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• Top 98 Music Albums of 2012 by buzzdainer (2022)
• Top 100 Music Albums of 2013 by buzzdainer (2022)
• Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by chisholm.matt (2022)
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• Top 100 Music Albums of the 2010s by samistake2ice (2020)

Top 100 Music Albums of the 2010s similarity to your chart(s)

Other decade charts by buzzdainer

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 2010s ratings

Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 15 ratings for this chart.

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Rating	Date updated	Member	Chart ratings	Avg. chart rating
95/100	02/26/2023 02:53	craab	14	95/100
100/100	11/27/2021 13:41	DommeDamian	969	90/100
55/100	04/10/2021 15:07	StreakyNuno	77	85/100
100/100	12/05/2020 15:28	Larcx13	1,092	86/100
90/100	10/11/2020 01:40	ExTeaSea	239	89/100

Rating metrics: Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some charts can have several thousand ratings)
This chart is rated in the top 2% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 91.0/100, a mean average of 92.0/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 94.6/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 12.1.

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 2010s favourites

Showing all 2 members who have added this chart as a favourite

WayneMC

Graeme2

Top 100 Music Albums of the 2010s comments

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Rating:  

95/100

From craab 02/26/2023 02:53

Terrific chart> Can't wait to follow some of these leads!

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

100/100

From DommeDamian 11/27/2021 13:41

God almighty what a gr8 chart.

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

From buzzdainer 04/18/2021 17:32

Thank you, StreakyNuno, for those insightful comments on two of my favorite bands from the nineties. One broke up in 1994. The other recorded two albums in the 2010s, neither of which I have heard, let alone ranked.

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

55/100

From StreakyNuno 04/10/2021 15:09

Uncle tupelo anodyne best album ever and bufallo tom in second????
I don't feel like listening to the other albums this chart

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -1 votes (0 helpful | 1 unhelpful)

Rating:  

100/100

From Larcx13 12/05/2020 15:29

Nice,

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Rating:  

90/100

From ExTeaSea 10/11/2020 01:42

You have a very interesting chart as well! So different than mine but that's totally fine. I'd love to see Kishi Bashi in concert! Quite curious about the band The Dø.

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From buzzdainer 05/27/2019 18:17

Thanks, WayneMC, for those helpful comments. I've listened to a bunch of Jon Hopkins albums, at least as background music, and like him. I probably haven't yet given him the dedicated attention he deserves, so I'm saving him for my next long road trip for a deeper listen.

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Rating:  

95/100

From WayneMC 05/12/2018 21:57

Thanks for your very positive comments about my 2010s chart. I usually wait a year before adding anything recent but I've just added the new Jon Hopkins album, 'Singularity', despite only owning it a week. There are 60 albums in your chart that I haven't listened to (despite knowing many of the artists) but I'm certain there are some great albums there for me to discover.

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

From buzzdainer 10/16/2017 02:29

Thanks for the encouraging word, ecwashere! Glad to see another BEA member who loves Once I Was an Eagle as much as I do. I think it's one of the very best breakup albums of all time, which is saying something since breakups and divorces have inspired some of the best material from our best artists (lookin' at you, Bob Dylan). For Laura Marling's sake, I hope she can find inspiration someplace else. No one should have to suffer for my musical enjoyment!

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Rating:  

90/100

From ecwashere 07/14/2017 10:18

Great!

Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

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