Best Albums of the 2010s

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1.

To Pimp A Butterfly 

 Kendrick Lamar

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"@Mother Nature's Son Consider this scenario: a man with a child walks into an art museum. In this museum, paintings are displayed containing graphic, vulgar images, including nudity, violence, etc. The man, upon seeing these pictures, storms out of the museum, enraged by the crass sight he and hi...""@Mother Nature's Son Consider this scenario: a man with a child walks into an art museum. In this museum, paintings are displayed containing graphic, vulgar images, including nudity, violence, etc. The man, upon seeing these pictures, storms out of the museum, enraged by the crass sight he and his child had witnessed. "This is not art! This is disgusting!" he shouts, unable to understand how anybody could find pleasure in something so terrible. Is this man correct? Subjectively, yes. If he does not enjoy the art, then to him it has no personal value. But to deny the art any value whatsoever would be a crime. Vulgarity of this sort can be used to push an artistic point. Would a war painting be complete without violent imagery? Would Michaelangelo's statues be complete without penises? Would a portrayal of a stereotype be complete without a phrase such as "my dick is big"? No. By including such a statement, Kendrick addresses the stereotype that nobody else has the guts to talk about so bluntly. Some things, such as this, are not vulgar- they are real. Black stereotypical characteristics such as this, that are used to define who Kendrick is based on his physical features, are real things. Many people, I'm sure, don't view Kendrick as an artist but as just another black man. Those who do are missing the bigger picture- its only vulgar because it tries to portray the vulgarity of the world. If you can't enjoy it, that's fine, but you can't ignore the truth of the world we live in."  [+]  Reply

- jeremih724 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +28 votes (35 helpful | 7 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2015

Appears in:

1,865 charts

Rank Score:

30,228

Rank in 2015:

1

Rank in 2010s:

1

Overall Rank:

20

Average Rating:

 89 (2,317 votes)

Comments:

371

2.

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My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy 

 Kanye West

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"I totally get why a lot of people have the conception of Kanye that they do, but if part of that conception is that he's not a real artist, they probably just haven't heard this album yet."  Reply

- audianne | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +21 votes (23 helpful | 2 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2010

Appears in:

1,751 charts

Rank Score:

22,071

Rank in 2010:

1

Rank in 2010s:

2

Overall Rank:

34

Average Rating:

 85 (2,376 votes)

Comments:

283

3.

Good Kid, M.A.A.D City 

 Kendrick Lamar

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"Yeah, I'm totally sold. This record is an instant classic. It's got everything going for it, great beats, great flow, amazing lyrics, an awesome concept that is very well executed, great character arc, etc. it really impressed me the first time listening to it. Then I listened again and it was ev...""Yeah, I'm totally sold. This record is an instant classic. It's got everything going for it, great beats, great flow, amazing lyrics, an awesome concept that is very well executed, great character arc, etc. it really impressed me the first time listening to it. Then I listened again and it was even better. The first day I owned it I listened to it 4 times in a row. It's absolutely great. This generation's answer to "Illmatic"."  [+]  Reply

- Mercury | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +17 votes (17 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2012

Appears in:

1,557 charts

Rank Score:

21,721

Rank in 2012:

1

Rank in 2010s:

3

Overall Rank:

36

Average Rating:

 88 (2,036 votes)

Comments:

208

4.

The Suburbs 

 Arcade Fire

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"This is an amazing work of art and will stand the test of time in my opinion. I had first heard of Arcade Fire when the Rolling Stone's list of top songs of 2003 came out and heard Wake Up. It was a pretty good song but they seemed a little too out of left field for my liking. Didn't really look ...""This is an amazing work of art and will stand the test of time in my opinion. I had first heard of Arcade Fire when the Rolling Stone's list of top songs of 2003 came out and heard Wake Up. It was a pretty good song but they seemed a little too out of left field for my liking. Didn't really look into them more. Then a couple years ago, I was listening to the indie station on Sirius and heard multiple Arcade Fire songs and remembered them from a few years prior and I remember thinking wow, this is more to my liking. There was more of a rock sound to them and the thing that captured me most about this album is the theme. To me, Neon Bible is by far their most loaded album touching on religion, overbearing parents, media, etc. This album takes a step back in seriousness and a step forward in genuity. The Suburbs and many others on this album are melancholy songs because they make you realize how wrapped up in technology we are and how we don't embrace small things as much as we used to. My favorite class in college was History of the American City and a lot of things we discussed in that class are on the album. The isolation that comes with living in suburbs, how youth is protected from harrowing things that maybe inner city kids are exposed to younger and even how relatonships are based on what music you listen to and stuff. I like Arcade Fire a lot because they are all early 30's so it's like they've made that transition to adulthood but it's not far away from their youth and that duality reflects in the songs. It might not be a perfect album, to me Sprawl I is a throwaway track and Rococo is pretty mediocre, but the rest of this album is phenomonal and if you're a fan of music, definitely check this album out. This could very well be the defining album of Generation Y. OK Computer is probably the 90's version of this album. It is good in terms of the concept album but the idea of isolation from each other, impact of technology, and leaving youth to go to adulthood is much more fully realized on this album than OK Computer."  [+]  Reply

- Ds0589 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +10 votes (11 helpful | 1 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2010

Appears in:

1,868 charts

Rank Score:

18,794

Rank in 2010:

2

Rank in 2010s:

4

Overall Rank:

49

Average Rating:

 84 (2,751 votes)

Comments:

257

5.

Carrie & Lowell 

 Sufjan Stevens

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"The death of one's mother is usually always hard to take and Sufjan's grief is keenly felt. Stevens has plenty to draw on here, the sporadic relationship they had, her drug addiction and her mental instability. It can be uncomfortable listening - particularly in the way it explores feelings we of...""The death of one's mother is usually always hard to take and Sufjan's grief is keenly felt. Stevens has plenty to draw on here, the sporadic relationship they had, her drug addiction and her mental instability. It can be uncomfortable listening - particularly in the way it explores feelings we often pretend aren't there or in expressing that feeling of being very lonely and very adrift in the world but nothing says 'I Love You' more than the music on offer here and that's good enough."  [+]  Reply

- johnner | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +13 votes (14 helpful | 1 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2015

Appears in:

1,261 charts

Rank Score:

15,873

Rank in 2015:

2

Rank in 2010s:

5

Overall Rank:

68

Average Rating:

 86 (1,488 votes)

Comments:

161

6.

A Moon Shaped Pool 

 Radiohead

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"I will give it a week or so before giving it a score, because I don't want to jump to any conclusions first listen... that said, this is the first Radiohead release I've been apart of, and I've been blindsided. It's better than OK Computer, Hail to the Thief and In Rainbows. Only album I might li...""I will give it a week or so before giving it a score, because I don't want to jump to any conclusions first listen... that said, this is the first Radiohead release I've been apart of, and I've been blindsided. It's better than OK Computer, Hail to the Thief and In Rainbows. Only album I might like more than it is Kid A, and that's some high praise. Burn the Witch - The moment I listened to this I felt opening track vibes. It's like an orchestrated 2 + 2 = 5. It's gonna get you hyped for sure. Daydreaming - When I first heard this track, I thought it was one of the best things they've ever done. The way the synths and orchestration mix is beauty. Decks Dark - So when this song comes along and is just as good, if not better? Yeah, I was blown away. The build-up of this track, along with the choir and vocals is amazing. It feels like a perfected Drunken Punch Up. Just an unbelievable track. Desert Island Disk - My favorite of the two Thom played live with the acoustic. I'm happy that they didn't take out the acoustic and replace it with something else. Instead the rest of the track builds a soundscape around it that elevates it to a whole other level. Then the drums kick in and, yes Thom, I know what you mean. Ful Stop - Radiohead turns it up here. The opening part of the song where the instruments and synths slowly tune in gets me so hyped it's unbelievable. Another soundscape is made by this song, but here it feels like I'm running as fast as I can. Why? Who knows. Yorke's lyrics kick in and the whole piece comes together. Then the instruments take center stage, and it gives me a Jigsaws sense of euphoria. I could spend hours describing this track. Unbelievable. Glass Eyes - Feels like a Faust Arp, since it's the only track under 3 minutes and divides two epics (Ful Stop and Identikit.) That said, I love Faust Arp and that same love is found here with Glass Eyes. The piano starts it off with the instruments coming in with his lyrics makes me feel as if I'm looking into his head. It's worth saying, this track would be impossible without Jonny Greenwood. Thanks our lucky stars for his orchestration. Identikit - One if the most anticipated tracks of the album makes an appearance. I spent years avoiding this one just because I wanted to hear the studio release first. This track, more than the rest, is built off rhythm. That said, it is still an excellent methodical piece. When the song makes that sudden change around 2 minutes in, it explodes in the best way possible. Once it comes back to Earth, you just have to appreciate what they've done with it. One of the best tracks on the album to this point. The Numbers - Silent Spring, I didn't like as much. So maybe Yorke somehow read my mind and changed it from Silent Spring to The Numbers. The acoustic guitar is still there, but hearing it along with the Climbing Up the Walls esque orchestration and chorus changes it from a good acoustic track into one of the greatest tracks this band has ever put out. An epic that blows the rest out of the water. Present Tense - This is a track I struggled to describe. I love the opening bit, reminiscent of Nude. A lot of build up on this one. The choir is great here, and the instruments back them up so perfectly. Jonny Greenwood does an amazing job with this track. He and Yorke drive this track as a prelude to... Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor Rich Man Poor Man Beggar Man Thief - What a mouth full. Broken up synths remind me a bit of The Gloaming. Yorke's vocals seem to fly through the song. The instruments give an Amnesiac vibe. You and Whose Army? more so than others. The orchestration is once again done perfectly. Radiohead always does an amazing job with the penultimate track and this one is no exception. True Love Waits - We've waited, alright. I'd only heard this track a couple times so I wouldn't dilute it if I heard it on an album. What we get is a Videotape esque edition. I like his vocals so much more here. He sing it like a dream. The piano is just melancholic enough for this song, which has gone from a nice love song into one of the saddest songs this band has ever released. The orchestration is still there, but mostly steps aside to give Thom his song filled with a beauty and emptiness that I haven't felt since Kid A. One of the only songs to ever make me cry and an amazing closer to the album. Overall - Radiohead is playing like a band in their prime 31 years in. Through this time they've gone from the rock ballad of OK Computer and has released its equivalent here. I don't see them ending here, Thom and Jonny are working together more than ever. If they do, however, then this is a perfect album to leave us with. Initial Impression - 10/10. This album takes me on an unbelievable journey from its hard pressed opener to its desolate conclusion. Radiohead faithful will love this album to death."  [+]  Reply

- BeeboBaggins | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +24 votes (25 helpful | 1 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2016

Appears in:

1,403 charts

Rank Score:

14,797

Rank in 2016:

1

Rank in 2010s:

6

Overall Rank:

79

Average Rating:

 87 (2,178 votes)

Comments:

274

7.

Lonerism 

 Tame Impala

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"once the Beatles married the 1967's pink floyd. But when they got married a ray of light coming from a kaleidoscope hit them, and transported them to the future, in the future they turned into hipsters and vomited music,that vomit shapeshifted to a huge monster with four heads. They all fought un...""once the Beatles married the 1967's pink floyd. But when they got married a ray of light coming from a kaleidoscope hit them, and transported them to the future, in the future they turned into hipsters and vomited music,that vomit shapeshifted to a huge monster with four heads. They all fought until death. Their fallen pieces on the ground magically rebuild themselves into an album... and that album is lonerism"  [+]  Reply

- Antonio-Pedro | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +14 votes (14 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2012

Appears in:

1,421 charts

Rank Score:

14,090

Rank in 2012:

2

Rank in 2010s:

7

Overall Rank:

85

Average Rating:

 85 (1,893 votes)

Comments:

186

8.

★ [Blackstar] 

 David Bowie

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"Whilst listening to Blackstar for a second time, I realised something: this is the only Bowie album to not have his face on the cover. That left me feeling that not only was this really the end, but that he was fully aware his end was coming. And if this was his final dance, then he's certainly p...""Whilst listening to Blackstar for a second time, I realised something: this is the only Bowie album to not have his face on the cover. That left me feeling that not only was this really the end, but that he was fully aware his end was coming. And if this was his final dance, then he's certainly pulled it off with the same confidence and conviction that he's always had. But, just like his passing, the album cover only helps to bring the album into context. This is the last goodbye, and it is constructed with wondrous precision, care and quality. Musically, it's diverse and most certainly new. Plenty of influences here from a broad range of genres and styles, but it's synthesised in such a way that the resultant sound feels original, crisp and interesting. It's what he's always done best. The themes in the album now, sadly, make a lot more sense. The lyrics are personal and revealing, sometimes saddening but filled with a sense that he was ready to go. It's certainly gloomy, but by no means dark, definitely enjoyable, with plenty to read into further. What's more, the overall structure and composition is fantastic. Tony Visconti has once again done an amazing job, and I thoroughly recommend you listen to all the songs on a good pair of headphones at some point. Order wise, the songs flow from one to the other without a hitch, and I'm seriously glad that "I Can't Give Everything Away" is at the end; it's a final twist in the tale, and it's brilliant. I don't want to let his death get in the way of my verdict for Blackstar, but this is without a doubt the best album since Scary Monsters, and as far as parting gifts go, this is a very good one. Even so long after he began his career, and with his death on the horizon, he managed to reinvent himself just one more time. Whatever this persona comes to be known as, it's certainly the closest we're ever going to get to the man himself. So long, Thin White Duke. And thank you."  [+]  Reply

- DeusExMackia | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +23 votes (23 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2016

Appears in:

1,274 charts

Rank Score:

12,379

Rank in 2016:

2

Rank in 2010s:

8

Overall Rank:

94

Average Rating:

 86 (1,676 votes)

Comments:

153

9.

Blond 

 Frank Ocean

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"Blonde is brilliant. That might even be the extent to which I can give my thoughts on this album. That is all. It is just a brilliant album. Ocean takes us on an emotional, dreamy adventure into his own world, and introduces us to a new class of music. The sound of Blonde is experimental without ...""Blonde is brilliant. That might even be the extent to which I can give my thoughts on this album. That is all. It is just a brilliant album. Ocean takes us on an emotional, dreamy adventure into his own world, and introduces us to a new class of music. The sound of Blonde is experimental without being too experimental, a sonorous and vivid sound scape that molds around his distinctive voice, the focal point of the album. That soundscape is also carefully built by the songs as the album progresses. Little details, like the odd line or sound, construct the feeling of Blonde with supreme delicacy. And it pays off; interlude tracks like 'Be Yourself' and 'Facebook Story' help to set you up for the real stand-out tracks like 'Solo' and 'Nights'. Once you manage to crack into the mindset of Blonde, this album will make sense, and you'll see the level of quality and genius on show here. Some have complained that it's too slow and that there isn't enough distinction here - they're missing the point. This album is a journey, and it's able to flow from track to track with sublime ease. This is an incredibly easy album to listen to, yet it has a deep complexity that I haven't witnessed for a long time. It also obliges you to listen to it multiple times. And you absolutely should - you'll be able to see its strongest points for what they are: some of the best music of this decade, perhaps even ever. I have no doubt that Blonde is going to be a companion to me for many years to come. It amazes me how much music can captivate you, but it seems to be Frank Ocean's main talent. Despite it being his second full release, he is flaunting talent that we haven't seen in a long time. And even with how brilliant Blonde is, I still think there's so much more to come. Watch this space; it's only going to get more amazing from here. 92/100"  [+]  Reply

- DeusExMackia | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +9 votes (9 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2016

Appears in:

915 charts

Rank Score:

12,349

Rank in 2016:

3

Rank in 2010s:

9

Overall Rank:

95

Average Rating:

 83 (1,124 votes)

Comments:

92

10.

High Violet 

 The National

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"Best National album hands down, sounds perfect from the beginning to the end, no bad tracks in here. Melancholic, dense and deep to the right point, without being excessively sad."  Reply

- Dalcio | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +7 votes (7 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2010

Appears in:

1,122 charts

Rank Score:

10,443

Rank in 2010:

3

Rank in 2010s:

10

Overall Rank:

123

Average Rating:

 82 (1,346 votes)

Comments:

97

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 1 of 100

Best Albums of the 2010s composition

Top 1,000 Top 500 Top 250 Top 100

Year	Albums	%
2010	90	9%
2011	122	12%
2012	106	11%
2013	114	11%
2014	93	9%
2015	106	11%
2016	85	9%
2017	115	12%
2018	91	9%
2019	80	8%

Artist	Albums	%
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard	8	1%
Drake	6	1%
Lana Del Rey	6	1%
Death Grips	6	1%
Taylor Swift	5	0%
Julia Holter	5	0%
Brockhampton	5	0%
Show all

Country	Albums	%
	561	56%
	215	21%
	69	7%
	33	3%
	25	2%
	20	2%
	10	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	991	99%
Yes	11	1%

Live?	Albums	%
No	996	99%
Yes	6	1%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	997	100%
Yes	5	0%