Wow, 2011 was a great year for music.  I can’t remember a year when I had this tough of a time making up my Top 10 Albums list (of course, one Top 10 list could not contain me, so like any good “Best of” issue, I made up a few of my own categories).

We do these lists to share our love of music… which is pretty much the reason we opened a record store in the first place.  The reason we are still here sharing thirteen years later is because you, and thousands of other music, movie, and art fans, have supported us by purchasing your favorite albums at Hoodlums.

The depth of our appreciation for this support cannot truly be expressed.  Thanks.

Now, without further rambling, my Top 10 lists for 2011 (in no particular order).

Steve’s Top Ten Albums of 2011

Decemberists – King is Dead
Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi – Rome
Charles Bradley – No Time for Dreaming
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Here We Rest
Sharon Jones & Dap-Kings – Soul Time
Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’
Mergence – Those Vibrant Young People Are Dead
Black Keys – El Camino
JC Brooks and Uptown Sound – Want More
Warren Haynes – Rivers Gonna Rise

Ten More 2011 Albums That I Really Dig

Cults – Cults
Foo Fighters – Wasting Light
Vaccines – What Did You Expect From the Vaccines?
Dawes – Nothing is Wrong
Ryan Adams – Ashes and Fire
Kooks – Junk of the Heart
My Morning Jacket – Circuital
Tedeschi Trucks Band – Revelator
Steve Cropper – Dedicated
Steve Miller Band – Let Your Hair Down

Five 2011 Records Andy & Kristian are playing into my collection

City and Colour – Little Hell
Big Talk – Big Talk
Gary Clark Jr. – Bright Lights EP
Dead Man Winter – Bright Lights
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – S/T

Top Ten Rock Catalog Discoveries of 2011

Laura Nyro – Smile
Laura Nyro – Nested
Big Star – #1 Record/Radio City
Atlanta Rhythm Section – Live at the Savoy
Marshall Tucker Band – Where We All Belong
Country Joe and the Fish – Electric Music for the Mind
Graham Nash – Songs for Beginners
Josh Rouse – Subtitulo
Electric Light Orchestra – Face the Music
Nick Drake – Bryter Layter

Top Ten Jazz/Blues/Soul Catalog Discoveries of 2011

Aretha Franklin – Aretha Now
The Meters – Rejuvenation
Wilson Pickett – Hey Jude
Lou Rawls – Soulin’
Buddy Guy/Junior Wells – Drinkin’ TNT, Smokin’ Dynamite
Luther Allison – Love Me Mama
Freddie Hubbard – Blue Spirits
Barbara Dane & Chambers Brothers – Smithsonian Archival Recordings
Jimmy Dawkins – Fast Fingers
Art Blakey – Mosaic

Happy New Year to you and your family.

Tags: From my collection.., It's all about the music, Record Store Geek, Record Store Geek recommends

This entry was posted on Sunday, December 25th, 2011 at 12:50 pm and is filed under Random Babbling of a Record Store Geek, The Music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.