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The end of the 2010s is strange – it doesn’t feel like an event – as was the case in 1979, ’89 and ’99 (’09 was similar). Overall, I think it a very weak era for popular music. Starting 2010, CD was on it’s last legs – principally down to downloading (iTunes), the vinyl “revolution” was only starting, and, with the great recession, surround sound died a silent death in favor of soundbars. SACD and DVDA were, and remain, niche markets. Streaming, pioneered really by Rhapsody, but mainstreamed by Spotify, eventually, and I believe permanently, became the de-facto way to consume music. Bands became poor and the “Hit Factory” dominated the popular charts. The result has been – meh! In fact, I have plotted a year on year deterioration in the quality (not the quantity) of music since 2000 – and the second decade has been noticeable for it lack of ideas – either novel or retro. I believe that, if all of the popular music from the 2010s was suddenly deleted or forgotten – nobody would really notice. Or care. 2018 was a complete stinker of a year (2012 wasn’t much better).

Anyway – these are the albums from the 2010s that I continue to enjoy – I’m sure I’ve forgotten a few, and will update at a later stage (to make up an even 100). My favorite favorites – for reasons I cannot explain – are highlighted in red:

John Grant – Queen of Denmark (2010)

These New Puritans – Hidden (2010)

Spoon – Transference (2010)

Foals – Total Life Forever (2010)

Blitzen Trapper – Destroyer of the Void (2010)

Wolf People – Steeple (2010)

Field Music – Measure (2010)

The National – High Violet (2010)

Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness  Rock Record (2010)

Kanye West – My Beautiful Twisted (2010)

Tame Impala – Innerspeaker (2011)

The Black Keys – EL Camino (2011)

The Dears – Degeneration Street (2011)

Jonathan Jeremiah- A Solitary Man (2011)

Singing Adams – Everything (2011)

The Dears – Degeneration Street (2011)

Alexander – Alexander (2011)

Decemberists- The King is Dead (2011)

Jonathan Wilson – Gentle Sprit (2011)

Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other (2011)

Bon Iver – Bon Iver (2011)

The Vaccines – What Do You Expect from the Vaccines?    (2011)

Lana Del Ray – Born to Die (2012)

Howlin’ Rain – Russian Wilds (2012)

Alt-J – An Awesome Wave (2012)

Dr John – Locked Up (2012)

Mark Lanegan – Blues Funeral (2012)

Kacey Musgraves – Same Trailer Different Park (2013)

Ron Sexsmith – Forever Endeavor (2013)

Roy Harper – Man & Myth (2013)

Low – The Invisible Way (2013)

Devandra Banhart – Mala (2013)

Jonathan Wilson – Fanfare (2013)

I am Kloot – Let ‘em all in (2013)

Palma Violets – 180 (2013)

Steve Mason – Monkey Minds in the Devil’s Time (2013)

Caitlin Rose – The Stand In (2013)

Arctic Monkeys – AM (2013)

Jason Isbell – Southwestern (2013)

Steven Wilson   The Raven that refused to sing…..(2013)

Matthew E White – Big Inner (2013)

Angel Olsen – Burn your fire for no witness (2014)

Temples – Sun Structures (2014)

U2 – Songs of Innocence (2014)

Flying Lotus – You’re Dead (2014)

Mogwai – Rave Tapes (2014)

Roddy Frame – Seven Dials (2014)

Drive By Truckers – English Oceans (2014)

The Felice Brothers – Favorite Waitress   (2014)

Sturgill Simpson – Metamodern Sounds of Modern Country (2014)

Hiss Golden Messenger  – Lateness of Dancers (2014)

Grimes – Art Angels (2015)

Father John Misty – I Love You Honeybear (2015)

Joe Jackson – Fast Forward (2015)

Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)

Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I sit and Think (2015)

Gretchen Peters – Blackbird (2015)

Jamie XX – In Colour (2015)

Wolf Alice – My Love is Cool (2015)

D’Angelo – Black Messiah (2015)

Riley Walker – Primrose Green (2015)

Margo Price – Midwest Farmer’s Daughter (2016)

Michael Kiwanula – Love and Hate (2016)

Case, Lange, Viers – Case, Lange, Viers (2016)

Suede – Night Thoughts (2016)

Applewood Road – Applewood Road (2016)

Leonard Cohen – You Want it Darker (2016)

Sturgil Simpson – a Sailor’s Guide to Earth (2016)

Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool (2016)

Cass McCombs – Mangy Love (2016)

Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression (2016)

John Bramwell – Leave Alone The Empty Spaces (2017)

Molly Burch – Please Be Mine (2017)

Jesca Hoop – Memories Are Now (2017)

LCD Soundsystem – American Dream (2017)

Beck – Colors (2017)

Wolf Alice – Visions Of A Life (2017)

The War On Drugs – A Deeper Understanding (2017)

Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit – The Nashville Sound (2017)

Japandroids – Near To The Wild Heart Of Life (2017)

Iron & Wine – Beast Epic (2017)

Villagers ‎– The Art Of Pretending To Swim (2018)

Bodega – Endless Scroll (2018)

Parquet Courts – Wide Awake (2018)

Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell (2019)

Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising (2019)

David Crosby, Becca Stevens, Michelle Willis, Michael League – Here If You Listen (2019)

Jesca Hoop – Stonechild (2019)

Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka (2019)

Fontaines DC – Dogrel (2019)

Angel Olson – All Mirrors (2019)

Leonard Cohen – Thanks for the Dance (2019)

~ by Pat Neligan on December 19, 2019.

Posted in Albums of the Year, Current Listening
Tags: Albums of the 2010s