After reviewing and debating this year’s roster of awesome releases, we’re finally ready to share our absolute favorite songs of 2011. From Grammy nominees to relatively unknowns, this was a year that brought forth amazing tracks in everything from folk and blues to lo-fi and hip hop. While this collection of 50 songs isn’t an exhaustive list of everything we loved in 2011, it represents the music that we found truly striking — the music that will stick with us for years to come. Have fun with the list as you pick it apart, re-listen to your favorites, and discover the year in music according to us.
You can find this playlist on Spotify (click below), stream each track online by clicking the song title or use the free download links where available. Enjoy!
(click any track below to listen)
50. “S.O.S.” – The Blow feat. Richard Swift // Buy
49. “Teething” – J. Irvin Dally (pictured above) // Buy
48. “Abducted” - Cults // Buy
47. “The Words of the Revelator” – Bryan John Appleby // Buy
46. “Cold Feet” – Lost Lander // Free Download (Right-click, “download”)
45. “The Wait is Over” – We Barbarians // Buy
44. “Ten-Twenty-Ten” – Generationals // Buy
43. “Cayucas” – Oregon Bike Trail // Buy
42. “Benefits” – North Highlands // Buy
41. “Feral” – Radiohead // Buy
(click any track below to listen)
40. “Niggas in Paris” – Jay-Z & Kanye West // Buy
39. “Black Night” – The Dodos // Buy
38. “Book of James” – We Are Augustines // Buy
37. “Midnight City” - M83 // Buy
36. “Get Some” – Lykke Li // Buy
35. “Coeur d’Alene” - The Head and the Heart // Buy
34. “A Chore” – Tom Vek // Buy
33. “Somebody that I Used to Know” – Gotye feat. Kimbra (pictured above) // Buy
32. “How Can You Luv Me” – Unknown Mortal Orchestra // Buy
31. “World Around You” – Rubik // Buy
(click any track below to listen)
30. “Cruel” - St. Vincent // Buy
29. “Alex” – Girls // Buy
28. “Skeletons” – Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. // Buy
27. “No Love” – Hooray for Earth // Free Download (Right-click, “download”)
26. “Sister Wife” – Alex Winston (pictured above) // Buy
25. “The Wilhelm Scream” – James Blake // Buy
24. “Doubt” – Wye Oak // Buy
23. “17″ – Youth Lagoon // Buy
22. “Battery Kinzie” – Fleet Foxes // Buy
21. “Video Games” – Lana Del Rey // Buy
(click any track below to listen)
20. “How Come You Never Go There” – Feist // Buy
19. “Rose Mary Stretch” – Pepper Rabbit // Buy
18. “Three Car Garage” – You Won’t // Free Download (Right-click, “download”)
17. “Old Friend” – Caveman // Free Download (Right-click, “download”)
16. “East Harlem” – Beirut // Free Download (Right-click, “download”)
15. “Rolling in the Deep” – Adele // Buy
14. “Houdini” - Foster the People // Buy
13. “Gangsta” - tUnE-yArDs (pictured above) // Buy
12. “St. Peter’s Cathedral” – Death Cab for Cutie // Buy
11. “No Widows” - The Antlers // Buy
10. “The Stranger” – Lord Huron // Buy
9. “Bright Lights” – Gary Clark Jr. // Buy
8. “Helplessness Blues” – Fleet Foxes // Buy
7. “Portable Television” – Death Cab for Cutie // Buy
6. “Beggar in the Morning” – The Barr Brothers // Buy
5. “Honey Bunny” – Girls // Buy
4. “Minnesota, WI” – Bon Iver // Buy
3. “Don’t Stop” – The Dodos // Buy
2. “Putting the Dog to Sleep” – The Antlers // Buy
1. “Holocene” – Bon Iver // Buy