So yeah, THIS just dropped. First, the good: Hit Boy’s beat here is bananas, maybe one of his best productions to date. …And the bad: MEDIUM SEAN. Sean’s verse, which occupies the track’s leadoff slot is capital-A Atrocious. Like they couldn’t have put Pusha there? or 2 Chainz? OJ Da Juiceman? anyone? Get like b3sci and #fastforwardto1:52.
Kanye West, Jay-Z & Big Sean – Clique (Prod. Hit Boy)Kanye West 
(Official)
Rating 8.5
We got our ninjas in London and they goin’ gorillas. This shouldn’t be so awesome (seriously could another artist-title combo strike more fear of shittiness?) but Kay Kay absolutely slays this. Here’s Katy’s “Niggas in Paris” cover from today she cut on Radio 1’s live lounge. (DoML)
Katy Perry – Niggas in Paris (Jay-Z & Kanye West Cover)Katy Perry 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.7
Oh damn. Awww nawwww, that shit kray. Vancouver BC producer Louie XV puts a sound to the nascent “That shit kray” meme. The Kreayshawn part off the start’s a little “just alright” but when Jay and Ye drop into the track, you’re looking at full force banger territory. Awww naw. Tip Soul Culture UK
Louie XV 
(Soundcloud) (Twitter)
Rating 8.0
First off they need to not be actin like Otis Redding is a “featured” artist on this shit. Since when do niggas sample a dude n then call that shit a feature. Son aint even been alive for like 40 years b. Otis Redding is my dude tho…so dont get that shit twisted son. That bein said…this shit still goes nahmean. Folks been divided on this joint for a minute…but that aint stop the dozen hasbeen ass niggas who hopped on this shit from strugglin the fuck out on it (Im lookin at you DMX).
Contributed by Ghostface Killah
Watch the Throne (Official)
Rating 8.7
Watch the Throne. So we got a Bey feature, a Frank Ocean feature, and Mr. Hudson howling on top a Cassius sample. This shit is pretty major. Hit those play buttons.
Jay-Z & Kanye West – No Church in the Wild (Feat. Frank Ocean) Jay-Z & Kanye West – Lift Off (Feat. Beyonce) Jay-Z & Kanye West – Why I Love You (Feat. Mr. Hudson)Watch the Throne (Purchase)
Watch the Throne. Ye and Hov get a helping hand from Otis Redding on “Otis”, new from the dynamic duo’s upcoming LP. What more can I say we livin. No tags.
Jay-Z & Kanye West – OtisWatch the Throne (Purchase)
Rating 8.1
Alejandro Chal hooks up the Watch the Throne jam from earlier this year and doing right via all the right dub tinges and electro flourishes. Track follows.
Kanye West & Jay-Z – H.A.M. (Alejandro Chal Remix)Alejandro Chal: (Soundcloud)
Rating: 8.2
that nina simone piano flow, its like michelangelo painted a portrait of maya angelou. a murder’s row of ny mc’s flip one of kanye’s best beats.
Talib Kweli – Get By (Remix) (Feat. Mos Def, Jay-Z, Kanye West & Busta Rhymes)
2012. It was a year. We made it through the hurricane, we survived the apocalypse, we shined bright like diamonds, etc. As we toast 2012 and look forward to a major 2013, join the b3 crew in popping the cap on all our individual favorite songs and albums of the past year. See y’all in 2013!
B3SCI STAFF TOP 20 ALBUMS LISTS
Mike Clemenza
01. Alt-J – An Awesome Wave
02. Miguel – Kaleidoscope Dream
03. Jessie Ware – Devotion
04. Lana Del Rey – Born to Die
05. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
06. Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again
07. Keaton Henson – Sweetheart What Have You Done To Us
08. Two Door Cinema Club – Beacon
09. Usher – Looking 4 Myself
10. DIIV – Oshin
11. Tame Impala – Lonerism
12. The xx – Coexist
13. Tallest Man on Earth – There’s No Leaving Now
14. Spector – Enjoy It While It Lasts
15. The Vaccines – Come of Age
16. Ellie Goulding – Halcyon
17. Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light
18. Flying Lotus – Until the Quiet Comes
19. The Maccabees – Given to the Wild
20. Lucy Rose – Like I Used To
Troy Meyer
01. Miguel – Kaleidoscope Dream
02. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
03. Jessie Ware – Devotion
04. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
05. Tame Impala – Lonerism
06. Killer Mike – R.A.P. Music
07. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel
08. Spiritualized – Sweet Heart, Sweet Light
09. DIIV – Oshin
10. Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
11. Cloud Nothings – Attack On Memory
12. El-P – Cancer For Cure
13. Grizzly Bear – Shields
14. Chromatics – Kill For Love
15. Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas
16. How to Dress Well – Total Loss
17. John Talabot – fin
18. Actress – R.I.P.
19. Cat Power – Sun
20. Jeremih – Late Nights
Christopher Gedos
01. Bob Dylan – The Tempest
02. The Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan
03. Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again
04. Lianne La Havas – Is Your Love Big Enough?
05. Alt-J – An Awesome Wave
Bruce Rave
01. Django Django—Django Django
02. Muse—The 2nd Law
03. The Vaccines—Come Of Age
04. Jack White—Blunderbuss
05. Silversun Pickups—Neck Of the Woods
06. Howler—America Give Up
07. The Ravonettes—Observator
08. Hot Chip—In Our Heads
09. Madness—Oui Oui, Si Si, Ja Ja, Da Da
10. Metric—Synthetica
11. Passion Pit—Gossamer
12. The Walkmen—Heaven
13. The Hives—Lex Hives
14. Soft Swells—Soft Swells
15. Bloc Party—Four
16. Divine Fits—A Thing Called Divine Fits
17. Cloud Nothings—Attack on Memory
18. The Royalty—Lovers
19. Reel Big Fish—Candy Coated Fury
20. Father John Misty—Fear Fun
Erin Routson
01. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
02. Prinzhorn Dance School – Clay Class
03. Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel
04. 2 Chainz – Based On a T.R.U. Story
05. Ke$ha – Warrior
06. Freddie Gibbs – Baby Face Killa
07. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
08. Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light
09. Tanlines – Mixed Emotions
10. Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
11. The xx – Co-Exist
12. Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Psychedelic Pill
13. Tame impala – Lonerism
14. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
15. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
16. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
17. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
18. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
19. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
20. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
Jon Herriot
01. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
02. Of Monsters and Men – My Head Is an Animal
03. Mumford and Sons – Babel
04. The Shins – Port of Marrow
05. Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid M.A.A.D City
06. Rah Rah – The Poet’s Dead
07. Said The Whale – Little Mountain
08. Metric – Synthetica
09. The Lumineers – Submarines
10. Lana Del Rey – Born To Die
11. Passion Pit – Gossamer
12. John K Samson – Provincial
13. Bahamas – Barchords
14. Hoodie Allen – All American
15. Macklemore x Ryan Lewis – The Heist
16. Santigold – Master of My Make-Believe
17. Hannah Georgas – Hannah Georgas
18. Grimes – Visions
19. The xx – Coexist
20. Yukon Blonde – Tiger Talk
Nathan Hetherington
01 Alt-J: An Awesome Wave
02 NZCA/LINES: NZCA/LINES
03 Pond: Beard Wives Denim
04 Polica: Give You The Ghost
05 Andrew Bird: Break It Yourself
06 John Talabot: Fin
07 Django Django: Django Django
08 Tame Impala: Lonerism
09 Mac Demarco: 2
10 xxyyxx: xxyyxx
11 Melody’s Echo Chamber: Melody’s Echo Chamber
12 Lower Dens: Nootropics
13 Allah-las: Allah-las
14 Chairlift: Something
15 The Luyas: Animator
16 Yeasayer: Fragrant World
17 Negative Pegasus: Looming
18 Clock Opera: Ways To Forget
19 Daphni: JIAOLONG
20 Dark Dark Dark: Who Needs Who
Brian Litwin
01. Purity ring – Shrines
02. Kendrick Lamar – good kid m.A.A.d. City
03. The Lumineers – The Lumineers
04. Grimes – Visions
05. Alabama Shakes – Boys & Girls
06. Poolside – Pacific Central Time
07. Tame Impala – Lonerism
08. Bat For Lashes – The Haunted Man
09. Alt-J – An Awesome Wave
10. Death Grips – The Money Store
11. Passion Pit – Gossamer
12. Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan
13. Japandroids – Celebration Rock
14. Yeasayer -Fragant World
15. The M Machine – Metropolis Pt. 1
16. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – The Heist
17. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
18. The xx – Coexist
19. Jessie Ware – Devotion
20. Grizzly Bear – Shields
Russ Ramos
01. Ellie Goulding – Halcyon
02. Lana Del Rey – Born to Die Paradise Edition
03. Frank Ocean – Channel Orange
04. Kitten – Cut It Out
05. Jessie Ware – Devotion
06. Krewella – Play Hard
07. JMSN – Priscilla
08. Meg Myers – Daughter in the Choir
09. Grimes – Visions
10. Zedd – Clarity
11. Kimbra – Vows
12. Sleigh Bells – Reign of Terror
13. Fun. – Some Nights
14. Gotye – Making Mirrors
15. Best Coast – The Only Place
16. Calvin Harris – 18 Months
17. Frank + Derol – Frank + Derol
18. Imagine Dragons – Night Visions
19. Skrillex – Bangarang
20. Alexander Spit – A Breathtaking Trip
B3SCI STAFF TOP 20 SONGS LISTS
Mike Clemenza
01. Yuna – Live Your Life
02. Frank Ocean – Thinking Bout You
03. Big Sean – Clique (Feat. Kanye West & Jay-Z)
04. Tom Odell – Another Love
05. The xx – Angels
06. Muse – Madness
07. Madeon – The City (Feat. Zak Waters)
08. Trails and Ways – Nunca
09. Carly Rae Jepson – Call Me Maybe
10. Rhye – The Fall
11. Schoolboy Q – Hands On The Wheel (Feat. A$ap Rocky)
12. Electric Guest – This Head I Hold
13. The Neighbourhood – Sweater Song
14. The 1975 – You
15. Everything Everything – Cough Cough
16. Jessie Ware – Running
17. Dan Croll – From Nowhere
18. Purity Ring – Odebear
19. Blondfire – Where The Kids Are
20. Chris Malinchak – So Good To Me
Troy Meyer
01. Usher – Climax
02. Frank Ocean – Pyramids
03. Jessie Ware – Running
04. Kanye West – Clique (Feat. Jay-Z & Big Sean)
05. Jai Paul – Jasmine
06. Solange Knowles – Losing You
07. Miguel – Adorn
08. Kendrick Lamar – Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe (Feat. Lady Gaga)
09. Lana Del Rey – Ride
10. Rihanna – Diamonds
11. Yuna – Live Your Life
12. Ke$ha – Die Young
13. Purity Ring – Obedear
14. Rhye – The Fall
15. The xx – Sunset
16. Meek Mill – Amen (Feat. Drake)
17. The Neighbourhood – Sweater Weather
18. Nicki Minaj – Beez in the Trap (Feat. 2 Chainz)
19. Peace – Follow Baby
20. Father John Misty – Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings
Bruce Rave
01. Foxy Shazam—I like It
02. Django Django—Default
03. Gold Fields—Moves
04. The Vaccines—Teenage Icon
05. Passion Pit—Take A Walk
06. Fun—Be Calm
07. The Presets—Ghosts
08. The Vaccines—Bad Mood
09. Tilly and the Wall—Heavy Mood
10. Diamond Rings—I’m Just Me
11. Bloc Party—Octapus
12. Battle Tapes—Sweatshop Boys
13. Dirty Projectors—Gun Has No Trigger
14. Beach House—On the Sea
15. Citizens!–True Romance
16. Crocodiles—Endless Flowers
17. The Walkmen—We Can’t Be Beat
18. Citizens!–(I’m In Love With Your) Girlfriend
19. Father John Misty—Nancy From Now On
20. Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros—Dear Believer
Trevor Meyer
1. Peace – California Daze
2. Gabriel Bruce – Sleep Paralysis
3. George Barnett – Lone Rose
4. Kendrick Lamar – Enjoy
5. Saint Motel – 1997
6. Big Boi – Lines
7. The Record Company – This Crooked City
8. Natural Child – Derek’s Blues
9. The #1s – He’s Too Good For Everyone Else, But He’s Not Good Enough For You
10. Fast Years – Young Hearts
11. Porcelain Raft – Something In Between
12. Tayyib Ali – I Ain’t Scared
13. Sam Sparro – Happiness
14. Wild Nothing – Only Heather
15. Triptides- Bright Sky
16. Azealia Banks – Fuck Up The Fun
17. Tame Impala – Mind Mischief
18. Mike Higbee – The Waltz of Dead Love
19. Go Back To The Zoo – Weekend America
20. Dan Croll – From Nowhere
Erin Routson
01. Solange – Losing You
02. A$AP Rocky – Fuckin’ Problems (Feat. 2 Chainz, Drake & Kendrick Lamar)
03. Meek Mill – Amen (Feat. Drake)
04. Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
05. Kitty Pryde – Okay Cupid
06. HAIM – Hold Me
07. YN Rich Kids – Hot Cheetos & Takis
08. Pac Div – Cross Trainers
09. Chief Keef – I Don’t Like
10. Santigold – Disparate Youth
11. MIA – Bad Girls
12. Fun – Some Nights
13. Kindness – Swingin’ Party
14. Big Boi – Higher Res (Feat. Little Dragon and Jai Paul)
15. Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
16. Blur – Under the Westway
17. Danny Brown – Grown Up
18. The Hood Internet – These Things Are Nice
19. Kanye West – Clique (Feat. Jay-Z and Big Sean)
20. Sinkane – Runnin
Jon Herriot
01. Santigold – Disparate Youth
02. Frank Ocean – Pyramids
03. Capital Cities – Kangaroo Court
04. The Royal Concept – D-D-Dance
05. Passion Pit – Carried Away
06. The Shins – Simple Song
07. Of Monsters and Men – Little Talks
08. The Tallest Man on Earth – 1904
09. The Lumineers – Ho Hey
10. Everything Everything – Kemosabe
11. RAC – Hollywood (Feat. Penguin Prison)
12. Azealia Banks – 212
13. Joey Bada$$ – Survival Tactics
14. Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools (Drank)
15. Rah Rah – Prairie Girl
16. Calvin Harris – Sweet Nothing (Feat. Florence Welch)
17. Grimes – Oblivion
18. Wiz Khalifa – Remember You (Feat. The Weeknd)
19. Carousel – Where Have You Gone?
20. Alabama Shakes – Hold On
Erin Feathers
01. Yuna – Lve Your Life
02. Usher – Climax
03. The Lumineers – Ho Hey
04. Jai Paul – Jasmine
05. Grimes – Oblivion
06. Miguel- Adorn
07. Alabama Shakes – Hold On
08. Alt-J – Breezeblocks
09. Kendrick Lamar- Swimming Pools (Drank)
10. Frank Ocean – Pyramids
11. Big Boi – Lines (Feat. A$AP Rocky & Phantogram)
12. Death Grips – The Fever (Aye Aye)
13. Tame Impala – Elephant
14. Schoolboy Q – There He Go
15. PS I Love You – Sentimental Dishes
16. Purity Ring – Obedear
17. RZA – Baddest Man Alive (Feat. The Black Keys)
18. Beach House – Myth
19. The Artic Monkeys – RU Mine
20. Spiritualized – Hey Jane
Nathan Hetherington
01 Grizzly Bear: Yet Again
02 Everything Everything: Cough Cough
03 Purity Ring: Obedear
04 Four Tet: Lion (Jamie xx Remix)
05 Major Lazer: Get Free (Feat. Amber Coffman)
06 Savages: Husbands
07 Bat For Lashes: Laura
08 Jacques Greene, Koreless: Arrow
09 Liars: No. 1 Against The Rush
10 Odd Future: Oldie
11 The 1975: You
12 Daughter: Medicine
13 Porcelain Raft: Is It Too Deep For You
14 Nicolas Jaar: And I Say (With Just One Glance) (Feat. Scout LaRue and Will Epstein)
15 The xx: Angels
16 Splashh: Vacation
17 Foxygen: Shuggie
18 El-P: $Vic/FTL (Me And You)
19 Fear of Men: Green Sea
20 Egyptian Hip Hop: Yoro Diallo
Brian Litwin
01 – Frank Ocean – Pyramids
02 – Alt-J – Fitzpleasure
03 – Grimes – Oblivion
04 – Dirty Projectors – About To Die
05 – Bat For Lashes – Laura
06 – Purity Ring – Fineshrine
07 – Japandroids – The House That Heaven Built
08 – Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pool (Drank)
09 – Alabama Shakes – Hold On
10 – Disclosure – Latch (Feat. Sam Smith)
11 – Santigold – Disparate Youth
12 – Death Grips – Get Got
13 – Yeasayer – Longevity
14 – AlunaGeorge – Your Drums, Your Love
15 – Tame Impala – Elephant
16 – The xx – Angels
17 – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Thrift Shop (Feat. Wanz)
18 – Chris Malinchak – So Good To Me
19 – HAIM – Send Me Down
20 – The Soft Pack – Bobby Brown
Russ Ramos
01. Ellie Goulding – Don’t Say a Word
02. Lana Del Rey – Gods & Monsters
03. Frank Ocean – Pink Matter (Feat. Andre 3000)
04. Kitten – G#
05. Jessie Ware – Night Light
06. Krewella – Alive
07. JMSN – Love & Pain
08. Meg Myers – Curbstomp
09. Shlohmo – Changes (Shlomo Remix)
10. Santigold – Disparate Youth
11. Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools (Drank)
12. Zedd – Clarity (Aylen Remix)
13. Flinch Light It Up (Feat. Heather Bright)
14. Yuna – Lullabies (Adventure Club Remix)
15. Alexander Spit – B.N.E. (Feat. C.B.G.)
16. Knife Party – Fire Hive (Krewella Remix)
17. Kavinsky – Nightcall
18. Iggy Azaelea – My World
19. The Weeknd – Gone
20. Nero – Must Be The Feeling (Delta Heavy Remix)
50. Mikky Ekko – Pull Me Down
49. Blondfire – Where the Kids Are
48. Gap Dream – Generator
47. The 1975 – You
46. Fun. – Some Nights
45. Bat For Lashes – Laura
44. Nicki Minaj – Beez in the Trap (Feat. 2 Chainz)
43. Meek Mill – Amen (Feat. Drake)
42. Electric Guest – This Head I Hold
41. Alt-J – Fitzpleasure
40. Twin Shadow – Five Seconds
39. Disclosure – Latch (Feat. Sam Smith)
38. Dan Croll – From Nowhere
37. Santigold – Disparate Youth
36. Muse – Madness
35. Everything Everything – Kemosabe
34. Alabama Shakes – Hold On
33. Ke$ha – Die Young
32. Polica – Lay Your Cards Out (Feat. Mike Noyce)
31. Daughter – Smother
30. The Tallest Man On Earth – 1904
29. Gold Fields – Dark Again
28. Kindness – House
27. Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
26. Grimes – Oblivion
25. Fiona Apple – Every Single Night
24. Ellie Goulding – Anything Could Happen
23. Tom Odell – Another Love
22. The Neighbourhood – Sweater Weather
21. Trails and Ways – Nunca
20. Chris Malinchak – So Good To Me
19. Rhye – The Fall
18. Grizzly Bear – Yet Again
17. Lana Del Rey – Ride
16. Schoolboy Q – Hands On The Wheel (Feat. A$AP Rocky)
15. Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
14. Solange Knowles – Losing You
13. Calvin Harris – Sweet Nothing (Feat. Florence Welch)
12. Madeon – The City (Feat. Zak Waters)
11. Rihanna – Diamonds
10. Jessie Ware – Running
09. The xx – Angels
08. Miguel – Adorn
07. Kanye West – Clique (Feat. Jay-Z & Big Sean)
06. Jai Paul – Jasmine
05. Purity Ring – Obedear
04. Kendrick Lamar – The Recipe (Feat. Dr. Dre)
03. Yuna – Live Your Life
02. Frank Ocean – Pyramids
01. Usher – Climax
Although we’ve come to the end of the road, still Adele we can’t let you go. We’ve reached 2011’s closing hour and now it is time: b3sci presents it’s Top 50 Albums of 2011. No one’s even come close to having the year Adele’s had. The most albums sold in a single year since 2004, two of the biggest singles of the year, etc, a truly international breakthrough both commercially and critically on a level we haven’t seen in a long time. Adele, our girl, the crown is yours. 21 is b3sci’s Album of the year.
So where the fuck is Adele on many of these respected-indie-press-dude best of lists? That period between Nov 2010 when “Rolling in the Deep” first broke and the lead up to the album’s release in late January, Adele ruled the blogosphere, the fold was united. Then “RITD” got overplayed to the point of absurdity, your mom bought the record, probably your grandma bought it too; those bros that listen to Foo Fighters and Deadmau5 started bumping “Someone Like You” out their trunk. Soon, the “wrong people” liked 21 and Adele’s brief moment atop the indiesphere was over. Right.
Thanks for reading this year, y’all. We’ve got some big plans for 2012. Stay tuned. Much love.
01. Adele – 21 (Buy It) (Read)
02. The Weeknd – House of Balloons (Buy It) (Read)
03. Drake – Take Care (Buy It) (Read)
04. James Blake – James Blake (Buy It) (Read)
05. Kendrick Lamar – Section.80 (Buy It) (Read)
06. Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx – We’re New Here (Buy It) (Read)
07. WU LYF – Go Tell Fire on the Mountain (Buy It) (Read)
08. Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne (Buy It) (Read)
09. The Horrors – Skying (Buy It) (Read)
10. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming (Buy It) (Read)
11. Wye Oak – Civilian (Buy It) (Read)
12. Girls – Father Son, Holy Ghost (Buy It) (Read)
13. Real Estate – Days (Buy It) (Read)
14. A$AP Rocky – Live Love A$AP (Buy It) (Read)
15. Sepalcure – Sepalcure (Buy It) (Read)
16. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake (Buy It) (Read)
17. The War on Drugs – Slave Ambient (Buy It) (Read)
18. Charles Bradley – No Time For Dreaming (Buy It) (Read)
19. Metronomy – The English Riviera (Buy It) (Read)
20. SBTRKT – SBTRKT (Buy It) (Read)
21. Oneohtrix Point Never – Replica (Buy It) (Read)
22. The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From the Vaccines (Buy It) (Read)
23. Destroyer – Kaputt (Buy It) (Read)
24. The Antlers – Burst Apart (Buy It) (Read)
25. tUnE-yArDs – w h o k i l l (Buy It) (Read)
26. Beyonce – 4 (Buy It) (Read)
27. Wild Flag – Wild Flag (Buy It) (Read)
28. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds (Buy It) (Read)
29. Big K.R.I.T. – Return of 4eva (Buy It) (Read)
30. Clams Casino – Instrumentals (Buy It) (Read)
31. Gillian Welch – The Harrow and the Harvest (Buy It) (Read)
32. Low Roar – Low Roar (Buy It) (Read)
33. AraabMUZIK – Electronic Dream (Buy It) (Read)
34. Active Child – You Are All I See (Buy It) (Read)
35. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues (Buy It) (Read)
36. Raphael Saadiq – Stone Rollin’ (Buy It) (Read)
37. Cults – Cults (Buy It) (Read)
38. Radiohead – The King of Limbs (Buy It) (Read)
39. Florence + The Machine – Ceremonials (Buy It) (Read)
40. Alex Clare – The Lateness of the Hour (Buy It) (Read)
41. Nicolas Jaar – Space Is Only Noise (Buy It) (Read)
42. Jhene Aiko – Sailing Soul(s) (Buy It) (Read)
43. The Stepkids – The Stepkids (Buy It) (Read)
44. Freddie Gibbs – Cold Day in Hell (Buy It) (Read)
45. Gardens & Villa – Gardens & Villa (Buy It) (Read)
46. Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know (Buy It) (Read)
47. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo (Buy It) (Read)
48. Foster the People – Torches (Buy It) (Read)
49. Explosions in the Sky – Take Care, Take Care, Take Care (Buy It) (Read)
2011. What wasn’t to love? The rise of weirdo R&B, the fall of chillwave, the end of R.E.M. We started the construction of this list over a month ago. One truly epic and extensive Google spreadsheet later, we arrived at this Top 50. We sorted and sorted and sorted, listened through a TON OF STUFF, “traded jabs” on whether James Blake or Jamie Woon put on the tougher persona, etc. Thanks for reading and we hope y’all enjoy the list!
01. James Blake – The Wilhelm Scream (Buy It) (Read)
02. The Weeknd – The Morning (Buy It) (Read)
03. Lana Del Rey – Video Games (Buy It) (Read)
04. Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know (Feat. Kimbra) (Buy It) (Read)
05. Britney Spears – ‘Till the World Ends (Buy It) (Read)
06. Maverick Sabre – I Need (Buy It) (Read)
07. Drake – Marvin’s Room (Buy It) (Read)
08. Beyonce – Party (Feat. Kanye West & Andre 3000) (Buy It) (Read)
09. Jamie Woon – Lady Luck (Buy It) (Read)
10. Michael Kiwanuka – I Need You By My Side (Buy It) (Read)
11. Kendrick Lamar – ADHD (Buy It) (Read)
12. The Alabama Shakes (formerly The Shakes) – I Found You (Buy It) (Read)
13. Nneka – My Home (Buy It) (Read)
14. Rihanna – We Found Love (Feat. Calvin Harris) (Buy It) (Read)
15. DJ Khaled – I’m On One (Feat. Drake, Rick Ross & Lil’ Wayne) (Buy It) (Read)
16. Adele – Rumour Has It (Buy It) (Read)
17. Labrinth – Earthquake (Feat. Tinie Tempah) (Buy It) (Read)
18. Jay-Z & Kanye West – Otis (Buy It) (Read)
19. Flo Rida – Good Feeling (Buy It) (Read)
20. Bon Iver – Towers (Buy It) (Read)
21. Azealia Banks – 212 (Buy It) (Read)
22. Big Black Delta – Huggin’ & Kissin’ (Buy It) (Read)
23. Florence + The Machine – What the Water Gave Me (Buy It) (Read)
24. Flight Facilities – Foreign Language (Feat. Jess) (Buy It) (Read)
25. Cults – Abducted (Buy It) (Read)
26. Raphael Saadiq – Good Man (Buy It) (Read)
27. Spector – Never Fade Away (Buy It) (Read)
28. Marina & the Diamonds – Radioactive (Buy It) (Read)
29. Afrojack – Lionheart (Buy It) (Read)
30. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – If I Had a Gun… (Buy It) (Read)
31. Active Child – Playing House (Feat. How to Dress Well) (Buy It) (Read)
32. M83 – Midnight City (Buy It) (Read)
33. Radiohead – Lotus Flower (Buy It) (Read)
34. Madlib & Freddie Gibbs – Thuggin’ (Buy It) (Read)
35. The Rapture – How Deep Is Your Love (Buy It) (Read)
36. NO CEREMONY/// – Hurtlove (Buy It) (Read)
37. Ifan Dafydd – No Good (Buy It) (Read)
38. Bombay Bicycle Club – Shuffle (Buy It) (Read)
39. TOKiMONSTA – Little Pleasures (Feat. Gavin Turek) (Buy It) (Read)
40. Colleen Green – Cujo (Buy It) (Read)
41. Foxes – Youth (Buy It) (Read)
42. Jacques Greene – Another Girl (Buy It) (Read)
43. Grouplove – Gold Coast (Buy It) (Read)
44. Family of the Year – St. Croix (Buy It) (Read)
45. Lucy Rose – Middle of the Bed (Buy It) (Read)
46. LIPS – Everything to Me (Buy It) (Read)
47. Trophy Wife – Wolf (Buy It) (Read)
48. Dev – In the Dark (Buy It) (Read)
