1.Nothing's Gonna Change The Way that You Feel About Me – Justin Townes Earle – Just about perfect singer-songwriter malaise, a trip to nowhere and back in search of peace of mind.

2. The Idlers Wheel – Fiona Apple – Seven years later and she is better than she's ever been, great production, great songs, terrific voice. Amazing.

3.. What We Saw from the Cheapseats – Regina Spektor – Peaks so incredibly high that we can forgive the lack of a center.

4. R.A.P. Music – Killer Mike – This is gangsta if Malcolm X had turned to rap instead of politics.

5. Manifest – Friends – Hot beats, sexy voice, great songs.

6.. The Best Place – Best Coast – So dark you'll have to wear sunglasses.

7.. Blunderbuss – Jack White – A surprising return to form after years of thinking he was a performing flea.

8.. The OF Tapes Vol 2 – If this is a long way from perfect, it is still the most important hip hop album since Goblin.

9. Clear Heart Full Eyes – Craig Finn – He didn't nothing with it on stage, so let it stay on record.

10.  Some Nights – fun. – An impossibly impressive debut pop album which improves as it storms the charts.

11. God Love And Romance – Fred Hammond – If it had no sketches it would be # 1.

12. Ugly – Screaming Females – They improve with every recording

11. Voyageur – Kathleen Edwards – A terrific singer-songwriter writing very well. Even the production works.

13.  Dirty Bass – Far East Movements – Best dance pop album of the year!!

14. Love On A real Train – Love On A real Train – Ambience plus.

15. Ugly – Screaming Females – They improve with every recording.

16.. Beware And be Grateful – Maps And Atlases – Will they ever mix commercial and art this well again?

17. Overexposed – Maroon 5 – Album # 4 and they have emerged as a hit machine.

18.. Trespassing – Adam Lambert – Disco album # 1

19.  Joyful Noise – Gossip – Disco album # 2

21.. Magic Hour – Scissor Sisters – Disco album # 3

22..  MDNA -  Madonna – Disco album # 4

23. Open Your Heart – The Men -Punk album of the year

24. Go! Pop! Bang! – Rye Rye – And not just because it has the best and most accurate album name.

25.. + – Ed Sheeran – A hit in the UK and in the process of crossing over.

26.. The Absence – Melanie Gardot – Entirely lovely smooth jazz instant classic

28. . New Life – Monica – Atlanta  diva cuts back on the TV show, releases a great album

29.. Wrecking Ball – bruce Springsteen – His ego gets the better of him, but would we expect any less at this point?

30.. Rize Of The Fenix -  Tenacious D – Much better than it has any right to be

31.. OFF! – OFF! – The place where punk became hardcore the first time around

32. Born To Die – Lana Del Rey _ So she can't perform live, we still have the album

33.. Los Monsters – Elvis Crespo – More of the same

34.  Out Of The Game – Rufus Wainwright – yeah, it's a disappointment… it's still Rufus.

35.  WIXIW – Liars – Arty but awesome.

36.. Older Than My Old Man – Loudon Wainwright II – And younger than his son.

37. World, You Need A Change Of Mind – Kindness – Soul dipper plus tech

38. Eden's Edge – Eden Edge – This years Lady Antebellam meets Sugarland

39.. Blow Your Pants Off – Jimmy Fallon – Brings the funny

Comment: so a lot of individual achievements, the first four best of the year are solo artists. # 5 is a shocker, out of left field has blown me away. ANd if you double the amount of best albums we are at 80…  down a bit but the tracks should be larger. Why? Musicians are having trouble sustaining albums since they don't have to.