Hard to believe 2011 was ten years ago. The music industry is always in a state of change and experimentation. One could argue that it’s oversaturated. It’s easy for gems to get lost in the shuffle, forever sitting in the back catalogues of Spotify or that drawer filled with CDs one barely touches anymore. This article is dedicated on reflecting and celebrating both the popular and underrated albums that came and went ten years ago. (If there’s an album that you liked that didn’t make the list, I apologize but there’s only so many albums one can listen to in a two week period.)
Endgame (Rise Against)
Unlike a lot of the artists on this list, Rise Against was already a veteran band by 2011. Endgame marked their sixth album and it’s still my personal favorite by them. All three singles hit the Billboard charts and the album was an overall critical and commercial success. While I can still recall the perfect blend of mainstream rock and hardcore punk, it’s the lyrics that I remember most. It’s a politically charged album that definitely doesn’t hold back any criticisms about the state of America and its possible future. Above all else, it’s great head banger music.
Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 (Beastie Boys)
Beastie Boys have a long legacy. After a thirty year run and eight albums, Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 marked their swan song, and boy is it a good one. What I love about this album is its unpredictability. Each song feels distinct, experimental, and completely confident in themselves. Hot Sauce Committee was meant to be a two part album, but due to Adam Yauch passing away from cancer, this was the only collection released, and Beastie Boys would disband. If you’re looking for some unorthodox rap and hip hop, look no further. It truly feels like they knew the end was coming and placed every bit of their hearts into this.
Veronica Falls
Where 2011 marked the end of industry giants like Beastie Boys, it was more humble beginnings for others. Veronica Falls is an English band from London who made their debut album that year. The eponymous album is indie-pop and has a relaxed but emotionally charged energy. There’s a lot of imagery using ghosts, graveyards, and suicide, however, its tone never becomes as depressing as some of its subject matter. If Of Monsters and Men had a more mellow and cynical edge to them, then they’d be Veronica Falls. A high recommend if you’re into indie music.
Until We Have Faces (Red)
The early sound of Red can be described as a more Christian-themed version of Linkin Park. Their alternative post-grunge sound has made them a distinct player in the Christian rock ecosystem for almost twenty years now. Until We Have Faces was one of my favorite albums as a teenager because it catered to the overly dramatic teen angst I relished in. Jokes aside, Until We Have Faces is a depressing album about facing one’s dark side and inner demons. The first half is a hopeless journey through the emptiness of a lost soul. The back half is a touching but slow burn redemption story filled with healing and faith. Red has released four albums since 2011 but it’s my opinion that Faces remains near the top of the hill of their best work.
Section.80 (Kendrick Lamar)
Kendrick Lamar has been a household name for a decade now, but all that began here in his debut album, Section.80. He left a strong first impression with an album that explores its own sound as much as the artist is exploring his own thoughts and beliefs. I’ve always been selective of what rap I listen to, but Lamar impressed me. It’s an emotionally and politically charged track list, exploring themes of race while still taking jabs at previous president administrations. There’s a lot to like here and it was fun to listen to a younger Lamar find his footing in a talent that hadn’t been fully realized yet.
Archangel (Two Steps From Hell)
There’s a big change you have not heard of Two Steps from Hell, as their music is a little more esoteric. They’re a music production company who have focused in creating music for trailers. Being a fan of Two Steps since this album’s release, I felt it appropriate to include them. Though you haven’t heard of them by name, there’s a high chance you’ve heard their music in various movie or sporting event trailers. Their music has been used by, but not limited to, Harry Potter, Interstellar, Twilight, Pirates of the Caribbean, and X-Men. Archangel was released ten years ago now, and it has this high fantasy/adventure tone that future albums haven’t captured. Setting that aside, it’s hard not get the blood pumping when listening to their music. There’s a true larger than life symphony at play here, and each song tells its own story, one that’s left to the imagination of the listener. If you’re looking for new work out music, Two Steps from Hell is the perfect choice.
Born This Way (Lady Gaga)
Lady Gaga was already on the rise, but it was Born This Way that propelled her to true stardom. Her synth-pop style was a unique sound for 2011 and it’s an understatement to say she stood out from the crowd in a large sea of pop and dance music. The album was one of the most successful of the year, breaking into the top five of every chart worldwide, and garnering multiple accolade nominations. The album itself feels as operatic and larger-than-life as the cultural impact it had. Some of her most famous songs, like Bad Romance, came straight from this track list, and it remains her most famous album to date.
Watch The Throne (Kanye West and Jay-Z)
This one is unique as it’s a collaborative album by Kanye West and Jay-Z. It’s hard to capture the success of this album in a short overview, but the album went quintuple platinum as of November 2020, which is a huge and rare accomplishment. It was easily one of the most successful albums of 2011 and garnered huge acclaim, awards, and even broke iTunes records. Though Jay-Z and Kanye West have had their own successes and iconic works (and famously big egos), the two of them work well together, and their braggadocio styles have a nice marriage here. Their music has never been for me but I enjoyed the creativity and talent that shines in these tracks.
I’m With You (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
This album was a long time coming. Red Hot Chili Peppers hadn’t released an album since 2006 so the anticipation was certainly palpable among the core fanbase. I’m With You was their tenth album, debuting at number one in multiple countries, and garnered a Best Rock Album nomination by the Grammys. As someone who has only listened to their music from 2002 onward, it is perfectly consistent with their usual sound and tone. While I think their best work came out of Stadium Arcadium and By The Way, there’s a lot to like here and definitely works as excellent road trip music. The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie is a particularly excellent song.
Gloss Drop (Battles)
This’ll no doubt be the weirdest album on here. Battles is an experimental rock band who released their second album in 2011 titled Gloss Drop. Though the album is much more esoteric by nature and didn’t receive any mainstream attention, it still made it onto many best of the year lists. It’s hard to describe the nature of their sound but it is a cartoonish, bubble gum popping, and absurdly fun listen if you’re willing to meet the tracks on their own terms. I highly recommend the song, Ice Cream, if nothing else.
Kaputt (Destroyer)
Destroyer is a band you’ve probably never heard of, but they’ve been around for twenty-six years now. Though they’re technically a rock band, they’re highly experimental, and each album has its own unique sound, mood and feel. “Start from scratch every time,” is the motto of the band. Kaputt is inherently throwback in nature, calling on many of the sounds of the 1980s pop. The album feels mellow and nearly every song has a saxophone helping to shape the personality of the song. I personally found it therapeutic and enjoyed it as night time driving music. It received high praise upon released and was wildly regarded as one of the year’s best by many critics. The music website Pitchfork listed Chinatown as one of the best songs of the 2010s. Kaputt is the perfect tone setter if you’re in the mood for something restful and tranquil.
Wasting Light (Foo Fighters)
Foo Fighters is a band who needs no introduction. Wasting Light marked their seventh album and would go on to win four Grammys, including Best Rock Album, beating out others like Red Hot Chili Peppers. The sound is certainly heavier than past albums, which was a deliberate decision made by the members, stating that they want to focus on the “rock” part of Rock n’ Roll (especially after their previous album was much more musical in nature). Wasting Light has that in spades, delivering more than plenty of guitar rifts to head bang to, and making the overall performance have a large wallop to it. Perhaps the most famous aspect to come out of this album was that Foo Fighters brought in former guitarist and founding member of Nirvana to guest star in some of the songs.
Glass Swords (Rustie)
Glass Swords was the debut album of Scottish producer Russell Whyte using the alias Rustie. Many critics have had a hard time pinpointing what type of music Glass Swords qualified under, but electronic music is certainly the most appropriate. The debut received critical acclaim and many high profile trades like The Wire and The Guardian listed it as one of the best albums of 2011. The album has nearly no lyrics at all, but its smooth, glistening synthesizer and upbeat sound is joyful to listen to. Glass Swords is a great album to have playing when a sullen day needs a little sunshine.
Strange Mercy (St. Vincent)
Strange Mercy debuted at number 19 on the Billboard 200, making it St. Vincent’s most successful album at the time. There’s a certain uneasiness in listening to the album; its distorted guitar and depressing lyrics make for a strange but cathartic walkthrough someone’s gloomy life. The album has much to say on relationships, societal pressures, and depression, but much of it is mysterious in nature and the aggressive sound and instruments resonated more for me than the lyrics (except for the song Champagne Year…the lyrics kind of haunted me).
Let England Shake (PJ Harvey)
Another album you probably haven’t heard of but was no doubt a commercial and critical success. Over 16 publications named this Album of the Year and even won the Mercury Prize (which is an award to the best music released in the UK). Let England Shake is an album that covers the topic of what England went through during and after World War I. It’s a disturbing but sharply focused track list that is dripping with politically charged and violent lyrics about the gruesome experiences of war. Topically it reminds me much of what Pink Floyd’s The Wall was trying to say about the state of England post-WW2. As an American I didn’t obviously gravitate emotionally to what was being said, but I was still captivated by PJ’s voice and the harsh music.
Thank You, Happy Birthday (Cage The Elephant)
Tell Me I’m Pretty is one of my favorite albums of the 2010s, period. But over four years before that masterpiece came out, Cage the Elephant released Thank You, Happy Birthday. This 2011 album was much more energetic, loud, and juvenile experience. It’s garage sounding percussions definitely make for a nostalgic joyride harkening back to the early days of artists like Arctic Monkeys. Though this was their sophomore album, you can tell the band members were still exploring and finding their footing. The unfortunate side is that this was probably their most unmemorable album as it doesn’t have much of the iconic retro-rock sounds they would become known for. But overall, this was a fun walk down memory lane to see a version of the band before they found their groove.
Lasers (Lupe Fiasco)
The song The Show Goes On has certainly taken on a life of its own since the debut of Lasers; it’s easily the best song on the album. I’m not much of a Lupe Fiasco listener but I remember this album making a pretty big splash back in 2011, at least within my social circles. The lyrics are nothing impressive, personally. However many of the R&B/dance inspired sounds make up for much of the lazy song writing. Fiasco’s passion for the music definitely shines through and the excitement kept me engaged with much of the album. Overall, it’s a passable listen.
Future History (Jason Derulo)
I was a big fan of Jason Derulo’s debut album back in 2010, and I was surprised to see him turn out a whole other track list within one year. In many ways, Future History is a time capsule of what was popular with the pop/dance genre in the early 2010s. The artist yelling his name at the beginning of the album? Check. Auto-tune? Check. Samples of disco? Check. A sample of an 80s song (In this case Toto by Africa)? Check. One thing that never fails is how Jason Derulo is always able to get me to dance and that’s always a big positive in my book.
Talk That Talk (Rihanna)
Rihanna was everywhere. There was a point where she had a new album every year across a four or five year stretch, constantly dominating the Top 100. Talk That Talk didn’t slow down the momentum, and several strong songs like We Found Love and Where Have You Been have taken on lives of their own. The album gained some controversy for being her “most explicit” album yet, though regular listeners won’t find anything particularly new; Rihanna has always been amorous in the lyric department. Though her little Johnny Cash homage was easily the highlight for me.
4 (Beyoncé)
Beyoncé’s fourth album cheekily titled 4 was the first one in her career not to have any singles hit number one in the United States. Despite that, it was another runaway success for her. Funny enough, the album is home to both my all time favorite song by her, as well as one of my least favorite. Love On Top gets me singing every time I hear it. Meanwhile Run the World (Girls) has always left me grimacing. Overall, 4 is a real mix of forgettable songs and songs that have me pushing the repeat button over and over again. It’s probably one of my least favorites by her but given how stellar her track records been, it’s hardly a negative.
Take Care (Drake)
The sophomore release by Drake has gone platinum six times since its release in November 2011. He also won his first Grammy award that year, taking home Best Rap Album. It was a universal critical success, and Rolling Stones ranked it 95 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. It’s a surprisingly low-tempo and melodic in its sound. While he still has that braggadocio attitude for much of the album, Drake still has room to explore themes of existentialism and romance.
Dead Throne (The Devil Wears Prada)
Have you ever fallen victim to a jump scare in a horror movie? That’s what listening to Dead Throne feels like. It’s a terrifying album that punches you in the face with its heavy screamo vocals and apocalyptic sounds. The Devil Wears Prada are primarily a Christian band who have never hidden that fact in their lyrics. Dead Throne deals with themes of idolatry and how destructive it can be. It’s tone is one of doom and hopelessness but it makes sure to end the album on a note of steadfast strength. 2011 was the year The Devil Wears Prada had one of their biggest successes. Dead Throne debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 as well as peaking No. 3 on the Rock Album Chart.
Vices and Virtues (Panic! At The Disco)
Honest confession, I used to dislike Panic! At The Disco, and this album released at the peak of my disdain for them. It took me several years to admit that what I really disliked was the obsession for them that some of my peers shared in (though I still think I Write Sins Not Tragedies is overrated). Personal biases aside, this was a pretty good album, one that has left stain power on the pop rock community. The Ballad of Mona Lisa, in particular, is still played constantly in some of my social circles (Memories is my favorite on the album, honestly). It’s hard not to respect the variety in styling they bring to each track, which helps make each one unique and memorable. The album was a commercial success and by 2018 it had gone certified gold with over 500,000 copies shipped.
El Camino (The Black Keys)
Though El Camino found much of its success in 2012, it was released in December the previous year, just making the list. The Black Keys had been around since 2001, but they didn’t find commercial success until 2010’s Brothers. El Camino debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and would win Best Rock Album at the next Grammys. Personally it’s my favorite album by the group and also my favorite album to have come out of 2011. It’s a goofy, laid back track list filled with hilarious lyrics, catchy tunes, and strong stain power. Songs like Lonely Boy and Gold on the Ceiling were instant classics and you couldn’t go a day without hearing them on rock radio stations for several years.
The King of Limbs (Radiohead)
Perhaps the most famous alternative album of 2011 goes to Radiohead’s The King of Limbs. The album was initially divisive among the core fanbase for its short length and unconventional production, but it proved to be a massive success. The King of Limbs was nominated for several awards in the alternative music department. The song, Lotus Flower, especially garnered special acclaim, being nominated for Best Rock Song and Best Short Form Music Video, and Best Rock Performance at the Grammys. Alternative being my favorite genre of music, I found a lot to love in this album. Its rhythmic and almost psychedelic sounds its incredibly relaxing and often reminded me of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon.
21 (Adele)
And lastly, we have 21 by Adele, an album that needs no introduction. Since its release it has sold over 31 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best selling albums of all time. It won Best Album of the Year at the Grammys as well as numerous others. Critics sighted it as a nice change of pace from the overtly sexualized status quo of many female artists. Adele had deeply universal themes and lyrics to share and nearly every song on the album was a hit. It’s an emotionally layered but breezy listen, taking its time to say what it needs to say without overstaying its welcome. There were many success stories to come out of 2011, but 21 by Adele no doubt had the biggest impact of that year.