The Music That Made Our Year Complete

The dawn of a new year is fast approaching - time to pick a party dress, stock up on champagne, and read our list of the best 10 albums of 2010.

Arcade Fire, The Suburbs
One of Canada's proudest exports didn't disappoint with their follow-up to the 2007's Neon Bible. The Suburbs garnered international praise for the Montreal band; Metacritic, a review collator, gave the album an overall 86 per cent positive rating. The Grammy-nominated album is an oxymoronic portrait of intimate confessions against a rock arena sound; nostalgic lyrics about life in suburbia meet grandiose percussion and piano.

The Black Keys, Brothers
The Akron, Ohio duo turned their mainly cult following into a loyal brigade of mainstream fans with the release of their fifth studio album.Brothers has the same dirty garage sound that earned Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney their blues cred but boasts a stylistic cleverness that had Keys virgins listening up. The band has received four Grammy Award nominations and has been named artist of the year by Rolling Stone magazine and iTunes.

Kanye West, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Considering his hard-to-like public persona - the T-Swift incident, his frequent self-indulgent rants - we were sort of hoping that West's latest release would crash and burn. No such luck. West's fifth album, with its delectable string sections, piano highlights and cameos from the likes of Bon Iver, is a dreamy, grand, ambitious, and dark masterpiece.

Janelle Monáe, The ArchAndroid
We dare you to play Monáe's debut album and refrain from dancing; her whimsy blend of soul, funk, pop, and much more is impossibly fun. The ArchAndroid is a concept album about a robot, inspired by a viewing of the 1927 film Metropolis. With contributions from Kevin Barnes of Of Montreal and Big Boi of OutKast, Monáe has rendered herself as a woman to watch for. Fans can't get enough of her trademark style either - lady tuxedos, anyone?

The Roots, How I Got Over
The Roots were busy in 2010, serving as in-house band at Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, collaborating with John Legend on Wake Up!, and releasing How I Got Over, their ninth studio album. Borrowing from Monsters of Folk and Joanna Newsom, How I Got Over is a gem in the band's venerable career. The album's appeal lies in its understated coolness; it's the album you'd play at a party, where guests would subconsciously appreciate its presence, but not be distracted from their conversation or drunken makeout session.

Tallest Man On Earth, The Wild Hunt
If there was a Grammy for the year's perfect lay-in-bed-and-watch-the-rain-fall album, The Wild Hunt would win - no contest. Kristian Matsson wows with hauntingly lonely lyrics and guitar stylings that make Dylan comparisons unavoidable.

Beach House, Teen Dream
What Tallest Man On Earth is to rainy days, Beach House is to daydreaming. Beach House's third album is shrouded in a lovely, mysterious haze that the band has become known for. Vocalist Victoria Legrand is supremely captivating - as per usual - but the music is tighter and more confident this time around.

Robyn, Body Talk
Who would have ever guessed that the voice behind 90's hit "Show Me Love" would later resurface as a savvy pop star scoring top reviews? Body Talk is quirky but accessible, and easily the best dance album of the year. The Swedish songstress gave 2010 renewed hope for pop music; we can't wait to hear what she'll do next.

Vampire Weekend, Contra
Did we say Janelle Monáe was whimsy? Vampire Weekend's Contra takes the cake, hitting whimsy notes right out of the park. The album is chock-full of African inspiration, 70's grooves, and sugary pop hooks. Contra's appeal is wide, moving hipsters and children alike.

LCD Soundsystem, This Is Happening
Frontman James Murphy has managed to make a breakup album that inspires anything but tears. In fact, This Is Happening just makes you want to dance. Lyrically, LCD is stronger than ever. Set against a pop synth meets rock-and-roll sound, This Is Happening has cemented LCD's status as New York's reigning hipster royalty.

Jaclyn Tersigni
		About the author:
		Jaclyn is a 20-something journalism student at Ryerson University. She traded suburbia for the big city two years ago and enjoys navigating life as a single woman in Toronto. She’s a burgeoning foodie, a borderline music snob, a news junkie, and constant explorer of the world.
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