Albums of 2011
Join the Guardian's music critics as we count down the best albums of 2011
The best albums and songs of 2011, as voted by readers
Find out what our readers selected as the best music of 2011. You won't believe what's at number one
The best songs of 2011
The top 40 tracks of the year, as voted for by Guardian writers
Music Weekly podcast: Best albums of 2011
Alexis Petridis, Rebecca Nicholson, Tim Jonze and Kitty Empire discuss the Guardian's list of this year's top albums
Best albums of 2011: how Guardian critics voted
You've seen our top 50 albums of the year. But what did Guardian critics' individual lists look like?
Best albums of 2011, No 1: PJ Harvey - Let England Shake
Kitty Empire: England did indeed shake this year to the sound of riots, protests and distant wars. No wonder, then, that PJ Harvey's raw yet meticulously researched record hit a nerve
Best albums of 2011, No 2: Katy B – On a Mission
Not only did Katy B showcase a new direction for dance music, she offered a fresh perspective on love, lust and London nightlife
Best albums of 2011, No 3: Frank Ocean – Nostalgia, Ultra
Tim Jonze: Unafraid to tackle suicide, abortion and absent fathers, this free mixtape introduced one of our most refreshing new R&B stars
Best albums of 2011, No 4: Beyoncé – 4
Rebecca Nicholson: The thrill of pop is its instant rush, yet Beyoncé's fourth album was a refined record that showed she was in it for the long haul
Best albums of 2011, No 5: Bon Iver – Bon Iver
Dorian Lynskey: The story behind Bon Iver's debut album was so perfect some wondered if its fragile beauty was a one off. But the follow-up wove an even more ravishing tapestry of folk, ambient and MOR
Best albums of 2011, No 6: James Blake – James Blake
In a year in which we questioned our obsession with all things retro, James Blake pulled off the unthinkable, taking dubstep, soul and even barbershop to create a new musical language
Best albums of 2011, No 7: Metronomy – The English Riviera
Paul MacInnes: In returning to his roots, Joe Mount pursued a more pastoral direction for Metronomy's third album – and found his voice
Best albums of 2011, No 8: The Weeknd – House of Balloons
Paul Lester: This free download was anything but throwaway. The chillwave-tinged R&B spoke of codeine, cold sex and pills … and invited you to luxuriate in Abel Tesfaye's heartache
Best albums of 2011, No 9: Rustie – Glass Swords
Dan Hancox: Rustie's debut album was a splash of Technicolor, escapist fun that drew on trance, rave and the Seinfield theme. Could it be this generation's Club Tropicana?
Best albums of 2011, No 10: Tune-Yards - whokill
Starting our countdown of the top 10 albums of 2011, Merrill Garbus's second LP was a rowdy, politicised burst of lo-fi pop that resonated in a year defined by protest
The best albums of 2011: 50-11
Tim Jonze: Next week we'll be counting down our top 10 albums of the year … but here's how the rest of our critics' top 50 looks
