It was the year indie rock disrupted the Grammy Awards (and Twitter).
Arcade Fire released their widely acclaimed breakthrough LP The Suburbs, a record so impressive that it won the indie rock stalwarts an Album of the Year Grammy the following February and sent Twitter users abuzz.
Pitchfork called Janelle Monae’s The ArchAndroid a “hugely ambitious full-length debut,” giving a nod to the tasteful sci-fi underbelly of the album’s narrative.
Topping the year-end list poll of XPN listeners were perennial favorites Ray LaMontagne, Dr. Dog, Sade and Vampire Weekend, with a solid showing of breakthrough artists like Beach House, Local Natives and Best Coast.
Was 2010 the Greatest Year in Music? Let us know what you think in the comments below and across social media with #XPNGreatestYear.
Albums:
The Suburbs – Arcade Fire
Contra – Vampire Weekend
Teen Dream – Beach House
Gorilla Manor – Local Natives
God Willin’ and the Creek Don’t Rise – Ray LaMontagne
Shame, Shame – Dr. Dog
Catching a Tiger – Lissie
Have One On Me – Joanna Newsom
Plastic Beach – Gorillaz
I Speak Because I Can – Laura Marling
Broken Bells – Broken Bells
Flamingo – Brandon Flowers
The Colossus – RJD2
Go – Jonsi
Crazy for You – Best Coast
High Violet – The National
Been Listening – Johnny Flynn
Wake Up! – John Legend and The Roots
Transference – Spoon
Astro Coast – Surfer Blood
Beachcomber’s Windowsill – Stornoway
The Grand Theatre, Volume One – Old 97’s
The Sea – Corinne Bailey Rae
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Kanye West
The ArchAndroid – Janelle Monae
Heaven Is Whenever – The Hold Steady
The Age of Adz – Sufjan Stevens
There Is Love in You – Four Tet
History from Below – Delta Spirit
False Priest – Of Montreal
Airtight’s Revenge – Bilal
Realism – Magnetic Fields
The Upsides – The Wonder Years
Write About Love – Belle and Sebastian
Soldier of Love – Sade
Brothers – The Black Keys
Lisbon – The Walkmen
Odd Blood – Yeasayer
Tourist History – Two Door Cinema Club
American Ghetto – Portugal. The Man
The Winter of Mixed Drinks – Frightened Rabbit
The Brutalist Bricks – Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Volume Two – She & Him
Memphis Blues – Cyndi Lauper
How I Got Over – The Roots
Treats – Sleigh Bells
Young the Giant – Young the Giant
New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh) – Erykah Badu
Congratulations – MGMT
Omni – Minus the Bear
Easy Wonderful – Guster
Trans-Continental Hustle – Gogol Bordello
Together – New Pornographers
Forgiveness Rock Record – Broken Social Scene
This Is Happening – LCD Soundsystem
Total Life Forever – Foals
Infinite Arms – Band of Horses
Returnal – Oneohtrix Point Never
