Alrighty, this is always tougher than I think because while I discover a ton of new music throughout the year, it's largely only new to me.
Top 10 For 2010
10. The Final Frontier - Iron Maiden. A typically solid Maiden album that meshes in with the older stuff just fine. When I through on my Maiden mix tape, I don't ever find myself thinking 'uggh, I hate this new stuff', which for a 30 year old band is a great compliment. All bow to Bruce D
9. Suburbs - Arcade Fire. For some reason, I didn't really enjoy Neon Bible. I thought this album was great.
8. Age of Adz - Sufjan Stevens. I never really listened to Sufjan, save for songs here and there (i.e. I love Chicago from the Little Miss Sunshine soundtrack). This album brought the heat and I love listening to it.
7. Hundreds - Hundreds. Another that fit the 'haunting' category. Slightly echoy vocals and creative synth use drives this one home
6. High Violet - The National. While I really like the National, I found myself enjoying individual songs more than full albums the last two. High Violet was an auditory experience I enjoyed from start to finish.
5. Fences - Fences. A Seattle band that I saw when I was down there. He hits that mix of indie rock and folk guitar that I love.
4. Brothers - Black Keys. Black Keys, not much more to say.
3. Go - Jonsi. I love Sigur Ros. To the max. This is like Sigur Ros, but with a slightly different sound. Really liked it
2. Broken Bells - Broken Bells. Absolutely fucking flabergasted I don't think I saw this on anyone elses list. The Shins + Gnarls Barkley? FUCK AND YES. If Wolf Parade hadn't dropped this year, this would be number one no problem. Even then, I almost put this number one. I love this album so much and have listened to it probably more than anything else that came out this year.
1. Expo 86 - Wolf Parade. I am a MASSIVE Wolf Parade fan (Handsome Furs, Sunset Rubdown, etc, listen to all their side projects) and I thought this was their best album yet. When I saw them live, I absolutely lost it
Disappointments for 2010
MGMT, Vampire Weekend, Motion City Soundtrack, Band of Horses, LCD Soundsystem, We Are Scientists
Albums That Aren't 2010 but I Found Them This Year, or 2010 but not good enough for Top 10
FM Belfast - How to Make Friends. Love this Icelandic group
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir - ...and the Horse You Rode in On
Surfer Blood - Astrocoast
Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
Blood Red Shoes - Box of Secrets
Audio Bully's - Generation
Fleet Foxes
Future of the Left
We Have Band - WHB
The Tins - These guys are great, only a 5 song EP so far, but I can't wait for a full album drop