Year-End Report: 2011 Odds & Ends

I hope you enjoyed Stereo Typing's Top 50 Albums of 2011 and explored all the featured bands. It's now time to take a look at the other aspects of 2011 which made it a special year. Below are a few lists of my favorite EPs, 7"s, reissues, shows, disappointments, comedies, movies, and some other categories of interest. I've included a few quick words and plenty of media where available. Check it all out after the jump.

Year-End Report: Top 50 Albums of 2011 10-1

It was quite the undertaking counting down my Top 50 Albums of 2011 but I came out unscathed. There is plenty to be excited about in the world of music; not just these albums, but also the fact that music sales are up for the first time since 2004. The times they are a-changin': digital sales finally beat out physical music sales for the first time. Additionally, vinyl sales are up a whopping 39%! I purchased a great deal of this Top 50 on vinyl and if you have a record player, there is nothing like it. Whatever your medium, I encourage you to purchase anything you have discovered here. I hope you've enjoyed the countdown so far. The Top 10 is an unpredictable list full of great albums you need to hear. Give everything a spin and let me know what you think! With further ado, I give you my favorite albums of 2011:

Year-End Report: Top 50 Albums of 2011 20-11

The Top 20 has finally arrived after a short intermission. I know that you have probably been dying with anticipation. These ten records include many psychedelic rock bands and singer/songwriters. Although 2011 wasn't a particularly good year for heavy music, some hardcore/metal bands did manage to stake a claim in the Top 20. Also, everyone's favorite band that set the bar too high for themselves. Read all about it and listen to some fantastic tunes after the jump.

Year-End Report: Top 50 Albums of 2011 30-21

I hope you are enjoying our Top 50 Albums of 2011 so far. The trend of looking back to the 90's for inspiration is finally starting to appear in these next ten. Along with those, there are some polarizing artists and several that are just plain out there. Also, some old school veterans that I wasn't expecting to have as great of a comeback album as they did. Sample everything below and check back tomorrow when the Top 20 starts.

Year-End Report: Top 50 Albums of 2011 40-31

The beauty of piecing together a year-end list is the spread of various genres that have managed to capture your interest. With this installment of our continuing Top 50 Albums of 2011, there is much more diversity than the first ten which resulted in an interesting sampling of the previous year's music. These ten albums collectively have influences from styles that include indie rock, classic rock, country, world music, rap, soul, and post-rock. I urge you to check them all out because it's often surprising what you end up liking.

Year-End Report: Top 50 Albums of 2011 50-41

Happy New Year! Stereo Typing is proud to ring in 2012 with a look back at the albums that made 2011 a memorable year for music. I'll be revealing my Top 50 Albums of 2011 by releasing ten each day this week. Along with a description as to why you need to hear each one, I will include the track that made the biggest impact on me. I am posting these tracks for sampling purposes so that listeners can understand why I am obsessed with these records. If there is something that should not be featured here, email me and I will take it down ASAP. As always, I encourage you to purchase anything you have discovered and liked. I have gone over this list an obsessive amount of times and it is truly a testament to how much I love music. Please take the time to look it over and enjoy discovering some great new tunes!

Mid-Year Report

It's already July and it seems like the first half of the year went by in a flash. It's time to look back at the last six months and examine the albums that had the biggest impact on me. Narrowing the list down to 20 was harder than I thought it would be as 2011 has been an exceptionally good year for music. The year has been full of surprises both good and bad. I never could have predicted half the bands and albums that appear in the list below.