Billboard Lists Off The Best Albums Of 2011

By Michael Lopez

2011 certainly delivered some memorable music. But with so many artists to choose from (and so many music reviewers on the internet), Billboard decided to mix things up for their end-of-the-year list. Not only did they issue a "Critics Best Of," they posted Favorite Album Top 10s from a variety of artists and celebrities.

Kelly Clarkson, Joe Jonas, Zac Brown, and Demi Lovato all put Adele's 21 on the top of their 2011 Albums list. Clarkson, in particular, gushed over the 23-year-old British soul singer, calling her music, "beautiful."

"Adele never fails," she went on to say. "Her voice, lyrics and melodies on this record are haunting reminders of the need to be needed and loved, and to love with your whole heart. It's beautiful!"

Ironically, Lovato bestowed quite a bit of praise on Kelly, listing her "Stronger" as #2 on her Favorites list. Demi went on to add Watch The Throne, Born This Way, and Miranda Lambert’s For The Record to her Top 5.

Joe Jonas shared similar tastes, also ranking Watch The Throne as one of the best records of the year. His personal faves included The Roots' Undun and Torches from Foster of the People. Sara Barielles had an eclectic mix of albums on her list, throwing in 2011 recordings from artists like Paul Simon, Feist, and The Civil Wars.

Interestingly, not a lot of Latinos were present on any of the lists. Only Bruno Mars' Doo Wops & Hooligans made a dent, particularly with The Wonder Girls. They cited it as a major influence on their writing style, along with Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream.

Now as far as the official critics go, the greatest album of 2011 was….(you guessed it) Adele’s 21. Nearly all of Billboard’s editors put it on the top of their lists. But the rest of their picks proved to be quite interesting.

Coming in at #2 was the sophomore album from Bon Iver. The Wisconson band's indie folk record struck a chord with a lot of music critics this year, particularly for its bold use of horns and string arrangements. Watch The Throne earned high marks as well, as did Drake’s latest effort, Take Care.

Newer artists like Frank Ocean, James Blake, and Florence & The Machine got quite a lot of love too. The Billboard site actually breaks down each of the selections quite vividly, enticing fans to discover some of the year's lesser known artists. It's definitely worth a look, especially if you want relatives to add iTunes dollars under your Christmas tree.

What was your favorite album of 2011? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 21, Adele, Billboard, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Bon Iver, Celebrities, Demi Lovato, drake, Florence & The Machine, Frank Ocean, Hot Stuff, James Blake, Joe Jonas, Kelly Clarkson, Música, Miranda Lambert, Sara Bareilles, The Wonder Girls, Watch the Throne