No Depression has released its list of the Top 50 favorite albums of 2011, as voted by its fan community. It’s an interesting mix, with Gillian Welch’s The Harrow and the Harvest at the top, followed by a remarkable range of artists, genres, styles and ages.
Some have complained that it’s a surprisingingly mainstream list for an alt-country site, but that’s the nature of a “favorites” list. Name recognition goes a long way, although we don’t see any names on the list that you can’t make a case for.
Here are the top 25. You’ll find the full list here.
Gillian Welch – The Harrow & the Harvest
The Decemberists – The King Is dead
Wilco – The Whole Love
Lucinda Williams – Blessed
Steve Cropper – Dedicated
Tom Waits – Bad as Me
Dave Alvin – Eleven Eleven
Zoe Muth & The Lost High Rollers – Starlight Hotel
Jason Isbell – Here We Rest
Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire
Hayes Carll – KMAG YOYO
Eilen Jewell – Queen of the Minor Key
Drive By Truckers – Go-Go Boots
The Deep Dark Woods – The Place I Left Behind
Jayhawks – Mockingbird
Tedeschi Trucks Band – Revelator
Civil Wars – Barton Hollow
Gregg Allman – Low Country Blues
Buddy Miller – Majestic Silver Strings
Paul Simon – So Beautiful or So What
Sarah Jarosz – Follow Me Down
Nick Lowe – The Old Magic
Ry Cooder – Pull Up Some Dust and Sit Down
Blackie & The Rodeo Kings – Kings & Queens
Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
The top five spots in this week’s Americana Music Association Chart remain unchanged, with the Jayhawks, Robert Earl Keen, John Hiatt, Gillian Welch and Guy Clark ranked one through five. Will Hoge’s “Number Seven” jumps from #26 to #13.