The year is winding down, and the end of another year provides an influx of best of lists. In an attempt to help all of you out there sift through the huge amount of lists, I decided to have one place to find everybody’s lists. Below I’ve added a ton of the best of lists from a variety of music publications and sites below. In an effort to keep it nice an concise I’ve only put their top five, but if you would like to see their entire lists I have a link to view it as well. Enjoy!

Rolling Stone

1. Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

2. The Black Keys- Brothers

3. Elton John and Leon Russell- The Union

4. Arcade Fire- The Suburbs

5. Jamey Johnson- The Guitar Song

NME

1. These New Puritans- Hidden

2. Arcade Fire- The Suburbs

3. Beach House- Teen Dream

4. LCD Soundsystem- This is Happening

5. Laura Marling- I Speak Because I Can

Spin

1. Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

2. Deerhunter- Halcyon Digest

3. Arcade Fire- The Suburbs

4. LCD Soundsystem- This is Happening

5. Jamey Johnson- The Guitar Song

Pitchfork

1. Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

2. LCD Soundsystem- This is Happening

3. Deerhunter- Halcyon Digest

4. Big Boi- Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty

5. Beach House- Teen Dream

Stereogum

1. Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

2. Arcade Fire- The Suburbs

3. Beach House- Teen Dream

4. Sufjan Stevens- The Age of Adz

5. Robyn- Body Talk

Paste

1. LCD Soundsystem- This is Happening

2. Janelle Monae- The ArchAndroid

3. Mumford and Sons- Sigh No More

4. Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

5. Titus Andronicus- The Monitor

Spinner

1. Beach House- Teen Dream

2. The National- High Violet

3. Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

4. Deerhunter- Halcyon Digest

5. Arcade Fire- The Suburbs

Cokemachineglow

1. Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

2. Big Boi- Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty

3. Beach House- Teen Dream

4. Flying Lotus- Cosmogramma

5. Frog Eyes- Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph

Another year is practically in the books, and with it comes time to recapture our favorite moments in music from the past year. I sought to get a large number of Daytime deejays to give us their favorite albums of the past year. And what a year it was! Below is the collection of great albums as decided by a great deal of Daytime deejays. See you next year!

Just John

1. Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me
2. Beach House – Teen Dream
3. Future Islands – In Evening Air
4. Caribou – Swim
5. Sharon Van Etten – Epic

May Day

1. Surfer Blood – Astro Coast
2. Beach House – Teen Dream
3. Vampire Weekend- Contra
4. Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt
5. Twin Shadow – Forget

DJ Elly May

1. Bob Dylan – The Original Mono Recordings
2. The Black Angels – Phosphene Dream
3. Dark Dark Dark – Wild Go
4. Spoon – Transference
5. Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune

LOLCait

1. Justin Townes Earle – Harlem River Blues
2. Various Artists – Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: The Songs of John Prine
3. John Prine – In Person & On Stage
4. Megafaun – Heretofore
5. Tallest Man On Earth – The Wild Hunt

N!cole

1. Cotton Jones – Tall Hours in the Glowstream
2. Y La Bamba – Lupon
3. Breathe Owl Breathe – Magic Central
4. Casiokids – Topp Stemning På Lokal Bar
5. Harlem – Hippies

DJ Jacoblivion

1. Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More
2. The National – High Violet
3. Ratatat – LP4
4. Bassnectar – Timestretch
5. Jaga Jazzist – One-Armed Bandit

SarahNade

1. Local Natives – Gorilla Manor
2. Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More
3. The Black Keys – Brothers
4. Surfer Blood – Astro Coast
5. Yeasayer – Odd Blood

Anastassia

1. LCD Soundsystem – This is Happening
2. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
3. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles II
4. Warpaint – The Fool
5. Phantogram – Eyelid Movies

Professor X

1. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
2. Owen Pallett – Heartland
3. The Books – The Way Out
4. Beach House – Teen Dream
5. Yeasayer – Odd Blood

Hurricane Julia

1. Peggy Sue – Fossils and Other Phantoms
2. Tallest Man on Earth – Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird
3. Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can
4. Bonnie “Prince” Billy and the Cairo Gang – Wonder Show of the World
5. Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas – Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas

DJ Ones

1. The National – High Violet
2. Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can
3. The Black Keys – Brothers
4. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
5. Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More

Agent Orange

1. Yeasayer – Odd Blood
2. Hot Chip - One Life Stand
3. Caribou – Swim
4. Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record
5. Twin Shadow – Forget

DJ Mensch

1. The National – High Violet
2. Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record
3. Frightened Rabbit – The Winter of Mixed Drinks
4. Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More
5. Ra Ra Riot – The Orchard

DJ Ray

1. Beach House – Teen Dream
2. Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me
3. Sharon Van Etten – Epic
4. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
5. Julian Lynch – Mare

Hot Tamale

1. Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt
2. The Black Keys – Brothers
3. Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More
4. The National – High Violet
5. Blair – Die Young

The DONoftime

1. Tame Impala – Inner Speaker
2. Avi Buffalo – Avi Buffalo
3. MGMT – Congratulations
4. Spoon – Transference
5. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach

Mollypop

1. Crooked Still – Some Strange Country
2. Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More
3. Steeldrivers – Reckless
4. Chatham County Line – Wildwood
5. Darren Hanlon – I Will Love You At All

DJ Kligz

1. The Tender Fruit - Flotsam and Krill
2. Future Islands – In Evening Air
3. Sharon Van Etten – Epic
4. Beach House – Teen Dream
5. Sleigh Bells – Treats

Lovely Lucia

1. The Love Language – Libraries
2. Future Islands – In Evening Air
3. Tallest Man On Earth – The Wild Hunt
4. Phantogram – Eyelid Movies
5. MGMT – Congratulations

Riff Raff

1. Future Islands – In Evening Air
2. Beach House – Teen Dream
3. The Morning Benders – Big Echo
4. Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record
5. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach

Monsieur Mêmes

1. Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz
2. Avi Buffalo – Avi Buffalo
3. Yeasayer – Odd Blood
4. Bear Hands – Burning Bush Supper Club
5. Four Tet – There Is Love in You

Tommyboy

1. Future Islands – In Evening Air
2. Beach House – Teen Dream
3. Surfer Blood – Astro Coast
4. Caribou – Swim
5. Four Tet – There is Love in You

Goof

1. Titus Andronicus – The Monitor
2. LCD SoundSystem – This is Happening
3. Beach House – Teen Dream
4. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
5. Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt

Major Tom

1. Matt and Kim - Sidewalks
2. Suckers – Wild Smile
3. Future Islands – In Evening Air
4. Gold Panda – Lucky Shiner
5. Band of Horses – Infinite Arms

Synthesiser Patel

1. LCD Soundsystem – This is Happening
2. Broken Bells – Broken Bells
3. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
4. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
5. Maximum Balloon – Maximum Balloon

AndyQ

1. Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More
2. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
3. Tallest Man On Earth – The Wild Hunt
4. Vampire Weekend – Contra
5. Broken Bells – Broken Bells

Chuck

1. Salem – King Night
2. Beach House – Teen Dream
3. The National – High Violet
4. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening
5. Zola Jesus – Stridulum/Valusia

Jacob

1.  Superchunk – Majesty Shredding
2.  Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone
3.  Free Electric State - Caress
4.  Various Artists – Scott Pilgrim VS the World
5.  Royal Baths – After Death

What are some of your favorite albums of 2010? Leave your comments in the comment section below.

Every year the Mercury Prize is awarded to an act who is considered to have put out the best British album within the past year. This year, after much anticipation among British music aficionados, The XX have been declared the winner for their album XX. Facing a tremendous amount of competition from acts including Mumford and Sons, Laura Marling, and Paul Weller, The XX came out on top at the end of the wait.

After it was announced that The XX won the prize on September 7, band member Oliver Sim went on to say “Thank you so much, we’ve had the most incredible year.” He later added, “Everyday we’ve woken up to something incredible.”

The XX now join a group of artists that include Klaxons, Franz Ferdinand, and Arctic Monkeys.

Since 1992 the Mercury Prize has been celebrating some of the best albums from the UK and Ireland. Each year a handful of albums released between June 30 of last year and July 1 of this year are selected by an exclusive panel of music experts. In previous years the Mercury Prize has gone to acts including Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys and Klaxons. This year the shortlist has been announced, with the winner receiving the Mercury Prize on September 7.

This year’s nominees Are:

Biffy Clyro- Only Revolutions

Corinne Bailey Rae- The Sea

Dizzee Rascal- Tongue N’ Cheek

Mumford & Sons- Sigh No More

Kit Downes Trio- Golden

Foals- Total Life Forever

I Am Kloot- Sky At Night

Laura Marling- I Speak Because I Can

Paul Weller- Wake Up The Nation

Villagers- Becoming A Jackal

Wild Beasts- Two Dancers

The XX- XX

Personally I think The XX have this one in the bag. However, the favorite to win last year, Florence and the Machine, was greatly upset after she was defeated by a rather obscure British rapper who had only sold a handful of albums in comparison. I doubt they would give it to Dizzee Rascal twice, and it should be interesting to see how the folk powers (and two of my favorites from this year) Laura Marling and Mumford & Sons will fair. Also, it came to me as a great surprise to see the newcomer Villagers and the jazz ensemble Kit Downes Trio nominated. This should be another interesting year for the Mercury Prize. It’s just a shame we’ll have to wait until September to find out who wins.

Who do you think should win? Leave your opinion about who you think will take home the prize in the comment section below.

This episode Michael, Sarah, and Kirsten discuss MIA’s comments about Twilight and Lady Gaga, the rumor that Rob Pattinson will be playing Kurt Cobain in the upcoming biopic, Laura Marling’s thoughts on piracy. This week we reviewed Dr. Dog’s Shame, Shame. If you have any comments, suggestions for articles, or albums to review, email us soundoff@wknc.org and follow us on twitter @wkncSoundOff

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1. M.I.A came out this week against Twilight in a recent interview with NME. After being offered to record a song for the Twilight soundtrack she said, “They asked me– luckily Jimmy (Lovine, boss at Interscope) had beef with the Twilight people, so he stepped in and told them to fuck off.” M.I.A also came out against Lady Gaga stirring up reactions in fans saying, “People say we’re similar, that we both mix all these things in the pot and spit them out differently,” she said, “but she spits it out exactly the same. None of her music’s reflective of how weird she wants to be or thinks she is.” (via NME)

2. Wilco will be curating their own festival at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. The band will be headlining the “Solid Sound Festival.” Alongside Wilco, and number of side projects from members of the band will also be joining. This will be Wilco’s only show over the summer, and it will take place in mid-August. (via Pitchfork)

3. Mates of State will be releasing a cover album entitled “The Spaghetti Incident?” The album is currently available for streaming only. The band covers acts including Girls, Death Cab for Cutie, Belle and Sebastian, and many more. (via Pitchfork)

4. Dan Deacon has remixed Owen Pallett’s “Lewis Take Off His Shirt” for the b-side to Pallett’s 12′ single that is set to release June 22. Pallett is planning on spending the next few months touring both North America and Europe. (via Pitchfork)

5. British folk star Laura Marling has come out against the criminalization of illegal downloads. In offering her reasoning she said, “I don’t think people should be criminalized for getting music for free because it’s there, it’s offered to them.” She added, “It’s promised to them by the internet server people, it’s promised to them by the phone companies. I think it’s their responsibility.” (via NME)