The About Top 40/Pop readers have had their say on the top pop albums of the year. Now, it is my turn. It has been a great year for pop music, particularly by solo women. 6 of my top 10 albums this year are by solo women. It has also been a good year for influences from classic r&b and soul. Enjoy my top 10.
1) Gorillaz - Demon Days
It may seem odd to pick an album by a band that only exists as cartoon for top pop album of the year. However, Gorillaz, a joint creation of Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, are more brilliant and cohesive than most 'real world' groups. No one is better at effortlessly straddling pop, hip hop, r&b, and rock simultaneously.
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2) Alicia Keys - Unplugged
After 2 brilliant studio albums and this incandescent live masterpiece, no one can any longer refer to Alicia Keys as simply a phenomenon. She is undoubtedly one of the most gifted of all r&b musicians.
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3) Kanye West - Late Registration
No one is better at bringing a sense of cinematic sweep to their music than Kanye West. Listening to an album like Late Registration for the first time brings a rush of awe that lingers long in the memory.
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4) Mary J. Blige - The Breakthrough
This album is that good. It barely sneaked in with a December 20th release date, but Mary J. Blige has never been better. There are moments of joy and power here that will light up the world for any listener.
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5) Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine
No other album this year had such a tortured path to release than this one, but the wait was worth it. Fiona Apple walks a unique musical path that is a wonder to experience. Chances are, if this is your first time listening to her music, you will want to return again and again.
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6) Shakira - Oral Fixation, Vol. 2
Some would pick the Spanish-language Fijacion Oral, vol. 1 as the better of Shakira's twin releases. However, to my ears, the pop orientation of this second volume is more expansive. She does not ignore her Latin roots while borrowing from a wide range of musical traditions to speak a truly universal language.
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7) White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
White Stripes' Jack and Meg White remain two of the most continually fascinating musicians in all of pop and rock music. They may be a bit of an acquired taste, but it doesn't take long for songs like "The Denial Twist" and "My Doorbell" to have you singing along.
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8) Mariah Carey - The Emancipation of Mimi
Few really saw this coming, but Mariah Carey's comeback this year is the stuff of musical legend. Listen to the album again and be blown away by how brilliantly Mariah and Jermaine Dupri captured the moment in pop music history.
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9) Fall Out Boy - From Under the Cork Tree
No current band generating top 10 pop hits rocks harder than Fall Out Boy, and there are few that generate such engaging pop melodies under the noise either. These guys from suburban Chicago are the acknowledged leaders in an endless stream of melodic punk bands.
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10) Carrie Underwood - Some Hearts
It surprised me that I would list the first album by an American Idol winner as one of the year's top 10, but Carrie Underwood expertly walks a path balanced between pop and country worn smooth by stars such as Faith Hill and Shania Twain and frequently Carrie is even better than much of their best.
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