An Album a Month

[acroamor]

A fun idea I thought of earlier today would be to list a top album for each individual month of the 2010s. 10 years, 12 months each, for a total of 120 albums. I'll be going by the best release date I can find for any release, will probably exclude any compilations in this reckoning.

Anyone else feel free to join in!

I'll start with 2010!

Jan 2010: Beach House - Teen Dream
Feb 2010: Yeasayer - Odd Blood
Mar 2010: Titus Andronicus - The Monitor
Apr 2010: MGMT - Congratulations
May 2010: LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening
Jun 2010: Eminem - Recovery
Jul 2010: Best Coast - Crazy for You
Aug 2010: Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Sep 2010: Sharon Van Etten - Epic
Oct 2010: Taylor Swift - Speak Now
Nov 2010: Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Dec 2010: Daft Punk - Tron: Legacy Soundtrack

I found quickly that some months are stacked (Teen Dream vs. Contra, The Archandroid vs. This Is Happening) and others where I had to struggle to find a release I liked. Granted, 2010 was my least listened to year of the decade, so that's bound to happen.

[mileswide]

Right up my street, this! I'll cheat and work my way backwards as 2010 is also sketchy for me, I've got a few more albums in that year to listen to before I get to that point:

Dec '19 Maybe Kanye West - JESUS IS BORN? Probably not to be fair
Nov '19 Chat Pile - Remove Your Skin Please EP (now my #14 album of the year)
Oct '19 Kim Gordon - No Home Record (now #4 for the year, despite me never having got into Sonic Youth)
Sep '19 Kojey Radical - Cashmere Tears
Aug '19 Kano - Hoodies All Summer
Jul '19 Lingua Ignota - CALIGULA
Jun '19 Kate Tempest - The Book of Traps and Lessons
May '19 Amyl and the Sniffers - Amyl and the Sniffers
Apr '19 Fat White Family - Serfs Up!
Mar '19 Little Simz - GREY Area
Feb '19 Xiu Xiu - Girl with Basket of Fruit
Jan '19 Better Oblivion Community Center - Better Oblivion Community Center

All clear choices but March, then August-October seemed a lot to choose from (PSYCHODRAMA, The Center Won't Hold, FIBS and The Afterlife EP being the hardest to leave out) while I had to go relatively far down my list for February and May. Hope I haven't ruined this by going in reverse!

[Jirin]

If there any handy reference to which albums came out which months? Otherwise this will be hard to do.

[mileswide]

If there any handy reference to which albums came out which months? Otherwise this will be hard to do.

Genius is pretty comprehensive for the years it covers but it only started doing an album release calendar in 2016. https://genius.com/Genius-january-2016- ... -annotated

Album of the Year includes the whole decade and shows the covers for each album, unlike Genius, which may make it more user-friendly. However, it does include singles and reissues without necessarily labelling them as such, so tread carefully https://www.albumoftheyear.org/2010/rel ... &genre=all

Both are better than List of [year] albums on Wikipedia, which omits albums you expect to be listed, particularly in later years.

[mileswide]

2018
Dec '18 erm...Netsky - Abbot Kinney EP (what can I say? Lean month)
Nov '18 Anderson .Paak - Oxnard
Oct '18 Neneh Cherry - Broken Politics
Sep '18 The Goon Sax - We're Not Talking
Aug '18 Interpol - Marauder
Jul '18 Mid-Air Thief - Crumbling
Jun '18 Boy Azooga - 1-2-Kung Fu!
May '18 Parquet Courts - Wide Awake!
Apr '18 J. Cole - K. O. D.
Mar '18 Sons of Kemet - Your Queen Is a Reptile
Feb '18 Caroline Rose - Loner
Jan '18 Superorganism - Something for Your M.I.N.D. EP

EDIT: For Sep, I'd forgotten about the superior Bryte - Too Good for Your Liking

[mileswide]

2017
Dec '17 King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard - Gumboot Soup
Nov '17 Dave - GAME OVER EP
Oct '17 St. Vincent - MASSEDUCTION
Sep '17 Wolf Alice - Visions of a Life
Aug '17 Gogol Bordello - Seekers & Finders
Jul '17 Jade Bird - Something American EP
Jun '17 Algiers - The Underside of Power
May '17 J Hus - Common Sense
Apr '17 Joey Bada$$ - ALL AMERIKKKAN BADA$$
Mar '17 Laura Marling - Semper Femina
Feb '17 Xiu Xiu - FORGET (Xiu Xiu seem like the only band who consistently release decent albums in February)
Jan '17 The XX - I See You

[acroamor]

Jan 2011: Destroyer - Kaputt
Feb 2011: Julianna Barwick - The Magic Place
Mar 2011: Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for My Halo
Apr 2011: tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l
May 2011: Tyler, the Creator - Goblin
Jun 2011: The Caretaker - An empty bliss beyond this world
July 2011: Wugazi - 13 Chambers
Aug 2011: Jay-Z and Kanye West - Watch the Throne
Sep 2011: St. Vincent - Strange Mercy
Oct 2011: M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
Nov 2011: Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
Dec 2011: Rivers Cuomo - Alone III: The Pinkerton Years

[acroamor]

Jan 2012: Waxahatchee - American Weekend
Feb 2012: Sharon Van Etten - Tramp
Mar 2012: Julia Holter - Ekstasis
Apr 2012: Alabama Shakes - Boys and Girls
May 2012: Japandroids - Celebration Rock
Jun 2012: Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel...
Jul 2012: Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
Aug 2012: Dan Deacon - America
Sep 2012: Angel Olsen - Half Way Home
Oct 2012: Tame Impala - Lonerism
Nov 2012: Lana Del Rey - Paradise
Dec 2012: Big Boi - Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumours

Really had to dig for those last two months.

[mileswide]

2016
Dec '16 Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 3
Nov '16 Rapsody - Crown
Oct '16 Kate Tempest - Let Them Eat Chaos (just edging out Goat - Requiem)
Sep '16 Angel Olsen - My Woman
Aug '16 Vince Staples - Prima Donna EP
Jul '16 Noname - Telefone
Jun '16 Mitski - Puberty 2
May '16 Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial
Apr '16 Parquet Courts - Human Performance
Mar '16 Kano - Made in the Manor
Feb '16 Essaie Pas - Demain est une autre nuit
Jan '16 Anderson .Paak - Malibu

After being the weak link in the other years so far, December was just greedy in 2016 with RTJ3 famously coming out on Xmas Eve plus J. Cole's 4 Your Eyez Only and Stillness in Wonderland by Little Simz.

[acroamor]

Jan 2013: Foxygen - We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic
Feb 2013: Lady Lamb - Ripely Pine
Mar 2013: Kacey Musgraves - Same Trailer Different Park
Apr 2013: Phoenix - Bankrupt!
May 2013: Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
Jun 2013: Boards of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest
Jul 2013: Ace Hood - Trials and Tribulations
Aug 2013: Julia Holter - Loud City Song
Sep 2013: Haim - Days Are Gone
Oct 2013: Arcade Fire - Reflektor
Nov 2013: M.I.A. - Matangi
Dec 2013: Beyonce - Beyonce

[mileswide]

2015
Dec '15 Lizzo - Big GRRRL Small World
Nov '15 Jain - Zanaka
Oct '15 Roots Manuva - Bleeds
Sep '15 Little Simz - A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons
Aug '15 Chelsea Wolfe - Abyss (narrowly beating M3LL15X)
Jul '15 Tame Impala - Currents
Jun '15 Wolf Alice - My Love Is Cool
May '15 Mbongwana Star - From Kinshasa
Apr '15 Young Fathers - White Men Are Black Men Too
Mar '15 Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly (Laura Marling - Short Movie and GY!BE - Allelujah...are close runners-up)
Feb '15 Marika Hackman - We Slept at Last
Jan '15 Sleater-Kinney - No Cities to Love

March 2015 was ludicrously acclaimed! The 3 most highly rated albums of the year (2PAB, Carrie & Lowell, Sometimes I Sit...) were all released in March. I wonder if any other months in history can boast this dominance in the EOY stakes...

EDIT: My mistake, wrong Godspeed album, 'Asunder'...was released in March '15

[acroamor]

Jan 2014: Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra - Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light on Everything
Feb 2014: Angel Olsen - Burn Your Fire for No Witness
Mar 2014: The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream
Apr 2014: Todd Terje - It's Album Time
May 2014: Sharon Van Etten - Are We There
Jun 2014: First Aid Kit - Stay Gold
Jul 2014: Alvvays - Alvvays
Aug 2014: Spoon - They Want My Soul
Sep 2014: Karen O - Crush Songs
Oct 2014: Grouper - Ruins
Nov 2014: Mitski - Bury Me at Makeout Creek
Dec 2014: D'Angelo and the Vanguard - Black Messiah

[acroamor]

Jan 2015: Sleater-Kinney - No Cities to Love
Feb 2015: Susanne Sundfor - Ten Love Songs
Mar 2015: Lady Lamb - After
Apr 2015: Alabama Shakes - Sound and Color
May 2015: Jamie XX - In Colour
Jun 2015: Kacey Musgraves - Pageant Material
Jul 2015: Titus Andronicus - The Most Lamentable Tragedy
Aug 2015: Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats - Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats
Sep 2015: Julia Holter - Have You In My Wilderness
Oct 2015: Julien Baker - Sprained Ankle
Nov 2015: Grimes - Art Angels
Dec 2015: Cage the Elephant - Tell Me I'm Pretty

[Zombeels]

Jan 2010: Analog Rebellion - Ancient Electrons
Feb 2010: Zeus - Say Us
Mar 2010: Marble Sounds - Nice Is Good
Apr 2010: Typhoon - Hunger And Thirst
May 2010: Woods - At Echo Lake
Jun 2010: Sea Of Bees - Songs For Ravens
Jul 2010: Menomena - Mines
Aug 2010: Smiles & Frowns - Smiles & Frowns
Sep 2010: Black Angels - Phosphene Dream
Oct 2010: Bees - Every Step's A Yes
Nov 2010: Hudson Bell - Out Of The Clouds
Dec 2010: *

* Went through a list of over 200 albums released in 2010. Not one album was released in December

[acroamor]

Jan 2010: Analog Rebellion - Ancient Electrons
Feb 2010: Zeus - Say Us
Mar 2010: Marble Sounds - Nice Is Good
Apr 2010: Typhoon - Hunger And Thirst
May 2010: Woods - At Echo Lake
Jun 2010: Sea Of Bees - Songs For Ravens
Jul 2010: Menomena - Mines
Aug 2010: Smiles & Frowns - Smiles & Frowns
Sep 2010: Black Angels - Phosphene Dream
Oct 2010: Bees - Every Step's A Yes
Nov 2010: Hudson Bell - Out Of The Clouds
Dec 2010: *

* Went through a list of over 200 albums released in 2010. Not one album was released in December

I'm certain if one were to rank each and every month of the decade, December 2010 would be considered one of the absolute lowest scorers overall.

[mileswide]

2014
Dec '14 J Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive
Nov '14 Mitski - Bury Me at Makeout Creek
Oct '14 Loro' s - W.A.N.D.Y.
Sep '14 Interpol - El Pintor (Moon Hooch - This is Cave Music may have beat it if not for the latter's vocals)
Aug '14 FKA twigs - LP1
Jul '14 Jungle - Jungle
Jun '14 First Aid Kit - Stay Gold
May '14 Kate Tempest - Everybody Down (Are We There not being far behind)
Apr '14 Sleaford Mods - Divide and Exit
Mar '14 Ibibio Sound Machine - Ibibio Sound Machine
Feb '14 St. Vincent - St. Vincent
Jan '14 Mogwai - Rave Tapes

[acroamor]

Jan 2016: David Bowie - Blackstar
Feb 2016: Kanye West - The Life of Pablo
Mar 2016: Anna Meredith - Varmints
Apr 2016: Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor's Guide to Earth
May 2016: Julianna Barwick - Will
Jun 2016: Mitski - Puberty 2
Jul 2016: The Avalanches - Wildflower
Aug 2016: Frank Ocean - Blond
Sep 2016: Angel Olsen - My Woman
Oct 2016: Weyes Blood - Front Row Seat to Earth
Nov 2016: A Tribe Called Quest - We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service
Dec 2016: Grouper - Paradise Valley

Front Row Seat to Earth and You Want It Darker came out on the exact same day, wild.

[acroamor]

Jan 2017: Julie Byrne - Not Even Happiness
Feb 2017: Froth - Outside (Briefly)
Mar 2017: Jay Som - Everybody Works
Apr 2017: Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
May 2017: Mac DeMarco - This Old Dog
Jun 2017: Big Thief - Capacity
Jul 2017: Japanese Breakfast - Soft Sounds from Another Planet
Aug 2017: Lil Peep - Come Over When You're Sober, Pt. 1
Sep 2017: Phoebe Bridgers - Stranger in the Alps
Oct 2017: Julien Baker - Turn Out the Lights
Nov 2017: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Polygondwanaland
Dec 2017: King GIzzard and the Lizard Wizard - Gumboot Soup

[acroamor]

Jan 2018: First Aid Kit - Ruins
Feb 2018: Caroline Rose - LONER
Mar 2018: Soccer Mommy - Clean
Apr 2018: Kali Uchis - Isolation
May 2018: Parquet Courts - Wide Awake!
Jun 2018: Snail Mail - Lush
Jul 2018: Deafheaven - Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
Aug 2018: Mitski - Be the Cowboy
Sep 2018: Spiritualized - And Nothing Hurt
Oct 2018: Julia Holter - Aviary
Nov 2018: Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs
Dec 2018: Various Artists - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse OST

I thought this would be the first year where I didn't have to dig deep for any month, but again, December came in and screwed me. I've never noticed how consistently weak that month tends to be, year after year.

[acroamor]

Jan 2019: Better Oblivion Community Center - Better Oblivion Community Center
Feb 2019: Julia Jacklin - Crushing
Mar 2019: The Caretaker - Everywhere at the end of time (stage six)
Apr 2019: Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
May 2019: Faye Webster - Atlanta Millionaire's CLlub
Jun 2019: Black Midi - Schlagenheim
Jul 2019: Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains
Aug 2019: Jay Som - Anak Ko
Sep 2019: Brittany Howard - Jaime
Oct 2019: Big Thief - Two Hands
Nov 2019: FKA Twigs - Magdalene
Dec 2019: Burial - Tunes 2011 to 2019

This last one's a compilation, but had all the individual tracks on it been released originally as a single LP, it would be one of the best releases of the entire decade.

[mileswide]

You've done well to find any for this month already! Speaking of Burial:

2013
Dec '13 Burial - Rival Dealer EP
Nov '13 M.I.A. - Matangi
Oct '13 Lizzo - Lizzobangers
Sep '13 Janelle Monàe - The Electric Lady
Aug '13 Wilkinson - Lazers Not Included
Jul '13 Fuck Buttons - Slow Focus
Jun '13 Kanye West - Yeezus
May '13 Laura Marling - Once I Was an Eagle
Apr '13 The Knife - Shaking the Habitual
Mar '13 Waxahatchee - Cerulean Salt
Feb '13 Foals - Holy Fire
Jan '13 Pusha T - Wrath of Caine [Mixtape]

[mileswide]

2012
Dec '12 Scott Walker - Bish Bosch
Nov '12 Portico Quartet - Portico Quartet
Oct '12 3rd Line Butterfly - Dreamtalk
Sep '12 KOAN Sound - The Adventures of Mr. Fox EP
Aug '12 Parquet Courts - Light up Gold
Jul '12 Ondàtropica - Ondàtropica
Jun '12 Bobby Womack - The Bravest Man in the Universe
May '12 El-P - Cancer 4 Cure
Apr '12 Death Grips - The Money Store
Mar '12 Paul Weller - Sonik Kicks
Feb '12 Burial - Kindred EP
Jan '12 First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar

My list for the above year's got a completely unintended 'old farts-go-avant garde' vibe, no idea why...

[mileswide]

2011
Dec '11 The Black Keys - El Camino
Nov '11 Sepalcure - Sepalcure
Oct '11 Tom Waits - Bad As Me
Sep '11 Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know
Aug '11 Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch the Throne
Jul '11 Little Dragon - Ritual Union
Jun '11 Frank Turner - England Keep My Bones
May '11 Andy Stott - Passed Me By EP
Apr '11 Death Grips - Exmilitary
Mar '11 Anna Calvi - Anna Calvi
Feb '11 Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges
Jan '11 Chase & Status - No More Idols

[mileswide]

2010
Dec '10 Motörhead - The Wörld Is Yours
Nov '10 Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Oct '10 Crystal Fighters - Star of Love
Sep '10 Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest
Aug '10 Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Jul '10 M.I.A. - ΛΛ Λ Y Λ
Jun '10 Against Me! - White Crosses
May '10 Tracey Thorn - Love and Its Opposite
Apr '10 Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can
Mar '10 Bonobo - Black Sands
Feb '10 Phantogram - Eyelid Movies
Jan '10 Beach House - Teen Dream

You two weren't lying about December 2010, utterly barren. The previous month had lots of big commercial releases (for the time) but nothing else I had heard or wanted to hear.

By dazzling contrast, May 2010 is surely the greatest month of the decade for albums- LaIO is one that reveals its charms over time and I wouldn't expect it to compete for most listeners with (in order of my preference) The ArchAndroid, Total Life Forever, Cosmogramma, Innerspeaker, Brothers and Crystal Castles (II), phew! There's also First Aid Kit's debut, which I need to hear, and High Violet, which I don't intend to but I know it's highly regarded.

Thanks for the idea acroamor, I enjoyed all that, let's hope the next decade is just as graced with variety and quality but with both characteristics more evenly spread out!