One Hundred Favorite Albums of the 2010s
(A companion to my One Hundred Favorite Albums of the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, with the same rules, i.e. (1) the albums are ranked in something like my order of preference; (2) the decade is marked from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2019; and (3) I’ve allowed myself multiple albums per artist when I thought it was warranted. I’ve also forbidden myself from choosing compilations unless the material was mostly unavailable on earlier albums, as with #12, #30, #42, and #53.)
White+ by White+
Antologie by Solveig Slettahjell
You Want It Darker by Leonard Cohen
Mimikry by ANBB
Rivers by Wildbirds and Peacedrums
Plastic Planet by Modified Toy Orchestra
Blisters EP by serpentwithfeet
Uncommon Deities by Jan Bang and Erik Honoré, with Arve Henriksen, Sidsel Endresen, and David Sylvian
Take Me Elsewhere by The RAah Project
No Need for Another History by Hiperson
With U by Holy Other
Two BBC Sessions by Yazoo [archival recordings from 1982 released as the third disc of the Three Pieces compilation)
Asleep Versions by Jon Hopkins
LP1 by FKA twigs
Cabaret Contemporain Plays Moondog by Cabaret Contemporain
Highwire Poetry by Karin Park
Supercodex by Ryoji Ikeda
J.S. Bach—Six Suites for Viola Solo by Kim Kashkashian
0 by Ichiko Aoba
Blackstar by David Bowie
Birds Requiem by Dhafer Youssef
Mudflowers by The Last Hurrah!!
The Cherry Thing by Neneh Cherry & The Thing
Dysnomia by Dawn of Midi
1. Man 2. Band by Bernhoft
Jumping the Shark by Alex Cameron
Sleepwalkers by David Sylvian
Diamond Mine by King Creosote & Jon Hopkins
Peppermint Radio by Kate Walsh
Rkives by Rilo Kiley
T H E by tricot
Async by Ryuichi Sakamoto
Pull My Hair Back by Jessy Lanza
Immunity by Jon Hopkins
Stranger in the Alps by Phoebe Bridgers
Tinsel and Lights by Tracey Thorn
MTV Unplugged: Summer Solstice by a-ha
Between Dog and Wolf by New Model Army
House of Balloons by The Weeknd
The Smiths Project by Janice Whaley
Anxiety by Autre Ne Veut
True Soul Volume 1 by Various Artists
Oh the Gold by Ainslie Wills
Twin Concerts by Alog
Reality Show by Jazmine Sullivan
String Variations by Mariam the Believer
Glass Ceiling Universe by Apprentice Destroyer
Held by Holy Other
The State Between Us by The Matthew Herbert Big Band
Live in Dublin by Leonard Cohen
Invisible Cities: An Opera by Christopher Cerrone
Live with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Tunes 2011-2019 by Burial
Colter Wall by Colter Wall
Mid Air by Paul Buchanan
Ibn El Leil by Mashrou’ Leila
La Taberna del Piano: Homenaje a Billy Joel by Ramón García
Reconnected Live by Yaz
I Thought I Was an Alien by Soko
Woman by Rhye
There’s a Light That Enters Houses with No Other House in Sight by David Sylvian, featuring Franz Wright and Christian Fennesz
Love Remains by How To Dress Well
The Reds EP by Ryan Ritchie
Bad as Me by Tom Waits
Liverpool Rain by Racoon
Beyond and Mario Biondi vs Commodores by Mario Biondi
Tristan Perich: Surface Image by Vicky Chow
Magdalene by FKA twigs
If Grief Could Wait by Giovanna Pessi, Susanna, Marco Ambrosini, and Jane Achtman
Live in London by Randy Newman
blackSUMMERS’night by Maxwell
Mala in Cuba by Mala
Punish, Honey by Vessel
One Day I’m Going to Soar by Dexys Midnight Runners
Piano by Alexis Taylor
Ear Hustle by Geno Young
The Velveteen Age by Diane Birch with The Phenomenal Handclap Band
Trail of Souls by Solveig Slettahjell, Knut Reiersrud, and In the Country
Summvs by Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto
Time Machines II by Peter Christopherson
Walk With Me: Live at Chateau Neuf by Bernhoft & KORK
Foreverland by The Divine Comedy
The Other Live Collection by Alison Moyet
Music for Percussion by Ryoji Ikeda
A Strange Beauty by Simone Dinnerstein
Beautiful Imperfection by Asa
Movement by Holly Herndon
Live 2002 by Mika Vainio + Ryoji Ikeda + Alva Noto
Blackjazz by Shining
Personal Piano by Morten Qvenild
Bad Contestant by Matt Maltese
In the Morning We’ll Meet by Giorgio Tuma
Ultimate Care II by Matmos
10th Anniversary by Incredibox
Michael Gordon: Timber by Slagwerk Den Haag
Cheap Imitation by Cabaret Contemporain
The Pianist by Fabrizio Rat
Quarantine by Laurel Halo
One Pig by Matthew Herbert
The Loud Silence by Donato Dozzy
— June 4, 2025