The IamHere2Love 2011 Year-End Music Awards - Part 3: Top-Ten Albums

Yes! This is it! The moment we've all (ok, a few of us) have been waiting for! Welcome to Part 3 of the IamHere2Love 2011 Year-End Music Awards: Top-Ten Albums! And just in case you missed the last two parts, here you go: Part 1 and Part 2.

I noticed this morning that the previous entry was kind of long, so this time I'm going to be more direct and to-the-point. Also, like The Beatles, I had a little help from my friends who I'd like to recognize at this time: Arien, Briyana, Cesar, Chi, ChiChi, Cody, Elizabeth, Jerome, Maya, Stephan, and Terry - thank you all very much! You'll see some of their quotes on the albums in question towards the end.

The first thing I need to do is to share the criteria for my top-ten albums:

1. Can you listen to it all-the-way-through?
2. How many quality songs does it have?
3. When we look back on 2011, will we remember this album?

Based on those three criteria, we're ready to go! Here are my honorable mentions (in alphabetical order):

• Betty Wright: The Movie, Betty Wright and The Roots - A legendary singer and a legendary band team up to deliver a solid, old-school soul album. Check Out This Track: "Grapes On A Vine" (featuring Lil Wayne)
• Black And White America, Lenny Kravitz - More than two decades after his debut, Lenny Kravitz delivers a nice fusion of rock, funk, and soul music. Check Out This Track: "Black And White America"
• Ceremonials, Florence + The Machine - This is a beautiful album made possible by Florence's gracefulness. Check Out This Track: "What The Water Gave Me"
• Light Of The Sun, Jill Scott - Jill Scott's latest release is simply her best because she is creatively liberated! Check Out This Track: "So In Love" (featuring Anthony Hamilton)
• Stone Rollin', Raphael Saadiq - Mr. Saadiq proves here that no one does throwback R&B/soul music like he can! Check Out This Track: "Good Man"

The five honorable mention albums rank among the year's best. In particular, the last three albums listed above were very close to making the Top-Top list. Here's who made the party:

#10. Finally Famous, Big Sean

If I had an award for album of the summer, this would take the cake! I remember travelling down to South Carolina with my aunt, uncle, and cousin to my older cousin's wedding and the song that was most in-demand was Big Sean's "Marvin & Chardonnay." What I enjoyed so much about this album was that it was all feel-good music. There's nothing on this album that is too deep or too serious, but instead there are great comedic quips and inspirational moments. Full disclosure: "My Last" is probably my favorite track of the year because of Chris Brown's hook and how I can relate to it - nuff said.

Check Out These Tracks: "My Last" (featuring Chris Brown), "Marvin & Chardonnay" (featuring Kanye West and Roscoe Dash), "Dance (A$$) (Remix featuring Nicki Minaj)

#9. Wasting Light, Foo Fighters

Something a lot of people don't realize about me is that I love good-old fashion hard rock music as much as I love pop, R&B, and hip-hop music; the problem is that a lot of hard rock bands don't get mainstream attention these days. The Foo Fighters are one of my all-time favorite rock bands and I've enjoyed their music since I first heard "Learn To Fly" back in 2000. Wasting Light is 48 minutes of non-stop, throwdown rock music and the neat thing about this album is that it's for everybody. I appreciate how it is neither too "pop" or "mainstream," yet is accessible enough for novice rock fans to enjoy. Definitely give this one a listen-through!

Check Out These Tracks: "Rope", "Walk"

#8. Torches, Foster The People

Ok, where did these guys come from? Torches is both a big debut and big surprise and the only comparison I can really make is to Lady Gaga's The Fame back in 2008. Remember how "Just Dance" came out of nowhere and blew up? I would say that the same thing happened with "Pumped Up Kicks," albeit, at on a smaller scale. Also, similar to Gaga and The Fame, Foster The People is offering us something innovative and different - I just don't know how to describe it at the moment. Actually, all I can say about this album is that it's darn good music.

Check Out These Tracks: "Helena Beat", "Pumped Up Kicks", "Call It What You Want"

#7. Condensate, The Original 7ven

"What time is it?" This is really one of my favorite albums of the year because it features all seven original members of The Time reunited for the first time in 20 years. To put this in proper perspective, I was two years old when their previous album was released (obviously I wasn't listening to The Time back then). I am so happy to say that these gentlemen have not lost a step, nor skipped a beat. In fact, I would argue that Condensate is this group's best and most complete album: it is over an hour long and contains 16 cuts. Forget the fact that this is "grown-folks" music for a minute; if you like funk music (or rather a funky type of pop) and like to have a good time, then this is the album for you!

Check Out These Tracks: "#Trending", "If I Was Yo Man", "Hey Yo"

#6. F.A.M.E., Chris Brown

Ladies and gentlemen, Chris Brown is at the top of his game! To be honest, I was late to pick up this album due to my disdain for Chris Brown's past actions. I failed to see what the big deal was about this album or why its tracks were playing non-stop on D.C.'s urban radio stations, but once I brought the album I understood. F.A.M.E works primarily on two levels: (1) as a hip-hop/R&B album and (2) as a pop album. Here are the hits on F.A.M.E.: "Deuces," "No Bullshit," "Look At Me Now," "She Ain't You," "Yeah 3x," "Wet the Bed," and "Beautiful People" - Yep that's a lot for an album with 13 tracks.

Check Out These Tracks: "No Bullshit," "She Ain't You," "Say It With Me"

#5. 4, Beyonce

“When I play WTT i know instantly what year it is, even as it references the past with its Otis Redding and James Brown sampling.”

ChiChi: “bey's is awesomeness and a bag of chips... she's never put that much into an album that is timeless. 4 is better than dangerously in love!”

Terry: “Vocally, Beyonces best album. Too much joy and love in this album. Hit after hit.”

I have to agree with my cousin Terry, 4 is an album that packs hit after hit after hit. And furthermore, I also agree with ChiChi in that Beyonce has never put this much into an album before. In fact, this album is all Beyonce! Only one track on the entire album contains a guest spot and that track, "Party," features Kanye's best guest apperance of the year and a rare (but effectively employed) guest apperance from Andre 3000. Overall, Beyonce has never been better!

Check Out These Tracks: "Party" (this is the J.Cole version, a bit of a downgrade from Andre, but still good), "Rather Die Young", "Countdown"

#4. 21, Adele

Cesar: ”It is the best selling album of 2011 and it could be labeled a mix of Mariah Carey and Celine Dion. That's huge for this day and age. Also we know that any artist can have a hot song but somehow rolling in the deep got people to buy entire albums.”

“However in terms of music business the Adele thing is monumental and it shows you can sell records on talent and soul. It was almost the anti gaga in its lack of theatricality”

Cesar is absolutely right, Adele's 21 is all about talent and soul. This is another album that I was hesistant to pick-up at first because of its overarching notion: the entire album is about her ex-boyfriend. Even while I was listening to Adele for the first time, I was asking myself "what in the world did this dude do to her?" Well, whatever this guy did pushed Adele to record a piece work that is a Tour de Force and, in all likeihood will win the Grammy for Album of the Year. Right from the beginning - "Rolling In The Deep" - Adele's voice is a force and she does not let up at all. More importantly, as Cesar points, this is all about talent. 21 is not about selling sex or a "name brand" - it's all about Adele's indisputable ability to blast a note. If you haven't listened to this album in its entirety yet, do so immediately.

Check Out These Tracks: "Rolling In The Deep", "Rumour Has It", "Someone Like You"

#3. Born This Way, Lady Gaga

Arien: “I would say that Born this Way did tackle social issues, which may be significant when future generations analyze the issues of this era. Gaga also branched out a bit more vocally.”

Ok, here's the deal: I believe that musically, Adele's 21 was better (and will have a bigger musical influence) than Born This Way; however, Lady Gaga's latest release is ranked higher on this list because of its social relevance as it relates to the events of 2011. First and foremost, the actual release of Born This Way was an event onto itself. How many of you brought this album for $.99 on Amazon? I know I did. I don't recall an artist as popular as Lady Gaga ever doing such a thing. Next, as Arien writes, Gaga tackles social issues here, including LGBT rights which something we will definitely remember from 2011. In 2011, we witnessed an end to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and gay marriage was legalized in New York (Gaga's home state). In many ways, the title track, "Born This Way," is a modern-day anthem for the LGBT movement and Gaga is one of its most prominent advocates.

Even taking all of this into consideration, I need to say that Born This Way is a fantastic album. Gaga stretches herself musically and creatively. Also, the theatricality in question is executed amazingly well! I'll admit, Born This Way may not be Gaga's best album to date, but it's definitely her most important!

Check Out These Tracks: "Marry The Night", "You and I", "The Edge of Glory

#2. undun, The Roots

If I could only listen to one album from this year, and no other albums from 2011 for the rest of my life, this is the one I would choose. Quick story: a few weeks ago, I went to go see The Roots perform in my hometown of Silver Spring, Maryland. I actually found myself preferring the undun studio album to The Roots live performance. I think the reason for this is that The Roots create such a personal and initmate listening experience on undun. This is The Roots first concept album in which they relate the tragedy of Redford Stevens in reverse-chronological order, i.e. the album begins with Redford moments away from the grave. The album is definitely rich musically (as expected from The Roots), but exceptionally rich lyrically as MC Black Thought gives the most outstanding performance of his legendary career. I'll say two more things about this album. First, this is a seamless album and although there are nice cuts, not one track in particular stands out. Second, in order to really understand this album, one must listen to it multiple times. I can honestly say that I've listened to this album all-the-way-through at least 15 times. Please, for me, listen to this awesome album!

Check Out These Tracks: Please try to listen to all of them together, but if you must check out a few: "Make My" (featuring Big K.R.I.T.) "One Time" (featuring Phonte and Dice Raw), "Lighthouse" (featuring Dice Raw)

#1. Watch The Throne, Jay-Z and Kanye West

Jerome:

When I play WTT I know instantly what year it is, even as it references the past with its Otis Redding and James Brown sampling.

If I had to choose an album it'd be WTT. There were moments here that were necessary for the culture (Niggas In Paris, No Church, Murder to Excellence, Otis, and New Day).

…and Ye is the closest thing we have to Stevie Wonder in the music world. WTT wins by sheer utility in my book.

Imagine, it's 1969 and The Beatles and The Rolling Stones have just released their new collaborative album in the same year that they came out with Abbey Road and Let It Bleed, respectively. Or, what if it's 1984 and Prince (who just released Purple Rain earlier that year) teamed up to create an entire album with Michael Jackson (who two years earlier released the highest selling album of all-time, Thriller)? Or even this one: In 2002, Nas and Jay-Z not only end their feud, but also decide to release a joint album after each artist produced arguably the best albums of their careers a year earlier (Stillmatic and The Blueprint, respectively). In any field, it's rare that the two best in the game collaborate; however, it's even rarer that their collaboration is successful and has a significant impact on the game itself. Ladies and Gentlemen, Watch The Throne is that rare collaboration in which the two best MCs in the game team-up at the top of their games!

If I may be so bold, I think that in 40 years we'll look at Watch The Throne as having a similar type of cultural significance as Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. I say this because both albums really give us a snapshot of their contemporary societal moment. In 1971, Marvin's album was one of the first to talk about the day's most controversial issues such as the environment, race relations, drug abuse, poverty, and of course Vietnam. 40 years later, Jay and Ye are also talking about America's controversial issues such as materialism, poverty, our 24/7 media culture, the decay of rules and boundaries ("No Church In The Wild"), power (this is actually a big one, because it speaks to a growing divide between the haves and have-nots), and Iraq. There is so much here in one album and it only has one small fault: although "Lift Off" (featuring Beyonce) is a great song, it feels out of place next to the album's weightier themes.

Watch The Throne is by no means an easy listen; it is a challenging listen that introduces new, complex beats and heavy themes. At the same time, it is also a rewarding listen for those who stick with it and re-listen to the album a few times. Aside from being the rare successful collaborative album, Watch The Throne is also the rare album that simultaneously entertains and educates (and illuminates) its listeners. I am pleased to say that Jay-Z's and Kanye West's Watch The Throne is my 2011 Album of the Year!

Check Out These Tracks: "Otis", "Niggas In Paris"

Thank you so much for reading and please feel free to post your thoughts on Facebook or Tweet me @ReggieGalloway - Peace.