My drop in the ocean of best of the year lists. These are not in numerical order: they are simply organized by artist name.

1. Autra - Lose It
   Proof that sopranos like me can still sing pop music. On the list for the wordless high high vocal sections; without it, it would be the most generic.
2. Björk - Virus
   Any other song with the lyric “the protein transmutates” will never be as good as this. I haven’t managed to download the apps for the songs on Biophilia yet, primarily because they take up so much space and secondly because I don’t think that using them on an iPod will do them justice.
3. Bon Iver - Holocene
   I wasn’t a big fan of Bon Iver’s first album, but this might have brought me onto the bandwagon. Check out “Perth” and “Calgary” too.
4. Caveman - December 28
   I actually did not find this song until the morning of December 28. I’m glad I had the day to listen to it. It seems they’ve been listening to Fleet Foxes; not that that’s a bad thing at all.
5. Colin Stetson - Fear of the Unknown and the Blazing Sun
   In my trawl of best of 2011 lists, I’ve inspected more experimental and electronic than in other years, perhaps because of my upcoming electronic music class.
6. Cults - You Know What I Mean
   The most popular choice for the best of lists seems to be “Abducted,” which is a good pick, but in my opinion doesn’t even come close to this. I’d love to be able to sing this, but I think Madeline Follin must be one of a few women who can hit that Eb with the perfect mix of belt and head voice. I am not one of them.
7. DeVotchKa - The Alley
   They got passed up on most of the lists I read, and I’ll admit that 100 Other Lovers as a whole wasn’t as strong as their last two albums. However, this first track is my favorite on the album and one of my favorite DeVotchKa songs of all time. They opened their concert in March with this, and that’s when I knew I was in for an awesome show. (And it was awesome, but no one danced.)
8. The Dodos - Black Night
   The Dodos are back with their rolling, pounding drumbeats and acoustic, plucky guitars, this time with an electric overlay. Onto the driving playlist with this one.
9. Explosions in the Sky - Postcard from 1952
   I don’t care what the magazines say. EitS can go on making beautiful mini-symphonies and I will be a happy woman. All the haters can suck it.
10. The Field- Then It’s White
    I’m waiting for a snowstorm to listen to this on repeat.
11. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
    Fleet Foxes don’t know the meaning of “sophomore slump.” Beautiful harmonies, lots of forward movement, and lyrics especially relevant right now. My favorite song from one of my favorite albums of the year.
12.   Girls- Vomit
    I’m waiting for this to be on the soundtrack of Sofia Coppola’s next movie.
13. The Head and the Heart - Down in the Valley
    Next on the list of songs I need to play on accordion with people, easy Coldplay comparison nonwithstanding. As long as they don’t start playing arenas or thinking their albums are the Best Things Ever, the Head and the Heart will be on my playlist.
14. John Maus - Hey Moon
    A slow interlude on an album full of fast dance tracks. This was originally a Molly Nilsson track, which was good enough in its own right, but with Maus’s voice one octave below Nilsson’s and a layer of shimmering synths added, this is silver perfection. I was hoping to see it when I saw John Maus live, but this would be out of place in the onstage nervous breakdown that is a John Maus show.
15. Jonsi - Gathering Stories
    I can barely tell this apart from a Passion Pit song, but that’s OK because Passion Pit didn’t release anything this year. Bursting with bright color and fun.
16. Julianna Barwick - The Magic Place
    When you’re a slightly dreamy female who likes layering your voice, you have to walk a thin line to avoid straying into Enya territory. Julianna Barwick falls to the right side of the line in the closest yet best way possible.
17. The Kills - Satellite
    Shut up, Jon Caramanica. Rock and roll is so not dead.
18. Kurt Vile - Jesus Fever
19. League - Two Wild Hearts
    One must not walk while listening to this song. Driving, running, or biking are acceptable forms of transport.
20. Little Scream - The Heron and the Fox
    Some day in the distant future, I will be driving along a highway on the way to apologize to someone I love, and this will be on the soundtrack.
21. The Low Anthem - Boeing 737
22. My Morning Jacket - Victory Dance
    See #17.
23. The National - Exile Vilify
    If you ever feel like you’re in too good of a mood, listen to this and you will be made beautifully sad. The poor Rat Man. Check out the video, the winner of a contest, featuring the most miserable sock puppet to ever exist.
24. Noah and the Whale - Wild Thing
    This year’s Last Night on Earth was a disappointment after First Days of Spring; “L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N” is just as cheesy as its title sounds. “Wild Thing” is a pearl among swine. Nothing against pigs.
25. Panda Bear - Last Night at the Jetty
26. PJ Harvey - On Battleship Hill
    Let England Shake? More like let the world shake. Polly needs to keep making music forever.
27. The Raveonettes - Recharge and Revolt
    A song that sounds like it’s from the 60s without sounding like it’s from the 60s.
28. St. Vincent - Cheerleader
    I didn’t like Strange Mercy as much as Marry Me or Actor, but I don’t think it’ll be possible for me to ever dislike, or leave off the best of the year list, something Annie Clark makes unless she pulls a Liz Phair on us.
29. Tim Hecker - The Piano Drop
    See #10.
30. The War on Drugs - Baby Missiles
    See #19.
31. Wye Oak - Civilian
    First heard this song when Wye Oak opened for Explosions in the Sky in October. Haven’t stopped listening since. Also see #17.