In 2011, some releases resonated highly with our Wake Radio staff. Here’s what struck a chord with our radio DJs this year that you may have overlooked. We hope we can convince you not to miss out on some of these great albums!

Also below are individual top 10s from your executive staff. Head over to our separate staff pages here to get a playlist of our highlights from our favorites this year.

Top Albums of 2011

1. Bon Iver – Bon Iver

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2. Adele – 21

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3. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

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4. Emperor X – Western Teleport

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5. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

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6. Foster the People – Torches

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7. The Head and the Heart – The Head and the Heart

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8. The Black Keys – El Camino

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9. Lady Gaga – Born This Way

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10. Drake – Take Care

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Laura’s Recommended
1 Nicolas Jaar – Space is Only Noise
2 Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi – Rome
3 Atlas Sound – Parallax
4 Austra – Feel it Break
5 Icebird – The Abandoned Lullaby
6 The Black Keys – El Camino
7 Destroyer – Kaputt
8 The Field – Looping State of Mind
9 The Horrors – Skying
10 Youth Lagoon – The Year of Hibernation

Jaci’s Recommended
1 Bayside – Killing Time
2 Bon Iver – Bon Iver
3 Balance and Composure – Separation
4 Adele – 21
5 Touche Amore – Parting the Sea between Brightness and Me
6 M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
7 Emperor X – Western Teleport
8 La Dispute – Wildlife
9 Laura Stevenson and the Cans – Sit Resist
10 Lady Gaga – Born This Way

Mat’s Recommended
1 M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
2 Bon Iver – Bon Iver
3 Deer Tick – Divine Providence
4 Cymbals Eat Guitars – Lenses Alien
5 Various – Rave On Buddy Holly
6 Wavves – Life Sux EP
7 Panda Bear – Tomboy
8 Lee Corey Oswald – Moon Songs
9 Of Monsters and Men – Into the Woods EP
10 Beirut – The Rip Tide

Pam’s Recommended
1 Young the Giant – Young The Giant
2 The Head and the Heart – The Head and the Heart
3 Bombay Bicycle Club – A Different Kind of Fix
4 The Ericksons – Don’t Be Scared, Don’t Be Alarmed
5 Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
6 Death Cab For Cutie – Codes and Keys
7 My Morning Jacket – Circuital
8 Givers – In Light
9 Beirut – The Rip Tide
10 The Antlers – Burst Apart

Dale’s Recommended
Pharoahe Monch – W.A.R.
Has-lo – Conversation B
Random Axe – Random Axe
Katy B – Katy On A Mission
Das Racist – Relax
Homeboy Sandman – The Good Sun
Kooley High – Alexander Thompson
L.O.W.F.I. – Awakening
Frank Ocean – nostalgia, Ultra
Jet Age of Tomorrow – 5th Echelon

Lauren’s Recommended
1 Adele – 21
2 Foster the People – Torched
3 Drake – Take Care
4 William Fitzsimmons – Gold in the Shadow
5 Gotye – Making Mirrors
6 M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
7 Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne
8 Emperor X – Western Teleport
9 Phantogram – Nightlife EP
10 AraabMUZIK – Electronic Dream

Clare’s Recommended
1 Hellogoodbye – Would It Kill You?
2 Adele – 21
3 The Strokes – Angles
4 Iron and Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean
5 Dawes – Nothing Is Wrong
6 Bon Iver – Bon Iver
7 Helplessness Blues – Fleet Foxes
8 St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
9 Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
10 The Black Keys – El Camino

Crystal’s Recommended
1 Bon Iver – Bon Iver
2 The Head and the Heart – The Head and the Heart
3 M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
4 Benjamin Francis Leftwich – A Million Miles Out
5 Tennis – Cape Dory
6 Feist – Metals
7 The Antlers – Burst Apart
8 Givers – In Light
9 Fruit Bats – Tripper
10 Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne

Katie’s Recommended
1 Lykke Li – Wounded Rhymes
2 Bon Iver – Bon Iver
3 Gotye – Making Mirrors
4 Frank Ocean – nostalgia, Ultra
5 James Blake – James Blake
6 St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
7 Toro y Moi – Underneath the Pine
8 Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne
9 Real Estate – Days
10. The Decemberists – The King is Dead

Carleigh’s Recommended
1 Emperor X – Western Teleport
2 Sleeping in the Aviary – Talking Out of Turn
3 Nicolas Jaar – Space is Only Noise
4 Azure Blue – Rule of Thirds
5 Gauntlet Hair – Gauntlet Hair
6 Holy Other – With U
7 Davila 666 – Tan Bajo
8 Gui Boratto – III
9 Cloud Nothings – Cloud Nothings
10 The Pillows – Horn Again

Spurge’s Recommended
1 Justice – Audio Video Disco
2 SebastiAn – Total
3 Drake – Take Care
4 Modeselektor – Monkeytown
5 Nero – Welcome Reality
6 The Black Keys – El Camino
7 Metronomy – The English Riviera
8 Kill the Noise – Kill Kill Kill
9 Modek – By the Pool
10 Ado – The Ultra

Kory’s Recommended
1 Emperor X – Western Teleport
2 Radiohead – The King of Limbs
3 Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
4 Juliana Barwick – The Magic Place
5 Oneohtrix Point Never – Replica
6 Bjork – Biophelia
7 Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1972
8 The Dodos – No Color
9 The Antlers – Burst Apart
10 Frank Ocean – nostalgia, Ultra