Robert Christgau’s MSN blog, Expert Witness, has a comment section filled with some of the best music discussion I’ve come across. I hosted a poll of commenters’ favorite albums and songs of 2011. Users voted for ten albums, spreading 100 points across them, giving as many as thirty and as few as five points to each. The top albums here are chosen from fifty-one ballots. “Big supporters” means voters who gave an album >10 points. “First place mentions” means voters who had an album in their top slot.
25. Blues and the Empirical Truth – Allen Lowe
Points: 46
Mentions: 3
Points per mention: 15.3
Big supporters (2): Jason Gubbels (11), Jerry Withrow (25)
First place mentions (1): Jerry Withrow (25)
24. Femme Fatale – Britney Spears
Points: 49
Mentions: 6
Points per mention: 8.2
Deluxe Edition mentions: 2
Big supporters (2): Anderson Parramore (11), Rodney Taylor (15)
23. Wild Flag – Wild Flag
Points: 51
Mentions: 7
Points per mention: 7.3
Big supporters (1): Liam Smith (11)
22. Mountaintops – Mates of State
Points: 52
Mentions: 6
Points per mention: 8.7
Big supporters (1): Scott Coleman (15)
21. Family & Friends – Serengeti
Points: 54
Mentions: 6
Points per mention: 9.0
Big supporters (2): Scott Coleman (15), Mark Rosen (12)
20. Tell My Sister – Kate & Anna McGarrigle
Points: 55
Mentions: 5
Points per mention: 11
Big supporters (2): Glen Hadwen (20), Richard Ross (20)
First place mentions (2): Glen Hadwen (20), Richard Ross (20)
19. Live: The Storyteller – Todd Snider
Points: 55
Mentions: 6
Points per mention: 9.2
Big supporters (2): Walter Cherrette (15), Chris Hurst (13)
18. Nine Types of Light – TV on the Radio
Points: 67
Mentions: 6
Points per mention: 11.2
Big supporters (2): Richard Cobeen (16), Raul Roque (20)
First place mentions (1): Raul Roque (20)
17. Western Teleport – Emperor X
Points: 68
Mentions: 7
Points per mention: 9.7
Big supporters (2): Richard Cobeen (18), Mike Imes (15)
First place mentions (1): Richard Cobeen (18)
16. An Argument with Myself – Jens Lekman
Points: 74
Mentions: 9
Points per mention: 8.2
Big supporters (1): Mitch Fujita (11)
15. Ancient & Modern: 1911-2011 – Mekons
Points: 76
Mentions: 8
Points per mention: 9.5
Big supporters (1): Liam Smith (20)
First place mentions (1): Liam Smith (20)
14. Good News – Withered Hand
Points: 77
Mentions: 8
Points per mention: 9.6
Big supporters (2): Nick Farruggia (20), Ryan Maffei (14)
First place mentions (1): Nick Farruggia (20)
13. Stone Rollin’ – Raphael Saadiq
Points: 78
Mentions: 7
Points per mention: 11.1
Big supporters (4): Peter Gorman (13), Joe Lunday (14), Josh Palmes (12), Mark Rosen (12)
First place mentions (2): Josh Palmes (12), Mark Rosen (12)
12. Black Up – Shabazz Palaces
Points: 83
Mentions: 9
Points per mention: 9.2
Big supporters (2): Jason Gubbels (14), Michael Tatum (12)
11. Get out the Lotion – Low Cut Connie
Points: 84
Mentions: 12
Points per mention: 7.0
10. Relax – Das Racist
Points: 108
Mentions: 12
Points per mention: 9.0
Big supporters (4): Rob Cooper (15), Carola Dibbell (11), Dave Schweitz (13), Rodney Taylor (15)
First place mentions (1): Kevin John Bozelka (10)
9. Sky Full of Holes – Fountains of Wayne
Points: 120
Mentions: 11
Points per mention: 10.9
Big supporters (4): Philip Brasor (20), Walter Cherrette (15), Tom Lane (15), Greg Morton (12)
8. Funeral Dress II – Wussy
Points: 131
Mentions: 10
Points per mention: 13.1
Big supporters (6): Chuck Bromley (15), Rob Cooper (15), Carola Dibbell (30), Glen Hadwen (15), Mike Imes (15), Richard Ross (13)
First place mentions (1): Carola Dibbell (30)
7. Watch the Throne – Jay-Z & Kanye West
Points: 140
Mentions: 18
Points per mention: 7.8
Big supporters (3): Nick Farruggia (14), Josh Palmes (11), Michael Tatum (14)
6. Devil’s Music – Teddybears
Points: 177
Mentions: 17
Points per mention: 10.4
Big supporters (9): Jacob Bailis (15), Walter Cherrette (15), Richard Cobeen (13), Scott Coleman (17), Jimmy Cook (12), Mitch Fujita (13), Chris Hurst (13), Joe Lunday (11), Anderson Parramore (14)
First place mentions (3): Scott Coleman (17), Chris Hurst (13), Anderson Parramore (14)
5. Hell on Heels – Pistol Annies
Points: 186
Mentions: 16
Points per mention: 11.6
Big supporters (8): Jacob Bailis (20), Chuck Bromley (15), Jeff Callahan (12), Rob Cooper (13), Paul Hayden (12), Brad Luen (15), Michael Swallop (12), Dan Weiss (16)
4. So Beautiful or So What? – Paul Simon
Points: 326
Mentions: 29
Points per mention: 11.2
Big supporters: 14
First place mentions (2): Jacob Bailis (30), Nate Smith (15)
3. Strawberry – Wussy
Points: 390
Mentions: 28
Points per mention: 13.9
Big supporters: 20
First place mentions (10): Jeff Callahan (12), Jimmy Cook (13), Peter Gorman (19), Mike Imes (30), Marcus2010 (20), Christopher Monsen (20), Cam Patterson (20), John Smallwood (15), Dan Weber (18), Joe Yanosik (10)
2. w h o k i l l – tUnE-yArDs
Points: 442
Mentions: 33
Points per mention: 13.4
Big supporters: 21
First place mentions (11): Philip Brasor (20), Chuck Bromley (15), Walter Cherrette (20), Mitch Fujita (20), Brad Luen (25), Greg Morton (20), David Schweitz (14), Michael Swallop (15), Rodney Taylor (18), Alex Wilson (30), Alex Wolf (16)
1. nostalgia,ULTRA. – Frank Ocean
Points: 443
Mentions: 32
Points per mention: 13.8
Big supporters: 22
First place mentions (9): Rob Cooper (16), Joey Daniewicz (25), Jason Gubbels (16), Jon LaFollette (25), Joe Lunday (15), Ryan Maffei (20), Mark926 (15), Michael Tatum (20), Tom Walker (20)
Noisecritic 
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