Top albums of the year

Arctic Monkeys, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (Domino)

It was hyped. And then it was hyped some more. But these British teens surpassed all expectations with Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. Combining a gritty drugs-and-rock 'n' roll vibe that puts even Pete Doherty to shame, with danceable indie-rock melodies in the vein of Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys prove that British rock is still alive and well. (Alex Frydman)

Brand New, The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me (Interscope)

Brand New has rightfully gained the title "the Smiths of the new millennium" with its third release. Dark, brooding lyrics mix with equally somber bass lines and melodies, creating dirge-like songs that would even make Morrissey swoon. But dark can also be catchy, as Brand New proves in the chorus to "Not the Sun." Melancholy never sounded as good as it does here. (Frydman)

Beck, The Information (Interscope)

No one else could get away with making an album enclosed with stickers for listeners to design their own cover art and not be labeled a complete circus clown. Then again, no one else could get away with most of the things Beck Hansen does, including his current obsession with on-stage puppetry. With The Information, Beck delivers a solid slice of hipness that finally fuses the sensibility of Sea Change with the retro eccentricity of Midnight Vultures. (Eric Bishop)

Clipse, Hell Hath No Fury (Re-Up Gang/Zomba)

This album puts Clipse on the big-time map in a great way. Sure, they've released another album that made it to the top ten on the Billboard chart, but this one still impresses. Given the seal of perfection from XXL Magazine-the sixth album ever to receive an "XXL" rating-Hell Hath No Fury belongs among the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, including Common's Be, Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and Jay-Z's The Blueprint. (Matt Dearborn)

Bill Frisell/Ron Carter/Paul Motian, Bill Frisell, Ron Carter, Paul Motian (Nonesuch)

The best and most innovative guitarist in jazz, and one of the best in the genre overall, teams with elder statesmen Carter and Motian for an all-star outing, his greatest since 2001's Blues Dream. Almost any Frisell release is a lock for my top 3, and although he always sounds strangely cautious on straightahead releases, his brilliance is manifest. (Graham)

Ghostface Killah, Fishscale (Def Jam)

Arguably the most prolific member of the Wu-Tang Clan, Ghostface is the master of the stream of consciousness (yes, even better than MF Doom). Fishscale is a departure from Ghost's other albums and a return to the original Wu aesthetic, and the result is incredible. It easily rivals GZA's Liquid Swords as the best album from a member of Wu-Tang. And that says a lot. (Dearborn)

Jay-Z, Kingdom Come (Roc-A-Fella)

While Kingdom Come finds Jay-Z at his most pompous, it is nevertheless a nearly perfect album. Jay just proves again that in the hip-hop world, you really can't touch the HOV. The man is a musical genius. But will he become too pompous? Or will he finally retire from the game, this time for real? We'll just have to wait and find out in the next few years. (Dearborn)

Ray LaMontagne, Till The Sun Turns Black (RCA)

LaMontagne's second album doesn't seem to be anything more than a solid sophomore effort-for the first 10 listens or so. Then it gets exponentially better with every listen, and the layers that LaMontagne and producer Ethan Johns have created begin to stand out. It's an album that combines stunning lyrical ability ("Empty"), classic ballads ("Can I Stay") and some good old down-home soul-folk ("Three More Days"). (McGinn)

John Mayer, Continuum (Aware/Columbia)

Like a lot of people, I dismissed John Mayer as an acoustic-loving pop heartthrob years ago. But one listen-through of Continuum shatters this image once and for all. With songs infused with old-school blues and a hint of soul, Mayer takes on love, war and even a cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Bold as Love" with equal capability. Mayer should also be awarded hook of the year for his soulful ballad, "I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)." (Frydman)

Joanna Newsom, Ys (Drag City)

Her voice, which sounds like a cross between the Wicked Witch of the West and your six-year-old cousin, is strangely satisfying and somehow perfectly complements the silky harp strings under her fingers and the full orchestra backing her up. The lush, intricate arrangements (the majority of which clock in at upwards of nine minutes) show a newfound maturity for this rising star, making Ys one of the year's most pleasant surprises. (Bishop)

Justin Timberlake, FutureSex/LoveSounds (Jive)

I have a bad feeling that this record is going to sound very dated and very corny in 10 years, but I don't care right now. Why? These songs get under your skin, thanks to Timbaland's lush and sympathetic production. As good as the singles are, the best song on the album is "LoveStoned," a nearly perfect seven-minute pop confection of the highest quality. (Graham)

TV on the Radio, Return to Cookie Mountain, (4AD)

Spooky, electronic experimentalism and scuzzball atmospherics give this album a fresh, robust sound. You'll probably hate it the first time you hear it-takes awhile for the ears to adjust to something so peculiar-but after a few listens this album will make nearly everything else sound stale. David Bowie, who contributes backing vocals on "Province," told Rolling Stone he listens to the album three times a week. Wouldn't be a bad idea to follow in kind. (Bishop)

Roddy Woomble, My Secret Is My Silence (Pure)

The Idlewild lead singer's solo debut is a beautiful folk record with a little bit of an electric edge. Scottish songwriting poetry, a mix of lore and melody, is at it's best in the phenomenal title track and "I Came In From The Mountain." (McGinn)