We still have plenty of time and music left in 2011, but since we’re at the halfway (or so) mark, we thought it made sense to pause and take stock of the best albums of the year so far. There was some science behind the final tally: Each one of us made a list and assigned points to the records on it; Scott handled the complex mathematics and figured out the exact rankings based on those results. (Not all the bands each one of us voted for made it onto the Top 20, so we’ve also included smaller lists of personal, excluded favorites.)

Things to consider: We didn’t include any albums that haven’t surfaced (aka “leaked”) on any larger scale as of yet (see: Beirut). We also didn’t include deeply underground metal or noise: You’ll notice a couple of metal bands on the Top 20 (and one noise project) — all are groups we believe have crossed over enough into the non-metal/noise dialogue/iPod and make sense for inclusion. (For a more extensive metal-specific list, you’ll have to wait for Haunting The Chapel to get its act together.)

Take a look, and let us know what we missed.

20 Puro Instinct – Headbangers In Ecstasy (Mexican Summer)

19 Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop)

18 Liturgy – Aesthetica (Thrill Jockey)

17 Toro Y Moi – Underneath The Pine (Carpark)

16 Krallice – Diotima (Profound Lore)

15 Yuck – Yuck (Fat Possum)

14 Destroyer – Kaputt (Merge)

13 Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde (Fat Possum)

12 Prurient – Bermuda Drain (HydraHead)

11 Pure X – Pleasure (Acephale)

10 Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra (Fat Possum)

09 The Weeknd – House Of Balloons (self-released)

08 PJ Harvey – Let England Shake (Island)

07 Adele – 21 (XL)

06 Pictureplane – Thee Physical (Lovepump United)

05 Fucked Up – David Comes To Life (Matador)

04 Iceage – New Brigade (Dais)

03 Austra – Feel It Break (Domino/Paper Bag)

02 Gang Gang Dance – Eye Contact (4AD)

01 Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver (Jagjaguwar)

You can read our original review of Bon Iver, Bon Iver here.

And our favorite EPs of the year so far…

03 Laurel Halo – Hour Logic (Hippos In Tanks)

02 Holy Other – WITH U (Tri Angle)

01 Clams Casino – Rainforest (Tri-Angle)

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Finally, six albums from each of us that didn’t make the final album list. Unranked…

Scott
Tom Vek – Leisure Seizure (Island)
Ford & Lopatin – Channel Pressure (Software)
Bill Callahan – Apocolypse (Drag City)
tUnE-yArDs – w h o k i l l (4AD)
Beyoncé – 4 (Columbia)
Washed Out – Within And Without (4AD)

Amrit
SBTRKT – SBTRKT (XL)
Beyoncé – 4 (Columbia)
Julianna Barwick – The Magic Place (Asthmatic Kitty)
Cold Cave – Cherish The Light Years (Matador)
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Belong (Slumberland)
Dirty Beaches – Badlands (Zoo)

Brandon
Julianna Barwick – The Magic Place (Asthmatic Kitty)
Tim Hecker – Ravedeath, 1972 (Kranky)
Grouper – A I A (Self-Released)
The Caretaker – An Empty Bliss Beyond This World (History Always Favours The Winners)
Cold Cave – Cherish The Light Years (Matador)
Zomby – Dedication (4AD)

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Who’s on your list?