How the poll works: We asked voters to choose the top 10 local albums, then weighted those picks through a system that allocates 100 points per list. Voters could rank their choices (from 20 points for No. 1 to 2 points for No. 10), or leave them unranked for 10 points apiece.

Best songs and live acts are ranked 10 points for No. 1, eight points for No. 2, etc., or five points per entry if not ranked.

Christopher Bahn, the Onion's A.V. Club Twin Cities ALBUMS

1. P.O.S., "Never Better"

2. Brother Ali, "Us"

3. Grant Hart, "Hot Wax"

4. Mason Jennings, "The Blood of Man"

5. Andrew Broder, "I Must Fix All The Problems; Experts, Specialists; Raw Bulb; We Had To Eat The Owl; Suture; Unqualified; Think About Every Problem You Have At The Same Time; Rap Ballads; Spiraling; Remaining"

6. The Pines, "Tremolo"

7. Vampire Hands, "Hannah in the Mansion"

8. Michael Yonkers & the Blind Shake, "Cold Town/Soft Zodiac"

9. Red Pens, "Reasons"

10. Brad Senne, "Ariel Views"

Jay Boller, Minnesota Daily ALBUMS

1. Ice Palace, "Wonder Subtly Crushing Us"

2. P.O.S., "Never Better"

3. Gay Witch Abortion, "Maverick"

4. Lookbook, "Wild at Heart"

5. Big Quarters, "From the Home of Brown Babies & White Mothers."

6. Brother Ali, "Us"

7. Michael Yonkers/Blind Shake, "Cold Town/Soft Zodiac"

8. Idle Hands, "The Hearts We Broke on the Way to the Show"

9. Lucy Michelle & the Velvet Lapelles, "Special Party Time for Everyone"

10. Maria Isa, "Street Politics"

SONGS

1. "Slow Motion Fall," Ice Palace

2. "Purexed," P.O.S.

3. The Color Salmon," Lucy Michelle & the Velvet Lapelles

4. "Loaded," Idle Hands

5. Your Own Militia," Gay Witch Abortion

LIVE ACTS

1. A Night in the Box

2. Private Dancer

3. The Guystorm

4. Gay Witch Abortion

5. P.O.S.

Jon Bream, Star Tribune music critic 1. The Pines, "Tremolo"

2. Brian Setzer, "Songs from Lonely Avenue"

3. Nancy Harms, "In the Indigo"

4. Mark Olson & Gary Louris, "Ready for the Flood"

5. Keri Noble, "Keri Noble"

6. Owl City, "Ocean Eyes"

7. Lookbook, "Wild at Heart"

8. Black Blondie, "Do You Remember Who You Wanted To Be?"

9. P.O.S., "Never Better"

10. Bunny Clogs, "More More More"

Tim Campbell, Star Tribune senior A&E editor ALBUMS (NOT RANKED)

Jay Epstein with Anthony Cox and Bill Carrothers, "Easy Company"

Eyedea & Abilities, "By the Throat"

Idle Hands, "The Hearts We Broke on the Way to the Show"

Gary Louris & Marc Olson, "Ready for the Flood"

Willie Murphy, "A Shot of Love in a Time of Need"

P.O.S., "Never Better"

Red Pens, "Reasons"

The Twilight Hours, "Stereo Night"

Vampire Hands, "Hannah in the Mansion"

Janey Winterbauer & Marc Perlman, "25:32:47"

SONGS (NOT RANKED)

"The Field," Mason Jennings

"Fresh Air," Brother Ali

"Hung Out," Red Pens

"Over and Over," Lookbook

"Savion Glover," P.O.S.

Cyn Collins, freelancer and "West Bank Boogie" author ALBUMS

1. P.O.S., "Never Better"

2. The Twilight Hours, "Stereo Night"

3. Magic Castles, "Dreams of Dreams of Dreams"

4. Chooglin' "Sweet Time"

5. Red Pens, "Reasons"

6. Willie Murphy, "A Shot of Love in a Time of Need"/"Autobiographical Notes"

7. Mason Jennings, "Blood of Man"

8. Gay Witch Abortion, "Maverick"

9. Peter Wolf Crier, "Inter-be"

10. Me and My Arrow, "Me and My Arrow"

LIVE ACTS (UNRANKED)

The Knotwells

Chooglin'

Frances Gumm

Patches and Gretchen

Courtney McLean and the Dirty Curls

David De Young, HowWastheShow.com ALBUMS

1. The Twilight Hours, "Stereo Night"

2. Ben Connelly, "The Great I Don't Know Why"

3. Lookbook, "Wild At Heart"

4. The Pines, "Tremolo"

5. Nancy Harms, "In the Indigo"

6. Zoo Animal, "Young Blood"

7. Idle Hands, "The Hearts We Broke on the Way to the Show"

8. P.O.S., "Never Better"

9. Mark Mallman, "Invincible Criminal"

10. Crossing Guards, "Revenge of the Tall Boys"

Tom Horgen, Star Tribune nightlife reporter ALBUMS

1. P.O.S., "Never Better"

2. Toki Wright, "A Different Mirror"

3. Big Quarters, "From the Home of Brown Babies & White Mothers."

4. Brother Ali, "Us"

5. Lookbook, "Wild at Heart"

6. Vampire Hands, "Hannah in the Mansion"

7. Aby Wolf, "Sweet Prudence"

8. The Alarmists, "The Overhead Left"

9. Black Blondie, "Do You Remember Who You Wanted to Be"

10. BK-One with Benzilla, "Radio do Canibal."

SONGS

1. P.O.S., "Goodbye"

2. Toki Wright, "A Different Mirror"

3. Big Quarters, "Good Look"

4. Brother Ali, "Games"

5. P.O.S., "Never Better"

LIVE ACTS

1. P.O.S.

Kyle Matteson, MoreCowbell.net ALBUMS

1. Lookbook, "Wild At Heart"

2. The Evening Rig, "Is Doing Stuff "

3. P.O.S., "Never Better"

4. Brother Ali, "Us"

5. Gospel Gossip, "Dreamland"/"Drift" EPs

6. Zak Sally, "Fear of Song"

7. Red Pens, "Reasons"

8. Peter Wolf Crier, "Inter-Be"

9. Vampire Hands, "Hannah in the Mansion"

10. Mason Jennings, "Blood of Man"

SONGS

1. Lookbook, "True to Form"

2. Gospel Gossip, "Nashville"

3. Lookbook, "Yesterday's Company"

4. Gospel Gossip, "Sippy Cup"

5. P.O.S., "Purexed"

LIVE ACTS

1. Gospel Gossip

2. Red Pens

3. P.O.S.

4. No Bird Sing

5. Moonstone

Pat O'Brien, freelancer (HowWastheShow.com and City Pages) ALBUMS

1. The Evening Rig, "Is Doin' Stuff"

2. Lookbook, "Wild at Heart"

3. Gospel Gossip, "Dreamland" EP

4. Red Pens, "Reasons"

5. Halloween, Alaska, "Champagne Downtown"

6. Crossing Guards, "Revenge of the Tallboys"

7. Gay Witch Abortion, "Maverick"

8. Two Harbors, "All the Places We Would Rather Be"

9. Mercurial Rage, "Cascade"

10. Kill to Kill, "Fighter"

SONGS

1. "In Order," Halloween, Alaska

2. "The Steve McQueens," The Evening Rig

3. "Yesterday's Company," Lookbook

4. "You Pulled the Rug Out," Two Harbors

5. "51 Weeks Ago," Crossing Guards

LIVE ACTS

1. Gay Witch Abortion

2. The Evening Rig

3. Lookbook

4. Red Pens

5. Blue Sky Blackout

Jahna Peloquin, freelancer (Vita.mn) ALBUMS

1. Lookbook, "Wild at Heart"

2. Vampire Hands, "Hannah and the Mansion"

3. Prince, "Lotus Flow3r"/"Mplsound"/"Bria Valente"

4. Mark Mallman, "Invincible Criminal"

5. P.O.S., "Never Better"

6. Lucy Michelle & the Velvet Lapelles, "Special Party Time for Everyone"

7. The Idle Hands, "The Hearts We Broke on the Way to the Show"

8. Brad Senne, "Aerial Views"

9. The Alarmists, "The Overhead Left"

10. Various, "The Minnesota Beatle Project, Vol. 1"

Ross Raihala, St. Paul Pioneer Press music critic ALBUMS

1. Brother Ali, "Us"

2. Joey Ryan and the Inks, "Well, Here We Are Then"

3. Crisis Line, "Komi"

4. Mark Mallman, "Invincible Criminal"

5. Grant Hart, "Hot Wax"

6. P.O.S., "Never Better"

7. Halloween, Alaska, "Champagne Downtown"

8. Gary Louris & Mark Olson, "Ready for the Flood"

9. Prince, "Lotus Flow3r"/"Mplsound"/"Bria Valente"

10. Mother Banjo, "The Sad and Found"

Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune music critic ALBUMS

(UNRANKED FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR; SIMPLY COULDN'T CHOOSE BETWEEN 'EM)

Black Blondie, "Do You Remember Who You Wanted to Be?"

Gay Witch Abortion, "Maverick"

Grant Hart, "Hot Wax"

Idle Hands, "The Hearts We Broke on the Way to the Show"

Lookbook, "Wild at Heart"

P.O.S., "Never Better"

The Pines, "Tremolo"

Red Pens, "Reasons"

Twilight Hours, "Stereo Night"

Vampire Hands, "Hannah in the Mansion"

SONGS

1. The Honeydogs, "Good Fight"

2. Mason Jennings, "The Field"

3. Brother Ali, "Fresh Air"

4. The Evening Rig, "The Steve McQueens"

5. Lookbook, "Yesterday's Company"

LIVE ACTS

1. Chooglin'

2. Solid Gold

3. P.O.S.

4. Gospel Gossip

5. Bunny Clogs

Erin Roof, freelancer (City Pages) ALBUMS

1. The Funeral and the Twilight, "To Kill You"

2. The Blind Shake/Michael Yonkers, "Cold Town/Soft Zodiac"

3. We Are the Willows, "A Collection of Sounds and Something Like the Plague"

4. Anders Ponders, "Nodes of Overtones"

5. Red Pens, "Reasons"

6. Joey Ryan & the Inks, "Well, Here We Are Then"

7. Gay Witch Abortion, "Maverick"

8. Gay Beast, "Second Wave"

9. The Chord and the Fawn, "M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I"

10. Spiritual Mansions, "Touched"

SONGS

1. Anders Ponders: "The Discus Incident"

2. Red Pens: "Hung Out"

3. Michael Yonkers: "I Want To Tell You"

4. The Blind Shake: "Wise Mr. Owl"

5. The Funeral And The Twilight: "Now She Is Mine To Keep"

LIVE ACTS

1. The Blind Shake

2. Gay Beast

3. First Communion Afterparty

4. Eye of the Great Protector

5. Private Dancer

Peter Scholtes, freelancer (City Pages) ALBUMS

1. P.O.S., "Never Better" (Rhymesayers)

2. Unknown Prophets, "Le System D" (Unknown Prophets)

3. Eyedea & Abilities, "By the Throat" (Rhymesayers)

4. Brother Ali, "Us" (Rhymesayers)

5. RDM, "Priorities" (SPStyle.com/FTG/Pack Material)

6. Various artists, "The Goodfellas Present Lightning and Thunder Vol. 2" (Smokesignyl Productions/www.lightningandthundersound.com)

7. Various artists/BK-One with Benzilla, "Radio Do Canibal" (Rhymesayers)

8. Desdamona, "Inkling" (Draw Fire/Z Link)

9. Nancy Harms, "In the Indigo" (Nancyharms.com)

10. Toki Wright, "A Different Mirror" (Rhymesayers)

SONGS (ALPHABETICAL ORDER, 5 POINTS APIECE)

Brother Ali: "Breakin' Dawn"

Eyedea & Abilities: "This Story"

Mason Jennings: "The Field"

P.O.S.: "Goodbye"

P.O.S.: "The Basics (Alright)"

Typsy Panthre: "All Fall Down"

Unknown Prophets (feat. Promoe): "Forever"

Tom Surowicz, freelancer (Star Tribune) ALBUMS

(100 points divided up)

1. Something Fierce, "The Everything That the Man Had (box set)" (20)

2. Nancy Harms, "In The Indigo" (10)

3. Nova Jazz Orchestra (with Dave Hagedorn & David Marden), "A Time Of Reckoning" (10)

4. Framework, "Framework" (10)

5. Tim Sparks, "Sidewalk Blues" (7)

6. Ingo Bethke, "Ingo Bethke" (7)

7. George Cartwright, "Send Help" (6)

8. Jay Epstein/Bill Carrothers, Anthony Cox, "Easy Company" (6)

9. Frankhouse, "Thought Versus Emotion (6)

10. (3-way tie) Atlantis Quartet, "Animal Progress" (6)

Paul Renz, "In My Own Hands" (6)

Jack Brass Band, "Fourth Movement" (6)

Andrea Swensson, City Pages music editor ALBUMS (UNRANKED)

Aby Wolf, "Sweet Prudence"

Brother Ali, "Us"

Mason Jennings, "Blood of Man"

Lookbook, "Wild at Heart"

Gary Louris & Mark Olson, "Ready for the Flood"

P.O.S., "Never Better"

Peter Wolf Crier, "Inter-Be"

The Pines, "Tremolo"

Red Pens, "Reasons"

The Twilight Hours, "Stereo Night"

SONGS (UNRANKED)

P.O.S., "Purexed"

Jeremy Messersmith and Zach Coulter, "Norwegian Wood"

Mason Jennings, "The Field"

Knonam, "Crazy Minnesota Girl"

Brad Senne, "Into the Moon"

LIVE ACTS (UNRANKED)

Solid Gold

P.O.S.

MC/VL

Aby Wolf

Big Trouble

Rob van Alstyne, freelancer Albums

1. Peter Wolf Crier, "Inter-Be"

2. Laarks, "An Exaltation of Laarks" (half the band lives in the Cities, half in Eau Claire so I'm counting them as local)

3. The Evening Rig, "Is Doing Stuff"

4. Joey Ryan & the Inks, "Well, Here We Are Then"

5. The Alarmists, "The Overhead Left"

6. Halloween, Alaska, "Champagne Downtown"

7. No Bird Sing, "No Bird Sing"

8. Al Church & State, "Secret One"

9. Crossing Guards, "Revenge of the Tall Boys"

10. Lucy Michelle & the Velvet Lapelles, "Special Party Time for Everyone"

Honorable mention: Idle Hands, "The Hearts We Broke on the Way to the Show"; Spiritual Mansions, "Touched," Total Babe, "Heatwave EP"; Gary Louris & Mark Olson, "Ready for the Flood"

SONGS

1. Mason Jennings, "Pittsburgh"

2. Hyder Ali, "Paper Dolls"

3. Communist Daughter, "Not the Kid"

4. Idle Hands, "Loaded"

5. The Twilight Hours, "Yes"

LIVE ACTS

1. Free Energy (aren't from here anymore, but Red Wing natives and too good to ignore)

2. Chris Koza Band

3. Haley Bonar

4. Kill the Vultures

5. Bill Caperton

Jim Walsh, freelancer (MinnPost.com, Southwest Journal) and author of "The Replacements: It's All Over But the Shouting" ALBUMS

The Twilight Hours, "Stereo Night"

The Tisdales, "Baker's Dozen"

Starfolk/Typsy Panthre, "Lemon-Lime EP"

Black Blondie, "Do You Remember Who You Wanted To Be"

Zoo Animal, "Young Blood"

Aby Wolf, "Sweet Prudence"

Halloween, Alaska, "Champagne Downtown"

Crossing Guards, "Revenge of the Tall Boys"

Red Pens, "Reasons"

Mayda, "The Interrogation"