A surprise to no one except maybe the two or three listeners who still think 89.3 is a classical station, Bon Iver topped the Current's Top 89 of 2011 poll over the weekend. Just a little more surprising, the more subversively hipster kids at Radio K picked the same No. 1 record in the U of M student station's Top 77 of 2011 instead of some arty-farty French electronic artist (which actually came in at No. 2).
There were a few unpredictable elements on the Current's year-end list, though, which was voted on by listeners. Adele's No. 2 showing either proves how well the British starlet is maintaining her core audience -- or how mainstream the Current's audience is becoming as its ratings go up. Also, not a single local artist made it into the Top 89's top 10. Several made it to the top 20, though, including Dessa's "Castor, the Twin" (No. 13), Atmosphere's "The Family Sign" (No. 14) and Mason Jennings' "Minnesota" (No. 15).
Like a majority of local music critics, Radio K's Top 77 favored Doomtree's "No Kings" as the best local album of the year, ranking it No. 9. Other Minnesotans with ranking records include Austin-reared John Maus (No. 24), Low (No. 30) and Sims (No. 34). Here's a look at the top of each list.
89.3 THE CURRENT'S TOP 89 top 10
1. Bon Iver — Bon Iver
2. Adele — 21
3. Fleet Foxes — Helplessness Blues
4. The Black Keys — El Camino
5. Foster The People — Torches
6. The Decemberists — The King Is Dead
7. Florence and the Machine — Ceremonials
8. Dawes — Nothing Is Wrong
9. My Morning Jacket — Circuital
10. Wilco — The Whole Love
RADIO K's TOP 77 top 10 (reverse order for cooler effect)
10. Kurt Vile -- Smoke Ring For My Halo
9. Doomtree -- No Kings
8. Panda Bear -- Tomboy
7. Lykke Li -- Wounded Rhymes
6. St. Vincent -- Strange Mercy
5. Radiohead -- King Of Limbs
4. Fleet Foxes -- Helplessness Blues
3. tUnE-yArDs -- w h o k i l l
2. M83 -- Hurry Up We're Dreaming
1. Bon Iver -- Bon Iver
