best of 2011

I've always hated Top Ten of the Year Lists. I just feel like there is some sort of intrinsic hubris involved that comes with definitively declaring "The Best" of anything. Also, who wants to encourage this kind of feedback? But because I've been so busy re-discovering 2011's great catalog, I did want to share some gems that didn't get the radio play Adele did this year. Here's a selection of songs that might have slipped under your radar over the past 12 months (Okay, so maybe Beyoncé's "Countdown" didn't get by you, it's just that I f*king love that song). You know the drill—check out the track list after the jump, and leave your favorite 2011 jams in the comments!

If my two gift guides (Music Lover's Edition, Part I, Music Lover's Edition Part II) and Bitchtapes aren't enough for you, here's some more music selections from 2011, including a teen rockband from Norway, a 17-piece disco orchestra, and Jean Grae's take on a Kanye West song. (Warning: In my attempt to avoid using the word "awesome" to describe everything, I ended up using the word "amazing" approximately a billion times instead.) A full playlist after the jump.