Christ, it’s that time again. The year is almost done, and the glut of end-of-year lists is about to commence. Correction: has commenced. First up is Rough Trade Shops’ Albums Of The Year. 

Though their 100-strong rundown is obviously commercially-minded, it does provide some insight into what have been the biggest LP releases of the past twelve months,  and which are expected to sell well into the new year. Caribou, whose Swim LP found him explicitly aiming for the dancefloor for the first time in his career, is a creditable choice #1; it’s closely followed by Gil Scott-Heron‘s moving comeback album I’m New Here and These New Puritans‘ ambitious if flawed Hidden. The top five is rounded out by Phosphorescent (Here’s To Taking It Easy) and Darkstar’s North.

There isn’t a great deal in the way of surprises across the 100, but it’s good to see Voice Of The Seven Thunders self-titled album and Emeralds’ ravishing Does It Look Like I’m Here? charting highly. We would have expected the relatively low-ranking Salem, Zola Jesus, Solar Bears and Oneohtrix Point Never to have fared better. The full list is below.

Rough Trade Shops’ Albums Of The Year:
1. Caribou – Swim
2. Gil Scott-Heron – I’m New Here
3. These New Puritans – Hidden
4. Caitlin Rose – Own Side Now
5. Phosphorescent – Here’s To Taking It Easy
6. Darkstar – North
7. Charlotte Gainsbourg – IRM
8. Gold Panda – Lucky Shiner
9. Wild Nothing – Gemini
10. Tame Impala – Innerspeaker
11. Broken Bells – Broken Bells
12. Avi Buffalo – Avi Buffalo
13. The National – High Violet
14. Emeralds – Does It Look Like I’m Here?
15. Beach House – Teen Dream
16. Voice Of The Seven Thunders – Voice Of The Seven Thunders
17. Perfume Genius – Learning
18. Crocodiles – Sleep Forever
19. The Black Keys – Brothers
20. The Morning Benders – Big Echo
21. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
22. Salem – King Night
23. Brian Eno – Small Craft On A Milk Sea
24. Dylan Leblanc – Paupers Field
25. Joanna Newson – Have One On Me
26. Matthew Dear – Black City
27. Warpaint – The Fool
28. Liars – Sisterworld
29. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening
30. John Grant – Queen Of Denmark
31. Konono No 1 – Assume Crash Position
32. Smoke Fairies – Through Low
Light And Trees
33. Surfer Blood – Astro Coast
34. Villagers – Becoming A Jackal
35. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles
36. Mount Kimbie – Crooks And Lovers
37. Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma
38. Best Coast – Crazy For You
39. PVT – Church With No Magic
40. Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can
41. Vampire Weekend – Contra
42. Edwyn Collins – Losing Sleep
43. Yeasayer – Odd Blood
44. Midlake – The Courage Of Others
45. The Soft Pack – The Soft Pack
46. Sleigh Bells – Treats
47. O Children – O Children
48. Glasser – Ring
49. Zola Jesus – Stridulum 2
50. Holly Miranda – The Magician’s
Private Library
51. Sea Of Bees – Songs For The Ravens
52. JJ – No3
53. Pantha Du Prince – Black Noise
54. Twin Shadow – Forget
55. Gonjasufi – A Sufi And A Killer
56. Bear In Heaven – Beast Rest Forth Mouth
57. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today
58. Cours Lapin – Cours Lapin
59. Darwin Deez – Darwin Deez
60. School Of Seven Bells – Disconnect
From Desire
61. Beach Fossils – Beach Fossils
62. Shit Robot – From The Cradle To The Rave
63. Jonsi – Go
64. Dum Dum Girls – I Will Be
65. Belle And Sebastian – Belle And Sebastian Write About Love
66. Chilly Gonzales – Ivory Tower
67. Connan Mokasin – Please Turn Me
Into The Snat
68. Holy Fuck – Latin
69. The School – Loveless Unbeliever
70. Tobacco – Maniac Meat
71. Dios – We Are Dios
72. Allo Darlin’ – Allo Darlin’
73. Swans – My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky
74. Male Bonding – Nothing Hurts
75. El Guincho – Pop Negro
76. Oneohtrix Point Never – Returnal
77. Kort (Kurt Wagner And Cortney Tidwell) – Invariable Heartache
78. Solar Bears – She Was Coloured In
79. Free Energy – Stuck On Nothing
80. Sufjan Stevens – The Age Of Adz
81. Kings Go Forth – The Outsiders Are Back
82. Grinderman – Grinderman 2
83. Dan Michaelson And The Coastguards – Shakes
84. Stornoway – Beachcomber’s Windowsill
85. Tamaryn – The Waves
86. The Tallest Man On Earth – The Wild Hunt
87. Four Tet – There Is Love In You
88. Magic Kids – Memphis
89. Marina And The Diamonds –
Family Jewels
90. Mystery Jets – Serotonin
91. Black Angels – Phosphene Dream
92. Danger Mouse And Sparklehorse – Dark Night Of The Soul
93. Fool’s Gold – Fool’s Gold
94. Frankie Rose And The Outs – Frankie Rose And The Outs
95. Aloe Blacc – Good Things
96. Drums Of Death – Generation Hexed
97. Am – Future Sons And Daughters
98. Field Music – Field Music (Measure)
99. Hot Chip – One Life Stand
100. Time And Spacemachine – Set Phazer
To Stun