LCD Soundsystem's "This is Happening" has been named the top album of the year by the Rhapsody music service. It was a tight race between "This is Happening" and The National's celebrated "High Violet," which bested third-place contender, "The Suburbs" by Arcade Fire. Other artists on the list include Broken Bells, Janelle Monae, The Black Keys, Robyn, Gorillaz, Kanye West and Vampire Weekend.
Rhapsody will feature these albums, and the rest of the Top 25, with essays and reviews by Rhapsody's music editors, who will delve into the top three albums. In addition, the top 25 tracks will be unveiled on the blog, at http://blog.rhapsody.com/.
"LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy is a consummate student of pop music, and the perfectly executed 'This is Happening' synthesizes '70s art rock, early '80s avant disco and '90s post-punk without sounding like self-conscious post-modern pastiche, which is no small achievement," observed Sam Chennault, managing editor, Rhapsody.
"It's a smart and fun record, and you can admire it as a work of art or simply love it as a supremely accessible, bouncy set of electro pop."
Rhapsody Top 10 Albums of 2010
1 LCD Soundsystem This is Happening
2 The National High Violet
3 Arcade Fire Suburbs
4 Broken Bells Broken Bells
5 Janelle Monae The ArchAndroid
6 The Black Keys Brothers
7 Robyn Body Talk
8 Gorillaz Plastic Beach
9 Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
10 Vampire Weekend Contra