Metacritic: Best Albums of 2006

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60 31Knots
74 Absentee
71 AC/DC
70 The Academy Is...
72 Ryan Adams
79 Alias
67 The Aliens
66 All That Remains
46 Brett Anderson
75 Theresa Andersson
66 Annuals
79 Antony And The Johnsons
76 Apollo Sunshine
78 Apse
58 David Archuleta
76 Aterciopelados
72 Attic Lights
47 The Automatic
75 Joan Baez
79 Belle & Sebastian
66 Beyonce
80 Blitzen Trapper
69 Bloc Party
83 Bound Stems
73 Brightblack Morning Light
64 The Broken West
65 The Bronx
74 Ane Brun
50 Buckcherry
77 Lindsey Buckingham
92 Buena Vista Social Club
56 Caesars
78 Calexico
70 Glen Campbell
73 Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
64 Castanets
63 Cats In Paris
66 Chairlift
63 Tracy Chapman
73 The Chemical Brothers
60 Kenny Chesney
82 The Clash
66 Cold War Kids
67 David Cook
70 Nikka Costa
60 Crooked Fingers
78 Rodney Crowell
76 Crystal Stilts
70 The Cure
46 Dandy Warhols
59 Kimya Dawson
72 Dead Confederate
72 The Dears
74 Death Vessel
81 Deerhoof
81 Deerhunter
78 Delta Spirit
79 Damien Dempsey
70 Brett Dennen
78 Department Of Eagles
73 Angela Desveaux
68 Devin The Dude
73 Dido
79 Ani DiFranco
58 DJ Khaled
82 DJ/rupture
66 The Donkeys
54 Dr. Dooom
66 Dragonette
77 DragonForce
78 The Duhks
79 Dungen
86 Bob Dylan
82 Eagles Of Death Metal
81 Mathias Eick
78 El Guincho
57 Electric Six
73 Brian Eno + David Byrne
64 Everlast
67 The Fiery Furnaces
62 Ben Folds
69 Free Blood
74 Friendly Fires
84 Fucked Up
71 Fujiya & Miyagi
65 The Game
77 Gang Gang Dance
78 Morgan Geist
74 Giant Sand
79 Girl Talk
69 Girls Aloud
82 Glasvegas
75 Gojira
61 Golden Animals
83 Grails
61 Growing
67 Gym Class Heroes
75 GZA
72 Juliana Hatfield
76 Hauschka
65 Her Space Holiday
75 High Places
49 Hinder
71 Jolie Holland
79 David Holmes
81 Horse Feathers
64 Howling Hex
58 Jennifer Hudson
71 Human Highway
78 Hush Arbors
67 Ice Cube
70 I'm From Barcelona
68 Jack's Mannequin
69 Jaguar Love
73 James
59 Japanese Motors
64 Jem
80 The Jesus And Mary Chain
81 Johann Johannsson
67 Grace Jones
74 Damien Jurado
69 Kaiser Chiefs
64 Keane
76 Toby Keith
83 B.B. King
63 Kings Of Leon
79 The Knux
78 Koushik
74 Lady GaGa
72 Ladyhawke
75 Lambchop
72 Ray LaMontagne
74 Land Of Talk
68 John Legend
75 Jenny Lewis
76 Lykke Li
82 Lindstrom
72 Little Joy
60 The Little Ones
57 LL Cool J
75 Love Is All
81 Patty Loveless
79 Luomo
73 Madlib
65 Margot & The Nuclear So And So's
68 Mercury Rev
78 Metallica
70 Metronomy
57 Ingrid Michaelson
76 Mogwai
77 Juana Molina
67 Monkey
75 Moondoggies
63 Motorhead
79 Mount Eerie
46 Mudvayne
66 Mugison
73 Murs
84 The Music Tapes
61 Nelly
51 New Kids On The Block
77 The New Year
79 Ne-Yo
53 Nickelback
57 Nightmares On Wax
60 The Nightwatchman
62 Noah And The Whale
66 Oasis
76 Jennifer O'Connor
68 O'Death
70 Of Montreal
79 Okkervil River
77 Old Crow Medicine Show
54 The Organ
65 Joan Osborne
77 Brad Paisley
84 Pale Young Gentlemen
78 Amanda Palmer
65 Parenthetical Girls
89 Aaron Parks
76 Parts & Labor
74 Passion Pit
73 Lee "Scratch" Perry
67 Peter Bjorn And John
64 The Peth
51 Kellie Pickler
69 Pink
73 Benoît Pioulard
70 Pivot
54 Plain White T's
89 Plush
40 Daniel Powter
77 The Pretenders
51 Pussycat Dolls
84 Q-Tip
42 Queen + Paul Rodgers
75 Ra Ra Riot
71 Rafter
74 Raglani
57 Razorlight
69 Lou Reed
74 Religious Knives
62 Rex The Dog
65 Rise Against
76 Roots Manuva
74 The Rosebuds
66 Darius Rucker
83 Arthur Russell
80 Raphael Saadiq
60 Sam Champion
67 School of Seven Bells
75 The Sea And Cake
60 Seal
69 Seasick Steve
65 Secret Machines
81 Pete Seeger
71 Serena-Maneesh
68 The Shaky Hands
72 Blake Shelton
39 Shwayze
58 Jessica Simpson
68 Slipknot
88 The Smiths
72 Todd Snider
68 Snow Patrol
72 Solange
62 Spinto Band
68 Squarepusher
53 Staind
65 Starfucker
72 Stereolab
82 Marnie Stern
64 The Stills
62 The Streets
73 The Subways
70 Matthew Sweet
81 Taylor Swift
75 T.I.
66 Talkdemonic
64 James Taylor
66 Ten Kens
72 Robin Thicke
67 Thievery Corporation
79 Tindersticks
88 Shugo Tokumaru
75 Emiliana Torrini
72 T-Pain
65 Travis
70 Tricky
68 Trivium
88 TV On The Radio
77 The Uglysuit
92 Underoath
56 UNKLE
74 Chad VanGaalen
71 The Verve
84 Vessels
76 Vivian Girls
79 Volcano!
67 Loudon Wainwright III
84 Butch Walker
79 The Walkmen
82 The Week That Was
73 White Denim
77 Wild Beasts
78 Wilderness
71 Hank Williams III
72 Lucinda Williams
67 Michelle Williams
70 Brian Wilson
73 Lee Ann Womack
63 XX Teens
72 Rachael Yamagata
60 Yo Majesty
72 Young Jeezy

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.

The following table displays the highest-scoring albums for the year in Metacritic's database. Also listed at the bottom of the page are year-end critic top ten lists culled from various music publications, as well as year-end picks from Metacritic users.

Albums must have at least 7 reviews to qualify for high score lists. Reissues, "best-of" compilations and box sets are not eligible for inclusion. Year of release reflects U.S. release date unless title has not yet been released in the U.S.

You may also view an index of all albums in our database alphabetically by artist.
In addition, you may view the top-rated albums by year: All | 2007 | '06 | '05 | '04 | '03 | '02 | '01 | '00

The 30 Best-Reviewed Albums of the Year
1	Savane by Ali Farka Toure	2006	94
2	Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards by Tom Waits	2006	92
3	Modern Times by Bob Dylan	2006	89
4	Hell Hath No Fury by Clipse	2006	89
5	Return To Cookie Mountain by TV On The Radio	2006	88
6	Destroyer's Rubies by Destroyer	2006	88
7	Fishscale by Ghostface Killah	2006	88
8	The Town And The City by Los Lobos	2006	87
9	Estudando o Pagode by Tom Zé	2006	86
10	'Sno Angel Like You by Howe Gelb	2006	86
11	For Hero: For Fool by Subtle	2006	85
12	The Drift by Scott Walker	2006	85
13	I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass by Yo La Tengo	2006	85
14	Boys And Girls In America by The Hold Steady	2006	85
15	Ys by Joanna Newsom	2006	85
16	Serena-Maneesh by Serena-Maneesh	2006	84
17	Donuts by J Dilla aka Jay Dee	2006	84
18	Black Cadillac by Rosanne Cash	2006	84
19	The Crane Wife by The Decemberists	2006	84
20	Fox Confessor Brings The Flood by Neko Case	2006	84
21	The Body, The Blood, The Machine by The Thermals	2006	84
22	The Letting Go by Bonnie "Prince" Billy	2006	84
23	Food & Liquor by Lupe Fiasco	2006	83
24	Game Theory by The Roots	2006	83
25	Love by The Beatles	2006	83
26	Like Red On A Rose by Alan Jackson	2006	83
27	Bang Bang Rock & Roll by Art Brut	2006	83
28	Nashville by Solomon Burke	2006	83
29	Morph The Cat by Donald Fagen	2006	83
30	Blood Mountain by Mastodon	2006	82

Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists

Village Voice's 2006 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll (a survey of 494 critics)
1.	Modern Times by Bob Dylan
2.	Return To Cookie Mountain by TV On The Radio
3.	Fishscale by Ghostface Killah
4.	Boys And Girls In America by The Hold Steady
5.	St. Elsewhere by Gnarls Barkley
6.	Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not by Arctic Monkeys
7.	Hell Hath No Fury by Clipse
8.	Fox Confessor Brings The Flood by Neko Case
9.	Ys by Joanna Newsom
10.	Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards by Tom Waits
Read The Full Results

Idolator's 2006 Jackin' Pop Critics Poll (a survey of 497 critics)
1.	Return To Cookie Mountain by TV On The Radio
2.	Fishscale by Ghostface Killah
3.	Boys And Girls In America by The Hold Steady
4.	Hell Hath No Fury by Clipse
5.	Ys by Joanna Newsom
6.	Modern Times by Bob Dylan
7.	St. Elsewhere by Gnarls Barkley
8.	Silent Shout by The Knife
9.	Fox Confessor Brings The Flood by Neko Case
10.	The Life Pursuit by Belle & Sebastian
Read The Full Results

Austin Chronicle [Raoul Hernandez]
1.	The Last Romance by Arab Strap
2.	Hell Hath No Fury by Clipse
3.	His Hands by Candi Staton
4.	La Cantina by Lila Downs
5.	Be Your Own Pet by Be Your Own Pet
6.	Pink by Boris
7.	Modern Times by Bob Dylan
8.	All This Time by Heartless Bastards
9.	Everything All The Time by Band Of Horses
10.	One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This by New York Dolls

Austin Chronicle [Audra Schroeder]
1.	Avatar by Comets On Fire
2.	The Drift by Scott Walker
3.	Beach House by Beach House
4.	Conference Of The Birds by Om
5.	What's For Dinner? by The King Khan & BBQ Show
6.	Destroyer's Rubies by Destroyer
7.	Early Violence by Psychic Ills
8.	Ys by Joanna Newsom
9.	House Arrest by Ariel Pink
10.	Rather Ripped by Sonic Youth

Almost Cool
1.	Ys by Joanna Newsom
2.	Gulag Orkestar by Beirut
3.	Come Up For Air by The White Birch
4.	The Lost Take by Dosh
5.	Writer's Block by Peter Bjorn & John
6.	IBM 1401 - A User's Manual by Johann Johannsson
7.	Burial by Burial
8.	So This Is Goodbye by Junior Boys
9.	The Avalanche by Sufjan Stevens
10.	Black Tar Prophecies Vol's 1, 2, & 3 by Grails

Amazon.com [Editors' Picks]
1.	Fox Confessor Brings The Flood by Neko Case
2.	Modern Times by Bob Dylan
3.	The Crane Wife by The Decemberists
4.	Eye To The Telescope by KT Tunstall
5.	St. Elsewhere by Gnarls Barkley
6.	Continuum by John Mayer
7.	Carnavas by Silversun Pickups
8.	Superpop Venezuela by Los Amigos Invisibles
9.	Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of A Mountain by Sparklehorse
10.	The Life Pursuit by Belle & Sebastian

Billboard [Staff Consensus]
1.	Modern Times by Bob Dylan
2.	We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions by Bruce Springsteen
3.	St. Elsewhere by Gnarls Barkley
4.	Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not by Arctic Monkeys
5.	Return To Cookie Mountain by TV On The Radio
6.	Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards by Tom Waits
7.	Boys And Girls In America by The Hold Steady
8.	(tie) Stadium Arcadium by Red Hot Chili Peppers (tie) Taking The Long Way by The Dixie Chicks
9.	(tie) 10,000 Days by Tool (tie) Love by The Beatles
10.	Corinne Bailey Rae by Corinne Bailey Rae

Blender
1.	Welcome To The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance
2.	Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not by Arctic Monkeys
3.	Modern Times by Bob Dylan
4.	FutureSex / LoveSounds by Justin Timberlake
5.	Fishscale by Ghostface Killah
6.	Love by The Beatles
7.	Boys And Girls In America by The Hold Steady
8.	The Breakthrough by Mary J. Blige
9.	Hell Hath No Fury by Clipse
10.	Bang Bang Rock & Roll by Art Brut

Cokemachineglow
1.	For Hero: For Fool by Subtle
2.	Hell Hath No Fury by Clipse
3.	Roots & Crowns by Califone
4.	Fox Confessor Brings The Flood by Neko Case
5.	Shut Up I Am Dreaming by Sunset Rubdown
6.	Fishscale by Ghostface Killah
7.	Pink by Boris
8.	Destroyer's Rubies by Destroyer
9.	Yellow House by Grizzly Bear
10.	Lisbon by Keith Fullerton Whitman

Delusions of Adequacy [Staff Consensus]
1.	Starless & Bible Black Sabbath by Acid Mothers Temple
2.	Rather Ripped by Sonic Youth
3.	Dowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue by Kayo Dot
4.	Putting The Days To Bed by The Long Winters
5.	Everything All The Time by Band Of Horses
6.	The Crane Wife by The Decemberists
7.	Drum's Not Dead by Liars
8.	At Home With Owen by Owen
9.	Ys by Joanna Newsom
10.	Modern Times by Bob Dylan

Drowned In Sound [Picks of founder Sean Adams]
1.	Black Holes & Revelations by Muse
2.	The Greatest by Cat Power
3.	Howling Bells by Howling Bells
4.	I Write Sins Not Tradegies by Panic! At The Disco
5.	Gulag Orkestar by Beirut
6.	Broken Social Scene by Broken Social Scene
7.	Someone To Drive You Home by The Long Blondes
8.	Show Your Bones by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

The 30 Best-Reviewed Albums of the Year

Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists