BRANDON GAMEZ: Best Music of 2011

(According to me...)

The top albums of 2011 that I will remember are:

"Watch The Throne" by Jay-Z and Kanye West

This album will definitely be remembered for years to come, as it is a complete collection of collaborations between two of the world's most major rappers in history. Jay and Kanye go so crazy on this CD, every single song is powerful and their friendship and bond is something that the listener can feel is authentic and real. The sound of the album overall is very unique also, and very unlike the usual rap songs that are being played on the radio every day.

"Born This Way" by Lady Gaga

Obviously, this album is quite different than the one above, however it is just as equally important to the music of 2011 to me. This album was Gaga's 3rd album and it had a way different sound than the first two. It wasn't really what I was expecting at all (what are you even supposed to expect from her?), but the result was incredibly beyond anything I could have imagined.What I like about this CD that makes it special is that every song has a meaning, whether it states it by the obvious lyrics, or if you have to do some digging around to find metaphors and analogies. "Born This Way" is by far one of the best albums of 2011 and it definitely reminds me of the summertime!

"Take Care" by Drake

After a minor setback on the release of Drake's 2nd major album, I knew for sure that this album was going to be amazing. The reason being that Drake released a statement regarding the setback, saying that the reason for it was that paperwork for a few of the songs were not completed in time and he wanted to include those songs in order to make sure the CD was close to flawless. Well, it was worth the wait because "Take Care" is a musical, lyrical, and emotional masterpiece. I will be listening to this CD for quite some time. It is simply unforgettable.

"4" by Beyonce

Of course, "4" is probably my favorite album of 2011. It is so different than anything Beyonce has ever released. This CD wasn't created with a bunch of songs that producers chose because they thought they were good "radio songs", but these songs were created with a focus on unique beats, sounds, and real emotions. There aren't too many typical "I'm Beyonce and I'm in your face, back down" songs, and that is what I love about it. These songs were created with genuine meanings and lyrics that were obvious that they came from Beyonce's heart and soul. "4" is by far my favorite album from Beyonce and I will of course always remember the year 2011 when I hear the songs from it.