So how many albums do you have from this Best Of 2011 list?

[Initech]

http://rateyourmusic.com/charts/top/album/2011

I have 9:

#7 - The Black Keys - El Camino
#8 - Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowining (saw him last night - fucking amazing show)
#14 - Mastodon - The Hunter
#23 - The Roots - Undun
#33 - Graveyard - Hsingen Blues
#38 - Symphony X - Iconoclast
#45 - Radiohead - The King Of Limbs
#74 - Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - OST: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
#83 - Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part 1 (should be ranked higher - it's their best since Ill Communication)

Noticeably absent form the list are the new Jane's Addiction, Foo Fighters, Social Distortion, and TV On The Radio albums.

[bluedigger]

1. Zero.

That's some list.

[arcane1]

2. How is the new Symphony X?

I have their first 3 or 4 albums but haven't kept up with them since then. I didn't even realize they were still putting out music.

Doubly so for Riot!

[Initech]

3. New Symphony X kicks ass.

I have also seen them live recently - they sound as good as their albums do, I think for the first time they've actually outdone themselves compared to Dream Theater. Dream Theater's new album is good too, don't get me wrong.

[arcane1]

4. Cool, thanks!

I saw them live a few years ago, and you're absolutely right. I never have seen Dream Theater, though

Oh, and to answer your OP: I have none of those albums, I didn't buy any music in 2011 for some reason

[Initech]

6. Dream Theater's definitely worth seeing with their new drummer.

I didn't think they could be as good as they were with Portnoy but Black Clouds was certainly not their best work - this new album is good and their new drummer was pretty amazing.

[Iggo]

5. #7 -- Vektor -- Outer Isolation

Nice list.

[nolabear]

7. One. LOVE the Black Keys

[Initech]

11. Hell yes, if they come to LA I'm there.

Been a fan since "Attack & Release" - Brothers was amazing and so is El Camino, I've been playing that in my car a lot lately.

[Beaverhausen]

8. also noticeably absent are any females

at least I think so. I haven't heard of 3 of those bands.

[Iggo]

9. Notably present, though...

...are a bunch of metal bands, which observation leads me to hazard a guess that this isn't an American list.

[Initech]

10. No I think it's more that metal fans have way more free time.

[Iggo]

13. D'oh!

Why, I oughta...

[Initech]

14. Well hey I'm a metal fan - I can relate!

[hobbit709]

12. Absolute zero

[Broken_Hero]

15. hmm, just one...

#96 Amon Amarth: Surtur Rising

[femmocrat]

16. None.

The only ones I have ever heard of were the Beastie Boys and Trent Reznor.

[Denninmi]

17. Zero, Null, Nada, Zip.

Sorry, I, too, must be hopeless out of touch. I've only heard of two of these groups, Radiohead and the Beastie Boys. Never even heard of the rest of them.

[kaitcat]

18. Zip.

That is an awesome list, though. Nightwish, Porcupine Tree, Amon Amarth, and Pain of Salvation -- my want list keeps growing, have to mark it as Cheese Cake and stop scrolling now.