EMINEM - RECOVERY - TIE FOR #11

This one may be a surprise to some readers, but I have to admit that Eminem's much-heralded comeback album, Recovery, is one of the best albums of the year. After Eminem came back after a long break with a sub-par album Relapse in 2009, I think people thought he was losing relevance. But Recovery was pretty incredible. The first single "Not Afraid" was like a self-help song that didn't come off as soft, and the other big single, "Love The Way You Lie," with Rihanna, about domestic violence, cut really deep. But on other songs like "Cold Wind Blows," he's as harsh as he ever was. I've never been a huge Eminem fan, but I've always respected his talent, and I have to appreciate how great this album is.