Yep, it's that time again, when ShockHound’s editorial staff and army of contributing writers vote on their favorite records from the past year. And after several sleepless nights in smoked-filled rooms doing salvia bong rips with Miley Cyrus — er, we mean tallying the ballots — the results of our third annual year-end "Best Of" poll are finally in. Feast your eyes (and ears) on ShockHound’s Top 50 albums for 2010, starting with our Top 15…

1. Janelle Monae — The ArchAndroid

“Am I a freak/Or just another little weirdo?” Janelle Monae muses in “Faster,” one of The ArchAndroid’s many mind-boggling tracks. We’ll go with option number three: musical visionary. The year’s most stunning album, Monae’s full-length debut comes on like Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life and Prince’s Sign 'O' the Times whipped up in a blender with a cup of Broadway brass, a splash of George Clinton space whimsy and a stiff shot of apocalyptic dread, and served extremely chilled. The genre-hopping concept album includes an appropriately diverse array of guest stars, including Saul Williams (“Dance or Die”), Big Boi (“Tightrope”) and Of Montreal (“Make the Bus”), but even they can’t steal the spotlight from a born star like Monae. The ArchAndroid is so perfectly rendered, it almost convinces you of its central conceit, which is that Monae is a heroine from the distant future who has (like Ziggy Stardust before her) come to save our civilization before we completely blow it, big-time. Hard to imagine where she’s heading next, but we really want to be on that spaceship with her, just the same. — Dan Epstein

2. Arcade Fire — The Suburbs

This year saw the continuation of a drawn-out recession, a reality check about inflated hopes for our president, the rape of natural resources by big business…and an epic album by a Canadian indie-rock band that seemed to reflect it all. Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs embodies the general air of cynicism of the last couple of years through the eyes of jaded youth, all while interjecting a cheerful tune of hope, as if to say, “All can be overcome by the transcendent power of rock n’ roll.” Lofty yet accessible themes about growing up, the complacency of suburbia, and facing the harsh realities of the world are crafted around the Arcade Fire’s grandiose yet infectious arrangements. The seven-piece’s instrumental layers add intimate subtleties to their lush arena rock, while frontman Win Butler delivers wry social commentary with a knowing smile. The ginger title track gives way to the toe-tapping “Ready to Start,” the raw and urgent “Month of May,” and the whimsical yet derisive “Rococo.” The Suburbs was without a doubt one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2010, and unlike so much else this year, it didn't disappoint. — Courtney Lear

3. Mumford & Sons — Sigh No More

It’s difficult to express just how hauntingly beautiful Mumford & Sons debut album Sigh No More actually is. Filled with gorgeous harmonies and powerful arrangements comprised of acoustic guitar, steel guitar, banjo, strings, piano, and mandolin, the English quartet passionately plucks both banjo strings and heart strings. Frontman Marcus Mumford eloquently peels back the layers of his soul for all to hear, empowered by the earnest nature of his band’s brand of indie folk. In songs like “Winter Winds,” Mumford shares an internal battle — “My head told my heart let love grow/But my heart told my head this time no” — while in deceivingly gentle heart-wrenchers like “Little Lion Man” he sings, “But it was not your fault but mine/And it was your heart on the line/I really fucked it up this time/Didn’t I my dear?” Mumford’s guilt is palpable throughout the album, which successfully comes across as intimate, not draining. In reality, the only guilty parties are those who haven’t yet experienced Sigh No More. — Courtney Lear

4. Sleigh Bells — Treats

In a year in which former critics darling M.I.A. was ruthlessly maligned for her polarizing MAYA album, the Brooklyn boy-girl duo she signed to her N.E.E.T boutique label emerged as one of 2010’s most revered new acts. Fueled by guitarist-songwriter-producer Derek Miller’s distorted beats, fuzzed-out guitars, and grinding synths, Sleigh Bells vocalist Alexis Krauss sings, shouts, and raps her way through 11 of the most strikingly original tracks of the year, highlighted by the sugary Funkadelic-sampled grooves of “Rill Rill.” Treats more than lives up to the hype…and like any good treat, it whets your appetite for more.  — Randy Bookasta

5. Die Antwoord — $0$

South African post-hipster-hop outfit Die Antwoord’s aggressive otherness was so extreme, many assumed their video “Zef Side” was an elaborate joke. But when rappers Ninja and Yo-Landi Vi$$er and their DJ Hi-Tek brought their manic mélange of old-school rave rhythms and colloquialism-filled rhymes to America, there was nothing funny about a string of sold-out shows and artists from Diplo to Harmony Korine lining up to work with them. Smashing together a harsh juxtaposition of hip-house beats, South African “zef” culture and the ruthless machismo of gangster rap, Die Antwoord’s druggy after-hours tracks on $O$ beat even M.I.A. at her own game. — Scott T. Sterling

6. The Black Keys — Brothers

The Black Keys’ potent two-man blues attack has made them contenders since the dawn of the last decade, but they've never been better than they are on Brothers. Perhaps it took a foray into side projects — main man Dan Auerbach's 2009 solo album Keep Hid, and Blackroc, the duo’s hip-hop blues collabo with Damon Dash — to recharge the Keys. Whatever the case, Brothers finds Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney by turns tighter, looser and bloozier than ever. From the opening falsetto-drenched "Everlasting Light" and the whistle-worthy "Tighten Up," to the fuzzed out remake of the Jerry Butler’s Gamble and Huff classic "Never Gonna Give You Up," Brothers is hard to beat. – Craig Rosen

7. Cee Lo Green — The Lady Killer

Green was political and stark as a rapper-singer with Atlanta’s Goodie Mob, playful and optimistic during his first go-round as a solo artist, and decidedly dark with Gnarls Barkley. In Green’s second incarnation as a solo artist, he’s in the mood for love, focusing much of The Lady Killer on his quest for someone to love and to share his life with. Smash single “F**k You” stands out on the album because of its profanity and its commercial sheen, but much of the rest of the collection is just as solid, focusing on the objects of his desire (“I Want You”) and how all-encompassing love can be (“Love Gun,” “Satisfied”) with a retro soul sound that travels from swing to classic R&B and back. — Soren Baker

8. Beach House — Teen Dream

It's only a matter of time before Beach House ride the indie wave to the top of pop charts. The lush melodies, psychedelic musings and haunting vocals on Teen Dream simultaneously evoke Portishead and the Beach Boys, while Victoria Legrand revels in the same wonderful whimsy that drives Florence and the Machine. Legrand's voice ebbs and flows between '60s dream pop and modern indie on the likes of "Norway" and the somber yet sweet "Take Care." She and partner Alex Scally make a lot of beautiful noise for a duo, and they're only a Julia Roberts trailer placement away from gaining mass prominence like Florence. — Rick Florino

9. Best Coast — Crazy For You

Bethany Cosentino loves getting baked, watching “Seinfeld” reruns and singing songs about boys. On her debut album with bass playing partner Bobb Bruno, the Los Angeles native delivers her deceptively simple songs through aching girl-group harmonies and heavy fuzz pedals — kind of like the Jesus and Mary Chain on a surf weekend. In just over half an hour, Best Coast packs in 13 sun-streaked songs of love and loss such as “When I’m With You” and “Boyfriend,” in which the singer wails, “The other girl is not like me/ She's prettier and skinnier/ She has a college degree/ I dropped out when I was seventeen.” Heartache has never sounded so breezy. — Aidin Vaziri

10. My Chemical Romance — Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

Rather than tread the same post-goth ground that made them a household name, My Chemical Romance blast off into a futuristic wasteland, on Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, huffing fumes of Queens of the Stone Age and the Who for inspiration. Bold and often brilliant, the album thrives on dirty riffs ("Na Na Na"), tribal percussion ("DESTROYA"), and deadly dance pop ("Planetary (GO!)") It's dangerous at all the right moments, while the melodies are as catchy as ever. Plus, there are some brilliant lyrical musings from Gerard Way: Lines like "Fame is now injectable" and "Truth is unavailable" should resonate with the youth of America just as much as any of the band's early funeral marches — perhaps even more so. — Rick Florino

11. Against Me! — White Crosses

Against Me! got a lot of flack this year when they released White Crosses, their fifth full-length. Punk purists felt like the songs were too pop-oriented and overproduced, while mainstream audiences probably couldn’t relate with the lyrical content of songs like “I Was A Teenage Anarchist.” That’s too bad, because from the Springsteen-inspired singalong “Because of the Shame” to moody meditations like “Ache With Me,” White Crosses contains some of the year’s most captivating compositions. Our advice is not to worry about scene politics and to appreciate White Crosses for what it is: A truly unique punk album that will be celebrated for years to come. — Jonah Bayer

12. Kanye West — My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Two years after using auto-tune and despair to craft 808s & Heartbreak, the Chicago rapper-producer returns with a straight-up rap collection that nonetheless stretches the boundaries of what rap albums — and pop music — can encompass.  There’s an electric guitar solo to close “Gorgeous” and the choir-backed “Power” rocks with thunderous bass, two examples here of how West toys with purported sonic standards.  His witty wordplay remains among the best — and most potentially grating — in rap.  Like its predecessor, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is wrapped in a blanket of thematic melancholy. Indeed, West has evolved from light-hearted, optimistic self-deprecation to a simmering anger, an emergent rage largely focused on his continuing struggles with himself and his environment.  It’s certainly dark and twisted…and riveting. — Soren Baker

13. The Sword — Warp Riders 

On their third album, Austin, Texas’s premier heavy hitters mutate their basic sonic template — think Metallica meets stoner rock — into something both more feral and more classic. Frontman JD Cronise still isn’t what you’d call a dynamic vocalist, but he’s learned to deliver his bong-addled tales of space witches, extraterrestrial wizards and cities on the edge of the universe with a conversational swagger that at times recalls ZZ Top’s Dusty Hill or Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy. But the bottom line here is that, meaty riff for meaty riff, wicked groove for wicked groove, no record in 2010 delivered the turbo-charged hard rock goods like Warp Riders. — Dan Epstein

14. Gorillaz — Plastic Beach

Blur singer Damon Albarn’s ambitious collaboration with Jamie Hewlett has grown into something far beyond a cute cartoon band with catchy songs. Employing a no-genres-barred approach to making music, and working with an evolving cast of musical heroes and emerging artists, the third Gorillaz full-length comes off like the Clash’s Sandanista! for the MP3 generation. Featuring a panoramic array of talent including Lou Reed, Mos Def, Bobby Womack and half of the Clash’s original line-up (bassist Paul Simonon and guitarist Mick Jones), Plastic Beach is a politically-charged pop circus that plays like a dazzling DJ mix. — Scott T. Sterling

15. The Morning Benders — Big Echo

One of the biggest artistic leaps of the year came via the Morning Benders on their sophomore album Big Echo. Produced with Grizzly Bear’s sound-sculptor Chris Taylor, whose influence is more than apparent, Big Echo saw Taylor and the Benders transforming the band’s sunny melodies and jangle-pop sounds to grandiose proportions. Whether intentional or not, the album’s title is appropriate, as it sounds…well, big…and is an echo of their many influences (Brian Wilson, Phil Spector, the Beatles, et al). Awash with beautifully layered harmonies and ripples of reverb, Big Echo is one of 2010’s best surprises, and an album that reveals new treasures with every listening. — Randy Bookasta

And while the following 35 albums didn’t get enough votes to make our Top 15 list, they all had their ardent supporters — and are all well worth a spin…

16. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti — Before Today
17. Darker My Love — Alive As You Are
18. Vampire Weekend — Contra
19. Flying Lotus — Cosmogramma
20. Surfer Blood — Astro Coast
21. Broken Bells — Broken Bells
22. The Gaslight Anthem — American Slang
23. Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses — Junky Star
24. LCD Soundsystem — This Is Happening
25. Two Door Cinema Club — Tourist History
26. Warpaint — The Fool
27. Belle & Sebastian — Write About Love
28. The Drums — The Drums
29. Foals — Total Life Forever
30. The Black Angels — Phosphene Dream
31. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club — Beat the Devil’s Tattoo
32. Linkin Park — A Thousand Suns
33. The National — High Violet
34. Foxy Shazam — Foxy Shazam
35. Black Milk — Album of the Year
36. Deftones — Diamond Eyes
37. Delphic — Acolyte
38. Priestess — Prior to the Fire
39. The Roots — How I Got Over
40. Tokyo Police Club — Champ
41. Erykah Badu — New Amerykah Part Two
42: Local Natives — Gorilla Manor
43. Motion City Soundtrack — My Dinosaur Life
44. Tindersticks — Falling Down A Mountain
45. Hot Chip — One Life Stand
46. Menomena — Mines
47. Monster Magnet — Mastermind
48. Valient Thorr — Stranger
49. Marina and the Diamonds — The Family Jewels
50. Yeasayer — Odd Blood