Another year gone, another list. We have collectively put our heads together to thrash out what we believe were the best releases of 2011 – and here are the results. Some of us struggled to make it up to ten and some of us struggled to make it down to ten. It was that kind of year. The times, possibly, are a-changing: no place in the overall ten for Ryan Adams or Richmond Fontaine – easy shoe-ins in previous years.

Instead the likes of Polly Harvey make a respectable appearance. Wilco were by far and away the most respected in terms of votes, getting more mentions than anyone else. We think that it is a pretty good list, reflecting as it does all of the phrases “Americana, alt.Country and Alternative” in our strap line. Comments and observations are always welcome from our readers – why not try, for example, our Reader’s Forum – its the AUK window on the world.

Many thanks to the editorial staff, the writers, the reviewers, the subscribers and the general reading public for help and support in 2011. We’ve been at this for ten years now – here’s to the next ten starting with 2012 (unless the apocalypse or the death of the cd format get us first...)

Paul Villers

The Americana UK Top Ten Releases of 2011

1) Wilco - "The Whole Love"
2) JT Nero - "Mountains/Forests"
3) PJ Harvey - "Let England Shake”
4) The Miserable Rich - "Miss You In The Days"
5) Megafaun - "Megafaun"
6) Gillian Welch - "The Harrow and the Harvest"
7) King Creosote and Jon Hopkins - "Diamond Mine"
8 ) The Felice Brothers - "Celebration, Florida"
9) Fountains of Wayne - "Sky Full of Holes"
10) Real Estate - "Days"

We will publish the full list of each writer's choices shortly.