Top 23 for 2011 from Semaphore Music.  Why top 23?  10 is too restrictive, and when asked to list top 20, no one did, so top 23.  Supposedly across all genres but clearly isn’t.

Emily Zuzik (Brooklyn) “You Want to Go Out Tonight” @emilyzuzik

Phantogram (Saratoga Springs) “Running from the Cops” @phantogram

I Break Horses (Stockholm) “Load Your Eyes”

Slowtrain (Austin) “Not the Only One”

Kurt Vile & The Violators (Philadelphia) “Baby’s Arms”

Laze & Royal (LA) “Thrashed” @lazeandroyal

Alex Clare (London) “Treading Water” @alexanderclare

Pure X (Austin) “Heavy Air” @pure_x

Harvey Smith Salute (London) @theclientele (Music coming but there’s a compilation video that looks rad)

Le Corps Mince de Françoise (Helsinki) “Cool and Bored” @lcmdf

Kate Todd (Toronto) “Drive” @katetodd

Phantom (Montreal) “We Float” @thisisphantom

Kids in Glass Houses (Cardiff) “Matters at All”

Sarah Jarosz (Austin) “Annabelle Lee” @sarahjarosz

Memory Tapes (NJ) “Yes I Know” @memorytapes (cool video)

Niki and the Dove (Stockholm) “Under the Bridges” @nikiandthedove

Brasstronaut (Vancouver) “Slow Knots” @brasstronaut

These Kids Wear Crowns (Chilliwack BC) “Break it Up” @tkwc

Julianna Barwick (Brooklyn) “Flown” (@juliannabarwick)

Mother Falcon (Austin) (@motherfalconmus)

My Name is John Michael (NOLA) @mynameisjm

Esben and the Witch (Brighton)

Family of the Year @familyoftheyear (LA)