Best of 2011... Best Songs

    The year's best songs included breakout singles about break-up sex from The Vaccines, Coldplay doing their best Rihanna impression, Lady Gaga's arena anthem to Nicki Minaj serving up some bass, and Austra losing it. 

50. First Rate People - 'Someone Else Can Make A Work of Art'

           First Rate People lived up to their name with a playful, breezy summer single that we had in constant rotation.
  First Rate People - Someone Else Can Make A Work Of Art by Meet You At The Show

49. Ambassadors - 'Unconsolable'

           Industrial dums, shades of The Police and Hall & Oates it's a hidden pop gem. 
  Unconsolable by Ambassadors

48. Cat's Eyes - 'Over You'

           The Horrors' frontman Faris Badwan teamed up with Vancouver's Rachel Zeffira for '60s girl groups fun.
  Cat's Eyes - Over You by edin2sun

47. The Paint Movement - 'Fortune's Window'

            Boy/Girl vocals, an unpredictable melody, plenty of horns and just enough chaos to make things interesting and one hell of a joyous listen.
  The Paint Movement - Fortune's Window by Nevado
       

46. Bluebell - 'Normal Heights'

           An alluring rhythmic, symphonic pop track from a rather mysterious pop outfit had us hooked.
  Normal Heights by BLUEBELL

Best of 2011... Best EPs

   The EP is always a great way for up and coming artists to introduce themselves to audiences, or for established bands to tease fans with new/extra tunes and in the past year there was no shortage of EPs floating around, so Shattered Vinyl picked the best of the best in EPs for 2011 with the Best EPs of 2011: