Amazon's Best Music of 2010 So Far (And I Know None of These Artists)

Okay, that's not entirely true, but it does seem that 2010 has been a pretty thin year as far as music is concerned. I mean, we're still gaga-ing over Lady Gaga -- right -- and The Fame Monster is a year old.

To be honest, I usually look forward to Amazon's Critic's list. Overwhelmingly, their choices are just outside the mainstream enough to keep aging Gen-Xers interested, but not enough to remind us that, damn, we are aging Gen-Xers. Amazon's Top Ten, so far...

1. LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening
2. Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo
3. Christian Scott - Yesterday You Said Tomorrow
4. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today
5. The Dead Weather - Sea of Cowards
6. Little Boots - Hands
7. The Drums - The Drums
8. Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid
9. Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
10. VV Brown - Travelling Like the Light

(And all the rest)

Janelle Monae is the artist who's impressed me most from this list. She's young, smart, super-talented, and managed to craft an image that stands apart from all the Ke$has, Mileys and yes, Gagas.