With 2010 firmly behind us, we take a look back at what proved to be an excellent year for music. As we like the old tunes just as much as the new ones here at When You Awake, we’ve asked a number of our contributors to list their top 5 favorite albums released in 2010, as well as their top 5 albums that they “discovered”, “rediscovered” or “came to fully appreciate” this year. What were your favorite releases of the year? Did we miss anything good? Let us know in the comments after the jump.

Top 5 New Albums of 2010:

Jody:
Tallest Man On Earth- The Wild Hunt (Dead Oceans)
Phosphorescent – Here’s To Taking It Easy (Dead Oceans)
Breathe Owl Breathe- Magic Central (Hometapes)
Deer Tick- The Black Dirt Sessions (Partisan)
Stornoway- Beachcomber’s Windowsill (4AD)

Bryan:
Phosphorescent – Here’s To Taking It Easy (Dead Oceans)
Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me (Drag City)
The Volebeats – The Volebeats (Rainbow Quartz)
Whispering Pines – Family Tree (self-released)
Dave Gleason – Turn And Fade (326 Records)

Stian:
Phosphorescent – Here’s To Taking It Easy (Dead Oceans)
The Coral – Butterfly House (Deltasonic)
Jamey Johnson – The Guitar Song (Mercury Nashville)
Dylan LeBlanc – Paupers Field (Rough Trade)
Midlake – The Courage of Others (Bella Union)

Mitra:
Justin Townes Earle – Harlem River Blues (Bloodshot Records)
Chapin Sisters – Two (Lake Bottom Records)
Shooter Jennings – Black Ribbons (Rocket Science)
Rolling Stones – Exile on Main Street (re-release) (UMVD Labels)
Brett Detar – Bird in the Tangle (Ravensong Records)

Nick:
Hank Williams- The Complete Mother’s Best Recordings (Time Life Entertainment)
Marty Stuart- Ghost Train: The Studio B Sessions (Sugar Hill Records)
Jamey Johnson- The Guitar Song (Mercury Nashville)
Merle Haggard – I Am What I Am (Vanguard Records)
Dale Watson- Carryin’ On (E1 Entertainment)

Tim:
Bonnie Prince Billy -Wonderful Show of the World (Domino)
Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone (Anti-)
Tallest Man On Earth- The Wild Hunt (Dead Oceans)
Various Artists- Be Yourself, A Tribute To Graham Nash (Grassroots)
Beach House- Teen Dream (Sub Pop)

TAB:
Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More (Universal/Island)
The Black Keys – Brothers (Nonesuch)
Dr. Dog – Shame, Shame (Anti-)
Various – Crazy Heart Soundtrack (New West Records)
Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone (Anti-)

James:
Samantha Crain – (You) Understood (Ramseur Records)
Tommy Santee Klaws – Rakes (self-released)
Leslie and the Badgers – Roomful of Smoke (reissue) (Thirty Tigers)
Destroyer – Kaputt (technically 2011) (Merge Records)
Bob Dylan – Witmark Demos (Columbia)

Kandia:
Carolina Chocolate Drops- Genuine Negro Jig (Nonesuch)
Brett Detar- Bird In the Tangle (Ravensong)
Jamey Johnson- The Guitar Song (Mercury)
Pastor T.L. Barrett & the Youth For Christ Choir- Like A Ship…Without A Sail (Light in the Attic)
Johnny Flynn- Been Listening (Transgressive)

Top 5 Albums That We “Discovered”, “Rediscovered” or “Came To Fully Appreciate” In 2010:

Jody:
Link Wray- Link Wray
Bruce Springsteen- Nebraska
Fleetwood Mac- Mirage
Elton John- Tumbleweed Connection
Roberta Flack- First Take

Bryan:
Country Funk – Country Funk
Jim Sullivan – U.F.O.
Kris Kristofferson – Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends: The Publishing Demos 1968-1972
Various Artists – Crazy Heart: Original Soundtrack
Spur – Spur Of The Moments

Stian:
Ernie Graham – Ernie Graham
Longbranch Pennywhistle – Longbranch Pennywhistle
Laura Cantrell – When The Roses Bloom Again
Gene Clark – Two Sides to Every Story
Whispering Pines – Family Tree

Mitra:
Big Star – Keep and Eye on the Sky
Levon Helm – Electric Dirt
Leon Russel and Willie Nelson – One for the Road
Billy Joe Shaver – Old Five and Dimers Like Me
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Willie and the Poor Boys

Tim:
Jimmy Rodgers- Brakeman’s Blues
Hoagy Carmichael- Hoagy Sings Carmichael
Frank Fairfield – Frank Fairfield
Various Artists- R. Crumb’s Heroes of Blues, Jazz, & Country
Silver Jews- The Natural Bridge

TAB:
Elvis Perkins in Dearland- Doomsday EP
Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows: Tribute to John Prine
Deer Tick- War Elephant
Hoots and Hellmouth
Rolling Stones- Exile on Main Street

James:
Roscoe Holcomb – The High Lonesome Sound
The Essential Roy Orbison
Superchunk – Here’s Where the Strings Come In
Lambchop – OH (ohio)
Freda Payne – Band of Gold

Released in 2010 Honorable Mentions:

Laura Marling- I Speak Because I Can (EMI)
William Tyler- Behold The Spirit (Tompkins Square)
Strand of Oaks- Pope Killdragon (eMusic Select)
First Aid Kit- The Big Black & The Blue (Witchita Records)
The Secret Sisters- The Secret Sisters (Beladroit)
Matthew and the Atlas- Kingdown of Your Own EP (Communion)
Josephine Foster And The Victor Herrero Band- Anda Jaleo (Fire Records)
Bruce Springsteen The Promise: The Lost Sessions of Darkness on the Edge of Town (Columbia Records)
Ghost Gamblers- Ghost Stories, Vol. 1 (iTunes)
Malachi- Malachi (self-released EP)