All these albums are solid and every one of these artists is someone you should keep your eye on.  But there’s one artist in particular I want to point attention to and that’s The Weeknd.  An unknown artist who came from nowhere that has taken the blog world by storm with his first mix-tape/album.  Here’s the kicker…he’s giving it away for free.  What is original about the debut isn’t just the music itself but the method in which he’s distributing it.  The Weeknd has all but abandoned the traditional style of distributing music and fully embraced the 21st century.  Without a publicist or marketing department, he’s managed to become well-known all on his own.  While the major labels are fighting tooth and nail for the fraction of floor space left on retail floors, the new emerging artists are passing them by…by embracing the future.

The 11 Best Debut Albums of 2011 (so far):

1.  Yuck – Yuck

2.  James Blake – James Blake

3.  The Head and the Heart – The Head and the Heart

4.  The Weeknd – House of Balloons

5.  Foster the People – Torches

6.  The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar

7.  The Naked and Famous – Young Blood

8.  The Vaccines – What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?

9.  Cults – Cults

10.  Ringo Deathstar – Colour Trip

11.  EMA – Past Life Martyred Saints

Get The Weeknd’s album, House of the Balloons for free!