All Songs Considered

Our No. 1 songs: 2011

September 29, 2025

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  • The hosts of "All Songs Considered" are revisiting 2011 to discuss the songs that stood out most to them personally and for the show, marking a look back at that year's music. 
  • Rihanna's "We Found Love" featuring Calvin Harris was highlighted as a song that significantly woke one host up to pop music, contrasting with the more ambient/folk selections like King Creosote and John Hopkins' "Diamond Mine," which was a consensus favorite among the NPR music team. 
  • Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know" featuring Kimbra was identified as one of the most infectious songs of 2011, whose legacy was recently reinforced by an interpolation in a Doja Cat song, while Adele's performance of "Someone Like You" at the Tiny Desk was noted for its raw power. 

Segments

Introduction and 2011 Setup
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(00:00:16)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts of “All Songs Considered” are beginning their retrospective on the year 2011, focusing on personally and critically significant songs.
  • Summary: The episode opens with hosts Robin Hilton and Stephen Thompson welcoming listeners to the 2011 segment of their anniversary retrospective. They frame the discussion around songs that stood out most to them from that year. The initial segment involves a game where one host plays a short clip to prompt the other’s memory of the year.
Pop Music Awakening Song
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(00:01:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Rihanna’s “We Found Love” featuring Calvin Harris was identified as a track that forced one host to pay attention to pop music, despite missing it initially on the radio.
  • Summary: The first song identified is “We Found Love” by Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris. One host admitted to missing the song initially because they rarely listen to FM radio. The track is described as a major ‘banger’ that served as an awakening to contemporary pop music for the host.
King Creosote & John Hopkins Pick
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(00:02:33)
  • Key Takeaway: King Creosote and John Hopkins’ collaborative album Diamond Mine was a universally acclaimed record within the NPR music team in 2011, despite one host’s initial preference for Hopkins’ more abrasive electronic solo work.
  • Summary: The second song played is from King Creosote and John Hopkins’ album Diamond Mine, which was the favorite album of the year for multiple NPR staff members. John Hopkins is known for ambient/EDM music, while King Creosote is a prolific Scottish singer-songwriter. The collaboration resulted in a record described as a ‘feast of shimmering beauty.’
Gotye’s Infectious Hit
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(00:05:25)
  • Key Takeaway: Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” featuring Kimbra was Stephen Thompson’s number one song for 2011, an inescapable hit that has seen a recent resurgence due to an interpolation by Doja Cat.
  • Summary: Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” from the album Making Mirrors is presented as the host’s top pick for 2011. The song was immensely popular in 2011 and 2012, and its relevance has been renewed because Doja Cat’s song “Anxiety” interpolates it. Gotye has since stepped back from music, making the song a singular, massive imprint.
The Decemberists and Y Oak
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(00:11:08)
  • Key Takeaway: The Decembrists’ “June Hymn” and Y Oak’s “Civilian” were highlighted as significant folk/indie tracks from 2011, with Y Oak having a notable live performance webcast that year.
  • Summary: Stephen Thompson brought up The Decembrists’ “June Hymn” as a standout folk track from 2011, though Robin Hilton preferred earlier work. Y Oak’s album Civilian was also mentioned, specifically referencing a live performance of the song from the Sasquatch Music Festival that remains available online.
Fleet Foxes and Adele
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(00:13:53)
  • Key Takeaway: Fleet Foxes’ “Helplessness Blues” offered wisdom about finding fulfillment in being a ‘functioning cog’ rather than being uniquely remarkable, while Adele’s “Someone Like You” was recognized as a modern standard.
  • Summary: Fleet Foxes’ “Helplessness Blues” resonated for its theme of finding value in being part of something larger than oneself. Adele’s “Someone Like You” was also noted as a major 2011 track, described as essentially a classic American songbook standard. The Tiny Desk performance of this song by Adele was particularly memorable because she performed the entire set without rehearsal.