Pop acts embraced the ukulele and the saxophone. Rock bands crafted weird, widescreen albums that still brimmed with solid, hummable songs. And a few notorious recluses returned to the public eye. The All Songs gang compares notes on their favorite songs, albums and discoveries of 2011.
http://www.npr.org/2011/12/07/143209922/discussion-the-year-in-music-2011