Monday 12th December 2011 by Edward Keeble

This is it! Probably the most deliberated category of all, we've done the poll through which the readers have examined through the critical looking glass which out of the top 50 nominations deserves the top spot for the best album of 2011.

The list is certainly a great one this year with massive bands standing side by side with some of the greatest debuts the music industry has seen for a very long time.

All the way from SBTRKT to Kasabian this is a point by point list of the albums that should be in your collection.

With the yuletide season bearing down make sure that if you have missed out on any of these gems you get Santa to get off his fat arse and ram it in your stocking.

See the Gigwise countdown below...