Ben Kaplan: We’ve been doing a round-robin of the year’s best records and we’ve finally narrowed it down to four: Robyn’s Body Talk, The National’s High Violet, Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs. We want you guys to help us decide which of the four is the year’s best album — but first let’s start it off like this: What are your favourite records of the year, and why?

D-Sisive: Arcade Fire murdered everything. Hands down. Everything. Well, maybe not Yeasayer, but everything that wasn’t Yeasayer.

Kanye? The album is good. It definitely has great moments, but all and all it’s a good album. He’s being praised for doing what everyone has been doing forever. Only he’s doing it to hip-hop music. He’s doing what he thinks people will think is cool. What he thinks isn’t hip hop. Wow. You’ve heard of Basquiat?!? Kanye is a great artist, don’t get me wrong. Musically, he owes it all to Jon Brion. If it weren’t for JB, none of this would be happening. I would listen to his sophomore album and pick out what was Jon Brion. The swanky synth on the last third of Gold Digger … The song’s highlight? Jon Brion. The extended outro on Heard ‘Em Say? Amazing. Jon Brion.

It’s not convincing. I’m not trying to sound like a d–k. I’m not trying to sound pretentious. I just don’t buy it. I like it. But I can’t worship it. Runaway was 25 minutes too long. The Michael Jackson march was cool. The ballerinas contrived. F–king a bird is pretty cool. Kanye’s acting? Hideous.

He’s just doing what he thinks people will love. Not what he knows. And for the most part, he’s right. The College Dropout was brilliance. Not this one.

Sure, Kanye was in the news a lot. You couldn’t escape him. But at the end of the day he’s a brat who’s only tough around teenaged girls until he gets behind a keyboard. He wussied out to Matt Lauer. He doesn’t wear socks. What people should be focusing on is Pusha T. His two verses on the album killed everything else on that record.

Then again, the whole world probably disagrees with me, so what do I know?

Ben Kaplan: He did wuss out with Matt Lauer, didn’t he? And then he ran home and wrote about the whole thing on Twitter. Still … it’s a dope record, and Pusha T is always awesome, but Kanye elevates his playing field. More people heard those two verses than the entire output of Pusha T.

Shad: D-Sisive — I gotta ride for Kanye here.

All of the Lights, Power, Lost in the World… I think he’s way ahead of everyone … the Runaway film wasn’t really necessary but I’ll let it slide. And I liked that he tried to be gracious with Matt Lauer, but yes, he probably should’ve slapped him then and there. That being said, my vote’s firmly with Mr. West. Front to back, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is crazy — in a good way. Just like Kanye himself.

I haven’t heard the Robyn album yet. And I’ll assume Hannah’s gonna vouch for that or The National.

Speaking of pop: Teenage Dream was the jam. Reminds me of [Kim Carnes’ 1974 track] Bette Davis Eyes … not feeling Gaga. And people need to get up on this:

Also loved that Alicia Keys single Unthinkable. There’s definitely a melody from Goapele’s Closer in there, but it still kills.

Other picks of mine: Caribou’s Swim. And Royce [da 5'9"]‘s verses always make me laugh.

Shad: When I heard Bon Iver was gonna be on Kanye’s album, I knew it was all over.

Ben Kaplan: With someone like Rihanna, who we’ve all heard a million times, she still comes off sounding completely different and original on All of the Lights, killing it, like she’s never done before. D, don’t you think?

D-Sisive: Friends, Friends. I never said I disliked Kanye’s album. I just don’t think it’s the best of the year.

Why isn’t anyone mentioning TSOL? How do you feel now, Shad? ;) Seriously, and Shad you know this, Yaa I Get It is one of the best songs/videos to ever come out of this country.

Shad: Gracias.

Still gotta hand the prize to K. West … I’ll get him next time around!

Ben Kaplan: Guys, Diamond Rings and Ms. Georgas are in the building. So, John and Hannah, what do you guys think were the year’s best records? We’re about split between Kanye and Arcade Fire right now. Also, excluding our picks, what records did you love?

Hannah: Shad — I think you know me a little too well. I am definitely going to go with High Violet by The National. Runaway by The National kicks Kanye’s Runaway to the curb. Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks, Lemonworld and Anyone’s Ghost are incredible songs. The record is so engaging and powerful from start to finish.

I am also a big fan of Body Talk Part #1. Don’t Fucking Tell Me What To Do, Fembot and Dancing On My Own have been listened to by me an embarrassing number of times.  It’s a great pop record.

Arcade Fire is great and is definitely up there, but not at the very top for me. I think that Swim by Caribou should be on this list too. It’s my favourite Canadian record that came out this year.

Other songs that I have fallen in love with and need to be credited are Walk In The Park by Beach House, On Melancholy Hill by Gorillaz, and Ambitions by Donkeyboy.

To be fair I haven’t listened to Kanye’s whole record yet … but that’s happening tonight.

Diamond Rings: Hey, geeks. If the Top 5 has already been whittled down, I’m going to have to go with Robyn as my No. 1. Both she and Kanye made great records this year, but I was a big fan of her decision to take a risk and release three mini-albums in one year. At a time when artists are being recognized as much for their music as their business model, her Body Talk series was one of the coolest new release formats since In Rainbows by Radiohead. The songs are killer too, they remind me of Giorgio Moroder.

Kanye’s my close No. 2. His record is a huge risk, and I really love how he’s pushing vocal distortion and Autotune to consistently new levels. Everything about his record is unique, I just wish he had cut the ego and trimmed some of the fat off a few of those jams. I guess that’s the point though, right?

I also wish you’d included Meet Me At The Muster Station by PS I Love You as well as Aphrodite by Kylie Minogue on your shortlist. Those were my true favourites!

Read the rest and find the champion HERE.