Artist of the Year: Arcade Fire

In case you have been hitchhiking rickshaws through Southeast Asia or gondola riding in the Amazon, I will have you know that Arcade Fire has had the best year ever. After Where the Wild Things ravaged hipsterdome and mass media all at once featuring the band's beautifully anthemic "Wake Up," it seems that the band can do no wrong and is taking all the right precautions to place them atop indie rock royalty. The band has sold out shows at MSG, backboned Haiti relief projects, hosted one of the greatest sing-a-longs of the decade (see Lollapalooza 2010), and exceeded expectations with The Suburbs released this summer. If you still have no idea what the buzz is about, learn ya somethin' below: