BUT FIRST. HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no order)
Beach House - Thank Your Lucky Stars
Kelela - Hallucinogen EP
Kacey Musgraves - Pageant Material
Protomartyr - The Agent Intellect
Prurient - Frozen Niagara Falls
Deafheaven - New Bermuda
-- 50 --
Years & Years - Communion
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Thank God this pop/R&B gem of an album existed because Disclosure's Caracal was not my favorite. Lead singer Olly Alexander's acrobatic voice fits smoothly over slick production as he sings of adolescent love. It's no wonder this group is so popular in the UK.
Standout tracks: Shine; Real; King
-- 49 --
Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment - Surf
Chance the Rapper and an impressive breadth of collaborators deliver a sun-drenched rap/hip-hop/jazz/gospel album that changes and grows with each song and listen. I'm usually a fan of darker stuff, but try to listen to Sunday Candy without smiling.
Standout tracks: Sunday Candy; Wanna Be Cool; Warm Enough
-- 48 --
NAO - February 15 EP
It's short but damn is it good. NAO's voice is both featherlight and powerful all at once, especially on tracks like Inhale Exhale. But she also knows when to hold back and deliver slow-burning alt. R&B ballads like It's You.
Standout tracks: Inhale Exhale; It's You
-- 47 --
Miguel - Wildheart
I found this album incredibly exhausting upon first listen. It lacked Miguel's instantaneous hooks from his previous work, but it slowly grew on me. The guitar work on some of these songs is so catchy, and the choruses and verses subvert some of R&B's cliches. Some songs dive straight in and attack the sexual nature of R&B, but their not exactly so blatant to be tasteless.
Standout tracks: coffee; a beautiful exit; waves
-- 46 --
Drake - If You're Reading This It's Too Late
Drake aims for pure trap-poprap, exuding a new confidence and braggadocio that I've been waiting to see. Even though I love the vulnerability Drake lets shine through, it's interesting to see him aim for jugular in this trap-inspired mixtape. And no matter who's writing these raps, they're catchy, clever, and memorable.
Standout tracks: Legend; Energy; Know Yourself; 6 God
-- 45 --
Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color
What were these Southern rockers going to do with this sophomore effort? Slow R&B? Another soul-infused rock album? A combination? Whatever it is, it's nominated for a Grammy, and it's so much fun. Brittany Howard has one of the most distinct voices in rock music today and she let's loose on this album. Nothing but love for this gem.
Standout tracks: The Greatest; Guess Who; Gimme All Your Love
-- 44 --
Neon Indian - Vega Intl. Night School
Neon Indian is obsessed with the 80s. This synth monster could have been contrived in that decade and done just fine, but I'm so glad it's here this year. Another ridiculously fun album that makes the list despite my love for all things dark and creepy. I just can't resist the funk.
Standout tracks: Annie; The Glitzy Hive; Slumlord; Slumlord's Re-Lease; Bozo
-- 43 --
Iglooghost - Chinese Nü Yr EP
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Some mind-warping dance music that I can't really describe on here. Listen for yourself.
Standout tracks: Peach Rift; Gold Coat
-- 42 --
Lianne La Havas - Blood
British R&B/folk powerhouse shows us what she's capable of on her sophomore album. Soulful, experimental, and beautiful, Blood is one of the most under-appreciated albums of the year in my opinion.
Standout tracks: Unstoppable; What You Don't Do; Tokyo
-- 41 --
Lower Dens - Escape from Evil
In the mood for some gender-bending synth rock? Check this album out.
Standout tracks: Sucker's Shangri-La; To Die in L.A.; Société Anonyme
-- 40 --
Archy Marshall - A New Place 2 Drown
British hip-hop producer turns up the funk on this new album. Expect to see him working with some rappers soon.
Standout tracks: The Sea Liner MK 1; Ammi Ammi; Eye's Drift
-- 39 --
Downtown Boys - Full Communism
ARE YOU ♥♥♥♥ ANGRY AT THE INEQUALITY IN THE WORLD? DO YOU WANT TO SCREAM ABOUT IT OVER DANCY, MESSY GUITARS IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES? LISTEN TO THIS ♥♥♥♥.
Standout tracks: Santa; Monstro; Future Police; Break a Few Eggs
-- 38 --
Pusha T - King Push - Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude
Rap kingpin Pusha T releases a not-so-trendy but oh-so-good darkness-tinged mini-album at the end of the year and sets the bar very high for the rest of his project set to release in 2016. Touching on haters, racism, current politics, this is an album to listen to.
Standout tracks: Untouchable; Retribution; F.I.F.A.; Sunshine
-- 37 --
Death Grips - Jenny Death
Rap? Punk? Electronic? Insanity incarnate? What is Death Grips trying to do? I'm pretty sure they don't want you to answer that question: they only define themselves. Jenny Death is a giant middle finger with a working conscious.
Standout tracks: Inanimate Sensation; Pss Pss; Why A ♥♥♥♥♥ Gotta Lie
-- 36 --
Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear
Hilariously political and emotionally delicate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IPaa3Hkjh8
Standout tracks: Bored In The USA; Holy ♥♥♥♥; I Went To The Store One Day; True Affection
-- 35 --
Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass
Jumping between musical theater tunes and 70s country and pop, Natalie Prass is a versatile artist with the voice of an angel. Listen to this and relax.
Standout tracks: My Baby Don't Understand Me; Bird of Prey; Christy; It Is You
-- 34 --
Christine and the Queens - Christine and the Queens
Queerness is something that always morphs itself into the opposite of normality, but Christine and the Queens made a pop album that flirts with normal while being totally queer, and that's why I had some of these songs on repeat all year. Beautiful yet weird, I couldn't NOT include this on my list.
Standout tracks: Saint Claude; Tilted; iT; Paradis perdus; Narcissus is Back; Jonathan
-- 33 --
HEALTH - DEATH MAGIC
Ah sweet, sweet darkness. DEATH MAGIC is HEALTH's attempt at pop music, but drenched in tar. It's like bubblegum laced with shards of glass. Intense and fragile all the same.
Standout tracks: STONEFIST; MEN TODAY; LIFE; FLESH WORLD (UK)
-- 32 --
Wolf Alice - My Love Is Cool
Wolf Alice really loves the '90s, and while it wasn't my favorite decade for music, they have me convinced it is with this album. Some have called it forgettable, unoriginal, uninspired, but this album is a genuine collection of songs from a band who knows their sound. I haven't forgotten.
Standout tracks: Bros; Soapy Water; Your Loves Whore; Swallowtail; Lisbon
-- 31 --
Florence + the Machine - How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
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This woman got me into music with Cosmic Love, and even though this album is grand in a sense removed from her debut Lungs, Florence shows that her voice can really tackle the any pop format you throw at her. Maybe I'm playing favorites, but this album grew on me all year. (And I'm totally playing favorites)
Standout tracks: Ship to Wreck; Third Eye; Delilah; Mother; Caught
-- 30 --
Holly Herndon - Platform
This is electronica built on everyday noises and sound blips with Holly's trained, clipped vocals weaving in and out of the mix. Some parts creepy, some parts beautiful, all parts interesting and effervescent. And it's the first album I've ever heard an ASMR track on, so there's that.
Standout tracks: Interference; Chorus; Morning Sun; Locker Leak; DAO
-- 29 --
Waxahatchee - Ivy Tripp
Waxahatchee continues making dark yet delicate music inspired by her southern roots that catches my attention with each release. Ivy Tripp has some poppier cuts, but all of them are well-crafted, and the album sticks together quite well.
Standout tracks: <; La Loose; Under a Rock; Bonfire
-- 28 --
Arca - Mutant
Genderqueer electronic producer Arca began making off-the-wall hip-hop music a while back, but his previous two releases (Xen and Mutant) explore less constrained soundscapes. Arca's frustration with binaries are played out quite poetically by music made of 1s and 0s that oscillates between terrifying and strangely beautiful. It's an unsettling experience to say the least; this is not electronic music you'll hear at any club near you.
Standout tracks: Alive; Sinner; Umbilical; Vanity; Extent; Mutant
-- 27 --
SOPHIE - PRODUCT
PRODUCT sounds like dance music turned sour; trap, K-pop, house, you name it, it's on this album, but each genre is twisted like melted plastic, which makes SOPHIE's obsession with waterslides make sense I guess. Another fun album. Fun fact, buy the vinyl and you get a free dildo. Not even kidding.
Standout tracks: HARD; BIPP; LEMONADE; MSMSMSM
-- 26 --
Baroness - Purple
I'm gonna be completely honest: I know very little about all types of metal music. But I know this album is damn good.
Standout tracks: Morningstar; Shock Me; Try to Disappear; Kerosene; Chlorine & Wine
-- 25 --
Torres - Sprinter
I hadn't heard of Torres until a couple of weeks ago, but one listen to this album, and I knew that it was one of the best rock albums of the entire year. Her lyrics and voice are more mature than older groups out there, and even some of the slower songs I found myself completely lost in.
Standout tracks: Sprinter; Strange Hellos; New Skin; Cowboy Guilt; Ferris Wheel; Son, You Are No Island
-- 24 --
Shamir - Ratchet
Listen as Shamir warps black masculinity and has a lot of fun doing it
Standout tracks: On The Regular; Hot Mess; Demon; Call It Off
-- 23 --
Le1f - Riot Boi
Listen as Le1f warps black masculinity and gets really angry about society because it sucks.
Standout tracks: Koi; Rage; Swirl; Taxi
-- 22 --
Carly Rae Jepsen - E-mo-tion
Hear me out: whether you hated Call Me Maybe or not, this album is pure synth pop euphoria. I'm serious. I love this album.
Standout tracks: Run Away With Me; Emotion; Your Type; Gimmie Love; All That; Warm Blood
-- 21 --
Empress Of - Me
Empress Of proved that you can still make a catchy pop album and actual say something about the world. Standard is a jam about income inequality. Kitty Kat is a jab at cat-callers on the street. Threat is an ode to mental stability. This whole album has a lot to say, and it does so in such an approachable way.
Standout tracks: Threat; Kitty Kat; Standard; Everything is You; How Do You Do It
-- 20 --
The World Is a Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid to Die - Harmlessness
My emo days are behind me, but with this deliciously beautiful blend of emo, post-rock, and folk, I had a glimpse of what I was missing, what REALLY GOOD emo music sounds like. This album is lush with instrumentation and stories galore.
Standout tracks: January 10th, 2014; Wendover; Mental Health; I Can Be Afraid of Anything; Haircuts for Everybody
-- 19 --
Deerhunter - Fading Frontier
No where near as hard hitting as Halcyon Digest, but that's not a bad thing at all.
Standout tracks: Snakeskin; Breaker; Living My Life; Duplex Planet
-- 18 --
JLin - Dark Energy
Dark Energy is the perfect title for this harrowing, relentless footwork album by female producer JLin. I can't really describe in words why I love this album so much, but it's just so good. I love every last crushing minute.
Standout tracks: Black Ballet; Black Diamond; Unknown Tongues; Guantanamo; Ra; Abnormal Restriction
-- 17 --
Susanne Sundfør - Ten Love Songs
Norwegian artist Susanne Sundfør attempts and succeeds a creating a deep, catchy, and epic pop album that's both accessible and absolutely stunning. I was floored by her talent at creating sweeping melodies that fit perfectly into each of the settings that the songs on this album present.
Standout tracks: Delirious; Kamikaze; Memorial; Fade Away; Accelerate
-- 16 --
Beach House - Depression Cherry
If it isn't broken, don't fix it. Beach House has been mining this sound for years and I could criticize them for unoriginality but why would I do that when I love this music so much.
Standout tracks: Sparks; Space Song; Levitation; Bluebird; Days of Candy
-- 15 --
Hop Along - Painted Shut
The fact that this album isn't even showing up on some of the lists I've seen so far is saddening. This is one of the best rock albums of the yearrrrrr. Each song is interesting and tells a story unlike most rock albums can do. And the lead singer. Her voice. Oh my god her voice.
Standout tracks: Waitress; The Knock; Powerful Man; Texas Funeral
-- 14 --
Björk - Vulnicura
Produced by some of the most haunting electronic music artists out there (Arca and The Haxan Cloak), this album is the journey toward and the aftermath of a failed marriage. It's absolutely heart-wrenching and weird and I'm so happy that Björk decided to turn this story into an album.
Standout tracks: Mouth Mantra; Lionsong; Atom Dance; Quicksand; History of Touches; Black Lake; Stonemilker
-- 13 --
Vince Staples - Summertime '06
WHY ISN'T THIS GUY MORE POPULAR. This is a double album of dark and aware hip-hop. None of the songs or ideas overstay their welcome and the variety is the face of this album.
Standout tracks: Lift Me Up; Norf Norf; Señorita; Jump Off The Roof; 3230; Surf; Get Paid
-- 12 --
Julia Holter - Have You in My Wilderness
It's so pretty ;_;
Standout tracks: Feel You; Sea Calls Me Home; Silhouette; Betsy On The Roof; Everytime Boots
-- 11 --
Oneohtrix Point Never - Garden of Delete
This album is a terrifying jolt of distorted voices and pummeling electronics. Delicate sections of twinkling synths string together brutal electronic breakdowns. Just enough darkness to get lost in.
Standout tracks: I Bite Through It; Mutant Standard; Lift; Sticky Drama; Freaky Eyes
-- 10 --
Purity Ring - another eternity
Haters beware, I love this album. Sure the lyrics are tumblr jumble, sure the instrumentals are a little common, but did you really expect Purity Ring to make another Shrines? Shrines is better, yes, probably my favorite album of 2012, but Purity Ring are exploring new ground and I really REALLY enjoyed the hard hitting pop music that they released on this album.
Standout tracks: push pull; flood on the floor; sea castle; repetition; stranger than earth; bodyache
-- 9 --
Tame Impala - Currents
Tame Impala swap guitars for floaty synths and this album isn't any less psychedelic than Lonerism or Innerspeaker. This is just an enjoyable trip from start to end and I really couldn't have asked for more.
Standout tracks: Let It Happen; Eventually; The Less I Know the Better; Yes I'm Changing
-- 8 --
FKA twigs - M3LL15X EP
So it's an EP, but every song on this thing is killer. FKA twigs remains one of the most enigmatic R&B/pop acts out there, and it was pleasantly surprising that she got even weirder on this thing, even grittier.
Standout tracks: In Time; Glass & Patron; Figure 8; Mothercreep
-- 7 --
CHVRCHES - Every Open Eye
*fangirling* I was anticipating this release all year. I literally cried when I heard "Clearest Blue" for the first time. If I didn't put this album in the top 10 I would be a dirty dirty lier. If you like good pop music, LISTEN TO THIS ISH RIGHT NOW.
Standout tracks: Never Ending Circles; Leave A Trace; Clearest Blue; Keep You On My Side; Playing Dead; Empty Threat; Bury It
-- 6 --
Sleater-Kinney - No Cities to Love
A comeback album so sweet, you don't even have to know who this band is to get into this ♥♥♥♥ (like me).
Standout tracks: Price Tag; No Cities to Love; Bury Our Friends; A New Wave; Fangless
-- 5 --
Jamie xx - In Colour
I didn't really understand the buzz until I listened. And listened. And listened and listened and listened. Listen.
Standout tracks: Gosh; Sleep Sound; Obvs; SeeSaw; Hold Tight; I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)
-- 4 --
Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
Aussie rocker Courtney Barnett captures the mundaneness of everyday life perfectly in this album. She covers so many bases with her ingenious songwriting; I find this album just as compelling with each repeated listen, that's an accomplishment.
Standout tracks: Dead Fox; Nobody Really Cares if You Don't Go to the Party; Pedestrian At Best; Depreston; Elevator Operator
-- 3 --
Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
I listen to this album constantly. It's the heart-wrenching tale of Sufjan losing his mother. The instrumentals are so scarce; percussion is a rare thing on this album, but the rawness of Sufjan's emotion carries well over keys and strings and it hits harder than any album this year.
Standout tracks: Just listen to the whole thing.
-- 2 --
Grimes - Art Angels
Grimes produced this entire thing herself. Bubblegum pop with a twist. It's just pure fun, and if you hate it I respect your opinion but I hate you. Bai.
Standout tracks: THE WHOLE DAMN THING
-- 1 --
Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly
An album exploring sacrificing authenticity and reliability in the light of growing fame. An album exploring the social injustice that racial minorities face daily and systematically. An album with an interweaving storyline. An album that doesn't give into trendy beats but is still the funkiest album of the year. This is Kendrick's masterpiece.
Standout tracks: lol all of it.
So that's it. Phew.
KIDDING.
Least Favorite Albums
Halsey - Badlands
Melanie Martinez - Crybaby
any modern cliched country album
Miley Cyrus - Miley Cyrus And Her Dead Petz
Yay post your favorites below. You don't have to do 50 though because honestly this was so difficult.
) and decided to give this self-titled foray a go. First reaction: wow, this is what they decided to release as their self-titled album? Um, nothing about this is catchy or original. It's straight up pop rock. The hooks aren't catchy. The singer sounds...almost...dead inside? Like he knows that he's singing the most run-of-the-mill "alternative" lyrics because it's been a while since he's released an album and he's running out of money. Yikes yikes yikes. 
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