Top 30 Albums of 2015
A bit of background from my 2013 preamble for those new to my lists:
I do this more for me — as a way of discovering new music — than for you, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want you to get as much joy from these amazing artists as I did this year. My list-making secret is to start a “long list” of albums I like at the beginning of the year. I keep adding when something strikes my fancy and use the year-end holidays to figure out which ones really made the cut.
There are seven females (or female lead bands) on the list this year — same as last year, but better than 2013. This year I notice the laid-back sound of many of these albums and I’m particularly struck by the split between other-worldly electronic stuff and rootsy singer-songwriter stuff.
I’d say the Allan Rayman album is my favorite of the year that just about no one knows about.
Finally, this list was made a bit harder this year with the shutting down of Rdio and my move to Spotify thereafter. Having tried them all, I still think Rdio had the best service with a good understanding of how community can make a service richer and increase lock-in. I don’t think the race to be the ultimate music streaming service is near complete — I only hope we can keep the competition healthy and innovating until we get there.
For those interested, my previous Top 30 Albums are still online:
- Top 30 Albums of 2010
- Top 30 Albums of 2011
- Top 30 Albums of 2012
- Top 30 Albums of 2013
- Top 30 Albums of 2014
And now, my Top 30 Albums of 2015! Enjoy!
Note these are in alphabetical order. I could never rank these absolutely — it would change daily.
- Sound & Color by Alabama Shakes
- But You Caint Use My Phone (Mixtape) by Erykah Badu
- Imager by Barbarossa
- Fi by Bibio
- Vulnicura by Björk
- The Magic Whip by Blur
- Another One by Mac Demarco
- Caracal by Disclosure
- Surf by Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment
- Elaenia by Floating Points
- Morning/Evening by Four Tet
- Currency of Man by Melody Gardot
- Vestiges & Claws by José González
- Art Angels by Grimes
- Sunday by HNNY
- Ego Death by The Internet
- In Colour by Jamie xx
- Goon by Tobias Jesso Jr.
- To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
- Lustmore by Lapalux
- Peace Is The Mission by Major Lazer
- Beauty Pageant by Kacey Musgraves
- Hotel Allan by Allan Rayman
- Company by Slime
- Carrie & Lowell by Sufjan Stevens
- Songs to Make Up To by Ta-ku
- Currents by Tame Impala
- Love Songs For Robots by Patrick Watson
- White Men Are Black Men Too by Young Fathers
- XTLP by μ-Ziq
I’d love to know what albums we have in common and which ones you think should have made my list but didn’t. Use the comments people, don’t be shy!