Such a strange year for music. Great art and deep social commentary continued to flow through our headphones. But the business changed. The way we listen evolved. My own consumption shifted from purchases to subscription-based streaming. The album format rarely generates the media moments that a quick single can. Yet 2015 saw mega sales for one artist’s album. Drake beefed. Bieber matured. Ryan Adams covered Taylor Swift. And opportunities to see and hear everything in-person continued to proliferate. It was a good year. And here are my favorites.
This isn’t a ranked list. Songs are ordered like a playlist, so you might enjoy them in the order they’re presented. For convenience, I’ve created “Favorite Music 2015” playlists on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. Enjoy! And please let me know what I missed via Twitter or the comments below.
1. JR JR – “Gone” from the album ‘JR JR’
The Detroit band previously named Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. shortened their moniker this year. The name change was explained hilariously by the band and led to a fun personal social media moment for me (thanks for the retweet, Nascar superstar Dale Earnhardt, Jr.). The first album under the updated name is quite good. It’s legitimately fun and it’s filled with electronic brilliance — both calling cards in this band’s earlier work. “Gone” is an especially infectious song. I also recommend listening to “As Time Goes,” “Caroline,” and “Hypothetical.”
2. Grimes – “Flesh without Blood” from the album ‘Art Angels’
So catchy! Grimes has put together an enjoyable, heavily layered pop record — though it really won’t ever become too poplar. And I think that’s what’s being addressed in “Flesh without Blood,” a song about rising from artistic obscurity to relative popularity. Maybe. In this song, I particularly love the 90s throwback David Bowie-style fast-time drum noises (they kick in at the halfway point). This is the standout track on a very good album. One great track is “Scream,” rapped in Mandarin by Aristophanes, a Taiwanese rapper. I wavered between highlighting “Flesh without Blood” over “Kill V. Maim,” another song that’s worth hearing.
3. Baio – “The Names” from the album ‘The Names’
Put on a pair of headphones and enjoy this one. The opening choral sounds, the handclaps… there’s a lot to love. Christopher Baio is the bass player in Vampire Weekend. Other tracks worth hearing on his first solo album: “Sister of Pearl” and “Needs.”
4. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – “S.O.B.”
from the album ‘Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats’ – Certainly one of this year’s most enjoyable records, this R&B romp arrived via Stax Records. It’s as soulful and sweat-drenched as the pedigree and the label imply. The entire album is fantastic. The sound, the pace, the writing, and the recording are all truly enjoyable. “S.O.B.” proves itself as a vivid picture of alcoholism — but it’s hardly the only top-notch song on the record. Among an album of great tracks, my other favorites are “Mellow Out,” “Look It Here,” and “Trying So Hard Not to Know.” Thanks to a coworker who loved this band at the Newport Folk Festival and heaped praise over the summer.
5. Flo Rida – “My House” from from the ‘My House’ EP
“Sometimes you gotta stay in,” advises Flo Rida. So true. And this song puts that message across comfortably. Bridget introduced me to this song — and I found my self playing it quite a bit this fall. It’s just fun. And it’s not what I expected from Flo Rida. That said, the rest of this EP is less enjoyable. The overplayed (and released as a single in 2014) “GDFR” is here alongside a Chris Brown track that I haven’t heard all the way through.
6. Raury – “Crystal Express” from the album ‘All We Need’
Raury’s second proper album (after a promising 2014 debut mixtape) jumps from folk to rap pretty effortlessly. And it’s rarely awkward. In brief moments — especially at the start of the record — you could compare his sound to Richie Havens or Frank Ocean. Or to some pleasant rock act. Or you could focus on the occasional rapped verse. And then land upon the Big K.R.I.T. and RZA tracks. Raury turned 19 this year and most of his lyrics hint at that youth. “Crystal Express” is literally about crystals — and their healing power. It isn’t a drug reference. And that’s the thing about this Raury album: it’s very straightforward. The production is fantastic and you can hear every word that leaves his mouth. It’s often quite beautiful.
7. Skrillex & Diplo (with Justin Bieber) – “Where Are Ü Now” from the album ‘Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü’
I have no shame in this selection. The echoey percussive thumps and digital bumps, the dolphin flute voice, the umlaut. Ignore the lyrics. Ignore the name of the singer. Enjoy it. I’ll admit to an increased awareness and appreciation of this song after viewing the New York Times feature about its creation.
8. Karen O – “Rapt (TRZTN Remix)”
This bright nugget makes the most of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs singer’s weak 2014 solo Crush Songs project. Last year’s album collected self-recorded material from years past. I struggled to hear anything enjoyable through Crush Songs’ rough static. I’m glad that time and effort were invested in this fantastically catchy remix. It works quite well.
9. Jamie xx featuring Young Thug & Popcaan – “I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times)” from the album ‘In Colour’
This solo album from the xx band member feels both nostalgic and forward-looking. This track — and its excellent Young Thug verses — are an anomaly among electronic thumps and shimmers. But those beeps and whirs are worth hearing too. Another enjoyable song, “The Rest Is Noise,” progresses wordlessly with restrained piano and handclaps before adding a thoroughly late-90s layer of dance beats. Also check out “Loud Places” and the album-opening “Gosh.” My excitement for this record prior to its arrival was due largely to a well-timed New Yorker review and several conversations with Ari Adler.
10. Kendrick Lamar – “i” from the album ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’
So much has been written about the importance and complexity of this album. Listening from start to finish is an exhausting exercise — not in a bad way — but it’s an experience that demands attention. This is a dense collection of thought, social criticism, and music. Music of all types: rap, funk, jazz, soul, and rock. Take real time to read the lyrics, rewind, listen again. I don’t love the entire album. But there are gems and moments that feel weighty throughout. “i” is a great place to start. Be sure to listen to the Tupac conversation at the conclusion of the record.
11. Alabama Shakes – “Future People” from the album ‘Sound & Color’
This isn’t the second record I expected from Alabama Shakes. But that’s what makes it exciting. The bar band grit of their earliest releases has been pushed aside just a bit. Glossier production does wonders on this record, highlighting Brittany Howard’s voice and the musicianship on some of Sound & Color’s more delicate tracks (listen to “This Feeling” with a good pair of headphones). The anticipated rock-tinged tracks are a joy too — and they make only bare attempts to hew to old styles (listen to the magical old-school bass lines of “Guess Who” and the enjoyably nostalgic “Shoegaze” and “Miss You”). “Don’t Wanna Fight” and “Sound & Color” are other favorites on this record.
12. Car Seat Headrest – “Times to Die” from the album ‘Teens of Style’
This song and “Something Soon” were the Car Seat Headrest tracks that I found myself playing most frequently. You’ll hear plenty of mystery and obscurity within “Times to Die”. Religious references flow alongside the story of record deal. Luckily Will Toledo, the young singer at the center of the band, has written his own notes for this track on Genius. You’ll see the references to the Book of Job, Matador Records, and the Hindu caste system.
13. Beirut – “Gibraltar” from the album ‘No No No’
This is really an enjoyable Beirut album. The most striking thing about this opening track is its departure from the expected norm of a Beirut song. The same could be said for several others (check out the wordless “As Needed” and the restrained organ funk of “Perth” and “Pacheco”). “Gibraltar” is driven by some fantastic percussion: bongos and handclaps. And that crisp piano. It’s easy to forget that you’ve made it through a Beirut song without a note of brass.
14. Dave Monks – “Gasoline” from the ‘All Signs Point To Yes’ EP
The lead singer of Tokyo Police Club released a fantastic six-song solo EP this summer. This track is beautifully sparse. It’s memorable, not unlike several others in Monks’ small collection. Other standouts on the EP are “Miss You,” “Vegas,” and “The Rules.”
15. Ty Segall – “The Picture” from the ‘Mr. Face’ EP
In a year of several releases, the four-song Mr. Face EP is certainly Segall’s most approachable (read: not quite ear-drum-shattering). The tame, targeted drums and the acoustic guitar jangle of “The Picture” are truly beautiful. Other highlights from Ty Segall’s 2015 output include the in-concert version of “Thank God For the Sinners” from his Live in San Francisco album and a previously released version of “Fist Heart Mighty Dawn Dart” from his excellent collection of T. Rex covers, Ty Rex. Segall’s band Fuzz released its own screamingly loud second album in October (my favorite tracks from that batch are “Rat Race” and “Say Hello”) and Segall joined two additional bands, GØGGS and Broken Bat, each with more limited output. Another solo Segall record arrives in January 2016 (and it’s already been mailed to reviewers on VHS tapes).
16. Diet Cig – “Harvard” from the ‘Over Easy’ EP
Diet Cig’s entire EP is a treat. It’s brief — five songs in 10 minutes. It’s surprisingly well recorded. And it’s loud and fun and angry in all of the right places. “Harvard” is the most biting and the most specific. A song about dating and dumping a boring person! It’s fantastic and it makes me eager to hear more from Diet Cig. The band popped on my radar as a related suggestion in Apple Music. Apple pegged them as akin to Springtime Carnivore. I’d say their sound is much more similar to Best Coast or Those Darlins or Camera Obscura (at their least twee).
17. Courtney Barnett – “Dead Fox” from the album ‘Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit’
A great rock song that just happens to touch on several Australian political issues. Barnett’s album was easily among my favorites for the year. It includes several songs worth hearing, notably “Elevator Operator,” “Pedestrian At Best,” “An Illustration of Loneliness,” “Depression,” “Aqua Profunda!,” “Nobody Really Cares If You Don’t Go to the Party,” and “Boxing Day Blues.”
18. Colleen Green – “Things That Are Bad for Me (Part I)” from the album ‘I Want to Grow Up’
This is a song about self improvement. It’s relatable, serious, and fun. And it’s followed immediately on Green’s album by a song with the opposite message: bad things aren’t always easy to give up. I Want to Grow Up is a roller coaster. The album has its truly dark moments, barely masked by sugary pop. “Deeper Than Love” is another song worth hearing. In that track, the album’s lengthiest, Green melds modern love, self doubt, and fear in personal terms that still seem awfully relatable. This is a great record from start to finish. It’s hard for me to listen to Colleen Green without being reminded of the similar voice and tone from two artists from 10 or so years prior, notably Dressy Bessy and the All Girl Summer Fun Band. There’s a great Stereogum interview about Green’s album.
19. Ryan Adams – “Wildest Dreams” from the album ‘1989’
I so enjoyed this track-by-track interpretation of Taylor Swift’s 1989 album that I wrote about each song. This was a well-executed project that really stands up on as a smart album on its own — in spite of the obvious gimmickry. Ryan Adams’ reworking of these songs also gave me new appreciation for the (mostly) well-written 2014 originals.
20. Eric Church – “Mr. Misunderstood” from the album ‘Mr. Misunderstood’
Oh, wow. I feel like I could write endlessly about this song. Eric Church falls gently outside of my predictable list of favorites. In the kitchen or over weekend breakfast, contemporary country is an occasional soundtrack in our apartment (and Apple Music radio is the preferred random delivery method). A few moments into this track, I walked over to pause it, repeat some lyrics, and begin again. Name-checking Jeff Tweedy and hinting at a Wilco classic? That beat. That shifting tempo. Those references. Wow, indeed. This song is one gem among a largely fantastic album (check out “Mistress Named Music” and “Record Year” while ignoring “Kill a Word” and “Three Year Old”).
21. Rhiannon Giddens – “Don’t Let It Trouble Your Mind” from the album ‘Tomorrow Is My Turn’
A beautiful song from the knockout solo debut of the former Carolina Chocolate Drops member. This song is a Dolly Parton cover. The record’s only song written by Giddens, “Angel City,” is another favorite.
22. Esmé Patterson – “The Glow” from the ‘Woman to Woman’ EP
Here’s the concept: Esme Patterson follows up on various songs about men scorned by their lovers. She decides to tell the other side of the story, writing a new song to match with several well-known tunes. In the case of this track, “The Glow,” you’ll hear the opposite side of the Beach Boys’ “Caroline, No” story. In the original, Brian Wilson sings “Where did your long hair go? Where is the girl I used to know? How could you lose that happy glow?” This track answers. And Patterson does the same with songs from The Beatles, Elvis Costello, Dolly Parton, and others. They’re all worth hearing. Make it a project. Find a list of the tracks and their counterparts and listen to them back-to-back.
23. Kurt Vile – “Pretty Pimpin” from the album ‘B’lieve I’m Goin Down…’
This is the opening track of Kurt Vile’s lovely, mostly mellow 2015 solo record. Other favorite tracks on this album include “Life Like This” and “I’m An Outlaw.”
24. Mikel Cronin – “iii) Control” from the album ‘MCIII’
Not the greatest album of the year. Not the most thought-provoking lyrics of 2015. But I found myself playing this song and several of its counterparts quite a bit.
25. Lord Huron – “Hurricane (Johnnie’s Theme)” from the album ‘Strange Trails’
Excellent twang. This album is filled with toe-tapping moments, great bass lines, modest reverb, and perfectly placed shouts. It’s a fantastic record — and certainly high among my favorites for the year. Other top songs include “Food for Love,” “Love Like Ghosts,” “Meet Me in the Woods,” and “Until the Night Turns.”
26. Family of the Year – “Make You Mine” from the album ‘Family of the Year’
Summer songs are a pleasure. And this one is delightfully poppy at the outset. Those harmonies! The handclaps! A synthy organ! These are all of the things that I love in a mindless seasonal pop song. And then there’s something chilling about it all. At 2:35 you’ll hear an alarming and objectifying switch in the song. “If I can’t have you, you don’t want to know what I’m gonna do.” It’s the possessive nature of so many Beach Boys relationship songs nestled among similar references to young love love, sand, swimming, sun, and melody. Also check out “Carry Me” and the total downer “Hey Kid” from this album.
27. CHVRCHES – “Clearest Blue” from the album ‘Every Open Eye’
The beat, the bass, and the delivery here are just such a pleasure. This song is the clear standout from a good (but not exceptional) album — and I played it quite a bit.
28. Dan Deacon – “When I Was Done Dying” from the album ‘Gliss Riffer’
An unexpected joy for me — as someone clearly late to the Dan Deacon party.
29. Drake – “Hotline Bling”
This song, its video, and the entire Drake experience of 2015 are weirdly captivating.
30. Cornershop – “Born Disco; Died Heavy Metal (Version)” from the album ‘Hold On It’s Easy’
Cornershop released their first album in 1994. That record, Hold On It Hurts, was a college-era discovery for me. The band’s 2015 absurdist concept album, Hold On It’s Easy, is a re-recording of the original… as an easy-listening instrumental record. And it isn’t so absurd.
31. Sufjan Stevens – “John My Beloved” from the album ‘Carrie & Lowell’
This is a beautiful album in the Sufjan Stevens tradition of complexity and mystery. Listen to the full record from start to finish. I say that about every album — but here it seems particularly necessary.
