The Guardian has its top 40 Albums of the Year. So far the countdown has reached number 9. I've only got two so far, but I am expecting Bowie will be somewhere in the remaining 8, putting my total at 3!
Glad to see Chance up there. Even though it's not my thing, I can appreciate his musical achievement and, as a Chicagoan, am frankly grateful for his powerful themes of optimism, family and faith.
When we took the photo, he was holding his daughter. He was looking down at his daughter. And that was his concept, his idea. Chance wanted to capture the expression on his face when he looked at his daughter. It’s this picture of the future being bigger than himself. It’s not just about him, it’s about family. He’s looking down at the future in a way.
I don't really make lists but is hard for me to think of anything more important or better than Coloring Book. I guess I need to check out Bowie and the Knowles. I am so tired of hearing about Kanye that I don't know if I'll ever get around to that one.
I was just looking at the aggregated lists and the Quietus list and it's interesting to me how high Ian William Craig's album appears on them. I need to go back and listen to it again. My own remembered feeling is that I liked his last album but one best and the latest one did not grab me as a particular step forward, in fact the use of more clearly songish structures weakened what I liked about the earlier ones, but it seems maybe it also gained him traction.
This Stereogum jazz list seems like a good one. Also a fine example of why I feel like I can't do a "Best of" list - Most of them I'm aware of, interested in, but yet to hear.
I rarely make fave lists, but this year there weren't a lot of albums I really liked for some reason so it was fairly easy to do. TBH, I'm only including some of these (including "Blackstar") because they were interesting, not because they really compelled me to listen to them multiple times and sing along or whatever.
PS. I'm not sure why nobody else rated "Head Carrier" very highly... Probably because the previous one ("Indie Cindy") wasn't all that good, and people are probably getting tired of hearing "Where Is My Mind" on the TV every 15 minutes. Anyway, I thought this one was way better, but none of the usual-suspect sites seem to have listed it anywhere.
25. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree
24. Jenny Hval – Blood Bitch
23. ANOHNI – Hopelessness
22. Bleached – Welcome the Worms
21. Bon Iver – 22, A Million
20. Kendrick Lamer – untitled unmastered.
19. Savages – Adore Life
18. White Lung – Paradise
17. Kamaiyah – A Good Night in the Ghetto
16. YG – Still Brazy
15. Vince Staples – Prima Donna
14. Rihanna – ANTI
13. David Bowie – Blackstar
12. Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool
11. A Tribe Called Quest – We Got it From Here… Thank You 4 Your service
10. Blood Orange – Freetown Sound
9. Young Thug – No, My Name is Jeffery
8. Mitski – Puberty 2
7. Kanye West – The Life of Pablo
6. Angel Olsen – MY WOMAN
5. Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition
4. Beyonce – Lemonade
3. Frank Ocean – Blonde
2. Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Denial
1. Chance the Rapper – Coloring Book
An amazing year for hip hop. Not as many debuts as my lists usually have.
Top 12 Live Shows
12. Bruise Violet: January 15, 2016 – First Avenue
11. Babes in Toyland: January 30, 2016 – First Avenue
10. Bob Mould: April 22, 2016 – First Avenue
9. David Bazan: June 24, 2016 – Turf Club
8. Shellac: April 1, 2016 – First Avenue
7. Courtney Barnett: April 27, 2016 – First Avenue
6. The Revolution: September 2, 2016 – First Avenue
5. Car Seat Headrest: July 18, 2016 – Triple Rock
4. Colin Stetson & Sarah Neufeld Duo: August 11, 2016 – Turf Club
3. Kanye West: October 10, 2016 – Xcel Energy Center
2. Lauryn Hill: September 4, 2016 – First Avenue
1. Savages: May 21, 2016 – Fine Line Cafe
In most years any of those top 5 could have been #1, but nobody was touching Savages. Here’s a video my buddy took at the show when lead singer Jehnny Beth took his phone out of his hand.
Comments
60-41
40-21
20-1
Here is my list of best of for 2016 albums. Its been a really good year hope you enjoy
Aiofe O Donovan - In the Magic Hour
Bat for Lashes - The Bride
Besnard Lakes - A Coliseum Complex Museum
Beth Orton - Kidisticks
Birds of Chicago - Real Midnight
Blue Rose Code - Ad Lo! The Bird is on the Wing
Bob Mould - Patch the Sky
Bon Iver - 22 A Million
Celer - I Love you so much, I can't even title this
David Bowie - Blackstar
Deacon Blue - Believers
Dinosaur Jr - Give a glimpse of what your not
Ed Carlson - The Journey Tapes
Ed Motta - Perpetual Gateways
Eric Bachman - Self Titled
Esperanza Spaulding - Emily's D Evolution
Explorers Club - Together
Four Tet - Randoms
Gregory Porter - Take me to the Alley
The Gloaming - 2
Hammock - Everything and Nothing
James Vincent McMorrow - We Move
Jim Moray - Upcetra
Joe Bonamassa - Blues of Depression
The King - We are King
Lambchop - Flotus
Laura Myula - The Dreaming Room
Matt Bartram - Moments Before
Minor Victories - Self Titled
Mercury Program - New Myths
Nat Birchall - Creation
Norah Jones - Day Breaks
Radiohead - A moon Shaped Pool
Ragnar Kjartansson - The Visitor
Slowly Rolling Camera - All This
Submotion Orchestra - Colour Theory
Teenage Fanclub - Here
William Tyler - Modern Country
I have 24, again including 9 of the top 10. #1 might surprise you.
Craig
He really seems to be a genuinely fantastic person.
Craig
I love this picture. From the artist's website:
http://albumoftheyear.org/ratings/6-highest-rated/2016/1
(I have 4)
And here's their aggregate year end list:
http://m.albumoftheyear.org/list/summary/2016/
(I have 7)
Funny how much more familiar the year end list aggregate looks than the highest rated albums; seem there is a good deal of year end herding.
AOTY's also got transcriptions of lots of other lists, here:
http://m.albumoftheyear.org/lists.php
And here's Tiny Mix Tapes:
http://www.tinymixtapes.com/features/2016-favorite-50-music-releases
I 13.
I don't really make lists but is hard for me to think of anything more important or better than Coloring Book. I guess I need to check out Bowie and the Knowles. I am so tired of hearing about Kanye that I don't know if I'll ever get around to that one.
/old.
/monies
/i cri evritiem
/dab
The multi-list is quite nice too!
fRoots list (some goodies there)
Craig
Honeyblood - Babes Never Die
Stargazer Lilies - Door To the Sun
Sin Kitty - Softer
Minor Victories - Minor Victories
Shana Falana - Here Comes the Wave
Pixies - Head Carrier
Voices From Deep Below - This Place Will Raise Up (free!)
Nothing - Tired of Tomorrow
David Bowie - Blackstar
High Violets - Heroes and Halos
PS. I'm not sure why nobody else rated "Head Carrier" very highly... Probably because the previous one ("Indie Cindy") wasn't all that good, and people are probably getting tired of hearing "Where Is My Mind" on the TV every 15 minutes. Anyway, I thought this one was way better, but none of the usual-suspect sites seem to have listed it anywhere.
Best prog 2016
and
Hyperconsensus
A Closer Listen top 10 ambient 2016 - I have 2 of these, but have listened to others and a couple are on my SFL.
A Closer Listen top 10 drone 2016 - I only have one of these.
A Closer Listen top 10 electronic 2016 - none here. Evidently I bought too much jazz this year.
A Closer Listen top 10 experimental 2016 - I am listening to Crumble now. It's the only one I have.
Jahresrückblick 2016
Some interesting and some predictable choices . . .Norman Records Albums of the Year 2016
Top 25 Albums:
25. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree
24. Jenny Hval – Blood Bitch
23. ANOHNI – Hopelessness
22. Bleached – Welcome the Worms
21. Bon Iver – 22, A Million
20. Kendrick Lamer – untitled unmastered.
19. Savages – Adore Life
18. White Lung – Paradise
17. Kamaiyah – A Good Night in the Ghetto
16. YG – Still Brazy
15. Vince Staples – Prima Donna
14. Rihanna – ANTI
13. David Bowie – Blackstar
12. Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool
11. A Tribe Called Quest – We Got it From Here… Thank You 4 Your service
10. Blood Orange – Freetown Sound
9. Young Thug – No, My Name is Jeffery
8. Mitski – Puberty 2
7. Kanye West – The Life of Pablo
6. Angel Olsen – MY WOMAN
5. Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition
4. Beyonce – Lemonade
3. Frank Ocean – Blonde
2. Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Denial
1. Chance the Rapper – Coloring Book
An amazing year for hip hop. Not as many debuts as my lists usually have.
Top 12 Live Shows
12. Bruise Violet: January 15, 2016 – First Avenue
11. Babes in Toyland: January 30, 2016 – First Avenue
10. Bob Mould: April 22, 2016 – First Avenue
9. David Bazan: June 24, 2016 – Turf Club
8. Shellac: April 1, 2016 – First Avenue
7. Courtney Barnett: April 27, 2016 – First Avenue
6. The Revolution: September 2, 2016 – First Avenue
5. Car Seat Headrest: July 18, 2016 – Triple Rock
4. Colin Stetson & Sarah Neufeld Duo: August 11, 2016 – Turf Club
3. Kanye West: October 10, 2016 – Xcel Energy Center
2. Lauryn Hill: September 4, 2016 – First Avenue
1. Savages: May 21, 2016 – Fine Line Cafe
In most years any of those top 5 could have been #1, but nobody was touching Savages. Here’s a video my buddy took at the show when lead singer Jehnny Beth took his phone out of his hand.
Interesting that you have the album so (comparatively) low. I also haven't revisited that album much, but what a show
The album just hasn't stuck with me very much (and nowhere near as much as their debut). It's very good, but not great.
Craig
My top 20 albums, 2016
My top 5 EPs, 2016
My heartfelt thanks to all those here who helped me find things on those lists.