I haven’t done any words for this because I’m right lazy nowadays but I will explain the notable absences:
No Demi, no Selena, no Miley. The triumvirate of new-gen Disney girls have never missed out on spots on my EOY list but I don’t know… they didn’t bring the fire for me in 2015, I guess. No Lana. Y’all know I don’t really get Lana Del Rey and I didn’t even bother listening to Honeymoon because I thought the lead single was dull and done. No Hilary Duff. I still can’t figure out if the love for her is an elaborate and ironic joke no one clued me in on. ‘Sparks’ was a cute enough song but I didn’t revisit the album after the first listen. No Troye Sivan. I did listen, eventually, but I can’t judge it fairly until everyone calms the fuck down and stops doing the most regarding this kid.
Also no Shamir. But I do wanna give him an honorable mention because his album Ratchet was criminally slept on.
And now, on with the programme!
1. CARLY RAE JEPSEN – E•MO•TION
Obviously.
2. TOVE LO – QUEEN OF THE CLOUDS
Queen of MY LIFE.
3. FALL OUT BOY – AMERICAN BEAUTY/AMERICAN PSYCHO
No, wait come back! I swear it’s amazing.
4. FLEUR EAST – LOVE, SAX AND FLASHBACKS
Birth of a superstar.
5. TYLER, THE CREATOR – CHERRY BOMB
Best mainstream hip hop release of the year.
6. KENDRICK LEMAR – TO PIMP A BUTTERFLY
The other best mainstream hip hop release of the year, but it doesn’t have a Kanye feature.
7. THE WEEKND – BEAUTY BEHIND THE MADNESS
The male popstar we deserve.
8. ONE DIRECTION – MADE IN THE A.M.
Love You Goodbye.
9. BRANDON FLOWERS – THE DESIRED EFFECT
The real new Americana.
10. DR. DRE – COMPTON
So worth the wait.
11. JANET JACKSON – UNBREAKABLE
(al)So worth the wait.
12. ADELE – 25
Lots of sad anthems.
13. JUSTIN BIEBER – PURPOSE
The musical equivalent of a fedora. Great production, tho.
14. SMALLPOOLS – LOVETAP!
Splashy, colourful pop rock.
15. MADONNA – REBEL HEART
Bloated with cholesterol, but if you trim the fat it’s a damn good record.
16. TOVE STYRKE – KIDDO
Femme pop feminism.
17. YEARS & YEARS – COMMUNION
‘Worship’ is the best track, don’t @ me.
18. KACEY MUSGRAVES – PAGEANT MATERIAL
Country’s new reigning queen proves she’s not just a cog in the Big Machine.
19. ANGEL HAZE – BACK TO THE WOODS
One of the most talented female artists across any genre pours out a lot of feelings.
20. DONNIE TRUMPET & THE SOCIAL EXPERIMENT – SURF
Collaborative music projects don’t get much better than this.
21. RAE SREMMURD – SREMMLIFE
This coulda been #1 but I’m playin’.
22. GALANTIS – PHARMACY
Out of this world space pop.
23. CIARA – JACKIE
A really great album and a really great interview subject.
24. THE NEIGHBOURHOOD – WIPED OUT!
Warped and moody and drowsy.
25. SUMMER CAMP – BAD LOVE
Glittery and sweet but a little fraught.
oneofthosefaces+ 