2017 Year End
Top Ten NACC Albums
See what albums participating Music Directors,
DJs, promoters, labels and artists said were their personal
Top 10 albums of 2017 below!
**sorted by first name
A – J
Alex Pastuhov
Station/Show/Company: Behind The Curtains Media
#1. George Morris “George Morris LP”
#2. Together Pangea “Bulls and Roosters”
#3. The Menzingers “After The Party”
#4. Father John Misty “Pure Comedy”
#5. Paramore “After Laughter”
#6. Burgess Meredith “A Dimension of Sound”
#7. Spaceface “Sun Kids”
#8. The Orwells “Terrible Human Beings”
#9. The Dream Eaters “We Are A Curse”
#10. Fool Heavy “Gusto”
Alexandra De La Garza
Station/Show/Company: KSYM 90.1 “Your Only Alternative”
This year was my first year as the Music Director for KSYM and I absolutely LOVED the music that I was charting this year of 2017, I can’t wait to see what new music is coming out in 2018!
#1. The Zombies “Odyssey And Oracle”
#2. Salt Petal “Rare Hearts”
#3. Chicano Batman “Freedom Is Free”
#4. Mammut “Kinder Versions”
#5. Dappled Cities “IIIII” (5)
#6. St. Dukes “St Dukes”
#7. The Ghost In The Machine “Haunted By You”
#8. Grizzly Bear “Painted Ruins”
#9. Shilpa Ray “Door Girl”
#10. DOKO “Dezmonia”
Alicia Hoole
Station/Show/Company: KCR
#1. Wild Ones-Mirror Touch
#2. Hippo Campus-Landmark
#3. Taylor Swift-Reputation
#4. Yung Lean-Stranger
#5. Prawn-Run
#6. Lorde-Melodrama
#7. The Sherlocks-Live For The Moment
#8. Harry Stryles-s/t
#9. The Maine-Lovely Little Lonely
#10. Tigers Jaw-Spin
Andrea Busch
Station/Show/Company: DJ Andrea
Lots of incredible releases this year (although 2016 was such a powerhouse in terms of music that it was slightly underwhelming? Still great though)
#1. Aromanticism–Moses Sumney
#2. Melodrama–Lorde
#3. (Scum F*ck) Flower Boy–Tyler, the Creator
#4. The OOZ–King Krule
#5. Half-Light—Rostam
#6. Seasons High–Little Dragon
#7. DAMN. –Kendrick Lamar
#8. Everything Is Forgotten–Methyl Ethel
#9. Dirty Projectors–Dirty Projectors
#10. Ctrl–SZA
Andrew Wieler
Station/Show/Company: CJLO 1690AM
#1. Toothgrinder – Phantom Armor
#2. Nine Inch Nails – Add Violence
#3. Zeal & Ardor – Devil is Fine
#4. Electric Six – How Dare You?
#5. He Is Legend – few
#6. Aborym – Shifitng.negative
#7. Royal Blood – How Did We Get So Dark?
#8. KMFDM – Hell Yeah
#9. Ancient Vvisdom – 33
#10. Gone is Gone – Echolocation
Andy Resto
Station/Show/Company: CiTR 101.9FM
#1. Big Thief “Capacity”
#2. The Fall “New Facts Emerge”
#3. Dalava “The Book Of Transfigurations”
#4. Jesu/Sun Kil Moon “30 Seconds To The Decline Of Planet Earth”
#5. High Plains “Cinderland”
#6. Shilpa Ray “Door Girl”
#7. Roc Marciano “Rosebudd’s Revenge”
#8. Big Brave “Ardor”
#9. Lt. Frank Dickens “Sour Bubblegum”
#10. Palm “Shadow Expert”
Ari Morris
Station/Show/Company: Distiller Promo
2017 was a great year for music, especially emerging artists. What I really liked about records that took the spotlight at NACC and in a more public view is the diversity of sounds and backgrounds the musicians came from. Each artist in my top 10 has a unique sound from one another and come from such different cultures. I will admit a majority of them are Distiller artists, but that’s one of the reasons I love this job.
#1. Alvvays – Antisocialites
#2. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings – Soul of a Woman
#3. Palehound – A Place I’ll Always Go
#4. Sallie Ford – Soul Sick
#5. Jay Som – Everybody Works
#6. Chicano Batman – Freedom is Free
#7. Robert Plant – Carry Fire
#8. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Sketches of New Brunswick
#9. Thundercat – Drunk
#10. Alice Coltrane – World Spirituality Classics #1
Arianne Smith-Piquette
Station/Show/Company: CKUA Radio Network
I missed half the working year on a mat leave, but am happy to report that Raffi holds up!
#1. Mount Kimbie “Love What Survives”
#2. King Krule “The OOZ”
#3. Ghostpoet “Dark Days & Canapés”
#4. Princess Nokia “1992 Deluxe”
#5. Wiki “No Mountains in Manhattan”
#6. Limp Wrist “Facades”
#7. Propagandhi “Victory Lap”
#8. Weaves “Wide Open”
#9. Feist “Pleasure”
#10. The Garrys “Surf Manitou”
Art Menius
Station/Show/Company: WCOM-LPFM 103.5, The Revolution Starts Now
Amazing year for the topical folk music I play
#1. Rev. Sekou “In These Times”
#2. Buffy Sainte-Marie “Medicine Songs”
#3. Wyatt Easterling “Divining Rod”
#4. Beth DeSombre “Resistance”
#5. Tim Grimm “Stranger in Time”
#6. Emma’s Revolution “Revolution Now”
#7. Fred Gillen, Jr. “What She Said”
#8. Crys Matthews “Battle Hymn for an Army of Lovers”
#9. Christine Lavin “Spaghettification”
#10. Neil Young and Promise of the Real “The Visitor”
Artie Martello
Station/Show/Company: Mostly Folk
lots of great albums
#1. Emily Mure Worth
#2. Beppe Gambetta Short Stories
#3. Kat Goldman The Working Man’s Blues
#4. Meghan Cary Sing Louder
#5. Jeffrey Martin One Go Around
#6. Anna Tivel Small Believer
#7. Bruce T Carrol Ruckus and Romance
#8. Old Crow Medicine Show Fifty Years of Blonde on Blonde
#9. Molly Tuttle Rise
#10. Tim Grimm and the Family Band A Stranger in This Time
Austin Edington
Station/Show/Company: WLUW
#1. Jay Som – Everybody Works
#2. Japanese Breakfast – Soft Sounds From Another Planet
#3. This Old Dog – Mac DeMarco
#4. The OOZ – King Krule
#5. Somersault – Beach Fossils
#6. Playing House – Common Holly
#7. Rocket – (Sandy) Alex G
#8. Turn Out the Lights – Julien Baker
#9. Drunk – Thundercat
#10. Horse Jumper of Love – Horse Jumper of Love
Benoit Poirier
Station/Show/Company: CISM 89.3 FM
#1. Arca – Arca
#2. John Maus – Screen Memories
#3. Molly Nilsson – Imaginations
#4. Jlin – Black Origami
#5. Teenanger – Teenager
#6. Fred Thomas – Changer
#7. Partner – In Search Of Lost Time
#8. Ariel Pink – Dedicated To Bobby Jameson
#9. Mega Bog – Happy Together
#10. CO/NTRY – Cell Phone 1
Bill Lupoletti
Station/Show/Company: Global A Go-Go on WRIR 97.3 FM Richmond Independent Radio
#1. Systema Solar (Colombia) – Rumbo A Tierra (Nacional)
#2. Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino (Italy) – Canzoniere (Ponderosa)
#3. Afro-Zen Allstars (Richmond VA USA) – Greatest Hits (self-released)
#4. Meklit (Ethiopia-USA) – When The People Move, The Music Moves Too (Six Degrees)
#5. Son Palenque (Colombia) – Kutu Prieta Pa Saranguia (Palenque)
#6. Offa Rex (USA-England UK) – The Queen Of Hearts (Nonesuch)
#7. Trio Da Kali & Kronos Quartet (Mali-USA) – Ladilikan (World Circuit)
#8. La Misa Negra (USA) – La Misa Negra (NAM Entertainment)
#9. Professor Wouassa (Switzerland) – Grow Yes Yes! (Matasuna)
#10. Omar Souleyman (Syria) – To Syria, With Love (Mad Decent)
Biz Bisard
Station/Show/Company: WNMC
“Jazz isn’t dead. It just smells funny.” – Frank Zappa
#1. Benny Green “Happiness!”
#2. The Ed Palermo Big Band “The Great Un-American Songbook: Volumes I & II
#3. Anat Cohen Tentet “Happy Song”
#4. Christian McBride Big Band “Bringin’ It”
#5. Organissimo “Live at the SpeakEZ”
#6. Jaco Pastorius “Truth, Liberty & Song – Live in NYC”
#7. Vadim Neselovskyi Trio “Get up and Go”
#8. Gerry Gibbs & Thrasher People “Weather or Not”
#9. Michael Dease “All These Hands”
#10. Dick Hyman “Solo at the Sacramento Jazz Festivals 1983 – 1988”
Brian Bourgoin
Station/Show/Company: WCNI
Strong 1st half, some gems in the 2nd half but overall not as dynamic
#1. GospelbeacH “Another Summer of Love”
#2. Tash Sultana “Notion (ep)”
#3. War On Drugs “A Deeper Understanding”
#4. Chuck Prophet “Bobby Fuller Died For Your Sins”
#5. Ron Gallo “Heavy Meta”
#6. RF Shannon “Jaguar Palace”
#7. Moon Duo “Occult Architecture v2”
#8. Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings “Soul of A Woman”
#9. Kelley Stoltz “Que Aura”
#10. Steelism “ism”
Brian Robb
Station/Show/Company: AM1700
We’ve seen better, but if anything can be generalized about 2017, it was that the poppy rock song made a comeback.
#1. PROTOMARTYR – Relatives In Descent
#2. R. RING – Ignite The Rest
#3. SLOWDIVE – Slowdive
#4. MOUNT EERIE – A Crow Looked At Me
#5. BIG THIEF – Capacity
#6. THE PACK A.D. – Dollhouse
#7. RUN THE JEWELS – RUN THE JEWELS 3
#8. FRED THOMAS – Changer
#9. PERFUME GENIUS – No Shape
#10. ST. VINCENT – MASSEDUCTION
Britt Meierhofer
Station/Show/Company: CFUR 88.7FM
Lots of great mellow protest music! 2017 soft rocked!
#1. BIG THIEF – Capacity
#2. NICK HAKIM – Green Twins
#3. SAM TUDOR – Quotidian Dream
#4. COURTNEY BARNETT & KURT VILE – Lotta Sea Lice
#5. CHASSOL – Big Sun
#6. VALERIE JUNE – The Order Of Time
#7. VIC HORVATH – West Coast Reign
#8. ST. VINCENT – Masseduction
#9. JESCA HOOP – Memories Are Now
#10. ALA.NI – You & I
Cam Merton
Station/Show/Company: Hidden Shoal (label) www.hiddenshoal.com
An abundance of riches!
#1. Ametsub “Mbira Lights 1”
#2. Kelly Lee Owens “Kelly Lee Owens”
#3. Machine Translations “Oh”
#4. Dungen “Haxan (Versions by Prins Thomas)
#5. The Gentleman Losers “Permanently Midnight”
#6. Grizzle Bear “Painted Ruins”
#7. Grooms “Exit Index”
#8. Moses Sumney “Aromanticism”
#9. Bing & Ruth “No Home of the Mind”
#10. Sam Amidon “The Following Mountain”
Camilla Grayson
Station/Show/Company: WUOG
#1. Tyler The Creator – Flower Boy
#2. Mount Eerie – A Crow Looked At Me
#3. Big Thief – Capacity
#4. King Krule – The Ooz
#5. Mount Kimbie – Love What Survives
#6. Hand Habits – Wildly Idle (Humble Before The Void)
#7. Thundercat – Drunk
#8. SZA – Ctrl
#9. Jay Som – Everybody Works
#10. Pile – A Hairshirt of Purpose
Carson
Station/Show/Company: WOWD
#1. Lana Del Rey- Lust For Life
#2. Mac DeMarco- This Old Dog
#3. Kurt Vile & Courntey Barnett- Lotta Sea Life
#4. Lukas Nelson & The Promise Of Real
#5. Tennis- Yours Conditionally
#6. Allvays- Antisocialites
#7. Harry Styles- harry Styles
#8. Lorde- Melodrama
#9. Khalid- American teen
#10. japandroids- Near to the wild heart of life
Chris Browning
Station/Show/Company: WRFL
Listened to more music this year than ever before and most if it was good.
#1. Jay Som – Everybody Works
#2. Hurray for the Riff Raff – The Navigator
#3. White Reaper – The World’s Best American Band
#4. Sorority Noise – You’re Not As __ As You Think
#5. Emperor X – Oversleepers International
#6. Florist – If Blue Could Be Happiness
#7. Phoebe Bridgers – Stranger In The Alps
#8. Enter Shikari – The Spark
#9. Los Colognes – The Wave
#10. Torres – Three Futures
Chris DeRoin
Station/Show/Company: KRBX, Radio Boise / Forces Of Obvious Luck
#1. Animal Teef “Argyle Gargoyle”
#2. Lions Ambition x Marcus D “Portrait of a Muse”
#3. Kwaye “Solar EP”
#4. Brother Ali “All The Beauty In This Whole Life”
#5. Open Mike Eagle “Brick Body Kids Still Daydream”
#6. Sidewalk Chalk “An Orchid is Born”
#7. Funky DL “Marauding At Midnight: A Tribute To The Sounds Of A Tribe Called Quest”
#8. The Allergies “Push On”
#9. ETOAS “End Times of A Sunshine”
#10. The Vintage Babies “The Vintage Babies”
Cristina
Station/Show/Company: Planetary Group
#1. Tomemitsu “Had A Dream”
#2. So Many Wizards “Heavy Vision”
#3. The Lovely Bad Things “Teenage Grownups”
#4. French Vanilla “French Vanilla”
#5. Downtown Boys “Cost of Living”
#6. Jay Som “Everybody Works”
#7. Hoops “Routines”
#8. Alvvays “Antisocialites”
#9. Cherry Glazerr “Apocalipstick”
#10. Girl Ray “Earl Grey”
Dan Manning
Station/Show/Company: Terrorbird
GOOD YEAR
#1. SZA – ctrl.
#2. Alex Cameron – Forced Witness
#3. Planning For Burial – Below The House
#4. Blanck Mass – World Eater
#5. Jessica Lea Mayfield – Sorry Is gone
#6. Mount Eerie – A Crow Looked At Me
#7. Godflesh – Post-Self
#8. Kedr Livanskiy – Ariadna
#9. Hoops – Routines
#10. Alvvays – Antisocialites
David Camp
Station/Show/Company: Radio Nope
swell bunch of albums.
#1. Deer Tick – Vol. 1 & Vol. 2
#2. Metz – Strange Peace
#3. Eyelids – “or”
#4. The Successful Failures – Ichor of Nettle
#5. Pugwash – Silverlake
#6. Shitkid – Fish
#7. Skating Polly – New Trick (EP)
#8. Diet Cig – Swear I’m Good At This
#9. Twin Peaks (Music from the Limited Series)
#10. Jade Helm – Human Condition (7″)
DAVID SHARP
Station/Show/Company: KRCB
2017 WAS A GOOD YEAR FOR WORLD MUSIC
#1. TRIO-DAKALI AND KRONOS QUARTET
#2. JAYME STONE’S – FOLKLIFE
#3. AHMAD JAMAL – MARSEILLE
#4. LES AMAZONES D’AFRIQUE/REPUBLIQUE AMAZONE
#5. LEE SCRATCH PERRY + SUBATOMIC SOUND SYSTEM -SUPERAPE RETURNS TO CONQUER
#6. BALLAKE SISSOKO/DRIS EL MALOUMI/RAJERY 3MA ANAROUZ
#7. LILA DOWNS – SALON LAGRIMAS Y DESEO
#8. AMMOYE – THE LIGHT
#9. LAS CAFETERAS – TASTE LIKE LA
#10. ORCHESTRA BAOBAB – TRIBUTE TONDIOUGA DIENG
David Sommerstein
Station/Show/Company: North Country Public Radio
#1. IFÉ – liii+liii
#2. Sinkane – Life and Livin’ It
#3. Les Amazones d’Afrique – République Amazone
#4. Chicano Batman – Freedom is Free
#5. Danay Suarez – Palabras Manuales
#6. Jamila Woods – Heavn
#7. Jeb Loy Nichols – Country Hustle
#8. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
#9. La Santa Cecilia – Amar y Vivir
#10. Bomba Estereo – Ayó
DJ Firefly
Station/Show/Company: WRCT Pittsburgh, Couch Dancing
Too much cutesy pop music getting pushed as “electronic”
#1. Shpongle “Codex VI”
#2. Various Artists “Future Sounds of Jazz Vol 13”
#3. Moon Boots “First Landing”
#4. Dauwd “Theory Of Colours”
#5. Bottin “I Have What I Gave”
#6. Tycho “Epoch”
#7. Dark Sky “Othona”
#8. Dr. Trippy “Vindaloopy”
#9. Makina “Hondo”
#10. Max Cooper “Emergence”
Douglas Blake
Station/Show/Company: Pirate!
I hate Music.
#1. Paramore “After Laughter”
#2. Alex Layhey ” Love you like a Brother”
#3. The Drums ” Abysmal Thoughts”
#4. Sorority Noise ” You’re not as _______ as you think”
#5. Kendrick Lamar “DAMN”
#6. The Regrettes “Feel your Feelings Fool”
#7. Sincere Engineer “rhombithian”
#8. Lorde “Melodrama”
#9. Fever Ray “Plunge”
#10. Broken Social Scene “Hug of Thunder”
Douglas DuPont
Station/Show/Company: KDUR — Double D after Dark
#1. Jonwayne – Rap Album Two – Authors/The Order
#2. La Louma – Let the World Be Flooded Out – Bitchwave
#3. Mastodon – Emperor of Sand – Reprise
#4. ShitKid – Fish – PINKSLM
#5. Mattiel -Mattiel – Burger
#6. Childish Gambino – “Awaken, My Love!” – Glassnote
#7. Tyler, The Creator – Flower Boy – OFWGKTA
#8. King Krule – The OOZ – Panther
#9. Mac DeMarco – This Old Dog – Captured Tracks
#10. K.Flay – Everywhere Is Some Where – Interscope
El Prezidente
Station/Show/Company: WTSR The Chainsaw Symphony
Nice surprises and a strong year for death metal
#1. Body Count “Bloodlust”
#2. Converge “The Dusk in Us”
#3. Morbid Angel “Kingdoms Disdained”
#4. Darkest Hour “Godless Prophets and the Migrant Flora”
#5. Cannibal Corpse “Red Before Black”
#6. Municipal Waste “Slime and Punishment”
#7. Mastodon “Emperor of Sand”
#8. Black Dahlia Murder “Nightbringers”
#9. Emmure “Look at Yourself”
#10. Zeal and Ardor “Devil is Fine”
Eli Winter
Station/Show/Company: WHPK 88.5 FM Chicago
best live set I saw this year was Moon Bros at The Empty Bottle, 2/3/2017. incredible set.
#1. The Weather Station — S/T
#2. Circuit Des Yeux — Reaching for Indigo
#3. Acetone — 1992-2001
#4. The Cairo Gang — Untouchable
#5. Chuck Johnson — Balsams
#6. Moon Bros — Live at the Empty Bottle (on sweetblahg.tumblr.com)
#7. Bill Orcutt — Why Four Strings?
#8. Gunn-Truscinski Duo — Bay Head
#9. Bill Fox — Before I Went Back to Harvard
#10. The Mountain Goats — Goths
Erin Wolf
Station/Show/Company: WMSE, 91.7 FM / The Rockleidoscope Show
unbelievable. hard to make my picks this year!
#1. Acetone, 1992-2001, Light In the Attic
#2. Omni, Multi-task, Trouble In Mind
#3. Do Make Say Think, Stubborn Persistent Illusions, Constellation
#4. Slowdive, Slowdive, Dead Oceans
#5. The Clientele, Music For the Age of Miracles, Merge
#6. Jessica Lea Mayfield, Sorry Is Gone, ATO
#7. Timber Timbre, Sincerely, Future Pollution, City Slang
#8. Sneaks, It’s A Myth, Merge
#9. Juana Molina, Halo, Crammed Discs
#10. John Maus, Screen Memories, Ribbon Music
Frankie Diemer
Station/Show/Company: WLUW, The Underground
My list is female fronted bands or solo artists
#1. St. Vincent “MASSEDUCTION”
#2. Nai Palm “Needle Paw”
#3. Uyai “Ibibio Sound Machine”
#4. Hand Habits “Wildly Idle (Humble Before the Void)”
#5. Girlpool “Powerplant”
#6. Faith Healer “Try ;-)”
#7. TOPS “Sugar at the Gate”
#8. Syd “Fin”
#9. Marika Hackman “I’m Not Your Man”
#10. Alvvays “Antisocialites”
Gareth Sturrup
Station/Show/Company: 102.7 CHOP FM
The sheer quality and quantity of music this year has been hard to keep track of. Online, there have been talks about how it has not been a landmark year for music, but I would disagree. It was difficult to narrow my favourite albums down to a top 10 list. I would have loved to have given you a top 50. This has been a great year for music. You just have to start looking in different places.
#1. Vagabon – Infinite Worlds
#2. White Reaper – The World’s Best American Band
#3. Los Campesinos! – Sick Scenes
#4. Lorde – Melodrama
#5. (Sandy) Alex G – Rocket
#6. Julien Baker – Turn Out the Lights
#7. Sinai Vessel – Brokenlegged
#8. Tigers Jaw – Spin
#9. Jay Som – Everybody Works
#10. Perfume Genius – No Shape
Gina Bellovary
Station/Show/Company: 101.5 WIPZ-LP
Some amazing albums came out this year! I was re-introduced to bands that I absolutely adored while in high school, discovered some extremely talented artists, and more. I would say this was a very political and tough year for me. One of my best friends died in a car accident at the beginning of the year, so the titles that are about to follow, definitely relate to that experience. I feel that my taste in music also changed as this year went on. I always considered myself to be a fan of pop punk music, which I still am; however, I feel that I started to drift into a realm of much more emotional and heavier music as the year went on. This might be due to losing one of the only people I can say I loved as a friend — not necessarily in a romantic way, but just as an individual and generally special human being. Here’s to you, Daniel; you probably would have loved most of these.
_ _ _
This was an extremely hard list for me to make, so I apologize to any of my personal musical contacts. I love you all, so don’t forget that!
I also originally was approaching twenty to thirty pages describing why I love the following albums, but I’ll leave that out for the sake of time! I also don’t need to flood the NACC site.
#1. Enter Shikari – ‘The Spark’
#2. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness – ‘Zombies on Broadway’
#3. Bleachers – ‘Gone Now’
#4. Portugal. The Man – ‘Woodstock’
#5. Vinyl Theatre – ‘Origami’
#6. Los Campesinos! – ‘Sick Scenes’
#7. Beartooth – ‘Aggressive’ (Deluxe Edition)
#8. Broadside – ‘Paradise’
#9. Anti-flag – ‘American Fall’
#10. The Front Bottoms – ‘Going Grey’
Glenn Flansburg
Station/Show/Company: KXOU
Good year for metal \m/
#1. Unleash The Archers – Apex
#2. Serious Black – Magic
#3. Kobra & The Lotus – Prevail I
#4. Orden Ogan – Gunmen
#5. Battle Beast – Bringer of Pain
#6. Night Demon – Darkness Remains
#7. Wizard – Fallen Kings
#8. Stormhammer – Welcome To The End
#9. Assimulate – Apex Genesis
#10. Shields – Use Protection
Greg Uhrlen
Station/Show/Company: 91.7FM WNJR Washington, PA
#1. Eclipse – Monumentum (Frontiers)
#2. Jenna Syde and the Watchers – Prey for Los Angeles (Independent)
#3. Exit Eden – Rhapsodies In Black (Napalm)
#4. Warrant – Louder Harder Faster (Frontiers)
#5. Arch Enemy – Will To Power (Century Media Records)
#6. Night Demon – Darkness Remains (Century Media)
#7. Jeff Scott Soto – Retribution (Frontiers)
#8. Unleash The Archers – Apex (Napalm Records)
#9. Revolution Saints – Light in the Dark (Frontiers)
#10. Striker – Striker (Independent)
Hannah Wait
Station/Show/Company: WVFS
#1. The Drums “Abysmal Thoughts”
#2. Ariel Pink “Dedicated to Bobby Jameson”
#3. V/A “C88”
#4. Happiness “Write In”
#5. Alex Cameron “Forced Witness”
#6. Midnight Sister “Saturn over Sunset”
#7. John Maus “Screen Memories”
#8. Juana Molina “Halo”
#9. Alex G “Rocket”
#10. Psychic TV “Allegory & Self (remastered)”
Henry Leenstra
Station/Show/Company: KUGS FM Bellingham
There were some solid Top 40 releases, but 2017 was the year of underground releases.
#1. Thundercat – Drunk
#2. King Krule – The Ooz
#3. SZA – CTRL
#4. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN
#5. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile – Lotta Sea Lice
#6. Girlpool – Powerplant
#7. Mickey Hart – RAMU
#8. Ghostemane – Hexada
#9. Hy Maya – The Mysticism of Sound & Cosmic Language
#10. A$AP Mob – Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy
Hope Garcia
Station/Show/Company: WCHC
#1. The Districts – Popular Manipuations
#2. Hippo Campus – Landmark
#3. Slaughter Beach, Dog – Birdie
#4. Peach Pit – Being So Normal
#5. Feist – Pleasure
#6. Adult Mom – Soft Spots
#7. COIN – How Will You Know If You Never Try?
#8. Twain – Rare Feeling
#9. Lorde – Melodrama
#10. Florist – If Blue Could Be Happiness
Jason Pulaski
Station/Show/Company: Innamissions Radio, KUCI 88.9fm
*List below in no particular order*
#1. Forest Swords “Compassion”
#2. Sampha “Process”
#3. Throwing Snow “Embers”
#4. Jane Weaver “Modern Kosmology”
#5. Sly5thAve “Composite E.P.”
#6. Bicep “Bicep”
#7. Mount Kimbie “Love What Survives”
#8. Lusine “Sensorimotor”
#9. Jacques Greene “Feel Infinite”
#10. Washed Out “Mister Mellow”
Jay Clawson
Station/Show/Company: AshevilleFM WSFM-LP
#1. Happy Valley Band “Organum Perceptus” (Indexical)
#2. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard “Polygondwanaland” (Self-Released)
#3. Slowdive “Slowdive” (Dead Oceans)
#4. Ensemble, Et Al “The Slow Reveal” (Imaginator)
#5. Liars “TFCF” (Mute)
#6. Shanghai Restoration Project “R.U.R.” (Undercover Culture)
#7. Guerilla Toss “GT Ultra” (DFA)
#8. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith “The Kid” (Western Vinyl)
#9. Clark “Death Peak” (Warp)
#10. Lee Scratch Perry and Subatomic Sound System “Super Ape Returns to Conquer” (Subatomic Sound)
Jeff Szczesniak
Station/Show/Company: WDWN
#1. Quicksand “Interiors”
#2. Land Of Talk “Life After Youth”
#3. The Ruins Of Beverast “Exuvia”
#4. The Dream Syndicate “How Did I Find Myself Here?”
#5. Run The Jewels “Run The Jewels 3”
#6. The Mynabirds “Be Here Now”
#7. Deerhoof “Mountain Moves”
#8. Wolf Alice “Visions Of A Life”
#9. Beach Fossils “Somersault”
#10. Morbid Angel “Kingdoms Disdained”
Jeffrey Schiffman
Station/Show/Company: WVYC-FM The Voice of York College
#1. The National-Sleep Well Beast
#2. Jason Isbel & the 400 Unit-Nashville Sound
#3. Rhiannon Giddens-Freedom Highway
#4. Margo Price-All American Made
#5. Dan Auerbach-Waiting on a Song
#6. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile-Lotta Sea Lice
#7. Jade Jackson-Gilded
#8. Preservation Hall Jazz Band-So It Is
#9. Rodney Crowell-Close Ties
#10. Foster the People-Sacred Hearts Club
Jenn Misko
Station/Show/Company: The Band Mom
I never totally finalize my year-end lists until way past the time that anybody could possibly care, like way into the next year. So this isn’t a totally final list, but these ten records did mean a lot to me and will end up NEAR the top of my real list (which I’ll publish on thebandmom.com), anyway! Honorable mentions that might also fight their way higher up by the final tally, or if you like, an alternate-timeline top 10 for me: Alvvays, The National, Ryan Adams, Wolf Parade, Diet Cig, Jesus & Mary Chain, Allison Crutchfield, Fred Thomas, LCD Soundsystem, Florist. (Another note is that I always exclude Band Mom releases from these lists because I love them all equally and the most!)
#1. Mount Eerie “A Crow Looked At Me”
#2. Jens Lekman “Life Will See You Now”
#3. Father John Misty “Pure Comedy”
#4. Dude York “Sincerely”
#5. Hurray for the Riff Raff “The Navigator”
#6. Open Mike Eagle “Brick Body Kids Still Daydream”
#7. Vagabon “Infinite Worlds”
#8. David Bazan “Care”
#9. WHY? “Moh Lhean”
#10. The Mountain Goats “Goths”
Jeremy Abcug
Station/Show/Company: WLUR
#1. Washed Out – “Mister Mellow”
#2. Avey Tare – “Eucalyptus”
#3. Dent May – “Across the Multiverse”
#4. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith – “The Kid”
#5. Animal Collective – “Meeting of the Waters”
#6. Palm – “Shadow Expert EP”
#7. Imaginary Tricks – “Skommel”
#8. Alvvays – “Antisocialites”
#9. Mount Kimbie – “Love What Survives”
#10. sir Was – “Digging a Tunnel”
Jeremy Franklin
Station/Show/Company: WLUR (Lexington, VA)
#1. Big Thief “Capacity”
#2. Waxahatchee “Out in the Storm”
#3. Julien Baker “Turn Out the Lights”
#4. Kendrick Lamar “DAMN.”
#5. The War on Drugs “A Deeper Understanding”
#6. The Weather Station “The Weather Station”
#7. Alvvays “Antisocialites”
#8. Laurel Halo “Dust”
#9. Marika Hackman “I’m Not Your Man”
#10. Kelly Lee Owens “Kelly Lee Owens”
Jerry Steller
Station/Show/Company: Vitriol Radio Promotion
I fudged a little bit with Dawn Richard. Her album came out right at the end of 2016, but we promoted her album this year and I spent a whole lotta time in 2017 listening to it. So proud of promoting some awesome music this year!
#1. ALVVAYS Antisocialites
#2. DAWN RICHARD Redemption
#3. ALEX LAHEY I Love You Like A Brother
#4. LAND OF TALK Life After Youth
#5. EMILY HAINES & THE SOFT SKELETON Choir Of The Mind
#6. KELELA Tear Me Apart
#7. MISE EN SCENE Still Life On Fire
#8. BECK Colors
#9. THE NATIONAL Sleep Well Beast
#10. THE WAR ON DRUGS A Deeper Understanding
Jesse Stensby
Station/Show/Company: Vitriol Radio Promo
Honorable mention goes to records I’m still discovering from Bully, Julien Baker, Jay-Z, Big Theif – too many tunes, too little time. Send me anything I’m missing at jesse@vitriolradio.com 🙂
#1. St. Vincent – Masseducation
#2. Land of Talk – Life After Youth
#3. Kelela – Take Me Apart
#4. War on Drugs – A Deeper Understanding
#5. Alvvays – Antisocialites
#6. Emily Haines – Choir of the Mind
#7. Beck – Colors
#8. LCD Soundsystem – American Dream
#9. The National – Sleep Well Beast
#10. Kendrick Lamar – Damn
Jesse Wiza
Station/Show/Company: The Current
Devastating.
#1. Alvvays “Antisocialites”
#2. Amber Coffman “City Of No Reply”
#3. Bedouine “Bedouine”
#4. Dan Auerbach “Waiting On A Song”
#5. Father John Misty “Pure Comedy”
#6. Hippo Campus “Landmark”
#7. Kendrick Lamar “DAMN.”
#8. Rostam “Half-Light”
#9. Sylvan Esso “What Now”
#10. Tennis “Yours Conditionally”
Jessi Whitten
Station/Show/Company: Colorado Public Radio
#1. Alex Cameron “Forced Witness”
#2. Sylvan Esso “What Now”
#3. Jay Som “Everybody Works”
#4. Vagabon “Infinite Worlds”
#5. Land of Talk “Life After Youth”
#6. Hurray for the Riff Raff “The Navigator”
#7. Fever Ray “Plunge”
#8. Slowdive “Slowdive”
#9. Big Thief “Capacity”
#10. Beck “Colors”
Jim Kehoe
Station/Show/Company: KGLT FM
#1. Grandaddy “Last Place”
#2. Valerie June “Order of Time”
#3. Afghan Whigs “In Spades”
#4. Jesus And Mary Chain “Damage And Joy”
#5. Cigarettes After Sex “Cigarettes After Sex”
#6. This Is The Kit ” Moonshine Freeze”
#7. Neil Young “Hitchhiker”
#8. Waxahatchee “Out in The Storm”
#9. Jeff Tweedy “Together At Last”
#10. A Giant Dog – Toy
Jodi Gianakopoulos
Station/Show/Company: WRRG The Old School Playground
#1. Cafe Tacuba “Futuro”
#2. Janka Nabay “Bubu Club”
#3. Vieux Farka Toure – “Bonheur”Here Lies Man “I Stand Alone”
#4. Melodic Intersect – “Jazzy Streets of Mumbai”
#5. Chicago Afrobeat Project “What Goes Up”
#6. Ondatropica – “Commotion”
#7. Toko Telo – “Hainao Moa”
#8. Here Lies Man “I Stand Alone”
#9. Various “Synthesize the Soul : Astro-Atlantic Hypnotica from the Cape Verde Islands 1973-1988”
#10. Omar Souleyman “Tp Syria, with Love”
Joe McGinnis
Station/Show/Company: The Syndicate
#1. The War On Drugs “A Deeper Understanding”
#2. Priests “Nothing Feels Natural”
#3. Real Estate “In Mind”
#4. Day Wave “The Days We Had”
#5. Manchester Orchestra “A Black Mile To The Surface”
#6. LCD Soundsystem “American Dream”
#7. St. Vincent “MASSEDUCTION”
#8. Portugal. The Man “Woodstock”
#9. Bash & Pop “Anything Could Happen”
#10. Ryan Adams “Prisoner”
Joel Atkinson
Station/Show/Company: WHUS
#1. Mountain Movers “s/t”
#2. Chuck Johnson “Balsams”
#3. Hand Habits “Wildly Idle (Humble Before The Void”
#4. Land of Talk “Life After Youth”
#5. Bing & Ruth “No Home Of The Mind”
#6. Jens Lekman “Life Will See You Now”
#7. Slowdive “s/t”
#8. Happyness “Write In”
#9. Destroyer “ken”
#10. Alvvays “Antisocialites”
J – Z
Joltin Joe Pszonek
Station/Show/Company: WMSC 90.3 FM
#1. Crackerboots/Crackerboots
#2. Laura Mulcahy / Funeral, Home Lizard
#3. Chris Elliott/ Chris Elliott
#4. Emily Barnes/ Let In The Light
#5. Folkapotamus / Middle Of The Road
#6. Hope Dunbar / Three Black Crows
#7. Gregg Allman / Southern Blood
#8. Little Steven / Soulfire
#9. Jaime Wyatt / Felony Blues
#10. Rachel Sage / The Tide
Jon E. Lynch
Station/Show/Company: KDUR Program Director, host Audience of One, DGO Magazine Contributing Music Columnist
Fucking hell. An hour later and this list would likely look vastly different.
#1. Downtown Boys – Cost Of Living
#2. The Cairo Gang – Untouchable
#3. Daniele Luppi & Parquet Courts – MILANO
#4. (Sandy) Alex G – Rocket
#5. Protomartyr – Relatives In Descent
#6. Blanck Mass – World Eater
#7. Jen Cloher – Jen Cloher
#8. The Black Lips – Satan’s Graffiti Or God’s Art
#9. Wand – Plum
#10. The Sadies – Northern Passages
Jordan Howard
Station/Show/Company: The Syndicate
#1. Portugal. The Man, Feel It Still (Atlantic)
#2. Beck, Colors (Capitol)
#3. Real Estate, In Mind (Domino)
#4. Vince Staples, Big Fish Theory (Def Jam)
#5. Wolf Alice, Visions Of A Life (RCA)
#6. Liam Gallagher, As You Were (Warner Bros.)
#7. (Sandy) Alex G, Rocket (Domino)
#8. Daniele Luppi & Parquet Courts, Milano (Columbia)
#9. The Big Moon, Love In The 4th Dimension (Startime/Columbia)
#10. The Jesus and Mary Chain, Damage and Joy (Artificial Plastic/ADA)
Jordan Smith
Station/Show/Company: WUSC
I thought 2017 was a great year for music, no major breakthroughs or precedent setting albums, but to me it seems like the genre for the year was Art Pop (using this term loosely, because its a hard sound to define) – with albums like Half-Light, Planetarium, American Dream & many more, a lot of artists seemed to explore new sounds and experimentations, focusing on fine-tuning some truly beautiful music and having fun in the creation process rather than just putting out albums that would be readily greeted with commercial success.
#1. Xiu Xiu “Forget”
#2. Protomartyr “Relatives in Descent”
#3. Rostam “Half-Light”
#4. Fever Ray “Plunge”
#5. Perfume Genius “No Shape”
#6. IDLES “Brutalism”
#7. Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, & James McAlister “Planetarium”
#8. Ariel Pink “Dedicated to Bobby Jameson”
#9. Arca “Arca”
#10. Priests “Nothing Feels Natural”
Jordan Young
Station/Show/Company: Tinderbox Music – Specialty Genre Department
I promoted a few of these albums, and am therefore totally biased. Lots of great albums this year, my friends. High-fives all around!
#1. Landon McNamara “A Dollar Short & a Minute Late”
#2. Young RJ “Blaq RoyalT”
#3. Odesza “A Moment Apart”
#4. Sadistik “Altars”
#5. Chico Mann & Captain Planet “Night Visions”
#6. Jackal “Endorphins”
#7. Wiki “No Mountains In Manhattan”
#8. Vince Staples “Big Fish Theory”
#9. Thievery Corporation “The Temple of I & I”
#10. Nahko “My Name Is Bear”
Joseph Blood
Station/Show/Company: Light Organ Records
just bananas
#1. Sarah Jane Scouten – When the Bloom Falls From the Rose
#2. Bend Sinister – The Other Way
#3. Louise Burns – Young Mopes
Joshua Hong
Station/Show/Company: Planetary Group
#1. (Sandy) Alex G “Rocket”
#2. Blue Hawaii “Tenderness”
#3. Chuck Johnson “Balsams”
#4. Jay Som “Everybody Works”
#5. Lil Uzi Vert “Luv Is Rage 2”
#6. Loners “Intimacy”
#7. Migos “Culture”
#8. Playboi Carti “Playboi Carti”
#9. Real Estate “In Mind”
#10. Woolen Men “Lucky Box”
Katelynn Donohue
Station/Show/Company: The Syndicate
Dabbin’ on ’em like the usual
#1. Portugal. The Man Woodstock
#2. Gorillaz Humanz
#3. Ryan Adams Prisoner
#4. Manchester Orchestra A Black Mile To The Surface…
#5. The War On Drugs, A Deeper Understanding
#6. Laura Marling Semper Femina
#7. Real Estate In Mind
#8. (Sandy) Alex G Rocket
#9. Vince Staples Big Fish Theory
#10. SZA Crtl
Keith Krause
Station/Show/Company: WEGL 91.1
Very happy that my first year as MD came with so much great music! Had a blast sharing so much great music with everybody!
#1. Perfume Genius “No Shape”
#2. Mount Eerie “A Crow Looked At Me”
#3. Kelela “Take Me Apart”
#4. Alvvays “Antisocialites”
#5. Protomartyr “Relatives In Descent”
#6. Blanck Mass “World Eater”
#7. Broken Social Scene “Hug Of Thunder”
#8. Open Mike Eagle “Brick Body Kids Still Daydream”
#9. Baths “Romaplasm”
#10. Vagabon “Infinite Worlds”
Kelli Lynch
Station/Show/Company: WRRG
A stellar year for new music in my book.
#1. Ryan Adams – Prisoner – PAX
#2. Afghan Whigs – In Spades – Sub Pop
#3. Alvvays – Antisocialites – Polyvinyl
#4. Bash and Pop – Anything Could Happen – Fat Possum
#5. Cloud Nothings – Life Without Sound – Carpark
#6. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – The Nashville Sound – South Eastern
#7. The Jesus and Mary Chain – Damage and Joy – Warner
#8. Mark Lanegan Band – Gargoyle – Heavenly
#9. Old 97’s – Graveyard Whistling – ATO
#10. Pains of Being Pure at Heart – The Echo of Pleasure – Painbow
Kevin Crothers
Station/Show/Company: WYLA 97.5 FM
#1. Garland Jeffreys-14 Steps to Harlem
#2. Chuck Berry-Chuck
#3. Super Doppler-Moonlight Anthems
#4. UWP-UWP II
#5. The Beatles-Sgt Pepper 50th Anniversary Edition
#6. The Zombies-Odessey and Oracle 50th Anniversary Edition
#7. Ranky Tanky-s/t
#8. John Seymour-Some Sort of Epic Grandeur
#9. Punks and Snakes-No One Knows
#10. Nick Heyward-Woodland Echoes
Laura Ragsdale
Station/Show/Company: Distiller Promo
#1. MYRKUR – Mareridt [Relapse]
#2. JUANA MOLINA – Halo [Crammed Discs]
#3. CHELSEA WOLFE – Hiss Spun [Sargent House]
#4. SEXTILE – Albeit Living [Felte]
#5. SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS – Soul of a Woman [Daptone]
#6. DO MAKE SAY THINK – Stubborn Persistent Illusions [Constellation]
#7. METZ – Strange Peace [Sub Pop]
#8. SLOWDIVE – Slowdive [Dead Oceans]
#9. PALEHOUND – A Place I’ll Always Go [Polyvinyl]
#10. PRIESTS – Nothing Feels Natural [ Sister Polygon]
Lauryn Caldwell
Station/Show/Company: mtheory
10 albums doesn’t even begin to cover the number of great albums there were this year!
#1. The xx – I See You
#2. Big Thief – Capacity
#3. The War On Drugs – A Deeper Understanding
#4. Hundred Waters – Communicating
#5. Lorde – Melodrama
#6. Japanese Breakfast – Soft Sounds From Another Planet
#7. Brand New – Science Fiction
#8. Sylvan Esso – What Now
#9. Beck – Colors
#10. Feist – Pleasure
Lottie Leymarie
Station/Show/Company: BTRtoday/BTRtoday.com
#1. Makthaverskan-III
#2. Mattiel-Mattiel
#3. Weaves-Wide Open
#4. Lisa LeBlanc-Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen?
#5. Art Feynman-Blast Off Through the Wicker
#6. Roselit Bone-Blister Steel
#7. Waxahatchee-Out in the Storm
#8. Chelsea Wolf-Hiss Spun
#9. Destroyer-ken.
#10. Active Bird Community-Stick Around
Luke Phillips
Station/Show/Company: Planetary Group
There were so many great releases this year, and a lot of my favorite records surprised me!
#1. Protomartyr “Relatives in Descent”
#2. Lorde “Melodrama”
#3. Playboi Carti “Playboi Carti”
#4. Faith Healer “Try ;-)”
#5. TOPS “Sugar at the Gate”
#6. The Districts “Popular Manipulations”
#7. HOOPS “Routines”
#8. SahBabii “S.A.N.D.A.S.”
#9. Ariel Pink “Dedicated to Bobby Jameson”
#10. Perfume Genius “No Shape”
Mark Rini
Station/Show/Company: GROOV Marketing & Consulting
#1. Aaron Abernathy “Dialogue” (Aaron Abernathy Music)
#2. The Heliocentrics “A World Of Masks” (Soundway)
#3. Mr. Jukes “God First” (Island Records)
#4. The DU-Rites “Greasy Listening” (Redefinition)
#5. Ernesto Cervini’s TURBOPROP “Rev” (Anzic)
#6. Christian Sands “Reach” (Mack Avenue)
#7. Tony Allen “The Source” (Blue Note)
#8. Big Walnuts Yonder “S/T” (Sargent House)
#9. Thundercat “Drunk” (Brainfeeder)
#10. DeJohnette, Grenadier, Medeski and Scofield “Hudson” (Motema)
Mark Shikuma
Station/Show/Company: KHSU, 90.5, Arcata, CA
#1. JUANA MOLINA, Halo (Crammed Discs)
#2. BEDOUINE, Bedouine (Space Bomb)
#3. SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS, Soul Of A Woman (Daptone)
#4. JAMILA WOODS, HEAVN (Jagjaguwar)
#5. JAY SOM, Everybody Works (Polyvinyl)
#6. THE WEATHER STATION, The Weather Station (Paradise of Bachelors)
#7. MOSES SUMNEY, Aromanticism (Jagjaguwar)
#8. ROBYN HITCHCOCK, Robyn Hitchcock (Yep Roc)
#9. KELLEY STOLTZ, Que Aura (Castle Face)
#10. CAROLINE SAYS, 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong (Western Vinyl)
Martin Curti
Station/Show/Company: NewWorldBuzz
#1. Oumou Sangaré “Mogoya”
#2. Tinariwen “Elwan”
#3. Ibibio Sound Machine “Uyai”
#4. Juana Molina “Halo”
#5. Antibalas “Where The Gods Are In Peace”
#6. Meklit “When The People Move, The Music Moves Too”
#7. Lila Downs “Salón Lágrimas y Deseo”
#8. Trio Da Kali and Kronos Quartet “Ladilikan”
#9. Lee “Scratch” Perry + Subatomic Sound System “Super Ape Returns To Conquer”
#10. Vieux Farka Touré “Samba”
Matthew Leibowitz
Station/Show/Company: Public Radio WVRU 89.9 FM, Radford
This year has been an exciting year for new and original music. I have discovered more bands and musicians this past year, than I have from the majority of my adult life. Here is my top 10:
#1. Movements- “Feel Something”
#2. Foo Fighters- “Concrete and Gold”
#3. Ed Sheeran- “Divide”
#4. Greta Van Fleet- “From The Fires”
#5. Linkin Park- “One More Light”
#6. Rise Against- “Wolves”
#7. The Used-“The Canyon”
#8. NickelBack- “Feed The Machine”
#9. Seaway- “Vacation”
#10. Harry Styles- “Harry Styles”
Max Freedman
Station/Show/Company: Marauder
Best year since 2014! Which is still top-notch.
#1. Priests “Nothing Feels Natural”
#2. St. Vincent “MASSEDUCTION”
#3. Jay Som “Everybody Works”
#4. (Sandy) Alex G “Rocket”
#5. Fufanu “Sports”
#6. Moses Sumney “Aromanticism”
#7. Alvvays “Antisocialites”
#8. Kelly Lee Owens “Kelly Lee Owens”
#9. Zuli “on human freakout mountain”
#10. Perfume Genius “No Shape”
Mike Popadines
Station/Show/Company: Music Choice Indie
What a year for music! 2017 was crazy good. Cannot wait for 2018!
#1. LCD Soundsystem – american dream
#2. The New Pornographers – Whiteout Conditions
#3. Broken Social Scene – Hug of Thunder
#4. Waxahatchee – Out in the Storm
#5. Japandroids – Near to the Wild Heart of Life
#6. The Front Bottoms – Going Grey
#7. Land of Talk – Life After Youth
#8. The War on Drugs – A Deeper Understanding
#9. Arcade Fire – Everything Now
#10. St. Vincent – MASSEDUCTION
Molly Robins
Station/Show/Company: WRUR
This was a really great year for music! So much new and interesting stuff came out this summer from both new and existing artists–a lot of it is likely to influence where music is going in the next few years. There was also a lot of stuff from some pretty big names that’ll definitely still be high in my book for at least next year, too.
#1. Lorde: “Melodrama”
#2. Father John Misty: “Pure Comedy”
#3. Alex Lahey: “Love You Like a Brother”
#4. Marika Hackman: “I’m Not Your Man”
#5. Rostam: “Half-Light”
#6. Alvvays: “Antisocialities”
#7. Gorillaz: “Humanz”
#8. Portugal. The Man: “Woodstock”
#9. Lewis Del Mar: “Lewis Del Mar”
#10. Chastity Belt: “I Used To Spend So Much Time Alone”
Nicholas Galanin
Station/Show/Company: What up to KCAW – Sitka
Year of the Indigenous artist… every year, Tanya Tagaq, Nahko Bear, Astronomar, Ziibiwaan… Homeskillet Records <3
#1. Indian Agent – Meditations In The Key of Red
#2. Shabazz Palaces – Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star
#3. Shabazz Palaces – Quazarz vs The Jealous Machines
#4. Stas THEE Boss – S’WOMEN
#5. Kingdom Crumbs – 2018
#6. Freekazoidz – I Saw You Dancing
#7. Porter Ray – Water Color
#8. Kevin Morby – city music
#9. Goldlink – At What Cost
#10. giunjasafi – mandela effect
Nick DeSimone
Station/Show/Company: The Syndicate
#1. Converge – The Dusk In Us
#2. Toothgrinder – Phantom Amour
#3. Leprous – Malina
#4. Byzantine – The Cicada Tree
#5. In The Presence of Wolves – Of Two Minds Stages 1-2: The Ape And The Cage
#6. Zeal & Ardor – Devil Is Fine
#7. Royal Thunder – Wick
#8. Mutoid Man – War Moans
#9. He Is Legend – few
#10. Mastodon – Emperor Of Sand
Nikole Clark
Station/Show/Company: KAOS
Indie rock with a poppy feel has been my favorite part of the music this year. Also some great soulful music!
#1. Bob Fossil – Safety Meeting
#2. Briana Marela – Call it Love
#3. Seacats – The Box Forever
#4. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile – Lotta Sea Lice
#5. Dent May – Across the Multiverse
#6. Jessica Dennison + Jones – Jessica Dennison + Jones
#7. Madeline Kenney – Night Night at the First Landing
#8. Matthew Olwell – Cybertrad
#9. Midnight Sister – Saturn Over Sunset
#10. The Winterlings – American Son
Omar Husain
Station/Show/Company: CJLO 1690 AM
So many jams, not enough toast
#1. Slowdive – Slowdive
#2. Afghan Whigs – In Spades
#3. Cloud Nothings – Life Without Sound
#4. Kendrick Lamar – Damn
#5. Alex G – Rocket
#6. Vince Staples – Big Fish Theory
#7. Priests – Nothing Feels Natural
#8. Converge – The Dusk in Us
#9. LCD Soundsystem – American Dream
#10. Brother Ali – All the Beauty in This Whole Life
Oscar Zubia Jr.
Station/Show/Company: Planetary Group
I think there’s good music every year if you actually take the time to listen. That said, my list is alphabetical.
#1. (Sandy) Alex G “Rocket”
#2. Ariel Pink “Dedicated to Bobby Jameson”
#3. Districts, The “Popular Manipulations”
#4. Faith Healer “Try ;-)”
#5. Hoops “Routines”
#6. Julie Byrne “Not Even Happiness”
#7. Lana Del Rey “Lust for Life”
#8. Mozart’s Sister “Field of Love”
#9. Playboi Carti “Playboi Carti”
#10. Sahbabii “S.A.N.D.A.S.”
Owen Zoll
Station/Show/Company: Electronic Music Director for Radio 1190 / Host of Neue Haus
I thought the best music of 2017 was homemade pop music – music that was grand and ambitious while also being small and preciously personal.
#1. (Sandy) Alex G – Rocket
#2. Lorde – Melodrama
#3. Big Thief – Capacity
#4. King Krule – The OOZ
#5. Fleet Foxes – Crack-Up
#6. The War on Drugs – A Deeper Understanding
#7. Dirty Projectors – Dirty Projectors
#8. Julie Byrne – Not Even Happiness
#9. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
#10. Kelly Lee Owens – Kelly Lee Owens
Paul Quinn
Station/Show/Company: 88.7 WLUW
There was some really good music that came out this year, but not as good as last year, in my opinion.
#1. Mount Eerie – A Crow Looked At Me
#2. Spencer Radcliffe and Everyone Else – Enjoy the Great Outdoors
#3. St. Vincent – MASSEDUCTION
#4. Pile – A Hairshirt of Purpose
#5. Phoebe Bridgers – Stranger in the Alps
#6. Craig Finn – We All Want the Same Things
#7. Ratboys – GN
#8. (Sandy) Alex G – Rocket
#9. Hovvdy – Taster
#10. Girlpool – Powerplant
Paul Simpson
Station/Show/Company: WCBN FM Ann Arbor
#1. Jlin – Black Origami
#2. Gas – Narkopop
#3. Sherwood & Pinch – Man vs. Sofa
#4. Jana Rush – Pariah
#5. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith – The Kid
#6. Fred Thomas – Changer
#7. Stef Chura – Messes
#8. Kelela – Take Me Apart
#9. Nicole Mitchell – Mandorla Awakening II: Emerging Worlds
#10. Do Make Say Think – Stubborn Persistent Illusions
Priya Autrey
Station/Show/Company: Rostrum
#1. Thundercat “Drunk”
#2. Sunset Neon “Starlight”
#3. Beck “Colors”
#4. Giraffage “Too Real”
#5. Donora “Sun to Me”
#6. BRÅVES “BRÅVES”
#7. Cornelius “Mellow Waves”
#8. TeamMate “TeamMate”
#9. Oliver “Full Circle”
#10. Kendrick Lamar “DAMN.”
Quentin Stille
Station/Show/Company: Planetary
There’s some great music out there // Remember to drink water regularly.
#1. Remo Drive “Greatest Hits”
#2. Hoops “Routines”
#3. Cherry Glazerr “Apocalipstick”
#4. Kendrick Lamar “DAMN”
#5. Faith Healer “Try ;-)”
#6. Thundercat “Drunk”
#7. Slowdive “Slowdive”
#8. Anna Tivel “Small Believer”
#9. Brockhampton “Saturation II”
#10. Yaeji “EP2”
Rich Bennett
Station/Show/Company: KRNU, Lincoln
Not as stunning as last year, but got some good stuff. *****This list isn’t specific to just college radio
#1. Flower Boy – Tyler the Creator
#2. Pure Comedy – Father John Misty
#3. This Old Dog – Mac Demarco
#4. Take Me Apart – Kelela
#5. Phases – Angel Olsen
#6. SATURATION – BROCKHAMPTON
#7. Antisocialites – Alvvays
#8. DAMN – Kendrick Lamar
#9. Rocket – (Sandy) Alex G
#10. Murder of the Universe – King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
River Sterne
Station/Show/Company: Planetary Group
Music was pretty cool this year. There were some good albums. I liked a few of those quite a bit. Bless.
#1. Faith Healer – Try 😉 (Mint)
#2. Ariel Pink – Dedicated to Bobby Jameson (Mexican Summer)
#3. Kevin Morby – City Music (Dead Oceans)
#4. Bedouine – Bedouine (Spacebomb)
#5. Chicano Batman – Freedom Is Free (ATO)
#6. Sinkane – Life & Livin’ It (City Slang)
#7. Hoops – Routines (Fat Possum)
#8. The War On Drugs – A Deeper Understanding (Atlantic)
#9. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN. (TDE)
#10. SahBabii – S.A.N.D.A.S.
Rob Litz
Station/Show/Company: KUOI
Pretty sick for the most part
#1. Thievery Corporation – The Temple of I & I
#2. Mastodon – Emperor Of Sand
#3. Tigers Jaw – Spin
#4. Dan Auerbach – Waiting On A Song
#5. Gogol Bordello – Seekers & Finders
#6. Kingsborough – 1544
#7. Rod Melancon – Southern Gothic
#8. The Cactus Channel – Stay A While
#9. Ratboys – GN
#10. Night Drive – Night Drive
Robb Haagsman
Station/Show/Company: Shine On
#1. Ryan Adams – Prisoner
#2. The Afghan Whigs – In Spades
#3. Protomartyr – Relatives In Descent
#4. Alvvays – Antisocialites
#5. Big Thief – Capacity
#6. The Bad Signs – Black Magic Moments
#7. Tristen – Sneaker Waves
#8. Craig Finn – We All Want The Same Things
#9. Liam Gallagher – As You Were
#10. Fleet Foxes – Crack-Up
Rod Thomas
Station/Show/Company: Bright Light Bright Light
A very mixed bag! But some great releases and some incredible live shows.
#1. MUNA – About U
#2. Nerina Pallot – Stay Lucky
#3. Beth Ditto – Fake Sugar
#4. Lorde – Melodrama
#5. Oscar And The Wolf – Infinity
#6. Goldfrapp – Silver Eye
#7. Erasure – World Be Gone
#8. Fever Ray – Plunge
#9. Allison Pierce – Year Of The Rabbit
#10. Beck – Colors
Rupam Sofsky
Station/Show/Company: Shine On
#1. Alvvays – Antisocialites – Polyvinyl
#2. Kirin J Callinan – Bravado – EMI / Terrible / Siberia
#3. Alice Coltrane – World Spirituality Classics, Volume 1: The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda – Luaka Bop
#4. Oh Sees – Orc – Castle Face
#5. Bjork – Utopia – One Little Indian
#6. Wand – Plum – Drag City
#7. The War On Drugs – A Deeper Understanding – Atlantic
#8. Caroline Says – 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong [reissue] – Western Vinyl
#9. Protomartyr – Relatives In Descent – Domino
#10. Four Tet – New Energy – Text
Russ Slaten [KRUA Loud Rock Director]
Station/Show/Company: KRUA 88.1 FM Anchorage
Top 10 Metal Albums of 2017
#1. Brendon Small “Galaktikon II: Become The Storm”
#2. The Black Dahlia Murder “Nightbringers”
#3. Ne Obliviscaris “Urn”
#4. Mastodon “Emperor Of Sand”
#5. Converge “The Dusk In Us”
#6. Ensiferum “Two Paths”
#7. DragonForce “Reaching Into Infinity”
#8. Arcadea “Arcadea”
#9. Through The Eyes Of The Dead “Disomus”
#10. Galactic Empire “Galactic Empire”
Rusty Roberts
Station/Show/Company: WERA-LP
This was the most insane year for music in the past 10 years! So many phenomenal albums, it was so hard to finally settle on my #1…
#1. The War On Drugs – A Deeper Understanding
#2. The National – Sleep Well Beast
#3. Sondre Lerche – Pleasure
#4. Guided By Voices – August By Cake
#5. LCD Soundsystem – American Dream
#6. Friendship – Shock Out Of Season
#7. Thunder Dreamer – Capture
#8. Fleet Foxes – Crack-Up
#9. The Districts – Popular Manipulations
#10. Kevin Morby – City Music
Ryan Burns
Station/Show/Company: WIDB Radio
#1. The Weather Station “The Weather Station”
#2. The Safes “Tasty Waves”
#3. Mattiel “Mattiel”
#4. Flat Worms “Flat Worms”
#5. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard “Flying Microtonal Banana”
#6. RSXGLD “RSXGLD”
#7. Dirty Fences “Goodbye Love”
#8. Ladygod “Rock n Roll Kaliphate”
#9. The Cactus Channel “Stay a While”
#10. NHD “And the Devil Went up to Portland”
Sam Cooper
Station/Show/Company: 89.3 WGSU-FM
Fantastic year! Tons of material, as always, from plenty of different genres.
#1. LCD Soundsystem “American Dream”
#2. King Krule “The Ooz”
#3. Big K.R.I.T “4eva Is A Mighty Long Time”
#4. Father John Misty “Pure Comedy”
#5. Moses Sumney “Aromanticism”
#6. Wolf Alice – Visions of a Life
#7. Feist – Pleasure
#8. Tyler, The Creator – Flower Boy
#9. Perfume Genius – No Shape
#10. Sylvan Esso – What Now
Sam Kelly
Station/Show/Company: 88.7 FM KSPC Claremont
#1. Arca – Arca
#2. Sampha – Process
#3. Jay Som – Everybody Works
#4. Landlady – The World is a Hard Place
#5. Yaeji – Yaeji
#6. Sylvan Esso – What Now?
#7. Kelela – Take Me Apart
#8. Tennis – Yours Conditionally
#9. Kingdom – Tears in the Club
#10. Yves Tumor – Serpent Music
Samantha Graham
Station/Show/Company: WRUV FM Burlington, pb + jams
#1. Dr. Dog, Abandoned Mansion
#2. The Districts, Popular Manipulations
#3. Knox Fortune, Paradise
#4. Yusuf, The Laughing Apple
#5. Langhorne Slim, Lost at Last Vol. 1
#6. Justin Townes Earle, Kids In The Street
#7. Walker Lukens, Tell It To The Judge
#8. Leif Vollebekk, Twin Solitude
#9. The Shins, Heartworms
#10. Real Estate, In Mind
Shannon Kurlander
Station/Show/Company: Terrorbird Media
2017, the year of SZA!!! Stop subjecting yourself to boring straight male dad rock.
#1. SZA – ‘Ctrl’ (RCA)
#2. First Hate – ‘A Prayer for the Unemployed’ (Escho)
#3. Sound of Ceres – ‘The Twin’ (Joyful Noise)
#4. Lorde – ‘Melodrama’ (Universal)
#5. Mount Kimbie – ‘Love What Survives’ (Warp)
#6. Palm – ‘Shadow Expert’ (Carpark Records)
#7. Hater – ‘You Tried’ (PNKSLM)
#8. Kelela – ‘Take Me Apart’ (Warp)
#9. Beach Fossils – ‘Somersault’ (Bayonet)
#10. Weaves – ‘Wide Open’ (Kanine)
Shil K. Patel
Station/Show/Company: Tiger Bomb Promo
My list is in no particular order. Though, for the emotional impact, Mount Eerie’s album takes the top spot. I also didn’t include any albums we promoted.
#1. Mount Eerie – A Crow Looked At Me
#2. Aldous Harding – Party
#3. Alvvways – Antisocialites
#4. Clientele – Music For The Age Of Miracles
#5. Jay Som – Everybody Works
#6. Kelela – Take Me Apart
#7. OMNI – Multi-task
#8. Slowdive – Slowdive
#9. TOPS – Sugar At The Gate
#10. Vince Staples – Big Fish Theory
Simon
Station/Show/Company: Murdoch University
#1. Liminal Drifter- The Night Train Vacancies
#2. Chloe March – Blood-Red Spark
#3. Locked-in Syndrome – William Gator
#4. My Blue Heaven – Slow Dancing Society
#5. Apricot Rail – Clock of the Long Now
#6. AWMA – Sterling Hayden and the Great Nobility
#7. Markus Mehr – Dyschronia
Steve Theo
Station/Show/Company: Pirate!
#1. Sorority Noise “You’re Not As _____ As You Think”
#2. Pile “A Hairshirt of Purpose”
#3. Mutoid Man “War Moans”
#4. Fever Ray “Plunge”
#5. Japandroids “Near To The Wild Heart Of Life”
#6. Kendrick Lamar “DAMN”
#7. Broken Social Scene “Hug Of Thunder”
#8. Chelsea Wolfe “Hiss Spun”
#9. The Rural Alberta Advantage “The Wild”
#10. Ratboys “GN”
Terence Praet
Station/Show/Company: Distiller Promo
#1. Fleet Foxes “Crack-Up”
#2. Big Thief “Capacity”
#3. Destroyer “ken”
#4. Juana Molina “Halo”
#5. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings “Soul of a Woman”
#6. Meklit “When the People Move, the Music Moves Too”
#7. Open Mike Eagle “Brick Body Kids Still Daydream”
#8. Bedouine “Bedouine”
#9. Alice Coltrane “World Spirituality Classics 1: The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda”
#10. The Replacements “For Sale: Live at Maxwell’s 1986”
Tess Plummer
Station/Show/Company: Terrorbird
I hate end of the year lists
#1. Marika Hackman – I’m Not Your Man
#2. St. Vincent – Masseduction
#3. Torres – Three Futures
#4. Madeline Kenney – Night Night At The First Landing
#5. Amy O – Elastic
#6. NxWorries – Yes Lawd!
#7. Little Star – Little Star
#8. Soccer Mommy – Collection
#9. Tyler, The Creator – Flower Boy
#10. Widowspeak – Expect the Best
the homebucket
Station/Show/Company: KGAR 93.3 fm
Not bad…..
#1. Akercocke “Renaissance In Extremis” (Peaceville)
#2. Kreator “Gods Of Violence” (Nuclear Blast)
#3. Overkill “The Grinding Wheel” (Nuclear Blast)
#4. Veil Of Maya “False Idol” (Sumerian)
#5. SiKth “The Future in Whose Eyes?” (Peaceville)
#6. Fozzy “Judas” (Century Media)
#7. Body Count “Bloodlust” (Century Media)
#8. Arch Enemy “Will To Power” (Century Media)
#9. Eighteen Visions “XVIII” (Rise)
#10. Jorn “Life On Death Road” (Frontiers)
Thomas Coogan
Station/Show/Company: WSOE 89.3 FM
#1. No Shape by Perfume Genius (Matador)
#2. Forced Witness by Alex Cameron (Secretly Canadian)
#3. A Crow Looked At Me by Mount Eerie (P.W. Elverum & Sun)
#4. MASSEDUCTION by St. Vincent (Loma Vista)
#5. The Navigator by Hurray for the Riff Raff (ATO)
#6. Melodrama by Lorde (Columbia)
#7. Party by Aldous Harding (4AD)
#8. Pure Comedy by Father John Misty (Sub Pop)
#9. Soft Sounds From Another Planet by Japanese Breakfast (Dead Oceans)
#10. Slowdive by Slowdive (Dead Oceans)
Tori Benes
Station/Show/Company: WUOG 90.5fm
Amazing year for women in music!
#1. Big Thief “Capacity”
#2. Perfume Genus “No Shape”
#3. Tennis “Yours Conditionally”
#4. Japanese Breakfast “Soft Sounds From Another Planet”
#5. Alvvays “Antisocialites”
#6. Slaughter Beach, Dog “Birdie”
#7. Palehound “A Place I’ll Always Go”
#8. Ratboys “GN”
#9. You’ll Never Get to Heaven “Images”
#10. Tops “Sugar at the Gate”
Trevor Morrison
Station/Show/Company: co-sign
Pretty dece-o – but this year turned out to be better than I thought so whatever.
#1. Aldous Harding – Party
#2. Chino Amobi – Paradiso
#3. Bjork – Utopia
#4. Mount Eerie – A Crow Looked At Me
#5. Hand Habits – Wildly Idle (Humble Before The Void)
#6. Arca – Arca
#7. Various Artists – Mono No Aware
#8. Hurray For The Riff Raff – The Navigator
#9. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
#10. Kelela – Take Me Apart
Troy Lemberg
Station/Show/Company: CFUV
Trying to write out this list I ended up writing down over 100 albums I enjoyed then had to pair it down! Lots of great music in 2017
#1. Woolworm “Deserve To Die”
#2. Dreamdecay “Yu”
#3. Kelly Lee Owens “Kelly Lee Owens”
#4. Limp Wrist “Facades”
#5. PC Worship “Buried Wish”
#6. Kid Koala “Music To Draw To: Satellite”
#7. Naomi Punk “Yellow”
#8. Milk Music “Mystic 100s”
#9. Shimmer “Shimmer”
#10. Behavior “Behavior”
Tyler Freese
Station/Show/Company: co-sign
Sorority Noise, Sylvan Esso and Kendrick get hon. mentions. Don’t @ me
#1. Julien Baker “Turn Out The Lights”
#2. Madeline Kenney “Night Night At The First Landing”
#3. Run The Jewels “Run The Jewels 3”
#4. Captain, We’re Sinking “The King Of No Man”
#5. Rainer Maria “S/T”
#6. Zola Jesus “Okovi”
#7. Khalid “American Teen”
#8. St. Vincent “MASSEDUCTION”
#9. TORRES “Three Futures”
#10. Swordfish “Rodia”