"...what I'm trying to get at is these lists took a whole lot of time to put together. I think everything I'm about to discuss is quality. There were a lot of tough decisions to make. The rankings themselves are relatively fluid. I've tinkered with the order countless times over the past two weeks, so that doesn't matter quite as much as I'm implying by presenting the data in a list format. Just know that if something made the cut to be seen here, I consider it to be one of the best pieces in it's category for the entire year, regardless of the number it sits next to. Hopefully you give some of the items below a chance. If you do, I hope you find a new favorite."
On that note, let's dive in...
Top Albums of 2015
Honorable Mentions: Ryan Bingham - Fear & Saturday Night; San Fermin - Jackrabbit; Will Butler - Policy; Frank Turner - Positive Songs For Negative People; Dustin Kensrue - Carry The Fire
A relative unknown in the country/americana universe until this year, Chris Stapleton's debut album ended up transcending genre stereotypes by awards season. In November, Nashville flashed signs of severing ties with the Luke Bryans and Sam Hunts of the world by awarding Best New Artist, Male Vocalist of the Year, & Album of the Year at the CMA Awards.
Philadelphia's Kurt Vile has been at this for a while. After enjoying minimal success as a founding member of The War on Drugs in the mid-2000s, he really began to gain exposure from going solo. Vile's sixth individual effort is clearly his best, providing a few infectious singles mixed between solid deep cuts.
From the second Strange Trails kicks in, it's obvious Lord Huron have made great strides from their debut a few year ago. Honestly, I'd classify this record among the surprises of the year, as I think most would. Sophomore slump avoided.
Better known as the frontman of The Hold Steady, Craig Finn has also been creating solo work periodically since 2012. While Faith In The Future is not any real departure from a previous sound or any drastic leap in quality, it's a solid disc front to back with no real weakness.
Another entry on this list from a Philadelphia based outfit. Though they had previously released an album and an EP, for all intents and purposes, A Flourish & A Spoil is the debut from The Districts and it's fantastic. The four piece has hit the road hard this year playing both the festival circuit and a winter headlining tour. Hopefully there are more big things in store for this group going forward.
Following up a classic must seem like an impossible task to a songwriter. 2013's Southeastern is one of the most highly regarded americana albums of the decade. Undoubtedly, Jason Isbell approached Something More Than Free in a slightly different manner, but the results are no less stellar. How do you follow up two classics? I suppose we'll find out in a few years.
At this point, I won't be surprised if you've heard Sedona on the radio or Say It in those stupid effing FanDuel commercials, but Little Neon Limelight is so much more than those songs. Houndmouth is one of the most interesting bands active currently, simply for the way all four members participate equally. Each member is a multi-instrumentalist and each also trades vocals. Even without factoring in the A+ live show, this is a band to keep watching as they continue to fine tune their sound.
While previous efforts have resulted in Tame Impala being praised from every media outlet imaginable, I just never got it. Currents changed that. This album is amazing from front to back, incorporating all of their signature electronic elements while still staying consistent to an indie rock sound that plays as slightly more accessible than prior recordings. Enjoy this one while it's fresh. Get on the bandwagon while there's still time. In a few years, I believe it'll be looked back on as Tame's masterpiece.
As far a mainstream music goes, 2015 will be remembered as the year of Kendrick Lamar. Whether or not it was staged (and whether or not it was actually needed...) To Pimp A Butterfly was released to the world a week earlier than intended when it hit Spotify & iTunes due to an "error" by Interscope records. Buzz on this album went 0-100 in about 20 seconds as everyone scrambled to hear it. To Pimp A Butterfly is an instant classic, addressing many of the race and equality issues that would go to be so omnipresent in the news this year. In addition to being timely, Kendrick is featured at his most vulnerable, constantly questioning his place in rap's history while simultaneously cementing it. If you haven't given this a chance yet, please stop what you're doing, go to Spotify, and give it a spin now.
This album is about as simple as you can get. At times, tracks go by with little more than an acoustic guitar faintly heard in the background. The lyrics mostly convey small town living, beer drinking, and hunting. The whole thing has an extremely DIY feel to it. Except it's amazing. If you are a fan of americana at all, or songs that tell a story, or even just like the tones of an acoustic, please listen to this album immediately. Nearly the second I pressed play the first time, I knew Complicated Game was going to have a permanent location on my record shelf. I had purchased the album (and paid for rush delivery) before I was half through the initial listen. This is a record that may seem bland and boring when it's described, but upon hearing it, all of that changes. Once you're done listening to Kendrick (because you obviously listened when I told you to do that above...), queue up Complicated Game and lay down in a dark, quiet room. After that, I doubt I'll need to explain much more.
BONUS: Five Records I Wish I Had Spent More Time With
In any given year, so much is released that its nearly impossible to keep track of it all. To that point, here are five records from 2015, in no particular order, that I wish I had listened to more. From initial impressions, they are stellar, and I'd encourage everyone to give them a try if you're looking for new music.
My Morning Jacket - The Waterfall
The White Buffalo - Love & The Death Of Damnation
Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear
Hop Along - Painted Shut
The Sheepdogs - Future Nostalgia
Top Songs of 2015
50) Waxahatchee - Air
49) The Front Bottoms - HELP
48) Stornoway - Between The Saltmarsh And The Sea
47) Moon Taxi - Year Zero
46) The Sidekicks - Deer
45) The Sheepdogs - I Really Wanna Be Your Man
44) Catfish And The Bottlemen - Cocoon
43) Speedy Ortiz - Raising The Skate
42) Death Cab For Cutie - No Room In Frame
41) Hop Along - Waitress
40) Lucero - Went Looking For Warren Zevon's Los Angeles
39) Dawes - All Your Favorite Bands
38) The Mountain Goats - Heel Turn 2
37) Allen Stone - Perfect World
36) Gary Clark Jr. - The Healing
35) The Lone Bellow - Then Came The Morning
34) Diiv - Dopamine
33) My Morning Jacket - Get The Point
32) Chris Stapleton - Traveller
31) The White Buffalo - Home Is In Your Arms
30) Eric Church - Record Year
29) Tame Impala - Let It Happen
28) Ryn Weaver - Travelling Song
27) Dustin Kensrue - In The Darkness
26) Chvrches - Leave A Trace
25) Jason Isbell - If It Takes A Lifetime
24) James McMurtry - Copper Canteen
23) El Vy - Return To The Moon
22) Wilco - Random Name Generator
21) Kurt Vile - Pretty Pimpin
20) Father John Misty - Chateau Lobby #4
19) Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats - I Need Never Get Old
18) Tame Impala - The Less I Know The Better
17) Craig Finn - Maggie I've Been Searching For Our Son
16) Florence & The Machine - Ship To Wreck
15) The Revivalists - Keep Going
14) Jr. Jr. - Gone
13) Alabama Shakes - Sound and Color
12) Frank Turner - Silent Key
11) The Wonder Years - Cardinals
10) Chris Stapleton - Fire Away
9) Lord Huron - Until The Night Turns
8) Ryan Bingham - Island In The Sky
7) Jason Isbell - Speed Trap Town
6) Justin Townes Earle - Looking For A Place to Land
5) San Fermin - Jackrabbit
4) James McMurtry - Carlisle's Haul
3) Houndmouth - My Cousin Greg
2) Kendrick Lamar - King Kunta
1) The Districts - Young Blood
As usual, please enjoy this Spotify playlist of all 50 songs (from #50 - #1)
Top Live Shows of 2015
5) Jason Isbell - Tennessee Theatre - Knoxville, TN (11/6/15)
4) Houndmouth - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC (4/26/15)
3) The Killers - The Woodlands [Firefly Music Festival] - Dover, DE (6/21/15)
2) Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls - The Masquerade, Hell - Atlanta, GA (5/9/15)
1) Paul McCartney - The Woodlands [Firefly Music Festival] - Dover, DE (6/19/15)
Top TV Shows of 2015
Honorable Mentions: Catastrophe, Amazon; Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Netflix; Master of None, Netflix
10) Playing House, USA
A relatively straightforward buddy comedy, but the presentation from a female perspective keeps things fresh and enjoyable.
9) Parks and Recreation, NBC
One of the best sitcoms ever wrapped up with a season full of wonderful moments, capped by Ron Swanson playing a saxophone in an ill fitting tanktop.
8) Togetherness, HBO
The initial season of this Duplass brothers show was mostly a dark look at modern marriage, but still provided a few lighthearted comedic moments...
7) Silicon Valley, HBO
If possible, Silicon Valley season 2 even eclipsed the expectations set by the first. Once again, the finale is the standout, but you should watch the entire season just to enjoy the ultimate payoff that much more.
6) Veep, HBO
While Veep has been the most consistent comedy on TV over the past 4 years, its best episode may have been this season's Testimony, which ditched the traditional episode structure for a static camera bottle episode executed to perfection.
5) You're The Worst, FXX
This show took on an entirely different tone in season 2, choosing to show Gretchen at some of her low points while dealing with bipolar disorder. The willingness to delve into deeper topics, while it didn't always hit, means good things for this show's long term prospects.
4) Mr. Robot, USA
One of the surprise shows of the year, Mr. Robot (terrible name, ugh) follows a computer hacker and his associates set on infiltrating and deleting financial records of a major corporation.
3) Fargo, FX
The cast really sold season 2, as there were solid performances all around. While technically an independent story from season 1, there were enough callbacks, references, and character overlaps to know that you're in the same universe and tie everything together.
2) Mad Men, AMC
Mad Men was always a show about an extremely flawed man that was exceptionally gifted at his job. While some were angered by the implied ending, to me, it just felt right. For one last time, we got to see Don Draper go from the lowest low to the highest high, creating an iconic ad campaign that was hinted at the entire season. Thanks, Mad Men.
1) The Jinx, HBO
This relatively short miniseries is one piece of investigative reporting that's actually worth your time. The ending is the ultimate mic-drop moment in recent television history and is something you need to see to believe.
Top Sports Moments of 2015
15) Justin Gatlin vs Usain Bolt (8/23/15)
Current 100m world record holder and former Olympic champion (ehhhh, kinda) Justin Gatlin met in the finals of the 100m dash in Beijing. Bolt clips Gatlin by the slimmest of margins to earn yet another world title.
14) Klay Thompson cannot be stopped (1/23/15)
While teammate Steph Curry got all the headlines, Klay Thompson provided us with the most explosive quarter in basketball history. In a 126-101 victory against the Kings, Thompson shot 13-13 for 37 points in the 3rd quarter, the most in any quarter in NBA history. Thompson scored all but 3 of the Warriors' points in the 3rd and ended the night with 52 total.
13) Kentucky flirts with perfection (4/4/15)
John Calipari nearly pulled off the impossible. Kentucky, at 38-0, appeared to be unstoppable on its run through the NCAA Tournament. Then Wisconsin happened. Sam Dekker & Frank Kaminsky lead the way for the Badgers as they beat Kentucky 71-64, ending the perfect season at the Final Four.
12) FIFA Corruption (5/27/15)
A joint effort between American and Swiss authorities culminated in a late night hotel raid and the arrests of numerous FIFA officials on corruption charges. While FIFA president Sepp Blatter was temporarily removed from power, the world celebrated, including HBO's John Oliver:
11) Jordan Spieth (6/21/15)
Jordan Spieth, all of 21 years old, became the youngest player ever to win golf's first two majors of the year when Dustin Johnson three-putted on the 18th green at the US Open. With Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Ricky Fowler, etc, golf will be just fine in this new Post-Tiger era.
10) Cardale Jones (1/12/15)
Against all odds, noted moron and third string quarterback Cardale Jones took over at Ohio State and rattled off three straight massive victories to lead the Buckeyes to the 2015 National Championship. It always felt like the magic was about to run out. It did... well into the next season. At that point, the legacy was cemented.
9) Mayweather/Pacquiao (5/2/15)
Although this fight took place five years too late, it was important that it finally happened. Hindsight has shaped the way this fight is remembered, unfairly, in my opinion. Mayweather did what he has always done. He made Pacquiao miss and he countered. Then he ran. That's the Mayweather formula. Don't forget the fact that Pacquiao landed some heavy shots early. He posed an actual threat and the fight brought boxing back to the national consciousness. It was an important fight, and the entire sport is better for it.
8) Blue Jays/Rangers Game 5 (10/14/15)
This was a relatively calm, ordinary playoff game for six innings. And then it wasn't anymore. In the top of the 7th, Jays' catcher Russell Martin threw the ball off the bat knob while trying to toss it back to the pitcher. Originally ruled a dead ball, a Rangers run was disallowed. After an insanely long review, the run (the go-ahead run) was granted. Immediately upon taking the lead, the Rangers' Elvis Andrus made three errors in the bottom of the 7th allowing the tying run to score. With one out in the bottom of the 7th, Jose Bautista clubbed a massive home run to put Toronto up for good. The bat flip is now the stuff of legend. What a weird inning.
7) Nairo Quintana vs Chris Froome (7/25/15)
The 2015 Tour de France was essentially whittled down to two competitors early on, Nairo Quintana and Chris Froome. Entering the final "real" stage of this year's competition, Froome lead Quintana by a mere 2:38 with a massive climb remaining. Quintana, knowing he needed a heroic effort, attempted to deliver by attacking with 8km to go. In the final 8km, the Colombian outpaced Froome by nearly a minute and a half, but came up just short in his bid to win Le Tour. These two have both indicated they are returning in 2016, so a repeat could be in store in July.
6) Michigan State/Michigan (10/17/15)
For all intents and purposes, Michigan State throttled Michigan. Yards, turnovers, penalties, and even time of possession fell the Spartans way. And yet with 10 seconds left, Michigan lead 23-21, attempting a punt that would surely pin the Spartans deep and end their hopes. Ugh. Wellllllll, they tried. A muffed snap and just pure stupidity intervened and Michigan State ended up with a walk-off scoop and score victory in one of the wildest games of the year.
5) USWNT wins the World Cup (7/5/15)
Facing off against Japan in a rematch of the 2011 Women's World Cup Final, the US was expected to be put to the test. Sixteen minutes in, and this thing was over. The US tallied four goals, three from Carli Lloyd, in the first quarter hour and merely held on from there. In spite of a few anxious moments, this was basically a 65 minute celebration, as the US claimed a World Cup for the first time since 1999.
4) The Cubs finally clinch at Wrigley (10/14/15)
The 2015 version of the Cubs was supposed to be one year away. Despite offseason spending to acquire veteran players, the young core of the Cubs was supposed to be too raw to compete with the National League elite. Instead, Kyle Schwarber, Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, & Javier Baez lifted the Cubs to an NLDS victory over the St. Louis Cardinals for their first ever clinch at Wrigley Field. While the magic ran dry in the next round, the Cubs should have plenty of chances to clinch and hang banners in the coming years.
3) Malcolm Butler picks off Russell Wilson (2/1/15)
RUN THE BALL! As prototypical short yardage back Marshawn Lynch watched, the Seahawks dropped back and threw a slant from the 1-yard line with 25 seconds remaining in Super Bowl 49. Malcolm Butler read the play perfectly, drove to the spot, and wrestled the ball from the Seahawks Ricardo Lockette to seal victory for the Patriots.
2) Serena Williams threatens Tennis' Grand Slam (9/11/15)
Serena Williams finished 2015 with as many Grand Slam victories as losses. Unfortunately, Roberta Vinci handed Serena one of those losses at the US Open, just two matches short of the calendar Grand Slam.
1) American Pharoah wins first Triple Crown in 37 years (6/6/15)
A mile and a half. The Test of the Champion. Fresh horses. It didn't matter. Six gallops in to the race, American Pharoah was in front. Halfway through the race, a 1:13.4 fraction hits the board and it's over. There was no doubt that he was free at the front. With a half mile to go, Victor Espinoza asked him to run, basically just so the crowd could go nuts. The people in the stands earned it just as much as the connections. American Pharoah cruised across the line, winning by five comfortable lengths. His career was not over. He won two more races in 2015 and even suffered a defeat. He romped over the Breeders' Cup Classic field five months later. It doesn't matter. All that happened after June 6th was a footnote. The real work was accomplished in just under two and a half minutes at Belmont Park. After 37 years, the Triple Crown was claimed.
That's all I've got. Hopefully you give some of these songs, albums, or shows a shot and enjoy them as much as I did. See you next year for more of the same.