Normally, I would countdown a list of the 25 best albums of any given year. However, since 2015 sucked ass, there were so few albums that I actually enjoyed. Even the best records of the year had their fair share of problems, so I will instead give a list (in no particular order) of albums that didn't completely suck this year. Thank the Lord for giving us these rays of light in a world saturated in shit I MEAN DARKNESS lol haha no.
Here they are:
Adele-25 (Soul, Singer-Songwriter, Pop)
Even when she's not at the tippy-top of her game, Adele has more soul than everybody else on the planet combined. Whether you like it or not, "25" was an album everyone needed to hear in 2015, because if she can't revive our collective psyche (as well as the music industry), then who could?
Björk-Vulnicura (Experimental, Pop)
Once again proving that she's on the vanguard more than any other artist in pop, Björk's mercilessly long 'fuck you' to her ex-husband has reignited the creative spark that lead to such masterworks as "Homogenic" and "Vespertine".
Carly Rae Jepsen-Emotion (Pop)
Like I said, this is a list of albums that didn't completely suck. It was over-rated for sure, but "Emotion" still contains some of 2015's best songs, regardless of genre. "Run Away With Me" is pure bliss, "Love Again" is synthpop pleasure, "Making The Most of The Night" and "I Didn't Just Come Here to Dance" are prime club bangers, and the title track "Emotion" is the most successful at incorporating 80s cheese with a more modern taste that was sadly missing on the rest of the album.
Chvrches-Every Open Eye (Synthpop, Pop)
Carly Rae Jepsen got all the critical attention, but Chvrches by and far made the better pop album. "Every Open Eye" is fresh, fun, and freewheeling; catchy anthems like "Leave A Trace" rub shoulders with slow-growers "High Enough to Carry You Over" and "Playing Dead" and the sequence feels organic, not contrived.
Death Cab for Cutie-Kintsugi (Alternative Rock, Indie Rock)
Electronics are fully embraced on Death Cab's first album since Ben Gibbard's divorce (and last with Chris Walla), and it results in a warm, intriguing record that covers basic DCFC themes while exploring social commentary ("Good Help Is So Hard to Find") and the pitfalls of fame ("No Room in Frame").
Ellie Goulding-Delirium (Pop)
Not Goulding's best work (her weakest, some might say), but like Adele, she still manages to surpass her peers by not letting her creative spirit get squashed by high-thread producers like Max Martin and Greg Kurstin. Less length and more intricacies in the production would've made another EG pop masterpiece, but "Delirium" as it is has gems like "Love Me Like You Do" and "Something in the Way You Move" to distinguish itself as a quality record in its own right.
Grimes-Art Angels (Indie Rock, Electronic, Pop)
An unexpected flurry of effervescent pop, sneering nu-metal, EDM, and R&B, Grimes managed to surpass everyone's expectations by doubly proving her skills as a songwriter and producer as well as her savviness in the realm of mainstream music. Her ventures into modern pop have shown just how poor the genre has become, and what can be done to bring it back to life once again.
Hilary Duff-Breathe In. Breathe Out. (Pop)
Perhaps she should take eight year gaps between albums more often, because Hilary Duff has re-emerged with one of 2015's best pop albums. It's not as calculated as "Delirium", more effortless than "Kiss", and doesn't delve too far below the surface like "Every Open Eye" so everything is light, engaging, and fun. Just how all good pop should be, but Duff's earnestness is making the material work is what ultimately separates her from her peers.
Kacey Musgraves-Pageant Material (Country)
The post-Bro Country era has begun, thanks in major part to purists like Kacey Musgraves who kept their nose to the grindstone and brought traditional methods into the present. Her sophomore album "Pageant Material" expanded on the promise of her debut and simultaneously brought country closer to pop/rock ("Biscuits") and further back into the days of country past ("High Time").
Kendrick Lamar-To Pimp A Butterfly (Rap, R&B, Hip-Hop)
No rapper in history has garnered so much critical acclaim, and it's not hard to see why: Kendrick clearly deserves it. Unlike canned commercial acts like Kanye, Jay-Z, or Lil Wayne, he sticks to the grass-roots of rap and talks about pertinent issues in US society (as well as the world) and mixes these monologues with mainstream songs that consciously avoid the middle of the road. Blunt and real, just the way it should be.
Madonna-Rebel Heart (Pop)
Sales aren't everything, and chart positions don't dictate an album's quality, because "Rebel Heart" is without a doubt the best pop record this year. It's ambitious, sprawling, enthralling, and very satisfying from start to finish. Yeah it has some weaker songs, some that are simply OK, but even when it stumbles, "Rebel Heart" is delivered with conviction and style from Madonna. The Queen of Pop has reclaimed her throne, and offers a not-so-humble reminder that she did pave the way for modern female artists.
Marina and The Diamonds-Froot (Alternative Rock, Pop)
The under-rated "Electra Heart" worked hard to titillate, but once it was over, Marina Diamandis' next project would take the best aspects of both her first two albums and synthesize them into a cocktail of pop and alternative rock, underlined with disco and electronica. All this results in Marina's catchiest record yet, but it doesn't sacrifice her unique stylistic elements.
Purity Ring-Another Eternity (Electronic, Pop)
If you've never even heard of Purity Ring, I don't blame you...but you should look them up right now. They're amazing. Do it. "Another Eternity" is actually their second album, and it builds a foundation for future pop while staying grounded in the present. That doesn't mean it panders, it's just that Megan James and Corin Roddick have married avant-garde ideas with familiar sounds, and it all adds up to ten tracks of electronic joy.
The Veronicas-The Veronicas (Rock, Pop)
Like Hilary Duff, it took The Veronicas eight years to release a proper follow-up to their last album. Stupid record labels, always preventing great artists to release great music and shit. I guess it doesn't matter in the end, because at least their new record is out, and it once again shoots to the top ranks of rock and pop. Thanks to Jess and Lisa Origliasso's hip sensibilities, they update pop/rock from the 2000s and infuse them with 2010s EDM and singer-songwriter nuances. The end result is a hearty platter of hits and strong album tracks.
Twenty One Pilots-Blurryface (Alternative Rock, Indie Rock)
They may be relatively famous now, but don't let that sudden success fool you: Twenty One Pilots remain as restless as ever. Whether it's squeezing ten different genres into one song, or somehow managing to rap and sing with strong sense of tonality, Tyler Joseph's id is on full display, and Josh Dun accentuates his lyrical themes with all sorts of noises, rhythms, and chords. "Blurryface" is a record that proves being repetitive and safe is so passe; the creative minds are on the rise and now have gotten a grand opportunity to break down the generic confines of modern music.
Honorable mentions go to:
Ashley Monroe-The Blade (Country)
Coldplay-A Head Full of Dreams (Rock, Pop)
Dr. Dre-Compton (Rap, Hip-Hop)
Jamie xx-In Colour (Electronic)
Jess Glynne-I Cry When I Laugh (Soul, R&B, Dance)
Kelly Clarkson-Piece By Piece (Pop)
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