To wrap things up, here’s my top 50 albums of the year list. It was a REALLY good year for a lot of different genres, but the list-making was no easier or tougher than previous years. Here are a few notes:
• I’ve made a Spotify list (in order) recapping this year’s list. I’ve chosen my personal favorite track from the album and put it in order from 1-50, and even included to the Honorable Mentions. A 3 hour playlist, from me to you for Christmas or something.
• I decided to pass up doing a “top mixtape” list, because most of them fucking sucked. However, the ones that didn’t — I included em on this list. And since they’re not on spotify, they’re not on the playlist (save for Chance the Rapper’s Bieber collab).
• Thanks for another good year, folks. We love you guys. Thanks for interacting with us, RTing us and thinking we’re cool, when in reality we’re a jaded duo of bloggers (shut up, Jerome) who like getting into shows for free.
• Cheers to an even better 2014!
-grizzly
Bastille – Bad Blood
CHVRCHES – The Bones of What You Believe
Defeater – Letters Home
Earl Sweatshirt – Doris
Hiatus Kaiyote – Tawk Tomahawk
Moving Mountains – Moving Mountains
Nick Greer & The Gs – Nick Greer & The Gs
Pure Love – Anthems
Solange – True EP
The Stepkids – Troubadour
(in alphabetical order)
50. Kylesa – Ultraviolet
49. Postiljonen – Skyer
48. Justin Timberlake – The 20/20 Experience (Part 2)
47. The 1975 – The 1975
46. Holy Ghost! – Dynamics
45. Roosh Williams – Deja Roo: Times Have Changed [LISTEN]
44. Lorde – Pure Heroine
43. Fat Tony – Smart Ass Black Boy [LISTEN]
42. Pelican – Forever Becoming
41. Paramore – Paramore
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40. O’Brother – Disillusion
38. Kacey Musgraves – Same Trailer, Different Park
39. Quadron – Avalanche
37. Autre Ne Veut – Anxiety
36. Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
35. Pusha T – My Name is My Name
34. Bad Rabbits – American Love
33. Fall Out Boy – Save Rock and Roll
32. Palms – Palms
31. The Joy Formidable – Wolf’s Law
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30. A Wilhelm Scream – Partycrasher
29. Savages – Silence Yourself
28. Blood Orange – Cupid Deluxe
27. A$AP Ferg – Trap Lord
26. Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Mixtape) [DOWNLOAD]
25. Janelle Monae – The Electric Lady
24. Childish Gambino – Because the Internet
23. Jhene Aiko – Sail Out EP
22. Kanye West – Yeezus
21. Kvelertak – Meir
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20. Danny Brown – Old
19. Doomriders – Grand Blood
18. Local Natives – Hummingbird
17. Classixx – Hanging Gardens
16. ASAP Rocky – LongLiveASAP
15. Mayer Hawthorne – Where Does This Door Go
14. J. Cole – Born Sinner
13. Disclosure – Settle
12. Vic Mensa – INNANETAPE (Mixtape) [DOWNLOAD]
11. Night Verses – Lift Your Existence
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10. Arcade Fire – Reflektor
When’s the last time you’ve heard a double album and were impressed with it? I know. After The Suburbs, it was gonna be an uphill battle for Arcade Fire to contribute to their discography, but they managed to pull it off. And the whole package – a viral marketing campaign full of intrigue and great music.
9. HAIM – Days Are Gone
After seeing them live at SXSW for the first time, I kept every tab on HAIM that was possible. These three sisters not only had the best performance at the festival, but their debut lived up to all the hype they gained from the festival. Days Are Gone is an infection, and I’m not the least bit made about it. Also — hashtag bassface.
8. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City
Vampire Weekend has done plenty of teetering, but Modern Vampires finally tipped them over the edge. Their newest album is the least pretentious, the most ambitious and by far the most impressive.
7. Portugal. The Man – Evil Friends
Portugal. the Man have basically put out an album every year since 2005. But hey — it’s 2013 and they’ve basically released their best album to date. For as much as I love Waiters; You Vultures!, Evil Friends hits you right where you need to be hit when you’re in your late 20s.
6. Deafheaven – Sunbather
This is the most beautiful metal album I’ve ever heard.
5. Balance & Composure – The Things We Think Are Missing
Everything about B&C makes me think of the 90s — my favorite era of rock and roll. It’s like Alice in Chains was reborn among these Doylestown, OH boys. Or the Deftones. Or any band I’ve ever liked that shaped the way I listen to rock music in the present day. All I know is that this release is entirely cathartic.
4. letlive. – The Blackest Beautiful
Shit, this band flipped my shit around with Fake History, and the newest album took a lot of flak for its “production” value, or lack there of. I think it’s quite silly to dismiss an album for any of that, because TBB is more focused and in tune with the concept of “songs” than its predecessor. The melodies are even more amazing this time around.
3. Justin Timberlake – The 20/20 Experience (Pt I)
After about 100+ listens, I can conclude that this is Justin’s best release. As of 2009, I could tell you that no pop album would top Future Sex/Love Sounds, but the first installment and his comeback album was the best thing that happened to his career. Half the songs are over 6:00 in length, but this is a completely engaging listen from start to finish.
2. Drake – Nothing Was the Same
How does he do it? The Cuddle God delivers again. Once you thought Take Care was where his career tops off and slides down from here on out, but then he drops #NWTS and things just frankly aren’t the same. Hip-hop music basically belongs to Drake now, considering Kanye West wants nothing to do with it. And that’s alright, because Aubrey has quite the grasp on all aspects – the radio, the blogs AND the women.
1. Chance the Rapper – Acid Rap
This “mixtape” caught me off guard. I was hooked on the first listen and despite all the cartoonish characteristics of it, something about Acid Rap really struck a nerve with me, especially “Interlude (That’s Love)”. Chance has something special within him and I’m sure his future has plenty of promise left. After all, this is a mixtape that’s being put on top of a lot of people’s Albums of the Year lists, including mine.
So yeah, this is a playlist with a song from each of my top 50 albums — well, besides the few mixtapes on here. The Bieber collab gets on here because that’s the only Chance song on Spotify, and I can’t ignore my AOTY on here, right?
Enjoy the playlist, folks. Love yall, see ya in 2014.
-grizzly