As a prelude to re-launching My Life In Concert as a podcast series, I am re-activating my blog.  I’ll be posting links to podcasts in tandem with related materials starting this February.

To get the blog re-rolling and to mark the end of this decade, I will be looking back at my personal choices for the Best Albums and Singles/Tracks of both the decade and century so far.  Following that are my 10 Best Albums and Singles or Tracks from every year of this century.

This century has been a mixed bag so far to put it mildly, and in looking over the music from the last 20 years, I have to admit that the general quality in interesting music and artists (not what’s on the chart as that’s not what I’ve ever tended toward anyway: I mean music in general) has really dipped.  Corporate commerce and a lot of creative apathy seems to have taken hold at this time.  I keep hoping something will come along to break that.

Having said that, while there is less interesting music around than there used to be, that doesn’t mean there isn’t great stuff, just that there’s a less density of it.

The big story for me as someone who has always had diverse tastes in a wide array of genres but whose mothership is varying types of rock music is that rock music has sadly, truly died at this time.  As with jazz and blues, new artists will emerge in the genre and there will be revivals. But that period from the 60s through the 90s when there were relentless revelations and innovations from interesting new voices is over.  It’s depressing to watch it collapse.

However, in encouraging news, I’d rank 2019 as one of the best years for music of the entire ’10s.  This was the one year of the decade where it was tough for me to pair it down to 10 albums and ultimately couldn’t.  

I have also updated my previous blog entries listing my in-depth per-year choices from 2010 to 2015 as I now have the luxury of knowing what recordings have lasted/improved/lessened for me over time.

So, here is my imperfect list of my faves from the last 20 years .  I say “imperfect” because it’s hard to fully put a list like this together when you are trying to rank/songs albums that you’ve had years-to-decades to digest and asses alongside others you are just getting familiar with.  So, this is what my “Best of” passes for at this point in time.

VA’s 10 BEST ALBUMS OF THE ’10s 

1. Blackstar DAVID BOWIE
2. The Archandroid JANELLE MONAE
3. Salad Days MAC DeMARCO
4. Another One MAC DeMARCO
5. Sometimes I Sit & Think & Sometimes I Just Sit COURTNEY BARNETT
6. Midwest Farmer’s Daughter MARGO PRICE
7. Trouble In Paradise LA ROUX
8. Mental Illness AIMEE MANN
9. You Want It Darker LEONARD COHEN
10. Forgiveness Rock Record BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE

VA’s 10 BEST SINGLES/TRACKS OF THE ‘10s

1. Get Lucky DAFT PUNK featuring PHARRELL WILLIAMS
2. Tightrope JANELLE MONAE with BIG BOI
3. Video Games LANA DEL REY
4. I Can’t Feel My Face THE WEEKND
5. Royals LORDE
6. Sugar Buzz k.d. lang & THE SISS BOOM BANG
7. Jesus Fever KURT VILE
8. Back to the Future (Pt. 1) D’ANGELO
9. Gardenia IGGY POP
10. Forced to Love BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE

VA’s 40 BEST ALBUMS OF THE CENTURY (2000-2019)

1. Back to Black AMY WINEHOUSE
2. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots THE FLAMING LIPS
3. Blackstar DAVID BOWIE
4. Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo AIMEE MANN
5. The Archandroid JANELLE MONAE
6. Salad Days MAC DeMARCO
7. Live at Massey Hall NEIL YOUNG
8. Fleet Foxes FLEET FOXES
9. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot WILCO
10. You Forget It in People BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE
11. Elephant THE WHITE STRIPES
12. Another One MAC DeMARCO
13. Sometimes I Sit & Think & Sometimes I Just Sit COURTNEY BARNETT
14. Midwest Farmer’s Daughter MARGO PRICE
15. Trouble In Paradise LA ROUX
16. Mental Illness AIMEE MANN
17. Is This It THE STROKES
18. Merriweather Park Pavilion ANIMAL COLLECTIVE
19. You Want It Darker LEONARD COHEN
20. The Reminder FEIST
21. XTRMNTR PRIMAL SCREAM
22. The Teaches of Peaches PEACHES
23. World Without Tears LUCINDA WILLIAMS
24. Forgiveness Rock Record BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE
25. Discovery DAFT PUNK
26. Dear Science TV ON THE RADIO
27. Want Two RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
28. Shields GRIZZLY BEAR
29. Let England Shake PJ HARVEY
30. Van Lear Rose LORETTA LYNN
31. Smoke Ring for My Halo KURT VILE
32. Lust for Life LANA DEL REY
33. Illinois SUFJAN STEVENS
34. Aerial KATE BUSH
35. Queen of Demark JOHN GRANT
36. @#%&*! Smilers AIMEE MANN
37. II MAC DeMARCO
38. Sweet Marie ERIN COSTELO
39. Sound & Fury STURGILL SIMPSON
40. Kiss Land THE WEEKND

VA’s 40 BEST SINGLES/TRACKS OF THE CENTURY (2000-2019)

1. Get Lucky DAFT PUNK featuring PHARRELL WILLIAMS
2. Do You Realize? THE FLAMING LIPS
3. Seven Nation Army THE WHITE STRIPES
4. Tightrope JANELLE MONAE with BIG BOI
5. Rehab AMY WINEHOUSE
6. You Know I’m No Good AMY WINEHOUSE
7. One More Time DAFT PUNK
8. Fuck the Pain Away PEACHES
9. Video Games LANA DEL REY
10. The Ocean RICHARD HAWLEY
11. Crazy GNARLS BARKLEY
12. Paper Planes M.I.A.
13. 1234 FEIST
14. Such Great Heights THE POSTAL SERVICE
15. I Can’t Feel My Face THE WEEKND
16. Rose Rouge ST. GERMAIN
17. Royals LORDE
18. Likufanele ZERO 7
19. Freeway AIMEE MANN
20. Sugar Buzz k.d. lang & THE SISS BOOM BANG
21. Jesus Fever KURT VILE
22. Destroy Everything You Touch LADYTRON
23. Back to the Future (Pt. 1) D’ANGELO
24. Someone Great LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
25. Gardenia IGGY POP
26. Forced to Love BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE
27. Bulletproof LA ROUX
28. Juice LIZZO
29. Young Lions TV ON THE RADIO
30. Frontier Psychiatrist THE AVALANCHES
31. It’s Easier JOHN GRANT
32. Hey Ya! OUTKAST
33. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart WILCO
34. Can’t Get You Out of My Head KYLIE MINOGUE
35. Astounded BRAN VAN 3000 with CURTIS MAYFIELD
36. Fun BLONDIE
37. Williams’ Blood GRACE JONES
38. Something to Talk About BADLY DRAWN BOY
39. Mushaboom FEIST
40. Song for Zula PHOSPHORESCENT

And now for my year by year breakdown ….

I’ll get the ball rolling by taking the Way Back Machine to the century’s start.  Actually, since many key discs that I associate with the year 2000 came out in 1999, I will start by listing my faves from the 20^th century’s final chapter, and then on to the 21^st.

It’s back to a time before YouTube and Facebook and Texting, when music went digital with the explosion of Napster and iPods.  It was also the beginning of darker times starting with 9/11.  As always, music was there to help see us through.

END OF THE CENTURY: 1999

Top 10 LPs

1. Play MOBY
2. 69 Love Songs THE MAGNETIC FIELDS
3. Summerteeth WILCO
4. Magnolia Soundtrack AIMEE MANN
5. Vertigo GROOVE ARMADA
6. 13 BLUR
7. Terror Twilight PAVEMENT
8. Surrender THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS
9. Midnite Vultures BECK
10. Hours DAVID BOWIE

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1. At the River GROOVE ARMADA
2. Porcelain MOBY
3. I Try MACY GRAY
4. Windowlicker APHEX TWIN
5. Save Me AIMEE MANN
6. Swastika Eyes PRIMAL SCREAM
7. Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side THE MAGNETIC FIELDS
8. Anywhere But Here k.d. lang
9. Hey Boy! Hey Girl! THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS
10. Sexx Laws BECK

2000

Top 10 LPs

1.      Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo AIMEE MANN
2.      XTRMNTR PRIMAL SCREAM
3.      The Teaches of Peaches PEACHES
4.      Tanto Tempo BEBEL GILBERTO
5.      All That You Can’t Leave Behind U2
6.      Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea PJ HARVEY
7.      Invincible Summer k. d. lang
8.      Figure 8 ELLIOTT SMITH
9.      Music MADONNA
10.      Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 JILL SCOTT

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1.        Fuck the Pain Away PEACHES
2.        Rose Rouge ST. GERMAIN
3.        Frontier Psychiatrist THE AVALANCHES
4.        Summerfling k.d. lang
5.        Music MADONNA
6.        Don’t Get Your Back Up SARAH HARMER
7.        I’m Like A Bird NELLY FURTADO
8.        Groovejet SPILLER featuring SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR
9.        Utopia GOLDFRAPP
10.        Cousin Dupree STEELY DAN

2001

Top 10 LPs

1.        Is This It THE STROKES
2.        Discovery DAFT PUNK
3.        Simple Things ZERO 7
4.        10 New Songs LEONARD COHEN
5.        Love and Theft BOB DYLAN
6.        Vespertine BJORK
7.        Amnesiac RADIOHEAD
8.        White Blood Cells THE WHITE STRIPES
9.        Angel in The Dark LAURA NYRO
10.        Poses RUFUS WAINWRIGHT

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1.        One More Time DAFT PUNK
2.        Likufanele ZERO 7
3.        Astounded BRAN VAN 3000 with CURTIS MAYFIELD
4.        A Long Walk JILL SCOTT
5.        Knives Out RADIOHEAD
6.        Essence LUCINDA WILLIAMS
7.        Hotel Yorba THE WHITE STRIPES
8.        New York City Cops THE STROKES
9.        California RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
10.        Sweet Baby MACY GRAY with ERYKAH BADU

2002

Top 10 LPs

1. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots THE FLAMING LIPS
2. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot WILCO
3. You Forget It in People BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE
4. Heathen DAVID BOWIE
5. Failer KATHLEEN EDWARDS
6. Evil Heat PRIMAL SCREAM
7. About a Boy Soundtrack BADLY DRAWN BOY
8. Sea Change BECK
9. Kissin Time MARIANNE FAITHFULL
10. Come Away With Me NORAH JONES

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1. Do You Realize? THE FLAMING LIPS
2. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart WILCO
3. Can’t Get You Out of My Head KYLIE MINOGUE
4. Something to Talk About BADLY DRAWN BOY
5. Emerge FISCHERSPOONER
6. Move Your Feet JUNIOR SENIOR
7. Hate to Say I Told You So THE HIVES
8. Song for Nico MARIANNE FAITHFULL
9. Make Luv ROOM 5 featuring OLIVER CHEATHAM
10. You Know Who Your Friends Are THE PRETENDERS

(Dis)Honourable mention: The Best “Most Ridiculous” Single of the Century: Cheeky Song (Touch My Bum) THE CHEEKY GIRLS. Inspirational lyric: “Touch my bum / This is life.”

2003

Top 10 LPs

1.        Elephant THE WHITE STRIPES
2.        World Without Tears LUCINDA WILLIAMS
3.        Dear Catastrophe Waitress BELLE AND SEBASTIAN
4.        Fatherfucker PEACHES
5.        Want One RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
6.        So Much for the City THE THRILLS
7.        HoboSapiens JOHN CALE
8.        Fever to Tell YEAH YEAH YEAHS
9.        Make Up the Breakdown HOT HOT HEAT
10.        Poetry and Aeroplanes TEITUR

2003 Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1.        Seven Nation Army THE WHITE STRIPES
2.        Hey Ya! OUTKAST
3.        Kick It PEACHES with IGGY POP
4.        Kish Kash BASEMENT JAXX with SIOUXSIE
5.        New Killer Star DAVID BOWIE
6.        Black Cherry GOLDFRAPP
7.        The Hurting Time ANNIE LENNOX
8.        House of Jealous Lovers THE RAPTURE
9.        Sunday (The Day Before My Birthday) MOBY
10.       Things JOHN CALE

2004

Top 10 LPs

1.        Want Two RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
2.        Van Lear Rose LORETTA LYNN
3.        A Ghost Is Born WILCO
4.        Scissor Sister SCISSOR SISTERS
5.        From A Basement on the Hill ELLIOTT SMITH
6.        Let It Die FEIST
7.        Thunder, Lightning, Strike THE GO! TEAM
8.        Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS
9.        You Are the Quarry MORRISSEY
10.        Hymns of the 49th Parallel k.d. lang

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1.        Such Great Heights THE POSTAL SERVICE
2.        Young Lions TV ON THE RADIO
3.        Mushaboom FEIST
4.        Portland, Oregon LORETTA LYNN with JACK WHITE
5.        Straight Ahead TUBE AND BERGER with CHRISSIE HYNDE
6.        Take Me Out FRANZ FERDINAND
7.        Vertigo U2
8.        Take Your Mama SCISSOR SISTERS
9.        Amazing GEORGE MICHAEL
10.        The Letter PJ HARVEY

2005

Top 10 LPs

1. Illinois SUFJAN STEVENS
2. Aerial KATE BUSH
3. Coles Corner RICHARD HAWLEY
4. Naturally SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS
5. A Bigger Bang THE ROLLING STONES
6. Confessions on a Dancefloor MADONNA
7. The Forgotten Arm AIMEE MANN
8. Prairie Wind NEIL YOUNG
9. Chaos & Creation in the Backyard PAUL McCARTNEY
10. Kicking Television: Live In Chicago WILCO

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1. The Ocean RICHARD HAWLEY
2. Destroy Everything You Touch LADYTRON
3. Bottle Rocket THE GO! TEAM
4. I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor THE ARCTIC MONKEYS
5. Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole MARTHA WAINWRIGHT
6. Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games OF MONTREAL
7. King of the Mountain KATE BUSH
8. Back to Me KATHLEEN EDWARDS
9. Hung Up MADONNA
10. Blue Orchid THE WHITE STRIPES

2006

Top 10 LPs

1. Back to Black AMY WINEHOUSE
2. Close to Paradise PATRICK WATSON
3. At War with the Mystics THE FLAMING LIPS
4. The Life Pursuit BELLE & SEBASTIAN
5. The Greatest CAT POWER
6. Impeach My Bush PEACHES
7. Modern Times BOB DYLAN
8. Rather Ripped SONIC YOUTH
9. Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not ARCTIC MONKEYS
10. St. Elsewhere GNARLS BARKLEY

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1. Rehab AMY WINEHOUSE
2. Crazy GNARLS BARKLEY
3. Music Is My Hot Hot Sex CSS
4. I Don’t Feel Like Dancing SCISSOR SISTERS
5. Could We? CAT POWER
6. Margaret vs Pauline NEKO CASE
7. You Love It PEACHES w/JOAN JETT
8. Cellphone’s Dead BECK
9. Over & Over HOT CHIP
10. Get Together MADONNA

2007

Top 10 LPs

1. Live At Massey Hall NEIL YOUNG
2. The Reminder FEIST
3. Raising Sand ROBERT PLANT & ALISON KRAUSS
4. Pocket Symphony AIR
5. Sky Blue Sky WILCO
6. Andorra CARIBOU
7. White Chalk PJ HARVEY
8. + JUSTICE
9. Sounds of Silver LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
10. The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse THE BESNARD LAKES

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1. You Know I’m No Good AMY WINEHOUSE
2. Paper Planes M.I.A.
3. 1234 FEIST
4. Someone Great LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
5. 100 Days, 100 Nights SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS
6. D.A.N.C.E. JUSTICE
7. Valerie AMY WINEHOUSE / MARK RONSON
8. What Light WILCO
9. Foundations KATE NASH
10. Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse OF MONTREAL

2008

Top 10 LPs

1. Fleet Foxes FLEET FOXES
2. Dear Science TV ON THE RADIO
3. @#%&*! Smilers AIMEE MANN
4. Funplex THE B-52S
5. Hercules & Love Affair HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR
6. Asking for Flowers KATHLEEN EDWARDS
7. Hurricane GRACE JONES
8. Watershed k.d. lang
9. Little Honey LUCINDA WILLIAMS
10. Jukebox CAT POWER

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1. Freeway AIMEE MANN
2. Williams’ Blood GRACE JONES
3. Juliet of the Spirits THE B-52S
4. Time to Pretend MGMT
5. Sunday k.d. lang
6. Real Love LUCINDA WILLIAMS
7. Hercules Theme HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR
8. I Make the Dough, You Get the Glory KATHLEEN EDWARDS
9. Crooked Head FUCKED UP
10. Rosalee THE PRETENDERS

2009

Top 10 LPs

1. Merriweather Park Pavilion ANIMAL COLLECTIVE
2. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix PHOENIX
3. Veckatimest GRIZZLY BEAR
4. La Roux LA ROUX
5. I Feel Cream PEACHES
6. The Eternal SONIC YOUTH
7. Wilco: The Album WILCO
8. IRM CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG
9. Embryonic FLAMING LIPS
10. It’s Blitz YEAH YEAH YEAHS

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1. Bulletproof LA ROUX
2. 1901 PHOENIX
3. Brother Sport ANIMAL COLLECTIVE
4. Two Weeks GRIZZLY BEAR
5. You Never Know WILCO
6. Heaven Can Wait CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG with BECK
7. Billionaire PEACHES featuring SHUNDA K and SSION
8. Soft Shock YEAH YEAH YEAHS
9. You Can Tell Everybody AIR
10. Jolene BOB DYLAN

2010

Top 10 LPs

1. The Archandroid JANELLE MONAE
2. Forgiveness Rock Record BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE
3. Queen of Demark JOHN GRANT
4. Swim CARIBOU
5. This Is Happening LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
6. I Learned the Hard Way SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS
7. Write About Love BELLE & SEBASTIAN
8. Brothers THE BLACK KEYS
9. The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night THE BESNARD LAKES
10. Le Noise NEIL YOUNG

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1. Tightrope JANELLE MONAE with BIG BOI
2. Forced to Love BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE
3. It’s Easier JOHN GRANT
4. Faster JANELLE MONAE
5. One Touch LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
6. I Didn’t See It Coming BELLE & SEBASTIAN
7. Plundered My Soul THE ROLLING STONES
8. Time of the Assassins CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG
9. She’s Long Gone THE BLACK KEYS
10. Drunk Girls LCD SOUNDSYSTEM

2011

Top 10 LPs

1. Let England Shake PJ HARVEY
2. Smoke Ring for My Halo KURT VILE
3. Strange Mercy ST. VINCENT
4. Sing It Loud k.d. lang & THE SISS BOOM BANG
5. The Whole Love WILCO
6. Mirror Traffic STEPHEN MALKMUS
7. Bad As Me TOM WAITS
8. Metals FEIST
9. Feel It Break AUSTRA
10. 50 Words for Snow KATE BUSH

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1. Video Games LANA DEL REY
2. Jesus Fever KURT VILE
3. Sugar Buzz k.d. lang & THE SISS BOOM BANG
4. The Beat & The Pulse AUSTRA
5. Let England Shake PJ HARVEY
6. Crystalline BJORK
7. Year of the Tiger ST. VINCENT
8. Hell Broke Luce TOM WAITS
9. Amor Fati WASHED OUT
10. I Might WILCO

2012

Top 10 LPs

1. Shields GRIZZLY BEAR
2. II MAC DeMARCO
3. Radio Music Society ESPERANZA SPALDING
4. Old Ideas LEONARD COHEN
5. Voyager KATHLEEN EDWARDS
6. Tempest BOB DYLAN
7. Charmer AIMEE MANN
8. Banga PATTI SMITH
9. Heady Fwends THE FLAMING LIPS
10. Psychedelic Pill NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1. Magic Chords SHARON VAN ETTEN
2. Yet Again GRIZZLY BEAR
3. April Fool PATTI SMITH
4. Ride LANA DEL REY
5. 2012 (You Must Be Upgraded) THE FLAMING LIPS with KESHA, BIZ MARKIE & HOUR OF THE TIME MAJESTY 12
6. Confessions of a MILF VIV ALBERTINE
7. Single Blip VCMG
8. Stay MNGR
9. Swimming Pools PATRICK WATSON
10. Scotland Yard JOHN CALE

2013

Top 10 LPs

1. Kiss Land THE WEEKND
2. Wakin On A Pretty Daze KURT VILE
3. Push the Sky Away NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS
4. The Next Day/Extra DAVID BOWIE
5. Pale Green Ghosts JOHN GRANT
6. Muchacho PHOSPORESCENT
7. Electric Lady JANELLE MONAE
8. Random Access Memories DAFT PUNK
9. Pure Heroine LORDE
10. Perpetual Surrender DIANA

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1. Get Lucky DAFT PUNK featuring PHARRELL WILLIAMS
2. Royals LORDE
3. Song for Zula PHOSPHORESCENT
4. The Stars (Are Out Tonight) DAVID BOWIE
5. Love Is Lost (James Murphy Remix) DAVID BOWIE
6. Green Gardens LAURA MVULA
7. Givin’ Em What They Love JANELLE MONAE featuring PRINCE
8. Q.U.E.E.N. JANELLE MONAE featuring ERYKAH BADU
9. Until the Morning AKRON/FAMILY
10. Burn THE STOOGES

2014

Top 10 LPs

1. Salad Days MAC DeMARCO
2. Trouble In Paradise LA ROUX
3. Ultraviolence LANA DEL REY
4. You’re Dead FLYING LOTUS
5. Black Messiah D’ANGELO
6. St. Vincent ST. VINCENT
7. Morning Phase BECK
8. Give My Love to London MARIANNE FAITHFULL
9. Popular Problems LEONARD COHEN
10. Down Where the Spirit Meets the Bone LUCINDA WILLIAMS

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1. Back to the Future (Part 1) D’ANGELO
2. Shades of Blue LANA DEL REY
3. Sue (Or In a Season of Crime) DAVIE BOWIE
4. Sexotheque LA ROUX
5. Bury Your Friends SLEATER-KINNEY
6. Fall In Love PHANTOGRAM
7. Fever BLACK KEYS
8. I Try to Talk to You HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR featuring JOHN GRANT
9. Every Time the Sun Comes Up SHARON VAN ETTEN
10. Can’t Do Without You CARIBOU

2015

Top 10 LPs

1. Sometimes I Sit & Think & Sometimes I Just Sit COURTNEY BARNETT
2. Another One MAC DeMARCO
3. The Epic KAMASI WASHINGTON
4. Carrie & Lowell SUFJAN STEVENS
5. Music Complete NEW ORDER
6. Modern Blues THE WATERBOYS
7. Rub PEACHES
8. Grey Tickles, Black Pressure JOHN GRANT
9. Power in the Blood BUFFY STE. MARIE
10. No Cities to Love SLEATER-KINNEY

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1. I Can’t Feel My Face THE WEEKND
2. Light In Places PEACHES
3. Clearest Blue CHVRCHES
4. Elevator Operator COURTNEY BARNETT
5. Lazarus DAVID BOWIE
6. You Don’t Know JILL SCOTT
7. Hotline Bling DRAKE
8. Down Here SHELBY LYNNE
9. Random Name Generator WILCO
10. Stay In My Corner THE ARCS

2016

Top 10 LPs

1. Blackstar DAVID BOWIE
2. Midwest Farmer’s Daughter MARGO PRICE
3. You Want It Darker LEONARD COHEN
4. Down Below, The Status Quo ERIN COSTELO
5. Post-Pop Depression IGGY POP
6. Familiar Touch DIANA
7. Case/lang/Viers NIKO CASE, kd lang, & LAURA VIERS
8. The Hope Six Demolition Project PJ HARVEY
9. Before the Dawn KATE BUSH
10. Alone THE PRETENDERS

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1. Gardenia IGGY POP
2. Holy Commotion THE PRETENDERS
3. Hands of Time MARGO PRICE
4. Moment of Silence DIANA
5. I Can’t Give Everything Away DAVID BOWIE
6. Banshee SANTIGOLD
7. Tired As Fuck THE TRAGICALLY HIP
8. Me & Magdelena THE MONKEES
9. Best Kept Secret CASE/LANG/VIERS
10. Tiny DINOSAUR JR.

2017

Top 10 LPs

1. Mental Illness AIMEE MANN
2. Lust for Life LANA DEL REY
3. This Old Dog MAC DeMARCO
4. Lotta Sea Lice COURTNEY BARNETT & KURT VILE
5. Fake Sugar BETH DITTO
6. Drunk THUNDERCAT
7. All American Made MARGO PRICE
8. Rest CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG
9. Hitchhiker NEIL YOUNG
10. MassEducation ST. VINCENT

Top 10 Singles/E.P.s/Tracks

1. Fun BLONDIE
2. Up All Night BECK
3. When the World Was at War We Kept Dancing LANA DEL REY
4. Cocaine Cowboys MARGO PRICE
5. Goose Snow Cone AIMEE MANN
6. Long Time BLONDIE
7. Halfway Home BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE
8. No Plan (E.P.) DAVID BOWIE
9. Going Backwards DEPECHE MODE
10. Future Politics AUSTRA

2018

Top 10 LPs

1. Sweet Marie ERIN COSTELO
2. Tell Me How You Really Feel COURTNEY BARNETT
3. Dirty Computer JANELLE MONAE
4. Love Is Magic JOHN GRANT
5. Both Directions at Once JOHN COLTRANE
6. In A Poem Unlimited U.S. GIRLS
7. Negative Capability MARIANNE FAITHFULL
8. C’est La Vie PHOSPHORESCENT
9. I’ll Be Your Girl THE DECEMBERISTS
10. Bottle It In KURT VILE

Top 10 Singles/Tracks

1. Mariner’s Apartment Complex LANA DEL REY
2. Venice Bitch LANA DEL REY
3. Make Me Feel JANELLE MONAE
4. Velvet 4 Sale U.S. GIRLS
5. Rolling With the Flow KURT VILE
6. C’est Le Vie No. 2 PHOSPHORESCENT
7. He’s Got His Mother’s Hips JOHN GRANT
8. All in Your Head ERIN COSTELO
9. Pristine SNAIL MAIL
10. Angel LUCINDA WILLIAMS & CHARLES LLOYD

2019

Top 10 LPs

1. Sound & Fury STURGILL SIMPSON
2. This Land GARY CLARK JR.
3. Norman Fucking Rockwell LANA DEL REY
4. Cuz I Love You LIZZO
5. Flamagra FLYING LOTUS
6. Valve Bone Woe CHRISSIE HYNDE & THE VALVE BONE WOE ENSEMBLE
7. When I Get Home SOLANGE
8. Originals PRINCE
9. Thanks for the Dance LEONARD COHEN
10. Let Me Show You LYDIA PERSAUD

Top 10 45s/Tracks

1. Juice LIZZO
2. Gotta Get Into Something GARY CLARK JR.
3. Everlasting Nothing BECK
4. Bartender LANA DEL REY
5. Got To Keep On THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS
6. Honey Child LYDIA PERSAUD
7. Sizzling DAPHNI featuring PARADISE
8. Mercury in Retrograde STURGILL SIMPSON
9. Preoccupied MAC DeMARCO
10. A Little Bit Alexis ANNIE MURPHY as ALEXIS ROSE from SCHITT’S CREEK

ALL ANNUAL RECAPS:

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