2015 may not have had the most big name releases, but it certainly did not have a shortage of releases. There were so many albums that left an impact on me that I had to move my usual top 30 year-end chart up to a top 35 for 2015! From the first release to the last release, 2015 brought us a lot of game-changing music. The albums were ranked using the percentage of tracks I considered good and the plays calculated by my last.fm account. These scores were translated into points and totaled up to determine rank. So, without further ado, let's begin.
35. Nick Carter
– All American
Nick Carter’s first full album release on his own
label is a bit campy and not always in a good way. However, it takes me home to
the sound of the pop punk greats in the early to mid-2000s. Get Over Me is
easily the best track. All American and Second Wind make me smile and giggle
quietly each time I listen. This is quite a departure for the sound of the
Backstreet Boys. Welcome back, Mest…I mean Nick Carter!
Tracks: 6/11 – 55% - 550 points
Plays: 43 points
Total: 593 points
Keepers: Get Over Me (feat. Avril Lavigne), All
American, Second Wind, I Will Wait for You, Man on the Moon, Tijuana
Duds: Swet, 19 in 99, Cherry Pie, California,
Horoscope
34. Coldplay – A
Head Full of Dreams
While this album is probably their best to date, I
still am not sad to see Coldplay hang their career as a group up. I’ve never
been much of fan, but, if they had started releasing music like this from the
jump, I may have been. However, Coldplay is clocking out and they are doing so on
a high note. The adventure of a lifetime is coming to a close on what I would
consider their best album.
Tracks: 7/12 – 58% - 580 points
Plays: 60 plays
Total: 640 points
Keepers: A Head Full of Dreams, Hymn for the
Weekend, Everglow, Adventure of a Lifetime, Fun (feat. Tove Lo), Amazing Day,
Up&Up
Duds: Bird, Kaleidoscope, Army of One, Colour
Spectrum, Miracles
33. Fleur East –
Love, Sax & Flashbacks
Out of seemingly nowhere, I started seeing people
talking about Fluer, so I checked the album out. With some interesting samples,
references, and a blazing quick uptempo pace, this album grabbed my
attention. It was like the second coming of Gloria Estefan. Unfortunately,
after awhile, the quick, uptempo, jazz influenced album started all sounding
alike, despite its unique sound. She never should have covered Girl on Fire or
Uptown Funk, let’s be honest.
Tracks: 9/16 – 56% - 560 points
Plays: 91 points
Total: 651 points
Keepers: Sax. Kitchen, Baby Don’t Dance, Tears Will
Dry, Gold Watch, Paris, Never Say When, Know Your Name, Breakfast
Duds: Uptown Funk, Girl on Fire, Love Me or Leave Me
Alone, Over Getting Over, Like That, Serious, More and More
32. Fall Out Boy
– American Beauty/American Psycho
One of 2015’s first major releases proved to be a
major improvement for Fall Out Boy over their last effort. Centuries is sure to
become one of the most iconic songs from 2015 to carry on with radio airplay in
the future.
Tracks: 6/11 – 55% - 550 points
Plays: 114 points
Total: 664 points
Keepers: American Beauty/American Psycho, Centuries,
Uma Thurman, Favorite Record, Twin Skeleton’s (Hotel in NYC), Irresistible
(feat. Demi Lovato)
Duds: The Kids Aren’t Alright, Jet Pack Blues,
Novocaine, Fourth of July, Immortals
31. Jewel –
Picking Up the Pieces
It’s been five solid years since Jewel has given us
new music, purposely ignoring her children’s music. She always gives us such
solid, timeless music that a five year absence can go unnoticed, considering
You Were Meant for Me and Foolish Games are still just as fresh as when they
were brand new. Picking Up the Pieces gives off the vibe from her original
masterpiece, Pieces of You, with that same haunting sound and gut-wrenching, no
holds barred lyrics. Much like Pieces of You, there are those home-run tracks
that join her ranks of timeless music, but also a lot of slow tracks that are
too reminiscent of poetry to survive as music. Regardless, Jewel is picking up
the pieces and it leaves us picking up the pieces of our hearts again.
Tracks: 8/14 – 57% - 570 points
Plays: 116 points
Total: 686
points
Keepers: Everything Breaks, My Father’s Daughter
(feat. Dolly Parton), Carnivore, Pretty Faced Fool, Plain Jane, The Shape of
You, Family Tree, Nicotine Love
Duds: Love Used to Be, A Boy Needs a Bike, It Doesn’t
Hurt Right Now (feat. Rodney Crowell), His Pleasure is My Pain, Here When Gone,
Mercy
30. Bea Miller –
Not an Apology
She came out of seemingly nowhere and hit me like a
freight train with Fire N Gold. I was obsessed, as I was originally with Young
Blood, but it wore out much quicker. I anticipated this album as it was set
for a June release and it gave me a few
more decent tracks. Unfortunately, it fell into that debut trap where half the
album felt like filler material.
Tracks: 6/11 – 55% - 550 points
Plays: 154 points
Total: 704 points
Keepers: Young Blood, Fire N Gold, I Dare You, Paper
Doll, This Is Not An Apology, We’re Taking Over, Rich Kids
Duds: Perfect Picture, Enemy Fire, Force of Nature,
Dracula
29. Rob Thomas –
The Great Unknown
After a 6 year break from solo material and a 3 year
break from Matchbox 20, Rob Thomas emerges from hiding and into The Great
Unknown. From the very beginning, listeners could feel that this is Rob’s most
solid solo work to date. I’ve never been much of a fan of his solo work past
his singles, so, for me to like this many tracks off one album, it is quite an
achievement.
Tracks: 7/13 – 54% - 540 points
Plays: 168 points
Total: 708 points
Keepers: I Think We’d Feel Good Together, Trust You,
Wind You Up, One Shot, Absence of Affection, Paper Dolls, Things You Said
Duds: Hold On Forever, The Great Unknown, NLYTM,
Heaven Help Me, Lie to Me, Pieces
28. Melanie
Martinez – Cry Baby
I stopped following The Voice years ago, but I guess
she stemmed from the show. I was only introduced to her through the pop news
world and a friend’s recommendation. She has so much character and presence for
someone coming from a TV competition. Unfortunately, despite its character,
this probably will never get her into the mainstream. She reminds me a bit of
the second coming of Natalia Kills. Don’t miss Mad Hatter.
Tracks: 11/16 – 69% - 690 points
Plays: 91 points
Total: 781 points
Keepers: Mad Hatter, Cry Baby, Carousel, Dollhouse,
Soap, Mrs. Potato Head, Alphabet Boy, Teddy Bear, Sippy Cup, Tag You’re It,
Milk and Cookies,
Duds: Pacify Her, Pity Party, Cake, Training Wheels,
Play Date
27. Halsey –
BADLANDS
With a sound that is almost entirely interchangeable
with Tove Lo’s Queen of the Clouds, Halsey delivers a solid pop masterpiece as
her debut album. The infectious New Americana meets with the powerful Gasoline
and ropes its listener in…and they never want to come out!
Tracks: 11/16 – 69% - 690 points
Plays: 104 points
Total: 794 points
Keepers: New Americana, Gasoline, Castle, Hold Me
Down, Roman Holiday, Ghost, Colors, Strange Love, Haunting, Young God, I Walk
the Line
Duds: Drive, Hurricane, Colors Pt. 2, Coming Down,
Control
26. Florence +
the Machine – How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
Off the bat, this album seemed like an almost total
dud, except for the standouts like What Kind of Man and Make Up Your Mind.
After giving this album a few tries, more of the songs began growing on me. I
still feel that Ceremonials was a better album, but I do enjoy quite a bit of
this album now
Tracks: 9/16 – 56% - 560 points
Plays: 236 points
Total: 796 points
Keepers: What Kind Of Man, Ship To Wreck, Make Up
Your Mind, Caught, Hiding, Queen Of Peace, Various Storms & Saints, As Far
As I Could Get
Duds: Delilah, Long & Lost, Third Eye, St. Jude,
Mother, Which Witch (Demo), Third Eye (Demo)
25. Jason Derulo
– Everything is 4
This may be his ugliest cover and worst title, but,
musically, this may be the highlight of his discography. With a heavy number of
upbeat single-worthy tracks, I have been jamming out to this album and have yet
to become over it. Try Me is a clear stand out, alongside Broke and Want to
Want Me.
Tracks: 7/11 – 64% - 640 points
Plays: 168 points
Total: 808 points
Keepers: Want to Want Me, Get Ugly, Pull-Up,
Painkiller (feat. Meghan Trainor), Broke (feat. Stevie Wonder & Keith
Urban), Try Me (feat. Jennifer Lopez & Matoma), X2CU
Duds: Cheyenne, Love Like That (feat. K. Michelle),
Love Me Down, Trade Hearts (feat. Julia Michaels)
24. Tori Kelly –
Unbreakable Smile
I wasn’t blown away when Tori released Nobody Love
(which eventually really grew on me) and she just felt very vanilla to me. Over
time, this album grew to be one I started frequenting, especially Should’ve
Been Us, Nobody Love, and Unbreakable Smile. Despite a substantial amount of
filler on this album, there are a handful of hidden gems in it. If you have not
given her full album a chance, now would be a great time to do so! I am eagerly
anticipating a follow up album.
Tracks: 10/18 – 56% - 560 points
Plays: 253 points
Total: 813 points
Keepers: Should’ve Been Us, Nobody Love, Unbreakable
Smile, Dear No One, California Lovers (feat. LL Cool J), Expensive (feat. Daye
Jack), Hollow, Art of Letting You Go, Bottled Up, Personal
Duds: City Love, Talk, Falling Slow, Anyway, Where I
Belong, First Heartbreak, I Was Made for Loving You (feat. Ed Sheeran),
Beautiful Things
23. LeAnn Rimes
– Today is Christmas
I generally do not include Christmas albums in my
year-end charts except in rare occasions that a Christmas album is actually
amazing. For the second time ever since I started my chart in 2011, a Christmas
album appears. (The first time was Kelly Clarkson’s Wrapped in Red in 2013)
LeAnn brings her extraordinary vocals to classic Christmas tracks, as well as
some phenomenal original work, such as Today is Christmas. It’s hard to call
any Christmas songs duds really, so I just picked the few I do not listen to
all that often. Must Be Santa moves a little too quickly in pace for me.
Regardless, LeAnn sounds outstanding across the entire album. This is
definitely a future classic Christmas album!
Tracks: 9/12 – 75% - 750 points
Plays: 82 points
Total: 832 points
Keepers: Today is Christmas, We Need a Little
Christmas, I Still Believe in Santa Claus, Holly Jolly Christmas / Frosty the
Snowman, Celebrate Me Home (feat. Gavin DeGraw), Christmas Time is Here, The
Heartache Can Wait, Little Drummer Boy, Joy: God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman /
Angels We Have Heard on High / Hark the Herald Angel
Duds: Auld Lang Syne, The Spirit of Christmas (feat.
Aloe Blacc), Must Be Santa
22. Justin
Bieber – Purpose
Justin managed to actually grow on me with What Do
You Mean, but I was still hesitant going into this album. Maturity and growth
are definitely present. However, it feels a bit boring. Justin’s attempt at
having a positive message misses its targets with shoddy writing on tracks like
Life Is Worth Living. Some standouts definitely include Love Yourself and Been
You. Everyone was so excited for the Bieber/Grande duet version of What Do You
Mean and they got suckered with the original song mixed with parts of Ariana
Grande’s One Last Time. Mess.
Tracks: 13/21 – 62% - 620 points
Plays: 232 points
Total: 852 points
Keepers: What Do You Mean?, Sorry, Love Yourself, No
Pressure (feat. Big Sean), No Sense (feat. Travi$ Scott), The Feeling (feat.
Halsey), Children, Purpose, Been You, Get Used to Me, We Are (feat. Nas), Home
to Mama (feat. Cody Simpson), Hit the Ground
Duds: Mark My Words, I’ll Show You, Trust, All In,
The Most, What Do You Mean (Remix feat. Ariana Grande)
21. Kacey
Musgraves – Pageant Material
Kacey first grabbed my attention with Follow Your
Arrow and her authentic country feel yet open minded music. When this album
dropped, she took me entirely by surprise. Biscuits and Pageant Material are
now on my list of life anthems. With Kacey in your ears, life will be gravy!
Tracks: 9/14 – 640% - 640 points
Plays: 212 points
Total: 852 points
Keepers: Biscuits, Pageant Material, Dime Store
Cowgirl, This Town, Somebody to Love, Die Fun, Family Is Family, Late to the
Party, High Time
Duds: Miserable, Good Ol Boys Club, Cup of Tea, Are
You Sure, Fine
20. Carrie
Underwood – Storyteller
The long awaited follow up to Blown Away appeared on
shelves this October and the feelings I have are still mixed. She delivers some
good tracks, but I feel that Carrie cannot successfully break out of her good
girl shell (like Miley Cyrus desperately trying to shake Hannah Montana off her
back circa 2010). Carrie amps Storyteller up with some juicy stories, but
almost all of the edgy tracks revolve around murder: Mexico, Choctaw County
Affair, Church Bells. In fact, Church Bells could be the twin sister of Two
Black Cadillacs. In short, I enjoyed some of the album, but Carrie is trying
too hard now and the music is suffering. She also should have dropped Choctaw
County Affair as the lead single and saved Smoke Break for later. She needed to
make more of a splash than she managed with Smoke Break.
Tracks: 9/14 – 64% - 640 points
Plays: 216 points
Total: 856 points
Keepers: Dirty Laundry, Church Bells, Heartbeat,
Smoke Break, Choctaw County Affair, Clock Don’t Stop, Mexico, Little Girl Don’t
Grow Up Too Fast, What I Never Knew I Always Wanted
Duds: Renegade Runaway, Like I’ll Never Love You
Again, Chaser, Relapse, The Girl You Think I Am
19. Meghan
Trainor – Title
While I feel like her fashion sense comes from a
misguided elementary school teacher, Meghan managed to get me on the M-Train.
There were a lot of bland, forgettable tracks on this, but there also were a
lot of fun songs. It’s still a crime that Bang Dem Sticks hasn’t seen a single
release!
Tracks: 9/14 – 64% - 640 points
Plays: 254 points
Total: 894 points
Keepers: All About that Bass, Close Your Eyes, Dear
Future Husband, Title, Credit, Lips Are Movin, Like I’m Gonna Lose You (feat.
John Legend), Bang Dem Sticks, 3am
Duds: What If I, Mr. Almost, My Selfish Heart, No
Good For You, Walkashame
18. One
Direction – Made in the AM
I was pleasantly surprised with this album,
considering I have never liked more than a few songs from them. Dropping a
member somehow kicked them into gear and they delivered a solid pop album.
Tracks: 12/17 – 71% - 710 points
Plays: 185 points
Total: 895 points
Keepers: Drag Me Down, Perfect, Walking in the Wind,
History, Love You Goodbye, AM, Hey Angel, End of the Day, If I Could Fly,
Temporary Fix, What a Feeling, Long Way Down
Duds: Olivia, I Want to Write You a Song, Wolves,
Never Enough, Infinity
17. A Great Big
World – When the Morning Comes
When they dropped their first album in early 2014, I
was very excited after loving Say Something, but the album, Is Anybody Out
There, was disappointing. Their sound felt theatrical and not radio ready. With
their second release, When the Morning Comes, my initial attitude was “yeah,
I’ll listen to that when I get around to it.” And when I finally did, it blew
my mind! They fixed all their issues from the first album. The quality of the
music and the content improved tenfold. If you were disinterested after the
first album, give this one a chance!
Tracks: 9/11 – 82% - 820 points
Plays: 83 points
Total: 903 points
Keepers: Kaleidoscope, All I Want is Love, Come On,
When the Morning Comes, The Future’s Right In Front of Me, Won’t Stop Running,
One Step Ahead, Hold Each Other, End of the World
Duds: Oasis, Where Does the Time Go
16. Jess Glynne
– I Cry When I Laugh
I did not pay Jess any mind when I first heard about
her, thinking she was some here today, gone tomorrow new star. When the album
dropped, I gave it a listen since August was basically a musical drought and
she blew me away. I still get so excited when Hold My Hand, You Can Find Me, or
Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself comes on when my iPod is shuffling! Her vocals are
incredible, most notably on Take Me Home. If you have not checked Jess out,
please do it as soon as possible!
Tracks: 10/15 – 67% - 670 points
Plays: 245 points
Total: 915 points
Keepers: Hold My Hand, Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself,
You Can Find Me, Real Love, Ain’t Got Far to Go, Take Me Home, No Rights No
Wrongs, Right Here, Why Me
Duds: Strawberry Fields, Love Me, It Ain’t Right,
Saddest Vanilla, Home
15. Carly Rae
Jepsen – E-MO-TION
Prior to the album release, Carly was hyping this as
an 80s vibe record and seemed desperate to take a ride of the successful
coattails of Taylor Swift’s 1989. However, despite her accurate description,
this album takes a different vein and Carly hits a grand slam. I’m not sure how
she has not replicated the success of Call Me Maybe with a single from this
album. This will surely go down in history as an underrated album of its time.
(Not like Bionic.)
Tracks: 12/17 – 71% - 710 point
Plays: 286 points
Total: 996 points
Keepers: I Really Like You, Run Away With Me,
E-MO-TION, Gimmie Love, Your Type, Boy Problems, Let’s Get Lost, LA Hallucinations,
Warm Blood, Black Heart, I Didn’t Just Come Here to Dance, Love Again
Duds: All That, Making the Most of the Night, When I
Needed You, Favourite Colour, Never Get to Hold You
14. Ciara –
Jackie
A self-proclaimed BMF on the title track, Ciara came
back hard in 2015. Sure, she didn’t garner the attention she deserved for this
record, but it certainly could be hailed as the most solid album in her
collection. Can it please be known that I absolutely hate her jeans on the
cover?
Tracks: 11/14 – 79% - 790 points
Plays: 236 points
Total: 1,026 points
Keepers: I Bet, Jacking (B.M.F.), That’s How I’m
Feelin’ (feat. Pitbull & Missy Elliott), Lullaby, Dance Like We’re Making
Love, Give Me Love, Kiss & Tell, All Good, One Woman Army, I Got You, I Bet
(feat. Joe Jonas) [Remix]
Duds: Stuck On You, Fly, Only One
13. Marilyn
Manson – The Pale Emperor
While I have been a Manson fan for years, I felt that
2012’s Born Villain was the worst entry into his catalog to date. That being
said, I came into The Pale Emperor with low expectations…and he blew my mind
with this somewhat stripped back sound. He dropped the antics and seemed so
authentic this time around. I still don’t understand the bonus tracks, what a
waste of space.
Tracks: 9/13 – 69% - 690 points
Plays: 341 points
Total: 1,031 points
Keepers: The Mephastopheles of Los Angeles, Deep
Six, Devil Beneath My Feet, Third Day of a Seven Day Binge, Cupid Carries a
Gun, Warship My Wreck, Killing Strangers, Birds of Hell Awaiting, Slave Only
Dreams to Be King
Duds: Odds of Even, Fall of the House of Death,
Fated Faithful Fatal, Day 3
12. Selena Gomez
– Revival
Selena put on her game face this era to shed her
Disney cloak. It seemed a bit forced going naked on the deluxe cover, but the
change in sound on Good For You garnered attention. While some of the tracks feel
poorly written (generally the tracks carrying Selena on the co-writing
credits), this album took me by surprise in a good way.
Tracks: 11/16 – 69% - 690 points
Plays: 365 points
Total: 1,055
points
Keepers: Sober, Same Old Love, Hands to Myself,
Revival, Camouflage, Survivors, Me & the Rhythm, Good For You, Outta My
Hands (Loco), Nobody, Cologne
Duds: Kill Em with Kindness, Body Heat, Rise,
Perfect, Me & My Girls
11. The Weeknd –
Beauty Behind the Madness
It was news to me that this was The Weeknd’s third
album. I assumed it was his debut since I had only heard of him previously
thanks to Ariana Grande’s Love Me Harder. There is too much unnecessary
foul language and talk of lady parts for
my liking (and yes I’m a Lil Kim fan…). Unpopular opinion time: Earned It is
one of the worst tracks on this album…and I hope I never have to hear it again.
Most of the tracks are decent, but they just don’t stand out as songs I think
about listening to often which makes the scoring of this a bit difficult. The
Hills, Can’t Feel My Face and Angel are the standout tracks. Some of the songs
are really good lyrically but excessive in length like As You Are.
Tracks: 12/14 – 86% - 860 points
Plays: 209 points
Total: 1,069 points
Keepers: Can’t Feel My Face, The Hills, Often,
Angel, Dark Times (feat. Ed Sheeran), As You Are, In the Night, Losers (feat.
Labrinth), Tell Your Friends, Acquainted, Angel
Duds: Earned It, Real Life
10. Reba
McEntire – Love Somebody
After a five year musical absence, Reba is back on
the scene to remind us just who the real queen of Country music is! Hooking me
in from the leading single, Going Out Like That, Reba delivered a handle of
empowering anthems shortly before announcing her divorce. With the divorce made
public, a few of these songs really took on a new meaning, showing Reba’s emotions
pouring through, rather than the songs just being typical Country songs. The
power behind the title track, Love Somebody, and Livin’ Ain’t Killed Me Yet has
kept me jamming out in the car all year long.
Tracks: 11/14 – 79% - 790 points
Plays: 290 points
Total: 1,080 points
Keepers: Livin’ Ain’t Killed Me Yet, Love Somebody,
Promise Me Love, Just Like Them Horses, Going Out Like That, I’ll Go On, That’s
When I Knew, More Than Just Her Last Name, Until They Don’t Love You, Enough,
Love Land
Duds: Pray for Peace, She Got Drunk Last Night,
Whatever Way It Hurts the Least
9. Hilary Duff –
Breathe In. Breathe Out.
Hilary finally strikes back with an amazing break up
record! Sparks is one of my favorite tracks of the year and I can confess that
I’m still borderline obsessed with it. Other tracks that I rock out to so hard
that I look foolish: Confetti, One In a Million, and Stay In Love. Without a doubt,
this is Hilary’s best record to date.
Tracks: 12/16 – 75% - 750 points
Plays: 371 points
Total: 1,121 points
Keepers: All About You, Sparks, My Kind, One In a
Million, Confetti, Breathe In. Breathe Out., Lies, Stay in Love, Brave Heart,
Nights Like This (feat. Kendall Schmidt), Belong, Rebel Hearts
Duds: Chasing the Sun, Arms Around a Memory, Tattoo,
Picture This
8. Adam Lambert
– The Original High
My personal hype for this album was at an all time high in 2014, so, by 2015, I
was chomping at the bit to get my hands on this. Ghost Town was an initial
disappointment, but eventually grew on me. Trespassing was an amazing album,
but The Original High did not hit the mark the way his previous efforts did. It
just didn’t rope me in and eventually I all but forgot it.
Tracks: 12/14 – 86% - 860 points
Plays: 307 points
Total: 1,167 points
Keepers: The Original High, Ghost Town, Underground,
There I Said It, Rumors (feat. Tove Lo), Lucy (feat. Brian May), After Hours,
Another Lonely Night, Evil in the Night, These Boys, Things I Didn’t Say, Shame
Duds: The Light, Heavy Fire
7. Leona Lewis –
I Am
Leona Lewis had me hooked into this era from Fire
Under My Feet, but I could never imagine she would deliver the immaculate album
of 2015! There is not a single track I would feel right calling bad. It’s deep,
it’s moving, and it’s very introspective and empowering. I just wish it had
seen more commercial success.
Tracks: 12/12 – 100% - 1,000 points
Plays: 297 points
Total: 1,297 points
Keepers: Thunder, Fire Under My Feet, Thick Skin,
The Best and the Worst, I Got You, Power, I Am, Ladders, The Essence of Me, Ladders, Another Love Song, You Knew Me
When
Duds: None!
6. Demi Lovato –
Confident
Demi’s style took quite a turn with her fifth
installment into her discography. She picked up some urban sounds and dropped a
club banger as a lead single. While this music might not grab her the Grammy
she was anticipating…or the sales she expected, it is nowhere near being a bad
record. This album does not have the authenticity on some of the tracks that
Unbroken or Demi had, but her powerhouse vocals and killer beats make up for
it. As the Cool for the Summer music video inspired me to say, there is no
sexual orientation, there is only Demi Lovato.
Tracks: 11/13 – 85% - 850 points
Plays: 478 points
Total: 1,328 points
Keepers: Confident, Cool for the Summer, Old Ways,
For You, Stone Cold, Kingdom Come (feat. Iggy Azalea), Waitin For You (feat.
Sirah), Wildfire, Lionheart, Stars, Mr. Hughes
Duds: Father, Yes
5. Adele – 25
In late October, Adele stormed the world with the
overnight announcement of her first single, Hello, and the album dropping
within a month’s time. Like she was shot out of cannon, she was immediately
everywhere smashing every record she could….and as only Adele can. Her voice is
slightly different post-vocal surgery, but she is definitely still Adele! The
only track that really surprised me in a bad way was Can’t Let You Go. “Did you
find the note I wrote / I put it in the seam of your coat / It was hard to
write with a lump in my throat.” And Linda Perry, the mastermind behind large
portions of P!nk’s M!zzundastood and Christina Aguilera’s Stripped, assisted in
writing that fifth grade chorus? The rest, as expected is phenomenal, though I
just cannot make myself overly keen of Million Years Ago. Overall, despite some minor flaws, I love every single song.
Tracks: 14/14 – 100% - 1,000 points
Plays: 379 points
Total: 1,379 points
Keepers: Hello, River Lea, When We Were Young, Send
My Love (To Your New Lover), Remedy, Sweetest Devotion, Water Under The Bridge,
Lay Me Down, Why Do You Love Me, All I Ask, I Miss You, Love In The Dark,
Million Years Ago, Can’t Let Go
Duds: None!
4. Ellie
Goulding – Delirium
Ellie called in the big dogs to work on production
for her first real mainstream pop album. The beats are amazing, the lyrics are
perfect, and it’s all incredibly catchy. This is easily one of my favorite pop
albums of the year. She delivered a large number of tracks with this record
which always risks putting too many filler tracks on the album. That is not the
case with Delirium! The only track that I deleted was the intro which was
really unnecessary.
Tracks: 23/24 – 96% - 960 points
Plays: 444 points
Total: 1,404 points
Keepers: On My Mind, Codes, Devotion, Scream It Out,
Heal, Aftertaste, Something in the Way You Move, Keep On Dancin’, Around U,
Holding on For Life, Love Me Like You Do, Don’t Need Nobody, Don’t Panic, We
Can’t Move to This, Army, Lost and Found, Winner, The Greatest, I Do What I
Love, Paradise, Let It Die, Two Years Ago, Powerful (feat. Major Lazer &
Tarrus Riley)
Duds: Intro (Delirium)
3. Troye Sivan –
Blue Neighborhood
Troye Sivan is a true underdog story that I have
been following the last two years, waiting for his debut album. When he dropped
the Wild EP, I was really ecstatic when he announced a full album was finally
coming this year. After his three video trilogy, Blue Neighbourhood, personally
victimized me and left me emotional for days, I got to experience the album in
full. I cannot fault a single song on this album. The album tells the story of
two boys who grew up together, fell in love as teenagers, Troye’s struggles of
coming out and parents keeping the boys apart, and heartbreak. I have not had
an album ever leave me with such chills and he yanks on my emotions even harder
than Adele ever has!
Tracks: 18/18 – 100% - 1,000 points
Plays: 425
points
Total: 1,425 points
Keepers: Wild, Fools, DKLA (feat. Tkay Maidza), The
Quiet, Talk Me Down, Ease (feat. Broods), Cool, Heaven (feat. Betty Who),
Youth, Lost Boy, For Him. (feat. Allday), Suburbia, Too Good, Blue (feat. Alex
Hope), Swimming Pools, Wild (XXYYXX Remix), Happy Little Pill (Live), Bite
Duds: None!
2. Kelly
Clarkson – Piece By Piece
Kelly Clarkson delivers an album that is a bit
different than her usual style. It also has a little bit of a retro feel to
some of it. I would definitely not hail this as one of her best albums, but it
still was one of the better albums of the year since 2015 was musically
lacking, especially in the early half. Invincible really should have been a
smash single, I’m just saying. The cover of the album is a tragic mess that will unfortunately never be erased from music history.
Tracks: 13/16 – 81% - 810 points
Plays: 632 points
Total: 1,442 points
Keepers: Heartbeat Song, Invincible, War Paint, Second
Wind, In the Blue, Bad Reputation, Someone, Piece by Piece, I Had a Dream, Let
Your Tears Fall, Tightrope, War Paint, Dance With Me, Nostalgic.
Duds: Run Run Run (feat. John Legend), Take You
High, Good Goes the Bye.
1. Madonna –
Rebel Heart
Madonna delivered her most personal, introspective,
and quality album of the last decade this year. Unfortunately, it did not see
the commercial success it deserved. Living for Love should have been a surefire
hit. Madonna’s commercial decline may be real, but her skills are still intact.
There were quite a few tracks that could have been clipped from this to make a
more solid piece of art in the end though. Also, Kanye West should never been
allowed to put his hands on this album. Its release spanned the entire year, actually beginning with the 6 pre-order singles in December 2014, yielding a high number of plays that no other album this year could contend with! All hail the true queen of pop.
Tracks: 18/25 – 72% - 720 points
Plays: 1,154 points
Total: 1,874 points
Keepers: Living for Love, Devil Pray, Ghosttown,
Unapologetic Bitch, Bitch I’m Madonna (feat. Nicki Minaj), Joan of Arc, Hold
Tight, Iconic (feat. Chance the Rapper & Mike Tyson), HeartBreakCity, Holy
Water, Inside Out, Wash All Over Me, Veni Vidi Vici (feat. Nas), Rebel Heart,
Queen, Beautiful Scars, Borrowed Time, Graffiti Heart
Duds: Illuminati, Body Shop, Best Night, S.E.X.,
Messiah, Autotune Baby, Addicted
There you have it, folks! 2015 has officially closed, but the music it has left us will forever be in our ears and heart. Cheers to 2016! Let's hope we have some amazing releases to discuss at the end of the year! We are anticipating releases from Rihanna, P!nk, Christina Aguilera, Lady GaGa, Katy Perry, Shania Twain, and so many more!
