Best of 2016: Staff Picks

2016 was a year of both promise and fatality in the music world. A few days ago, the death of the late George Michael capped off this year’s losses of David Bowie, Phife Dawg, Prince, Leonard Cohen, and Sharon Jones, to name a few.

But even after Brexit, the shocking presidential election, and the spread of the Zika virus, it can’t be denied that 2016 was a fantastic year in many respects, including music. To highlight and honor some of the brilliant artists we lost, and also to look forward to the rising radio stars ahead, here are Aggie Radio’s favorite albums of the year! Read through it and realize 2016 wasn’t all bad.

Grace Vargason

Band of Horses – Why Are You Ok?

Bon Iver – 22, A Million

Local Natives – Fountain of Youth

Molly Van Engelenhoven

Hands Like Houses – Dissonants

Icon For Hire – You Can’t Kill Us

The Color Morale – Desolate Divine

Terran Maynard (@terranmaynard)

A Tribe Called Quest – We’ve Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service

Pinegrove – Cardinal

Margaret Glaspy – Emotions and Math

Connor Rivers

Benjamin Sheuer – Songs From the Lion

Noname – Telefone

Lake Street Drive – Side Pony

Stephen Brown (@wizard_kidzard)

Basement – Promise Everything

Frank Ocean – Blonde

Southworth – Wilt

Gabi Finlayson (@gabi_finnn)

Panic! At the Disco – Death of a Bachelor

Tyler Glenn – Excommunication

Beach Weather – Chit Chat

Mekenna Malan (@kennamalan)

Whitney – Light Upon the Lake

Lewis Del Mar – Lewis Del Mar

Chairlift – Moth

Ian Pougher (@ianpougher)

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard  – Nonagon Infinity

Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition

Tobacco – Sweatbox Dynasty

Daniel Hansen (@thegranddanny)

Artifex Pereo – Passengers

Hands Like Houses – Dissonants

Too Close to Touch – Haven’t Been Myself

JD Herndon

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Nonagon Infinity

Black Mountain – IV

DJ Shadow – The Mountain Will Fall

Johnathan Woodall

Coratian Amor – Love Means Taking Action

Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool

Kelsey Lu – Church EP

Mikey Kettinger (@mikeyimaginary)

Parquet Courts – Human Performance  

Kate Tempest – Let Them Eat Chaos  

David Bowie – Blackstar

Julia Lisle

BTS – Wings

Dean – 130 Mood

HEIZE – July