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