TOP 10 of 2016

To some, music helps drown out the noise of the world. To me, music hurls me deeper into the trenches of reality. I don’t want to escape truth; I want to confront it and dance with it.

I think this is the 7th or 8th year in compiling a list like this. What I enjoy about it is the opportunity to share albums I’ve fallen in love with. Reciprocally, I appreciate hearing from you the songs and albums you loved.

I highly encourage you scroll to the bottom to listen the playlist I’ve created on Spotify to give you a cross-section of the albums. For the sake of brevity, I’ve kept my rationale for each album within 140-characters (give or take a few) in order to optimize your attention towards listening rather than reading. Feel free to leave in the comment section your favourite songs/albums of 2016 or even a URL to your Spotify or Apple Music playlist.

So with that, I begin with album number…

10.

Immediately you are transported to a different era. It is nostalgic, dreamy, and immediate. I want to be lost wherever Jurado sings.

9.

He keeps evolving and tweaking his work in such a way that you never feel abandoned by what you first loved about McMorrow.

 

8.

Is there a more gorgeously vulnerable album in 2016 than this one? I’d rather wait 4 years for an album like this than be inundated with The Weeknd and Drake.

 

7.

I bet you can’t listen to “Coloring Book” without wanting to A) join a Black Gospel Choir B) attend a Black church C) be BFF’s with Chance The Rapper.

 

6.

If there were a table situated underneath a tree where the shade cooled your anger and the food helped you see the world with a little more hope-this would be that album.

 

5.

It’s important to dialogue about reconciliation between the Settlers and First Peoples of Turtle Island. But let’s not forget to dance!

 

4.

I hate how much I love Bon Iver. He could have sang to the sound of nails scratching a blackboard and it would still make my list. Luckily, this album is a little more soothing than that.

 

3.

 

Who is this guy and why is this album so damn hot?! It’s one of the most satisfying albums I’ve heard in a while. Happy to know the jury of the Polaris Prize thought 99.9% is 100.

 

2.

Once again Ye creates a triumphant and complicated body of work that redefines “artist”. He works extremely hard to not disappoint himself and in the process we benefit from his drive.

 

1.

I had no interest in Beyonce but this album jolted me out of my coma and put me into formation. It’s an audio/visual masterpiece of emotional and spiritual proportions. To understand the songs you must watch the video first. Consider it a therapy session you never thought you needed.