Music

Who Picked What

Sixty critics submitted top 10 lists used in the creation of this year's Top 21 Albums of the Year list. Here's who they were and how wrong they are.

Sixty critics submitted top 10 lists used in the creation of this year's Top 21 Albums of the Year list (and the rest of the top 50). Here's who they were and how wrong they are.

A.D. Amorosi

1. FKA Twigs            LP1            (Young Turks)
2. Brian Eno/Karl Hyde            Someday World            (Warp)
3. Leonard Cohen            Popular Problems            (Columbia)
4. Shabazz Palaces            Lese Majesty            (Sub Pop)
5. Scott Walker + Sunn(((0            Soused            (4AD)
6. ExHex            Rips            (Merge)
7. Flying Lotus            You’re Dead!            (Warp)
8. TV on the Radio            Seeds            (Harvest)
9. Perfume Genius            Too Bright            (Matador)
10. Pharrell Williams            G.I.R.L            (Columbia)

Alex Marcus

1. The War on Drugs            Lost in the Dream            (Secretly Canadian)
2. Stars            No One Is Lost            (Soft Revolution)
3. Koo Koo Kanga Roo            Whoopty Whoop            (Asian Man/FunFun)
4. Atmosphere            Southsiders            (Rhymesayers)
5. The Roots            ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin            (Def Jam)
6. Jukebox the Ghost            Jukebox the Ghost            (Yep Roc)
7. RAC            Strangers            (Interscope)
8. Shad & DJ T.LO            Boarding Pass EP            (N/A)
9. Bear Hands            Distraction            (Cantora)
10. Timber Timbre            Hot Dreams            (Arts & Crafts)

Amanda Silberling

1. Arcade Fire            Reflektor            (Merge)
2. Warpaint            Warpaint            (Rough Trade)
3. St. Vincent            St. Vincent            (Lomo Vista/Republic)
4. Julian Casablancas + The Voidz            Tyranny            (Cult)
5. Jack White            Lazaretto            (Third Man)
6. Temples            Sun Structures            (Heavenly)
7. Phantogram            Voices            (Republic)
8. Girlpool            Girlpool EP            (Wichita)
9. Johnny Marr            Playland            (New Voodoo)
10. The Horrors            Luminous            (XL)

Andrew Meredith and Mike Przybyszewski

1. Christopher Owens            A New Testament            (Turnstile Music)
2. Snow Caps            Don’t Take Me Back            (Single Girl Married Girl)
3. Parquet Courts            Sunbathing Animal            (What’s Your Rupture?)
4. Angel Olsen            Burn Your Fire for No Witness            (Jagjaguwar)
5. Sharon Van Etten            Are We There            (Jagjaguwar)
6. Lee Fields & the Expressions            Emma Jean            (Truth & Soul)
7. Ariel Pink            Pom Pom            (4AD)
8. Cloud Nothings            Here and Nowhere Else            (Carpark)
9. Thee Oh Sees            Drop            (Castle Face)
10. Kim Deal            Singles Series            (self-released)

Atom Goren

1. Cloud Nothings            Here and Nowhere Else            (Carpark)
2. Liars            Mess            (Mute)
3. Behemoth            The Satanist            (Nuclear Blast)
4. The Austerity Program            Beyond Calculation            (Controlled Burn)
5. Pallbearer            Foundations of Burden            (Profound Lore)
6. Christian Fitness            I Am Afraid of Everything That Isn’t Me            (self-released)
7. Black Lips            Underneath the Rainbow            (Vice)
8. Old Man Gloom            Ape of God (the other one)            (Profound Lore)
9. Sonic Avenues            Mistakes            (Dirtnap)
10. Death From Above 1979            The Physical World            (Warner Bros.)

Bob McCormick

1. La Sera            Hour of the Dawn            (Hardly Art)
2. Ty Segall            Manipulator            (Drag City)
3. Run the Jewels            Run the Jewels 2            (Mass Appeal/Sony Red)
4. Angel Olsen            Burn Your Fire for No Witness            (Jagjaguwar)
5. King Tuff            Black Moon Spell            (Sub Pop)
6. Ex Hex            Rips            (Merge)
7. Cloud Nothings            Here and Nowhere Else            (Carpark)
8. Hookworms            The Hum            (Domino)
9. Vince Staples            Hell Can Wait            (Def Jam)
10. Pujol            Kludge            (Saddle Creek)

Brenna Adams

1. ’68            in humor and sadness            (entertainment one music)
2. Bad Suns            language and perspective            (vagrant)
3. Capture the crown            reign of terror            (Artery)
4. Chiodos            devil            (Razor & Tie)
5. Cruel hand            the negatives            (Hopeless)
6. He Is Legend            Heavy Fruit            (Tragic Hero)
7. Of mice and men            restoring force            (Rise)
8. Royal Blood            Royal Blood            (Imperial Galactic Limited)
9. Sohn            tremors            (4AD)
10. Taking Back Sunday            Happiness Is…            (Hopeless)

Brian Bruno

1. Future Islands            Singles            (4AD)
2. Wye Oak            Shriek            (Merge)
3. Creepoid            Creepoid            (No Idea)
4. The Casket Girls            True Love kills The Fairytale            (Graveface)
5. Swans            To Be Kind            (Young God)
6. Strand of Oaks            HEAL            (Dead Oceans)
7. Whirr            Sway            (Graveface)
8. Aphex Twin            SYRO            (Warp)
9. Tycho            Awake            (Ghostly International)
10. Grouper            Ruins            (Kranky)

Brian Wilensky

1. Sheer Mag 7”            Wilsuns            (RC)
2. Kevin Morby            Still Life            Woodsist
3. Quilt            Held in Splendor            (Mexican Summer)
4. Strand of Oaks            HEAL            (Dead Oceans)
5. Angel Olsen            Burn Your Fire for No Witness            (Jagjaguwar)
6. The People’s Temple            Musical Garden            (Hozac)
7. Parquet Courts            Sunbathing Animal            (What’s Your Rupture?)
8. The Men            Tomorrow’s Hits            (Sacred Bones)
9. Sharon Van Etten            Are We There            (Jagjaguwar)
10. Brian Jonestown Massacre            Revelation            (A)

Caroline Russock

1. Museum of Love            Museum of Love            (DFA) 
2. The Juan McClean            In a Dream            (DFA)
3. Cut Copy            Free Your Mind            (Modular)
4. Todd Terje            It’s Album Time            (Olsen)   
5. Holy Ghost            Dynamics            (DFA) 
6. Blood Orange            Cupid Deluxe            (Domino) 
7. Ariel Pink            Pom Pom            (4AD)      
8. Connan Mockasin            Caramel            (Mexican Summer) 
9. Caribou            Our Love            (Merge) 
10. Phantogram            Voices            (Republic) 

Chelsea Schafer

1. Shakey Graves            And the War Came            (Dualtone)
2. Cayetana            Nervous Like Me            (Tiny Engines)
3. Sia            1000 Forms of Fear            (RCA)
4. Lydia Loveless            Somewhere Else            (Bloodshot)
5. Angel Olsen            Burn Your Fire for No Witness            (Jagjaguwar)
6. Hurray for the Riff Raff            Small Town Heroes            (ATO)
7. MØ            No Mythologies to Follow            (RCA Victor)
8. Cold Specks            Neuroplasticity            (Mute)
9. The War on Drugs            Lost in the Dream            (Secretly Canadian)
10. Ex Hex            Rips            (Merge)

Chris Cummins

1. James            La Petite Mort            (Cooking Vinyl)
2. Sage Francis            Copper Gone            (Strange Famous)
3. The Mary Onettes            Portico            (Labrador)
4. Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott            What Have We Become            (Virgin EMI)
5. Aimee Mann & Ted Leo            The Both            (Superego)
6. The Church            Further/Deeper            (Unorthodox)
7. Alcest            Shelter            (Prophecy Productions)
8. Leonard Cohen            Popular Problems            (Columbia)
9. Suzanne Vega            Tales from the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles            (Amanuensis Productions)
10. I Break Horses            Chiaroscuro            (Bella Union)

Chris Sikich

1. Tweedy            Sukierae            (dBpm)
2. Jessica Lea Mayfield            Make My Head Sing…            (ATO)
3. Strand of Oaks            HEAL            (Dead Oceans)
4. Lydia Loveless            Somewhere Else            (Bloodshot)
5. Mirah            Changing Light            (K)
6. First Aid Kit            Stay Gold            (Columbia)
7. The Cadbury Sisters            Close            (Fear of Fiction)
8. The Minus 5            Scott the Hoople in the Dungeon of Horror            (Yep Roc)
9. Old 97’s            Most Messed Up            (ATO)
10. Robyn Hitchcock            The Man Upstairs            (Yep Roc)

Chris Wirtalla

1. Real Estate            Atlas            (Domino)
2. Wild Beasts            Present Tense            (Domino)
3. TOPS            Picture You Staring            (Arbutus)
4. Perfume Genius            Too Bright            (Matador)
5. Jad Fair & Danielson            Solid Gold Heart            (Sounds Familyre)
6. Roddy Frame            Seven Dials            (AED)
7. Ava Luna            Electric Balloon            (Western Vinyl)
8. Wye Oak            Shriek            (Merge)
9. Paul Smith & Peter Brewis            Frozen By Sight            (Memphis Industries)
10. Ray LaMontagne            Supernova            (Stone Dwarf)

Clay Cansler

1. Parquet Courts            Sunbathing Animal            (What’s Your Rupture?)
2. Ty Segall            Manipulator            (Drag City)
3. The War on Drugs            Lost in the Dream            (Secretly Canadian)
4. Mac DeMarco            Salad Days            (Captured Tracks)
5. Spoon            They Want My Soul            (Loma Vista)
6. Wand            Ganglion Reef            (Drag City)
7. Amen Dunes            Love            (Sacred Bones)
8. Steve Gunn            Way Out Weather            (Paradise of Bachelors)
9. The New Pornographers            Brill Bruisers            (Matador)
10. Foxygen            And Star Power            (Jagjaguwar)

Crystal Cheepudom

1. Lana Del Rey            Ultraviolence            (Polydor/Interscope)
2. Bob Mould            Beauty & Ruin            (Merge)
3. Taylor Swift            1989            (Big Machine)
4. Sylvan Esso            Sylvan Esso            (Partisan)
5. Tove Lo            Queen of the Clouds            (Island)
6. Run the Jewels            Run the Jewels 2            (Mass Appeal/Sony Red)
7. Johnnyswim            Diamonds            (Big Picnic)
8. Sam Smith            In the Lonely Hour            (Capitol)
9. Dum Dum Girls            Too True            (Sub Pop)
10. Flagland            Love Hard            (Father-Daughter)

David Faris

1. Sharon Van Etten            Are We There            (Jagjaguwar)
2. Hamilton Leithauser            Black Hours            (Ribbon)
3. Mac DeMarco            Salad Days            (Captured Tracks)
4. Real Estate            Atlas            (Domino)
5. Angel Olsen            Burn Your Fire for No Witness            (Jagjaguwar)
6. Courtney Barnett            Double Ep: A Sea of Split Peas            (Mom & Pop)
7. Alvvays            Alvvays            (Polyvinyl)
8. The War on Drugs            Lost in the Dream            (Secretly Canadian)
9. Hundred Waters            The Moon Rang Like a Bell            (Owsla)
10. Bombay Bicycle Club            So Long See You Tomorrow            (Vagrant)

Drew Lazor

1. Temples            Sun Structures            (Heavenly)
2. Courtship Ritual            Pith            (Godmode)
3. Ab-Soul            These Days…                        (TDE)
4. Deerhoof            La Isla Bonita                        (Polyvinyl)
5. Taylor Swift            1989            (Big Machine)
6. Steve Gunn            Way Out Weather            (Paradise of Bachelors)
7. YG            My Krazy Life            (Pu$haz Ink/CTE World/Def Jam)
8. Shakey Graves            And the War Came            (Dualtone)
9. Caribou            Our Love            (Merge Records)
10. The Menzingers            Rented World            (Epitaph)

Dotun Akintoye

1. Run the Jewels            Run the Jewels 2            (Mass Appeal)
2. SZA            Z            (Top Dawg Entertainment)
3. Wussy            Attica!            (Shake It)
4. Ratking            So It Goes            (XL)
5. EMA            The Future’s Void            (Matador)
6. St. Vincent            St. Vincent            (Lomo Vista/Republic)
7. Young Thug and Bloody Jay            Black Portland            (self-released)
8. Restorations            LP3            (SideOneDummy)
9. Zuse            Bullet            (self-released)
10. Young Thug, Rich Homie Quan, and Birdman            Rich Gang: Tha Tour Part 1            (self-released)

Ed Hogarty

1. A Sunny Day In Glasgow            Sea When Absent            (Lefse)
2. Ex Hex            Rips            (Merge)
3. The New Pornographers            Brill Bruisers            (Matador)
4. Bleeding Rainbow            Interrupt            (Kanine)
5. Hospitality            Trouble            (Merge)
6. Eternal Summers            The Drop Beneath            (Kanine)
7. JJL            The Tiger EP            (self-released)
8. Doug Gillard            Parade On            (Nine Mile)
9. Madalean Gauze            American War            (self-released)
10. Blonde Redhead            Barragán            (Kobalt Music Group)

Edward Baldwin

1. First Aid Kit            Stay Gold            (Columbia)
2. Temples            Sun Structures            (Heavenly)
3. The New Pornographers            Brill Bruisers            (Matador)
4. St. Vincent            St. Vincent            (Lomo Vista/Republic)
5. Foxygen            And Star Power            (Jagjaguwar)
6. Strand of Oaks            HEAL            (Dead Oceans)
7. Spoon            They Want My Soul            (Loma Vista)
8. Future Islands            Singles            (4AD)
9. Selwyn Birchwood            Don’t Call No Ambulance            (Alligator)
10. Courtney Barnett            Double Ep: A Sea of Split Peas            (Mom & Pop)

Elliott Sharp

1. The War on Drugs            Lost in the Dream            (Secretly Canadian)
2. Merchandise            After The End            (4AD)
3. Modern Baseball            You’re Gonna Miss It All            (Run For Cover)
4. Beck            Morning Phase            (Capitol)
5. Doug Paisley            Strong Feelings            (No Quarter)
6. Ty Segall            Manipulator            (Drag City)
7. Parquet Courts            Sunbathing Animal            (What’s Your Rupture?)
8. Lana Del Rey            Ultraviolence            (Polydor/Interscope)
9. Dierks Bentley            Riser            (Capitol Nashville)
10. Pink Floyd            The Endless River            (Parlophone/Columbia)

Erika Reinsel

1. Temples            Sun Structures            (Heavenly)
2. Jungle            Jungle            (XL)
3. Caribou            Our Love            (Merge)
4. Alt-J            This Is All Yours            (Infectious)
5. Future Islands            Singles            (4AD)
6. Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks            Enter The Slasher House            (Domino)
7. Black Lips            Underneath the Rainbow            (Vice)
8. Mac DeMarco            Salad Days            (Captured Tracks)
9. Julian Casablancas + The Voidz            Tyranny            (Cult)
10. Hozier            Hozier            (Rubyworks)

Greg Hoskins

1. Iceage            Plowing into the Field of Love            (Matador)
2. Young Widows            Easy Pain            (Temporary Residence)
3. Pixies            Indie Cindy            (Pias American)
4. Sharon Van Etten            Are We There            (Jagjaguwar)
5. Parquet Courts            Sunbathing Animal            (What’s Your Rupture?)
6. Spoon            They Want My Soul            (Loma Vista)
7. Interpol            El Pintor            (Matador)
8. Ty Segall            Manipulator            (Drag City)
9. Bob Mould            Beauty & Ruin            (Merge)
10. Hound            Out of Time            (SRA)

Indira Jimenez

1. FKA Twigs            LP1            (Young Turks)
2. Iceage            Plowing into the Field of Love            (Matador)
3. Schoolboy Q            Oxymoron            (Interscope)
4. Code Orange            I Am King            (Deathwish Inc.)
5. Cold World            How the Gods Chill            (Deathwish Inc.)
6. Lust for Youth            International            (Sacred Bones)
7. Modern Pain            Self Destruction EP            (Six Feet Under)
8. Basement            Further Sky            (Run for Cover)
9. Rustie            Green Language            (Warp)
10. Jungle            Jungle            (XL)

John Morrison

1. Run the Jewels            Run the Jewels 2            (Mass Appeal/Sony Red)
2. Shabazz Palaces            Lese Majesty            (Sub Pop)
3. Pink Wash            Your Cure Your Soil            (Sister Polygon)
4. Norvis Jr            Songs In the Key of Chaos            (self-released)
5. Rasheed Chappell            The Chappell Show….The Lost Episodes v2            (V2)
6. Doc Heller            Loop Digging in the 8th Dimension Vol. 2            (Hey WTF)
7. Small Professor & Arcka            Hancock            (self-released)
8. Your Old Droog            EP            (self-released)
9. Azealia Banks            Broke with Expensive Taste            (self-released)
10. Moodyman            Moodyman            (Mahogani)

John Vettese

1. Cayetana            Nervous Like Me            (Tiny Engines)
2. Sylvan Esso            Sylvan Esso            (Partisan)
3. Ryan Adams            Ryan Adams            (Pax AM)
4. Strand of Oaks            HEAL            (Dead Oceans)
5. Modern Baseball            You're Gonna Miss It All            (Run For Cover)
6. Against Me!            Transgender Dysphoria Blues            (Total Treble)
7. Taylor Swift            1989            (Big Machine)
8. Jhené Aiko            Souled Out            (Def Jam)
9. Girlpool            Girlpool EP            (Wichita)
10. Mick Jenkins            The Water[s]            (self-released)

K. Ross Hoffman

1. Caribou            Our Love            (Merge)
2. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks            Wig Out at Jagbags            (Matador)
3. Bleachers            Strange Desire            (RCA)
4. Christian Löffler            Young Alaska            (Ki)
5. Mark McGuire            Along the Way            (Dead Oceans)
6. Sylvan Esso            Sylvan Esso            (Partisan)
7. Spenking            Bad Blood, Good Blood            (Ethereal Sequence)
8. Music Go Music            Expressions            (Thousand Tongues)
9. Ramona Lisa            Arcadia            (Pannonica)
10. Taylor Swift            1989            (Big Machine)

Kate Bracaglia

1. Courtney Barnett            Double Ep: A Sea of Split Peas            (Mom & Pop)
2. Dum Dum Girls            Too True            (Sub Pop)
3. Spoon            They Want My Soul            (Loma Vista)
4. Ariel Pink            Pom Pom            (4AD)
5. Real Estate            Atlas            (Domino)
6. tUnE-yArDs            Nikki Nack            (4AD)
7. Tennis            Ritual in Repeat            (Communion)
8. Ty Segall            Manipulator            (Drag City)
9. The War on Drugs            Lost in the Dream            (Secretly Canadian)
10. King Tuff            Black Moon Spell            (Sub Pop)

Katie Krzaczek

1. Broken Bells            After the Disco            (Columbia)
2. The War on Drugs            Lost in the Dream            (Secretly Canadian)
3. First Aid Kit            Stay Gold            (Columbia)
4. Vacationer            Relief            (Downtown)
5. Real Friends            Maybe This Place Is the Same and We’re Just Changing            (Fearless)
6. RAC            Strangers            (Cherrytree)
7. Tycho            Awake            (Ghostly International)
8. St. Vincent            St. Vincent            (Lomo Vista/Republic)
9. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness            Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness            (Vanguard)
10. Death from Above 1979            The Physical World            (Last Gang/Warner Bros.)

Kristin McGonigle

1. Spoon            They Want My Soul            (Loma Vista)
2. Blake Mills            Heigh Ho            (Verve)
3. St. Vincent            St. Vincent            (Lomo Vista/Republic)
4. FKA Twigs            LP1            (Young Turks)
5. Jenny Lewis            The Voyager            (Warner Bros.)
6. Lykke Li            I Never Learn            (Atlantic)
7. tUnE-yArDs            Nikki Nack            (4AD)
8. Azealia Banks            Broke with Expensive Taste            (Prospect Park)
9. Alt-J            This Is All Yours            (Infectious)
10. Sam Smith            In the Lonely Hour            (Capitol)

Lauren Zalut

1. Taylor Swift            1989            (Big Machine)
2. Hurray for the Riff Raff            Small Town Heroes            (ATO)
3. The Flaming Lips            With a Little Help from my Fwends            (Warner Bros.)
4. Beck            Morning Phase            (Capitol)
5. Prince & 3RDEYEGIRL            Plectrumelectrum            (NPG/Warner)
6. Allo Darlin’            We Come from the Same Place            (Slumberland)
7. First Aid Kit            Stay Gold            (Columbia)
8. Jenny Lewis            The Voyager            (Warner Bros.)
9. Spoon            They Want My Soul            (Loma Vista)
10. Counting Crows            Somewhere Under Wonderland            (Capitol)

Lindsey Huster

1. Swans            To Be Kind            (Young God)
2. Ex Hex            Rips            (Merge)
3. Beyoncé            Beyoncé            (Columbia)
4. Future Islands            Singles            (4AD)
5. Perfume Genius            Too Bright            (Matador)
6. Frankie Cosmos            Zentropy            (Double Double Whammy)
7. FKA Twigs            LP1            (Young Turks)
8. tUnE-yArDs            Nikki Nack            (4AD)
9. Lykke Li            I Never Learn            (Atlantic)
10. The War on Drugs            Lost in the Dream            (Secretly Canadian)

M.F. DiBella

1. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib            Pinata            (Stones Throw)
2. Pete Rock & Nas            Time Is Illmatic            (White Label)
3. Badbadnotgood            III            (Innovative Leisure)
4. Dilated Peoples            Directors Of Photography            (Rhymesayers)
5. L’Orange            The Orchid Days            (Mello Music Group)
6. Blue Sky Black Death            Euphoric Tape III            (self-released)
7. Black Milk            If There’s A Hell Below            (Computer Ugly/Fat Beats)
8. Roc Marciano            Marci Beaucoup            (Man Bites Dog)
9. Beres Hammond            One Life To Live            (Flava McGregor)
10. Apollo Brown & Ras Kass            Blasphemy            (Mello Music Group)

Mandy Bee

1. The War on Drugs            Lost in the Dream            (Secretly Canadian)
2. Flying Lotus            You’re Dead!            (Warp)
3. Warpaint            Warpaint            (Rough Trade)
4. FKA Twigs            LP1            (Young Turks)
5. Tycho            Awake            (Ghostly International)
6. Clean Bandit            New Eyes            (Atlantic)
7. Sun Kil Moon            Benji            (Caldo Verde)
8. SBTRKT            Wonder Where We Land            (Young Turks)
9. Caribou            Our Love            (Merge)
10. Future            Honest            (A1/Freebandz/Epic)

Marc Snitzer

1. Against Me!            Transgender Dysphoria Blues            (Total Treble)
2. Restorations            LP3            (SideOneDummy)
3. Perfect Pussy            Say Yes to Love            (Captured Tracks)
4. Ex Hex            Rips            (Merge)
5. FKA Twigs            LP1            (Young Turks)
6. Cayetana            Nervous Like Me            (Tiny Engines)
7. Azealia Banks            Broke with Expensive Taste            (Prospect Park)
8. The Hotelier            Home, Like NoPlace Is There            (Tiny Engines)
9. Strand of Oaks            HEAL            (Dead Oceans)
10. Taylor Swift            1989            (Big Machine)

Matt Hotz

1. Hurray for the Riff Raff            Small Town Heroes            (ATO)
2. Ex Hex            Rips            (Merge)
3. Pujol            Kludge            (Saddle Creek)
4. Angel Olsen            Burn Your Fire for No Witness            (Jagjaguwar)
5. Ty Segall            Manipulator            (Drag City)
6. Iceage            Plowing into the Field of Love            (Matador)
7. La Sera            Hour of the Dawn            (Hardly Art)
8. Animals As Leaders            The Joy of Motion            (Sumerian)
9. Jenny Lewis            The Voyager            (Warner Bros.)
10. Thee Oh Sees            Drop            (Castle Face)

Maura Johnston

1. Wye Oak            Shriek            (Merge)
2. Ex Hex            Rips            (Merge)
3. A Sunny Day In Glasgow            Sea When Absent            (Lefse)
4. Gerard Way            Hesitant Alien            (Warner Bros.)
5. Sloan            Commonwealth            (Yep Roc)
6. Kimbra            The Golden            (Echo Warner)
7. Azealia Banks            Broke with Expensive Taste            (Prospect Park)
8. Brody Dalle            Diploid Love            (Caroline)
9. Luke James            Luke James            (Mercury)
10. Weird Al Yankovic            Mandatory Fun            (RCA)

Meredith Kleiber

1. Shovels & Rope            Swimmin’ Time            (Dualtone)
2. Polica            Shulamith            (Mom & Pop)
3. Beats Antique            A Thousand Faces — Act II            (Beats Antique)
4. Beck            Morning Phase            (Capitol)
5. Gramatik            The Age of Reason            (Lowtemp)
6. Angel Olsen            Burn Your Fire for No Witness            (Jagjaguwar)
7. CunninLynguists            Strange Journey Volume Three            (Bad Taste / A Piece of Strange Music)
8. Phish            Fuego            (JEMP)
9. Drive-By Truckers            English Oceans            (ATO)
10. Primus            Primus and the Chocolate Factory            (ATO)

Michael Gold

1. Future Islands            Singles            (4AD)
2. Sylvan Esso            Sylvan Esso            (Partisan)
3. tUnE-yArDs            Nikki Nack            (4AD)
4. St. Vincent            St. Vincent            (Lomo Vista/Republic)
5. Parquet Courts            Sunbathing Animal            (What’s Your Rupture?)
6. Robyn and Royksopp            Do It Again            (Dog Triumph)
7. Sharon Van Etten            Are We There            (Jagjaguwar)
8. Ty Segall            Manipulator            (Drag City)
9. Tennis            Ritual in Repeat            (Communion)
10. Miranda Lambert            Platinum            (RCA Nashville)

Michael Pelusi

1. Doug Paisley            Strong Feelings            (No Quarter)
2. Jolie Holland            Wine Dark Sea            (Anti)
3. Wussy            Attica!            (Shake It)
4. Afghan Whigs            Do to the Beast            (Sub Pop)
5. Steve Gunn            Way Out Weather            (Paradise of Bachelors)
6. Run the Jewels            Run the Jewels 2            (Mass Appeal/Sony Red)
7. Ty Segall            Manipulator            (Drag City)
8. Wye Oak            Shriek            (Merge)
9. William Tyler            Lost Colony            (Merge)
10. Chris Forsyth and the Solar Motel Band            Intensity Ghost            (No Quarter)

Mikala Jamison

1. Spoon            They Want My Soul            (Loma Vista)
2. Alt-J            This is All Yours            (Infectious)
3. The New Pornographers            Brill Bruisers            (Matador)
4. Hozier            Hozier            (Island)
5. Phantogram            Voices            (Republic)
6. Ray LaMontagne            Supernova            (RCA)
7. Bastille            All This Bad Blood            (Virgin)
8. Foo Fighters            Sonic Highways            (RCA)
9. The Black Keys            Turn Blue            (Nonesuch)
10. Beyonce            Beyonce            (Columbia)

Mike Martella

1. The New Pornographers            Brill Bruisers            (Matador)
2. Foo Fighters            Sonic Highways             (RCA)
3. Temples            Sun Structures            (Heavenly)
4. The Horrors            Luminous            (XL)
5. Old 97’s            Most Messed Up            (ATO)
6. Linkin Park            The Hunting Party            (Warner Bros.)
7. Echo & the Bunnymen            Meteorites            _(429)
8. The Pixies            Indie Cindy            (Pixiesmusic)
9. Ex Hex            Rips            (Merge)
10. Bryan Ferry            Avonmore            (BMG)

Mike Rapa

1. Beck            Morning Phase            (Capitol)
2. Courtney Barnett            Double Ep: A Sea of Split Peas            (Mom & Pop)
3. Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs            All Her Fault            (Transdreamer)
4. The Roots            And Then You Shoot Your Cousin            (Def Jam)
5. Camper Van Beethoven            El Camino Real            _(429)
6. Tom Petty            Hypnotic Eye            (Reprise)
7. Ty Segall            Manipulator            (Drag City)
8. Allo Darlin’            We Come from the Same Place            (Slumberland)
9. Cold War Kids            Hold My Home            (Downtown)
10. Phantogram            Voices            (Republic)

MJ Fine

1. Lydia Loveless            Somewhere Else            (Bloodshot)
2. Strand of Oaks            HEAL            (Dead Oceans)
3. Rosanne Cash            The River & The Thread            (Blue Note)
4. Tacocat            NVM            (Hardly Art)
5. Jessica Lea Mayfield            Make My Head Sing…            (ATO)
6. Orenda Fink            Blue Dream            (Saddle Creek)
7. Thurston Moore            The Best Day            (Matador)
8. The Both            The Both            (SuperEgo)
9. Lera Lynn            The Avenues            (self-released)
10. Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires            Dereconstructed            (Sub Pop)

Nia Prater

1. Run the Jewels            Run the Jewels 2            (Fool's Gold)
2. Hozier            Hozier                        (Columbia)
3. Azealia Banks            Broke With Expensive Taste            (Prospect Park)
4. FKA twigs            LP1                        (Young Turks)
5. St. Vincent            St. Vincent                        (Loma Vista)
6. The Roots            ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin            (Def Jam)
7. My Brightest Diamond            This Is My Hand                        (Asthmatic Kitty)           
8. Lykke Li            I Never Learn            (Atlantic)
9. Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn            Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn            (Rounder)
10. Chris Thile & Edgar Meyer            Bass & Mandolin            (Nonesuch)

Nikki Volpicelli

1. Temples            Sun Structures            (Heavenly)
2. Brian Jonestown Massacre            Revelation            (A)
3. Ariel Pink            Pom Pom            (4AD)
4. The War on Drugs            Lost in the Dream            (Secretly Canadian)
5. Twin Peaks            Wild Onion            (Grand Jury)
6. Iceage            Plowing into the Field of Love            (Matador)
7. Real Estate            Atlas            (Domino)
8. Allah Las            Worship The Sun            (Innovative Leisure)
9. Ty Segall            Manipulator            (Drag City)
10. Perfume Genius            Too Bright            (Matador)

Patrick Rapa

1. Courtney Barnett         Double Ep: A Sea of Split Peas         (Mom & Pop)
2. Jolie Holland         Wine Dark Sea         (Anti)
3. Ty Segall         Manipulator         (Drag City)
4. S.         Cool Choices         (Hardly Art)
5. Hurray for the Riff Raff         Small Town Heroes         (ATO)
6. Nothing         Guilty of Everything         (Relapse)
7. The War on Drugs         Lost in the Dream         (Secretly Canadian)
8. Bleeding Rainbow         Interrupt         (Kanine)
9. Ex Hex         Rips         (Merge)
10. Jad Fair & Danielson         Solid Gold Heart         (Sounds Familyre)

Paulina Reso

1. OOIOO            Gamel (Thrill Jockey)
2. Ex Hex            Rips (Merge)
3. Hurray for the Riff Raff            Small Town Heroes            (ATO)
4. Angel Olsen            Burn Your Fire for No Witness            (Jagjaguwar)
5. The Nels Cline Singers            Macroscope            (Mack Avenue)
6. Parquet Courts            Sunbathing Animal (What's Your Rupture?/Mom & Pop)
7. Priests            Bodies and Control and Money and Power                        (Don Giovanni)
8. Beck            Morning Phase            (Fonograf)
9. Juana Molina            Wed 21            (Crammed Discs)
10. Jenny Lewis            The Voyager            (Warner Bros.)

Robert Skvarla

1. Hot Guts            Wilds            (Avant!)
2. Lust for Youth            International            (Sacred Bones)
3. Menace Ruine            Venus Armata            (Profound Lore)
4. No Problem            Already Dead            (Deranged)
5. High-Functioning Flesh            A Unity of Miseries, A Misery of Unities            (DKA)
6. Teledrome            Teledrome            (FDH)
7. Bad Doctors            Burning City            (FDH)
8. White Lung            Deep Fantas            (Domino)
9. Mujahideen            Dead Language            (Heart & Crossbone)
10. Believer/Law            Matters of Life and Death            (Chrondritic Sound)

Rodney Anonymous

1. Youth Code            A Place To Stand            (Dais)
2. 3TEETH            3teeth            (Artoffact)
3. Cease2Exist            WiYGN?            (Juggernaut Music Group)
4. Stoneburner            Songs in the Key of Arrakis            (Dist0rtion Productions)
5. Sage Francis            Copper Gone            (Strange Famous)
6. Cocksure            T.V.M.A.L.S.V            (Metropolis)
7. Rome            A Passage to Rhodesia            (Trisol)
8. Laibach            Spectre            (MUTE)
9. Vomito Negro            Death Sun            (Metropolis)
10. Pretty Addicted            It All Stems From Childhood            (Pretty Addicted)

Ryan Godfrey

1. Allo Darlin’            We Come from the Same Place            (Slumberland)
2. Drowners            Drowners            (Frenchkiss)
3. The War on Drugs            Lost in the Dream            (Secretly Canadian)
4. Mirah            Changing Light            (K)
5. TV on the Radio            Seeds            (Harvest)
6. Sun Kil Moon            Benji            (Caldo Verde)
7. St. Vincent            St. Vincent            (Lomo Vista/Republic)
8. Sharon Van Etten            Are We There            (Jagjaguwar)
9. Hurray for the Riff Raff            Small Town Heroes            (ATO)
10. Spoon            They Want My Soul            (Loma Vista)

Sam Fox

1. Ben & Ellen Harper            Childhood Home            (Prestige Folklore)
2. clipping            CLPPNG            (Sub Pop)
3. Perfume Genius            Too Bright            (Matador)
4. Hozier            Hozier            (Rubyworks)
5. Sturgill Simpson            Metamodern Sounds in Country Music            (High Top Mountain)
6. 100s            IVRY            (Fool’s Gold)
7. Open Mike Eagle            Dark Comedy            (Mello)
8. Girl Talk & Freeway            Broken Ankles            (self-released)
9. Hiss Golden Messenger            Lateness of Dancers            (Merge)
10. Sharon Van Etten            Are We There            (Jagjaguwar)

Sameer Rao

1. Flying Lotus            You’re Dead!            (Warp)
2. Run the Jewels            Run the Jewels 2            (Mass Appeal/Sony Red)
3. Restorations            LP3            (SideOneDummy)
4. Banks            Goddess            (Harvest)
5. SZA            Z            (Top Dawg Entertainment)
6. FKA Twigs            LP1            (Young Turks)
7. Sharon Van Etten            Are We There            (Jagjaguwar)
8. The Roots            ...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin            (Def Jam)
9. The War on Drugs            Lost in the Dream            (Secretly Canadian)
10. Pattern is Movement            Pattern is Movement            (Hometapes)

Sarah Heizenroth

1. Mac DeMarco            Salad Days            (Captured Tracks)
2. Sharon Van Etten            Are We There            (Jagjaguwar)
3. Parquet Courts            Sunbathing Animal            (Mom & Pop)
4. Angel Olsen            Burn Your Fire for No Witness            (Jagjaguwar)
5. The War on Drugs            Lost in the Dream            (Secretly Canadian)
6. James Vincent McMorrow            Post Tropical            (Vagrant)
7. Real Estate            Atlas            (Domino)
8. Ex Hex            Rips            (Merge)
9. Adult Jazz            Gist Is            (Spare Thought)
10. St. Vincent            St. Vincent            (Lomo Vista/Republic)

Sarah Hughes

1. Sylvan Esso            Sylvan Esso            (Partisan)
2. Vacationer            Relief            (Downtown)
3. Bleachers            Strange Desire            (RCA)
4. Porter Robinson            Worlds            (Astralworks)
5. Alt-J            This Is All Yours            (Infectious)
6. Mac DeMarco            Salad Days            (Captured Tracks)
7. Vance Joy            Dream Your Life Away            (Atlantic)
8. Parquet Courts            Content Nausea            (Mom & Pop)
9. Sam Smith            In the Lonely Hour            (Capitol)
10. Cruisr            All Over            (Vagrant)

Sean Kearney

1. Parquet Courts            Sunbathing Animal            (What’s Your Rupture?)
2. Ty Segall            Manipulator            (Drag City)
3. Real Estate            Atlas            (Domino)
4. Steve Gunn            Way Out Weather            (Paradise of Bachelors)
5. King Tuff            Black Moon Spell            (Sub Pop)
6. Three Man Cannon            Pretty Many People            (Lame-O)
7. Bleached            For The Feel EP            (Dead Oceans)
8. Parkay Quarts            Content Nausea            (What’s Your Rupture?)
9. Thee Oh Sees            Drop            (Castle Face)
10. Kevin Morby            Still Life            (Woodsist)

Shaun Brady

1. Flying Lotus            You’re Dead!            (Warp)
2. OOIOO            Gamel            (Thrill Jockey)
3. Swans            To Be Kind            (Young God)
4. Beck            Morning Phase            (Capitol)
5. Behemoth            The Satanist            (Metal Blade)
6. Sun Kil Moon            Benji            (Caldo Verde)
7. St. Vincent            St. Vincent            (Lomo Vista/Republic)
8. Lydia Loveless            Somewhere Else            (Bloodshot)
9. Sharon Van Etten            Are We There            (Jagjaguwar)
10. King Buzzo            This Machine Kills Artists            (Ipecac)

Theresa Everline

1. TV on the Radio            Seeds            (Harvest)
2. Ryan Adams            Ryan Adams            (Pax-Am)
3. Spoon            They Want My Soul            (Loma Vista)
4. The War on Drugs            Lost in the Dream            (Secretly Canadian)
5. Sharon Van Etten            Are We There            (Jagjaguwar)
6. Jack White            Lazaretto            (Third Man)
7. Wye Oak            Shriek            (Merge)
8. Angel Olsen            Burn Your Fire for No Witness            (Jagjaguwar)
9. Real Estate            Atlas            (Domino)
10. Conor Oberst            Upside Down Mountain            (Nonesuch)

Tyler Burke

1. Courtney Barnett            Double Ep: A Sea of Split Peas            (Mom & Pop)
2. Sylvan Esso            Sylvan Esso            (Partisan)
3. Mac DeMarco            Salad Days            (Captured Tracks)
4. St. Vincent            St. Vincent            (Lomo Vista/Republic)
5. Flying Lotus            You’re Dead!            (Warp)
6. Sam Smith            In the Lonely Hour            (Capitol)
7. Todd Terje            It’s Album Time            (Olsen)
8. Madlib and Freddy            Gibbs Piñata            (Madlib Invasion)
9. DENA            Flash            (!K7 / Normal Surround)
10. Mr Little Jeans            Pocketknife            (Harvest)