According to Spotify, I've listened to 700 different artists this year, and I've spent more than 25 000 minutes listening to music. (Did I hear someone say 'Get a life'?) Spotify also put together a list of my most played songs of 2016. They're not all favourites of mine, but most of them are really good. If I may say so. (Yes, I may!)
So which albums were the very best of 2016? Here they are!
Top 20 (Spotify)
Top 20 - extended list (Spotify)
Top 20
20.Changed my mind. They're off the list:)
19.
School of Seven Bells (US): SVIIB
An old favourite of mine, though this album lacks obvious hit-songs (like "ILU" from 2012). I still like their atmospheric dreampop, though.
18.
The Duke Spirit (UK): Kin
The Duke Spirit has always surfaced on the outskirts of my 'Best of'-lists, but never quide made it. Don't know why, really. Great indiepop/-rock!
17.
Marsheaux (Greece): Ath.Lon
Now, this is a first for me! A Greek electronica band! Lovely synthpop with clear references to the 80s.
16.
St. Paul and the Broken Bones (US): Sea of Noise
This is the odd one out on my list. The band plays what I would call traditional soul music, and not at all my usual indie/electronica type of music. But at the moment it feels very refreshing, and I've found myself playing it quite often the last few months. Is it original at all? Not the least! But I still like it:)
15.
Sivert Høyem (Norway): Lioness
The only Norwegian artist on this list. Høyem has the best male voice in Norway - perhaps in Scandinavia. Very American-sounding, but still great. His previous releases, both with Madrugada and as a solo artists, have had moments of greatness, but in the long run, his melodies have been too monotonous. This one, however,has lovely songs, some of them even with a hint of pop:) (The Høyem-aficionados will probably hate me for saying that!)
14.
Michael Kiwanuka (UK): Love & Hate
Modern, British folk-soul (if that is a genre!). Some wonderful songs on this album. Quite sad, some of them, which appeals to me:)
13.
James Blake (UK): The Colour in Anything
Blake makes really beautiful music, though this album is not as immidiate as his previous one, Overgrown. There's a sadness to his voice that makes even the more average songs worth listening to.
12.
Crystal Castles (Canada): Amnesty (I)
My favourite noise-electronica band, with their mix of sweet and strange music. They featured on my top 10 lists, both in 2010 and in 2012.
11.
Ed Harcourt (UK): Furnaces
Singer-songwriter with a knack for writing really good melodies. Clear references to the music of for instance Tom Waits, but not quite as dark. Comfort music!
10.
Daughter (UK): Not to Disappear
Second album from this English band. The album gets better with every listening, but don't expect uplifting popsongs. A very sad and melancholic atmosphere characterises most songs.
9.
Damien Jurado (USA): Visions of Us on the Land
Seattle based singer-songwriter, with one of my favourite American voices, full of longing and melancholy. Quite a prolific artist. In addition to this album, he also wrote music to the film Tubledown - a soundtrack full of brilliant songs. And as if that wasn't enough he released another album in December, Other People's Songs Volume One, which I haven't had time to listen to yet.
8.
Radiohead (UK): A Moon Shaped Pool
Very typical Radiohead, but a hint brighter and "poppier" than before. I think. Every song is a work of art and listening to them is pure therapy. (Unless you want a bit of cheering up!)
7.
Solomon Grey (UK): Solomon Grey
Not sure how I stumbled across this band, but that doesn't matter. Lots of good songs, though I'm not really too keen on the falsetto singing. They do sometimes sound like Bon Iver, but I still like it:) (But is is just me, or has the beautiful "Hidden planes" stolen elements from Madonna's "Frozen"?)
6.
King Creosote (UK): Astronaut Meets Appleman
Another melancholic sounding album, so of course it goes straight into my top 10. My kids criticise me for only listening to sad and depressing sounding bands. I think they are perfectly correct:) King Creosote, aka Kenny Anderson, has a very recognisable voice, with a certain vulnerability to it that seems to fit perfectly to the folk-inspired songs.
5.
Unloved (UK/USA): Guilty of Love
Another band with clear similarities to Cat's Eyes. The album sounds very 50s-60s pop, with a hint of psychedelia and theatrical music. One of my most listened to albums this year.
4.
Raleigh Ritchie (UK): You're a Man Now, Boy
Raleigh Ritchie is the stage name of Jacob Anderson, better known as Grey Worm in Game of Thrones. Success on all kinds of stages, in other words. His debut album is really very different from what I would have listened to just a few years ago. I suppose this is classified as R&B, a genre I usually dislike strongly, so maybe my taste in music is getting more mainstream. This is the only artist on this list my 14-year old daughter agrees is worth listing to:) I like his voice and some of the songs are really good.
3.
Irah (Denmark): Into Dimensions
Atmospheric and melodic songs, with a hint of eastern inspiration. I could say they are a modern version of Enya, but since that will probably put people off Irah's music I won't mention it. This is an album for quiet winter evenings. Love it.
2.
Samaris (Iceland): Black Lights
Melancholic, Icelandic electronica - what else do we need? Comparisons to Björk is perhaps unavoidable, but it isn't too overshadowing. And I think the Björk association comes from the Icelandic English, not the music itself. Really like the whole sound of the album.
1.
Trentemøller (Denmark): Fixion
Very Cure, very Siouxie, very Joy Division, very 80s, but very 2016 as well. This was love at first hearing! The album goes straight to my musical heart and touches all the right buttons. Eectronica, enrobed in tristesse and darkness. But in a good way. I suppose it appeals to me because it has so many elements from the music of my youth. But it still feels refreshingsly new. And yes, you are right - it is certainly not music for happy days! (Not the kind of music you go running to!) Which suits me fine!
A very Scandinavian top 3! And while the ranking from 20 to 4 is perhaps a bit arbitrary and would probably change if I were to do the list again in a week or two, the top 3 is very clearly the top 3!
In addition, I need to mention one more artist, a young Norwegian electronica artist called Ary. She only has released 3 songs as far as I know, so not enough to secure a place on my list. But her single "Higher" is without doubt the best popsong to come out of Scandinavia this year. Have no idea if she will be able to make an album of the same high quality, but I keep my fingers crossed.
The ones that didn't make it:
Finally, a run-through of the ones that didn't make it to he top 20:
Agnes Obel, Akase, Albert of Ekenstam, The Anchoress, Andrew Bird, Angel Olsen, Ansatz der Maschine, Basia Bulat, Bat for Lashes, Beau, Betty Black, Beyond the Wizard Sleeve, Blue Foundation, C Duncan, Cass McCoombs, Cate le Bon, Cat's Eyes, CTM, D.A.R.K.,Dope Lemon, Douglas Dare, Eddie Front, Edward Penfold, Elliot Power, Emma Pollock, Emmy the Great, Evan Geesman, Exec, Get Well Soon, Grant Lee Philips, Holly Miranda, Hoovephonic, Hælos, The Invisible, Kevin Morby, Ladyhawke, Little Green Cars, The Magnetic North, Marsha Qrella, Meilyr Jones, Odd Beholder, Olafur Arnalds, Palace Winter, Peter Bjorn and John, Pictish Trail, PJ Harvey, Polica, Primal Scream, SBTRKT, Steve Mason, Synne Sanden, Teleman, The Temper Trap, Two Door Cinema Club, Ulrika Spacek, Wangel, Warpaint, Warhouse, We/Or/Me, Wild Beasts, Yeasayer, Yuko Yuko, Young Dreams.
Previous lists:
Best of 2010
Best of 2011
Best of 2012
Best of 2013
Best of 2014
Best of 2015
