My Top 8 Records of 2016 & Then Some

Unlike the last few busy years, I really sought out new music in 2016. Maybe I was looking for respite from the shit year it’s been, or maybe I took an old co-worker’s comment to heart.

After posting that I didn’t like a particular Top 40 single, a now-benched music industry vet surmised that it was time to give up; that pop music was no longer being made for my demographic or sensibilities, so I should stop keeping up with all things new. That struck me as sad. Imagine going through life thinking that every good song had already been written? I can’t. Granted, they might be harder to come by these days.

Though I tried, I could only really think of eight records that perked up my ears in 2016, and my favorite should come as no surprise. Call me basic, but without fail, any new Deftones record will likely be my favorite release of the year.

Live shows were a weird thing for me in 2016. Usually they are my comfort zone, a pastime that has as much to do with culture as it does socializing. But because of my dad’s cancer battle, I often found myself too emotionally spent to attend some concerts I’d really been looking forward to.

But then, I couldn’t think of skipping Nails’ blistering set at Marlin Room on the day my dad died. Catharsis, I guess? I also randomly met actor Chris Bauer (True Blood's Andy Bellefleur) that night. Guess my life will never be boring.   

I’m the muthafuckin’ Starboy. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Top 8 Records of 2016

Deftones - Gore

Opeth – Sorceress

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree

Nails – You Will Never Be One of Us

Whores. – Gold.

Oathbreaker - Rheia

The Kills – Ashes & Ice

Neurosis – Fires Within Fires

Honorable Mentions:

The Sword – Low Country

Death Angel – The Evil Divide

Lady Gaga – Joanne

Lord Satan strike me down, but I kind of like Metallica's Hardwired... To Self-Destruct. 

Nah: Into Another – Omens; PJ Harvey – The Hope Six Demolition Project

Band I’m Glad I Discovered this Year: Couch Slut

Bands I Marginally Care About That Released Albums I Only Found Out About While Researching This List:

Planes Mistaken for Stars; Ignite; Skunk Anansie; Tricky; Massive Attack; Voivod; Dustin Kensrue; Metal Church; Kvelertak; Band of Skulls; The Monkees; Taking Back Sunday, Miniature Tigers, and at least two Elvis Presley “unearthed” collections.

Jam: