Happy New Year, you fine and sexy ladies and gents! If you are reading this, it means you have survived another year of life, love and the pursuit of happiness. Congrats and shit.

Each year on TLW, I post a list of my Top 10 albums of the year. (Insert link to last year’s list.) This year, I hemmed and hawed about doing the same ol’. I grappled with feelings of self-doubt and personal reinvention, and questioned the very basis of existentialism. Who am I to claim what the “best” albums of the year are when I get such douchechills reading Pitchfork or whoever’s Top Lists, as they force themselves to come up with shit no one has ever fucking heard of in an attempt to impress hipsters in the lovely, but pompous borough of Brooklyn. (Seriously. What-the-fuck-ever, Pitchfork.) Weeks went by, and I couldn’t shake the need to share though, because after all, I am just a blogger person.

This year, I’m doing things a little different. Besides posting this list 7 days too late, I’m tossing out my favorites in an unordered list. These are simply my favorite records of the year, and for some reason, I just don’t feel like comparing their artistic value in a listicle form. These are simply the albums that got the most plays and love on my Spotify account. They entertained me, helped give me and this blog purpose, and were there for me during the nights when the wind was so cold.

So here they are, along with a playlist full of choice tracks off each album. Maybe you’ll agree – or disagree – but I’m always up for a hangout sesh full of musical discourse and beers. (Bring beers.)

TLW’s Favorite Records of 2015 were:

Eagles of Death Metal – Zipper Down
Yes, I liked them before, and yes, you should get to know them better. An abundance of party!

Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
She’s what’s up.

Janet Jackson – Unbreakable
Her best album in years.

Dilly Dally – Sore
Grungy and 90’s AF.

Adele – 25
Ugh, fiiiiine.

Fidlar – Too
For fans of Cloud Nothings and/or Wavves, but more awesome than that.

Sleater-Kinney – No Cities To Love

Tame Impala – Currents
On a roll.

Le Butcherettes – A Raw Youth
I could have and should have given them more coverage throughout the year.

Disclosure – Caracal
Dat Lorde song.

The Dead Weather – Dodge and Burn
Consistent motherfuckers, they are.

Twenty One Pilots – Blurryface
They’re young in age and sound, but they have so much heart and drive.

Veruca Salt – Ghost Notes
Another record I should have covered more. A personal favorite band of mine since 7th grade – so much that I couldn’t even put into words what this album – or this band – means to me. I might circle back and actually try one day.

Cage the Elephant – Tell Me I’m Pretty
Cage snuck in at the last minute with their best album to date.

Big Grams – Big Grams
Phantogram + Big Boi = gold. Hope there’s more to come.

I know I said that I was going to keep these unordered – and I am – but if I had my pick of the litter, my #1 favorite would be:

Hit me up with your lists or faves of the year, and maybe we can have a nice fireside chat.

Listen Up: