Best Album
2015 saw the best of the best (and the worst) albums – it’s hard to pick just one. Here are two of the best.
Best Rap Album
To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick Lamar takes the crown with songs like ‘King Kunta’, ‘Alright’, ‘The Blacker the Berry’. In short, this album is Kendrick dropping the hottest beats of 2015 while taking a stand against the racism America faces today. And with it, he might have just won the rap game.
Best Indie Album
Carrie & Lowell by Sufjan Stevens. Sufjan takes you on a very personal, heart wrenching journey through this album framed by his late mother, Carrie. In typical Sufjan fashion, it’ll make you feel real feelings. And you’re gonna love it.
Best Music Video
‘Hotline Bling’ by Drake. Drake does one thing really well here, but it’s not his dancing in a monochromatic room. It’s the fact that he purposely crafted this to be the most meme-ified/imitated/parodied video ever since ‘Friday’ by Rebecca Black. That’s one way to try and break the internet. But to land a number one on Billboard, you’ll have to do better.
Best for Pregames
‘Roses’ by the Chainsmokers. It strikes the perfect balance between pump up and chill. Getting drunk on the good life starts here.
Biggest Disappointment
Return to the Moon, EL VY. What started out as a power couple with the promising title track slowly faded into a mashup of Matt Berninger’s (The National) melancholy on Brent Knopf’s (Menomena/Ramona Falls) pop beats. We’re already over it though, because The National are coming back for album number five.
Biggest Surprise 
What would have been a tie between If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late and 25, but Drake’s surprise mixtape inspired one too many unoriginal fling tanks...We’re giving this one to Adele. There were speculations for far too long, but thanks to a surprise X-Factor commercial reveal and a record–breaking single, it’s finally happening. Hello from the other side, Adele. It’s so good to have you back.
Biggest Success
In Colour by Jamie xx. No shocker here. The most anticipated solo project was teased, then hyped, then over–hyped, and yet Jamie Smith still managed to exceed expectations. There’s a little bit of everything in here, from electronic, to rap, to indie pop. And it all comes together to make something magical.
Person You Should Want To Be
Courtney Barnett. This Aussie indie rocker is making a kick–ass music career by just actually saying what everyone’s thinking. Her highly–anticipated first full album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit (Alternate title: Every Penn kid, ever), captures the monotony, the mundane, and the sheer irony of existence as we know it. Life’s a lot better as Courtney Barnett.
Most Overrated
Currents by Tame Impala. Granted, this album is actually awesome. And you should definitely have this on repeat, maybe even until the end of time. But the amount of attention it garnered is borderline obsessive. The critics will always like what they like, no surprise there. So we’re just gonna sit back, put on some ‘Eventually’ and we’ll let it happen.
Most Overplayed
‘Uptown Funk’ by Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson. We’ve played, and replayed, and replayed, and loved every second of it. But once a song becomes the token choice for more than one Passover–themed cover, it’s time to let it go.
Most Likely to Brighten Your Day
Dopamine by BØRNS. It’s Garrett Borns’ spin on indie pop, bursting with danceable beats, singalong lyrics, and musical happiness. So give it a listen, because it will definitely bring you a little electric love.
Most Likely to Give Zero Fucks
Kurt Vile. 35. Married. Father of two. b’lieve I’m goin down makes us believe even more what we already know: that Kurt Vile is the chillest rocker there is. KV just *gets* it, with observant lyrics, and low–key humor on every track about the game called life. If that doesn’t convince you, I mean...look at his hair. We’d be into a life like this.
Most Catchy
The catchiest songs of all are the ones you least expect. They start out innocent, suck you in, and throw you away only wanting more. Enter ‘Multi–Love’ by Unknown Mortal Orchestra: lo–fi rock with psychedelic flair and a killer hook that won’t leave your head any time in the foreseeable future.
