Clarke's Favourite Music '17

“That's a pretty fucking fast year flew by”

-Frank Ocean

Yeah, what he said.

Most years I feel like I’m doing a pretty good job of keeping up with all the releases coming out, but this year I felt like I was drowning in new music. But man, what a way to go.

In a year that seemed even more overstuffed with incident than normal – from dipshit in the Oval Office to weather wackiness and near constant reminders how shitty men can be – music was one of the few things that seemed to help in the day to day.

Here’s my list of music from this year that made a difference – inspired me, thrilled me, broke me, and helped me get out of bed. As we head into 2018, let's hope music keeps on giving. We're going to need it.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE - At the bottom of the page you'll find two Spotify links - one with all the albums (minus one) and the songs I selected (minus two). Happy listening**

Top 50 Albums

1. DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar

2. Ctrl – SZA 

3. Near to the Wild Heart of Life – Japandroids 

4. A Deeper Understanding – The War on Drugs 

5. The Search for Everything – John Mayer 

6. Go Farther in Lightness – Gang of Youths 

7. Big Fish Theory – Vince Staples 

8. More Life – Drake 

9. Good Nature - Turnover

10. Prisoner – Ryan Adams 

11. Flower Boy – Tyler, The Creator

12. We All Want the Same Things – Craig Finn 

13. The Space Between – Majid Jordan 

14. Hallelujah Anyhow – Hiss Golden Messenger

15. LANY – LANY 

16. Something To Tell You - HAIM

17. Out In the Storm - Waxahatchee

18. One Foot Out – Nines 

19. City Music – Kevin Morby

20. Process – Sampha 

21. Crack-Up – Fleet Foxes 

22. French Kiwi Juice – FKJ

23. Tourist in This Town – Allison Crutchfield

24. Turn Out the Lights – Julien Baker

25. 4:44 – JAY-Z

26. reputation – Taylor Swift

27. Drunk – Thundercat  

28. After the Party – The Menzingers 

29. The World's Best America Band – White Reaper

30. The Far Field – Future Islands

31. Every Little Thing – Carly Pearce 

32. From A Room: Volume 2 – Chris Stapleton 

33. City of No Reply – Amber Coffman 

34. Half-Light – Rostam

35. SATURATION II - BROCKHAMPTON

36. Beast Epic – Iron and Wine

37. Capacity – Big Thief

38. Always Foreign – The World Is A Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die

39. Beach House 3 – Ty Dolla $ign

40. Sounds of Crenshaw Vol. 1 – Terrace Martin presents The Pollyseeds and Terrace Martin

41. No Shape – Perfume Genius

42. Capture – Thunder Dreamer

43. Good For You - Aminé

44. Swim Inside the Moon – Angelo De Augustine

45. Take Me Apart – Kelela 

46. American Teen - Khalid

47. The Order of Time – Valerie June

48. Versatile – Van Morrison

49. Okovi – Zola Jesus

50. Sleep Well Beast – The National 

Top 100 Songs

1. "FEEL."– DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar

2. "All I Can Think About Is You" – Kaleidoscope EP - Coldplay

3. "Rescue Blues" – We All Want the Same Things – Craig Finn

4. "North East South West" – Near To The Wild Heart of Life - Japandroids

5. "Still Feel Like Your Man" – The Search For Everything – John Mayer

6. "BagBak" – Big Fish Theory – Vince Staples

7. "Nothing Burns Like The Cold" feat. Vince Staples – FEELS – Snoh Aalegra

8. "Provider" – Single – Frank Ocean

9. "Millionaire" – From A Room: Volume 2 – Chris Stapleton

10. "One I Want" feat. PARTYNEXTDOOR – The Space Between – Majid Jordan

11. "Cut to the Feeling" – Single – Carly Rae Jepsen

12. "Blem" – More Life - Drake

13. "The Story of O.J." – 4:44 – JAY-Z

14. "Flowers On the Floor" – LANY - LANY

15. "LOVE." feat. Zacari. – DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar

16. "New Year's Day" – reputation – Taylor Swift

17. "Caledonia, My Love" – Hallelujah Anyhow – Hiss Golden Messenger

18. "Love Galore" feat. Travis Scott – Ctrl - SZA

19. "Clean Living" – A Deeper Understanding – The War on Drugs

20. "DNA." – DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar

21. "Fire Away" – Flicker – Niall Horan

22. "U + Me (Love Lesson)" – Strength of A Woman – Mary J. Blige

23. "Outbound Train" – Prisoner – Ryan Adams

24. "Let Me Down Easy" – Go Farther In Lightness – Gang of Youths

25. "Whiskey" feat. A$AP Rocky – Red Pill Blues – Maroon 5

26. "Gave Your Love Away" – The Space Between – Majid Jordan

27. "You Never Knew" – Something To Tell You - HAIM

28. "Funeral Pyre" – Single – Julien Baker

29. "Arc of Bar" - Near To The Wild Heart of Life - Japandroids

30. "Garden Shed" – Flower Boy – Tyler, The Creator

31. "Up All Night" – A Deeper Understanding – The War on Drugs

32. "Shiver and Shake" – Prisoner – Ryan Adams

33. "Perfect Pint" feat. Kendrick Lamar, Gucci Mane and Rae Sremmurd – Ransom 2 – Mile WILL Made-It

34. "The Deepest Sighs, The Frankest Shadows" – Go Farther In Lightness – Gang of Youths

35. "HUMBLE." – DAMN. – Kendrick Lamr

36. "Normal Girl" – Ctrl - SZA

37. "Thinking Of A Place" - A Deeper Understanding – The War on Drugs

38. "You're Gonna Live Forever In Me" – The Search for Everything – John Mayer

39. "After the Party" – After the Party – The Menzingers

40. "Butterfly Dream" – Good Nature - Turnover

41. "Chanel" – Single – Frank Ocean

42. "Passionfruit" – More Life - Drake

43.  "Shot Down" – American Teen - Khalid

44. "Alan" – No Shape – Perfume Genius

45. "Slide" feat. Frank Ocean and Migos – Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 – Calvin Harris

46. "Regional Echo" – Jen Cloher – Jen Cloher

47. "XO TOUR Llif3" – Luv Is Rage 2 – Lil Uzi Vert

48. "Throwing Lines" – Kelly Lee Owens – Kelly Lee Owens

49. "Astral Plane" – The Order of Time – Valerie June

50. "Across the Room" feat. Leon Bridges – A Moment Apart - ODESZA

51. “Plead the Fifth” – Slowheart – Kip Moore

52. “Cold Summer” feat. Kendrick Lamarr, MAC Miller, Kevin Gates & Rell – The Big Brother – DJ Kay Slay

53. “Entitlement Crew” – Single – The Hold Steady

54. “…Ready For It?” – reputation – Taylor Swift

55. “See You Again” – Flower Boy – Tyler, The Creator

56. “Please Take Me With You” – Hug of Thunder – Broken Social Scene

57. “Mythological Beauty” – Capacity – Big Thief

58. “I Dare You” – I See You – The xx

59. “Sightseeing” – Tourist in This Town - Allison Crutchfield

60. “Recite Remorse” – Out in the Storm – Waxahatchee

61. “If We Were Vampires” – The Nashville Sound – Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit

62. “Waitin” – Take Me Apart - Kelela

63. “Get You” feat. Kali Uchis – Freudian – Daniel Caesar

64. “Rosie” – The Search For Everything – John Mayer

65. “call the police” – American Dream – LCD Soundsystem

66. “Don’t Don’t Do It!” feat. Kendrick Lamar – NO_ONE EVER REALLY DIES – N.E.R.D

67. “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano – Process – Sampha

68. “Sportstar” – Rocket – (Sandy) Alex G

69. “SUMMER” – SATURATION II - Brockhampton

70. “Gwan” – Half-Light – Rostam

71. “Favorite Song” – Life & Livin’ It – Sinkane

72. “Show You the Way” feat. Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins – Drunk - Thundercat

73. “Hunting for Sugar” – UNDIVIDED HEART AND SOUL – JD McPherson

74. “Need to Feel Your Love” – Need to Feel Your Love – Sheer Mag

75. “Droptop in the Rain” feat. Tory Lanez – Beach House 3 – Ty Dolla $ign

76. “Glow” – What Now – Sylvan Esso

77. “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” – reputation – Taylor Swift

78. “Chinatown” – As You Were – Liam Gallagher

79. “Feels Like Heaven” – Dedicated to Bobby Jameson – Ariel Pink

80. “Road Head” – Soft Sounds from Another Planet – Japanese Breakfast

81. “Feathered Indians” – Purgatory – Tyler Childers

82. “After the Moon” – In Mind – Real Estate

83. “What Happened To Fire?” – What Happened To Fire EP – Wiki and Your Old Droog

84. “Plastic” – Aromanticism – Moses Sumney

85. “I’ll Still Destroy You” – Sleep Well Beast – The National

86. “I’m the One” feat. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne – Grateful – DJ Khaled

87. “Sunday Morning Jetpack” feat. The-Dream – I Decided. – Big Sean

88. “SUPER PREDATOR” feat. Styles P – ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$ - Joey Bada$$

89. “Gladiator” – To Infinity – Special Explosion

90. “New York” – Masseducation – St. Vincent

91. “Follow You” – One Of Us – Mystery Skulls

92. “G’d up” feat. Method Man, R-Mean and Mzee Jones – The Saga Continues – Wu-Tang Clan

93. “One Day At A Time” – The Thrill of It All – Sam Smith

94. “While We’re Young” – Trip – Jhené Aiko

95. “Alone” – hopeless fountain kingdom - Halsey

96. “Despacito” feat. Justin Bieber (Remix) – Single – Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee

97. “Crew” feat. Brent Faiyaz & Shy Glizzy – At What Cost - Goldlink

98. “No Lighter” – Dreadlocks & Headshots – Mozzy & Gunplay

99. “Green Light” (Chromeo Remix) – Single - Lorde

100. “Bodak Yellow” – Single – Cardi B

EPs

1. Harmony of Difference – Kamasi Washington

2. Kaleidoscope EP - Coldplay

3. Ocean & Montana – Buddy

4. We Can Die Happy – Tennis

5. Into EP – Sonder

6. Steve Lacy's Demo – Steve Lacy

7. Carl Sagan EP – Night Moves

8. Burst & Decay (An Acoustic EP) – The Wonder Years

9. The Mountain Has Fallen – DJ Shadow

10. Testify – The Knocks

Reissues

1. Les Liaisons Dangereuses 1960 – Thelonious Monk

2. May 1977: Get Shown the Light – Grateful Dead

3. OK Computer: OKNOTOK 1997 2017 – Radiohead

4. Being There – Wilco 

5. The Spirit of Memphis (1962-1976) – Isaac Hayes

6. Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (25^th Anniversary) – Various Artists

7. The Authorized Bang Collection – Van Morrison

8. Automatic for the People (25^th Anniversary) – R.E.M.

9. Brown Sugar (Deluxe Edition) – D'Angelo

10. For Sale: Live at Maxwell's 1986 – The Replacements

Live Albums

1. Live North America 2016 – Gary Clark Jr.

2. May 1977: Get Shown the Light – Grateful Dead

3. DH00278 (Live from The 02, London, 12/16/2016) – The 1975

4. 50 Years of Blonde on Blonde: The Concert – Old Crow Medicine Show

5. The Concert in Hyde Park – Paul Simon

6. For Sale: Live at Maxwell's 1986 – The Replacements

7. Live at Red Rocks – Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats

8. Carrie & Lowell Live – Sufjan Stevens

9. Let's Play Two – Pearl Jam

10. Live from the Fox Oakland – Tedeschi Trucks Band

Music Films

1. Chasing Trane

2. The Defiant Ones

3. Rolling Stone: Stories from the Edge

4. Long Strange Trip

5. The Complete Monterey Pop Festival (Criterion)

6. Reflektor Tapes – Arcade Fire

7. May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers

8. I Called Him Morgan

9. Let's Play Two – Pearl Jam

10. Gaga: Five Foot Two

Soundtracks

1. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: Awesome Mix – Various Artists

2. Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (25th Anniversary) – Various Artists

3. Baby Driver – Various Artists

4. Big Little Lies – Various Artists

5. Master of None Season 2 – Various Artists

6. Twin Peaks (Music from the Limited Event Series) – Various Artists 

7. Stranger Things Season 2: Music From the Netflix Original Series – Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein

8. Call Me By Your Name – Various Artists

9. The Vietnam War – Various Artists

10. The Bob's Burgers Music Album – Various Artists

Box sets

1. May 1977: Get Shown the Light – Grateful Dead

2. Being There – Wilco

3. The Spirit of Memphis (1962-1976) – Isaac Hayes

4. Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series Vol. 13 – Bob Dylan

5. Automatic for the People (25th Anniversary) – R.E.M.  

6. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Super Deluxe Anniversary Edition) – The Beatles

7. The Joshua Tree (Super Deluxe Edition) – U2 

8. Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde (25^th Anniversary Edition) – The Pharcyde

9. Maximum A's & B's: The Complete Singles – The Who

10. The Complete Chris Bell – Chris Bell 

Albums

Missing from playlist:

25. 4:44 - JAY-Z

Songs

Missing from playlist:

13. "The Story of O.J." – 4:44 – JAY-Z

83. “What Happened To Fire?” – What Happened To Fire EP – Wiki and Your Old Droog