ATO Artists + Staff: Best of 2015
Continuing our annual end-of-year tradition, ATO’s artists and staffers have rounded up our Best of 2015 lists! Whether it’s best albums, songs, or shows, vibe with our favorite sounds of 2015. Listen to our favorite tracks on a Spotify playlist, and check out the full lists below:
BRITTANY HOWARD, ALABAMA SHAKES
D’Angelo – Black Messiah
The Deslondes – The Deslondes
Bjork – Vulnicura
Buena Vista Social Club – Lost and Found
Promise Land Sound – For Use and Delight
Futurebirds – Hotel Parties
JON SALTER, GM
Best Albums
Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color
Sun Club – The Dongo Durango
Jamie XX – In Colour
Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit
Best Shows
“Hamilton”
ATO CMJ Showcase 2015
My Morning Jacket – Bonnaroo 2015
King Gizzard – Bowery Ballroom 2015
Alabama Shakes – Red Rocks 2015
Brandi Carlile – Bonnaroo 2015
Best Music Doc
What Happened, Miss Simone?
Coolest Musical Score for TV
The Knick
Mr. Robot
BENJAMIN BOOKER
- Sufjan Stevens – Carrie & Lowell
- Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly
- Dilly Dally – Sore
- Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
- Young Fathers – White Men are Black Men Too
- Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color
- Joey Bada$$ – B4.DA.A$$
- Royal Headache – High
- Kurt Vile – B’lieve I’m Goin’ Down
- Young Thug – Barter 6
- Deerhunter – Fading Frontier
LAURA LYONS, MARKETING
[1] Future/Drake – What A Time To Be Alive (Live From The Gutter)
[2] The Internet – Ego Death (Girl)
[3] Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear (The Night Josh Tillman Came To Our Apt.)
[3.5] Kelela – Hallucinogen* (All The Way Down)
[4] Young Thug – Barter 6 (Can’t Tell)
[5] Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color (The Greatest)
[6] Vince Staples – Summertime ‘06 (Norf Norf)
[6.5] Future – Beast Mode* (No Basic)
[7] Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly (For Free – Interlude)
[8] Empress Of – Me (Standard)
[9] Christine & The Queens – Christine & The Queens (Tilted)
[10] Jamie XX – In Colour (Good Times)
*EPs and mixtapes get half-spot love on my list. Honorable Mentions: Kali Uchis – Por Vida; Thundercat – The Beyond/Where The Giants Roam; Majical Cloudz – Are You Alone?; Drake – If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late; Archy Marshall – A New Place 2 Drown; Ibeyi – S/T; Future – DS2.
SIMON RIX, KAISER CHIEFS
Go – The Chemical Brothers
The Giver (Reprise) – Duke Dumont
Dreams – Beck
Cheer Up London – Slaves
Lousy Connection – Ezra Furman
All Day – Kanye West
Better Man – Leon Bridges
Lean On – Major Lazer ft. MO and DJ Snake
Multi-Love – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Pretty Pimpin – Kurt Vile
What Do You Mean? – Justin Bieber
Distant Past – Everything Everything
Huarache Lights – Hot Chip
The Party Line – Belle & Sebastian
Marks To Prove It – The Maccabees
Restless – New Order
How Deep Is Your Love – Calvin Harris, Disciples
The Other Side – Public Service Broadcasting
KELLY KETTERING, PUBLICITY
In no particular order:
Royal Headache – High
Beach Slang – The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us
Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly
Kacey Musgraves – Pageant Material
Sleater Kinney – No Cities To Love
High on Fire – Luminiferous
Brandi Carlile – The Firewatcher’s Daugther
Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit
Future – DS2
Kurt Vile – B’lieve I’m Goin’ Down…
SHANE MCCORD, SUN CLUB
*best song in parentheses
archy marshall – a new place 2 drown (arise dear brother)
weyes blood – cardamom times (in the beginning)
sick lion – overturned trash can lid (a bone)
francis lung – vol.1 (age limits)
mild high club – timeline (note to self)
dan deacon – gliss riffer (learning to relax)
slendermen – thin priviledge (heroin friends)
butch dawson & elon – pvrvllels ep (record)
JEANETTE WALL, A&R
in no particular order:
- Cloakroom – Further Out
- Lianne La Havas – Blood
- Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color
- The Weeknd – Beauty Behind the Madness
- Sufjan Stevens – Carrie & Lowell
- Emily King – The Switch
- SPORTS – All of Something
- And The Kids – Turn To Each Other
- Carly Rae Jepsen – Emotion
- PWR BTTM – Ugly Cherries
ALYNDA LEE SEGARRA, HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF
- Kendrick Lamar : To Pimp a butterfly
- Grimes : Art Angels
- D’Angelo : Black Messiah
- Thunderbitch : s/t
- Alabama Shakes : Sound and Color
- Deslondes : Deslondes
- Florence and the Machine
- Drake : If you’re reading this its too late
- Pops Staples : Don’t lose this
- City and Colour : If i should go before you
TOM SCHMALL, RADIO
Chris Stapleton – Traveller
Bjork – Vulnicura
Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly
Miguel – Wildheart
Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color
D’Angelo – Black Messiah
Jamie XX – In Colour
Tame Impala – Currents
Beach House – Depression Cherry
FKA Twigs – M3LL155X
BRANDI CARLILE
TOP SONGS:
Sufjan Stevens – No Shade in the Shadow of The Cross
My Morning Jacket – Spring (Among the Living)
Kurt Vile – Life Like This
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats – S.O.B.
Blitzen Trapper – Love Grow Cold
Florence + The Machine – What Kind of Man
Gill Landry – Funeral In My Heart
Ivan & Alyosha – It’s All Just Pretend
Noah Gundersen – Slow Dancer
RHETT MILLER, OLD 97’S
Roger Lion – Roger Lion
Will Johnson – Swan City Vampires
David Wax Museum – Guesthouse
Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free
Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit
The Decemberists – What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World
Best Coast – California Nights
Annalisa Tornfelt – The Number 8
CHVRCHES – Every Open Eye
Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color
MELISSA RICH, ACCOUNTING
- Tame Impala – Currents
- Laura Marling – Short Movie
- Hot Chip – Why Make Sense
- !!! – As If
- Telekinesis – Ad Infinitum
- Dawes – All Your Favorite Bands
- Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color
- Kurt Vile – b’lieve I’m going down
- Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit
- Jamie xx – In Colour
KELSEE BECKER, PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
In no particular order:
Death Cab for Cutie – Kintsugi
Chris Stapleton – Traveller
Half Moon Run – Sun Leads Me On
Of Monsters and Men – Beneath The Skin
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Multi-Love
Brandi Carlile – The Firewatcher’s Daughter
Brand New – Leaked Demos 2006 (It counts!)
Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color
Houndmouth – Little Neon Light
Mumford & Sons – Wilder Mind
And a Happy 10 Year Anniversary to… (I can’t help it haha!)
Jack’s Mannequin – Everything In Transit
Acceptance – Phantoms
Mae – The Everglow
RAYLAND BAXTER
Alabama Shakes: Gemini
Raury: Crystal Express
Natalie Prass: Christy
The Weeknd: Earned It
Kurt Vile: Pretty Pimpin
D’Angelo: Betray My Heart
Unknown Mortal Orchestra: Multi-Love
Bully: Picture
MARC OFFENBACH, DIRECTOR OF SALES
- Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color
- Ruth B – The Intro
- Brandi Carlile – The Firewatcher’s Daughter
- Oh Wonder – OW
- Wolf Alice – My Love Is Cool
- Tame Impala – Currents
- Julia Holter – Have You In My Wilderness
- Coldplay – A Head Full of Dreams
- John Grant – Grey Tickles, Black Pressure
- Father John Misty – I Love You Honeybear
- Fantasma – Free Love
MARIACHI EL BRONX
- Sleater-Kinney – No Cities To Love (No Anthems)
- Sonics – This Is The Sonics (Bad Betty)
- Metz – Metz II (Spit You Out)
- Refused – Freedom (Elektra)
- John Reis and the Blind Shake – Surf Classics (Wet Greek)
- Wilco – Star Wars (Random Name Generator)
- Ty Segall – Mr. Face (Circles)
- Los Lobos – Gates of Gold (Gates of Gold)
- Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes (Blossom)
- Pounded by the Surf – No Waves (Beach Cholo)
DAVID MCCLAIN, PRODUCT MANAGER
Tame Impala – Currents
Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color
Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly
Vulfpeck – Thrill of the Arts
Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit
Chris Stapleton – The Traveller
Brandi Carlile – The Firewatcher’s Daughter
Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear
Grimes – Art Angels
Shows
Kendrick Lamar @ Bonnaroo
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard @ Webster Hall
Brandi Carlile @ Red Rocks
Other Stuff
Song of the year – Let it Happen by Tame Imapala
Session of the year – King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard @ KEXP
MARGARET GLASPY
Pops Staples – Don’t Lose This
Milk Carton Kids – Monterrey
Wilco – Star Wars
Empress Of – Me
Justin Bieber – Purpose
Julian Lage – World’s Fair
Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit
Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color
Deerhoof – Fever 121614
David Bowie – Blackstar (Single)
MIKE QUINN, PRODUCT MANAGER
In no particular order:
Rachel Grimes “The Clearing”
The Cairo Gang “Goes Missing”
Dick Diver “Melbourne, Florida”
Low “Ones and Sixes”
Julia Holter “Have You In My Wilderness”
Wilco “Star Wars”
Velvet Underground “Matrix Tapes”
Thunderbitch @ Knitting Factory
Doug Paisley & Joan Shelley @ Old Town School of Folk Music
“How To Ru(i)n A Record Label” by Larry Livermore
JOSEPH
Some of these records aren’t new … that said, these are whole records we’ve had as trusty companions this year. 🙂 <3
Death Cab for Cutie – Kintsugi
The Japanese House – Pools To Bathe In
Sales – Sales EP
Shakey Graves – And The War Came
Bear’s Den – Islands
Bahamas – Bahamas Is Afie
Sylvan Esso – Sylvan Esso
Lucius – Wildewoman
Bird Courage – Maia Manu
London Grammar – If You Wait
The Innocence Mission – Hello I Feel The Same
Laura Veirs – July Flame (always on repeat. gets better with age!)
ROBIN HENDRICKSON, ART + PRODUCTION
Notable Things That Brought Me Joy in 2015, in no particular order:
Joan Shelley – Over & Even (No Quarter)
Band Practice – Make Nice (Chill Mega Chill)
Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color (ATO)
This is the Modern World with DJ Trouble on WFMU, Tuesdays 9am – 12 noon
Ian MacKaye & Steve Albini interviewing each other on Kreative Kontrol podcast
Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys by Viv Albertine
Billie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth by John Szwed
Jonny Fritz solo @ Baby’s All Right, March 3
Miscreant Records Showcase, Palisades, June 13
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard @ Baby’s All R ight with the AC broken, June 24
DN’T opening for Tav Falco’s Panther Burns @ Grand Victory, Oct 13
The Flick @ Barrow Street Theatre, by Annie Baker
Down Down The Deep River film – Will Sheff
New Jersey Factory Service – Expert repair of Teac & Tascam analog tape machines
thehardtimes.net
New Traditions and Old Ways: A Visual Guide to Turkey’s Thriving DIY Scenes – Pitchfork Feature by Ebru Yildiz
RICHARD HARPER, FLY GOLDEN EAGLE
Trax are in ( )
Khruangbin – The Universe Smiles Upon You (Two Fish and an Elephant)
Square People – Dark Vader
Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color (any!)
Shye Ben Tzur, Johnny Greenwood, The Rajasthan Exoress – Junun (Roked)
Oneohtrix Point Never – Garden of Delete (Sticky Drama)
Dej Loaf – #AndSeeThatsTheThing (Back Up)
Earl Sweatshirt – I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside (Mantra)
Dungen – Allas Sak (Franks Kaktus)
Kamasi Washington – The Epic (Re Run Home)
Erykah Badu – But You Caint Use My Phone (Hello)
PAUL DRYDEN, PRODUCT MANAGER
Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color
Andra Day – Cheers To The Fall
Andy Shauf – The Bearer Of Bad News
Big Grams – Big Grams
Bomba Estereo – Amanecer
Brandi Carlile – The Firewatcher’s Daughter
Chris Stapleton – Traveler
Christine & The Queens – Christine & The Queens
Floating Points – Elaenia
Ibeyi – Ibeyi
Jamie XX – In Colour
Jason Isbell – Something More Than Free
Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly
Lianne La Havas – Blood
Natalia Lafourcade – Hasta La Raiz
Monsieur Perine – Caja De Musica
Nicola Cruz – Prender El Alma
Ryan Adams – 1989
St. Germain – St. Germain
Sufjan Stevens – Carrie & Lowell
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Multi-Love
ANDREW RODRIGUEZ, INTERN
- To Pimp a Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar
- Days of Freeman – James Brandon Lewis
- Choose Your Weapon – Hiatus Kaiyote
- Sound & Color – Alabama Shakes
- Blood – Lianne La Havas
- Breathless – Terence Blanchard
- The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam – Thundercat
- Revive Music Present Supreme Sonacy Vol. 1
- Thrill of the Arts – Vulfpeck
- Beauty Behind the Madness – The Weeknd
