THE BEST OF 2016 IN THE WORLD ACCORDING TO JOHN BOMMARITO
As always, it's just one man's
opinion, so if you don't agree, there is no need to get upset. It looks nothing like the lists published in
any of the cool magazines. In fact their top albums either aren't on my list or
near the bottom, because I'm not cool.
I'm just a music fan with my own tastes and I won't apologize for
them. My lists are calculated by rating
each song on each album on a 1-10 scale. Simple division gives each album a
score, then the releases are broken into categories. It wouldn't be fair to have a album full of
familiar covers on the same list as an album of all originals. Same goes for a live album or an album full
of acoustic interpretations of previously released songs. Christmas albums are essentially covers
albums for the most part, so again, they are separated from the pack. EPs also are separate. Not as many songs increases their odds of a
high rating over a full length. I
realize every year it's still not a perfect system. An album could have two great songs on it,
but 8 forgettable songs and actually place in the top 50 while an album that
had 10 songs that were all very listenable, perhaps even more likable with
time, but not many that stood out (but still be an album that would be more
enjoyable to listen to because there wasn't anything you'd want to skip over)
might end up near the bottom of the list.
See, not perfect, just like me.
This year, there were fewer ties at
the top of the list than there has been in recent years. If you see the list go
from 6 to 6 to 8, you can assume those albums had the same score. It is what it is, so here is this year's best
of list:
BEST
EP
CATEGORY-RANKING-ARTIST-TITLE
EP-1-ACCIDENTALS-PARKING LOT
EP
EP-2- MAY ERLEWINE -LEAN INTO THE WIND
EP-2- DAN HENIG -PAPER PLANES &
HURRICANES
EP-4- MAY ERLEWINE-THE LITTLE THINGS
EP-5- ALLIE MOSS-THE OTHER SIDE
EP-6-THE GRAHAMS- WILD ONE
EP-7-ROUGH AND TUMBLE-PIECES AND PIECES
EP-8- MARY FAHL-FOUR SONGS (LIMITED EDITION
EP)
EP-9- KT TUNSTALL-GOLDEN STATE EP (BARNES
& NOBLE EDITION)
EP-9-MUMFORD & SONS WITH BAABA MAAL,
ETC-JOHANNESBURG
BEST
ACOUSTIC RECORD
CATEGORY-RANKING-ARTIST-TITLE
ACOUSTIC-1- BRIAN VANDER ARK -PLANET SUNDAY SESSIONS VOLUME 1
(HIGHEST SCORE OF ANY RECORD THIS YEAR!)
ACOUSTIC-2-SIMPLE MINDS-ACOUSTIC
ACOUSTIC-3-TONIC-LEMON PARADE REVISITED
ACOUSTIC-4- ELEANOR MCEVOY -NAKED MUSIC
ACOUSTIC-5- GABE DIXON -TURNS TO GOLD (SOLO ACOUSTIC)
ACOUSTIC-6- MACY GRAY -STRIPPED
---
BEST
LIVE ALBUM
CATEGORY-RANKING-ARTIST-TITLE
LIVE-1- PAULA COLE -THIS BRIGHT RED FEELING
(LIVE)
LIVE-2- THE ALARM-SPIRIT OF '86
LIVE-3-DREW HOLCOMB & THE
NEIGHBORS-LIVE AT THE RYMAN
LIVE-3- JOSH GROBAN -STAGES LIVE (TARGET
EDITION)
LIVE-5-THE ALARM-FOUR LADS WHO SHOOK THE
WORLD
LIVE-6- GLEN PHILLIPS -LIVE AT THE BELLY UP
LIVE-7-MAVERICKS-ALL NIGHT LIVE VOLUME 1
LIVE-8- JAKE SHIMABUKURO -LIVE IN JAPAN
LIVE-9-THE KIN-LIVE FOR PLEDGE MUSIC
LIVE-9-JOSHUA RADIN -LIVE FROM THE VILLAGE
(DELUXE EDITION)
LIVE-11-JENNY & TYLER-10,000 MILES-LIVE
IN 2015
LIVE-12- AOIFE O'DONOVAN -MAIN
IN A NEON COAT
---
BEST
COVERS ALBUM
CATEGORY-RANKING-ARTIST-TITLE
COVERS-1-SLEEPING AT LAST-COVERS VOL. 2
COVERS-2-TRAIN-DOES LED ZEPPELIN II
COVERS-3- TOM BUTWIN -A DIFFERENT STAGE
COVERS-4-VARIOUS-SOUNDS OF THE 80'S VOLUME
2
COVERS-5-JILL JACK-PURE IMAGINATION
COVERS-6-PIANO GUYS-UNCHARTED (TARGET
EDITION)
COVERS-7-MELISSA ETHERIDGE -MEMPHIS ROCK AND SOUL
(TARGET EXCLUSIVE)
COVERS-8- MADELEINE PEYROUX -SECULAR HYMNS
---
BEST
COMPILATION
CATEGORY-RANKING-ARTIST-TITLE
COMPILATION-1-VARIOUS-KTCZ 97.1 FM-THE
CITIES SAMPLER-VOLUME 28
COMPILATION-2-SOUNDTRACK-THE PASSION: NEW ORLEANS (TARGET
EDITION)
COMPILATION-3-VARIOUS-DERMOT O'LEARY
PRESENTS THE SATURDAY SESSIONS 2016
COMPILATION-4-VARIOUS-THE ART OF
PEACE-WISDOM. ACTION. FREEDOM. SONGS FOR TIBET II
COMPILATION-5-VARIOUS-BBC RADIO 1'S LIVE
LOUNGE 2016
COMPILATION-6-VARIOUS-WXPN-LIVE AT THE
WORLD CAFÉ VOL. 40
COMPILATION-7- TONY BENNETT &
VARIOUS-TONY BENNETT CELEBRATES 90 (AMAZON DELUXE EDITION)
COMPILATION-8-VARIOUS-DUALTONE 2001-2016
COMPILATION-9-VARIOUS-SOUTHERN FAMILY
---
BEST
ARCHIVAL RECORDING
CATEGORY-RANKING-ARTIST-TITLE
ARCHIVAL-1- MARC COHN -CAREFUL WHAT YOU
DREAM: LOST SONGS AND RARITIES
ARCHIVAL-2- JOHN GORKA -BEFORE
BEGINNING-THE UNRELEASED I KNOW
ARCHIVAL-3- JEFF BUCKLEY -YOU AND I
---
BEST CHRISTMAS ALBUM
CATEGORY-RANKING-ARTIST-TITLE
CHRISTMAS-1-JENNY & TYLER-CHRISTMAS
STORIES
CHRISTMAS-2- SARAH MCLACHLAN -WONDERLAND
(BARNES & NOBLE EDITION)
CHRISTMAS-3-STRAIGHT NO CHASER-I'LL HAVE
ANOTHER CHRISTMAS ALBUM
CHRISTMAS-3-PENTATONIX-A PENTATONIX
CHRISTMAS
CHRISTMAS-5-NATALIE MACMASTER & DONNELL
LEAHY-A CELTIC FAMILY CHRISTMAS
CHRISTMAS-6-PENNY &
SPARROW-CHRISTMASSONGS
CHRISTMAS-7- RANI ARBO & DAISY MAYHEM-WINTERSONG
CHRISTMAS-8-KILLERS-DON'T WASTE YOUR WISHES
CHRISTMAS-9-TONY HADLEY-THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM
(US
VERSION)
---
BEST
ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
CATEGORY-RANKING-ARTIST-TITLE
-1- SAM CORBIN -LET THE FIRE BURN STRONG
-2-RECORD COMPANY-GIVE IT BACK TO YOU
-3-KALEO-A/B
-4- OLIVIA MILLERSCHIN -LOOK BOTH WAYS
-5- LIZ LONGLEY -WEIGHTLESS
-6- LORI MCKENNA,-THE BIRD & THE RIFLE
-6-KINGS OF LEON-WALLS
-8-JOSEPH-I'M ALONE, SO YOU'RE NOT
-9- MICHAEL LOGEN -NEW MEDICINE
-10- FOY VANCE -THE WILD SWAN
-11-PASSENGER-YOUNG AS THE MORNING, OLD AS
THE SEA (DELUXE)
-11- INGRID MICHAELSON -IT DOESN'T HAVE TO
MAKE SENSE
-11-TEDDY THOMPSON & KELLY JONES-LITTLE
WINDOWS
-11-GOO GOO DOLLS-BOXES
-15- MICHAEL BUBLE -NOBODY BUT ME (DELUXE
EDITION) (just enough originals to not be a covers album)
-16- COLBIE CAILLAT -THE MALIBU SESSIONS
-17-CHANTAL KREVIAZUK -HARD SAIL
-18-NEEDTOBREATHE-HARD LOVE (CRACKER BARREL
VERSION)
-18-AVETT BROTHERS-TRUE SADNESS (TARGET
EDITION)
-20-HEAD AND THE HEART-SIGNS OF LIGHT
-20-3 DOORS DOWN-US & THE NIGHT (TARGET
EXCLUSIVE)
-22- ALEX DEZEN -ALEX DEZEN
-23-KT TUNSTALL -KIN (DELUXE)
-24-BIRDY-BEAUTIFUL LIES (DELUXE EDITION)
-25-PETER WOLF -A CURE FOR LONELINESS
-26-BOWLING FOR SOUP-DRUNK DYNASTY
-26-RYAN SHUPE -WE RODE ON
-28-BLIND PILOT-AND THEN LIKE LIONS
-29-ONEREPUBLIC-OH MY MY (TARGET EXCLUSIVE)
-29-MIGUEL RIVERA -THE VALLEY
-31- NORAH JONESDAY BREAKS (TARGET EDITION)
-32-DAVE BARNES -CARRY ON, SAN VICENTE
-33- BUDDY MILLER & FRIENDS-CAYAMO SESSIONS AT SEA
-33- SARAH JAROSZ -UNDERCURRENT
-35-JOHN PAUL WHITE -BEULAH
-35- DONOVAN WOODS -HARD SETTLE, AIN'T
TROUBLED
-35-JAMES SIX HUNTER -HOLD ON
-35-SHEL-JUST CRAZY ENOUGH
-35- EMILE SANDE -LONG LIVE THE ANGELS
(TARGET EDITION)
-35-ESCONDIDO-WALKING
WITH A STRANGER
-41-ERICK BAKER -DEAR AMANDA
-41-FRIGHTENED RABBIT-PAINTING OF A PANIC
ATTACK
-41-GRIFFIN
HOUSE -SO ON AND SO FORTH
-44-LUMINEERS-CLEOPATRA (TARGET DELUXE
EDITION)
-45- TOM CHAPLIN-THE WAVE (DELUXE EDITION)
-46-WILD FEATHERS-LONELY IS A LIFETIME
-47- MICHAEL FRANTI &
SPEARHEAD-SOULROCKER
-47-RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS-THE GETAWAY
-49-SWITCHFOOT-WHERE THE LIGHT SHINES
THROUGH (DELUXE)
-50-BLUE RODEO-1000 ARMS
-50- MIKE VIAL -A WORLD THAT'S BIGGER
-50-SHAWN COLVIN & STEVE EARLE-COLVIN
& EARLE
-50- MATT WERTZ-GUN SHY
-50-LOLO-IN LOVING MEMORY OF WHEN I GAVE A
SHIT
-50- AOIFE O'DONOVAN -IN THE MAGIC HOUR
-50-GREEN DAY-REVOLUTION RADIO
-50- GAVIN DEGRAW -SOMETHING WORTH SAVING
(TARGET EDITION)
-50- GABE DIXON -TURNS TO GOLD
-59-STING-57TH & 9TH (DELUXE EDITION)
-59- VAN MORRISON -KEEP ME SINGING
-59-RAGBIRDS-THE THRESHOLD AND THE HEARTH
-62- KATIE PEDERSON -LOOSE ENDS
-62- RYAN SHERIDAN -RYAN SHERIDAN
-62-GLEN PHILLIPS -SWALLOWED BY THE NEW
-65- LINDSEY STIRLING
-BRAVE ENOUGH (TARGET EDITION)
-65-TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND-LET ME GET BY
(DELUXE EDITION)
-67-BASTILLE-WILD WORLD (TARGET EXCLUSIVE)
-68-JACK GARRATT -PHASE (LIMITED EDITION)
-68-SOUL ASYLUM-CHANGE OF FORTUNE
-68-JUST A TOURIST-DEEP TIME OF GREEN &
BLUE
-68-BONNIE RAITT -DIG IN DEEP
-68-FRIENDS WITH THE WEATHER-FRIENDS WITH
THE WEATHER
-68- THE KIN -MODERN PRIMITIVE
-68-LAKE STREET DIVE-SIDE PONY
-68-WE BANJO 3-STRING THEORY
-76- MICHAEL KIWANUKA -LOVE & HATE
-76- RITA WILSON -RITA WILSON
-76- RICK SPRINGFIELD -ROCKET SCIENCE (BEST BUY
EDITION)
-76- AMOS LEE -SPIRIT (BEST BUY EDITION)
-76-NADA SURF-YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE
-81- JO SERRAPERE -DOLLAR STORE NATION
-81-SOLAS-ALL THESE YEARS
-83- LUKAS GRAHAM,-LUKAS GRAHAM
-83-JONATHA BROOKE-MIDNIGHT HALLELUJAH
-83-JAKE SHIMABUKURO -NASHVILLE SESSIONS
-83- JUDY COLLINS & ARI HEST-SILVER
SKIES BLUE
-83- VINCE GILL -DOWN TO MY LAST BAD HABIT
(TARGET EXCLUSIVE)
-83-REGINA
SPEKTOR -REMEMBER US TO LIFE (DELUXE EDITION)
-89- ERIC HUTCHINSON -EASY STREET (FULL
DELUXE EDITION)
-89-JIMMY EAT WORLD-INTEGRITY BLUES
-89- WILLIAM BELL -THIS IS WHERE I LIVE
-89-BAND OF HORSES-WHY ARE YOU OK
-93- CHRIS BUHALIS -BIG CAR TOWN
-93- SEAN WATKINS -WHAT TO FEAR
-95-ELEPHANT REVIVAL-PETALS
-96-NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE
NIGHTSWEATS-A LITTLE SOMETHING MORE FROM
-96-BANTA-DARK CHARMS
-96-BLACKIE AND THE RODEO KINGS-KINGS AND
KINGS
-96-CARRIE NEWCOMER,-THE BEAUTIFUL NOT YET
-96- SIERRA HULL -WEIGHTED MIND
-101-JAYHAWKS-PAGING MR. PROUST (PLEDGE
DELUXE EDITION)
-102- RACHAEL SAGE -CHOROEGRAPHIC
-102-ST.
PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES-SEA
OF NOISE
-104- MICHAELROBERSTON -ALL MY STORIES
-105-MISSION-ANOTHER
FALL FROM GRACE (SPECIAL EDITION)
-105- GREG LASWELL -EVERYONE THINKS I DODGED
A BULLET
-105- BEN WATT -FEVER DREAM
-105- MATT ANDERSEN -HONEST MAN
-105- BRITTA PHILLIPS -LUCK OR MAGIC
-105- DAN DILEGO -MAGNIFICENT RAM A
-105-CAREY OTT -NOCONA
-105-BRETT DENNEN -POR FAVOR
-113-RICHARD SHINDELL -CARELESS
-113- DAN LAYUS -DANGEROUS THINGS
-113-PENNY & SPARROW-LET A LOVER DROWN
YOU
-113-CACTUS BLOSSOMS-YOU'RE DREAMING
-117-STEWART-LINDSEY-SPITBALLIN'
-118- BONNIE BISHOP -AIN'T WHO I WAS
-118- SUZANNE VEGA-THE BALLAD OF CARSON MCCULLERS
-120-ANDREW BIRD-ARE YOU SERIOUS
-120-YOUNG THE GIANT-HOME OF THE STRANGE
-120-PAUL SIMON -STRANGER TO STRANGER
-120-PARKER MILLSAP -THE VERY LAST DAY
-124-CARRIE RODRIGUEZ-LOLA
-124-ENIGMA-THE FALL OF A REBEL ANGEL
(DELUXE EDITION)
-124- JOHN LATINI -THE BLUES JUST MAKES ME
FEEL GOOD
-124-BIG HEAD BLUES CLUB-WAY DOWN INSIDE
-128- JAMIE-SUE SEAL-THE POST-VOCTORIAN
WOMAN'S GUIDE TO RECKLESS FLIRTATIONS
-128-DELERIUM-MYTHOLOGIE
-130-YELLO-TOY (DELUXE EDITION)
-131-RADIOHEAD-A MOON SHAPED POOL
-131- LISA HANNIGAN -AT SWIM
-131-BOWIE, DAVID-BLACKSTAR
-131-LILY & MADELEINE-KEEP IT TOGETHER
-131- HAYES CARLL -LOVERS AND LEAVERS
-131-RAY LAMONTAGNE -OUROBOROS
-131-CORN POTATO STRING BAND-PUT ON YOUR
OLD GREY BONNET
-131-MICHAEL DAUSE -THE SOUND OF
SELF-DESTRUCTION
-131- ELTON JOHN -WONDERFUL CRAZY NIGHT
(TARGET EDITION)
