The Best of 2016

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

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            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

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            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

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            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

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            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

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            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)

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            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)