Top Albums of 2015
What an amazing year for music. As you'll read below, there were several amazing albums released. But that's just the beginning. The continued resurgence of vinyl has proven that there is hope for the music business beyond the digital era. It's refreshing to know that folks are listening to a full album as opposed to a single track and appreciate the artistry that SHOULD go into making a record. Make no mistake, the digital age is still upon us. Look no further than Spotify and Apple's new "Apple Music" service for proof. Artists are still essentially being ripped off by all of these services, but kudos to Taylor Swift (2nd year in a row she's received kudos from me) for standing up to Apple Music and Spotify to fight for the artist. Here's my advice on streaming services: There's no shame in listening to a record for the first few times on a streaming service. The artist is getting a fraction of a cent off of each stream, so at least they're getting something. However, if you enjoy the album, PURCHASE IT. On vinyl, digitally, on a CD (what's that?). OR, go see the artist in concert. That's the only way they'll be able to make the next record. And speaking of live music, this year was exceptional. Without question, the best nationally broadcast performance was country artist Chris Stapleton and pop music icon Justin Timberlake collaborating for an amazing version of George Jones' "Tennessee Whiskey" and Timberlake's "Drink You Away" (http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/see-chris-stapleton-and-justin-timberlakes-stunning-cma-awards-duet-20151104). If you're not impressed by this performance, you should stop reading this blog. Now, on with the list! THE BEST (in no particular order):
What an amazing year for music. As you'll read below, there were several amazing albums released. But that's just the beginning. The continued resurgence of vinyl has proven that there is hope for the music business beyond the digital era. It's refreshing to know that folks are listening to a full album as opposed to a single track and appreciate the artistry that SHOULD go into making a record. Make no mistake, the digital age is still upon us. Look no further than Spotify and Apple's new "Apple Music" service for proof. Artists are still essentially being ripped off by all of these services, but kudos to Taylor Swift (2nd year in a row she's received kudos from me) for standing up to Apple Music and Spotify to fight for the artist. Here's my advice on streaming services: There's no shame in listening to a record for the first few times on a streaming service. The artist is getting a fraction of a cent off of each stream, so at least they're getting something. However, if you enjoy the album, PURCHASE IT. On vinyl, digitally, on a CD (what's that?). OR, go see the artist in concert. That's the only way they'll be able to make the next record. And speaking of live music, this year was exceptional. Without question, the best nationally broadcast performance was country artist Chris Stapleton and pop music icon Justin Timberlake collaborating for an amazing version of George Jones' "Tennessee Whiskey" and Timberlake's "Drink You Away" (http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/see-chris-stapleton-and-justin-timberlakes-stunning-cma-awards-duet-20151104). If you're not impressed by this performance, you should stop reading this blog. Now, on with the list! THE BEST (in no particular order):
posted by Brett at 7:13 AM
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