Best 5 Albums of 2015: Editor’s Choice

I am a huge music fan as you know, and as you are, and all of us are here. As music fans, we most likely listen to a ton of albums during the year. Of all the albums I gave at least a few good honest listens to, these were the standouts from front to back and I ended up listening to them a ridiculous amount of times. This list might be completely useless to you – especially if you only care about singles. But if you are a fan of albums – the vibe, the essence, the feel of an album (as in the whole is better than the sum of its parts even though the parts are still individually outstanding) then you might view the entire list below. I just really wanted to highlight these 5 albums (and the honorable mentions) as killer albums that came out in 2015. I suggest you do the same and do it below. We want to be inspired to check them out!

Listen to the complete Top 5 list as a Spotify playlist here

1. Iron Maiden Book of Souls

Excellent album. If you are a fan of Maiden, you will probably agree this is one of their best albums, ever. And go figure, it is their 16th studio album. They manged to do what only few bands this late in their career mange to do: incorporate all successful elements from previous albums while still sounding fresh, new, and inspired. My clear pick for album of the year. I certainly didn’t hear a better one all year.

Standout tracks:

“The Red and The Black”

“The Book of Souls”

“Death or Glory”

“Shadows of the Valley”

2. Cage the Elephant Tell Me I’m Pretty

This album probably wont produce any big hits for the band like with past albums but it is solid from start to finish. No skips. CTE just keeps releasing great albums. Makes me think they are a band full of good song writers. I don’t see them slowing down. I argue this is their best album yet.

Standout tracks:

“Mess Around”

“Cold Cold Cold”

“Trouble”

3. Children of Bodom I Worship Chaos

If it wasn’t for Iron Maiden’s Book of Souls album, this would be the clear pick for best metal album of the year. Perhaps not the best of their career but it is right up there. Listen all the way through; it sounds like an album. Cohesive yet eclectic. A good spectrum of their sound over the years. Great riffs, great melodies. Their “catchiest” album yet. Solid from front to back.

Standout tracks:

“Morrigan”

“I Worship Chaos”

“Suicide Bomber”

“Widdershins”

4. Mumford and Sons Wilder Mind

They ditched the banjo and went for a more mainstream alternative rock/indie sound, to flying colors. Highly successful and decorated album. They might have lost some of their fan base but they sure as heck gained me as a fan. I didn’t care for them before this album. Now I am a fan and I think this was the third best album of the year!

Standout tracks:

“The Wolf”

“Wilder Mind”

“Snake Eyes”

5. Courtney Barnett Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit

Never heard of her before I heard “Pedestrian At Best” but geez, that song rules. Genuine, honest, raw, unique. That goes for the whole album, really. Watch her live. Who does she remind you of? Yep. Right. Crazy huh?

Standout tracks:

“Pedestrian At Best”

“Dead Fox”

“Elevator Operator”