Every year, KXSU, somehow, in some way likes to put our thoughts on the music year, down on paper, then we draw on it, cut and paste pictures of dogs on to it, and sign it with our own blood. The point of this process is to create the most legit lists, anyone has ever seen, ever. So if that is what you were looking for, you’ve found it. This year we are taking a different approach to this and assigning awards to our favorite and least favorites of the year. For each award winner we have drawn a beautiful picture of a cactus and we will be sending these cacti to the winner of the award with the subject of the letter being, enclosed is an important photo of a cactus. We expect all of the winners to contact us back, and thank us. Any way each of our reporters has picked favorites and least favorites, so here is the list of the winners and losers. Congrats to the winners, and to those who didn’t win, you will be placed in to a loser’s bracket with the grand prize being a letter with absolutely no contents in it. Just an envelope. But honestly if both Justin Bieber AND Carly Rae Jepson can release great albums in one year, you can all be winners.
WORSTS
Worst album of 2015:
Craig (Writer’s Block): Smoke + Mirrors, Imagine Dragons – Night Visions was a total bop. They had a lot to live up to, and they just didn’t pull it off. Still have a huge crush on Dan Reynolds, though. I know he’s married. I know he has a kid. Don’t start with me.
Anna (Artist Editorials): How Does It Feel, MS MR -. Maybe this was just so bad to me because I was so heart eyes over their first record. Painted was literally the only good song on this record. I don’t know what happened between Secondhand Rapture and this but everything that made them special was ripped apart and left them with like 12 of the same slow and depressing songs over and over again.
Julia (Seattle University Student Correspondent): Confident, Demi Lovato. Just not my thing. Plus, I can’t tell you just how many thousands of times I had to listen to the song Cool for the Summer while stuck indoors at work this break, which just made me bitter about the whole thing.
Jason (In Bed With Jason): Wilder Mind by Mumford and Sons. Remember when we thought Mumford and Suns would be the ones to change modern music? They made the banjo hip again. But instead of initiating this sweet-ass revolution, they decided to dissolve into the pop music empire. For this album, if you replaced Marcus Mumford’s voice with say Adam Levine, I’d be convinced it was a Maroon 5 album. I’d say “yeah that sounds about right.” The uniqueness of Mumford and Sons that I started listening to them in the first place for is nooooowhere to be found.
Bella (HBIC): Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz by none other than Miley Cyrus. How do you follow an absolute BANGER of an album, then come up with this sludge? I kept listening for the entirety of an hour and half to see if there was anything redeemable about it (and there are TWO songs that I was like, “hmm, NOT COMPLETELY AWFUL,” on there) but listening to this album overall was the equivalent of sticking my ears in a blender and being forced to drink it.That’s how painful it was for me. We get you smoke pot. Thank you for saying it like 5 million times in your album. I love you Miley, and I know you don’t give a f*ck, but plz
Marcus (Head Reporter): With Arms Wide Open: A Retrospective, Creed. A Creed best hits. LOL. I’d rather get hit in the face 40 times than listen to the 40 songs on this album. I’d also rather eat 40 pairs or shoes, go 40 days without sitting, and THEN try to have an intelligent conversation with a Republican presidential candidate about gun control at a vegetarian restaurant, than listen to those 40 songs.
Worst song of 2015:
Craig (Writer’s Block): Freedom -Pharrell Williams – Don’t even start with me on the “IT SENDS A POSITIVE MESSAGE!” thing. It’s a mess of a song. For a guy who did such brilliant work with The Neptunes not that long ago, his solo material these past couple of years have been vanilla. This song is seriously so, so bland.
Anna (Artist Editorials): 2 Heads – Coleman Hell. I hate this song more than anything else. It’s like a banjo and rap music had a child. Well it’s not like it, that’s what it is. I have no idea why it is so popular in the alternative world. Every time it comes on I cringe.
Jack (aka. Bands My Dad Showed Me When I Was 12): You Stand the Rain, Ray Lewis. He’s only released a teaser, but there’s no reason to think this is going to be anything but the worst piece of music in the last decade (century?)
Julia (Seattle University Student Correspondent): This is controversial but I have to say Can’t Feel my Face by the Weeknd. This song was a banger to see live, but this summer I heard it so. Many. Times. It started to have that Call Me Maybe effect to it where if I heard it come on my radio just one more time I would have smashed my it.
Jason (In Bed With Jason): Bi*ch, I’m Madonna – Madonna. She’s like when your aunt breaks her hip at the Christmas party because she got too drunk and tried to dance on a table like she did in ’94. Please stop, Madonna. We don’t want you to hurt your hip
Bella (HBIC): Watch Me by Silento is actually sonically cringeworthy. It’s monotonous, unoriginal, the beat is lazy as f*ck, and I can’t believe people actually go crazy when this song comes on in the club???? Please never play this song ever. Thanks. Sincerely, Everyone.
Marcus (Head Reporter): Just Like You – Falling in Reverse. How does Ronnie Radke still exist?
Worst Person of 2015: This does not have to be musical(Cough Donald Trump…)
Geran(Music Director): Mike Huckabee
Anna (Artist Editorials): Gotta go with Donald Trump. Miley Cyrus. Jared the subway guy. My dad said I should put the leader of ISIS so him too.
Jack (aka. Bands My Dad Showed Me When I Was 12): Ray Lewis for thinking he can pull a Shaq (did you guys know Shaq released five albums? And that the first of which, Shaq Diesel,was certified platinum?)
Julia (Seattle University Student Correspondent): The classic: Donald Trump.
Jason (In Bed With Jason): John Mayer. It’s John Mayer every year.
Bella (HBIC): Raven Symone, Rachel Dolezal, Kim Davis, Bill Cosby, Jared Fogle aka the Subway guy, Ann Coulter, Martin Shkreli aka the guy who made buying AIDS drugs impossible… the list goes on. Donald Trump is a given, right?
Marcus (Head Reporter): Raven Symone – You went from That’s So Raven, to That’s So Racist, so seamlessly.
Most disappointing album of 2015:
Geran(Music Director): Caracal , Disclosure
Craig (Writer’s Block): Wilder Mind, Mumford & Sons
Anna (Artist Editorials): Run, AWOLNATION
Jack (aka. Bands My Dad Showed Me When I Was 12): 1989, Ryan Adams
Julia (Seattle University Student Correspondent): Kidz bop 30, I expected more
Jason (In Bed With Jason): Strangers To Ourselves, Modest Mouse
Bella (HBIC): Caracal, Disclosure
Marcus (Head Reporter): Boys Don’t Cry, Frank Ocean. BECAUSE IT NEVER CAMEEEEE. Still bitter.
Maria (Local Correspondent): Currents, Tame Impala
BESTS
Best outfit of 2015:
Craig (Writer’s Block): Beyonce at the Met Gala
Anna (Artist Editorials): What Drake in the Hotline Bling video
Jack (aka. Bands My Dad Showed Me When I Was 12): Everything that Shia Laboeuf wore.
Julia (Seattle University Student Correspondent):: baggy clothing completes their aesthetic.
Jason (In Bed With Jason): Angus Young – because it’s the same as it was in 1985
Bella (HBIC): Rihanna at the Met Gala 2015
Marcus (Head Reporter): Missy Elliot – ALWAYSS
Best Album Artwork of 2015:
Geran(Music Director): In Colour, Jamie XX
Maria (Local Correspondent): 25, Adele
Anna (Artist Editorials): If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, Drake
Jack (aka. Bands My Dad Showed Me When I Was 12): Bush, Snoop Dogg
Marcus (Head Reporter): I love you, Honeybear (LP with Pop outs), Father John Misty
Julia (Seattle University Student Correspondent): Fading Frontier, Deerhunter
Bella (HBIC): I Love You Honeybear, Father John Misty
Jason (In Bed With Jason): Strangers to Ourselves, Modest Mouse
Best Local album of 2015:
Bella (HBIC): Depression Cherry, Beach House
Jason (In Bed With Jason): Color Punch, The Hoot Hoots
Julia (Seattle University Student Correspondent): Weirdo Shrine, La Luz
Marcus (Head Reporter): Baton Rouge, Fauna Shade
Jack (aka. Bands My Dad Showed Me When I Was 12): Fear and Lies, Sick Sad World
Maria (Local Correspondent): Weirdo Shrine, La Luz
Geran (Music Director): The Trouble with People, Fox and the Law
Best Seattle Band of 2015:
Geran (Music Director): Acid Tongue
Anna (Artist Editorials): Cataldo
Julia (Seattle University Student Correspondent): La Luz
Jason (In Bed With Jason): Naked Giants
Marcus (Head Reporter): Porter Ray
Maria (Local Correspondent): S (Jenn Champion)
Best Artist of 2015:
Geran (Music Director): King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Craig (Writer’s Block): Alabama Shakes
Anna (Artist Editorials): Walk the Moon
Jack (aka. Bands My Dad Showed Me When I Was 12): Thundercat
Julia (Seattle University Student Correspondent): Aero Flynn
Jason (In Bed With Jason): Alex G
Bella (HBIC): Grimes
Marcus (Head Reporter): Courtney Barnett
Best Live Performance of 2015:
Geran (Music Director): Tame Impala -Sasquatch
Craig (Writer’s Block): Chris Stapleton – The Showbox
Anna (Artist Editorials): The Rolling Stones – Carter-Finley Stadium – Raleigh, NC
Jack (aka. Bands My Dad Showed Me When I Was 12): El Ten Eleven – Neumos
Marcus (Head Reporter): Benamin Booker – The Crocodile
Julia (Seattle University Student Correspondent): Tallest Man on Earth – First Avenue in MN
Jason (In Bed With Jason): Sheer Mag – First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia
Bella (HBIC): Grimes – Showbox Sodo
Best Festival Lineup of 2015:
Geran (Music Director): FYF
Craig (Writer’s Block): Bumbershoot
Anna (Artist Editorials): Austin City Limits
Jack (aka. Bands My Dad Showed Me When I Was 12): Pitchfork
Julia (Seattle University Student Correspondent): Eaux Claires
Jason (In Bed With Jason): Firefly
Bella (HBIC): FYF before Frank Ocean dropped out
Marcus (Head Reporter): Fisherman’s Village
Maria(Local Correspondent): Eaux Claires
Best Music Video of 2015:
Geran (Music Director): Zond – Pond
Craig (Writer’s Block): Hello – Adele
Anna (Artist Editorials): What Kind of Man – Florence + the Machine
Jack (aka. Bands My Dad Showed Me When I Was 12): Everything On GP – Death Grips
Julia (Seattle University Student Correspondent): Bully – Trying
Jason (In Bed With Jason): Breaking Our Necks – Eskimeaux
Bella (HBIC): Flesh Without Blood/Life in the Vivid Dream – Grimes
Marcus (Head Reporter): Sunday Candy – Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment
Best Songs Released in 2015:
Geran (Music Director): Cha Cha – D.R.A.M
Craig (Writer’s Block): Hello – Adele
Anna (Artist Editorials): Hotline Bling – Drake
Jack (aka. Bands My Dad Showed Me When I Was 12): My Reward – Hamilton Leithauser
Julia (Seattle University Student Correspondent): Sparks – Beach House
Jason (In Bed With Jason): The Thunder Answered Back – Eskimeaux
Bella (HBIC): Carrie & Lowell – Sufjan Stevens
Marcus (Head Reporter): Grey Hair – Waxahatchee
Best Album Released in 2015:
Geran(Music Director): Man It Feels Like Space Again, Pond
Craig (Writer’s Block): 25, Adele
Anna (Artist Editorials): Our Own House, Misterwives
Jack (aka. Bands My Dad Showed Me When I Was 12Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape), Chance the Rapper & Lil B
Julia (Seattle University Student Correspondent): Carrie and Lowell, Sufjan Stevens
Jason (In Bed With Jason): Beach Music, Alex G
Bella (HBIC): Art Angels, Grimes
Marcus (Head Reporter): Ivy Tripp, Waxahatchee
Maria (Local Correspondent): Before the World Was Big- Girlpool