This was really fun for me to write. I love music so much, and I
definitely listened to a lot of it this year. I branched out and discovered a
ton of new artists, but I also got to enjoy new music from artists I’ve always
loved. So without further ado, here are 8 albums I listened to this year, along
with a few words about them a couple of my favorite songs (in release date
order).
1.
Good News-
Rend Collective (January 19) – Up until a few months ago, I did not like
Christian music at all. It was all just too corny and unoriginal for my taste.
But Rend Collective changed things for me. I saw them live and really felt
their energy and the presence of God in that place, and I haven’t stopped
listening to them since. This album truly has changed my life.
a.
“Rescuer (Good News)” – This one is really fun
to sing loudly to in the car. It has a great beat and an important message; God
is for everyone, even those who doubt. Because of his love, we are saved and freed
from sin.
b.
“Counting Every Blessing – Ukulele Session” –
The original version of this song is good, but the ukulele version is even
better. God is so good and gives us so many blessings in life. Through him, we
have a bright and fulfilling future.
2.
Staying at
Tamara’s- George Ezra (March 23) – This 25-year-old English
singer-songwriter sings (in a uniquely beautiful deep, sultry voice) about love
and the human experience in his second album (preceded by Wanted on Voyage which housed the hit single, “Budapest”).
a.
“All My Love” – This song really showcases his
rich, deep vocals and has a beautiful message about loving someone with your
whole heart.
b.
“Hold My Girl” – This touching ballad has a
beautiful instrumental to back up Ezra’s message about opening up and trusting
the one you love with your worries and pain.
3.
Voicenotes-
Charlie Puth (May 11) – You know, I never really had an opinion about Charlie
Puth, but then I listened to this album and fell in love. The man knows how to
write catchy tunes that also have strong lyrics.
a.
“The Way I Am” – In this sassy, upbeat song,
Puth sings about his struggle with making a name for himself in the music
industry. He wants people to know that he has anxieties and insecurities as
well, but he owns up to who he is and wants other people to do so too.
b.
“Change” – This collaboration with James Taylor
is about striving for love and equality in a world that seems void of the
desire to simply get along with one another.
4.
Magic-
Ben Rector (June 22) – I had been anticipating this album for three years, and
it did not disappoint. Following the success of his 2015 album Brand New, Ben is back with more perfect
songs about love, friendship, and all the wonderful moments life has in store
for us.
a.
“Extraordinary Magic” – This song sounds like
something straight out of a Disney movie. It’s about seeing the beauty in
someone you love, even when they are having a hard time seeing it themselves.
b.
”Old Friends” – This one really gets me. I’m
just going to leave you with the chorus. “Cause no one knows you like they know
you, and no one probably ever will. You can grow up and make new ones, but
truth is, there’s nothing like old friends. Cause you can’t make old friends.”
I love my old friends.
5.
summer, EP-
Jeremy Zucker (September 28) – I discovered Jeremy Zucker about halfway through
the year, and I had the pleasure of seeing him perform live. He has such a
genuine passion for music, and it really shows through this latest EP.
a.
“comethru” – With a simple finger-snapping beat
and delicate falsetto, Zucker wrestles with the understanding that sometimes
it’s ok to not be ok, and it’s ok to ask others for help.
b.
“thinking 2 much” – Following the same simple
beat and tone of “comethru”, this song is about a relationship failing due to
the fact that both people are overthinking things. This song also features the
equally incredible artist, EDEN.
6.
Trench-
twenty one pilots (October 5) – Probably the most anticipated album of the last
few years, twenty one pilots came back stronger than ever with Trench. While I have to admit that, at
first, I didn’t really understand this album’s deeper meaning, once I took the
time to really listen to the lyrics, I fell in love with Josh and Tyler all
over again.
a.
“Neon Gravestones” – This was my instant
favorite of the whole album. I really encourage you to go read the lyrics while
you listen to it. But to sum it up, this song is about suicide, a subject that
has always been close to my heart.
b.
“My Blood” – This song is about staying by
someone’s side and being the light in their darkest times.
7.
Mirror
Master- Young the Giant (October 12) – I’ll be honest, I completely forgot
this band existed. I think the only song I knew before this album was the
iconic “Cough Syrup.” But wow, this album is pure perfection. Great energy,
vulnerable lyrics, and well-rounded harmonies. It’s all about coming to terms
with the person you see in the mirror and understanding that change must come
from within.
a.
“Simplify” – This song starts out with a fierce,
upbeat guitar solo that sets the fun, bouncy tone for the rest of the song.
It’s about how even when life is hectic and complicated, when you stare into
the eyes of the one you love, nothing else matters in that moment and all your
worries fade away.
b.
“Darkest Shade of Blue” – This song is short but
powerful. The backtrack is sort of ambient, and the vocals have an echo sound
to them. It’s about being there for someone in their darkest, most anxious and
depressed times, letting them know that they are not alone.
8.
Glory
Sound Prep- Jon Bellion (November 9) – Jon Bellion does not hold back on
this album. As he said in an interview, he wanted to experiment and take risks,
do things his way, even if people may not like it. He touches on fame, faith,
love, and humanity, among many other things.
a.
“Stupid Deep” – There aren’t a whole lot of
lyrics in this song. He does verse 1, verse 2, and then repeats verse 1 twice
more, with a growing intensity each time. As simple as this song is, however,
it packs a powerful punch.
b.
“The Internet” – This song has what I will call
a classic Jon Bellion beat and melody: catchy, jazzy, fun to sing along to.
It’s about the difference between the way that people present themselves on social
media versus the way their lives actually are.
