Whenever the end of the year rolls around I try to create a list of my favorite albums of the year. I always find it pretty difficult to pick my favorite albums because there are so many artists that I love, but this year it was kind of a no-brainer.
I haven’t stopped listening these albums since they were released and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon.
Here are my top five albums of 2015 (in no particular order).
1. American Candy – The Maine
The Maine is one of those bands that has been a mainstay in my life since middle school. I have never been disappointed by anything they’ve released and this album is no exception. I spent countless afternoons this summer driving down the PCH with my windows down and American Candy blaring from my speakers. I honestly don’t think there is one bad song on this album. (8123 means everything to me.)
2. Future Hearts – All Time Low
Much like The Maine, All Time Low is a band that has been in my life since I was in middle school. I grew up with their music and I’ve seen how they’ve progressed and grown over the years. Any album that opens with gang vocals is a winner in my book (I’m pretty sure I tweeted something along the lines of “gang vocals make the world go round” once or twice). I know people who aren’t even fans of the All Time Low that praised the band for how great Future Hearts was, which may explain why it was the No. 1 album in the country. All Time Low’s sound has definitely evolved over the years, but I feel like through all that change they’ve remained true to who ATL is.
3. Blurryface – Twenty One Pilots
Many. Emotions. I may not be able to rap along to half of the songs on this album, but I still love every single one of them. I don’t even know to explain how I feel about this album because it makes me feel everything all at once.
4. Badlands – Halsey
This girl came out of nowhere and now she’s everywhere. I am a HUGE fan of concept albums. I’m glad that Halsey didn’t make an album full of songs written solely about relationships, however I don’t have anything against artists who do. Halsey has said herself that Badlands is a reference to the state of mind that she was in while writing the record, and I love the feeling of being transported to that metaphorical wasteland whenever I listen to this album.
5. Around The World and Back – State Champs
THIS BAND. THIS ALBUM. I obviously don’t know the guys in State Champs personally and I had nothing to do with the production of the album, but I am so proud of the band and this record. This is a solid pop-punk album. It makes me want to put on a flannel shirt and a backwards snapback and eat pizza with my friends. Cheesy pop-punk jokes aside, State Champs exceeded my expectations with this album. Frontman Derek DiScanio’s vocals fill me up with so much energy, and this album reminds me of why I fell in love with the band a few years ago.
Stay tuned for more staff picks all month long!
