Year-End Lists

Sputnikmusic: Top 50 Albums of 2015

[see also 2017]

1. To Pimp A Butterfly
   Kendrick Lamar
2. Carrie & Lowell
   Sufjan Stevens
3. Art Angels
   Grimes
4. Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise
   The Dear Hunter
5. Viet Cong
   Viet Cong
6. Have You In My Wilderness
   Julia Holter
7. No Cities To Love
   Sleater-Kinney
8. In Colour
   Jamie xx
9. Departure Songs
   We Lost the Sea
10. Instant Gratification
    Dance Gavin Dance
11. Pale Horses
    mewithoutYou
12. I Love You, Honeybear
    Father John Misty
13. Sorni Nai
    Kauan
14. Painted Shut
    Hop Along
15. New Bermuda
    Deafheaven
16. Garden of Delete
    Oneohtrix Point Never
17. Meliora
    Ghost B.C.
18. The Epic
    Kamasi Washington
19. Depression Cherry
    Beach House
20. Summertime ’06
    Vince Staples
21. Fading Frontier
    Deerhunter
22. Arcturian
    Arcturus
23. Dumb Flesh
    Blanck Mass
24. E•MO•TION
    Carly Rae Jepsen
25. Divers
    Joanna Newsom
26. The Direction of Last Things
    Intronaut
27. I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside: An Album
    Earl Sweatshirt
28. Under the Red Cloud
    Amorphis
29. The Plague Within
    Paradise Lost
30. Lightless Walk
    Cult Leader
31. Vulnicura
    Björk
32. Peripheral Vision
    Turnover
33. Condition Hüman
    Queensrÿche
34. Currents
    Tame Impala
35. What Went Down
    Foals
36. All Fours
    Bosse-de-Nage
37. Positive Songs for Negative People
    Frank Turner
38. Scar Sighted
    Leviathan
39. How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
    Florence + The Machine
40. Apocalypse, Girl
    Jenny Hval
41. Aphotic Veil
    Exgenesis
42. That’s the Spirit
    Bring Me the Horizon
43. Anareta
    Horrendous
44. The Ride Majestic
    Soilwork
45. Pageant Material
    Kacey Musgraves
46. The Magic Whip
    Blur
47. The Colossus
    Cairo Knife Fight
48. Froot
    Marina and the Diamonds
49. Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress
    Godspeed You! Black Emperor
50. Behind the Devil’s Back
    Fightstar

Pretty Much Amazing: 50 Best Albums of 2015

[see also 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. To Pimp A Butterfly
   Kendrick Lamar
2. Black Messiah
   D’Angelo and The Vanguard
3. Art Angels
   Grimes
4. Carrie & Lowell
   Sufjan Stevens
5. In Colour
   Jamie xx
6. Currents
   Tame Impala
7. Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
   Courtney Barnett
8. I Love You, Honeybear
   Father John Misty
9. Surf
   Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment
10. E•MO•TION
    Carly Rae Jepsen
11. No Cities To Love
    Sleater-Kinney
12. Vulnicura
    Björk
13. Wildheart
    Miguel
14. Summertime ’06
    Vince Staples
15. VEGA INTL. Night School
    Neon Indian
16. Multi-Love
    Unknown Mortal Orchestra
17. Painted Shut
    Hop Along
18. Fading Frontier
    Deerhunter
19. Viet Cong
    Viet Cong
20. Me
    Empress Of
21. Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper
    Panda Bear
22. Depression Cherry
    Beach House
23. Poison Season
    Destroyer
24. Divers
    Joanna Newsom
25. The Epic
    Kamasi Washington
26. Ratchet
    Shamir
27. I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside: An Album
    Earl Sweatshirt
28. Sprinter
    TORRES
29. Thank Your Lucky Stars
    Beach House
30. Have You In My Wilderness
    Julia Holter
31. B’lieve I’m Goin Down…
    Kurt Vile
32. Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
    Lin-Manuel Miranda and the Original Broadway Cast
33. Goon
    Tobias Jesso Jr.
34. The Agent Intellect
    Protomartyr
35. Compton
    Dr. Dre
36. But You Caint Use My Phone
    Erykah Badu
37. Every Open Eye
    Chvrches
38. Garden of Delete
    Oneohtrix Point Never
39. Sound & Color
    Alabama Shakes
40. Barter 6
    Young Thug
41. How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
    Florence + The Machine
42. Late Nights: The Album
    Jeremih
43. Mutilator Defeated At Last
    Thee Oh Sees
44. Platform
    Holly Herndon
45. Something More Than Free
    Jason Isbell
46. Pageant Material
    Kacey Musgraves
47. Apocalypse, Girl
    Jenny Hval
48. Ten Love Songs
    Susanne Sundfør
49. The Most Lamentable Tragedy
    Titus Andronicus
50. On Your Own Love Again
    Jessica Pratt

Kevin B. Lee: 15 Favorite Films of 2015, as published by Fandor in a video essay

[see also 2014 • 2012]

1. Horse Money
   Pedro Costa
2. The Assassin
   Hou Hsiao-Hsien
3. Hard to Be a God
   Aleksey German
4. Jafar Panahi’s Taxi
   Jafar Panahi
5. The Look of Silence
   Joshua Oppenheimer
6. The Pearl Button
   Patricio Guzmán
7. Timbuktu
   Abderrahmane Sissako
8. Chi-Raq
   Spike Lee
9. Stinking Heaven
   Nathan Silver
10. Field Niggas
    Khalik Allah
11. Mistress America
    Noah Baumbach
12. Phoenix
    Christian Petzold
13. Clouds of Sils Maria
    Olivier Assayas
14. Ex Machina
    Alex Garland
15. Anomalisa
    Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson

Matt Prigge: 30 Best Films of 2015, as published by Metro

[see also 2016 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Mad Max: Fury Road
   George Miller
2. The Mend
   John Magary
3. World of Tomorrow
   Don Hertzfeldt
4. Magic Mike XXL
   Gregory Jacobs
5. Saint Laurent
   Bertrand Bonello
6. Eden
   Mia Hansen-Løve
7. Experimenter
   Michael Almereyda
8. Heaven Knows What
   Ben Safdie and Joshua Safdie
9. Carol
   Todd Haynes
10. The Look of Silence
    Joshua Oppenheimer
11. Chi-Raq
    Spike Lee
12. Phoenix
    Christian Petzold
13. Tangerine
    Sean Baker
14. In Jackson Heights
    Frederick Wiseman
15. The Forbidden Room
    Guy Maddin
16. Love
    Gaspar Noé
17. 45 Years
    Andrew Haigh
18. Cobain: Montage of Heck
    Brett Morgen
19. Clouds of Sils Maria
    Olivier Assayas
20. Results
    Andrew Bujalski
21. The Duke of Burgundy
    Peter Strickland
22. Timbuktu
    Abderrahmane Sissako
23. Mustang
    Deniz Gamze Ergüven
24. Buzzard
    Joel Potrykus
25. A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence
    Roy Andersson
26. Creed
    Ryan Coogler
27. Blackhat
    Michael Mann
28. Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter
    David Zellner
29. It Follows
    David Robert Mitchell
30. Inside Out
    Pete Docter

Clash Magazine: Albums of the Year 2015

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. To Pimp A Butterfly
   Kendrick Lamar
2. Currents
   Tame Impala
3. Art Angels
   Grimes
4. Vulnicura
   Björk
5. Carrie & Lowell
   Sufjan Stevens
6. Foam Island
   Darkstar
7. No Cities To Love
   Sleater-Kinney
8. I Love You, Honeybear
   Father John Misty
9. Real Life
   Real Lies
10. Natureboy
    Flako
11. Integrity
    Jme
12. Divers
    Joanna Newsom
13. Coming Home
    Leon Bridges
14. Culture of Volume
    East India Youth
15. Have You In My Wilderness
    Julia Holter
16. Compton
    Dr. Dre
17. Grey Tickles, Black Pressure
    John Grant
18. Architect
    C Duncan
19. Elaenia
    Floating Points
20. Platform
    Holly Herndon
21. A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons
    Little Simz
22. Dornik
    Dornik
23. Goon
    Tobias Jesso Jr.
24. Rodeo
    Travis Scott
25. Key Markets
    Sleaford Mods
26. Born in the Echoes
    The Chemical Brothers
27. What Went Down
    Foals
28. Y Dydd Olaf
    Gwenno
29. DS2
    Future
30. Bizarster
    Luke Vibert
31. A Dream Outside
    Gengahr
32. Summertime ’06
    Vince Staples
33. Marks to Prove It
    The Maccabees
34. Before We Forgot How to Dream
    SOAK
35. The Magic Whip
    Blur
36. Nozinja Lodge
    Nozinja
37. Bleeds
    Roots Manuva
38. Shedding Skin
    Ghostpoet
39. B’lieve I’m Goin Down…
    Kurt Vile
40. Fading Frontier
    Deerhunter
41. Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
    Courtney Barnett
42. Late Nights: The Album
    Jeremih
43. Holding Hands with Jamie
    Girl Band
44. 90059
    Jay Rock
45. On Your Own Love Again
    Jessica Pratt
46. Projections
    Romare
47. Testimony
    Letta
48. Kingdoms In Colour
    Maribou State
49. Imaginary Lines
    Fatima Yamaha
50. Purpose
    Justin Bieber

The Guardian: 50 Best Films of 2015 (of US releases)

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2017]

1. Son of Saul
   László Nemes
2. 45 Years
   Andrew Haigh
3. The Revenant
   Alejandro González Iñárritu
4. Anomalisa
   Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson
5. Bridge of Spies
   Steven Spielberg
6. The Look of Silence
   Joshua Oppenheimer
7. Carol
   Todd Haynes
8. Amy
   Asif Kapadia
9. Joy
   David O. Russell
10. Mistress America
    Noah Baumbach
11. A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence
    Roy Andersson
12. While We’re Young
    Noah Baumbach
13. Paddington
    Paul King
14. Mommy
    Xavier Dolan
15. Chi-Raq
    Spike Lee
16. The Diary of a Teenage Girl
    Marielle Heller
17. Jafar Panahi’s Taxi
    Jafar Panahi
18. Appropriate Behavior
    Desiree Akhavan
19. The Salt of the Earth
    Wim Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro Salgado
20. Beasts of No Nation
    Cary Joji Fukunaga
21. The Wolfpack
    Crystal Moselle
22. The End of the Tour
    James Ponsoldt
23. Eden
    Mia Hansen-Løve
24. Slow West
    John Maclean
25. White God
    Kornél Mundruczó
26. It Follows
    David Robert Mitchell
27. Heaven Knows What
    Ben Safdie and Joshua Safdie
28. The Gift
    Joel Edgerton
29. The Seven Five
    Tiller Russell
30. Timbuktu
    Abderrahmane Sissako
31. The Assassin
    Hou Hsiao-Hsien
32. The Nightmare
    Rodney Ascher
33. Red Army
    Gabe Polsky
34. Mad Max: Fury Road
    George Miller
35. Inside Out
    Pete Docter
36. Room
    Lenny Abrahamson
37. Creed
    Ryan Coogler
38. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
    Ana Lily Amirpour
39. The Duke of Burgundy
    Peter Strickland
40. Black Mass
    Scott Cooper
41. The Tribe
    Miroslav Slaboshpitsky
42. Girlhood
    Céline Sciamma
43. Clouds of Sils Maria
    Olivier Assayas
44. Spotlight
    Tom McCarthy
45. Sicario
    Denis Villeneuve
46. Macbeth
    Justin Kurzel
47. Tangerine
    Sean Baker
48. Youth
    Paolo Sorrentino
49. Steve Jobs
    Danny Boyle
50. Wild Tales
    Damián Szifrón

Darren Hughes: 10 Favorite Films of 2015 (as published at his site, Long Pauses, where he also has lists of favorite as-yet undistributed films, new experimental shorts, and discoveries)

[see also 2021 • 2010s • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2014 • 2012]

1. Carol
   Todd Haynes
1. Horse Money
   Pedro Costa
1. Phoenix
   Christian Petzold
4. The Mend
   John Magary
5. Timbuktu
   Abderrahmane Sissako
6. The Assassin
   Hou Hsiao-Hsien
7. Li’l Quinquin
   Bruno Dumont
8. Amour fou
   Jessica Hausner
9. Beloved Sisters
   Dominik Graf
10. Tu Dors Nicole
    Stéphane Lafleur

Mike D’Angelo: The Best Films of 2015, as published by The A.V. Club and submitted to the Village Voice poll

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. The Duke of Burgundy
   Peter Strickland
2. Sicario
   Denis Villeneuve
3. Mad Max: Fury Road
   George Miller
4. The Forbidden Room
   Guy Maddin
5. Carol
   Todd Haynes
6. It Follows
   David Robert Mitchell
7. Anomalisa
   Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson
8. The Martian
   Ridley Scott
9. Breathe
   Mélanie Laurent
10. Tu Dors Nicole
    Stéphane Lafleur
11. Approaching the Elephant
    Amanda Wilder
12. Heaven Knows What
    Ben Safdie and Joshua Safdie
13. Christmas, Again
    Charles Poekel
14. Mustang
    Deniz Gamze Ergüven
15. Winter On Fire
    Evgeny Afineevsky

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: 20 Best Films of 2015

Scott Tobias: Top 30 films of 2015. The top ten were submitted to the Village Voice poll and the Variety survey, and he updated and expanded the list on Letterboxd.

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2016 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. The Look of Silence
   Joshua Oppenheimer
2. Phoenix
   Christian Petzold
3. Carol
   Todd Haynes
4. Brooklyn
   John Crowley
5. The Assassin
   Hou Hsiao-Hsien
6. Inside Out
   Pete Docter
7. Heaven Knows What
   Ben Safdie and Joshua Safdie
8. It Follows
   David Robert Mitchell
9. Mad Max: Fury Road
   George Miller
10. The Hateful Eight
    Quentin Tarantino
11. Western
    Bill Ross
12. 45 Years
    Andrew Haigh
13. Anomalisa
    Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson
14. The Duke of Burgundy
    Peter Strickland
15. Buzzard
    Joel Potrykus
16. Tangerine
    Sean Baker
17. Clouds of Sils Maria
    Olivier Assayas
18. Sicario
    Denis Villeneuve
19. Bridge of Spies
    Steven Spielberg
20. Approaching the Elephant
    Amanda Wilder
21. Timbuktu
    Abderrahmane Sissako
22. James White
    Josh Mond
23. (T)ERROR
    Lyric R. Cabral and David Felix Sutcliffe
24. Crimson Peak
    Guillermo del Toro
25. Cartel Land
    Matthew Heineman
26. Democrats
    Camilla Nielsson
27. The Big Short
    Adam McKay
28. Magic Mike XXL
    Gregory Jacobs
29. The Tribe
    Miroslav Slaboshpitsky
30. Spotlight
    Tom McCarthy

Christopher Orr: 22 Best Movies of 2015, as published by The Atlantic

[see also 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2014]

1. Spotlight
   Tom McCarthy
2. The Martian
   Ridley Scott
3. Mad Max: Fury Road
   George Miller
4. The Big Short
   Adam McKay
5. Sicario
   Denis Villeneuve
6. Inside Out
   Pete Docter
7. The Revenant
   Alejandro González Iñárritu
8. Magic Mike XXL
   Gregory Jacobs
9. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
   JJ Abrams
10. Steve Jobs
    Danny Boyle
11. Carol
    Todd Haynes
12. Room
    Lenny Abrahamson

Honorable Mentions (Alphabetically)

• Amy
  Asif Kapadia
• Anomalisa
  Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson
• Beasts of No Nation
  Cary Joji Fukunaga
• Black Mass
  Scott Cooper
• Cinderella
  Kenneth Branagh
• Ex Machina
  Alex Garland
• Joy
  David O. Russell
• Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
  Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
• Trainwreck
  Judd Apatow
• Wild Tales
  Damián Szifrón