Year-End Lists

Greg Kot: Top 20 Albums of 2015, as published by The Chicago Tribune and aired on Sound Opinions

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

• To Pimp A Butterfly
  Kendrick Lamar
• Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
  Courtney Barnett
• The Agent Intellect
  Protomartyr
• Ratchet
  Shamir
• Summertime ’06
  Vince Staples
• The Most Lamentable Tragedy
  Titus Andronicus
• Surf
  Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment
• Art Angels
  Grimes
• Sprinter
  TORRES
• Silver Bullets
  The Chills

The next 10

• The Fun Rises, the Fun Sets
  Van Hunt
• Works For Tomorrow
  Eleventh Dream Day
• Hi Honey
  Low Cut Connie
• Imani, Vol. 1
  Blackalicious
• Currents
  Tame Impala
• Wildheart
  Miguel
• No Cities To Love
  Sleater-Kinney
• Divers
  Joanna Newsom
• Pretend
  Seinabo Sey
• Wire
  Wire

Jim DeRogatis: 40 Favorite Albums of 2015, as published by WBEZ and aired on Sound Opinions

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
   Courtney Barnett
2. Hi Honey
   Low Cut Connie
3. To Pimp A Butterfly
   Kendrick Lamar
4. Feels Like
   Bully
5. The Most Lamentable Tragedy
   Titus Andronicus
6. A Raw Youth
   Le Butcherettes
7. Wire
   Wire
8. Stuff Like That There
   Yo La Tengo
9. Sprinter
   TORRES
10. Visions
    Grimes
11. Star Wars
    Wilco
12. Sound & Color
    Alabama Shakes
13. Ratchet
    Shamir
14. Ones and Sixes
    Low
15. Surf
    Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment
16. The Agent Intellect
    Protomartyr
17. Dodge and Burn
    The Dead Weather
18. Rose Mountain
    Screaming Females
19. Snooty Garbagemen
    Snooty Garbagemen
20. Still
    Richard Thompson
21. Wildheart
    Miguel
22. Summertime ’06
    Vince Staples
23. Hawkdope
    Black Rainbows
24. Instrumentals 2015
    Flying Saucer Attack
25. Currents
    Tame Impala
26. Our Toast
    The Sandwitches
27. The Fun Rises, the Fun Sets
    Van Hunt
28. Hey, Killer
    Local H
29. Show Us Your Mind
    Summer Cannibals
30. Tetsuo & Youth
    Lupe Fiasco
31. Incidental Hum
    Glenn Mercer
32. What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World
    The Decemberists
33. Silver Bullets
    The Chills
34. Imani, Vol. 1
    Blackalicious
35. Gates of Gold
    Los Lobos
36. Universal Road
    Robin Guthrie & Mark Gardener
37. Viet Cong
    Viet Cong
38. The Magic Whip
    Blur
39. Kindred
    Passion Pit
40. Slow Gum
    Fraser A. Gorman

Kitty Empire: Top 10 Albums of 2015, as published by The Observer

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2012 • 2011]

• To Pimp A Butterfly
  Kendrick Lamar
• Divers
  Joanna Newsom
• Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
  Courtney Barnett
• Carrie & Lowell
  Sufjan Stevens
• Sound & Color
  Alabama Shakes
• I Love You, Honeybear
  Father John Misty
• Ones and Sixes
  Low
• From Kinshasa
  Mbongwana Star
• Natalie Prass
  Natalie Prass
• Currents
  Tame Impala

Flood Magazine: Best Music of 2015

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

1. To Pimp A Butterfly
   Kendrick Lamar
2. Currents
   Tame Impala
3. Fresh Blood
   Matthew E. White
4. B’lieve I’m Goin Down…
   Kurt Vile
5. Carrie & Lowell
   Sufjan Stevens
6. Star Wars
   Wilco
7. Have You In My Wilderness
   Julia Holter
8. Multi-Love
   Unknown Mortal Orchestra
9. Divers
   Joanna Newsom
10. La Di Da Di
    Battles
11. Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
    Courtney Barnett
12. Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper
    Panda Bear
13. Fading Frontier
    Deerhunter
14. FFS
    FFS
15. Vulnicura
    Björk
16. I Aubade
    Elvis Perkins
17. Policy
    Will Butler
18. I Love You, Honeybear
    Father John Misty
19. Mutilator Defeated At Last
    Thee Oh Sees
20. All Odds End
    The Mantles
21. Hypnophobia
    Jacco Gardner
22. Fated
    Nosaj Thing
23. Viet Cong
    Viet Cong
24. Coming Home
    Leon Bridges
25. Big Grams
    Big Grams

Les Inrockuptibles: 100 Best Albums of 2015

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Goon
   Tobias Jesso Jr.
2. Currents
   Tame Impala
3. Carrie & Lowell
   Sufjan Stevens
4. To Pimp A Butterfly
   Kendrick Lamar
5. Born Under Saturn
   Django Django
6. Holding Hands with Jamie
   Girl Band
7. Big Sun
   Chassol
8. Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
   Courtney Barnett
9. Architect
   C Duncan
10. Léviathan
    Flavien Berger
11. From Sleep
    Max Richter
12. Barter 6
    Young Thug
13. Algiers
    Algiers
14. In Colour
    Jamie xx
15. What Went Down
    Foals
16. Honeymoon
    Lana Del Rey
17. B’lieve I’m Goin Down…
    Kurt Vile
18. Be Sensational
    Jeanne Added
19. Ego Death
    The Internet
20. Ratchet
    Shamir
21. Ici le jour
    Feu! Chatterton
22. Dolziger Str. 2
    Odezenne
23. Have You In My Wilderness
    Julia Holter
24. Another One
    Mac DeMarco
25. Art Angels
    Grimes
26. Stuff Like That There
    Yo La Tengo
27. Ibeyi
    Ibeyi
28. From Kinshasa
    Mbongwana Star
29. Natalie Prass
    Natalie Prass
30. The Magic Whip
    Blur
31. I Love You, Honeybear
    Father John Misty
32. FFS
    FFS
33. Chemicals
    The Shoes
34. Ones and Sixes
    Low
35. My Dreams Dictate My Reality
    Soko
36. At Least For Now
    Benjamin Clementine
37. Ghost Culture
    Ghost Culture
38. Hollow Meadows
    Richard Hawley
39. J.C. Satàn
    J.C. Satàn
40. Le monde Chico
    PNL
41. Vulnicura
    Björk
42. Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper
    Panda Bear
43. Tomorrow Will Be Beautiful
    Flo Morrissey
44. Sound & Color
    Alabama Shakes
45. White Men Are Black Men Too
    Young Fathers
46. Cap Waller
    Bertrand Belin
47. Highspeeds
    Elliot Moss
48. Jerk At the End of the Line
    Only Real
49. Feu
    Nekfeu
50. Half Free
    U.S. Girls
51. Fading Frontier
    Deerhunter
52. If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late
    Drake
53. MCIII
    Mikal Cronin
54. Beauty Behind the Madness
    The Weeknd
55. Anthems For Doomed Youth
    The Libertines
56. The Names
    Baio
57. Sur le thème des grandes découvertes
    Salut C’est Cool
58. Depression Cherry
    Beach House
59. Every Open Eye
    Chvrches
60. Darling Arithmetic
    Villagers
61. No No No
    Beirut
62. Lest We Forget What We Came Here to Do
    Sons of Kemet
63. Very Aomby
    Damily
64. Inji
    LA Priest
65. Remerle
    Aurélien Merle
66. Tempo & Magma
    Tiganá Santana
67. Platform
    Holly Herndon
68. Sprinter
    TORRES
69. Saltos
    Perez
70. Hypnophobia
    Jacco Gardner
71. Corpo Inferno
    Mansfield.TYA
72. Musique de Nuit
    Ballake Sissoko & Vincent Segal
73. Himalaya
    Summer Fiction
74. Are You Alone?
    Majical Cloudz
75. Shedding Skin
    Ghostpoet
76. I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside: An Album
    Earl Sweatshirt
77. Chrissybaby Forever
    Christopher Owens
78. Bahdeni Nami
    Omar Souleyman
79. Caracal
    Disclosure
80. Bad News Boys
    The King Khan & BBQ Show
81. Shores
    We Are Match
82. Key Markets
    Sleaford Mods
83. Who Is The Sender?
    Bill Fay
84. Kablammo!
    Ash
85. Rodeo
    Travis Scott
86. A Dream Outside
    Gengahr
87. Great Big Flamingo Burning Moon
    The Wave Pictures
88. Lay Low
    Lou Doillon
89. Viet Cong
    Viet Cong
90. La vie électrique
    Aline
91. Grey Tickles, Black Pressure
    John Grant
92. Many Moons
    Martin Courtney
93. Simple Songs
    Jim O’Rourke
94. Bones
    Son Lux
95. Leaving Florida
    Rhum For Pauline
96. Multi-Love
    Unknown Mortal Orchestra
97. Strange Dreams
    Alex Calder
98. Friend
    Rozi Plain
99. D.U.C.
    Booba
100. Golem
     Wand

AllMusic: 55 Best Albums of 2015 (roughly alphabetical by artist)

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

• Sirope
  Alejandro Sanz
• The Blade
  Ashley Monroe
• In Another Life
  Bilal
• Vulnicura
  Björk
• E•MO•TION
  Carly Rae Jepsen
• Time to Go Home
  Chastity Belt
• Captain of None
  Colleen
• LP
  Container
• Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
  Courtney Barnett
• For One to Love
  Cécile McLorin Salvant
• Fading Frontier
  Deerhunter
• Poison Season
  Destroyer
• Dornik
  Dornik
• Full Communism
  Downtown Boys
• Compton
  Dr. Dre
• Mr. Misunderstood
  Eric Church
• Calling Out
  EZTV
• I Love You, Honeybear
  Father John Misty
• Elaenia
  Floating Points
• All Are Saved
  Fred Thomas
• Hoy Más Fuerte
  Gerardo Ortíz
• Meliora
  Ghost B.C.
• Before the World Was Big
  girlpool
• Detroit’s Son
  Guilty Simpson
• Choose Your Weapon
  Hiatus Kaiyote
• Jake Xerxes Fussell
  Jake Xerxes Fussell
• In Colour
  Jamie xx
• Reality Show
  Jazmine Sullivan
• A Year With 13 Moons
  Jefre Cantu-Ledesma
• Grey Tickles, Black Pressure
  John Grant
• Have You In My Wilderness
  Julia Holter
• The Epic
  Kamasi Washington
• To Pimp A Butterfly
  Kendrick Lamar
• B’lieve I’m Goin Down…
  Kurt Vile
• The Incredible True Story
  Logic
• Hi Honey
  Low Cut Connie
• Start Here
  Maddie & Tae
• Are You Alone?
  Majical Cloudz
• Somnaphoria
  Matchess
• Natalie Prass
  Natalie Prass
• Sibelius: The Symphonies
  Lahti Symphony Orchestra & Okko Kamu
• The Longest River
  Olivia Chaney
• Garden of Delete
  Oneohtrix Point Never
• Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 in B-Flat Major, WAB 105 (Live)
  Philharmoniker Hamburg & Simone Young
• Communion
  Years & Years
• The Clearing
  Rachel Grimes
• Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber: Rosary Sonatas
  Rachel Podger
• Hairless Toys
  Róisín Murphy
• Ratchet
  Shamir
• Fear and Lies
  Sick Sad World
• Carrie & Lowell
  Sufjan Stevens
• Ego Death
  The Internet
• This Is the Sonics
  The Sonics
• Summertime ’06
  Vince Staples
• Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé & Pavane pour une infante défunte
  Groot Omroepkoor, Rotterdams Philharmonisch Orkest & Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Slant Magazine: 25 Best Albums of 2015

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. To Pimp A Butterfly
   Kendrick Lamar
2. Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
   Courtney Barnett
3. Art Angels
   Grimes
4. Summertime ’06
   Vince Staples
5. I Love You, Honeybear
   Father John Misty
6. Wildheart
   Miguel
7. Ratchet
   Shamir
8. The Most Lamentable Tragedy
   Titus Andronicus
9. Complicated Game
   James McMurtry
10. The Epic
    Kamasi Washington
11. Love Is Free
    Robyn & La Bagatelle Magique
12. E•MO•TION
    Carly Rae Jepsen
13. Unbreakable
    Janet Jackson
14. Viet Cong
    Viet Cong
15. But You Caint Use My Phone
    Erykah Badu
16. Another Eternity
    Purity Ring
17. Barter 6
    Young Thug
18. Surf
    Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment
19. Vulnicura
    Björk
20. Divers
    Joanna Newsom
21. Revival
    Selena Gomez
22. The Blade
    Ashley Monroe
23. Short Movie
    Laura Marling
24. Everything Is 4
    Jason Derulo
25. Caracal
    Disclosure

Entertainment Weekly: 40 Best Albums of 2015

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2014 • 2011]

1. To Pimp A Butterfly
   Kendrick Lamar
2. E•MO•TION
   Carly Rae Jepsen
3. 25
   Adele
4. In Colour
   Jamie xx
5. AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP
   A$AP Rocky
6. Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
   Courtney Barnett
7. Traveller
   Chris Stapleton
8. I Love You, Honeybear
   Father John Misty
9. Star Wars
   Wilco
10. Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz
    Miley Cyrus
11. Unbreakable
    Janet Jackson
12. Wildheart
    Miguel
13. Sound & Color
    Alabama Shakes
14. No Cities To Love
    Sleater-Kinney
15. How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
    Florence + The Machine
16. If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late
    Drake
17. Purpose
    Justin Bieber
18. Currents
    Tame Impala
19. Multi-Love
    Unknown Mortal Orchestra
20. Summertime ’06
    Vince Staples
21. Surf
    Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment
22. Mr. Misunderstood
    Eric Church
23. SremmLife
    Rae Sremmurd
24. Algiers
    Algiers
25. Froot
    Marina and the Diamonds
26. Every Open Eye
    Chvrches
27. II
    METZ
28. Sounds Good Feels Good
    5 Seconds of Summer
29. A Head Full of Dreams
    Coldplay
30. Days Gone By
    Bob Moses
31. Yours, Dreamily
    The Arcs
32. Revival
    Selena Gomez
33. Divers
    Joanna Newsom
34. Fading Frontier
    Deerhunter
35. Painted Shut
    Hop Along
36. Something More Than Free
    Jason Isbell
37. Feels Like
    Bully
38. The Story of Sonny Boy Slim
    Gary Clark Jr.
39. Vulnicura
    Björk
40. 1989
    Ryan Adams

NPR Music: 50 Favorite Albums of 2015 (roughly alphabetical by artist)

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2014 • 2012 • 2011]

• Africa Express Presents… Terry Riley’s In C Mali
  Africa Express & Andre de Ridder
• Sound & Color
  Alabama Shakes
• Liaisons: Re-Imagining Sondheim from the Piano
  Anthony de Mare
• The Blade
  Ashley Monroe
• Describes Things As They Are
  Beauty Pill
• Amanecer
  Bomba Estéreo
• Andrew Norman: Play
  Boston Modern Orchestra Project & Gil Rose
• The Firewatcher’s Daughter
  Brandi Carlile
• Amor Supremo
  Carla Morrison
• E•MO•TION
  Carly Rae Jepsen
• For One to Love
  Cécile McLorin Salvant
• Traveller
  Chris Stapleton
• Stretch Music (Introducing Elena Pinderhughes)
  Christian Scott
• Captain of None
  Colleen
• Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
  Courtney Barnett
• Nueva Era
  Daymé Arocena
• Litany
  Dead To A Dying World
• Drippin’ For A Tripp
  DJ Sotofett & Jaakko Eino Kalevi
• I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside: An Album
  Earl Sweatshirt
• Elaenia
  Floating Points
• How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
  Florence + The Machine
• Morning / Evening
  Four Tet
• DS2
  Future
• The Documentary 2
  The Game
• Before the World Was Big
  girlpool
• Ibeyi
  Ibeyi
• Thorvaldsdottir: In the Light of Air
  International Contemporary Ensemble
• Ego Death
  The Internet
• In Colour
  Jamie xx
• Something More Than Free
  Jason Isbell
• Reality Show
  Jazmine Sullivan
• Over and Even
  Joan Shelley
• Divers
  Joanna Newsom
• Pageant Material
  Kacey Musgraves
• The Epic
  Kamasi Washington
• To Pimp A Butterfly
  Kendrick Lamar
• Ones and Sixes
  Low
• From Kinshasa
  Mbongwana Star
• Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
  Lin-Manuel Miranda and the Original Broadway Cast
• Servant of Love
  Patty Griffin
• Tomorrow Is My Turn
  Rhiannon Giddens
• The Fade in Time
  Sam Lee & Friends
• Adams: Absolute Jest & Grand Pianola Music
  John Adams, San Francisco Symphony & Michael Tilson Thomas
• Carrie & Lowell
  Sufjan Stevens
• Sprinter
  TORRES
• Free TC
  Ty Dolla $ign
• Break Stuff
  Vijay Iyer Trio
• Summertime ’06
  Vince Staples
• Imaginary Life
  Worriers
• Xaos
  Xaos

The Skinny: The 50 Best Albums of 2015

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

1. No Cities To Love
   Sleater-Kinney
2. Carrie & Lowell
   Sufjan Stevens
3. To Pimp A Butterfly
   Kendrick Lamar
4. Dumb Flesh
   Blanck Mass
5. Have You In My Wilderness
   Julia Holter
6. Apocalypse, Girl
   Jenny Hval
7. White Men Are Black Men Too
   Young Fathers
8. I Love You, Honeybear
   Father John Misty
9. B’lieve I’m Goin Down…
   Kurt Vile
10. Vulnicura
    Björk
11. Sol Invictus
    Faith No More
12. Born Under Saturn
    Django Django
13. Ivy Tripp
    Waxahatchee
14. The Most Lamentable Tragedy
    Titus Andronicus
15. Compton
    Dr. Dre
16. Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
    Courtney Barnett
17. Fading Frontier
    Deerhunter
18. O Shudder
    Dutch Uncles
19. Viet Cong
    Viet Cong
20. Key Markets
    Sleaford Mods
21. Every Open Eye
    Chvrches
22. No No No
    Beirut
23. Slowness
    Outfit
24. Asunder, Sweet and Other Distress
    Godspeed You! Black Emperor
25. Poison Season
    Destroyer
26. Divers
    Joanna Newsom
27. Hinterland
    LoneLady
28. Ones and Sixes
    Low
29. Currents
    Tame Impala
30. Grey Tickles, Black Pressure
    John Grant
31. Depression Cherry
    Beach House
32. My Love Is Cool
    Wolf Alice
33. The Rightful Pivot
    Enablers
34. Get To Heaven
    Everything Everything
35. Lantern
    Hudson Mohawke
36. Heirs
    And So I Watch You From Afar
37. A Distorted Sigh
    Garden of Elks
38. Fears Trending
    The Phantom Band
39. The Magic Whip
    Blur
40. Elaenia
    Floating Points
41. Garden of Delete
    Oneohtrix Point Never
42. Sun Coming Down
    Ought
43. Lease of Life
    Errors
44. New Bermuda
    Deafheaven
45. Culture of Volume
    East India Youth
46. Return to the Moon
    EL VY
47. The Expanding Flower Planet
    Deradoorian
48. What Went Down
    Foals
49. Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance
    Belle and Sebastian
50. Infinity Machines
    Gnod