We’ve already highlighted the artists and songs that our Music Design team loved this year. Now, our “Best of 2019” series focuses on the albums that topped each Music Designer’s list. From breakout debut albums to new music from old favorites, these staff picks include the best of the best from 2019.
Like the majority our of lists, there isn’t much overlap due to the eclectic personal tastes of our Music Design team. However, there were a few albums that received more than one mention. The latest release from Tyler, The Creator and the debut solo album from Alabama Shakes frontwoman Brittany Howard were clear frontrunners.
Other albums that ended up on multiple lists include Angel Olsen’s All Mirrors, Carly Rae Jepson’s Dedicated, Lana Del Rey’s Norman F**king Rockwell!, FKA Twigs’ Magdalene, Arthur Russell’s Iowa Dream, and Tool’s Fear Inoculum. How many of these albums did you love this year?
The rest of our Music Designers’ lists are below:
Erick Bohorquez:
Fear Inoculum – Tool
Vanessa Burden:
El Mal Querer – Rosalia
x100pre – Bad Bunny
OASIS – J Balvin x Bad Bunny
Over It – Summer Walker
Igor – Tyler, The Creator
Brian Chamberlain:
Black Pumas – Black Pumas
Power – Seratones
Jaime – Brittany Howard
Social Cues – Cage The Elephant
Living Mirage – Head And The Heart
Ashley Columbus:
Norman Fu**ing Rockwell! – Lana Del Rey
ViVii – ViVii
All Mirrors – Angel Olsen
Magdalene – FKA Twigs
Tomb – Angelo De Augustine
Blake Deming:
Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains
Odds Against Tomorrow – Bill Orcutt
Fyah – Theon Cross
While I’m Livin’ – Tanya Tucker
Talk, Dark and Handsome – Delbert McClinton
Amy Frishkey:
In The Morse Code Of Brake Lights – The New Pornographers
Doko Mien – Ibibio Sound Machine
Reward – Cate Le Bon
Showboat Honey – Kyle Craft
Anicca – Teebs
Cody Hare:
Iowa Dream – Arthur Russell
Ted – Baltra
Magdalene – FKA Twigs
Mechanical Fantasy Box – Patrick Cowley
Alles 3rd Gut – ISS
Linda Kennedy:
7 – Sault
Open Reduction Internal Fixation – Blue Hawaii
I Used to Know Her – H.E.R
K.R.I.T IZ HERE – Big K.R.I.T
Jamie – Brittany Howard
Anna Lascurain:
Cuz I Love You – Lizzo
Dedicated – Carly Rae Jepsen
The Highwomen – The Highwomen
Jaime – Brittany Howard
Trophy – Kate Davis
Justin Main:
Now For Example – Thigh Master
LP4 – Heavy Metal
A Love That Leads to War – Aquarian Blood
Rocket 808 – Rocket 808
Prolog for Tomorrow – Chronophage
Tara Miller:
Remind Me Tomorrow – Sharon Van Etten
Titanic Rising – Weyes Blood
U.F.O.F. – Big Thief
Norman F**king Rockwell! – Lana Del Rey
All Mirrors – Angel Olsen
Will Mueller:
Shea Butter Baby – Ari Lennox
The End – Shlohmo
Welcome Home – Aries
Igor – Tyler The Creator
Father of the Bride – Vampire Weekend
Immunity – Clairo
Cheap Queen – King Princess
ZUU – Denzel Curry
Revenge of the Dreamers III – Dreamville
Ginger – Brockhampton
Jamie Overcash:
Revenge of the Dreamers III – Dreamville
Igor – Tyler, the Creator
Ventura – Anderson.Paak
Eve – Rapsody
May The Lord Watch – Little Brother
Brad Pressley:
You’re The Man – Marvin Gaye
Something Like A War – Kindness
KingMaker – Joel Ross
Atlantic Oscillations – Quantic
You Can’t Steal My Joy – Ezra Collective
Trevor Pronga:
Waves – Patrick Watson
Wheeltappers and Shunters – Clinic
My Finest Work Yet – Andrew Bird
Ma – Devendra Banhart
Forevher – Shura
Mark Shapiro:
Beat – Snorre Kirk
Connections – Diego Rivera
New York Notes – Alan Broadbent
Maximum Enjoyment – Something Blue
New Jazz Standards Vol 4 – Larry Koonse
David Sheyda:
Hospodi – Batushka
Gold & Grey – Baroness
Future Ruins – Swervedriver
Fear Inoculum – Tool
Astronoid – Astronoid
Luke Stemmerman:
Atlanta Millionaires Club – Faye Webster
Changes – Neal Francis
Iowa Dream – Arthur Russell
Blue World – John Coltrane
People In The Sun – Powerplant
Janice Williams:
Heartache Medication – Jon Pardi
Cheap Silver and Solid Country Gold – Mike and the Moonpies
What It Is – Hayes Carll
Ain’t Nothin’ To It – Cody Johnson
Texas Piano Man – Robert Ellis
Erin Yousef:
No. 6 Collaborations – Ed Sheeran
Sunshine Kitty – Tove Lo
Dedicated – Carly Rae Jepsen
Thank U, Next – Ariana Grande
Soon we’ll share an even harder list…Music Design’s favorites from the DECADE!
– Submitted by Music Design