Holy wow, what a year. 2015 doesn't find value in terms of major life moments for me, but rather in its immensity in terms of art and storytelling. With this very moment in mind (the unveiling of the Best of 2015) from the very first day of the year, I intended to keep creative exploration at the center of my life. With my drawing class in the spring semester, I suddenly became a decent visual artist. With my film production class in the fall, I proved myself as a brand new filmmaker. I purchased three new instruments this year: an electronic drumset, an acoustic guitar, and a keyboard. I bought a microphone and other equipment to begin streaming games on Twitch, where I spent a lot of time this year. I also started my YouTube account, which has since been wiped in preparation for a few 2016 ideas. My passion for creation soared higher than ever, and so did my desire to discover what others create. I broke all of my personal records.
9 concerts this year (Echosmith, Lord Huron w/ Leon Bridges, Best Bands of Utah 2015, Purity Ring, The MisterWives, Silversun Pickups w/ Foals, Lydia, The Early November w/ Lydia, and Mae)
20 movies seen from 2015
40 games played
17 EPs
71 albums
962 songs, beating 2012's count of 888
I've been anxious for this reveal since January 1st. These are the games that saved me from the most demanding semester of my life, the movies that kept me company in the late hours of lonely nights, the music that made the bad days good and the great days even better. These are the stories that fed my deep love of storytelling, that satiated my craving for original ideas and powerful moments, that elicited the feelings of love, joy, and vim that I had hoped to feel. In my eyes, the best 2015 had to offer.
This list is much different from last year's. A bit more mature, perhaps. More electronic in general, for sure. The biggest difference, though, is the number of new artists. With my two favorite bands and others splitting this year, I knew I had to take a different direction in my search for good music and try out some new groups. Where 2013 was a battle of many returning favorites, 2014 is a new chapter made of up-and-comers with good timing. 36 of these 51 songs, including the top 3, are from artists you've never seen on my blog before. They've grown on me quickly and I hope you enjoy them as well.
Love and the struggle for it are clear themes among the group, often accompanied with a bittersweet sincerity and not-so-happy endings. Through the length of the list, a battle between high energy and relaxing composition persists. That's often the case among my favorites, but this time I feel emphasized extremes. It all comes down to a final dual where, ultimately, high energy seized the top spot. This list is still somewhat of a novelty to me, but I foresee many of these new finds becoming old favorites.
Here they are, the best 2014 had to offer for someone deeply in love with music:
