NPR Music's 50 Favorite Albums of 2015
Albums that we loved in 2015 swept us away, seduced us, reckoned with the politics that shape our moment or our nation and taught us something new about ourselves.
Published: December 07, 2015 12:25
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #2 | Sound & Color | Alabama Shakes | Apr-21-2015, Blues Rock |
| #3 | Liaisons: Re-Imagining Sondheim from the Piano | Anthony de Mare | Oct-02-2015, Modern Classical |
| #4 | The Blade | Ashley Monroe | Jul-24-2015, Contemporary Country |
| #5 | Beauty Pill Describes Things As They Are | Beauty Pill | Apr-21-2015, Indie Rock |
| #6 | Amanecer | Bomba Estéreo | Jun-02-2015, Latin Electronic |
| #7 | Andrew Norman: Play | Boston Modern Orchestra Project | Dec-23-2014, |
| #8 | The Firewatcher's Daughter | Brandi Carlile | Mar-06-2015, Folk Rock |
| #9 | Amor Supremo | Carla Morrison | Nov-06-2015, Singer-Songwriter |
| #10 | E•MO•TION | Carly Rae Jepsen | Aug-21-2015, Dance-Pop |
| #11 | For One to Love | Cécile McLorin Salvant | Sep-04-2015, Vocal Jazz |
| #12 | Traveller | Chris Stapleton | May-04-2015, Americana |
| #13 | Stretch Music | Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah | Sep-18-2015, Post-Bop |
| #14 | Captain Of None | Colleen | Apr-07-2015, Art Pop |
| #15 | Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit | Courtney Barnett | Mar-23-2015, Indie Rock |
| #16 | Nueva Era | Daymé Arocena | May-18-2015, Afro-Cuban Jazz |
| #17 | Litany | Dead To A Dying World | Oct-16-2015, Atmospheric Sludge Metal |
| #19 | I Dont Like Shit, I Dont Go Outside: An Album by Earl Sweatshirt | Earl Sweatshirt | Mar-23-2015, |
| #20 | Elaenia | Floating Points | Nov-06-2015, Progressive Electronic |
| #21 | How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful | Florence + the Machine | Jun-01-2015, Art Pop |
| #22 | Morning / Evening | Four Tet | Jul-10-2015, Microhouse |
| #23 | DS2 (Deluxe) | Future | Jul-17-2015, Trap |
| #24 | Before The World Was Big | Girlpool | Jun-02-2015, Lo-Fi / Slacker Rock |
| #25 | Ibeyi | Ibeyi | Jul-28-2015, Art Pop |
| #27 | In Colour | Jamie xx | May-29-2015, UK Bass |
| #28 | Something More Than Free | Jason Isbell | Jul-17-2015, Singer-Songwriter |
| #29 | Reality Show | Jazmine Sullivan | Jan-12-2015, Contemporary R&B |
| #30 | Over and Even | Joan Shelley | Sep-04-2015, Contemporary Folk |
| #31 | Divers | Joanna Newsom | Oct-23-2015, Chamber Folk |
| #32 | Pageant Material | Kacey Musgraves | Jun-23-2015, Contemporary Country |
| #33 | The Epic | Kamasi Washington | May-11-2015, Spiritual Jazz |
| #34 | To Pimp A Butterfly | Kendrick Lamar | Mar-16-2015, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #35 | Hamilton: An American Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom, Jr., Phillipa Soo, Daveed Diggs, Christopher Jackson | Sep-25-2015, |
| #36 | Ones and Sixes | Low | Sep-11-2015, Slowcore |
| #37 | From Kinshasa | Mbongwana Star | May-18-2015, Tradi-Modern |
| #38 | Adams: Absolute Jest & Grand Pianola Music | John Adams, San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas | Aug-14-2015, |
| #39 | Servant of Love | Patty Griffin | Sep-25-2015, Contemporary Folk |
| #40 | Tomorrow Is My Turn | Rhiannon Giddens | Feb-06-2015, American Folk Music |
| #41 | The Fade in Time | Sam Lee & Friends | Jun-16-2015, Contemporary Folk |
| #42 | Carrie & Lowell | Sufjan Stevens | Mar-31-2015, Indie Folk |
| #43 | The Documentary 2 | The Game | Oct-09-2015, Gangsta Rap |
| #44 | Ego Death | The Internet | Jun-26-2015, Neo-Soul |
| #45 | Sprinter | TORRES | May-04-2015, Indie Rock |
| #46 | Free TC | Ty Dolla $ign | Nov-13-2015, Pop Rap |
| #47 | Break Stuff | Vijay Iyer Trio | Jan-16-2015, ECM Style Jazz |
| #48 | Summertime '06 | Vince Staples | Jun-30-2015, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #49 | Imaginary Life | Worriers | Aug-07-2015, Pop Punk |
| #50 | Xaos | Xaos | Dec-29-2016, |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 | Sound & Color | Alabama Shakes | Album, Apr-21-2015, Blues Rock |
| #3 | Liaisons: Re-Imagining Sondheim from the Piano | Anthony de Mare | Album, Oct-02-2015, Modern Classical |
| #4 | The Blade | Ashley Monroe | Album, Jul-24-2015, Contemporary Country |
| #5 | Beauty Pill Describes Things As They Are | Beauty Pill | Album, Apr-21-2015, Indie Rock |
| #6 | Amanecer | Bomba Estéreo | Album, Jun-02-2015, Latin Electronic |
| #7 | Andrew Norman: Play | Boston Modern Orchestra Project | Album, Dec-23-2014, |
| #8 | The Firewatcher's Daughter | Brandi Carlile | Album, Mar-06-2015, Folk Rock |
| #9 | Amor Supremo | Carla Morrison | Album, Nov-06-2015, Singer-Songwriter |
| #10 | E•MO•TION | Carly Rae Jepsen | Album, Aug-21-2015, Dance-Pop |
| #11 | For One to Love | Cécile McLorin Salvant | Album, Sep-04-2015, Vocal Jazz |
| #12 | Traveller | Chris Stapleton | Album, May-04-2015, Americana |
| #13 | Stretch Music | Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah | Album, Sep-18-2015, Post-Bop |
| #14 | Captain Of None | Colleen | Album, Apr-07-2015, Art Pop |
| #15 | Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit | Courtney Barnett | Album, Mar-23-2015, Indie Rock |
| #16 | Nueva Era | Daymé Arocena | Album, May-18-2015, Afro-Cuban Jazz |
| #17 | Litany | Dead To A Dying World | Album, Oct-16-2015, Atmospheric Sludge Metal |
| #19 | I Dont Like Shit, I Dont Go Outside: An Album by Earl Sweatshirt | Earl Sweatshirt | Album, Mar-23-2015, |
| #20 | Elaenia | Floating Points | Album, Nov-06-2015, Progressive Electronic |
| #21 | How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful | Florence + the Machine | Album, Jun-01-2015, Art Pop |
| #22 | Morning / Evening | Four Tet | Album, Jul-10-2015, Microhouse |
| #23 | DS2 (Deluxe) | Future | Album, Jul-17-2015, Trap |
| #24 | Before The World Was Big | Girlpool | Album, Jun-02-2015, Lo-Fi / Slacker Rock |
| #25 | Ibeyi | Ibeyi | Album, Jul-28-2015, Art Pop |
| #27 | In Colour | Jamie xx | Album, May-29-2015, UK Bass |
| #28 | Something More Than Free | Jason Isbell | Album, Jul-17-2015, Singer-Songwriter |
| #29 | Reality Show | Jazmine Sullivan | Album, Jan-12-2015, Contemporary R&B |
| #30 | Over and Even | Joan Shelley | Album, Sep-04-2015, Contemporary Folk |
| #31 | Divers | Joanna Newsom | Album, Oct-23-2015, Chamber Folk |
| #32 | Pageant Material | Kacey Musgraves | Album, Jun-23-2015, Contemporary Country |
| #33 | The Epic | Kamasi Washington | Album, May-11-2015, Spiritual Jazz |
| #34 | To Pimp A Butterfly | Kendrick Lamar | Album, Mar-16-2015, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #35 | Hamilton: An American Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | Lin-Manuel MirandaLeslie Odom, Jr.Phillipa SooDaveed DiggsChristopher Jackson | Album, Sep-25-2015, |
| #36 | Ones and Sixes | Low | Album, Sep-11-2015, Slowcore |
| #37 | From Kinshasa | Mbongwana Star | Album, May-18-2015, Tradi-Modern |
| #38 | Adams: Absolute Jest & Grand Pianola Music | John AdamsSan Francisco SymphonyMichael Tilson Thomas | Album, Aug-14-2015, |
| #39 | Servant of Love | Patty Griffin | Album, Sep-25-2015, Contemporary Folk |
| #40 | Tomorrow Is My Turn | Rhiannon Giddens | Album, Feb-06-2015, American Folk Music |
| #41 | The Fade in Time | Sam Lee & Friends | Album, Jun-16-2015, Contemporary Folk |
| #42 | Carrie & Lowell | Sufjan Stevens | Album, Mar-31-2015, Indie Folk |
| #43 | The Documentary 2 | The Game | Album, Oct-09-2015, Gangsta Rap |
| #44 | Ego Death | The Internet | Album, Jun-26-2015, Neo-Soul |
| #45 | Sprinter | TORRES | Album, May-04-2015, Indie Rock |
| #46 | Free TC | Ty Dolla $ign | Album, Nov-13-2015, Pop Rap |
| #47 | Break Stuff | Vijay Iyer Trio | Album, Jan-16-2015, ECM Style Jazz |
| #48 | Summertime '06 | Vince Staples | Album, Jun-30-2015, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #49 | Imaginary Life | Worriers | Album, Aug-07-2015, Pop Punk |
| #50 | Xaos | Xaos | Album, Dec-29-2016, |