went off that Anna Calvi album pretty quick. Good at first but then kinda dull on repeat listens
Manics was OK, Suede i didn’t like as much as the last
Never really ‘got’ Low
Idles is mint. And I liked that Car Seat Headrest. Need to check out Metric’s new one.
I like the new Metric album, but seeing it counted amongst the best 15 albums of the year (as compiled by a bunch of people who would reasonably be expected to have heard well over 100 between them) just makes me wonder at the forces and fickleness that ultimately promote one album over another.
Well known to be a firm favourite of ESA. I’m more surprised how many contributers put the new Interpol album in their top 3
genuinely can’t tell if this is bants
Only 2 writers had Interpol in their top 3?! You had me worried for a minute that I’d messed up.
I guess if you release an album or two by Metric on your label, you attract fellow fans. They didn’t quite make my top 3 but it is a great album and deserved far more attention.
Polls are a popularity contest. Popular things will do well.
In previous years I’ve done a poll and then editorialised it go reflect genre specialism and to make allowances for big things being big.
This year a lot of pretty unknown things like Gazelle Twin and Black Foxxes were popular so I kept it as is to save any more staff rows.
Didnt mean that as a criticism, more an understanding of your fondness for Metric. And that’s 2 people too many for the new Interpol album 
SOPHIE being on there means it gets a huge thumbs up from me. I’ve been a Manics fan since day one but heard the first single from the album and can’t be bothered to listen any more. Does that sound weird?
I’m going to check out Black Foxxes and Metric.
Still better than the MSP album tbf
As a massive Interpol fan, I too was surprised to see it getting so much love. Was so disappointed that I didn’t get a ticket for RAH.
Surprised to see the manics on there, it’s more of a Q magazine also ran for me.
Many of these I must admit have passed me by so I’ll have to look them up, cheers
Does anyone know if the editorial list has ever chosen the same number 1 as the user poll before? Looks like it is on the cards this year.
I think in 2016 it was Bowie for both? May be some other years where it was close.
Of course. Bowie definitely won the user’s poll (by a mile) that year.
I really don’t belong here
If you don’t think Blackstar is great you perhaps don’t belong anywhere.
Awful list… Really…
Number 7 is brilliant at least.