Thread for discussing your choices and mulling over your thinking for Album of the Year 2019

So yeah, it’s pretty much that time isn’t it? Rough Trade has been out since mid September or something so it’s time for us to think about who our AOTY might be!

I’m sure there will be a voting thread along fairly soon but this thread is for discussing your choices individually or your whole decision making process.

Are you a ‘I’ve known who my AOTY is from the first time I heard it’ person or a ‘still undecided’ person. Do you massively overthink your rankings with spreadsheets and stuff or do you mercilessly mock those who do so?

I’m going to use this thread to dump my 64 record eliminator playoff results so strap in for that.

Lists.

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Don’t we have this thread? Or am I getting muddled up with all the decade ones?

I have quite a few I’ve faved over this year actually but not sure how many are proper contenders.

Think I had a pretty good idea from maybe the 3rd or 4th time of listening to The Japanese House. Hit that sweet spot of alt-pop where it makes me want to dance and smile and cry all at once.

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i was pretty sure Girl Band would be my AOTY and they are

but a lot of years i find it quite hard to pick one that stands apart from the rest

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He’s my 6x6 of the albums I’ve listened to most over the last 12 months. Some surprised me. I know who my top AOTY will be the other places will take some thinking.

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Close run thing between Proto and Ghosteen. I suspect I will listen to Proto more for pleasure… the grandeur of Ghosteen sets it apart from most other music though and I suspect that in 10 years time it will be the one I’m still thinking about.

3rd place will be the new Andy Stott record - it simply bangs.

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Four way tie for me for AOTY. Normally I know months in advance but can’t separate them this year. Change my mind every day.

Overall I’ve got 26 competing for 20 places.
Finding it hard this year.

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Holly Herndon or Jenny Hval for me - I think HH just feels the right choice for the top spot.

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Not really into much this year. Like a lot of things but nothing has made me love it.

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Tyler, the Creator - Igor
Nimmo - The Power
Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride
BTS - Map of the Soul: Persona
Self Esteem - Compliments Please
Loyle Carner - Not Waving, But Drowning
Ariana Grande - Thank U, Next
AJ Tracey - AJ Tracey (expanded)
Dermot Kennedy - Without Fear
Lord Apex - High Stakes, Low Ryder
Young Nudy & Pi’erre Bourne - Slimerre
Young Thug - So Much Fun
J Balvin & Bad Bunny - Oasis
Maxo Kream - Brandon Banks
Charli XCX - Charli
DaBaby - Baby on Baby
Earl Sweatshirt - Feet of Clay

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Sorry @1101010 if there already is one I couldn’t find her just the album of the decade one

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For me Ghosteen and Richard Dawson’s 2020 are streets ahead - they are very different from each other but both so emotionally shattering, powerful and ultimately uplifting. I haven’t quite got that from anything else this year.

After that there are probably 10-20 other wonderful records that could be in almost any order.

It’s been a notably amazing year for female singer songwriters- wonderful records from Lana Del Rey, Jenny Hval, Sharon Van Etten, Solange, FKA Twigs, Weyes Blood, Dawn and others. My favourite two American hip hop albums of the year are both by women too (Rapsody and Young MA).

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They are two of my four I can’t split (Lana & UFOF the others).
Slowthai, Simz, Twigs, Jenny Hval in the next bracket.

Is Young Ma worth a go? Struggled for hip-hop a bit this year. Loved Earl, Danny Brown. Kinda liked Freddie Gibbs, Denzel Curry, Billy Woods.

Normally at least 3 hip hop albums in my top 10, minimum. Not been a stellar year this year.

Some that won’t get mentioned enough that’ll be high in mine…

Barker
Helado Negro
Vanishing Twin
Loraine James

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Helado Negro is definitely a contender for my favourite of the year. And I liked the Vanishing Twin album also. Will check out those other two.

I won’t commit to my list for another month or so, but currently (in addition to Helado Negro) my contenders are:

Josin
Lowly
Malik Djoudi
Old Amica
Vagabon

Although there will likely be some others once I go back and revisit them again.

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I agree with you about American hip hop this year - not many great albums. I’m still waiting for Tierra Whack to release a ‘proper’ album - her singles this year have been amazing.

The Young MA album is patchy but brilliant in parts - listen to Smoove Kriminal or My Hitta for the best bits. I loved the Rapsody album.

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Vanishing Twin will be in my top 10

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Cheers - will give it a go over the weekend. I did like Rapsody, just didn’t quite click. Will give that another go again.

Been a great year for British ‘rap’ though - along with Simz & Slowthai, Dave & Kano will be kicking around the bottom end of my 20.

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Kinda forgot about Maxo Kream. Will defo give that another go.

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A lot of ok/good but not great albums from my favourite artists this year:

Deerhunter
Panda Bear
Hot Chip
Titus Andronicus
Metronomy
The Futureheads
Sheer Mag

All these would usually be way up there at the end of the year so mildly disappointed

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