My 2016 Album Favorites

Here are my album favorites for 2016, in no particular ranking order. Hats off to the following music stations/sites for keeping me in the know: Radio U, ChristianRock.Net and Jesus Freak Hideout. Be sure to check out their best of 2016 lists as well.

My Favorite Albums of 2016:

Rock



THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH "Exhale"

LACEY STURM "Life Screams"

DOGS OF PEACE "Heel"

ARTIFEX PEREO "Passengers"

HOUSE OF HEROES "Colors"


Hard Rock



MEMPHIS MAY FIRE "This Light I Hold"

WOLVES AT THE GATE "Types & Shadows"

MICHAEL SWEET "One Sided War"

ONE BAD PIG "Love You To Death"

BEARTOOTH "Aggressive"


Worship



AUDREY ASSAD "Inheritence"

LEELAND "Invisible"

CITIZENS & SAINTS "A Mirror Dimly"

KARI JOBE "Gateway Worship Voices"

BETHEL MUSIC "Have It All"


Pop



RELIENT K "Air For Free"

THE ROCKET SUMMER "Zoetic"

GROUP 1 CREW "Power"

DAVID CROWDER "American Prodigal"

SWITCHFOOT "Where The Light Shines Through"


Hip-Hop



CANON "Loose Canon Vol. 3"

SHO BARAKA "The Narrative"

DA TRUTH "It's Complicated"

DEREK MINOR "Reflection"

NF "Therapy Session"


E.D.M.



TWENTY ONE PILOTS (featuring MuteMath) "TOPxMM"

DANGER SCENE "Futures EP"

LEAGUES "Alone Together"

MUTEMATH "Changes"

ANCHOR & BRAILLE "Songs For The Late Night Drive Home"


Christmas



LAUREN DAIGLE "Behold"

EAGLE & THE CHILD "O Christmas"

JJ HELLER "Unto Us"

BECKAH SHAE "Let It Snow"

MATT REDMAN "These Christmas Lights"


Honorable Mentions

PHIL KEAGGY "All At Once"

KRUM & ROB VIKTUM "Bare Knuckle Gospel"

DECYFER DOWN "The Other Side Of Darkness"

HILLSONG LIVE "Let There Be Light"

CIMORELLI "Up At Night"

V.ROSE "Young Dangerous Heart"

DISCIPLE "Long Live The Rebels"

SKILLET "Unleashed"

HILLSONG YOUNG & FREE "Youth Revival"

KINGS KALEIDOSCOPE "Beyond Control"

Looking Forward To 2017:

Brian & Jenn Johnson "After All These Years"

Kari Jobe "The Garden"

Fearless BND "We Are Fearless"

Matty Mullins "Unstoppable"

Eisley "I'm Only Dreaming"

Social Club Misfits "Misadventures Of Fern & Marty"

Hearts Like Lions "If I Never Speak Again"

Demon Hunter "Outlive"

Colton Dixon "Identity"

John Mark McMillan "Mercury & Lightning"

My Music Picks of 2015

Okay, well, here it is... my favorites for 2015. As usual, I would like to thank these three great music sites for keeping my ear to the ground for great music. Or should I say 'ear to the speaker': Radio U, ChristianRock.Net and Jesus Freak Hideout. Be sure to check out their 2015 favorites lists as well. So here we go... my Album Top Five Favorites of 2015:

Rock



RED "Of Beauty And Rage"

ARTIFEX PEREO "Time In Place"

EMERY "You Were Never Alone"

CHILDREN 18:3 "Come In"

XXI "Inside Out"


Hard Rock



THE ONGOING CONCEPT "Handmade"

DISCIPLE "Vultures"

STRYPER "Fallen"

P.O.D. "The Awakening"

MEMPHIS MAY FIRE "Unconditional (Deluxe Edition)"


Worship



BETHEL MUSIC "We Will Not Be Shaken"

AARON GILLESPIE "Grace Through The Wandering"

PLUMB "Exhale"

LAUREN DAIGLE "How Can It Be"

HILLSONG UNITED "Empires"


Pop



TWENTY ONE PILOTS "Blurryface"

FIREFLIGHT "Innova"

OWL CITY "Mobile Orchestra"

CAPITAL KINGS "II"

MANAFEST "Reborn"


Hip-Hop



NF "Mansion"

FLAME "Forward"

KB "Tomorrow We Live"

OVERFLOW "bRAINwashed Vol 2"

ANDY MINEO "Uncomfortable"


EPs



WOLVES AT THE GATE "Reprise"

V.ROSE "Hearts Up"

LEVV "Strange Fire"

JOHN MARK & SARAH MCMILLAN "You Are The Avalanche"

VERIDIA "Pretty Lies"


Remix Albums



FAMILY FORCE 5 "Time Still Stands"

COLTON DIXON "The Calm Before The Storm"

KARI JOBE "Majestic: Revisited"

HILLSONG YOUNG & FREE "We Are Y&F: The Remixes"

BRITT NICOLE "The Remixes"


Honorable Mentions



ATTALUS "Into The Sea"

NYVES "Anxiety"

PILLAR "One Love Revolution"

THE INNOCENCE MISSION "Hello I Feel The Same"

HEARTS LIKE LIONS "These Hands"


Looking Forward To In 2016



THE ROCKET SUMMER "Zoetic"

LACEY STURM "Life Screams"

FEARLESS BND "singles collection"

BETHEL MUSIC "Have It All"

NINE LASHES "Ascend"

THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH "Exhale"

HOUSE OF HEROES "Colors"

SARAH MACINTOSH "A Thousand Champions"

DECYFER DOWN "The Other Side Of Darkness"

FLEMING & JOHN "Springtime"

My Album Picks For 2014

Here we go. I haven't done this in five years (5 years!)... boy how I've wanted to. So, I made time to reminisce about my favorite music from 2014. Those who know me well, know that I listen to a lot of music. And I am very picky and particular. I have also stated before (and am sticking to said statement): I enjoy intelligent, creative, faith-based rock. Therefore, this is my list - my opinion. It is by no means meant to judge or rank any albums from last year. So with great difficulty, I've narrowed these down.

Well okay, here they are, in no particular order...
my Album Fave Top Fives of 2014:

Rock



NINE LASHES "From Water To War"

STEVE TAYLOR & THE PERFECT FOIL "Goliath"

THE CHOIR "Shadow Weaver"

SUMERLIN "Runaways"

U2 "Songs Of Innocence"


Hard Rock



PROJECT 86 "Knives To The Future"

DISCIPLE "Attack"

WOLVES AT THE GATE "VxV"

BEARTOOTH "Disgusting"

DEMON HUNTER "Extremist"


Worship



KARI JOBE "Majestic" (Live)

BETHEL MUSIC "You Make Me Brave"

JOHN MARK McMILLAN "Borderland"

PLANETSHAKERS "Endless Praise"

KINGS KALEIDOSCOPE "Becoming Who We Are"


Pop



MANIC DRIVE "v.i.p."

KYE KYE "Fantasize"

FAMILY FORCE 5 "Time Stands Still"

MANAFEST "The Moment"

COLTON DIXON "Anchor"


Hip-Hop



V.ROSE "Forever After"

LECRAE "Anomaly"

PROPAGANDA "Crimson Cord"

TEDASHII "Below Paradise"

ANDY MINEO "Neverland"


EPs
(since this seemed to be the year of EP releases galore, I could only narrow my final choices down to 10)



SWITCHFOOT "The Edge Of The Earth"

SCIENTIST "World EP: Mobile Lab Remix Edition"

AUDREY ASSAD "Death Be Not Proud"

RED "Release The Panic: Recalibrated"

LNYX "Captivate"

VERIDIA "Inseparable"

ILIA "Reborn"

HOUSE OF HEROES "Smoke"

OWL CITY "Ultraviolet"

JONAH 33 "Dead Man Walking"


commercial break...
More 2014 Lists From Some Of My Favorite Music Websites

Jesus Freak Hideout's Staff Picks

50 Most Wanted On Radio U

ChristianRock.Net's Top 100 Songs


and now back to our show...
2014 Honorable Mentions

SWITCHFOOT "Fading West Soundtrack"

BETHEL MUSIC "Tides Live"

THE ROYAL ROYAL "Return Of The King"

BECKAH SHAE "Champion"

REMEDY DRIVE "Commodity"


Cool Yule In 2014

HOUSE OF HEROES "Hark! The House Of Heroes Sing"

PETER FURLER featuring DAVID IAN "Christmas"

JOHN SCHLITT "The Christmas Project"

REND COLLECTIVE "Campfire Christmas Vol. 1"

SOLID STATE ARTISTS "Midnight Clear"


Disappointments In 2014
Not entirely bad albums. There are some good tracks:

GUARDIAN "Almost Home"
what happened to those classic big guitars?

ANBERLIN "Lowborn"
not enough teeth for a farewell album

FLYLEAF "Between The Stars"
new vox + new lyrics = I miss Lacey

THOUSAND FOOT KRUTCH "Oxygen:Inhale"
this is really the new FM Static, right?

HILLSONG UNITED "The White Album" (Remixes)
sorry, but this is totally unnecessary


Looking Forward To In 2015

CHILDREN 18:3 "Come In"

AARON GILLESPIE "Grace Through The Wandering"

HOUSE OF HEROES untitled concept album

BETHEL MUSIC "We Will Not Be Shaken"

EMERY "You Were Never Alone"

RED "Of Beauty And Rage"

TWENTY ONE PILOTS "Blurryface"

Latest, Greatest and Leastest

So, obviously I haven't blogged in a long while. Not that I ever was good at blogging anyway. Well, here's a little info on what has been going on lately.

I've been listening to some pretty good albums. Currently enjoying The Classic Crime's "Phoenix", Anchor & Braille's "The Quiet Life" and Owl City's "The Midsummer Station". My favorite albums this summer have been "The End Is Where We Begin" by Thousand Foot Krutch, "On The Run" by Children 18:3, "Life Will Write The Words" from The Rocket Summer, "Lost In Transition" by Sixpence None The Richer, "Cornerstone" from Hillsong Live and "Cold Hard Want" presented by House Of Heroes. The favored song at the moment is Wolves At The Gate 'Dead Man'

Top 30 Videos

So, I know we're already well into 2010, but here are the Top 30 Christian Rock Videos of 2009, according to www.tvulive.com:

1. 'Outrage' - Capital Lights
2. 'Dance Or Die' - Family Force 5
3. 'Death Of Me' - Red
4. 'Days End' - Ivoryline
5. 'Lost Connection With The Head' - Showbread
6. 'Falling On Everlasting' - I Am Terrified
7. 'Surrender Saved My Life' - This Beautiful Republic
8. 'One In A Million' - Run Kid Run
9. 'Radiator' - Family Force 5
10. 'Madman' - Haste The Day
11. The Pig - Showbread
12. Hero - Skillet
13. Goin' Outta Control - Kaboose
14. The Difference - Philmont
15. Feel Good Drag - Anberlin
16. We Can Try - Between The Trees
17. Such A Time - Flynn Adam
18. Too Bright To See, Too Loud To Hear - Underoath
19. Reinventing Robert Cohn - And Then There Were None
20. To Know That You're Alive - Kutless
21. Hearts And Minds - Ivoryline
22. Cross That Line - Superchic[k]
23. Abracadavers - The Classic Crime
24. Favorite Disease - Thousand Foot Krutch
25. Town Folk - John Reuben
26. Back To The Five - Ruth
27. Hold On - Abandon
28. Robots 3, Humans 0 - Norma Jean
29. The Fox, The Crow And The Cookie - mewithoutyou
30. Desperate Times, Desperate Measures - Underoath

 

Top Songs and CDs

Anyone who knows me well is aware of my strong fondness for Christian Rock Music. Since both the year and the decade have just ended, the best way for me to recap is to look at the songs that shaped me. Derived from the most valid sources, I have for your eyes here songs and albums that topped the charts. Billboard Magazine bases theirs primarily on CD sales numbers, while CMSpin is based on critic's and fan's reviews. ChristianRock.net's however, is tallied by radio singles airplay and requests over the years. Enjoy this recap, and here's to another year (and decade) of fine music that rocks the soul...

Billboard's Top 10 Christian Rock CDs of 2009:
1. Awake - Skillet
2. Innocence & Instinct - Red
3. New Surrender - Anberlin
4. With Roots Above & Branches Below - Devil Wears Prada
5. The Outsiders - Needtobreathe
6. Memento Mori - Flyleaf
7. Forget and Not Slow Down - Relient K
8. Constellations - August Burns Red
9. Crash - Decyfer Down
10. Hello Hurricane - Switchfoot

Billboard's Top 10 Christian Rock CDs of the Decade:
1. Satellite - P.O.D.
2. The Beautiful Letdown - Switchfoot
3. Flyleaf - Flyleaf
4. Fundamental Elements Of Southtown - P.O.D.
5. Mm Hmm - Relient K
6. Wherever You Are - Third Day
7. Come Together - Third Day
8. Restored - Jeremy Camp
9. Nothing Is Sound - Switchfoot
10. Comatose - Skillet

CMSPINs Top 10 Christian Rock CDs of 2009:
1. Welcome to the Masquerade
- Thousand Foot Krutch
2. Hello Hurricane - Switchfoot
3. Forget and Not Slow Down - Relient K
4. Innocence & Instinct - Red
5. Awake - Skillet
6. Confessions - Pillar
7. The Outsiders - Needtobreathe
8. Memento Mori - Flyleaf
9. Live Life Loud - Hawk Nelson
10. Murder by Pride - Stryper

ChristianRock.net's Top 20 Songs of the Decade:
1. Hero - Skillet
2. The Wait Is Over - Disciple
3. Alive - P.O.D.
4. Fireproof - Pillar
5. Perfect - Flyleaf
6. Captives Come Home - Run Kid Run
7. Breathe Into Me - Red
8. Pitiful - Blindside
9. Rebirthing - Skillet
10. Prizm - Pax217
11. Fight Inside - Red
12. Absolute - Thousand Foot Krutch
13. Open Wounds - Skillet
14. All For You - Jonah33
15. Let Go - Red
16. Rock The Party (Off The Hook) - P.O.D.
17. Oh! Gravity - Switchfoot
18. Bring Me Down - Pillar
19. Unbreakable - Fireflight
20. Evil: A Chorus of Resistance - Project 86

ChristianRock.net's Top 20 Songs of 2009:
1. Hero - Skillet
2. Set The Dial - Run Kid Run
3. Feel Good Drag - Anberlin
4. Fight Inside - Red
5. My Sweet Escape - Run Kid Run
6. Stand Up - Fireflight
7. Streams Of Woe At Acheron - Falling Up
8. Never Be the Same - Red
9. Peace of Mind - Stryper
10. Death of Me - Red
11. Best Night Of Our Lives - Everyday Sunday
12. Bring Me To Life - Thousand Foot Krutch
13. Mystery of You - Red
14. Fading - Decyfer Down
15. Romance Me - Disciple
16. Again - Flyleaf
17. Cross My Heart - Nevertheless
18. Speaking Louder Than Before - Jeremy Camp
19. Fire On The Inside - Pillar
20. Return - Capital Lights

 

Happy New Year Palindrome

Happy New Year everyone!! Twenty-ten is finally here. Not only a new year, but the start of a new decade too. By the way, did you know that today's date, 0102 2010, is a palindrome! It's reversible! It's the second of 12 palindrome dates this century and there will actually only be 36 of them in this millenium. Webster's Dictionary defines a palindrome as 'a word, verse, sentence or a number that reads the same backward or forward.' So, that's pretty cool, huh?! Oh, and thanks to Matt Bronleewe for pointing this out to me via his Twitter Updates. A blessed 'new year' to all...