Fifteen Favorites (15 Albums & Songs I Loved in 2015)

Once again, even though no one asked me, I'm going to share my favorite albums from 2015. As of December 23, 2015, I have bought 40 full albums, 10 EPs, and a few singles that were released in 2015 (I have a list of other albums to buy, but time and money are running out, so it is what it is). As I said last year, I tend buy whole albums...even if there's really only one song that I love before buying. This year, thanks to one of last year's Christmas presents, I've become a fan of listening to albums on vinyl. I find that it makes me listen to a whole collection of songs an artist releases more intentionally...I can't skip the songs I don't immediately love. :) On my list of fifteen favorite albums, I own 7 on vinyl (and a few are not available on vinyl or I'd have them). Also, it seems that seeing a band live makes a difference...I have listed 15 albums and 15 songs (from albums that didn't make my favorite 15 albums list) that I have loved this year...which mean there are 30 different artists/bands on my lists. At some point, I have seen 19 of them live in concert. In 2015, I saw 7 of them live in concert and already have purchased tickets to see 4 of them live in 2016.

I think, for me, 2014 was a more meaningful year as far as music goes...while I loved a lot of albums this year, I can't tell you where I was when I first heard them like I could with so many of my favorites last year. However, that doesn't mean that it wasn't a great year for music or that I didn't connect with a lot of these songs (my list actually contains more albums this year plus I've added a list of songs from albums that didn't make my favorite albums list).

Again, I am not an expert or a music critic. I like what I like. I listen to what I like and don't bother with listening to things that I don't like. As I said last year, I'm a fan of beautiful melodies and honest and true lyrics...whether they be about love or loss, faith or fear, life's successes or struggles. I believe great artists can make music that is deeply personal to them, but because it is honest and true, fans can relate to it...even if the artist and the fan live very different lives. And yes sometimes, I don't really relate or identify...I just like the way it sounds. :)

As Drew Holcomb sings, 

Music, it makes you feel good, makes you feel understood,
like you’re not alone, you’re not a rolling stone,
not the only one on the road.

So, without further ado, here's the music that made me feel good and/or understood.

1. Ben Rector's Brand New

I love practically every song on this album. And the ones I don't love? I like a lot. And while I've loved Ben since we saw him tour with Needtobreathe in 2012, I am a little surprised that his album is my favorite of 2015, but I truly love these songs. I'm fairly sure, if I wrote in a journal, most of these lyrics could have been ripped from its pages.

Favorite Songs: More Like Love, Like the World Is Going to End, Note to Self, Men That Drive Me Places

2. Jon Foreman's The Wonderlands EPs

Really, these four EPs probably should be tied with Brand New when it comes to my favorite of 2015. I lumped the four together as one album, which may be cheating a bit...but it's my list, so it's my rules. Jon Foreman is an insanely talented songwriter (and performer...saw him with Switchfoot during Tour de Compadres) and he makes music that makes you think. I typically listen to my iPod on shuffle and every time one of these songs comes on, I am amazed by just how good they are. The EPs contain some amazing songs and I have a feeling they are songs that will stick with me for quite a while.

Favorite Songs:

From Sunlight: Terminal, You Don't Know How Beautiful You Are, All of God's Children

From Shadows: Your Love is Enough

From Darkness: You Alone, June and Johnny

From Dawn: Inheritance, Inseparable, Mercy's War, Before Our Time

3. The Lone Bellow's Then Came the Morning

This album was my most anticipated of 2015 and it did not disappoint. No other band does it quite like The Lone Bellow. I'd listen to them sing the phone book and I'm convinced it would be absolutely amazing and breathtakingly beautiful. They may be my favorite band to see live in concert (yes, even more than Needtobreathe). In my humble opinion, I think if you aren't listening to their albums and going to see them live every chance you get, you're wrong. ;)

Favorite Songs: Then Came the Morning, Call to War, Watch Over Us,
Heaven Don't Call Me Home

4. Adele's 25

The voice that makes you feel all the feels. She made us wait for what seemed like forever (but in reality it was only about 4 years), but I think the album was worth the wait. And since millions of people bought her album and her US tour sold out in just over half an hour, I think we all understand why this album made my list.

Favorite Songs: Send My Love (To Your New Lover), When We Were Young, Million Years Ago, Sweetest Devotion

5. Needtobreathe's Live from the Woods

Since this album contains most of my favorites from Rivers in the Wasteland (my favorite album on 2014) and then other favorites from Needtobreathe, I considered saying it was my favorite album of 2015...but that did feel like cheating, even if it is my list and my rules. I was actually present in the woods when this concert was recorded and it was a truly great night in Nashville. Seeing Needtobreathe live is special (I've done it 22 times and counting now) and this album does a pretty good job of capturing the energy of one of their shows (however, recordings don't ever do the live experience true justice...you need to be there in person).

Favorite Songs: Washed by the Water, Wanted Man, Brother, Multiplied,

More Heart, Less Attack

6. Lauren Daigle's How Can it Be



Most of the songs on my list (of albums and singles) are from artists and bands that I have been following and I pre-bought their new album or at least bought it the day it came out. I heard Lauren Daigle's song on the radio and after thinking, "I really like that" several times, checked out the whole album, bought the whole album, and loved the whole album. Like Ben Rector's Brand New, I'm fairly sure that many of these lyrics could be pages in a journal that I don't keep. A lot of these songs have become the songs I needed to hear to remind me of truths that I tend to forget.

Favorite Songs: First, Trust in You, Here's My Heart, Come Alive (Dry Bones),
Salt and Light

7. Drew Holcomb and the Neighbor's Medicine



I would like to be best friends with Drew and Ellie Holcomb. They seem like the kindest people and coolest couple, plus their kids are the cutest. Also, they make great music. Ellie has been doing more of a solo thing, so I suppose my one complaint about this album is that it could use more Ellie. :)

Favorite Songs: American Beauty, Here We Go, Shine Like Lightning, You'll Always Be My Girl, The Last Thing We Do, Ain't Nobody Got it Easy

8. Jon McLaughlin's Like Us



I've been a Jon McLaughlin fan since college. He is an insanely talented piano player (watching him live is crazy). He is a nice guy...he was at the Nashville show of Tour de Compadres and in one of the braver moments of my life I went up and told him that we were big fans. And in addition to this being a great collection of songs, all of his proceeds from this album go to help human trafficking victims. 

Favorite Songs: I Am Always Going to Love You, Don't Mess With My Girl, Thank God

9. Rend Collective's As Family We Go

Last year, I said this about Rend Collective, "This Irish band and their unparalleled way of combining shindiggery and worship...their songs simply ooze joy." And that is still  absolutely true. While I love As Family We Go, it is not my favorite Rend Collective album. That said, it is still a truly great album of joy-filled tunes that I love. I can't wait until April when I will get to worship with them at the Tabernacle in Atlanta. They put out great albums, but singing with the live is something special.

Favorite Songs: You Will Never Run, Every Giant Will Fall, One and Only, Never Weigh Me Down, Every Giant Will Fall (Ukulele Version)

10. Jeremy Jordan and Anna Kendrick The Last Five Years Soundtrack

Earlier this year, Melissa texted me and told me to watch the movie/musical, The Last Five Years and since then, we've been obsessed. I know some fans may not like the movie adaptation of the musical (I've heard it's very different, I have not seen the musical), but we loved it...even though it is one of the saddest, most heart-wrenching things I have ever seen. However, Jeremy Jordan and Anna Kendrick are phenomenal and the music is amazing...so this may be the album I've listened to the most this year...even if certain songs make me really sad and others make me really mad. There is some language, so you've been warned.

Favorite Songs: Still Hurting, Moving Too Fast, The Schmuel Song, A Summer in Ohio

11. Jenny and Tyler's Of This I'm Sure

I've listened to Jenny and Tyler in the past and even have some of their early albums, but Of This I'm Sure is better than anything I've heard from them before. They're married with two precious little girls, so these are love songs...but not just for a husband and wife, several are from parents to children. One such song, In Everything You Do, is without question, one of my favorite songs from 2015 even though I am not a parent...but it is an amazing song.

Favorite Songs: In Everything You Do, Walk With You, You Are a Song

12. Anderson East's Delilah

I bought Anderson East's album because he was opening for The Lone Bellow and I wanted to check him out before the show. I listened to Delilah because Anderson East is really, really great. And if you think his album is great, you should see him live. He has a pretty unique voice and despite the fact that some have labeled him as a country artist (and he does have a very, very thick southern accent), I don't know many country artists that have a horn section...which sounds great and is just fun. However, on his Daytrotter session, he sings with basically just a guitar and I may love the songs even more stripped down.

Favorite Songs: Only You, Quit You, Keep the Fire Burning

13. Mumford and Sons' Wilder Mind



A few years ago, Mumford and Sons was at the top of the list of favorite bands. I loved Sigh No More and Babel. When I heard they were going for a different sound, I boycotted the new album for a while because I loved the old sound. I finally bought the album. And yes, it sounds a bit different. However, as I've listened, I still hear Mumford and Sons when I hear it. I do miss the old sound, but I have come to really like the new sound.

Favorite Songs: The Wolf, Just Smoke, Cold Arms, Ditmas, Only Love

14. Langhorne Slim and the Law's The Spirit Moves

We saw Langhorne Slim open for The Avett Brothers in 2011 and while I enjoyed his performance and songs, I haven't really followed him. When The Spirit Moves showed up on a list on Amazon or iTunes, I bought it on a whim. The more I listen, the more I love it.

Favorite Songs: Life's a Bell, Strongman, Meet Again

15. Emily Hearn's Hourglass

Generally, while singer-songwriter seems to be one of my favorite genres of music, I typically, for whatever reason, like male singers better than females. I've followed Emily Hearn since we saw her open for Drew Holcomb and I have always liked her stuff, but this album was really great.

Favorite Songs: The Oak Tree, Please, Don't Take My Love, Thank God You're Holding Me, Worth Fighting For

I limited my list of albums to 15 even though it could have been much longer. And had I been in a different mood when I wrote my lists, I'm sure the albums list would have looked a bit different! I really liked a lot of other albums this year, so I decided I would write another list with one favorite song from other albums that I bought this year. They aren't in any particular order necessarily; however, those towards the top of the list were on albums that I really loved...I just didn't want to write the world's longest favorite albums list.

1. Ivan and Alyosha's Don't Lose Your Love
(from It's All Just Pretend)

2. Leon Bridges' Shine
(from Coming Home)

3. Dawes' All Your Favorite Bands
(from All Your Favorite Bands)

4. The Brilliance's Brother
(from Brother)

5. Kodaline's Moving On
(from Coming Up for Air)
6. Mat Kearney's Let it Rain
(from Just Kids)

7. Hillsong United's Captain
(from Empires)

8. Matt Maher's Deliverer
(from Saints and Sinners)

9. Family and Friends' Family and Friends
(from Love You Mean It EP)

10. Good Old War's Broken Into Better Shape
(from Broken Into Better Shape)

11. James Bay's Hold Back the RIver
(from Chaos and Calm)

12. The Oh Hellos' This Will End
(from Dear Wormwood)

13. The Vespers' Sisters and Brothers
(from Sisters and Brothers)

14. Andra Day's Rise Up
(from Cheers to the Fall)

15. Lord Huron's Fool for Love
(from Strange Trails)

It wasn't on an album, but I bought the single Forever Young (sung by Rhiannon Giddens and Iron and Wine) from the Parenthood series finale and I truly love it. I've always loved the Dylan song (and if I have kids someday would love to paint the lyrics on the wall of their nursery and/or play room) and I really loved what they did with it (and it fit in the finale so beautifully!).

In 2016, I'm looking forward to new music from The Avett Brothers, Switchfoot, Judah and the Lion, Lake Street Drive, Leagues, and of course, NEEDTOBREATHE (heard a new one at Jingle Jam and I think album #6 is going to be spectacular).