Sure the music was better than 2015, but 2016 can kick rocks.
We survived, though and found enough new music to get us through the deaths of some very talented and iconic people, an election more annoying than it needed to be and the fact they opened an Apollo Burger within walking distance of the station. Damn, that place is glorious gluttony. Here’s what the guys who play music on X96 found as their ear splendor in 2016. We’ve also placed our favorite song from each album, which means this list can probably double as our top ten songs, too. Scroll to the very bottom for a preview of new music coming in 2017!
If you’re bored you can also see what we thought of music in 2014. For some reason, we didn’t do this last year.
•Todd Nuke’em | Afternoon Drive, 3p to 7p
Let’s face it, 2016 was the year that sort of kicked us all in the teeth. From David Bowie dying to Donald Trump living, it’s been rough. But there were some amazing albums! We saw huge comebacks from bands like Green Day and Blink 182, and pleasant new voices like SWMRS and The 1975. Here are my personal favorites for the year!
10. Weezer “Weezer (The White Album)”
9. Lumineers “Cleopatra”
8. SWMRS “Drive North”
7. Tyler Glenn “Excommunication”
6. Blaqk Audio –”Material”
5. Panic! At The Disco “Death of a Bachelor”
4. Blink 182 “California”
3. Bastille “Wild World”
2. Green Day “Revolution Radio”
1. The 1975 “I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It”
•Jon Smith | Middays, 10a to 3p
10. Diarrhea Planet “Turn to Gold”
I’ll be honest. I didn’t even listen to this one. But it’s a punk band from Tennessee, and their name is Diarrhea Planet. For that alone they get a spot on my list. As I’m typing this Nuke Em is looking over my shoulder asking “Are you even taking this seriously?”
9. Panic! at the Disco “Death of a Bachelor”
Of course Panic! makes the list as the album is AMAZING, but also because their live show this year took shit to a whole new level.
8. Blaqk Audio “Material”
We actually had a chance to meet and hang with Blaqk Audio this year which was rad. For those that don’t know, Blaqk Audio is actually members of legendary punk band AFI, doing some deep techno type stuff. Lotsa fun! Number 8.
7. Miike Snow “iii”
Miike Snow is not the name of a dude, it’s the name of the band. Kinda like Jethro Tull without all the jean jackets and material for Metallica to steal. The band is actually three dudes from Sweden and they KILL it with this album. Go buy it.
6. Tiger Army V •••
I had a lot of fun with punk rawk this year with 801PUNX being on the air over the summer. TIger Army has been around since the mid 90s and fit right in with Reverend Horton Heat with their upright bass and heavy rockabilly vibe. I always try to pull off the rockabilly look with my jeans. So far no luck, but who knows 2017 may be my year.
5. Metallica “Hardwired… to Self-Destruct”
I like Metallica. That being said, not their best album, but it’s fun to hear some new stuff from the band before I go back and listen to the Black Album.
4. A Day to Remember “Bad Vibrations”
ADTR is seriously one of the coolest, and most down to earth bands in the world. Every single day these guys get better and better as a band, and they’ve yet to do ANYTHING that I don’t absolutely love.
3. Blink-182 “California”
NEW BLINK!!?!! We were all a little nervous that a new guitar player was stepping in for the batshit crazy Tom Delonge for this album, making this the third lineup change for a band with only three members. But Matt Skiba KILLS IT. As much as I love Travis Barker on drums, I don’t think he knows how not to overplay on some of these tracks. PLus Goldfinger’s John Feldman producing. SO RAD> ALSO, the track San Diego deals with Tom leaving the band, give it a fresh listen.
2. Descendents “Hypercaffium Spazzinate”
HOLY EFFING SHIT I LOVE THIS BAND. One of my all time favorite bands and it was exactly what I was hoping to hear. GO MILO!
1. Green Day “Revolution Radio”
The second I heard the track “Still Breathing” I knew this would be my #1 album of 2016. This has been a TOUGH year for a lot of people. I personally got dealt some shitty hands this year, top of the list would be my Dad passing away. This year was a dumpster fire. It’s really not like me to get all Judy Jetson on song lyrics. But this track totally grabbed me and got me looking forward to a new year. Thanks, Green Day!
•Corey O’Brien | Evenings, 7p to midnight
Oh, these lists. While I enjoyed Blink 182, Green Day and Weezer’s albums quite a bit, they’re old friends. I’ve been there and while it’s a lovely place to visit from time to time, I crave new places. Bands the put me into sentimental spaces and remind me of Warped Tours of past, seeing them at DV8 or back when I drove an 84′ Cavalier or going to West Jordan High. Fine days they were, but if you live in the past too much you can end up voting for a game show host as commander in chief…wait. Well, at least the music makers, painters, photogs and comedians will have something to bounce their ideas off of and rebel against in 2017. Here are the albums that took me a bit out there that I am grateful for in 2016:
10. M83 “Junk”
9. Radiohead “A Moon Shaped Pool”
8. The Avalanches “Wildflower”
7. Yeasayer “Amen & Goodbye”
6. Empire of the Sun “Two Vines”
5. The 1975 “I Like It When You Sleep, For you Are Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It”
4. Justice “Woman”
3. Frank Ocean “Blonde”
2. STRFKR “Being No One, Going Nowhere”
1. Glass Animals “How to Be a Human Being”
And so we look onward to 2017 where we expect new music from Linkin Park, Cold War Kids, The xx, U2, Modest Mouse, Pearl Jam, Dropkick Murphys, Bleachers, MGMT, Depeche Mode, Billy Corgan, A.F.I., Queens of the Stone Age, Jenny Lewis, Spoon, Phoenix, Gorillaz, Beck, The National, Brand New, Father John Misty, Japandroids, Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, Fleet Foxes, LCD Soundsystem, System of a Down, Lorde and a whole lot more. 2017: the year we win!
