Maybe the best year for music in recent memory, to be honest. I could probably come up with a Top 100 from this year alone that are all something close to canon-worthy. Or maybe I just listened to more music this year. Probably a bit of both.

I'd also recommend new albums from: Bruiser & Bicycle, Fust, Lifeguard, Cory Hanson, Clipse (ok another major oversight), DARKSIDE, Tape Trash, Florry, Home Is Where, Yves Jarvis, Dean Johnson, Alien Boy, Jason Isbell, Snocaps, Model/Actriz, Samia, Bill Fox, and Pulp (also a major oversight!)

But otherwise most of my favorite albums of the year made the cut, which isn't always the case. And I even have a couple of new ones to check out (not that I think either is especially in my wheelhouse). Look forward to revisiting some of these over the holidays at least.

I feel like the only way out is just a mass, organized, artist-led boycott/walkout on all of the productions at these studios. Or just a generational pivot to alternative media sources. Maybe that’s what they want.

Or a farm animal! I wouldn't take anything off the table here.