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Last year was both a good and bad year for music.
It was great in that we were blessed with some of the best music we’ve heard in years — sometimes at a breakneck pace, but tragic in that we lost many musical heroes.
For what it’s worth, I (along with every other Bowie fan), would trade in our copy of “Blackstar” if it meant we could somehow bring him back from his eternal journey to Mars.
But, since my record collection does not hold any cosmic magic, and there is nothing we can do to bring back him, Prince, Leonard Cohen, Phife Dawg, or any of the other legends we lost in 2016; the one thing we can do is celebrate all of the good music that the year brought us.
Thus, I'm choosing to do my best to look on the bright side of 2016, and highlighting some of the great vinyl I was able to add to my record collection last year. Unfortunately, many of the best releases of the year are not yet available on vinyl through Amazon, thanks to exclusive deals with streaming services or other music industry specifics that I am unfamiliar with.
So, while Kanye, Beyonce, Rihanna, Frank Ocean, and Chance the Rapper are all absent from this list, I would like the record to officially reflect that they all changed my life for the better in 2016.
That said, below, in no particular order, you can find eleven records that I adored this year that are available for purchase on vinyl. If you have a little extra money from the holidays, or simply want to add a record to your collection, I humbly submit my picks for your consideration.
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“Blackstar” by David Bowie
The loss of David Bowie hit a lot of us (myself included) right in the gut. That said, Bowie’s release of "Blackstar" just before his death was a gift, and some of his best work in years. The album serves as a goodbye in many ways, and listening to it was deeply cathartic for me, as I’m sure it was for many fans. The final track “I Can’t Give Everything Away” is especially brutal.
Buy it: $23.88
“You Want It Darker” by Leonard Cohen
Before his death, I knew Leonard Cohen much more as a songwriter than an artist. But since he passed on, I’ve been listening to him more and more and am disappointed I did not know to cherish him sooner.
Released just a few weeks before his death, this album is something of a meditation on dying and his relationship with God, and the dark humor that can come from dwelling with those thoughts.
Buy it: $22.98
“We got it from Here... Thank You 4 Your service” by A Tribe Called Quest
As I said in the intro, Phife Dawg was one of many great losses to music we suffered this year. Thankfully, there were still a few lines fans had yet to hear on the latest, politically charged release from A Tribe Called Quest.
With beats that are instantly, undeniably made for Tribe, including samples of Elton John and Willy Wonka, this record is a must listen if you haven’t heard it yet.
Buy it: $28.98
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