KGNU’s Top 100 albums of the year, ranked by number of spins. Considering the variety of music programs in our schedule and the sheer number of DJ’s (100+) doing them, it’s no surprise that this is a diverse list. Thanks for listening with open minds and ears. It’s a credit to you, the listeners, that KGNU has been able to offer true freeform, ecclectic, music since 1978.
1.
Artist: Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Album: Crooked Tree
Label: Nonesuch
2.
Artist: Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder
Album: Get on Board
Label: Nonesuch
3.
Artist: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Album: Raise The Roof
Label: Rounder
4.
Artist: Mavis Staples & Levon Helm
Album: Carry Me Home
Label: Anti-
5.
Artist: Calexico
Album: El Mirador
Label: Anti-
6.
Artist: Emmylou Harris & The Nash Ramblers
Album: Ramble in Music City: The Lost Concert (Live)
Label: Nonesuch
7.
Artist: Peter Rowan
Album: Calling You From My Mountain
Label: Rebel Records
8.
Artist: The Del McCoury Band
Album: Almost Proud
Label: McCoury Music
9.
Artist: Delbert McClinton
Album: Outdated Emotion
Label: Hot Shot Records
10.
Artist: Punch Brothers
Album: Hell On Church Street
Label: Warner Music Group
11.
Artist: Various Artists
Album: Sacred Soul of North Carolina
Label: Bible And Tire Recording Company
12.
Artist: Wilco
Album: Cruel Country
Label: dBpm Records Inc.
13.
Artist: Bonnie Raitt
Album: Just Like That…
Label: Redwing
14.
Artist: Willie Nelson
Album: A Beautiful Time
Label: Legacy
15.
Artist: Congotronics International
Album: Where’s The One? (feat. Deerhoof, Juana Molina, Kasai Allstars, Konono No 1, Wildbirds & Peacedrums & Skeletons)
Label: Crammed Disc US
16.
Artist: Rokia Koné & Jacknife Lee
Album: Bamanan
Label: Rokia Kone
17.
Artist: Big Thief
Album: Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You
Label: 4AD
18.
Artist: Billy Strings
Album: Renewal
Label: Rounder
19.
Artist: Monophonics & Kelly Finnigan
Album: Sage Motel
Label: Colemine Records
20.
Artist: Catherine Russell
Album: Send For Me
Label: Dot Time Records
21.
Artist: Protoje
Album: Third Time’s The Charm
Label: in.Digg.Nation Collective
22.
Artist: Steve Earle
Album: Jerry Jeff
Label: New West Records
23.
Artist: Old Crow Medicine Show
Album: Paint This Town
Label: ATO Records
24.
Artist: Asleep At The Wheel
Album: Half A Hundred Years
Label: Home Records Marketed And Distributed By Thirty Tigers
25.
Artist: L’Entourloop
Album: La clarté dans la confusion
Label: L’Entourloop
26.
Artist: Mary Gauthier
Album: Dark Enough To See The Stars
Label: In the Black Records
27.
Artist: Noori & His Dorpa Band
Album: Beja Power! Electric Soul & Brass from Sudan’s Red Sea Coast
Label: Ostinato Records
28.
Artist: Leyla McCalla
Album: Breaking The Thermometer
Label: Anti
29.
Artist: Eliza Gilkyson
Album: Songs From The River Wind
Label: Howlin Dog Records
30.
Artist: Cimafunk
Album: El Alimento
Label: Terapia Productions
31.
Artist: Vieux Farka Touré & Khruangbin
Album: Ali
Label: Dead Oceans – Night Time Stories, Ltd
32.
Artist: The Harlem Gospel Travelers
Album: Look Up!
Label: Colemine
33.
Artist: Various Artists
Album: A Guide To The Birdsong Of Western Africa
Label: Shika Shika
34.
Artist: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Album: Dirt Does Dylan
Label: MRI
35.
Artist: Oumou Sangaré
Album: Timbuktu
Label: World Circuit
36.
Artist: Keb’ Mo’
Album: Good To Be…
Label: Rounder
37.
Artist: Andrew Bird
Album: Inside Problems
Label: Loma Vista
38.
Artist: Ibibio Sound Machine
Album: Electricity
Label: Ibibio Sound Machine
39.
Artist: Various Artists
Album: Rough Guide to Texas Blues
Label: World Music Network
40.
Artist: Trombone Shorty
Album: Lifted
Label: Blue Note
41.
Artist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Album: Butterfly 3001
Label: KGLW
42.
Artist: Bonobo
Album: Fragments
Label: Ninja Tune
43.
Artist: Thee Sacred Souls
Album: Thee Sacred Souls
Label: Daptone Records
44.
Artist: Deca
Album: Smoking Gun
Label: Deca
45.
Artist: Brennen Leigh
Album: Obsessed With The West (feat. Asleep At The Wheel)
Label: Signature Sounds
46.
Artist: Wet Leg
Album: Wet Leg
Label: Domino Record Company
47.
Artist: The Spy from Cairo
Album: Animamundi
Label: Zeb the Spy from Cairo
48.
Artist: Fantastic Negrito
Album: White Jesus Black Problems
Label: Storefront Records
49.
Artist: Adrian Quesada
Album: Boleros Psicodélicos
Label: ATO
50.
Artist: Neko Case
Album: Wild Creatures
Label: Anti/Epitaph
51.
Artist: The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble
Album: Step Down
Label: Colemine Records
52.
Artist: Death by Dub
Album: Abundance
Label: Color Red Records
53.
Artist: Dr. John
Album: Things Happen That Way
Label: Low A9 LLC / Rounder
54.
Artist: Wood Belly
Album: Great Big Skies
Label: Americana Vibes
55.
Artist: Patty Griffin
Album: Tape
Label: PGM
56.
Artist: Vieux Farka Touré
Album: Les Racines
Label: World Circuit
57.
Artist: Third Coast Percussion
Album: Perspectives
Label: Cedille
58.
Artist: Kikagaku Moyo
Album: Kumoyo Island
Label: Guruguru Brain
59.
Artist: Tuba Skinny
Album: Magnolia Stroll
Label: Tuba Skinny
60.
Artist: Yonder Mountain String Band
Album: Get Yourself Outside
Label: Frog Pad Records
61.
Artist: Khruangbin & Leon Bridges
Album: Texas Moon – EP
Label: Dead Oceans
62.
Artist: Spoon
Album: Lucifer On The Sofa
Label: Matador
63.
Artist: Gonora Sounds
Album: Hard Times Never Kill
Label: The Vital Record
64.
Artist: Los Bitchos
Album: Let The Festivities Begin!
Label: City Slang
65.
Artist: Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Album: Barn
Label: Reprise
66.
Artist: Ernest Honny
Album: Essiebons Special 1973 – 1984 / Ghana Music Power House
Label: Analog Africa
67.
Artist: Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Album: The Future
Label: Stax
68.
Artist: Sturgill Simpson
Album: Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs Of John Prine, Vol. 2
Label: Oh Boy Records
69.
Artist: Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
Album: Something Borrowed, Something New: A Tribute To John Anderson
Label: Easy Eye Sound
70.
Artist: The Bongo Hop
Album: La Napa
Label: Underdog Records
71.
Artist: Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
Album: Topical Dancer
Label: Because Music
72.
Artist: Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio
Album: Cold As Weiss
Label: Colemine Records
73.
Artist: Norman Blake
Album: Day By Day
Label: Smithsonian Folkways
74.
Artist: James McMurtry
Album: The Horses And The Hounds
Label: New West Records
75.
Artist: Various Artists
Album: Putumayo Presents Afro – Cubano
Label: Putumayo
76.
Artist: King Jammy
Album: King Jammy Destroys The Virus With Dub
Label: Greensleeves Records Ltd
77.
Artist: Project Gemini
Album: The Children Of Scorpio
Label: Mr Bongo
78.
Artist: Tank And The Bangas
Album: Red Balloon
Label: Verve
79.
Artist: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Album: Omnium Gatherum
Label: KGLW – King Gizzard and Lizard Wizard
80.
Artist: Fontaines D.C.
Album: Skinty Fia
Label: Parisan Records
81.
Artist: Junior Y Su Equipo
Album: Saturno 2000: La Rebajada De Los Sonideros 1962 – 1983
Label: Analog Africa
82.
Artist: Kurt Vile
Album: Watch My Moves
Label: Verve
83.
Artist: Juanita Euka
Album: Mabanzo
Label: Strut Records
84.
Artist: Mr. Sun
Album: Extrovert
Label: Compass Records
85.
Artist: The Diasonics
Album: Origin Of Forms
Label: Record Kicks
86.
Artist: Anaïs Mitchell
Album: Anaïs Mitchell
Label: BMG Rights Management (US) LLC
87.
Artist: Cat Power
Album: Covers
Label: Domino Recording Co
88.
Artist: Parquet Courts
Album: Sympathy For Life
Label: Rough Trade
89.
Artist: Quantic & Nidia Góngora
Album: Almas Conectadas
Label: Tru Thoughts
90.
Artist: Makaya McCraven
Album: Deciphering The Message
Label: Blue Note
91.
Artist: Balsam Range
Album: Moxie And Mettle
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
92.
Artist: J Rocc
Album: A Wonderful Letter
Label: Stones Throw Records
93.
Artist: Daniel Villarreal
Album: Panamá 77
Label: International Anthem Recording Co
94.
Artist: Seratones
Album: Love & Algorhythms
Label: New West Records
95.
Artist: Father John Misty
Album: Chloë And The Next 20th Century
Label: Sub Pop
96.
Artist: Animal Collective
Album: Time Skiffs
Label: Domino Record Company
97.
Artist: Curtis Harding
Album: If Words Were Flowers
Label: Anti
98.
Artist: Jake Blount
Album: The New Faith
Label: Smithsonian Folkways
99.
Artist: Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
Album: Hold On
Label: Compass Records
100.
Artist: Al-Qasar
Album: Who Are We?
Label: Glitterbeat Records
