New Years Eve Album of the Week/Year MixTape

It's New Years Eve and tomorrow you will unlock the second half of my BEST songs of 200, what will number 1 be? All will be revealed tomorrow evening ahead of a fresh new feature record in 2017.

2016 has been a weird and wonderful year for music, massive albums were not that frequent, Beyonce dropping "surprise" albums became a norm and it was again the year of the feat. The Featuring tracks.

Flume had one of the biggest years in music, he cleaned up at the 2016 ARIA Awards, he probably should have beat D.D Dumbo for the J Award and Never Be Like You was a global hit, his breakthrough global single.

Today/or tonight if your looking for a soundtrack to the four minute fireworks display that Clover insists on in Sydney, here it is:

Friday Album of the Week/Year

Thursday Album of the Week/Year

Mid Week Album of the Week/Year - LIVE

Album of the Week/Year - FLUME {Skin}

Part One - The 200 BEST songs of 2016 {200-101}

101 - Drake - Fake Love

102 - Beyonce - Freedom {Feat. Kendrick Lamar}

103 - Hayden James - Just A Lover

104 - Kiira - Feels

105 - Radiohead - Daydreaming

106 - Flume - Heater 

107 - Matt Corby - Soothe Lady Wine

108 - Duke Dumont - Be Here 

109 - Allday - Sides {Feat. NYNE}

110 - Tove Lo - Cool Girl 

111 - Drapht - Mexico {Feat. Dune Rats}

112 - Tkay Maidza - Tennies

113 - Catfish & The Bottlemen - 7 

114 - Dope Lemon - Marinade 

115 - Schoolboy Q - Whatever You Want {Feat. Candice Pillay} 

116 - Tkay Maidza - Carry On {Feat. Killer Mike}

117 - Glass Animals - Youth 

118 - Emma Louise - West End Kids

119 - Thundamentals - Never Say Never

120 - Frank Ocean - Pink + White 

121 - Rufus - Say A Prayer For Me

122 - Dro Carey - Queensberry Rules {Feat. KUCKA} 

123 - AlunaGeorge - I Remember {Feat. Flume} 

124 - Drapht - All Love

125 - Thundamentals - Think About It {Ft. Peta & The Wolves} 

126 - Nicole Millar - Tremble 

127 - L D R U - Next To You {Feat. Savoi} 

128 - Justice - Alakazam !

129 - Two Door Cinema Club - Bad Decisions 

130 - Big Scary - Lone Bird 

131 - Bon Iver - 33 "God" 

132 - Highasakite - Someone Who'll Get It 

133 - The Preatures - I Know A Girl 

134 - Maggie Rogers - Dog Years

135 - Paces - 1993 (No Chill) {Feat. Jess Kent} 

136 - Beyonce - Six Inch {Feat. The Weeknd}

137 - The Weeknd - Party Monster

138 - Paul Dempsey - Morningless

139 - Golden Features - Wolfie {Ft. Julia Stone} 

140 - Frank Ocean - Ivy 

141 - Dope Lemon - Uptown Folks

142 - Solange - Don't Touch My Hair {Feat. Sampha}

143 - Banks - This is Not About Us

144 - Jagwar Ma - Ordinary

145 - Birds of Tokyo - Empire 

146 - Vince Staples - Smile

147 - Montaigne - Till it Kills Me

148 - What So Not & Burns - Trust 

149 - Airling - Move Me

150 - Justice - Safe And Sound 

151 - D.D Dumbo - Brother 

152 - Matt Corby - Wrong Man

153 - TA-KU & Wafia - Love Somebody 

154 - DMA'S - Too Soon 

155 - Sticky Fingers - Outcast At Last 

156 - Emily Foster - Black Smoke

157 - The Last Shadow Puppets - Miracle Aligner

158 - Slumberjack - Open Fire {Feat. Daniel Johns} 

159 - Remi - For Good {Feat. Sampa The Great} 

160 - Gang Of Youths - Native Tongue 

161 - GTA - Little Bit of This {Feat. Vince Staples}

162 - Jax Jones - House Work {Ft. Mike Dunn & MNEK} 

163 - The Avalanches - Frankie Sinatra 

164 - Flume - Numb & Getting Colder {Feat. Kucka}

165 - Hermitude - Vibration 

166 - Thomston X Wafia - Window Seat 

167 - Birdz - Black Lives Matter 

168 - Lisa Mitchell - The Boys 

169 - Ladyhawke - Let it Roll

170 - Katy B x Four Tet x Floating Points - Calm Down

171 - Calvin Harris - My Way

172 - Motez - Down Like This {Feat. Tkay Maidza}

173 - Hellions - Quality Of Life

174 - Lion Babe - Impossible

175 - NAO - Get To Know Ya 

176 - Radiohead - Desert Island Disk

177 - A.B. Original - I C U {Feat. Thelma Plum}

178 - Ngaiire - House On A Rock

179 - Kaytranada - Together {Feat. AlunaGeorge/GoldLink} 

180 - K. Flay - Blood In The Cut 

181 - Action Bronson, Mark Ronson & Dan Auerbach - Standing In The Rain

182 - The Naked & Famoud - Higher 

183 - George Maple - Sticks & Horses {Feat. GoldLink}

184 - Paul Dempsey - Idiot Oracle

185 - Young Franco - Drop Your Love {Feat. Dirty Radio} 

186 - Justice - Randy

187 - Danny Brown - Really Doe {Ft. Kendrick Lamar/Ab-Soul/Earl Sweatshirt} 

188 - Elk Road - Hanging By A Thread {Ft. Natalie Foster}

189 - Cassius - Action {Feat. Cat Power/Mike D} 

190 - Emma Louise - Talk Baby Talk 

191 - Solange - Cranes in the Sky

192 - Kanye West - No More Parties In L.A. {Feat. Kendrick Lamar}

193 - Tourist - Run  

194 - Gretta Ray - Unwind

195 - Urthboy - Second Heartbeat {Feat. Sampa The Great/Okenyo}

196 - Rufus - Be With You

197 - Christine & The Queens - Tilted

198 - Kaytranada - Glowed Up {Feat. Anderson Paak.}

199 - George Maple - Lover
200 - Kimbra- Sweet Relief

Album of the year for 2016 & the winner is......

What a year it has been for Sydney boy FLUME, his album SKIN has features easily one of the biggest anthems for 2016, Never Be Like You featuring the amazing Kai (Toronto, Canada local) and his sold out tour across Australian venues was an achievement most local acts can only ever dream of.  Flume's second record SKIN is my Album of the Year for 2016!

2016 has been a difficult year for the album, it's been a great year for singles but the full length album seemed to be a hard one to nail. That said both FLUME and SIA respectively nailed their 2016 releases.

Both are Australian acts who have excelled locally and abroad, both have Grammy nominations and both albums sold gold (meaning just over 35,000 copies) locally.

FLUME has had an incredible year and his scoop at the Aria Awards last month proved he is top of the Australian pops (well maybe Dance Scene) and an artist for the future. He even managed to plug his passion for KEEP SYDNEY OPEN.

 

His companion EP to Skin is not only reinforcement that 2017 will continue to be exciting for FLUME.

Featuring guests like Vic Mensa, Kucka, Vince Staples, Tove Lo and Kai this album not only concretes Flume's place in the music world but helps launch other artists to his existing (and ever growing) fan base.

This album has been an incredible achievement and I am so happy to say the album of the year for 2016 is homegrown and super local for me as a Sydneysider.

Some other notable mentions are of course Sia's brilliant This is Acting, Beyonce's landmark record Lemonade, AlunaGeorge's terrific pop release I Remember and The Weeknd snuck in late in the year proving he truly is a Starboy.

What will 2017 bring for music and will I even have an album of the year next year or just stick to my 200 best singles?

Time will tell but with the xx preparing a new album to arrive next month and Sampha set to drop a record in February I may be wrong the full length album is not dead.

Tomorrow - Album of the Year PLUS some of the BEST songs of 2016...

Tomorrow around 9:30am (Australian Boxing Day time) I will publish which album has done enough to be this years Album of 2016.

Will it be SIA?

- Three times Grammy nominated (two from This is Acting, one for songwriting commitments)
- Six times ARIA nominated, one win, she was however robbed on a few
- Three blockbuster hit singles from the record (one featured on a re-release)
- Worldwide the record has sold well over 300,000 copies
- Came in at number 9 at the end of year Canadian Albums chart and number 22 in the USA

Or will it be FLUME?

- Two times Grammy nominated
- Eleven times ARIA nominated, eight wins, whilst campaigning to Keep Sydney Open!
- Three hit singles, multiple guests and tracks like Wall Fuck that hit HARD!
- Australian and New Zealand number one album, US Dance number one album and over 35,000 sales Australia wide

Find out tomorrow morning, also tomorrow songs 200 all the way down to 101 will be posted.

In the meantime here is a cut from this weeks sensational feature album from Little Simz, 22 year old London native returns with a triumph of a second record.

Weekend Album of the Week - PLUS..

Monday, my Album of the Year for 2016 will be published, part one of the best songs of 2016 (200 to 101) will be published and a little earlier than last year New Years Day I will publish 100 all the way to 1 for the best songs of 2016.

Next week will be features all week on my Album of the Year for 2016, will it be Flume or Sia? One way or another it's an outstanding Australian album...

Friday Album of the Week

Check out a film of STILL IN WONDERLAND here and there are are loads of Soundcloud clips in previous posts and here is another ahead of the Album of The Year reveal on Monday!

Thursday Album of the Week

Mid Week Album of the Week

Tuesday Album of the Week

Album of the Week - LITTLE SIMZ {Stillness in Wonderland}

Dynamic Duo's of 2016 - Summer Music Lists Special - Part Three

20 - The Chemical Brothers
19 - Cassius
18 - The Kills
17 - Sofi Tukker
16 - Daft Punk
15 - Tegan & Sara
14 - Milky Chance
13 - PNAU
12 - Hermitude
11 - Justice
10 - Disclosure
9 - Ta-ku & Wafia
8 - Peking Duk
7 - The Aston Shuffle
6 - NxWorries
5 - Empire of the Sun
4 - Big Scary
3 - Broods
2 - A.B Original
1 - AlunaGeorge 

Fresh Friday Countdown #48 - Friday 16 December 2016

20 - Kid Cudi - Surfin' {Feat. Pharrell Williams}
19 - Golden Features - Wolfie {Feat. Julia Stone}
18 - Calvin Harris - My Way
17 - PON CHO - Frozen {Feat. Paige IV}
16 - Bliss N Eso - Friend Like You {Feat. Lee Fields}
15 - Thundamentals - Think About It {Feat. Peta & The Wolves}
14 - Drake - Fake Love
13 - Sofi Tukker - Drinkee
12 - Illy - Papercuts {Feat. Vera Blue}
11 - Childish Gambino - Redbone
10 - Sia - The Greatest {Feat. Kendrick Lamar}
9 - Amy Shark - Adore 
8 - PNAU - Chameleon
7 - The xx - On Hold
6 - Milky Chance - Cocoon
5 - Mura Musa - Love$ick {Feat. A$AP Rocky}
4 - Illy - Catch 22 {Feat. Anne-Marie}
3 - The Weeknd - Feel it Coming {Feat. Daft Punk}
2 - Peking Duk - Stranger {Feat. Elliphant}
1 - The Weeknd - Starboy {Feat. Daft Punk}

Tuesday Album of the Week

Album of the Week - KID CUDI {Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’}

Female Artists of 2016 - Summer Music Lists Special - Part Two

20 - Sarah Blasko
19 - Nicola Millar
18 - Jess Kent
17 - NAO
16 - Ladyhawke
15 - Tash Sultana
14 - Kiira - Gold
13 - Gretta Ray
12 - Solange
11 - Maggie Rogers
10 - Amy Shark
9 - George Maple
8 - Banks
7 - Montaigne
6 - MO
5 - Vera Blue
4 - Tkay Maidza
3 - Anne-Marie
2 - Beyonce
1 - Sia

Album of the Year Live: FLUME

Following my Flume Friday post, last night was all about the king of Australian dance music FLUME. The week he received his two grammy nominations and the year he won the ARIA for the Australian record of the year, I got to see Flume with a sell out crowd at Sydney's Superdome!

After winning (along with Album of the Year for Skin) 8 ARIA's this year FLUME is the king of the Australian castle and selling out (or close too) two Superdome's is a stretch for even the most seasoned international bands. I also read somewhere FLUME has sold over 200,000 tickets to concerts this year!

SMH didn't love the gig last night and "live" electronic gigs are tricky, but WTF I loved my FLUME live experience.

Last time I saw the 25 year old Northern Sydney lad was at the Hordern Pav will 5,000 other sweaty up starts and this time he up the anti to around 19,000 badly behaved young rug rats!

So FLUME has one of two albums of the year this year and honestly after last night SKIN is clearly an instant classic Australian record. After his breakout debut self titled record in 2012 FLUME is now a household name and I was so happy to see him kill it live.

The gig featured all the old hits like "Insane", "Holdin On" (way early in the set) and new favourites like "Say It" and "Smoke & Retribution". "Never Be Like You" is easily one of (if not) the best songs of 2016.

Skin an instant classic record and FLUME easily one of Australia's best exports.

Fresh Friday Countdown #47 - Friday 9 December 2016

20 - Maggie Rogers - Dog Years
19 - Golden Features - Wolfie {Feat. Julia Stone}
18 - Thundamentals - Think About It {Feat. Peta & The Wolves}
17 - Childish Gambino - Redbone
16 - Calvin Harris - My Way
15 - Sofi Tukker - Drinkee
14 - Illy - Papercuts {Feat. Vera Blue}
13 - Drake - Fake Love
12 - PNAU - Chameleon
11 - The xx - On Hold
10 - Sia - The Greatest {Feat. Kendrick Lamar}
9 - Bliss N Eso - Friend Like You {Feat. Lee Fields}
8 - Amy Shark - Adore 
7 - Sia - Angel by the Wings
6 - Milky Chance - Cocoon
5 - Mura Musa - Love$ick {Feat. A$AP Rocky}
4 - Illy - Catch 22 {Feat. Anne-Marie}
3 - The Weeknd - Feel it Coming {Feat. Daft Punk}
2 - Peking Duk - Stranger {Feat. Elliphant}
1 - The Weeknd - Starboy {Feat. Daft Punk}

Thursday Album of the Week

Mid Week Album of the Week

Tuesday Album of the Week

Album of the Week - CHILDISH GAMBINO {Awaken, My Love!}

Male Artists of 2016 - Summer Music Lists Special - Part One

20 - James Blake 

19 - Nick Murphy (FKA Chet Faker)

18 - Kendrick Lamar 

17 - ZHU 

16 - Kid Cudi 

15 - Nick Littlemore

14 - Childish Gambino 

13 - Kaytranada 

12 - Mac Miller 

11 - Bon Iver 

10 - Skrillex 

9 - Diplo

8 - Frank Ocean 

7 - Matt Corby 

6 - Chance the Rapper 

5 - Anderson Paak 

4 - The Weeknd 

3 - Illy

2 - Drake 

1 - Flume

Weekend Album of the Week - Actual Music Video

Fresh Friday Countdown #46 - Friday 2 December 2016

20 - The Weeknd - Party Monster
19 - Tkay Maidza - Stimulation
18 - Kid Cudi - Surfin' {Feat. Pharrell Williams}
17 - Golden Features - Wolfie {Feat. Julia Stone}
16 - Sofi Tukker - Drinkee
15 - Childish Gambino - Redbone
14 - PNAU - Chameleon
13 - Illy - Papercuts {Feat. Vera Blue}
12 - Calvin Harris - My Way
11 - Amy Shark - Adore 
10 - The xx - On Hold
9 - Drake - Fake Love
8 - Mura Musa - Love$ick {Feat. A$AP Rocky}
7 - Flume - Heater
6 - Milky Chance - Cocoon
5 - Sia - The Greatest {Feat. Kendrick Lamar}
4 - The Weeknd - Feel it Coming {Feat. Daft Punk}
3 - Illy - Catch 22 {Feat. Anne-Marie}
2 - Peking Duk - Stranger {Feat. Elliphant}
1 - The Weeknd - Starboy {Feat. Daft Punk}

Thursday Album of the Week