Geez. It’s December again, so it’s time to officially determine what was the best albums of the year, I guess. (I do this by having Emacs list what albums I’ve played most during the year, so this is a scientifically sound and accurate method.)
But… it’s been one of those years — a number of pretty good albums, but no break-out albums that were a gazillion times better than anything else. No albums I’ve listened to a ton of times because they were just amazing, right? So the list is a bit kinda random. Sorry!
 | Various | PC Music Volume 3 |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0lzMJufNUk | ||
 | Adult. | Becoming Undone |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5BFg4pfNxo | ||
 | Cat Power | Covers |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IRxf4Ll5EE | ||
 | Jenny Hval | Classic Objects |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i2oJJwgLTk | ||
 | Boris | Tears e.p |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do65o4AHuR4 | ||
) | Arthur Russell | The Deer in The Forest (March 2 1985: Live at Roulette) |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emtPXOUWI68 | ||
 | Black Cab | Rotsler’s Rules |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WErgtpA2HjA | ||
 | They Hate Change | Finally: New |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1FSFda6fcs | ||
 | Dry Cleaning | Stumpwork |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD3KhCTk4dU | ||
 | Jockstrap | I Love You Jennifer B |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dLOFMxAYuE | ||
 | Lizzo | Special |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcPGVJVWFxI | ||
 | Porridge Radio | Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDw9nTQKGd4 | ||
 | The Weather Station | How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsgO4EnCf2g | ||
 | Beth Orton | Weather Alive |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkSBgl8278E | ||
 | Breathless | See Those Colours Fly |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY9zOQtOiUk | ||
 | TSHA | Capricorn Sun |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfjoxzwU96k | ||
So if I haven’t listened to new music this year, what have I been listening to? Old music that I’ve bought? Nope, they land even further down on the list, but here’s the ten best older albums I’ve bought this year:
&album=Wheel+Me+Out+(Long+Version))
So that doesn’t explain it, either. Have I been listening to old music that I didn’t buy this year? Here’s the top ten of that, but that doesn’t really explain it either, because they don’t get many listens individually, either:
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No, the explanation is (Emacs tells me) that I’ve listened to 2560 different albums with a total of 5490 listens, which gives us a mean of 2. (Ish.) I’ve just been really scatter-brained this year…
Here’s to a more focused 2023! Can’t be worse than 2022, right? RIGHT!?