The Record Blog is the coolest independent site for pop music. We provide our readers with our savvy takes on new releases, including songs, videos, albums, as well as exclusive interviews and gigs. This is for those who crave for great music and awesome curated content. For inquiries, please email us at therecordblog@gmail.com.

Monday, December 28, 2015

Pop Disqus | TRB's Best Albums of 2015

By Shawal Ras


 The first of its kind in The Record Blog, Pop Disqus is a laidback conversation on pop music; it can be a listicle (ála BuzzFeed) or a scientific analysis of a certain Twitter war between this and that – basically, we’re open for anything! 

And for the first post, we've decided to list down our TEN favourite pop albums of the year 2015. This year has brought out so many decent music and we've religiously listened to all of 'em with no shame whatsoever. Some completely revived their career, some came back and sold three million albums in its first week, and let's be honest, 2015 has also introduced us to so many new voices and we're dubbing this the year of Millennials in music. They've made waves and branched out of the traditionally repetitive and bubblegum pop music... 

Honestly, we're not complaining. 

So, let’s get to it and jump into the finest the year had to offer after the JUMP...

10.
Halsey - Badlands


People have been calling her the fake version of Lana Del Rey for quite some time now but let's be honest here, Halsey's debut album Badlands is as good it should be and she is nothing like that queen of melancholy (seriously, she's not). The album, created under the concept of a dystopian state of mind, is one of this year's most interesting releases. Tracks like 'Castle', 'Young Gods', 'Haunting', and 'Ghost' are some of the standouts from this LP. 

09.
Charlie Puth - Some Type of Love - EP


Charlie Puth had an interesting year. His debut single was on top of US Billboard 100 for one and a half month and his debut extended play, Some Type of Love, is one of the best upon its release earlier this year. Tracks like 'Marvin Gaye' and 'I Won't Tell A Soul' took us on a ride to a time where guys sing to woo girls by the balcony. Yessss we can't wait to hear his full-length studio album, scheduled to debut soon. 

08.
Selena Gomez - Revival


Gomez completely revived her career with an edgier new look, singlehood, and indie-esque new pop album, Revival. Her newfound sexuality and maturity are apparent throughout the album (try: 'Good For You' and 'Same Old Love'). But none of us thought it'll be a good album before we heard its standout track, 'Hands to Myself'. The song received a steamy video treatment last week.

07.
Florence + the Machine - How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful


Florence Welch ditched her cult-ish soundscape in Ceremonials for a rock-infused sound in her third studio LP, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. After we've listened to 'What Kind of Man' and 'Ship to Wreck', we're sure this'll be a nominee for the Grammy's Album of the Year, but alas, the album got snubbed and we're definitely mad about it. 

06.
Alessia Cara - Four Pink Walls - EP


After years of doing endless covers for her YouTube channel, Alessia Cara discovered and essentially released her debut extended play this year, Four Pink Walls. This Canadian export is all about being that awkward millennial who hates party ('Here') and got super defensive of her single-dom when a hot bae wants to date her ('I'm Yours'). Four Pink Walls is a great introduction chapter for this gal. 

05.
Troye Sivan - Blue Neighbourhood


A completely beautiful record for your slow-mo feature, Blue Neighbourhood is one of our favs for this year in music. Troye Sivan, the man behind this art, is a male version of Lorde and we know it may sounds like an insult, but it's not. He knows how to put his emotion into his works and it turns out into something worthy of your time. Checkout 'WILD', 'FOOLS', '.for him', and the absolute dreamy track, 'TALK ME DOWN'.

04. 
Carly Rae Jepsen - E•MO•TION


Forget about 'Call Me Maybe' 'cos E•MO•TION is Jepsen's best work to date. The album, a collection of 1980's synthpop, is such a good record and it has received a lot of praises from music critics worldwide (us included). Tracks like 'I Really Like You', 'All That', and 'Run Away with Me' are delicately produced. Completely underrated and ignored by the public, we're not sure why people are not buying it. #JusticeForEMOTION

03.
Lana Del Rey - Honeymoon


Elizabeth Grant makes a U-turn to her Born to Die era with Honeymoon. Released in September this year, the LP saw a much confident Del Rey in dealing with her fame, love, and addiction to men and their power. Tracks like 'God Knows I've Tried', 'Religion', 'Freak', Salvatore', and 'The Blackest Day' got us on the floor, crying about something we've never truly experienced. It's a shame this album didn't received a single nod by the Grammy committees. Fucked up, we know!

02.
Grimes - Art Angels


This year, we discovered Grimes and got addicted to her. Bad. Her latest album, Art Angels, is a great description of how pop should be nowadays (and it's none of those bops churned out by the likes of Britney Spears and Katy Perry). It's original, it's fun, and it's creative, in a good way. 'REALiTi', 'California' and 'Fresh Without Blood' are some of the highlights from the album. If you've never heard of her before, seriously, you're missing out. NOW GO TO SPOTIFY, REGISTER, AND LISTEN TO ART ANGELS ENDLESSLY.

01.
Adele - 25


Okay, okay, before you guys go crazy at us for choosing Adele for numero uno, hear us out: 1) 25 may not be as perfect as her magnum opus 21, but it is still a cohesively-produced record that thrives on nostalgia instead of romanticism. 2) Unlike any other pop record released this year, 25 is arguably one of the most original and distinct releases this fall. and 3) Instead of making songs as predicted by everyone, Adele shakes things up and brought in massive pop producers for this album. Max Martin did a great job with 'Send My Love (To Your New Lover)' by making it a bop, not another copy of 21. Not convinced? Clear those wax from your ear canals and take another listen. 

 Got an idea for our next Pop Disqus? Tweet us @therecordblog with your suggestion, or you can just drop us an email at therecordblog@gmail.com. XO