I want to wish everyone a happy holiday season. Thank you so much for your support through our second year of making the zine and the Jugo and Rada record label. We released 7 Inch records from 7Cicadae, Supergroup, and Cxpital. We are so proud of these projects and look forward to what we do in the future. Thank you for the support. We will keep going as long as we continue to get the support.
I love doing this list to end the year. This has been the busiest year of my life but I still kept lists going throughout the year.
Music is subjective. I hope you find something here to love.
35 Best Albums, 100 Best Songs, Community List, Pleasant Surprises, Underrated Albums
As always, please let me know your favorites for the year. I can’t hear everything. From what I’ve heard, here are my lists. Enjoy.
Listen to the J + R 100 Best Songs on Spotify
1.Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee
2.Bruiser Wolf – Dope Game $tupid
3. slowthai – TYRON
4.IDLES – CRAWLER
5. Helado Negro – Far In
6. Tyler, The Creator – Call Me If You Get Lost
7. Armand Hammer – Haram
8. Kings of Convenience – Peace Or Love
9. Faye Webster – I Know I’m Funny haha
10. The War On Drugs – I Don’t Live Here Anymore
11. Ka – A Martyr’s Reward
12. Aesop Rock/Blockhead – Garbology
13. The Alchemist – This Thing of Ours 1 & 2
14. Big Red Machine – How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?
15. Parquet Courts – Sympathy for Life
16. Navy Blue – Song of Sage: Post Panic!
17. Madlib – Sound Ancestors
18. BROCKHAMPTON – ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE
19. Bo Burnham – Inside (The Songs)
20. Little Simz – Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
21. Mach-Hommy – Pray For Haiti
22. Boldy James – Bo Jackson
23. Wiki/Navy Blue – Half God
24. Westside Gunn – Hitler Wears Hermes 8
25. Weezer – OK Human
26. JPEGMAFIA – LP
27. Arlo Parks – Collapsed In Sunbeams
28. Silk Sonic – An Evening With Silk Sonic
29. James Blake – Friends That Break Your Heart
30. Moor Mother/billy woods – Brass
31. Defcee – Trapdoor
32. Dispatch – Break Our Fall
33. Bruiser Brigade – TV62
34. black midi – Cavalcade
35. SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE – ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH
100. SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE – “THE SERVER IS IMMERSED”
99. SZA – “Good Days”
98. Westside Gunn – “Westheimer” ft. Boldy James
97. Helado Negro – “La Naranja”
96. Jose Gonzalez – “Visions”
95. Boldy James/Alchemist – “Photographic Memories” ft. Earl Sweatshirt and Roc Marciano
94. Bruiser Brigade – “The Dopest in The Building”
93. Baby Keem – “range brothers” ft. Kendrick Lamar
92. Westside Gunn – “Margiela Split Toes” ft. Mach-Hommy
91. JID – “Bruuuh Remix” ft. Denzel Curry
90. Snail Mail – “Valentine”
89. SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE – “THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN’T DO”
88. Madlib – “Road Of The Lonely Ones”
87. Turnstile – “MYSTERY”
86. Little Simz – “I Love You, I Hate You”
85. Cxpital – “Georgia”
84. JPEGMAFIA – “FIX URSELF!”
83. JID – “Ballads” ft. Conway The Machine
82. Faye Webster – “Cheers”
81. Dry Cleaning – “Scratchcard Lanyard”
80. Saba – “Fearmonger” ft. Daoud
79. Aesop Rock/Blockhead – “Wolf Piss”
78. Arlo Parks – “Eugene”
77. Middle Kids – “R U 4 Me?”
76. SZA – “I Hate U”
75. James Blake – “Famous Last Words”
74. Bo Burnham – “30”
73. Ka – “I Need All That”
72. IDLES – “Crawl!”
71. Cassandra Jenkins – “Hard Drive”
70. The Alchemist/Vince Staples – “6 Five Heartbeats”
69. Helado Negro – “Outside the Outside”
68. Faye Webster – “Better Distractions”
67. BROCKHAMPTON – “COUNT ON ME”
66. Madlib – “Two for 2 – For Dilla”
65. Bruiser Wolf – “Momma Was a Dopefiend” ft. Apropos
64. BROCKHAMPTON – “BUZZCUT” ft. Danny Brown
63. The Alchemist/Bruiser Brigade – “Flying Spirit”
62. JPEGMAFIA – “TRUST!”
61. Modest Mouse – “We Are Between”
60. Bruiser Wolf – “Thank God”
59. Bo Burnham – “Welcome to the Internet”
58. Wiki – “Roof”
57. Mach-Hommy – “Kriminel”
56. Silk Sonic – “Smokin Out the Window”
55. Helado Negro – “There Must Be a Song Like You”
54. Open Mike Eagle/Armand Hammer – “Burner Account”
53. The War On Drugs – “Living Proof”
52. Little Simz – “Woman”
51. Twin Shadow – “Alemania”
50. Mach-Hommy – “The 26th Letter”
49. black midi – “John L.”
48. Defcee – “Shortcuts” ft. Premrock and Armand Hammer”
47. Wolf Alice – “Delicious Things”
46. Dispatch – “All This Time” ft. White Buffalo
45. Japanese Breakfast – “Slide Tackle”
44. Armand Hammer – “Aubergine”
43. Black Country, New Road – “Instrumental”
42. The War On Drugs – “I Don’t Live Here Anymore” ft. Lucius
41. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – “O.N.E.”
40. Kanye West – “Life of The Party” ft. Andre 3000
39. Navy Blue – “Breathe” ft. Yasiin Bey
38. The Staves – “Good Woman”
37. Weezer – “Aloo Gobi”
36. Wild Pink – “Oversharers Anonymous”
35. Arlo Parks – “Black Dog”
34. JPEGMAFIA – “FEED HER!”
33. Moor Mother – “The Blues Remembers …” ft. billy woods
32. Supergroup – “Move Along”
31. Navy Blue – “Poderoso” ft. billy woods”
30. Wiki – “Remarkably”
29. Baby Keem – “family ties” ft. Kendrick Lamar
28. Big Red Machine – “Latter Days” ft. Anais Mitchell
27. Vince Staples – “LAW OF AVERAGES”
26. Tyler, The Creator – “HOT WIND BLOWS” ft. Lil Wayne
25. Kings of Convenience – “Catholic Country” ft. Feist
24. Japanese Breakfast – “Paprika”
23. Bruiser Wolf – “Dope Game $tupid”
22. Feu! Chatterton – “Un Monde Nouveau”
21. Weezer – “Grapes of Wrath”
20. Armand Hammer – “Sir Benni Miles”
19. Silk Sonic – “Leave The Door Open”
18. Aesop Rock/Blockhead – “Jazz Hands”
17. Jazmine Sullivan – “Pick Up Your Feelings”
16. Boldy James – “Fake Flowers” ft. Freddie Gibbs & Curren$y
15. Ka – “Everybody Up”
14. Faye Webster – “I Know I’m Funny haha”
13. Saba – “Ziplock”
12. slowthai – “feel away” ft. James Blake
11. Helado Negro – “Gemini and Leo”
10. Parquet Courts – “Walking At A Downtown Pace”
9. Noname – “Rainforest”
8. slowthai – “MAZZA” ft. A$AP Rocky
7. Tyler, The Creator – “LUMBERJACK”
6. Bruiser Wolf – “Use Me (I’m Dope)
5. Clairo – “Amoeba”
4. Kings of Convenience – “Rocky Trail”
3. Big Red Machine – “Phoenix” ft. Fleet Foxes
2. IDLES – “The Beachland Ballroom”
1. Japanese Breakfast – “Be Sweet”
Album of the Year
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee
My #1 Album of the Year comes from indie rock band Japanese Breakfast. Led by Michelle Zauner. I ended up playing this album on repeat for a month when it came out. I am so impressed with the writing and how catchy it is throughout. Zauner writes about love, loss, and Kokomo, IN. This album has ended up on a lot of end-of-year lists and for good reason. This album is simple at times and beautifully complex at others.
“Be Sweet” might be the most catchy song made in the last 10 years. I have listened to it a million times this year. The bass line and the subtle layering is so well done. Much of the album does the same kind of building complexity on each song but in unique and interesting ways. Strings and horns are used perfectly throughout. There are also songs that use electronic components so the album does have some diverse sounds, but everything works. Two of my favorite songs on the album don’t sound anything like each other. “Slide Tackle” and “Be Sweet”.
I highly suggest this album. I didn’t listen to Japanese Breakfast at all before this year. I became a huge fan, listening to all of the previous projects. I even read Zauner’s book, Crying in H-Mart (Which was sad, funny, and wonderful). I look forward to what this band does in the future. I think they can do it all. Jubilee is very diverse in sound and I can’t wait to see how that sound gets built on.
Pleasant Surprises
Bruiser Wolf – Dope Game $tupid: I have never heard this sound in music. It is a unique delivery and the content is hilarious. If you have not listened to this album, do it now.
Mach-Hommy – Pray for Haiti: I had never heard of Mach-Hommy before this album. I realized while listening to this project that he is going to be something great moving forward. He had great wordplay, beat selection, and content with his rhymes.
Weezer – OK Human: I haven’t listened to a Weezer in years. I love this album.
Underrated/Overlooked Albums: Albums critics/people did not give enough love to.
Big Red Machine – How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last? – Catchy, lovely, calming, and beautiful.
IDLES – CRAWLER – This wasn’t as highly rated by reviewers as some of their previous albums. I still find myself screaming these songs in my car until my chest hurts.
Ka – A Martyr’s Reward – This dude just isn’t known by enough people. He is doing this style of rap at the best.
Friends/Community Favorites: Shout out to everyone that contributed.
Silk Sonic – Silk Sonic – @smpraw
Kanye West – Donda – @td_iu
Zac Fox / Tyler, the Creator – @like_a_savage
Hayden Wells – “Run”/Phil Good – “Everything’s Good” – @mahlanah
Tyler/Westside Gunn/Boldy James – @reckless_rod
Vince Staples/Tyler/Arlo Parks/Yebba – @jonwithoutthe_h
Donda/Life of a Don/The Off Szn – @raphsmodernlife
A large list – Follow @alecboyd
Supergroup – “Move Along” – @jonny_abides3
Albums I look forward to coming out in 2022
Danny Brown – XXXX
Father John Misty – Chloe And The Next 20th Century
Noname – Factory Baby
Spoon – Lucifer On The Sofa
Frank Ocean – TBA
Kendrick Lamar – TBA
Jugo + Rada Records 