Chelsey O, co-host of Grand Union Radio breaks down her top five albums of 2019. Check out who made the cut:
I’m going to be honest, 2019 has been a whirlwind. I typically spend my days listening to the same seven artists on repeat- most of them throwbacks from the good ol’ days. For some reason my mind is stuck in the month of August and I’m definitely banking on Jabee knowing top artists for our annual Rap Up show. As the year comes to an end, I’ve compiled some of my favorites from the year, for your listening pleasure. These 2019 releases had the power to pull me away from my throwback tracks and have made this year a little more tolerable.
5. Tyler The Creator – IGOR
Tyler The Creator isn’t afraid of pushing boundaries with his work. IGOR pushed boundaries while still showcasing Tyler’s unique style and sound. The album plays out almost like a story, with the blonde-haired, bowl-cut persona to go along with the release.
4. Chase Atlantic – PHASES
With this being Chase Atlantic’s second full-length release since 2017, fans were screaming for new tracks. Singer Mitchel Cave called the album a “reintroduction,” an album pieced together in under two months. While the album pushes boundaries on their dark-pop sound, the album features underlying R&B, jazz, and 80’s flares.
3. FKA Twigs - MAGDALENE
With a booming 9.4 and and Pitchfork calling the album “a f****** revelation,” FKA Twigs returned into the pop stratosphere with MAGDALENE. When “Holy Terrain” dropped in September featuring a cameo from Future, fans knew this body of work would showcase a completely different side of FKA twigs.
2. DaBaby – Baby on Baby
DaBaby popped up on my radar at the end of Winter this year. I remember asking Jabee, “who the heck raps under the name Da-Baby?” To which Jabee responded, “he can rap his a** off.” From one album listen, I was hooked to his beats and North Carolina flow. After two releases this year, DaBaby tops my top-five for paving a way in the rap industry.
1. Ariana Grande – thank u, next
I shamelessly stan Ariana Grande. With Sweetener ranking high up on my Top Albums of 2018, Ariana surprised her fanbase with thank u, next in early 2019. Ari showcases her “rap skills” and shared a collection of songs through some of her toughest times in life.
Honorable Mentions:
- From Indian Lakes – Dimly Lit
- Denzel Curry – ZUU
- Megan Thee Stallion - Fever
There you have it, ladies and gents. My top five albums of the year. With the chaos that calls itself 2019, I think having some fresh faces in the rap game, and some girl power to get me through the grind is 100% necessary. Cheers to new releases in 2020, I promise to try harder next year. Thank you all for checking my list out, be sure to tune into Grand Union Radio, Saturday nights at 11pm on KOSU and The Spy.
