Well, 2017 happened. I think that’s about the best thing I can say for the entire damn year: it happened. While I’ll look back at 2017 as a bullshit year full of bullshit people doing bullshit things at a rate that can only be described as a national emergency, I’ll also remember the year for its pretty impressive musical output. I hope, in time, my love for the music that came from 2017 and my relationship with it, will be what I remember most. Below I cataloged my favorite albums from 2017, some of the albums I enjoyed but couldn’t really find a place in my top thirty, and some movies, TV shows, books, and apps that discovered for the first time this year.
There is also an episode of Encore all about my end of the year list and thoughts on music in 2017 — you can check that out here.
Thank you to everyone that visited the website this year, everyone that supports us, and for another extremely successful year of Chorus.fm. We’ll be extremely lucky if 2018 brings us even a fraction of what 2017 did music-wise. I wouldn’t mind a whole lot less of chaotic hellscape on a daily basis, but that’s just me.
Favorite Albums of 2017
- Phoebe Bridgers – Stranger in the Alps
- Muna – About U
- Vince Staples – Big Fish Theory
- Allie X – CollXtion II
- The Maine – Lovely Little Lonely
- Paramore – After Laughter
- The Menzingers – After the Party
- Julien Baker – Turn Out the Lights
- Manchester Orchestra – A Black Mile to the Surface
- Bleachers – Gone Now
- Mutemath – Play Dead
- Propagandhi – Victory Lap
- Lany – Lany
- Anti-Flag – American Fall
- Lana Del Rey – Lust for Life
- Lorde – Melodrama
- Japanese Breakfast – Soft Sounds from Another Planet
- Sir Sly – Don’t You Worry, Honey
- Kelela – Take Me Apart
- Andrew McMahon – Zombies on Broadway
- Converge – The Dusk in Us
- Kendrick Lamar – Damn.
- Oso Oso – The Yunahon Mixtape
- Betty Who – The Valley
- Japandroids – Near to the Wild Heart of Life
- Slowdive – Slowdive
- Acceptance – Colliding by Design
- Alvvays – Antisocialites
- Aaron Sprinkle – Real Life
- P.O.S. – Chill, dummy
You’ll find a playlist of some of my favorite songs from these albums on Apple Music and Spotify.
Honorable Mention
- All Time Low – Last Young Renegade
- BadCop/BadCop – Warriors
- Eisley – I’m Only Dreaming
- Glassjaw – Material Control
- Haim – Something to Tell You
- Hey Violet – From the Outside
- Mount Eerie – A Crow Looked at Me
- New Found Glory – Makes Me Sick
- Noah Gundersen – White Noise
- Story of the Year – Wolves
- Taylor Swift – Reputation
- The xx – I See You
- Zander Hawley – When I Get Blue
I could probably fit another two dozen in my honorable mention section, and I’m positive I forgot a bunch of things I really liked as it is. Creating my list this year was hard. Check out my Last.fm or Apple Music profile for what I’m spinning on a daily basis.
I’d like to note that I intentionally left Brand New off my list this year. In a year where sexual misconduct and assault allegations dominated the news, I think it’s important to take a stand and speak up in support of victims. I believe Brand New failed in their moral test this year and I believe that needs be a part of their legacy going forward. They don’t get a free pass or to allow silence to sweep these kinds of things under the rug. You can read more of my thoughts on the topic here, here, and here.
Movies I Enjoyed in 2017
- Baby Driver
- Band Aid
- Blade Runner 2049
- Brigsby Bear
- Call Me By Your Name
- Dunkirk
- Get Out
- Gifted
- Good Time
- Logan Lucky
- Lady Bird
- Power Rangers
- Spider-Man: Homecoming
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi
- The Big Sick
- The Lego Batman Movie
- Wonder Woman
You can find more of my movie watching habits and ratings on Letterboxd.
TV Shows I Enjoyed in 2017
- Billions
- Halt and Catch Fire
- It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
- iZombie
- Life in Pieces
- Lovesick
- Mr. Robot
- Nathan for You
- Riverdale
- Silicon Valley
- Star Wars Rebels
- The Good Place
- The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
- The Handmaid’s Tale
- Veep
- You’re The Worst
Books I Enjoyed in 2017
- Wool by Hugh Howey
- FDR by Jean Edward Smith
- Artemis by Andy Weir
- Dark Matter by Black Crouch
- Bloodline by Claudia Gray
- The Daily Show: An Oral History by Chris Smith
- Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
You can find more of my book reading habits and rating on Goodreads.
Apps I Discovered and Enjoyed in 2017
- Ulysses
- Streaks
- HomeKit
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