2015 was a great year for music, but it didn’t feel like it. It wasn’t until I sat down and actually tried to pick out the best 10 albums of the year that I realized it was such a fantastic 365 days of an emotional rollercoaster listening to these records. Without further adieu, here are the best records of the year, in my humble opinion.

1. Foxing -- "Dealer"

Without a doubt, my favorite release of 2015. If you’re not familiar with Foxing, and you really love getting in touch with your emotions, then it’s your lucky day. With “Dealer,” Foxing has opened a new page in the book of their progressive career. Showing off lyrics that bend the brain with abstraction and melodies that could warm the coldest heart of stone, Foxing has established themselves as a major name on anybody’s “Best Of” list. When Foxing released their debut full length “The Albatross” in 2013, I personally never thought they could top it, but I am pleased to admit that I am very wrong. “Dealer” sits restfully at the top of my list this year, and I’m sure it will stay for years to come. You can listen to “Dealer” in its entirety here.

For fans of: This Town Needs Guns (TTNG), The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die, and The Hotelier

2. Sufjan Stevens -- "Carrie & Lowell"

Speaking of getting in touch with your emotions, this record follows in all fashions of Sufjan Stevens, because it’ll make you cry while still remaining entirely unique to his style. The contrast of such beautiful lyrical passion and Steven’s soft-spoken voice makes for a perfect listen all the way through. This is an album that you’ll find yourself humming throughout the day, probably between spells of crying after these songs break your heart into a million pieces. You can listen to “Carrie and Lowell” here.

For fans of: William Fitzsimmons, Bon Iver, and Iron & Wine

3. Foals -- "What Went Down"

It would seem that Foals has done it again. Another fantastic record to follow up Holy Fire, one of the best releases of 2013, “What Went Down” instantly topped my chart this year. A seemingly perfect powerhouse combination of groove and dance while packing a major punch, Foals continues their trend of being a band that everyone can listen to. This band suits any kind of weather, any kind of day, and any kind of place. No matter what you’re doing, if you’re listening to “What Went Down,” you’re doing it right. You can check out “What Went Down” here.

For fans of: Bombay Bicycle Club, The National, and Muse

4. Lapalux -- "Lustmore"

Lapalux takes it down a notch with his record “Lustmore” the follow up to his 2013 masterpiece, “Nostalchic.” If you’ve ever wanted to sit back in the comfiest chair imaginable and sink into bliss, this is the record for you. Alternatively, if you’ve ever wanted to be packed into a room with thousands of lights going off around you, then this is also the record for you. Calming everyone down with soothing electric beats, Lapalux kicks us into action with pounding remixes dubbed over with sensual vocals through this entire record just to bring us back into that blissful haze (remember the comfy chair?). With Lapalux, there’s no predictability, there’s no bore. This record is all shine and even more glory. You can check out “Lustmore” here.

For fans of: Holy Other, Baths, and James Blake

5. Moving Mountains/Prawn -- "Split"

When this release was announced, I actually almost cried. After Moving Mountains announced their hiatus/breakup (whatever that means nowadays) in 2014, I was so shocked to see that not only had they returned, but took the stage back with alternative-emo dream team Prawn. These two bands collaborating are a perfect mix. Their sounds are separated enough to not get bored after four songs, but just similar enough to bounce right off each other and create genius. With both bands adding two songs a piece to the compilation, listeners get a taste of Moving Mountains’ blissful melodies as well as Prawn’s lyrical genius, reminding you why you feel things in the first place. This record belongs on your list as well as anybody else’s. You can listen to the split here.

For fans of: MewithoutYou, You Blew It!, and The Dear Hunter

6. Failure -- "The Heart Is A Monster"

If sinking into the dark, brooding bursts of groove suits your fancy, you’ve come to the right place. Failure is finally back, and with one of the best records of the year. “The Heart Is A Monster” makes you reconsider everything you know about music, everything about love, just everything. With driving bass lines that hit you right in the core, butter-smooth vocals, and shrieking guitar to wake you right up, Failure continues to amaze. You can listen to “The Heart Is A Monster” here.

For fans of: Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Year of the Rabbit

7. Chelsea Wolfe -- "Abyss"

First off, any year that Chelsea Wolfe releases new music is a wonderful year. With “Pain Is Beauty,” Wolfe set the standard for dark, but with this year, she took dark and blew it right out of the water. I’m not saying that this record feels like a dark pit of despair that you can never escape from, but if I were to say that, it would be in a good way. Even so, damn is that voice beautiful. Chelsea Wolfe never fails to set the bar even higher with this very unique genre of music. Basically, prepare to get punched square in the face by this entire record… in a good way. Listen to “Abyss” here.

For fans of: Grouper, Zola Jesus, and Warpaint

8. Kendrick Lamar -- "To Pimp A Butterfly"

How could we possibly exclude Kendrick? The Great Lamar does it again with “To Pimp A Butterfly,” a self-loving, self-hating follow up to his critically acclaimed record “Good Kid Maad City” this new genius follows Lamar’s intrigue with Tupac as well as his own inner-demons. Of course, we can’t forget about the Lamar standard of just laying down the best stuff that rap has seen in years. This is on your “Best Of” list. Nobody can touch him. Period. Listen to “To Pimp A Butterfly” here.

For fans of: Schoolboy Q, A$AP Rocky, and J. Cole

9. The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die -- "Harmlessness"

Setting the standard for emo music in 2015, TWIAPB (shortened, because come on, I’m not writing that entire name out 10 times) continues forth with this backflip of a record. Compared to earlier releases, this is an entirely different band. An entirely different, eight-person, wall-of-beautiful-noise band. Presenting a more organized, less hectic structure, lyrics never experimented with, and an overall brand-new sound, TWIABP has absolutely destroyed this record in the best way possible. With a booming sound and the tiniest of perfect accents to complement the four-guitars, keyboards, two vocalists, and pounding drums, this record rests peacefully on my “Best Of” list. You can listen to “Harmlessness” here.

For fans of: Algernon Cadwallader, Old Gray, and Pity Sex

10. Cloakroom -- "Further Out"

Ah, the end of the list. I want to say that I saved the best for last, but I couldn’t really put any of these records in an order of favorites, so it’s just the last, and a pretty great record at that. Cloakroom is formed from the oddest of bunches, three Midwest factory workers that came together and decided that you could absolutely put beautiful, melodic guitar work over an almost incoherently loud wall of distortion. That’s pretty much how my friend described them to me when Cloakroom released “Infinity” an EP that defined their sound almost perfectly. In fact, the only thing to further define the band is “Further Out” where droning vocals mesmerize you into nothingness and mind-bending guitars blast you right back into reality. Definitely one of the better ways to close out such a great year for music. Listen to “Further Out” here.

If you liked or loved any of these records the way I did, you should absolutely go buy them from your local record store, or online, whatever the kids do nowadays.