Top 40 Albums of 2019 (20-1)

In terms of music, 2019 began with a whimper and ended with a roar. An influx of powerful, innovative works emerged in the latter months, many of which have buoyantly emerged near the top of this list. The 2010’s have been a multifaceted decade of music, and the music in 2019 provided a perfect exclamation point as we head into a new decade. 

SXSW 2016

This year’s SXSW was a unique experience for several reasons. For one, it was the first year where I spent the entire week going to shows by myself. In the past I’ve been able to coerce a friend or two into joining me, but my persuasive skills were not as effective this year. This year’s list of bands also lacked the same “star power” as it usually contains. Most years, I have a handful of must-see artists on my list. In a weird way, this lack of beloved artists made for a more exciting week of shows. Instead of spending my time trying to catch some of my favorite bands, I focused my energy on discovering new music, which really is the point of attending SXSW. Without a list of favorites bogging down my days, I was allowed to explore the musical landscape. Here are some of my favorite moments/performances of the week.