Every year we like to reach out to some of our closest friends in the industry and get their take on their favorite albums of the year. One name was pretty consistent on everybody lists and without any argument looks like Kendrick Lamar's "DAMN." was tops. Other notables were SZA's "Ctrl", and The War On Drugs "A Deeper Understanding". Stay tuned later this week as we name our top shows of 2017.
Robert Castro - Editor In Chief at Ultra5280
1. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
2. The War On Drugs - A Deeper Understanding
3. The National - Sleep Well Beast
4. Big Thief - Capacity
5. Portugal. The Man - Woodstock
Kelly O'Keefe - Writer (Music & Fashion) Ultra5280
1. Harry Styles- Harry Styles
2. Kesha- Rainbow
3. Portugal. The Man- Woodstock
4. SZA-Ctrl
5. Kendrick Lamar- DAMN.
Lina Skrzypczak - Writer (Music & Fashion) Ultra5280
1. Polo & Pan - Caravelle
2. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
3. Washed Out - Mister Mellow
4. Ariel Pink - Dedicated To Bobby Jameson
5. Bibio - Phantom Brickworks
Michelle (Meesh) Deyden - Photographer & Writer (Music and Fashion) Ultra5280
1. Overcoats - Young
2. Son Little - New Magic
3. Noah Gundersen - White Noise
4. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
5. Arcade Fire - Everything Now
Bridget Burnett - Photographer (Music and Fashion) Ultra5280
1. Odesza - A Moment Apart
2. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
3. SZA - CTRL
4. Lorde - Melodrama
5. JAY-Z - 4:44
Tobias Krause - Events Manager at Two Parts / Booking Dude at The UMS
1. Parallelephants - Supply
2. Proz Taylor - Deadman Wonderland
3. Toro Y Moi - Boo Boo
4. LCD Soundsystem - American Dream
5. GGOOLLDD - Teeth
Danny Sax - Talent Buyer at AEG
1. King Gizard & The Lizard Wizard – Murder Of The Universe
2. Thundercat - Drunk
3. Myrkur - Mareridt
4. Dreadnought – Awake In Sacred Waves
5. Code Orange – Forever
Amy Osgood - Program Director at Passport Program
1. SZA - Ctrl
2. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
3. Arcade Fire - Everything Now
4. The XX - I See You
5. Sylvan Esso - What Now
Rikki Aston - Talent Buyer at Live Nation
1. Quicksand – Illuminant
2. Billie Eilish – Don’t Smile At Me
3. St. Vincent – Masseducation
4. SZA – Ctrl
5. Kehlani – SweetSexySavage
Zoe Lanterman - Marketing Director at Soda Jerk Presents
1. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
2. King Krule – The OOZ
3. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile – Lotta Sea Lice
4. Gorillaz – Humanz
5. (Tie) Mac Demarco – This Old Dog
The War On Drugs – A Deeper Understanding
Kendall Smith - VP of Sales and Events at Denverite
1. St Vincent - Masseducation
2. Beck - Colors
3. In/Planes - Everything
4. Aldous Harding - Party
5. Gary Numan - Savage
Joel Rekiel - Founder & Artist Manager at BLDGBLKS / Marketing & Hospitality Manager at Levitt Pavillion
1. Brand New - Science Fiction
2. The National - Sleep Well Beast
3. Sylvan Esso - What Now
4. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
5. LCD Soundsystem - American Dream
Virgil Dickerson - Marketing Manager at Illegal Pete's
1. Action Bronson - Blue Chips 7000
2. Portugal. The Man - Woodstock
3. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
4. St. Vincent - Masseducation
5. Thundercat - Drunk