Happy Monday, yinz!  With it being the last full week of 2015, I’m going to do something a little different.  Obviously this blog focuses on music, my life, celebrities, and all things digital so I’ll be compiling my top lists of all those topics.  I look forward to sharing my favorites with yinz and welcome your faves, as well!

Today’s Serge’s Selections:  2015 Edition are my favorite albums that dropped this year.  These are in no specific order because that would take me until December 2016 to do that.  Check out my list below, and let me know what you think.  Am I missing any of your favorites?  Did I include an album you don’t like?

If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late – Drake

I remember exactly where I was when this surprise project dropped.  It’s actually the same place I am right now – Agatay’s couch.  It was right around Valentine’s Day, and I promise you I stopped what I was doing and just listened to the songs on repeat.  Typical.  As mentioned before, this was a complete surprise.  After Beyonce dropped her surprise self-titled album, Beyonce last year, more and more artists have begun to take that approach.  While I do like a good surprise, I do sort of like having a release date as that is something to look forward to.  Anywho.  IYRTITL put out some bangers and crowd pleasers for sure.  Drake nailed it per usual.

 

What A Time To Be Alive – Drake & Future

Again, I remember where I was when this premiered, as well – in Agatay’s kitchen.  The squad, Nick and Parker were over, and we sat around listening to the premiere on OVO Sound Radio and casually sipped some Coors Light.  It was lit in the most chill way.  Want to talk about bangers though?  Listen to WATTBA.  ‘Jumpman,’ ‘Big Rings,’ ‘The Plug’… are you kidding me?  ‘Big Rings’ is my alarm in the morning because my team needs some really nice things.  This project also made me like Future a lot more.  Solid.

 

T R A P S O U L – Bryson Tiller

If you don’t know, now you know.  Born in Kentucky and at the young age of only 22, Bryson Tiller is extremely talented, and T R A P S O U L is definitely one of my absolute favorite albums that came out this year.  From the intro to the last song, the whole album flows perfectly.  It truly lives up to its name – trap beats with a soul sound and flow.  I highly suggest you get on the Tiller train.

 

 

Dark Sky Paradise – Big Sean

What can I say about this one?  While I don’t post often about Big Sean, he is one of my favorite artists.  He is a hardworker, gives a lot back to his hometown of Detroit, and can spit some legit rhymes and verses.  Not to mention, he’s easy on the eye and has a beautiful smile – see below.

Dark Sky Paradise is another one that has so many hits.  From ‘Blessings’ featuring Drake and Kanye to ‘I Don’t F*ck With You’, this is an album I have listened to on repeat multiple times.  And we can’t forget about ‘One Man Can Change The World’ featuring John Legend and Kanye West.  So so good and motivational – a very special song to Big Sean – it was written in memory of his late grandmother who he was quite close with.

 

Beauty Behind the Madness – The Weeknd

Cheers to the freaking Weeknd.  He has grown so much as an artist and from the numerous articles I’ve read as a person, as well.  I mean he used to never even do interviews, and now he’s selling out arenas and going on major city tours.  It’s epic.  I was lucky enough to see his BBTM tour this month actually with Parker.  It was so incredible.  Truly a show.  This album has given us the very popular hits ‘The Hills’ and ‘Can’t Feel My Face,’ as well as the Fifty Shades of Grey theme song, ‘Earned It,’ which I actually can’t listen to anymore becuase every radio station overplayed it.  Like most project of Abel’s, they are dark and filled with lyrics about drugs and sex.  The songs on BBTM have more radio hits than his previous work.  I love that this album has given him the recognition he deserves.

 

Rodeo – Travi$ Scott

Holy smokes.  I’m listening to this album now actually!  Current track:  ‘90210.’  I was late to start listening to Travi$, but I am pretty freaking glad I do now.  He has such a unique sound but also one that reminds me of Kanye.  That could be because Kanye was one of the producers of Rodeo.  I was looking forward to seeing Travi$ open for The Weeknd at the Madness Tour but unfortunately missed his performance – he was the opening act and only performed for about 20 minutes.  #lame  Oh well, I’m sure I’ll be attending another function where he’ll be performing!  But yes, you should 100% listen to La Flame ( a nickname of his).  It’s lit!

 

Royalty – Chris Brown

Yes, yes, and yes.  Only released a couple weeks ago, I’ve been listening to Chris Brown’s seventh studio album on repeat.  ‘Make Love,’ ‘Back to Sleep,’ and ‘Liquor’ are probably my top tracks.  Yet again, C. Breezy puts out another legit project.  The album is named after his daughter and even has a song dedicated to her.  The music video for that is here.  She is so cute and seeing them together in this music video is even cuter!  I suggest you watch it and listen to the album. 🙂

For those Kendrick fans, yes I realize I didn’t include To Pimp a Butterfly.  I just wasn’t able to get into that one.  There are songs I love from that project, but not the album from beginning to end.  And there are a few more days left in 2015, so if Drake happens to drop Views From the 6, you already know that would be added to this list.

That’s all for today’s Serge’s Selections:  2015 Edition.  New list, new topics tomorrow!