WVAU’s #1 AOTY: Ctrl by SZA
Skylar Tucker
December 31, 2017
Filed under End of the Year Awards
The best way to maintain control is to let go. We must let go of fears, expectations, burdens, and anything else that hinders our growth in order to remain in control. In her long-awaited debut album, Ctrl, SZA takes us through her journey of learning to let go with 14 liberating tracks. Listeners were fir...
WVAU’s #1 SOTY: "HUMBLE." by Kendrick Lamar
Daniel Sohn
December 31, 2017
Filed under End of the Year Awards
Only a handful of recording artists carry the cultural influence and industry clout to consider their music releases events. The world stopped to watch Beyonc̩ mount a sinking cop car, we stopped to watch Frank Ocean build a staircase, and this year, we stopped to watch Kendrick Lamar return to his throne as the king of contemporary hip hop. Is anyone really sur...
WVAU’s #2 AOTY: DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar
Ryan Shepard
December 30, 2017
Filed under End of the Year Awards
There are two types of people in the world. Those who admit to rapping everywhere to Kendrick Lamar's “DNA” in the mirror and liars. Admit it! You've done it. I've done it. We've all done it. Why? It's just been incredible year for Kendrick Lamar. After the releases of two immaculate...
WVAU’s #2 SOTY: "Love Galore" by SZA
Amanda Jagus
December 30, 2017
Filed under End of the Year Awards
Although 2017 has been seemingly an endless spiral of toxicity, with every year of hardship forges amazing creativity. SolÌÁna Imani Rowe, known as SZA has been no exception to that rule. Ringing in 5 Grammy nominations, SZA is the most nominated female this year. Through her much-deserved accolades,...
WVAU’s #3 SOTY: "Bodak Yellow" by Cardi B
Taameen Mohammad
December 29, 2017
Filed under End of the Year Awards
"Bodak Yellow" by Cardi B released this summer, kickstarting Cardi B's career into massive success in the music industry where it topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for three weeks consecutively. "Bodak Yellow" made music history as the first time in 19 years that a female solo hip-hop single charted...
WVAU’s #3 AOTY: Flower Boy by Tyler, the Creator
Daniel Sohn
December 29, 2017
Filed under End of the Year Awards
After years of wallowing in transgressive lyricism and Pharrell-lite production, Flower Boy finally sees Tyler, the Creator shed his juvenile Odd Future persona to reflect on his faults with a newfound sincerity. The Odd Future diaspora was a long time coming, marked by warning signs in the form of feuds, factions, and solo albums. From the hip ho...
WVAU’s #4 AOTY: Melodrama by Lorde
Maria Carrasco
December 28, 2017
Filed under End of the Year Awards
Ella Yelich-O'Connor, or better known as Lorde, released her sophomore album, Melodrama in the summer of 2017. This album touched upon her life and served to tell her coming of age story. From that, Lorde experiments with her sounds, from making songs that are heart-wrenching to really synth heavy. Her...
WVAU’s #4 SOTY: "Crew" by Goldlink
Calkie Fisseha
December 28, 2017
Filed under End of the Year Awards
Photo from Genius SCENE: The year is 2021. You are in the club, rich as hell and fresh as hell. You usually hate the club, but ever since you became rich, it ain't so bad. There are bottles and beautiful people everywhere. You and your homies are looking around, thinking about how magical life is. ...
WVAU’s #5 AOTY: MASSEDUCTION by St. Vincent
Emily Shelton
December 27, 2017
Filed under End of the Year Awards
MASSEDUCTION stands as one of the more memorable albums of the year. Annie Clark, known as St. Vincent, has pioneered alt-pop experimental music to a cater to a mass audience. In MASSEDUCTION, Clark pivots more to pop and electronica more than ever. Clark seems to establish a new voice, a new life...
WVAU’s #5 SOTY: Bad and Boujee by Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert
Miguel Wilson
December 27, 2017
Filed under End of the Year Awards
Photo from Soundcloud In this day and age, the margin for a song's success is very small. Social media today makes it easier than ever for a song to fall out of the public's eye. That is, unless you are one of the lucky few that stick to the wall of prosperity. Migos' “Bad and Boujee” d...
WVAU’s #6 SOTY: Location by Khalid
Colin Doughterty
December 26, 2017
Filed under End of the Year Awards
Photo from Genius Released to much critical acclaim, and an eventual Grammy nomination, Khalid's first full-length LP American Teen has boosted the 19-year-old to instant stardom. Track after track reassure listeners that the future is bright for R&B. Hits like “Young Dumb & Broke” ...
WVAU’s #6 AOTY: Freudian by Daniel Caesar
Miguel Wilson
December 26, 2017
Filed under End of the Year Awards
Photo from Genius There must be something in Toronto's water because they seem to be constantly churning out new musical talent. Consistently, for the past decade, exciting innovations in both rap and R&B have found their way across the border into the hearts and ears of Americans. Budding art...
