Highlighting American Folk music and it's new permutations.
09:00 am - 11:00 am MT
The end of 2021 is here, and our DJs are taking a look back at their favorite releases from this year. Take a look at what album releases your favorite KGNU DJs loved in 2021!
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | The Jazz Butcher | Dr Cholmondley Repents: A-sides, B-Sides and Seasides | Fire |
2 | Hutch Harris | Suck Up All The Oxygen | Hutch Harris |
3 | The Fratellis | Half Drunk Under A Full Moon | Cooking Vinyl |
4 | Idles | Crawler | PTKF |
5 | Catherine Anne Davies | The Anchoress | Kscope |
6 | The Hold Steady | Open Door Policy | Positive Jams |
7 | The Interrupters | Live in Tokyo | Hellcat/Epitaph |
8 | Diego’s Umbrella | Bomb’s Away | Birdstrom |
9 | Claw Boys Claw | Kite | Excelsior |
10 | The Callippians | Latest Hits | BMG |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Nnenna Freelon | Time Traveler | Origin |
2 | Victoria Swift | This Bitter Earth | Mack Avenue |
3 | Bradford Marsalis | Ma Rainey’s Blues Black Bottom | Milan Records |
4 | Susanna Aleksandra | The Siren | Eclipse Music |
5 | Shai Maestro | Human | ECM |
6 | Dara Tucker | Dreams of Waking | Green Hill |
7 | Roxana Amed | Ontology | Sony |
8 | Sean Jones | Daring Minds | Motem |
9 | John Coletrane | A Love Supreme | Impulse |
10 | Julian Lage | Squint | Blue Note |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Boma Bango | L'étranger | Valcour |
2 | Keith Frank & The Creole Connection | The Resurrection of the Creole Connection | Soulwood Records |
3 | Daniel Coolik and K.C. Jones | Daniel Coolik and K.C. Jones | Valcour Records |
4 | Dwayne Dopsie | Set Me Free | Louisiana Red Hot Records |
5 | Leftover Salmon | Brand New Good Old Days | Compass Records |
6 | K.C. Jones | Queen of the In Decision | Queen of the In Decision |
7 | Michot Melody Makers with Leyla McCalla | Tiny Island | Nouveau Electric Records |
8 | Maria Muldaur with Tuba Skinny | Let’s Get Happy Together | Stony Plain |
9 | Tiffany Pollack & CO. | Bayou Liberty | NOLA Blue |
10 | Joe Hall & the Louisiana Cane Cutters | Proud to be a Creole | Fruge Reords |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Godspeed You! Black Emperor | G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END! | Constellation |
2 | Mogwai | As The Love Continues | Temporary Residence |
3 | MONO | Pilgrimage of the Soul | Temporary Residence |
4 | Tangents | Timeslips & Chimeras | Temporary Residence |
5 | ILUITEQ | The Loss of Wilderness | n5MD |
6 | entropic advance | endless collapse | symbolic insight |
7 | Leon Vynehall | Rare, Forever | Ninja Tune |
8 | loscil | Clara | Self |
9 | bios+a+ic | lo-fi buddha | symbolic insight |
10 | Theo Croker | BLK2LIFE || A FUTURE PAST | Sony Classical |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Bo Burnham | INSIDE | Bo Burnham |
2 | JPEGMAFIA | LP! | UMG |
3 | Hlite | A.V. Tone Alterations | Multidm |
4 | Doja Cat | Planet her | RCA |
5 | Cleo Sol | Mother | Forever Living Originals |
6 | Kanye West | Donda | UMG |
7 | Moor Mother | Black Encyclopedia of the Air | Moor Mother |
8 | Beach Fossils | The Other Side of Life (piano ballads) | Bayonet Records |
9 | Sons of Kemet | Black to the Future | UMG |
10 | R.A.P. Ferreira | the Light Emitting Diamond Cutter Scriptures | Ruby Yacht |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | The Fretless | Open House | Birthday Cake |
2 | The Weather Station | Ignorance | Fat Possum |
3 | Béla Fleck | My Bluegrass Heart | BMG |
4 | Daniel Romano's Outfit | Cobra Poems | You’ve Changed Records |
5 | Chris Coole & Friends | Adeline | Self |
6 | JSpiers & Boden | Fallow Ground | Hudson Records |
7 | Frode Haltli | Avant Folk II | Hubro |
8 | Stash Wyslouch | Plays and Sings Bluegrass, Vol. II | Self |
9 | Shad | TAO | Secret City Records |
10 | Dominique Fils-Aimé | Three Little Words | Ensoul Records |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | The Felice Brothers | From Dreams to Dust | Yep Roc |
2 | Hiss Golden Messenger | Quietly Blowing It | Merge |
3 | Lambchop | Showtunes | Merge |
4 | Bob Dylan | Springtime In New York: The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 1980-1985 | Sony Legacy |
5 | Howe Gelb & The Colorist Orchestra | Not on The Map | Dangerbird Records |
6 | Fruit Bats | The Pet Parade | Merge |
7 | Los Lobos | Native Sons | New West |
8 | Landhorne Slim | Strawberry Mansion | Dualtone |
9 | Yola | Stand For Myself | Easy Eye |
10 | Son Volt | Electro Melodier | Transmit Sound |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
* | Anushka | Yemaya | Tru Thoughts |
* | black midi | Cavalcade | Rough Trade |
* | Conclave | Conclave | Love Injection Records |
* | Emma Jean Thackray | Yellow | Movementt |
* | Greentea Peng | Man Made | AMF |
* | Kiefer | Between Days | Stones Throw |
* | Pink Siifu | GUMBO’! | Self |
* | Spencer Cullum | Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection | Full Time Hobby |
* | Vanishing Twin | Ookii Gekkou | Fire |
* | Work Money Death | The Space In Which The Uncontrollable Residesl | ATA |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Obay Alsharani | Sandbox | Hive Mind |
2 | Enforced | Kill Grid | Century Media |
3 | Xeno & Oaklander | Vi/deo | Dais Records |
4 | Dummy | Mandatory Enjoyment | Trouble In Mind |
5 | Íxtahuele | Eden Ahbez’s Dharmaland | Subliminal Sounds |
6 | Wayne Snow | Figurine | Roche Musique |
7 | The Reds Pinks and Purples | Uncommon Weather | Slumberland |
8 | Brijean | Feeings | Ghostly International |
9 | Yautja | The Lurch | Relapse |
10 | Julia Shapiro | Zorked | Suicide Squeeze |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Tune-Yards | Sketchy | 4AD |
2 | Massilia Sound System | Sale Caractere | Manivette Records |
3 | Nate Smith | Kinfolk 2: See the Birds | Edition |
4 | The Brown Boyz | The Reintroduction | Six 19 Music/DREAM Gospel |
5 | Grupo X | Saturday Night | Loft Records |
6 | Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers | Set Me Free | Dwayne Rubin |
7 | Kuf Knotz & Christine Elise | Ke myoonede (community) | Hightibe |
8 | Penya | Penya | Liminal Recordings |
9 | Towa Tei | LP | Voltage Unlimited Inc |
10 | Baiana System | ATO 3: America do Sol | Maquina De Louco |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Jon Batiste | We Are | Verve |
2 | Silk Sonic | An Evening With Silk Sonic | Aftermath |
3 | Aaron Frazer | Introducing | Dead Oceans |
4 | Joseph Malik | Diverse Part 3 | Ramrock Red |
5 | Anushka | Yemaya | Tru Thoughts |
6 | Joshua Henry | Grow | BMG |
7 | The Bamboos | Hard Up | Pacific Theater |
8 | Mess Drey | Eve-olution | IMD |
9 | Wee Willie Walker | Not In My Lifetime | Blue Dot |
10 | O.B. Buchacha | Southern Soul Brother | Ecko |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Various Artists | Rough Guide to the Best Japanese Music You’ve Never Heard | World Music Network |
2 | Jadsa | Olho de Vivo | Balaclava |
3 | Toumani Diabate and London Symphony Orchestra | Korolen | World Circuit |
4 | Ben Aylon | Xalam | Riverboat |
5 | Angelique Kidjo | Mother Nature | Verve |
6 | Throttle Elevator Music | Final Floor | Wide Hive |
7 | Pino Palladino & Mike Mills | Notes with Attachments | Impulse! |
8 | Sons of Kemet | Black to the Future | Impulse! |
9 | Alice Coltrane | Kirtan: Turiya Sings | Impulse! |
10 | Dobet Gnahore | Couleur | Cumbancha |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Veronica Swift | Getting To Know You | Mack Avenue |
2 | Sierra Farrell | Long Time Coming | Rounder |
3 | Noel McKay | Blue Blue Blue | Self |
4 | Johnny Tucker And The Allstars featuring Kid Ramos | 75 and Alive | HighJohn Records |
5 | Jesse Daniel | Beyond These Walls | Die True |
6 | Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra | The Democracy! Suite | Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra |
7 | West of Texas | Heartache, Hangovers & Honky Tonks | Pleasant Valley Ranch Records |
8 | Veronica Lewis | You Ain’t Unlucky | Moonwink Music |
9 | Maria Muldaur • Tuba Skinny | Let’s Get Happy Together | Stony Plains |
10 | Charley Crockett | Music City USA | Thirty Tigers |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | The Late Ones | The Fourth Quarter | Easy Star |
2 | Bukkha | ...In Roots Vol. 1 | Moonshine |
3 | Niceness | Realize | Niceness |
4 | Various Artists | Reggae Africa Roots & Culture 1972-1988 | Africa Seven |
5 | Bacao Rhythm and Steel Band | Expansions | Big Crown |
6 | Kondi Band | We Famous | Strut |
7 | Blockhead | Space Werewolves Will Be The End Of Us All | Future Archive |
8 | Hot Mustard | Mother Sauce | Color Red |
9 | DJ Nu-Mark | Run For Cover | Hot Plate |
10 | Warsaw Afrobeat Orchestra | Antibody Remixes | Peace & Rhythm |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Arlo Parks | Collapsed in Sunbeams | Transgressive |
2 | Stubborn Heart | Made of Static | One Little Independent |
3 | Holy Hive | Holy Hive | Big Crown |
4 | Sam Wilkes | One Theme & Subsequent Improvisation | Leaving |
5 | quickly, quickly | The Long And Short Of It | Ghostly International |
6 | Vanishing Twin | Ookii Gekkou | Fire |
7 | FLUPKE | IOAHI | BMM |
8 | The Narcotix | Mommy Issues | The Narcotix |
9 | L’Rain | Fatigue | Mexican Summer |
10 | Dan Nicholls | Mattering and Meaning | We Jazz |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp | We're OK. But We're Lost Anyway | Bongo Joe |
2 | Lave La Rue | Butter-Fly EP | Marathon Artists |
3 | Altin Gün | Yol | ATO |
4 | Django Django | Glowing In The Dark | Because |
5 | Dylan Cartlidge | Hope Above Adversity | Glassnote |
6 | Greentea Peng | Man Made | AMF |
7 | John Carroll Kirby | Septet | Stones Throw |
8 | Sophia Kennedy | Monsters | City Slang |
9 | Jomoro | Blue Marble Sky | Sony Masterworks |
10 | Khruangbin | Mordechai Remixes | Dead Oceans |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Maria Muldaur & Tuba Skinny | Let’s Get Happy Together | Stony Plain |
2 | Various Artists | Greg Belson's Divine Funk | Culture of Soul |
3 | Leyla McCalla | Varicolored Songs: A Tribute To Langston Hughes | Music Maker |
4 | Tia Carroll | You Gotta Have It | Little Village Foundation |
5 | Dave Brubeck | Lullabies | Verve |
6 | Rich Moore | Voiceless | Self |
7 | Johnny Iguana | Johnny Iguana's Chicago Spectacular! | Delmark |
8 | Queen Esther | Guild the Black Lily | EL |
9 | Cha Wa | My People | Single Lock |
10 | Nola Resistance | Nola Resistance | MMD |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Baligh Hamdi | Instrumental Modal Pop of 1970s Egypt | Sublime Frequencies |
2 | E.VAX | E.VAX | Because |
3 | El Michels Affair Meets Liam Bailey | Ekundayo Inversions | Big Crown |
4 | The Limiñanas / Laurent Garnier | De Pelicula | Because |
5 | Lucas Santtana | 3 Sessions In a Greenhouse | Mais Um |
6 | Mente Organica | El Espacio | Earthly Measures |
7 | Numa Gama | Memorias de Oneyda | Numa Gama |
8 | Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp | We're OK. But We're Lost Anyway | Les Disques Bongo Joe |
9 | SAULT | NINE | SAULT |
10 | Wau Wau Collectif | Yaral Sa Doom | Sahel Sounds |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | St. Vincent | Daddy’s Home | Loma Vista |
2 | Matthew Dear | Preacher’s Sigh and Potion: Lost Album | Ghostly International |
3 | Reverend Freakchild | Supramundane Blues | Treated and Released |
4 | Judith Hill | Baby I’m Hollywood | Regime Music |
5 | Hiatus Kaiyote | Mood Valiant | Brainfeeder |
6 | Yasmin Williamsr | Urban Driftwood | Spinster |
7 | Maria Muldaur & Tuba Skinny | Let’s Get Happy Together | Stony Plain |
8 | The Notwist | Vertigo Days | Morr Music |
9 | Ryland Moranz | XO, 1945 | Tonic Records |
10 | The Bamboos | Hard Up | BMG |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | John Reischman | New Time & Old Acoustic | John Reischman |
2 | Billy Strings | Renewal | Rounder |
3 | Sierra Farrell | Long Time Coming | Rounder |
4 | Justin Moses | Fall Like Rain | Mountain Fever |
5 | Dale Ann Bradley | Things She Couldn’t Get Over | Pinecastle |
6 | The Kody Norris Show | All Suited Up | Rebel |
7 | Béla Fleck | My Bluegrass Heart | Renew Records |
8 | Tim O’Brien | He Walked On | Howdy Skies |
9 | Lizzy Plotkin & Natalie Spears | Just Over the Ridge | Lizzy Plotkin & Natalie Spears |
10 | Orchard Creek Band | Walk In The Woods | Orchard Creek Band |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Michael Akortia | Synchronicity | Michael Akortia |
2 | Hot Mustard | Mother Sauce | Color Red |
3 | Cochemea | Vol. II Baca Sewa | Daptone |
4 | Guedra Guedra | Vexillology | On the Corner |
5 | Various Artists | Rough Guide to the Best Japanese Music You’ve Never Heard | World Music |
6 | Omar Sosa | An East African Journey | OTA |
7 | Martin Guerra | Temporada de Pesca | raso. |
8 | Dara Tucker | Dreams of Waking: Music for a Better World | Green Hill |
9 | Monsieur Doumani | Pissourin | Glitterbeat |
10 | Badieh | Badieh | Worlds Within Worlds |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Arlo Parks | Collapsed In Sunbeams | Transgressive |
2 | Shugundzo | I’m Not A Mother, But I Have Children | BMG |
3 | Mdou Moctar | Afrique Victime | Matador |
4 | Los Mocochetes | Mucho Gusto EP | Self |
5 | Conway The Machine | La Maquina | Griselda |
6 | Boldy James/The Alchemist | Bo Jackson | ALC |
7 | El Michels Affair | Yeti Season | Big Crown |
8 | The Velveteers | Nightmare Daydream | Easy Eye Sound |
9 | Aquarian Blood | Bending the Golden Hour | Goner |
10 | Various Artists | Judas and the Black Messiah: The Inspired Album | RCA |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Julius Hemphill | The Boye’ Multi-National Crusade for Harmony | New World |
2 | Hound Dog Taylor & The Houserockers with Brewer Phillips | Tearing the Roof Off | JSP |
3 | Vijay Iyer | Uneasy | ECM |
4 | Amyl and the Snifflers | Comfort To Me | Rough Trade |
5 | Mareike Wiening | Future Memories | Green Leaf |
6 | Theon Cross | Intra-I | New Soil |
7 | Alice Coltrane Kirtan | Turiya Sings | Impulse |
8 | Lingua Ignota | Sinner Get Ready | Sargent House |
9 | San Salvador | La Grande Folie | MDC |
10 | Electric Jalaba | El Hal/The Feeling | Strut |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
1 | Silk Sonic | An Evening with Silk Sonic | Atlantic |
2 | The Tragically Hip | Saskadelphia | Universal |
3 | Royal Blood | Typhoon | Warner Bros |
4 | The Black Keys | Delta Kream | Easy Eye Sound |
5 | Various Artists | The Daptone Super Soul Revue Live at the Apollo | Daptone |
6 | Mdou Moctar | Afrique Victime | Matador |
7 | Curtis Harding | If Words Were Flowers | ANTI |
8 | Arlo Parks | Collapsed In Sunbeams | Transgressive |
9 | Dylan Cartlidge | Hope Above Adversity | Glassnote |
10 | Boma Bango | Étranger | Valcour |
# | Artist | Album | Label |
* | Blue Stingrays | Surf-N-Burn | Epitone |
* | Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine | A Beginner’s Mind | Asthmatic Kitty |
* | Various Artists | Even A Tree Can Shed Tears: Japanese Folk & Rock 1969-1973 | Light In The Attic |
* | Willie Dunn | Creation Never Sleeps, Creation Never Dies | Light In The Attic |
* | Iron & Wine | Archive Series Volume No. 5 | Sub Pop |
* | Uncle Tupelo | Live March 24, 1994 Lounge Ax, Chicago | dBpm Records |
* | Joni Mitchell | Archives Volume 2 | Reprise |
* | Neil Young | Archives Vol. II | Reprise |
* | Gillian Welch | The Lost Songs Vol 1-3 | Acony |
Check out our DJs favorite albums from the past decade.
KGNU's Top 100 albums of the year, ranked by how many spins each record received. Considering the variety of music programs in our schedule and the sheer number of DJ's (100+) doing them, it's no surprise that this is a diverse list. Thanks for listening with open minds and ears. It's a credit to you, the listeners, that KGNU has been able to offer a true musical alternative for nearly 40 years. You can always check our Top 30 charts as well.
KGNU's Top 100 albums of the year, ranked by how many spins each record received. Considering the variety of music programs in our schedule and the sheer number of DJ's (100+) doing them, it's no surprise that this is a diverse list. Thanks for listening with open minds and ears. It's a credit to you, the listeners, that KGNU has been able to offer a true musical alternative for nearly 40 years. You can always check our Top 30 charts as well.
KGNU’s Top 100 albums of the year, ranked by how many spins each record received. Considering the variety of music programs in our schedule and the sheer number of DJ’s (100+) doing them, it’s no surprise that this is a diverse list. Thanks for listening with open minds and ears. It’s a credit to you, the listeners, that KGNU has been able to offer a true musical alternative for nearly 40 years.
Check out the top 100 albums of 2015 on KGNU. This list represents the most played recordings on the station from January through December. You can check out our Top 30 charts throughout the year to keep up on what we're digging at the moment.
Check out the top 100 albums of 2014 on KGNU. This list represents the most played recordings on the station from January 1st through December 1st. Some of these recordings came out toward the end of 2013 but were still red hot for us in the first part of the new year. You can check out our weekly Top 30 charts throughout the year to keep up on what we're digging at the moment.