2017 brought us plenty of outstanding new music. We saw once-dormant acts LCD Soundsystem and Fever Ray release new albums. Newcomers Overcoats and Jay Som impressed us with memorable debut LPs. And acclaimed artists Kendrick Lamar and Big Thief showed us they were at the height of their musical powers.
The CPR's OpenAir staff has rounded up their favorite music of the year. Each host picked 10 favorite songs and shared a list of 10 other music-related items, from band shirts to Colorado concerts. See their selections below.
We want to know your favorite music of 2017 too. Let us know by casting your vote in our listener poll.
Listen to a Spotify playlist of the CPR's OpenAir staff members' favorite songs of 2017 below.
Mike Flanagan
10 Favorite Songs
- Maggie Rogers - "Alaska"
- Aimee Mann - "Patient Zero"
- Father John Misty - "Total Entertainment Forever"
- Zola Jesus - "Exhumed"
- St. Vincent - "New York"
- Los Campesinos - "I Broke Up In Amarante"
- Chicano Batman - "Friendship (Is A Small Boat In A Storm)"
- Future Islands - "Ran"
- Portugal. The Man - "Feel It Still"
- Morrissey - "Spent The Day In Bed"
10 Favorite Albums
- Queens of the Stone Age - "Villains"
- Father John Misty - "Pure Comedy"
- LCD Soundsystem - "American Dream"
- Hurray for the Riff Raff - "The Navigator"
- The National - "Sleep Well Beast"
- Low Cut Connie - "Dirty Pictures (part 1)"
- Overcoats - "YOUNG"
- Mountain Goats - "Goths"
- Japanese Breakfast - "Soft Sounds From Another Planet"
- Baby Jesus - "Took Our Sons Away"
Jessi Whitten
10 Favorite Songs
- Lizzo - "Truth Hurts"
- Low Cut Connie - "Revolution Rock 'n' Roll"
- Big Thief - "Shark Smile"
- Sylvan Esso - "Die Young"
- Alex Cameron - "Country Figs"
- Perfume Genius - "Slip Away"
- The National - "The System Only Dreams In Total Darkness"
- Open Mike Eagle - "95 Radios"
- Knox Fortune - "Help Myself"
- Tennis - "Diamond Rings"
10 Favorite Albums
- Alex Cameron - "Forced Witness"
- Sylvan Esso - "What Now"
- Jay Som - "Everybody Works"
- Vagabon - "Infinite Worlds"
- Land Of Talk - "Life After Youth"
- Hurray For The Riff Raff - "The Navigator"
- Fever Ray- "Plunge"
- Slowdive - "Slowdive"
- Big Thief - "Capacity"
- Beck - "Colors"
Jeremy Petersen
10 Favorite Songs
- Alex Cameron - "Candy May"
- Phoebe Bridgers - "Smoke Signals"
- The Horrors - "Something To Remember Me By"
- Algiers - "The Underside Of Power"
- Shabazz Palaces - "Shine A Light"
- Slowdive - "Star Roving"
- Weaves - "Walkaway"
- Aldous Harding - "Imagining My Man"
- Future Islands - "Ran"
- Broken Social Scene - "Halfway Home"
10 Favorite Albums
- Alex Cameron - "Forced Witness"
- Slowdive - "Slowdive"
- Sampha - "Process"
- Open Mike Eagle - "Brick Body Kids Still Daydream"
- The Mountain Goats - "Goths"
- Los Campesinos! - "Sick Scenes"
- Algiers - "The Underside of Power"
- Jay Som - "Everybody Works"
- Makthaverskan - "III"
- Moses Sumney - "Aromanticism"
Alisha Sweeney
10 Favorite Songs
- Jessica Lea Mayfield - "Sorry Is Gone"
- Young Fathers - "Only God Knows"
- Hurray For The Riff Raff - "Pa'lante"
- Low Cut Connie - "Revolution Rock 'n' Roll"
- Benjamin Booker - "Witness"
- Big Thief - "Shark Smile"
- Wolf Alice - "Don't Delete The Kisses"
- The Jesus and Mary Chain - "Always Sad"
- Superorganism - "Something For Your M.I.N.D."
- The Districts - "If Before I Wake"
10 Great Songs From Colorado Artists
- Flobots - "Sleeping Giant"
- Kerstan Wallace - "Head Bender"
- Tennis - "In The Morning I'll Be Better"
- Brent Cowles - "Cold Times"
- in/PLANES - "Mixtapes"
- The Yawpers - "Mon Dieu"
- Kyle Emerson - "Wise Blood"
- Rubedo - "Sungazer"
- RL Cole - "Onyx, Gold & Amethyst"
- Sur Ellz - "Runnin'"
Scott Carney
10 Favorite Songs
- Big Thief - "Shark Smile"
- Thundercat - "Show You The Way"
- (Sandy) Alex G - "Proud"
- Daniele Luppi & Parquet Courts - "Mount Napoleon"
- Sneaks - "Look Like That"
- LCD Soundsystem - "Tonite"
- Kevin Morby - "City Music"
- Shabazz Palaces - "Shine A Light"
- Alex Cameron - "Country Figs"
- Girl Ray - "Don't Go Back At Ten"
10 Favorite Colorado Concerts in 2017
- Jonathan Richman at Bluebird Theater (March 28)
- PJ Harvey at Fillmore Auditorium (May 2)
- Lucy Dacus at Lost Lake Lounge (July 18)
- Benjamin Booker at Underground Music Showcase Main Stage (July 30)
- Torres at Larimer Lounge (Oct. 21)
- The Black Angels at Ogden Theatre (Oct. 26)
- Alvvays at Bluebird Theater (Oct. 31)
- Low Cut Connie at Hi-Dive (Nov. 8)
- LCD Soundsystem at 1STBANK Center (Nov. 11)
- Grizzly Bear at Ogden Theatre (Dec. 4)
Bruce Mitchell
10 Favorite Songs
- Hurray For the Riff Raff - "Pa'lante"
- Chicano Batman - "Run"
- Ty Segall - "Black Magick"
- Jessica Lea Mayfield - "Sorry Is Gone"
- Overcoats - "Leave The Light On"
- Lizzo - "Truth Hurts"
- Kendrick Lamar - "HUMBLE."
- Queens Of The Stone Age - "Feet Don't Fail Me"
- King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard - "Crumbling Castle"
- Alex Lahey - "I Haven't Been Taking Care Of Myself"
10 Favorite Band Shirts
- Chicano Batman
- Low Cut Connie
- Hurray For The Riff Raff
- King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard
- The Still Tide
- Bon Iver
- Lucero
- Alex Lahey
- La Luz
- The APX
Brandee Castle
10 Favorite Songs
- Lizzo - "Water Me"
- Oh Wonder - "High On Humans"
- Kendrick Lamar - "YAH."
- Beck - "Up All Night"
- El Michels Affair - "Snakes"
- Sam Dew - "Runner"
- Calvin Harris - "Feels"
- Overcoats - "Leave The Light On"
- SZA - "Supermodel"
- Amber Coffman - "No Coffee"
10 Favorite Albums
- El Michels Affair - "Return To The 37th Chamber"
- Kendrick Lamar - "DAMN."
- Overcoats - "YOUNG"
- Sampha - "Process"
- alt-J - "Relaxer"
- Ibeyi - "Ash"
- Dan Auerbach - "Waiting On A Song"
- Brother Ali - "All The Beauty In This Whole Life"
- Valerie June - "The Order Of Time"
- The Allergies - "Push On"
