Every year, WPKN polls our hosts to nominate their favorite picks of the year, and 2017 is no different. Our hosts are volunteers, and they put everything they’ve got into making the most unique, entertaining, and informative programs together.
Bob Anderson: “A Little Bit Of Everything”
Albums
- Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band: Body and Shadow (Blue Note)
- Eminem: Revival (Shady/Aftermath)
- JD McPherson: Undivided Heart and Soul (New West)
- Los Straitjackets: What’s So Funny About Peace, Love and Los Straitjackets (Yep Roc)
- Ornette Coleman: Celebrate Ornette (Song X)
- Robert Plant: Carry Fire (Nonesuch)
- Robyn Hitchcock: Robyn Hitchcock (Yep Roc)
- Stanton Moore: With You in Mind (Cool Green)
- Trombone Shorty: Parking Lot Symphony (Blue Note)
- The War on Drugs: A Deeper Understanding (Atlantic)
Jason Bischoff-Wurstle “The Relay”
Albums
- Various Artists: Mono No Aware (PAN)
- Headroom: Head In The Clouds (Trouble In Mind)
- Neil Young: Hitchhiker (Reprise)
- The Replacements: For Sale – Live at Maxwell’s 1986 (Sire/Rhino)
- Beach House: B-Sides and Rarities (Sub Pop)
Eric Cocks: “Connections”
Albums
- Cindy Lee Berryhill: The Adventurist (Omnivore)
- Phoebe Bridgers: Stranger In The Alps (Dead Oceans)
- Emily Duff: Maybe In The Morning (Mod Prom)
- Bob Dylan: Triplicate (Columbia)
- Gracie and Rachel: Gracie and Rachel (Gracie and Rachel)
- Aimee Mann: Mental Illness (SuperEgo)
- Juana Molina: Halo (Crammed Discs)
- Jenny O.: Peace & Information (Holy Trinity)
- Pugwash: Silverlake (Lojinx)
- The War On Drugs: A Deeper Understanding (Atlantic)
Songs
- Wolf Alice: Don’t Delete The Kisses – Visions Of A Life (Dirty Hit)
- Dan Auerbach: Waiting On A Song – Waiting On A Song (Easy Eye Sound)
- Cait Brennan: Catiebots Don’t Cry – Third (Omnivore)
- Charlotte Gainsbourg: Deadly Valentine – Rest (Because Music)
- Robyn Hitchcock: Time Coast – Robyn Hitchcock (Yep Roc)
- Shelby Lynne & Allison Moorer: Not Dark Yet – Not Dark Yet (Silver Cross)
- Laura Marling: Nothing, Not Nearly – Semper Femina (More Alarming)
- Jenny O.: If You’re Lonely – Peace & Information (Holy Trinity)
- Chris Price: Stop Talking – Stop Talking (Omnivore)
- Kelley Ryan: Save Me – Telescope (Manatee)
Del “in Transition”
Albums
- Son Volt: Notes of Blue (Transmit Sound)
- Queens of the Stone Age: Villains (Matador)
- Robert Plant: Carry Fire (Nonesuch)
- Little Steven: Soulfire (Wicked Cool)
- The Secret Sisters: You Don’t Own Me Anymore (New West)
- Robert Randolph & the Family Band: Got Soul (Dare/Masterworks)
- Emily Duff Band: Maybe in the Morning (Mod Prom)
- Otis: Eyes of the Sun (Purple Pyramid)
- Jesse Terry: Stargazer (Jackson Beach)
- Balkun Brothers: Devil on TV (DixieFrog)
Steve di Costanzo: “Radio Base Camp”
Albums
- Les Amazones d’Afrique: Republique Amazone (Real World)
- Fever Ray: Plunge (Rabid)
- Camilla George Quartet: Isang (Ubuntu)
- Hurray For The Riff Raff: The Navigator (ATO)
- Kendrick Lamar: DAMN. (Top Dawg)
- LCD Soundsystem: American Dream (DFA)
- Sampha: Process (Young Turks)
- Various Artists: Let’s Go Down and Blow Our Minds: The British Psychedelic Sounds Of 1967 (Grapefruit)
- Various Artists: Jesus Rocked The Jukebox: Small Group Black Gospel 1951-1965 (Craft)
- Jane Weaver: Modern Kosmology (Fire)
Albums
- Rhiannon Giddens: Freedom Highway (Nonesuch)
- Thievery Corporation: The Temple of I & I (ESL Music)
- Frank Turner: Songbook (Xtra Mile)
- Eric Bibb: Migration Blues (DixieFrog)
- Trevor Sewell: Calling Nashville – An American Adventure (Trevor Sewell)
- Miles Mosley: Uprising (Verve)
- Dee Dee Bridgewater: Memphis… Yes, I’m Ready (Okeh)
- Louis Armstrong: The Decca Singles 1935-1946 (Verve Reissues)
- North Mississippi Allstars: Prayer for Peace (Songs of the South/Legacy)
- Marty Stuart & his Fabulous Superlatives: Way out West (Superlatone)
Rich Kaminsky: “Off-Beat”
Albums
- Alex Lahey: I Love You Like a Brother (Dead Oceans)
- Bash & Pop: Anything Could Happen (Fat Possum)
- Motel Pines: A Sad History (Motel Pines)
- Tommy and the Rockets: Beer and Fun and Rock ’n’ Roll (Rocket Launch, Dk)
- Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats: Live at Red Rocks (Stax)
- The New English Beat feat. Ranking Roger: Bounce (DMF)
- Vandoliers: The Native (State Fair)
- Biznaga: Sentido del Espectáculo (Slovenly)
- Hüsker Dü: Savage Young Dü (Numero)
- Charly Bliss: Guppy (Barsuk)
Songs
- Alex Lahey: I Love You Like a Brother – I Love You Like a Brother (Dead Oceans)
- Sheer Mag: Expect the Bayonet – Need to Feel Your Love (Wilsuns)
- Dude York: Tonight – Sincerely (Hardly Art)
- Lisa Prank: Baby, Let Me Write Yr Lines – Adult Teen (Father/Daughter)
- Wolf Parade: You’re Dreaming – Cry Cry Cry (Sub Pop)
- Shinyribs: I Don’t Give a Shit – I Got Your Medicine (Mustard Lid)
- The Armstrongs (Tim & Billy Joe): If There was Ever a Time – single (Hellcat)
- Tommy and the Rockets: What Am I S’pose Ta Do – Beer and Fun and Rock ‘n’ Roll (Rocket Launch, Dk)
- Nick Normal: Love Gum – PDX Pop Now 2017 (none)
- Chicano Batman: This Land is Your Land – single (CD Baby)
Binnie Klein: “A Miniature World”
Albums
- Alvvays: Antisocialites (Polyvinyl)
- Björk: Utopia (One Little Indian)
- Fleet Foxes: Crack-Up (Nonesuch)
- Half-Waif: form/a (Cascine)
- Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith: The Kid (Western Vinyl)
- Moby & the Void Pacific Choir: More Fast Songs About the Apocalypse (Little Idiot/Mute)
- The National: Sleep Well Beast (4AD)
- Perfume Genius: No Shape (Matador)
- Sylvan Esso: What Now (Loma Vista)
- The War on Drugs: A Deeper Understanding (Atlantic)
Songs
- Half Waif: Frost Burn – form/a (Cascine)
- Highasakite: Golden Ticket – Camp Echo (Propeller)
- Plaid: Do Matter – The Digging Remedy (Warp)
Martha Willette Lewis: “Live Culture”
Albums
- LCD Soundsystem: American Dream (DFA/Columbia)
- Nadine Shah: Holiday Destination (1965)
- Various Artists: T2 Trainspotting (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Interscope)
- Hans Zimmer, Benjamin Wallfisch: Blade Runner 2049 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Epic)
- Wolf Alice: Visions of a Life (Dirty Hit/RCA)
- Mavis Staples: If All I Was Was Black (Anti-)
- Blondie: Pollinator (BMG)
- Beck: Colors (Fonograf/Capitol)
- Diana Krall: Turn Up The Quiet (Verve)
- Queens of the Stone Age: Villains (Matador)
Songs
- LCD Soundsystem: Oh Baby – American Dream (DFA/Columbia)
- Ezra Furman: Love You So Bad – Transangelic Exodus (Bella Union)
- Nadine Shah: Holiday Destination – Holiday Destination (1965)
- Wolf Alice: Sky Musings – Visions of a Life (Dirty Hit/RCA)
- Nadine Shah: Place Like This – Holiday Destination (1965)
- Curtis Harding: Need Your Love – Face Your Fear (Anti-)
- Queens of the Stone Age: The Way You Used To Do – Villians (Matador)
- High Contrast: Shotgun Mouthwash – T2 Trainspotting (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Interscope)
- Blondie: Long Time – Pollinator (BMG)
- Foo Fighters: La Dee Da – Concrete and Gold (Roswell/RCA)
Albums
- Allison Crutchfield: Tourist In This Town (Merge)
- Hurray for the Riff Raff: The Navigator (ATO)
- Mount Kimble: Love What Survives (Warp)
- Liars: TFCF (Mute)
- Nicole Atkins: Goodnight Rhonda Lee (Single Lock)
- LCD Soundsystem: American Dream (DFA/Columbia)
- Jesca Hoop: Memories Are Now (Sub Pop)
- Aldous Harding: Party (4AD)
- The Wild Reeds: The World We Built (Dualtone)
- Mount Eerie: A Crow Looked at Me (P.W. Elverum & Sun)
Mark Mushin: “Monday Morning Music”
Albums
- Jay Jesse Johnson Band: Down the Hard Road (Git Real)
- Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers: The EastWest Sessions (Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers)
- Jeff Fetterman: 9 Miles to Nowhere (Green Tea)
- Casey Hensley: Live (feat. Laura Chavez) (VizzTone)
- Alastair Greene: Dream Train (Rip Cat)
- Vanessa Collier: Meeting My Shadow (Ruf)
- Coco Montoya: Hard Truth (Alligator)
- Hurricane Ruth: Ain’t Ready For The Grave (Hurricane Ruth)
- Jeff McCarty: Step Out (Whiskey Bayou)
- Heather Newman: Burn Me Alive (VizzTone)
Songs
- Antry: Borrowed Angels – Devil Don’t Care (Tres Lobas)
- Jay Jesse Johnson: Tears Of The Angels – Down The Hard Road (Git Real)
- Jeff McCarty: Angel Fly – Step Out (Whiskey Bayou)
- Aaron Keylock: Just One Question – Cut Against The Grain (Provogue)
- Carolyn Wonderland: She Wants To Know – Moon Goes Missing (Home)
- Sean Webster: Start Again – Leave Your Heart At The Door (KNM)
- Davide Pannozzo: Six Wires – Unconditional Love (Unconditional Love Global Publishing)
- Sean Chambers: Trouble And Whiskey – Trouble And Whiskey (American Showplace)
- Percy Fairweather & The Storm: When You Love Somebody – Reign Of Blues (Southstar)
- Kelly Z: You Are My Sunshine – Rescue (Kelly’s Lot)
Martha Nachman: “The Music Never Stopped”
Albums
- Dan Auerbach: Waiting On A Song (Easy Eye Sound)
- JD McPherson: Undivided Heart and Soul (New West)
- Langhorne Slim: Lost At Last, Vol. 1 (Dualtone)
- Cage The Elephant: Unpeeled (RCA)
- Rhiannon Giddens: Freedom Highway (Nonesuch)
- Hurray For The Riff Raff: The Navigator (ATO)
- Jack Johnson: All The Light Above It Too (Brushfire)
- Nicole Atkins: Goodnight Rhonda Lee (Single Lock)
- Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real: Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real (Fantasy)
- Margo Price: All American Made (Third Man)
Songs
- Portugal The Man: Feel It Still – Woodstock (Atlantic)
- JD McPherson: Bloodhound Rock – Undivided Heart and Soul (New West)
- Langhorne Slim: House of My Soul (You Light the Rooms) – Lost At Last, Vol. 1 (Dualtone)
- Dan Auerbach: Never In My Wildest Dreams – Waiting On A Song (Easy Eye Sound)
- Nicole Atkins: A Little Crazy – Goodnight Rhonda Lee (Single Lock)
- Yonder Mountain String Band: Dancing In The Moonlight – Love. Ain’t Love (Frog Pad)
- Hurray For The Riff Raff: Finale – The Navigator (ATO)
- Kevin Morby: City Music – City Music (Dead Oceans)
- Preservation Hall Jazz Band: Mad – So It Is (Legacy)
- Rhiannon Giddens: Hey Be’be’ – Freedom Highway (Nonesuch)
★ Honorary Programmer ★ President Barack Obama ★
Songs
- J Balvin & Willy William: Mi Gente – single (Scorpio)
- Camila Cabello: Havana (feat. Young Thug) – single (Syco/Epic)
- Daniel Caesar: Blessed – Freudian (Golden Child)
- Brandi Carlile: The Joke – By The Way, I Forgive You (New Elektra)
- Chance the Rapper: First World Problems (feat. Daniel Caesar): (the Late Show w/Stephen Colbert)
- Andra Day: Rise Up – Cheers to the Fall (Buskin)
- DJ Khaled: Wild Thoughts (feat. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller) – Grateful (We The Best/Epic)
- Jay-Z: Family Feud (feat. Beyoncé) – 4:44 (Roc Nation)
- Kendrick Lamar: Humble – Damn (Aftermath/Interscope)
- Les Amazones d’Afrique: La Dame et Ses Valises – République Amazone (Real World)
- French Montana: Unforgettable (feat. Swae Lee) – Jungle Rules (Bad Boy)
- The National: The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness – Sleep Well Beast (4AD)
- Frank Ocean: Chanel – single (Blonded)
- Portugal. The Man: Feel It Still – Woodstock (Atlantic)
- Travis Scott: Butterfly Effect – DMC Cool Grooves 29 (DMC)
- Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings: Matter of Time – Soul of a Woman (Daptone)
- Mavis Staples: Little Bit – If All I Was Was Black (Anti-)
- Chris Stapleton: Millionaire – From a Room Vol. 2 (Mercury)
- Harry Styles: Sign of the Times – Harry Styles (Columbia)
- SZA: Broken Clocks – Ctrl (Top Dawg)
- U2: Ordinary Love (Extraordinary Mix) – Songs of Experience (Island)
- Bruce Springsteen: Born in the U.S.A. (Blues version on Broadway)
Rick Petrone: “The Jazz Sound”
Songs, Instrumentals
- Charles Lloyd: Sombrero Sam – I Long To See You (Blue Note)
- Hudson (feat. Jack deJohnette, Larry Grenadier, John Medeski & John Scofield): Tony Then Jack – Hudson (Motéma)
- Kurt Elling: Los Angeles (Moose The Mooche) – The Passion of Parker (Impulse)
- Christian McBride: Full House – Bringin’ It (Mack Avenue)
- Eliane Elias: Copacabana – Dance of Time (Concord Jazz)
- Christian Sands: Armando’s Song – Reach (Mack Avenue)
- Cyrus Chestnut: Rhythm-A-Ning – There’s a Sweet, Sweet Spirit(High Note)
- Nicki Parrott: Peel Me A Grape – Dear Blossom (Arbors)
- Terence Blanchard: Jackie In the Rain – The Comedian (Blue Note)
- Harold Mabern: The Gigolo – To Love And Be Loved (Smoke Sessions)
Rod Richardson: “Radio Nothing”
Albums
- Kries: Selo Na Okuke / Village Tracks (Riverboat)
- Filastine & Nova: Drapetomania (Jarring Effects)
- The Bombay Royale: Run Kitty Run (Hope Street)
- Omar Souleyman: To Syria With Love (Mad Decent)
- Amir ElSaffar Rivers Of Sound: Not Two (New Amsterdam)
- Tiokasin Ghosthorse: From The Continuum (Ghosthorse)
- Miriodor: Signal 9 (Cuneiform)
- Moebius Story Leidecker: Familiar (Bureau B)
- Ifriqiyya Electrique: Rûwâhîne (Glitterbeat)
- Amadou & Mariam: La Confusion (Because)
Songs
- Kries: Buj Buja – Selo Na Okuke / Village Tracks (Riverboat)
- Sparks: Hippopotamus – Hippopotamus (BMG)
- Hamell On Trial: Safe – Tackle Box (New West)
- The Bombay Royale: Gunslinger’s Lullaby – Run Kitty Run (Hope Street)
- South City Second Brother: Good Girl – Lost In China (Riverboat)
- Filastine & Nova: Perbatasan – Drapetomania (Jarring Effects)
- Tiokasin Ghosthorse: Iceman Meltith – From The Continuum (Ghosthorse)
- Omar Souleyman: Ya Bnayya – To Syria With Love (Mad Decent)
- Re-TROS: Red Rum Aviv – Before The Applause (Modern Sky Entertainment)
- Matias Aguayo & The Desdemonas: Nervous – Sofarnopolis (Crammed)
Valerie Richardson: “Radio Something”
Albums
- Beth Ditto: Fake Sugar (Virgin)
- Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino: Canzoniere (Ponderosa Music)
- Hamell On Trial: Tackle Box (New West)
- Juana Molina: Halo (Crammed Discs)
- Lys Guillorn & Her Band: I’m a Boy E.P. (Little Cowgirl)
- Meklit: When the People Move, the Music Moves Too (Six Degrees)
- Oumou Sangaré: Mogoya (No Format)
- Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings: Soul of a Woman (Daptone)
- Slow Joe & the Ginger Accident: Let Me Be Gone (Musique Sauvage)
- Valerie June: The Order of Time (Concord)
Songs
- Asaf Avidan: The Study on Falling – The Study on Falling (Telmavar)
- Becca Stevens: The Muse (feat. David Crosby) – Regina (GroundUP Music)
- Chris Elliott: Star Trek, Star Wars, And The Holy Bible – Chris Elliot (Chris Elliot)
- Hamell On Trial: Dance Til the Sobbing Stops – Tackle Box (New West)
- Jesca Hoop: The Lost Sky – Memories Are Now (Sub Pop)
- Les Amazones d’Afrique: I Play the Kora – République Amazone (Real World)
- Mavis Staples: We Go High – If All I Was Was Black (Anti-)
- Mikata: Trouble! – single (Self)
- OTTiLiE [B]: Lé la (feat. Christine Salem) – :passage: (Internexterne)
- Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings: Rumors – Soul of a Woman (Daptone)
KC Ryan
Albums
- Joy Askew: Queen Victoria (Joy Askew)
- Dave Bennett: Blood Moon (Mack Avenue)
- Beth Hart: Fire On The Floor (Provogue)
- Chris Hillman: Bidin’ My Time (New Rounder)
- The Nields with Ben Demerath: Joy To The World (The Nields with Ben Demerath)
- Ranky Tanky: Ranky Tanky (Resilience Music)
- Buffy Sainte-Marie: Medicine Songs (True North)
- Ben Sidran: Picture Him Happy (Nardis Music)
- Omar Sosa & Seckou Keita: Transparent Water (World Village)
- Lucinda Williams: This Sweet Old World (Highway 20)
Songs
- Bedouine: Heart Take Flight – Bedouine (Spacebomb)
- Chris Hillman: Wildflowers – Bidin’ My Time (Rounder)
- Michael Nesmith: Joanne – Infinite Tuesday: Autobiographical Riffs – The Music (Rhino)
- The Nields: Tyrants Always Fall – single (The Nields)
- The Nields w/Ben Demerath: Jesus Was a Refugee – Joy To The World (The Nields and Ben Demerath)
- Buffy Sainte-Marie: Power In The Blood – Medicine Songs (True North)
- Ben Sidran: I Might Be Wrong – Picture Him Happy (Nardis Music)
- Omar Sosa & Seckou Keita: Tama-Tama – Transparent Water (Otá Records)
- Lucinda Williams: This Sweet Old World – This Sweet Old World (Highway 20)
- Neil Young & Promise of the Real: Already Great – The Visitor (Reprise)
Justin Shay: “JMS Jams”
Cassette Albums
- Ana & Ina: On Dockweiler Beach (Constellation Tatsu)
- Alex Crispin: Idle Worship (Sounds Of The Dawn)
- Curved Light: Reversion (Atlantic Rhythms)
- Forest Walker: UV Sea (Constellation Tatsu)
- Jefre Cantu-Ledesma: On The Echoing Green (Mexican Summer)
- Gregg Kowalsky: L’Orange, L’Orange (Mexican Summer)
- Jon Porras: Tokonoma (Geographic North)
- Sunmoonstar: The Great Barrier Reef (Sounds Of The Dawn)
- Utica: Utica (Life Like)
- Wave Temples: Isle Enchanted (Not Not Fun)
Rob Silber: “Rock Therapy”
Albums
- Little Steven: Soulfire (Wicked Cool)
- Samantha Fish: Chills & Fever (Ruf)
- Willie Nile: Positively Bob – Songs Of Bob Dylan (River House)
- Southern Avenue: Southern Avenue (Concord)
- R.A.D.A.R.: Back To Broke (Radar)
- Garland Jeffries: 14 Steps To Harlem (Luna Park)
- Alice Cooper: Paranormal (Ear Music)
- Hamell On Trial: Tacklebox (New West)
- Cheap Trick: We’re All Alright! (Big Machine)
- Chuck Berry: Chuck (Dualtone)
Songs
- Todd Rundgren: Tin Foil Hat (feat. Donald Fagen) – White Knight (Cleopatra)
- Little Steven: Soulfire – Soulfire (Wicked Cool)
- Ray Davies: Poetry – Americana (Legacy)
- Soraia: Why – Dead Reckoning (Wicked Cool)
- Steve Conte: Gimme, Gimme Rockaway – single (Wicked Cool)
- Alice Cooper: Genuine American Girl – Paranormal (Ear Music)
- Willie Nile: Blowin’ In The Wind – Positively Bob: Songs Of Bob Dylan (River House)
- Samantha Fish: Chills & Fever – Chills & Fever (Ruf)
- Chuck Berry: Lady B. Goode – Chuck (Dualtone)
- Jesse Malin: Meet Me at the End of the World – Meet Me at the End of the World E.P. (Velvet Elk)
Bruce Swan: “Music My Mother Wouldn’t Like”
Albums
- Dangermuffin: Heritage (Dangermuffin Music)
- Jesse Terry: Stargazer (Jackson Beach)
- Davy Knowles: 1932 E.P.
- Charlie Parr: Dog (Red House)
- Joe Jenks: Poets, Philosophers, Workers and Wanderers (Joe Jenks)
- Paula Boggs Band: Elixir, The Soul Grass Sessions (Boggs Media)
- The Meadow Brothers: Truth (Side Porch)
- Mama’s Broke: Count The Wicked (Mamas Broke)
- Chuck McDermott: Gin and Rosewater (Chuck McDermott)
- Magpie: When We Stand Together (Long Tail)
howard thompson: “PURE”
Albums
- Alan Vega: It (Fader)
- Andy Fairweather Low & the Low Riders: Listen Here (Low Rider)
- Dan Baird & Homemade Sin: Rollercoaster (JCPL)
- Delbert McClinton & Self-Made Men: Prick of the Litter (Hot Shot)
- Flor de Toloache: Las Caras Lindas (Chulo)
- The Hempolics: Kiss, Cuddle & Torture Volume 1 (Shark Free)
- Juana Molina: Halo (Crammed Discs)
- Lost Bayou Ramblers: Kalenda (Rice Pump)
- Martin Rev: Demolition 9 (Atlas Realisations)
- Takotsubo Men: 3rd Of 4 (A Tak A Tak A Tak)
Songs
- Gene Casey: Tony Joe White – Guitar In The Rain (Gene Casey)
- JD McPherson: Crying’s Just A Thing You Do – Undivided Heart And Soul (New West)
- The Red Propellers: Sandi Says – No Reprieve (longblackcoat)
- Garbage: No Horses – single (Stun Volume)
- Bobby Bare: I Drink – Things Change (BFD)
- Motörhead: Heroes – Under Cöver (Motörhead)
- LCD Soundsystem: Call The Police – American Dream (DFA)
- Gwyneth Glyn: Cwlwm – Tro (bendigedig)
- Flamin’ Groovies: Lonely Hearts – Fantastic Plastic (Severn)
- The Reverse Cowgirls: Lost Tribes – Ride Into The Sun E.P. (The Reverse Cowgirls)