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Top 25 Favourite Musicians Of 2015



By  Justin Carreiro     12:52 PM    Labels:,,,, 
I don't talk about music often on this blog, but when I do, I like to feature some songs that I'm loving in my playlist. Between Tuesday Tunes and this yearly ongoing post, it's a quick series to get a taste of music. Basically a nice change to try something new between most of my geeky posts!

Similar to last year's post, I've kept track of my Top 25 favourite musicians and songs of the year - and ranked them accordingly. If you're unfamiliar with the series, I rank the top songs, artists and groups who made a big impact on my playlists for the current year. I've done this for the last five years: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014

Note: Songs from past lists won't be included in this edition. If certain artists are featured in the same song, I may only reference the song once. Also, this is my personal list, you may disagree with your own choices.

Let's start with the 25th spot...

25. Britney Spears
Songs: Pretty Girls
LYR (Last Year's Ranking): NEW 

24. Carly Rae Jepsen
Songs: Run Away With Me, I Really Like You
LYR: NEW 

23. X Ambassadors
Songs: Renegades
LYR: NEW 

22. Steve Aoki
Songs: Delirious
LYR: NEW 

21. MO
Songs: Say You'll Be There
LYR : NEW 

20. Elle King
Songs: Ex's & Oh's
LYR: NEW 

19. HAIM
Songs: Falling
LYR : NEW 

18. ZEDD
Songs: I Want You To Know
LYR: NEW 

17. Young Empires
Songs: The Gates
LYR: NEW 

16. Janelle Monae
Songs: Yoga
LYR: NEW 

15. Tove Lo
Songs: Talking Body
LYR: #9 

14. Chvrches
Songs: Leave A Trace
LYR: NEW 

13. Ariana Grande
Songs: One Last Time, Focus
LYR: #13 

12. Major Lazer
Songs: Powerful, Lean On
LYR: NEW 

11. Ryn Weaver
Songs: The Fool, Promises, Sail On   
LYR: NEW

10. Drake
Songs: Hotline Bling
LYR: NEW
It's hard not to like Drake. Growing up in Toronto, you can feel his influence everywhere - people either absolutely love him or they're over him. Also, I grew up watching Degrassi! Beyond one or two of his earlier songs, this year may have been the one where I listed to his track on repeat. I blame most of my friends for pulling me into the Drake train for 2015.

9. ASTR
Songs: Activate Me, Bleeding Love
LYR: NEW
Who is ASTR? Exactly. I had never heard of the pop group before until a fateful (alright, it's not that dramatic) night at the Mod Club. They were the first opening act for Ryn Weaver and I caught half of their performance since I arrived late. I love pop music. I love dance music. And their blend of both genres together instantly became a hit for me. I've listened to some of their tracks on repeat ever since then.  

8. Taylor Swift
Songs: Bad Blood, Wildest Dreams
LYR: #1
The year of Swiftie continues for me. I was pulled back in by the release of "Bad Blood" and it kept going with a few other tracks. Unfortunately, she did fall down the list a few spots this year; partly due to the lack of releases. However, I expect her to stand her down in next year's ranking.
 
7. The Weeknd
Songs: Can't Feel My Face, The Hills, Earned It
LYR: NEW

Similar to Drake's placement on this list, The Weeknd's influence in my beloved city has made me a fan. The first time I was introduced to him was when he sang with Ariana Grande in one of her tracks and since then, the name constantly keeps coming up when reading music features. His tracks are catchy, he's a great singer and he's doing pretty well for himself. I'm excited to see what comes next from him.

6. Troye Sivan
Songs: Fools, Talk Me Down, Wild
LYR: #24
I still associate Troye Sivan with YouTube as compared to his music fame. But the difference is starting to disappear. During last year's list, I featured one of his songs that became a surprise hit with me. While scrolling through MUCH online, I saw that Troye had released several new tracks and a new album. He's a great singer and if you like soulful pop, I'd definitely recommend for you to check him out.

5. Adele
Songs: Hello
LYR: NEW

It's Adele! Is there any other reason why she shouldn't be in the Top 10? Her voice is incredible, her video is dramatic, and no one can really compare to the queen. She only had one major track come out in 2015 and that may explain why she's not higher on the list. If there is one song she needs to do for 2016, she NEEDS to do a cover of a Spice Girls song. Her ride-along video is still one of the best she did. 

4. Selena Gomez
Songs: Same Old Love, Good For You
LYR: #16
Selena Gomez is another artist who had a big year in 2015. Two of her tracks became mainstays for my music playlist - one because it was catchy and the other because I was going through a breakup. Trust me when I say this, "Same Old Love" helped a lot, as well as a few other songs featured in this year's list.
 
3. Tinashe
Songs: All Hands On Deck, Player
LYR: NEW
I can't stop listening to her songs. They're catchy! Similar to many other artists on this list, I wasn't too familiar with her work before hearing one of her tracks. Since then, I might have listed to "All Hands On Deck" multiple times and contemplating whether to check out her show when she visits Toronto on tour. I'm still on the fence, but I've been pleasantly surprised with what I've heard.
 
2. Calvin Harris
Songs: How Deep Is Your Love, Pray To God
LYR: NEW
Calvin Harris may not be the main vocals (or any vocals) on his tracks, but he is the featured artist and DJ who released the songs. His music is catchy and great to dance to, whether live or through playlist. The one time I did hear him perform was a few years ago in Las Vegas when he was the feature DJ at one of the late night clubs. He was incredible! A definite highlight of my first ever trip to Las Vegas and I couldn't believe he was spinning. His recent tracks from 2015 were equally as amazing. I can't wait to hear his next collaborations. Hopefully one with Taylor Swift?! (We all can dream!) 

1. Ellie Goulding
Songs: On My Mind, Love Me Like You Do
LYR: #2
She's back at the top for another year. I will admit that this year may have been the hardest to narrow down between the Top 10.  There were many amazing artists who released tracks that I loved in 2015, but I had to go with Ellie Goulding yet again. Similar to Selena Gomez, her two songs helped me through two times - one of happiness and the other through sadness. With the release of her new album, I wouldn't be surprised if she makes another appearance on next year's list. Until then, she rules the top spot for 2015!


Which musicians were on your 2015 list? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
*Images provided by Entertainment WeeklyBillboard, Billboard, GQ, SXSW and Original Tune* 

About Justin Carreiro

Justin is a longtime TV buff and gamer. He loves chatting about shows, playing video and board games, and his not-so-secret love for reality tv. He is also a fan of horror movies, music and a bookworm at heart. He spends his time in Toronto working in PR and Social Media.

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