Music Tracking 2015

These are 2015 releases that I've taken note of, listed alphabetically by artist, with VA comps at the bottom. My grades, where available, are in brackets at the end of the line (stars in B+ range). Lines in blue indicate that I have a physical copy (albeit sometimes just a promo CDR); in green are records that I graded based on a Rhapsody stream or other such source. Most records have release dates and a brief generic note (usually taken from AMG).

Unheard records are prioritized 0-3 (graded records are 4-5). The priotization is based subjectively on personal interests, reviews I've noticed, reviewers I particularly respect, what I know about the artists, etc. Roughly speaking: 0 is something I have no reason to consider (default page omits 0); 1 has been noted as having some cred somewhere; 2 is something I have some specific reason to search out; 3 is something I'll listen to ASAP.

Option selectors:

Genre switches (selection not implemented yet):

Notes also include scores from review sources:

And after a semicolon:

  • RC: Robert Christgau's Expert Witness: letter grades, 1-2-3 * for HMs

New Releases

  • 2 Chainz: TrapAVelli Tre (self-released) [08-13] - hip hop -- HD:70, Pf:66
  • Boosie Badazz: Touch Down 2 Cause Hell (Atlantic) [05-26] - hip-hop -- BB:70, HD:80, Pf:74, S:70
  • Big Sean: Dark Sky Paradise (Def Jam) [02-24] - rap -- BB:80, CS:75, HD:80, Pf:71, RS:60, S:60
  • BoB: Psycadelik Thoughtz (Atlantic) [08-14] - hip hop -- HD:50
  • Chris Brown & Tyga: Fan of a Fan: The Album (RCA) [02-24] - pop-rap -- HD:60, RS:50
  • Joe Budden: All Love Lost (eOne) [10-09] - east coast rap -- HD:70
  • Chance the Rapper & Lil B: Free (Based Freestyles Mixtape) (self-released) [08-05] - -- CS:58, HD:70, Pf:77, RS:70, S:70
  • Chief Keef: Bang 3 (self-released) [08-01] - hip hop -- HD:70, Pf:71
  • Currensy: Pilot Talk III (Jet Life) [04-04] - hip hop -- CS:75, HD:70, Pf:79
  • Czarface: Every Hero Needs a Villain (Brick) [06-15] - -- HD:70
  • Da Mafia 6ix: Watch What U Wish (SATENT) [03-09] - hip hop -- HD:70
  • Death Grips: Fashion Week (Third Worlds) [01-04] - rap -- Pf:66
  • DJ Khaled: I Changed a Lot (We the Best) [10-23] - hip hop -- HD:40, S:60
  • DMX: Redemption of the Beast (self-released) [01-13] - hip hop -- PM:10
  • Dr Dre: Compton: A Soundtrack by Dr Dre (Aftermath/Interscope) [08-07] - hip hop -- AV:83, BB:80, CS:83, HD:90, Pf:88, PM:70, RS:80, S:70; MT:C+
  • DRAM: #1EpicEP (#1EpicCheck, EP) [03-03] - -- RS:60
  • Open Mike Eagle: A Special Episode Of (Mello Music Group) [02-03] - hip hop -- HD:80
  • Empire Cast: Empire: Original Soundtrack From Season 1 (Columbia) [03-10] - pop-rap -- Pf:65, RS:40
  • Empire Cast: Empire: Original Soundtrack Season 2 (Columbia) [11-20] - soundtracks
  • Fashawn: The Ecology () [02-24] - hip hop -- HD:80
  • Fetty Wap: Fetty Wap (RGF 300/Atlantic) [09-25] - hip hop -- CS:67, HD:50, Pf:76, RS:60, S:70
  • Jamie Foxx: Hollywood: A Story of a Dozen Roses (RCA) [05-18] - r&b -- BB:60, CS:58, RS:60
  • Future: Beast Mode (self-released) [01-15] - hip hop -- Pf:77, PM:80
  • Future: 56 Nights (Freebandz) [05-18] - hip hop -- RC:*
  • Warren G: Regulate . . . G Funk Era Part II (G Funk) [08-06] - -- HD:70, Pf:74
  • The Game: The Documentary 2 (Blood Money) [10-09] - hip-hop -- BB:90, CS:75, HD:80, Pf:72, S:30
  • The Game: The Documentary 2.5 (Blood Money) [10-16] - hip-hop -- BB:90, HD:80
  • Gangrene: You Disgust Me (Mass Appeal) [08-14] - -- HD:70, Pf:69
  • GoldLink: And After That, We Didn't Talk (Soulection) [11-06] - -- HD:50
  • Gunplay: Living Legend (Def Jam) [07-31] - hip hop -- BB:70, HD:60, Pf:65, RS:70
  • Hopsin: Pound Syndrome () [07-24] - -- HD:70
  • Chuck Inglish: Everybody's Big Brother () [10-02] - -- HD:70
  • Jeremiah Jae & L'Orange: The Night Took Us in Like Family (Mello) [04-21] - hip hop -- HD:70, Pf:71, PM:80
  • Jeezy: Church in These Streets (Def Jam) [11-13] - gangsta rap
  • Mick Jenkins: Wave[s] (Cinematic) [08-21] - midwest rap -- HD:70
  • Dom Kennedy: By Dom Kennedy (The Other People's Money) [06-02] - -- HD:70
  • Kid Ink: Full Speed (RCA) [02-03] - rap -- BB:60, HD:60, PM:40, RS:50, S:40
  • Kool Keith/L'Orange: Time? Astonishing! (Mello Music Group) [07-24] - hip hop -- HD:70, Pf:68
  • Talib Kweli/9th Wonder: Indie 500 (It's a Wonderful World) [11-06] - east coast rap -- HD:80
  • Le1f: Riot Boi (Terrible) [11-13] - left-field hip-hop
  • Leather Corduroys: Season (self-released) [01-06] - hip hop -- HD:70, Pf:68
  • Lil Durk: Remember My Name (Def Jam) [06-02] - hip hop -- BB:60, CS:58, HD:60, Pf:56, RS:70
  • Lil Wayne: Sorry 4 the Wait 2 (self-released) - hip hop -- CS:50, HD:50, Pf:64
  • Little Simz: A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons (Age 101) [09-18] - hip hop -- HD:80, Pf:78
  • Logic: The Incredible True Story (Def Jam) [11-13] - pop-rap
  • L'Orange/Kool Keith: Time? Astonishing! (Mello Music Group) [07-24] - left-field hip-hop
  • Lotic: Heterocetera (Tri Angle, EP) [03-03] - underground rap -- Pf:80
  • Ludacris: Ludaversal (Def Jam/Virgin) [03-31] - dirty south -- BB:60, HD:60, RS:60
  • Lupe Fiasco: Pharaoh Height 2/30 (self-released) [08-29] - hip hop -- HD:80
  • MED/Blu/Madlib: Bad Neighbor (Bang Ya Head) [10-30] - underground rap -- HD:80
  • Method Man: The Meth Lab (Tommy Boy) [08-21] - east coast rap -- BB:50, HD:60, Pf:40
  • Migos: Yung Rich Nation (Quality Control) [07-31] - hip hop -- BB:70, CS:75, HD:70, S:70; RC:B+
  • Mac Miller: GO:OD AM (REMember/Warner Bros) [09-18] - pop-rap -- BB:80, HD:80
  • Georgia Anne Muldrow: Thoughtiverse Unmarred (Mello Music Group) [05-19] - left-field hip-hop
  • PK (Park Kultury): Get Lost (HSI) - -- RC:**
  • Prefuse 73: Rivington Nao Rio (Temporary Residence) [05-12] - left-field hip-hop -- P:84
  • Prefuse 73: Every Color of Darkness (Temporary Residence) [07-10] - left-field hip-hop
  • Sean Price: Songs in the Key of Price (Ruck Down) [08-21] - -- HD:80
  • Public Enemy: Man Plans God Laughs (Cobraside) [07-24] - east coast rap -- RC:*
  • Puff Daddy: MMM () [11-04] - -- HD:70
  • Raekwon: Fly International Luxurious Art (Ice H2O/Caroline) [04-28] - hip hop -- AV:67, HD:70, PM:40, RS:60, S:70
  • Ratking: 700 Fill (self-released, EP) [03-04] - east coast hip hop -- HD:80, Pf:72
  • Raury: All We Need (Columbia) [10-16] - hip hop -- CS:50, HD:80, Pf:68
  • Jay Rock: 90059 (Top Dawg) [09-11] - hip hop -- CS:67, HD:80, Pf:80
  • Pete Rock: PeteStrumentals 2 (Mello) [06-23] - hip hop -- HD:70, Pf:70
  • Rick Ross: Black Dollar (Def Jam/Maybach) - -- HD:80, Pf:71
  • Rick Ross: Black Market (Def Jam) [12-04] - gangsta rap
  • RP Boo: Fingers, Bank Pads, and Shoe Prints (Planet Mu) [06-30] - footwork -- Pf:80, PM:70, S:80
  • Scarface: Deeply Rooted (Let's Talk) [09-04] - hip hop -- HD:80
  • Travis Scott: Rodeo (Epic/Grand Hustle) [09-04] - rap -- HD:70, Pf:60
  • Guilty Simpson: Detroit's Son (Stones Throw) [09-11] - left-field hio-hop -- HD:80
  • Snoop Dogg: Bush (Columbia/Doggystyle) [05-12] - west coast rap -- BB:60, HD:70
  • Steve Stone: Malta Bend (Strange Music) [07-03] - midwest rap
  • Ta-Ku: Songs to Make Up To (Fool's Gold, EP) [06-12] - -- HD:80
  • Tech N9ne: Special Effects (Strange) [05-04] - hip hop -- HD:70
  • TI: Da Nic (King) [09-11] - hip hop -- HD:70, Pf:69, S:70; RC:***
  • T-Pain: The Iron Way (self-released) [03-27] - -- BB:60, Pf:61
  • Trinidad James: No One Is Safe (self-released) - -- Pf:55
  • Troy Ave: Major Without a Deal (BSB/Empire) [06-05] - hip hop -- HD:50
  • Tyga: The Gold Album: 18th Dynasty (Last Kings) [06-23] - hip hop -- HD:40, Pf:30, PM:50
  • The Underachievers: Evermore: The Art of Duality (RPM) [09-25] - hip hop -- HD:70, Pf:75
  • Wale: The Album About Nothing (Maybach Music/Atlantic) [03-31] - hip hop -- BB:70, CS:50, HD:60, Pf:54, RS:70
  • Wara From the NBHD: If Guns Could Speak (Playin Four Keeps) [01-28] - -- CS:67, HD:70
  • White Gzus: Stackin' N Mackin' Vol 2 (self-released) - -- Pf:73
  • Yelawolf: Love Story (Slumerican/Shady/Interscope) [04-21] - hip hop -- HD:70, Pf:49, RS:60, S:60

Reissues, Etc.

  • J Dilla: Dillatronic (Vintage Vibez) [10-30] - left-field hip-hop -- HD:60

Priority Counts

  • Priority 0: 16
  • Priority 1: 61
  • Priority 2: 9
  • Priority 3: 0

Total: 86