Well, unlike last year, I at least finished the list this time — or at least came to an intentional stopping point. I could have kept going — easily. And I’m sure I disappointed more than a few people by leaving out deserving songs. That’s just further evidence of what a great year 2015 was for metal. And I have no doubt that 2016 will be just as great (it’s already off to a hell of a start).
If nothing else, I hope this list provides a sign of how vibrantly healthy and diverse metal is, notwithstanding statistics about declining sales and increasing pressure on the larger and more commercially inclined labels. Though I’m sure I gave short shrift to a few sub-genres, I did try to make sure that anyone who explores this list will see that, creatively, things are burning hot and bright.
Below is a list of all the songs on this year’s list — 75 of them (!) — in the order in which I listed them, and the songs are hyperlinked to the original posts where you can listen to the music. I know it would have been nicer if I had included all the streams right here in one place, but that would have taken more time than you probably realize. Continue reading »