My Favorite Albums of 2015 (So Far...)

It's hard to believe we're already half-way through 2015, but here we are! It's been another great year for music with great albums both from established acts and newcomers. I already know that I'm going to have a hard time selecting my favorites at the end of the year. For now, here is a list of albums, in no particular order, that I've enjoyed so far this year. For your listening pleasure, I have also included a playlist of choice tracks from each of the records!

Speedy Ortiz - Foil Deer
Django Django - Born Under Saturn
Big Sean - Dark Sky Paradise
Tyler, the Creator - Cherry Bomb
Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment - Surf
The Dodos - Individ
Surfer Blood - 1000 Palms
Jose Gonzalez - Vestiges & Claws
The Decemberists - What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World
Ibeyi - Ibeyi
Action Bronson - Mr. Wonderful
Lady Lamb the Beekeeper - After
Avid Dancer - 1st Bath
The Mountain Goats - Beat the Champ
Björk - Vulnicura
Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
Jamie xx - In Colour
Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
The Dø - Shake Shook Shaken
Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear
Florence + The Machine - How Big How Blue How Beautiful
Blur - The Magic Whip
Daughn Gibson - Carnation
Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly
Jack Ladder & The Dreamlanders - Playmates
Active Child - Mercy
Tobias Jesso Jr. - Goon
Marina & The Diamonds - Froot
The Tallest Man on Earth - Dark Bird Is Home
Purity Ring - Another Eternity
Algiers - Algiers
My Morning Jacket - The Waterfall
Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass
Earl Sweatshirt - I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside
Mark Ronson - Uptown Special
Sleater-Kinney - No Cities to Love
Lower Dens - Escape from Evil
Panda Bear - Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper
Rhiannon Giddens - Tomorrow Is My Turn
Death Cab for Cutie - Kintsugi
Torres - Sprinter
Dan Mangan + Blacksmith - Club Meds
Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color
East India Youth - Culture of Volume
Passion Pit - Kindred
Dutch Uncles - O Shudder
Hot Chip - Why Make Sense?
Waxahatchee - Ivy Tripp
Laura Marling - Short Movie
Modest Mouse - Strangers to Ourselves
Best Coast - California Nights
Will Butler - Policy

The rest of the year is set to get even better. We'll be getting the debut album from former Dirty Projectors member Angel Deradoorian, and new album from Destroyer, a sophomore follow-up from Disclosure, and a comeback record from Janet Jackson. That's barely scratching the surface; there are many planned albums I expect to be absolutely incredible.