Throughout the month of December, KEXP has been counting down our top albums. From Top 10 lists from our DJs to the Top 90.3 of 2019 as voted by listeners, we’ve chronicled a wide array of some of this year’s most thrilling released. Now we’re turning the mic over to our behind the scenes staff, volunteers, and interns who help keep the station running. Here are their favorite albums of 2019. How do their lists line-up with yours?
Aarin Wright // Live Performances Booking Coordinator & Midday Show Assistant
rank
artist
album
label
1
Julia Jacklin
Crushing
Polyvinyl
2
Lana Del Rey
Norman Fucking Rockwell!
Polydor/Interscope
3
Brittany Howard
Jaime
ATO
4
Faye Webster
Atlanta Millionaires Club
Secretly Canadian
5
Jay Som
Anak Ko
Polyvinyl
6
Sharon Van Etten
Remind Me Tomorrow
Jagjaguwar
7
(Sandy) Alex G
House of Sugar
Domino
8
Stef Chura
Midnight
Saddle Creek
9
Weyes Blood
Titanic Rising
Sub Pop
10
Nilüfer Yanya
Miss Universe
ATO
Katrina Harvie-Watt // Associate Director of Development, Major Giving
rank
artist
album
label
1
Haelos
Any Random Kindness
Infectious Music
2
The National
I Am Easy to Find
4AD
3
Lizzo
Cuz I Love You
Nice Life
4
Sault
5
Forever Living Originals
5
Lana Del Ray
Norman Fucking Rockwell
Polydor
6
Thom Yorke
Anima
XL Recordings
7
Sharon Van Etten
Remind Me Tomorrow
Jagjaguwar
8
Local Natives
Violet Street
Loma Vista
9
Cigarettes After Sex
Cry
Partisan Records
10
Hot Chip
Bathful of Ecstasy
Domino Recording
Bailey Egan // Associate Content Producer, Afternoon Show
rank
artist
album
label
1
Great Grandpa
Four of Arrows
Big Scary Monsters Recording Co.
2
Brittany Howard
Jaime
ATO Records
3
Vagabon
Vagabon
Barely Dressed Records
4
Big Thief
Two Hands
4AD
5
Sudan Archives
Athena
Stones Throw
6
Orville Peck
Pony
Sub Pop
7
Black Pumas
Black Pumas
ATO Records
8
Durand Jones & the Indications
American Love Call
Colemine Records
9
The Highwomen
The Highwomen
Elektra Records
10
Michael Kiwanuka
Kiwanuka
Polydor
John Ware // Technical Program Manager & Scrum Master
rank
artist
album
label
1
Bill Callahan
Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest
Drag City
2
Jesca Hoop
Stonechild
Memphis Industries
3
Pedro the Lion
Phoenix
Polyvinyl
4
Tiny Ruins
Olympic Girls
Ba Da Bing!
5
Fontaines D.C.
Dogrel
Partisan Records
6
Ezra Furman
Twelve Nudes
Bella Union
7
Big Thief
Two Hands
4AD
8
Great Grandpa
Four of Arrows
Double Double Whammy
9
Joan Shelley
Like the River Loves the Sea
No Quarter
10
Cataldo
Literally Main Street
self-released
Dusty Henry // Digital Content Manager
rank
artist
album
label
1
Helado Negro
This Is How You Smile
RVNG Intl
2
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
Bandana
Keep Cool/RCA Records
3
Wand
Laughing Matter
Drag City
4
Big Thief
U.F.O.F.
4AD
5
Chastity Belt
Chastity Belt
Hardly Art
6
Pedro The Lion
Phoenix
Polyvinyl
7
Y La Bamba
Mujeres
Tender Loving Empire
8
Girlpool
What Chaos Is Imaginary
ANTI-
9
JPEGMAFIA
All My Heroes Are Cornballs
EQT Recordings
10
Jay Som
Anak Ko
Polyvinyl
Skyler Locatelli // Account Executive - Business Development
rank
artist
album
label
1
Thom Yorke
Anima
XL Recordings
2
Hiss Golden Messenger
Terms Of Surrender
Merge
3
Michael Kiwanuka
KIWANUKA
Polydor
4
Weyes Blood
Titanic Rising
Sub Pop
5
Tempers
Private Life
Dais
6
Moon Duo
Stars are the Lights
Sacred Bones
7
L'Epee
Diabolique
Cargo
8
Sturgill Simpson
SOUND & FURY
Elektra
9
Orville Peck
Pony
Sub Pop
10
Sharon Van Etten
Remind Me Tomorrow
Jagjaguwar
Lisa LeClair // Guest Services Coordinator
rank
artist
album
label
1
Sleater-Kinney
The Center Won't Hold
Mom + Pop Music
2
L7
Scatter The Rats
Blackheart Records
3
Boy Harsher
Careful
Nude Club
4
Kim Gordon
No Home Record
Matador
5
Juliana Hatfield
Weird
American Laundromat
6
Tempers
Private Life
Dais
7
Mesa Luna
Lash
Afterlife Music
8
The National
I Am Easy To Find
4AD
9
Amyl & The Sniffers
Amyl & The Sniffers
ATO Records
10
Chromatics
Closer To Grey
Italians Do It Better
Rob Bender // Associate Director, Business Support
rank
artist
album
label
1
clipping.
There Existed an Addiction to Blood
Sub Pop
2
Fontaines D.C.
Dogrel
Partisan
3
Little Simz
GREY Area
AGE 101
4
Lizzo
Cuz I Love You
Nice Life/Atlantic
5
Queen Zee
Queen Zee
Sasstone
6
Sampa The Great
The Return
Ninja Tune
7
Sault
5
Forever Living Originals
8
The Shivas
Dark Thoughts
Tender Loving Empire
9
Shopping
The Official Body
FatCat
10
SONS
Family Dinner
Noisesome
Matthew Schmidt // Board Op/DJ Assistant
rank
artist
album
label
1
Solange
When I Get Home
Columbia
2
Lizzo
Cuz I Love You
Nice Life/Atlantic
3
Rapsody
Eve
Jamla/Roc Nation
4
Jenny Lewis
On The Line
Warner Bros.
5
Sleater-Kinney
The Center Won't Hold
Mom + Pop
6
Buke & Gase
Scholars
Brassland
7
Angel Olsen
All Mirrors
Jagjaguwar
8
Deerhunter
Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared?
4AD
9
Lower Dens
The Competition
Ribbon Music
10
Sudan Archives
Athena
Stones Throw
Alex Mabery // Sales Representative
rank
artist
album
label
1
Toro y Moi
Outer Peace
Carpark Records
2
The Chemical Brothers
No Geography
Virgin EMI Records
3
Sharon Van Etten
Remind Me Tomorrow
Jagjaguwar
4
Cataldo
Literally Main Street
Self-released
5
Frankie Cosmos
Close It Quietly
Sub Pop
6
Great Grandpa
Four Of Arrows
Double Double Whammy
7
Bon Iver
i,i
Jagjaguwar
8
Caravan Palace
Chronologic
Le Plan Recordings
9
Lizzo
Cuz I Love You
Atlantic Records
10
Hobo Johnson
The Fall of Hobo Johnson
Reprise Records
Mae Gelbach // Sales Volunteer
rank
artist
album
label
1
FKA Twigs
Magdalene
Young Turks Recordings
2
The Black Keys
Let's Rock
Nonesuch Records
3
Durand Jones and the Indications
American Love Call
Dead Oceans
4
Rainy Moon Place
Gathered Ghosts
Self-Released
5
Lizzo
Cuz I Love You
Nice Life / Atlantic
6
Faye Webster
Atlanta Millionaires Club
Secretly Canadian
7
The Raconteurs
Help Me Stranger
Third Man Records
8
Brittany Howard
Jaime
ATO Records
9
Better Oblivion Community Center
Better Oblivion Community Center
Dead Oceans
10
Billie Eilish
When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go?
Dark Room / Interscope
Jim Beckmann // Video Manager
rank
artist
album
label
1
Wand
Laughing Matter
Drag City
2
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Ghosteen
Bad Seed Ltd
3
Tindersticks
No Treasure But Hope
Lucky Dog/City Slang
4
Bill Callahan
Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest
Drag City
5
Orville Peck
Pony
Sub Pop
6
Cigarettes After Sex
Cry
Partisan
7
Girl Band
The Talkies
Rough Trade
8
Purple Mountains
Purple Mountains
Drag City
9
Sault
5
Rough Trade
10
Fontaines D.C.
Dogrel
Partisan
Stephanie Reisfeld Shafer // Stewardship Manager
rank
artist
album
label
1
Lizzo
Cuz I Love You
Nice Life Recording Company and Atlantic Recording Corporation
2
Foals
Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost (Part 2)
Warner Music UK Limited
3
The Black Keys
Let's Rock
Nonesuch Records Inc.
4
Terror/Cactus
Impulsos
self-released
5
Jungle
Back to Mine: Jungle
Back to Mine
6
Holy Ghost!
Work
Holy Ghost! under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management (US) LLC
7
Caravan Palace
Chronologic
Le Plan Recordings under exclusive license from Lone Diggers
8
Black Pumas
Black Pumas
ATO Records
9
Orville Peck
Pony
Sub Pop Records
10
Sharon Van Etten
Remind Me Tomorrow
Jagjaguwar
Rischel Scrimgeour Granquist // Director of Facility Operations & Guest Services
rank
artist
album
label
1
Tyler, the Creator
IGOR
Columbia
2
Lizzo
Cuz I Love You
Nice Life/Atlantic
3
Maren Morris
Girl
Columbia Nashville
4
Sault
5
Forever Living Originals
5
Anderson.Paak
Ventura
Aftermath
6
Sharon Van Etten
Remind Me Tomorrow
Jagjaguwar
7
Redd Kross
Beyond The Door
Merge
8
Guided By Voices
Zeppelin Over China
Guided By Voices, Inc.
9
Billie Eilish
When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go?
Interscope
10
Brockhampton
Ginger
Question Everything/RCA
Philip LaRose // Tour docent and multi-purpose volunteer