...I can't believe it's my FIFTH year doing this!

The YTT part of ATRL was the original reason I joined (and still keep it up-to-date every single week, though I've gone from a T20 to a T10 due to University time constraints). I love being able to see what others enjoyed throughout the year and find new music by browsing through y'alls lists. I also love keeping a record of the music that I listen to. Matter of fact, I've tracked and visualized on Wikipedia my most played song, artist, and album of each week for over five years! I love music history, charts, and culture and thus love to create and record my own music history, charts, and culture.

In 2012 I was very interested in lyricism, clean production, and pop-rap theory. Artists like Kinetics & One Love (writers of "Airplanes" by B.o.B) and producers like Alex Da Kid and Dr. Luke amazed me with their ability to create such euphoric, relatable, and accessible singles.

In 2013 I began getting into more experimental music. I still preferred hip-hop above everything else, but I started to enjoy more pure pop, too. Kanye released Yeezus which changed the way I thought about mainstream music and Tyler, the Creator released his most introspective and influential project to me as a producer to date: Wolf.

In 2014 I loved pop. If pop could be done perfectly and euphorically, as it was in the Golden Age of '08-'11, then it was something I liked. I loved songs you could listen to and make people happy, sing along to, and have zero production flaws. Artists like Taylor Swift and Stromae slayed me this year and I fell in love with the production style of Max Martin. This style was something I practiced in my own productions for a long while and became very adept at the Max Martin/Dr. Luke/Stargate-esque style of production and mixing.

In 2015 I discovered modern RnB. I also developed a beautiful relationship with a girl for the first time, a relationship which has lasted over two years. Marijuana became a part of my life in the fall and my music taste changed drastically. My music taste started to become more existential, slow, ambient, and later in the year, sexy. Urban nihilist songs like "Lemme Freak For Real Tho" dominated my year-end chart and progressive urban artists like FKA twigs and Kendrick Lamar became part of my daily listening.

In 2016 my life changed forever. No longer was I living at home, no longer was I under the illusion of childhood. Life got real. I saw friends die, long-term relationships end, true love break and rebuild itself, my first big successes as a musician, and of course the complete shift in global society and culture. My music taste got a bit more indie, especially in terms of RnB, while still loving my mainstream acts. Music in general released this year was amazing - a far higher quality than any previous years I've done this countdown (comparable to only 2013). I'm so excited to live in these times where in the hardest year of my life has also provided the greatest music thus far. I truly believe that some of these albums in 2016 will be contenders for the top albums of all time - something that can't be said about 2012-15.

Your year

Ready

oh wow, really excited for your countdown,

Aw



Good luck I'm excited for this

can't wait

Originally posted by Navyofbadgals nice am ready

Originally posted by Iris Ready

Originally posted by Tom Vercetti Looks good.

Originally posted by Dom Perched.

Originally posted by Oxygen

Originally posted by Brandon can't wait

Originally posted by jongshic oh wow, really excited for your countdown,

Originally posted by Marnie can't wait

Originally posted by Superpower 5th year

Originally posted by TheWayWeWere Stromae I'm perched

Originally posted by Topmaster 2 OMG your 2016 But I'm ready to see this

Originally posted by Admiral Bobbery Oh wow was your year a roller coaster. Mine kind of was but not to that extent. Looking forward to seeing some new indie acts to follow and some R&B too since I'm trying to get more into that genre.

Originally posted by Diarrhoea Your year Ready

Originally posted by azii Aw Good luck I'm excited for this

Originally posted by Coklek92 Bitch, I'm ready for your countdown

Originally posted by Yndda ready to be weaved. I'm perched af bc I've peeped your music taste and me likey sorry for not commenting much in YTT tho lmao