Category Archives: Featured Articles
ACL 2023 ~ The Top 20 Albums of the Year
This year’s Top 20 list is noteworthy for its variety, a reflection of the wealth of music on the market. For every 200 albums submitted to ACL, only one makes our final list. This makes it all the more remarkable
ACL 2023 ~ The Top 20 Albums of the Year
This year’s Top 20 list is noteworthy for its variety, a reflection of the wealth of music on the market. For every 200 albums submitted to ACL, only one makes our final list. This makes it all the more remarkable
ACL 2023 ~ Top Ten Rock, Post-Rock, Folk & Jazz
2023 was an extremely healthy year for post-rock, which takes up half the spots on this year’s list. The surprise is that some of the biggest names in the field didn’t make it, while newcomers crashed the party in their
ACL 2023 ~ Top Ten Rock, Post-Rock, Folk & Jazz
2023 was an extremely healthy year for post-rock, which takes up half the spots on this year’s list. The surprise is that some of the biggest names in the field didn’t make it, while newcomers crashed the party in their
ACL 2023 ~ Top Ten Modern Composition
The year’s most beautiful music can be found here, from soft piano to soaring strings, humble ensemble to booming orchestra. This was a banner year for modern composition, which even recruited one of the world’s biggest post-rock bands into its
ACL 2023 ~ Top Ten Modern Composition
The year’s most beautiful music can be found here, from soft piano to soaring strings, humble ensemble to booming orchestra. This was a banner year for modern composition, which even recruited one of the world’s biggest post-rock bands into its
ACL 2023 ~ Top Ten Field Recording & Soundscape
Some field recording artists travel to the ends of the earth to capture sounds many of us will never hear in person. This year’s selection includes magma, ice and hydrophone recordings. But field recording can be as simple as recording
ACL 2023 ~ Top Ten Field Recording & Soundscape
Some field recording artists travel to the ends of the earth to capture sounds many of us will never hear in person. This year’s selection includes magma, ice and hydrophone recordings. But field recording can be as simple as recording
ACL 2023 ~ Top Ten Experimental
If not for experimental musicians, music might never move forward. These artists challenge what is while wondering what could be. They ask if instruments might be played in a different manner, or they make their own instruments – in one
ACL 2023 ~ Top Ten Experimental
If not for experimental musicians, music might never move forward. These artists challenge what is while wondering what could be. They ask if instruments might be played in a different manner, or they make their own instruments – in one
ACL 2023 ~ Top Ten Electronic
This year’s top ten electronic albums run the gamut from quirky and fun to industrial and dark. These albums cross boundaries, incorporating drone, pop, hip-hop, and modern composition, while the themes include death and vulnerability, gender roles and climate change.
ACL 2023 ~ Top Ten Electronic
This year’s top ten electronic albums run the gamut from quirky and fun to industrial and dark. These albums cross boundaries, incorporating drone, pop, hip-hop, and modern composition, while the themes include death and vulnerability, gender roles and climate change.
ACL 2023 ~ Top Ten Drone
Of the ten album covers below; four are mostly black, two black and grey. This year’s drone list is dark and foreboding, a reflection of uncertain times. Even the brightest cover portrays NASA data from a warming earth. The titles
ACL 2023 ~ Top Ten Drone
Of the ten album covers below; four are mostly black, two black and grey. This year’s drone list is dark and foreboding, a reflection of uncertain times. Even the brightest cover portrays NASA data from a warming earth. The titles
ACL 2023 ~ Top Ten Ambient
By our estimate, there was enough ambient music released in 2023 to fill every waking minute of every day. How does one stand out in a genre that values slipping beneath the surface? These ten artists found a way, whether
ACL 2023 ~ Top Ten Ambient
By our estimate, there was enough ambient music released in 2023 to fill every waking minute of every day. How does one stand out in a genre that values slipping beneath the surface? These ten artists found a way, whether
a closer listen 