Wire Magazine Records Of The Year

[jazzy_dave]

This is why I love The Wire magazine - its diversity.

The Wire (sometimes stylised as WIRE) is a British avant-garde music magazine, founded in May 1982 by jazz promoter Anthony Wood and journalist Chrissie Murray. The magazine initially concentrated on contemporary jazz and New Music but branched out in the early 1990s to various types of experimental music. Since then it has covered Electronica, modern classical, Free improvisation, Avant rock, hip-hop, New jazz, Modern composition, Traditional kinds of music and beyond.

Here is a sample of what they have considered top albums of the year -

1985–1991: jazz era
Year Artist Album Nation
1985 LP of the Year: Ronald Shannon Jackson Decode Yourself United States
1986 LP of the Year: Pat Metheny and Ornette Coleman Song X
1987 Top LP of the Year: Ornette Coleman In All Languages
1988 Top LP of the Year: Cecil Taylor Unit Live in Bologna
1989 Critics' Poll: David Murray Ming's Samba
1990s
1990 The Critics' Choice: John Scofield Time on My Hands United States
1991 "Main jazz and improvised" category: Sheila Jordan - Lost and Found
"Open vote 'beyond' category": Kraftwerk - The Mix

1992–2010: Record of the Year
Year Artist Album Nation
1992 Arrested Development 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of... United States
1993 Björk Debut Iceland
1994 Portishead Dummy United Kingdom
1995 Tricky Maxinquaye
1996 Tortoise Millions Now Living Will Never Die United States
1997 Robert Wyatt Shleep United Kingdom
1998 Sonic Youth A Thousand Leaves United States
1999 Mouse on Mars Niun Niggung Germany
2000s
2000 Antipop Consortium Tragic Epilogue United States
2001 Björk Vespertine Iceland
2002 Sonic Youth Murray Street United States
2003 Robert Wyatt Cuckooland United Kingdom
2004 Albert Ayler Holy Ghost: Rare & Unissued Recordings (1962–70) United States
2005 The Books Lost and Safe
2006 Burial Burial United Kingdom
2007 Robert Wyatt Comicopera
2008 The Bug London Zoo
2009 Broadcast and The Focus Group Broadcast and The Focus Group Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio Age
2010s
2010 Actress Splazsh

2011–present: Release of the Year
Year Artist Album Nation
2011 James Ferraro Far Side Virtual United States
2012 Laurel Halo Quarantine
2013 Julia Holter Loud City Song
2014 Aphex Twin Syro United Kingdom
2015 Jlin Dark Energy United States
2016 David Bowie ★ (Blackstar)  United Kingdom
2017 Chino Amobi Paradiso United States