The 25 best albums of 2015

29 September 2023, 12:11

Let's take a look back at the year of New Order, Wolf Alice, Adele, Blur and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.

By Radio X

@RadioX

1. Björk - Vulnicura: release date 20th January 2015

   The Icelandic musician's eighth studio album included the tracks Stonemilker, Black Lake and Lionsong.

   

2. The Charlatans - Modern Nature: release date 26th January 2015

   Following the death of band member Jon Brookes in 2013, Tim Burgess and the band regrouped and worked on material inspired by the drummer. Tracks included Taking In Tones, so Oh and Come Home Baby.

   

3. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Chasing Yesterday: release date 25th February 2015

   Following the assured self-titled solo debut album, Our Noel came back with another impeccably plotted set of songs, instant classics every one. And then Johnny Marr bloody turns up. Tracks included In The Heat Of The Moment, Ballad Of The Mighty I and The Dying Of The Light.

   

4. James Bay - Chaos And The Calm: release date 23rd March 2015

   The debut album from the singer-songwriter from Hitchin included Let It Go, Hold Back The River and Best Fake Smile.

   

5. Circa Waves - Young Chasers: release date 30th March 2015

   Young lads from Liverpool, playing classic rock. What's not to love? The debut album featured the tracks So Long, Stuck In My Teeth and T-Shirt Weather.

   

6. The Prodigy - The Day Is My Enemy: release date 30th March 2015

   Angry, defiant, outrageous, The Prodigy remain a national treasure. This sixth studio album included the tracks Get Your Fight On, Nasty and Wild Frontier.

   

7. Blur - The Magic Whip: release date 27th April 2015

   Sixteen years since they all played together on an album The Magic Whip is quirky, enigmatic, quaint, daft, rousing and utterly loveable. Tracks included Go Out, Ong Ong and Lonesome Street.

   

8. Mumford And Sons - Wilder Mind: release date 4th May 2015

   The banjos may be gone, but the tunes were all present and correct and if anything, more anthemic than ever. The band’s third studio album included Ditmas, Believe and The Wolf.

   

9. Paul Weller - Saturns Pattern: release date 18th May 2015

   The Modfather's twelfth solo album proves his fire still hasn't gone out: from rough blues numbers to more introspective fare, he's defiantly in charge of his own musical destiny. Tracks included White Sky and Pick It Up.

   

10. The Vaccines - English Graffiti: release date 25th May 2015

    Justin Young and his merry men continued to have punk rock in their hearts and an eye on the charts on their third album. Tracks included Handsome and Dream Lover.

    

11. Florence And The Machine - How Big How Blue How Beautiful: release date 29th May 2015

    Flo’s third outing is half dramatic statement, half irresistible pop music, from one of the most distinctive voices in the business. Tracks include Ship To Wreck, What Kind Of Man and Queen Of Peace.

    

12. Jamie xx - In Colour: release date 29th May 2015

    The xx man’s debut solo album earned him a well-earned Mercury Prize nod. It’s a dense, compelling record with effortlessly slick production. Tracks included Loud Places and I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times).

    

13. Muse - Drones: release date 5th June 2015

    Another epic work from the trio: on album seven, Matt Bellamy delved into the mind of a person who has disconnected from society and becomes a tool of the State. But - essentially - he doesn’t forget to pack the riffs. Tracks included Dead Inside, Mercy and Revolt.

    

14. Everything Everything - Get To Heaven: release date 22nd June 2015

    The Manchester-based band's third album is a stunning collection of challenging lyrics, confrontational concepts and eminently danceable songs, including Regret, Distant Past and Spring / Sun / Winter / Dread.

    

15. Wolf Alice - My Love Is Cool: release date 23rd June 2015

    The debut album from this London quartet has one foot in classic rock and the other in appealing indie pop. Tracks included Bros, Giant Peach, You're A Germ and Frenzy.

    

16. Tame Impala - Currents: release date 17th July 2015

    Kevin Parker's third studio album included the tracks Let It Happen, Eventually and 'Cause I'm A Man.

    

17. The Maccabees - Marks To Prove It: release date 31st July 2015

    The British band's fourth and final album gave them huge critical and commercial acclaim going straight in at No.1 in the UK album charts. Tracks included the wonderful title track, Spit It Out and Something Like Happiness.

    

18. Foals - What Went Down: release date 28th August 2015

    The Oxford band’s fourth album saw the band continue to increase their popularity without compromising their confrontational sound. Tracks included Mountain At My Gates, Give It All and the monumental title track.

    

19. The Libertines - Anthems For Doomed Youth: release date 11th September 2015

    The Libertines returned with a renewed energy, a renewed friendship and a third album. Anthems For Doomed Youth - which included singles Gunga Din and Glasgow Coma Scale Blues - was written by the Camden four-piece in Thailand.

    

20. Stereophonics - Keep The Village Alive: release date 11th September 2015

    Kelly Jones and his crew's ninth album of love-torn hits such as I Wanna Get Lost With You and Song For The Summer, plus the hyperactive favourite C'est la Vie.

    

21. CHVRCHES - Every Open Eye: release date 25th September 2015

    The Scottish trio's second album saw the synth-pop band continue their quest for world domination with more catchy choruses and even bigger beats on tracks like Clearest Blue, Bury It and Empty Threat.

    

22. New Order - Music Complete: release date 25th September 2015

    The legendary Manchester band's tenth studio album was the first without founder member Peter Hook, but in the place of his bass comes harder electronic beats and guest vocals from Iggy Pop, La Roux and Brandon Flowers. Tracks included Restless, Tutti Frutti and Singularity.

    

23. Editors - In Dream: release date 2nd October 2015

    On their self-produced fifth album, the band called In Dream "a real studio record, made in isolation by the five of us." The dark themes are still present, but there’s a bleak romance to the music which features the tracks No Harm, Life Is A Fear and Ocean Of Night.

    

24. Nothing But Thieves - Nothing But Thieves: release date 16th October 2015

    The Southend-On-Sea band’s swaggering debut included the singles Itch, Wake Up Call, Ban All The Music and Trip Switch.

    

25. Adele - 25: release date 20th November 2015

    The third studio album from the British singer-songwriter was another huge hit and included the tracks Hello, When We Were Young and Water Under The Bridge.