Best of 2019: The WDET Playlist
The albums and tracks that the WDET music hosts couldn’t get enough of this year.
The roller-coaster that was 2019 is almost over and, as December draws to a close, the WDET music hosts have been reflecting long and hard over what artists, songs, and albums really caught their attention this year. Brittany Howard’s debut solo album burned through the station. Jax Anderson’s powerful EP “Heal” made us feel all the feelings. We ALL celebrated the year of Lizzo.
After careful consideration, here are the albums and tracks that the WDET music hosts and contributors couldn’t get enough of.
Listen to the top tracks of the year:
Want to jump to your favorite host? Click their name below:
- Ann Delisi, Ann Delisi’s Essential Music
- Ryan Patrick Hooper, CultureShift
- Amanda LeClaire, CultureShift
- Ed Love, Destination Jazz
- Jeff Milo, Milo Minute
- Jon Moshier, Modern Music
- Chris Campbell, Progressive Underground
- Rob Reinhart, Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music
- Sam Beaubien, Sam’s Jams
- Nick Austin, Soul Saturday
- Ismael Ahmed, This Island Earth
Ann Delisi, Ann Delisi’s Essential Music
| TOP TRACKS | TOP ALBUMS | ||
| Brittany Howard | Stay High | Ida Mae | Chasing Lights |
| Nilufer Yanya | Baby Blu | Waajeed | Detroit Love, Vol. 3 |
| Chaka Khan | Hello Happiness | Jax Anderson | HEAL EP |
| Mike Galbraith | Out Of My Mind | Audra Kubat | The Sliver and the Salve |
| Raphael Saadiq | So Ready | Michael Kiwanuka | Kiwanuka |
Ann’s Favorite Features of 2019:
- Bonnie Raitt, Slide Guitar Master, Singer and Songwriter, Turns 70
- Remembering Jeff Buckley’s Masterpiece “Grace,” Turning 25 This Year
Ryan Patrick Hooper, CultureShift
| TOP TRACKS | |
| Waajeed | Let Your Love |
| Paul Cauthen | Prayed For Rain |
| Beck | Tarantula |
| DRAMA | Hold On |
| Freddie Gibbs | Crime Pays |
Amanda LeClaire, CultureShift
| TOP TRACKS | |
| Telecon Tel Aviv | a younger version of myself, |
| HTRK | Mentions |
| Little Simz | Selfish |
| Swans | The Hanging Man |
| Tempers | Capital Pains |
Amanda LeClaire’s Favorite Features of 2019:
- Bruce Campbell, Famed for “Evil Dead” Role, Has a Surprisingly Smooth Playlist
- “I Never Aspired to Be a Band Leader:” Jazz Legend Doug Hammond on Musical Leadership and the Power of Rhythm
- Local Experimental Jazz Group Griot Galaxy Revisit Debut Album
- Ready, Set, Crash? Flat Rock Speedway’s Night of School Bus Destruction
Ed Love, Destination Jazz
| TOP ALBUMS | |
| Ernie Watts | Home Light |
| Carlos Franzetti | Ricordare |
| Jennifer Wharton | Bonegasm |
| Greg Murphy Trio | Bright Idea |
| Michael Wolff | Swirl |
Check out Ed’s full list of Highly Recommended New CDs for 2019 »
Jeff Milo, Milo Minute
| TOP TRACKS | TOP ALBUMS | ||
| Honey Monsoon | Cloud | Bars of Gold | Shelters |
| Noveliss | Train of Thought | Deadbeat Beat | How Far |
| These Are My Ghosts | I’d Rather Just Die | The High Strung | Quiet Riots |
| Prude Boys | The Reunion | Leaf Erikson | Canvas of Hope |
| Career Club | Toxic Masculinity | Audra Kubat | Sliver in the Salve |
Jeff Milo’s Favorite “Latest in Local” Features of 2019:
- Ann Arbor Musician Overcomes Fears to Forge Collaborations for Ambitious Psych-Rock Album
- JUNGLEFOWL Is Not Your Average Tropical Bird
- These Are My Ghosts Premieres First Single of Musical Storybook
Jon Moshier, Modern Music
| TOP TRACKS | TOP ALBUMS | ||
| DJ Shadow | Rocket Fuel (feat De La Soul) | Mattiel | Satis Factory |
| Mattiel | Whites Of Their Eyes | Fontaines D.C. | Dogrel |
| Fontaines D.C. | Boys In The Better Land | DJ Shadow | Our Pathetic Age |
| Andrew Bird | Sisyphus | Hatchie | Keepsake |
| Aldos Harding | The Barrel | Temples | Hot Motion |
| TOP LOCAL TRACKS | |||
| Jax Anderson | Fear | ||
| Deadbeat Beat | Baphomet | ||
| Matthew Milia | Alive at the Same Time | ||
| Stef Chura | Method Man | ||
| Minihorse | Drink You Dry (feat. Anna Burch) |
Chris Campbell, Progressive Underground
| TOP TRACKS | |
| KAYTRANADA | What You Need |
| The Midnight Hour | Harmony |
| Alton Miller | Cool But So (Chaos in the CBD Remix) |
| Free Nationals | Time |
| GodTet | Enumerating |
Rob Reinhart, Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music
| TOP TRACKS | TOP ALBUMS | ||
| Billie Eilish + Justin Beiber | Bad Guy | Beck | Hyperspace |
| Lizzo | Juice | Lana Del Rey | Normal F**king Rockwell! |
| The Raconteurs | Bored and Razed | India Arie | Worthy |
| JR JR | Rip RnR | Prince | Originals |
| The O’Jays | Above The Law | Santana | Africa Speaks |
Sam Beaubien, Sam’s Jams
| TOP LOCAL TRACKS | |
| Shigeto | Back to Basics |
| Black Loops | Higher – Mixed |
| Nolan the Ninja | ORANGES – A COLORS SHOW |
| Moodymann, Amp Fiddler | Got Me Coming Back Right Now |
| Supercoolwicked | Vain |
Nick Austin, Soul Saturday
| TOP TRACKS | TOP ALBUMS | ||
| Jamila Woods | BASQUIAT | Anderson .Paak | Ventura |
| Shafiq Husayn | Cycles (ft Hiatus Kaiyote) | Shafiq Husayn | The Loop |
| Brittany Howard | Baby | Moonchild | Little Ghost |
| Mahalila | What Am I? | Zo! | FourFront |
| Charity | More Cake | Mahalia | Love & Compromise |
Ismael Ahmed, This Island Earth
| TOP ALBUMS | |
| The Specials | Encore |
| Lakou Mizik | Haita Nola |
| Mollywop! | Stand Up |
| Groupo Fantasma | American Music Vol. 7 |
| The Bongo Hop | Satingarona Pt 2 |
