
From politics to movies, 2017 gave us a lot to discuss. Never at a loss for words, we asked our Go 96.3 DJs what makes the year in music so special, and what their favorites were.
Miles the DJ observed, “2017 was an important year for alternative music. Bands like Portugal. The Man and Imagine Dragons reminded the Twin Cities that Go 96.3 is where you GO (get it?) to discover new music before it crosses over.”
As Jordan put it, “The coolest thing about 2017’s year in music is the blending of genres and the diffusion of sound. In terms of Go Radio, ‘hip hop’ and ‘alternative’ are merely umbrella terms used to categorize songs. After that, it’s hard to pin down what those things sound like because the genres have become so vast. If you listen to artists like Bishop Briggs, Imagine Dragons, Dreamers, etc., you’ll hear a heavy hip-hop influence in their sound. If you listen to Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott, Kid Cudi, etc., you can hear the rock ‘n’ roll influence. That’s a very cool thing. We live in very interesting times, my friend. The best music that’s ever been made is being made right now.”

Giselle –
FAVORITE ALBUMS:
I See You – The xx
DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar
Everybody – Logic
Ctrl – SZA
Hopeless Fountain Kingdom – Halsey (okay, okay, this one wasn’t THAT good, but I was going through a breakup and it spoke to me)
FAVORITE SONGS:
“Up All Night” – Beck
“HUMBLE” and “LOVE” and “DNA” – Kendrick Lamar
“Plastic Soul” – Mondo Cosmo
“Green Light” – Lorde
“Praying” – Kesha
“On Hold” and “I Dare You” – The xx

Miles the DJ –
FAVORITE ALBUMS:
Everything Now – Arcade Fire
Sleep Well Beast – The National
I See You – The xx
A Deeper Understanding – The War On Drugs
Melodrama – Lorde
FAVORITE SONGS:
Portugal. The Man – “Feel It Still”
Imagine Dragons – “Believer”
Beck – “Up All Night”
The xx – “I Dare You”
Halsey – “Now Or Never”
FAVORITE NATIONAL MUSICIANS:
Arcade Fire
Jack Antonoff
St. Vincent
Bishop Briggs
Beck
FAVORITE LOCAL MUSICIANS:
Hippo Campus
Now, Now
Call Me Karizma
Jeanne Taylor
Grayson DeWolfe

Ben –
FAVORITE ALBUMS:
Everywhere is Somewhere – K. Flay
Concrete and Gold – Foo Fighters
Sacred Hearts Club – Foster the People
FAVORITE SONGS:
“Feel it Still” – Portugal. The Man
“No Roots” – Alice Merton
“Sober Up” – AJR
FAVORITE NATIONAL MUSICIANS:
Foo Fighters
Imagine Dragons
Portugal. The Man
FAVORITE LOCAL MUSICIANS:
Lizzo
Hippo Campus
Go 96.3 Battle of the Bands winner Grayson DeWolfe

Jordan –
FAVORITE ALBUMS:
1. DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar
2. Funk Wav Bounces, Vol 1 – Calvin Harris
3. Flower Boy – Tyler the Creator
4. Bishop Briggs (EP) – Bishop Briggs
5. The Search of Everything – John Mayer
FAVORITE SONGS:
“LOVE.” – Kendrick Lamar
“Happy Hour” – Weezer
“Slide” – Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean and Migos
“Biking” – Frank Ocean, Jay-Z, and Tyler the Creator
“Skywalker” – Miguel featuring Travis Scott
FAVORITE NATIONAL MUSICIANS:
SZA
Bishop Briggs
Frank Ocean
Travis Scott
Jack Antonoff from Bleachers
FAVORITE LOCAL MUSICIANS:
Dwynell Roland
Hippo Campus
Early Eyes
Student 1
DJ Babyghost

Linnea –
FAVORITE ALBUMS:
MASSEDUCTION – St. Vincent
Semper Femina – Laura Marling
No Shape – Perfume Genius
FAVORITE SONGS:
“No One Knows Me Like the Piano” – Sampha
“New York” – St. Vincent
“Bad At Love” – Halsey
FAVORITE NATIONAL MUSICIANS:
Welshly Arms
Chance the Rapper
Portugal. The Man.
FAVORITE LOCAL MUSICIANS:
Dizzzy Fae
Corbin
Poliça and S T A R G A Z E

Zach-
FAVORITE ALBUMS:
Hot Thoughts – Spoon
The World’s Best American Band – White Reaper
Need to Feel Your Love – Sheer Mag
Losing – Bully
Guppy – Charly Bliss
Offers – Ne-Hi
Out in the Storm – Waxahatchee
The Hanged Man – Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
Sleeping Through the War – All Them Witches
DAMN – Kendrick Lamar
FAVORITE SONGS:
“Judy French” – White Reaper
“Modern Act” – Cloud Nothings
“Never Been Wrong” – Waxahatchee
“Sisters” – Ne-Hi
“Expect the Bayonet” – Sheer Mag
FAVORITE NATIONAL MUSICIANS (that I saw live this year):
Spoon (Every year forever)
White Reaper
Sheer Mag
Waxahatchee
Ted Leo
FAVORITE LOCAL MUSICIANS:
Dillinger Four (RIP Triple Rock Social Club)
Sass
BLAHA
The Chinchees
Double Grave