As most of you have probably (and hopefully) already realized by now, 2015 is coming to an end. And, with it being the end of the year, it is now time for the obligatory “Best of 2015” lists to begin.
Now, just as we did last year, we’ve completely turned our list over to the bands we cover on a regular basis because c’mon, we all know our opinions aren’t nearly as cool as band members.
So, below are nine questions we sent out to dozens of acts spanning all different types of genres with only the best of the best answers making the cut.
We hope you love the final list as much as we do and we wish you all the raddest holiday season ever!
Enjoy!
Best Album of 2015:
12 Houses by
Roger Harvey
– Anti-Flag (Chris #2)
Brainwashed by While She Sleeps
– Beartooth (Caleb Shomo)
Are We All the Same Distance Apart by
Crooks – Come and Rest (Mitchell Garrett & Noel Alejandro)
Blurryface by Twenty One Pilots
– I Prevail (Brian Burkheiser)
25 by Adele
– My Enemies & I (Zach Jones & Jeff Hill)
Beneath The Sun by Of Monsters And Men – Only Crime/Good Riddance (Russ Rankin)
Purpose by Justin Bieber
– Runaway Kids (Sean Chamilian)
Kintsugi by Death Cab For Cutie – Secrets (Richard Rodgers)
Meliora by Ghost – Toothgrinder (Jason Gross)
That’s The Spirit by Bring Me The Horizon – XXI (Carson Butcher)
“2015 has been an awesome year for albums, especially with our varied tastes in music! However stand outs for us were Blurryface by Twenty One Pilots, That’s The Spirit by Bring Me The Horizon, Purpose by Justin Bieber and Sounds Good Feels Good by 5 Seconds of Summer.” – Such Strange Arts
Best Song of 2015:
“Adolf Hipster” by Worlds Scariest Police Chases – Anti-Flag
“S.O.B.“ by
Nathanial Ratecliff – Beartooth
“Doomed” by Bring Me The Horizon – Come and Rest
“Cut the Chord” by Shinedown – My Enemies & I
“The Wolf” by Mumford & Sons – Only Crime/Good Riddance
“Heaven Sent” by Best Coast – Runaway Kids
“Let It Go” by James Bay – Secrets
“Cirice” by Ghost – Toothgrinder
“What Do You Mean” by Justin Bieber – XXI
“With great albums comes great songs so again it’s so hard to choose but for us it had to be between ‘Shut up and Dance’ by Walk The Moon, ‘Drown’ by Bring Me The Horizon and ‘Cool for Summer’ by Demi Lovato.” – Such Strange Arts
Best Movie of 2015:
Cowspiracy – Anti-Flag
Star Wars Episode VII – Beartooth
Mad Max: Fury Road – Come and Rest
Straight Outta Compton – I Prevail
Straight Outta Compton – My Enemies & I
Spotlight – Only Crime/Good Riddance
Straight Outta Compton (Honorable Mention: Maze Runner 2) – Runaway Kids
Inside Out – Secrets
The Martian – Toothgrinder
Fury – XXI
“See this is where the band splits slightly, for Dean and Tony it’s Marvel all the way with Avengers: Age of Ultron topping the list but for Matt and Jake the movies Straight Outta Compton / Minions were the stand outs of the year.” – Such Strange Arts
Most Binge-Worthy Show of 2015:
Master of None – Anti-Flag
Narcos – Beartooth
Daredevil – Come And Rest
Narcos – I Prevail
Bates Motel – My Enemies & I
Bloodline – Only Crime/Good Riddance
House of Cards – Runaway Kids
Daredevil – Secrets
The Walking Dead – Toothgrinder
The Walking Dead – XXI
“Ray Donovan, Boardwalk Empire, Suits, Suits and… Suits - ❤ Meghan Markle (AKA Rachel).” –
Such Strange Arts
Best and/or Worst Onstage Moment of 2015:
“Best moment: Headlining the Electric Ballroom in London and selling it out pre-sale. Worst: Someone kept farting on stage during our show in Colorado Springs and we didn’t know who it was…” – Beartooth
“Best: At Backbooth in Orlando, FL in February, epic stage dive by Justin – crowd surfed to the back of the venue and dove off the balcony during ‘Relic Of My Youth.’ Worst: Wills throwing up during our set after having some bad Mexican food in Canada (who would of guessed?).” – Toothgrinder
“Kinda the same. Our show in Toulouse, France right after the attack. I can’t believe how kind everyone was at the show but it was a really confusing and self-evaluating experience.” – Anti-Flag
“Griffin busted his face open mid-set and managed to finish the show. The entire stage was covered in blood.” – My Enemies & I
“Best: Denver, CO at Summit Music Hall. One of the best and biggest shows we’ve ever played. Definitely an experience. Worst: That time I [Noel] fell and busted my ass off the stage in New Jersey. Definitely embarrassing but the show must go on!” – Come and Rest
Favorite Internet Moment (Video, GIF, MEME, etc.):
“A GIF that resembled a puppet Frog picking up a phone and saying ‘Help’” – Beartooth
“Cats being scared of cucumbers hahaha so good!” – Secrets
“’He needs some milk!’” – Toothgrinder
“Left Shark” – I Prevail
“’Hotline Bling’ (hilarious, and also a tune!) also the Jimmy Kimmel back to the future reunion show.” – Such Strange Arts
“Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared series.” – Come and Rest
“The little dog yelling ‘FUCK!’” – My Enemies & I
Weirdest/Creepiest/Smelliest Moment of 2015:
“Weirdest: Trying to order food in Japan. Creepiest: The Rave in Milwaukee. Smelliest: Kam’s fart.” – Beartooth
“Pat’s stage clothes on our seven week European tour this fall. Kill. Me.” – Anti-Flag
“When Lee got so drunk at the APMA’s and pee’d on his wallet” – I Prevail
“Ryan explosively shit his pants after eating Ihop. He ended up in Zach’s backyard completely naked because he was covered in shit.” – My Enemies & I
“Van farts.” – XXI
Thing(s) You Wish You Had Done in 2015 But Didn’t:
“Skydive” – Beartooth
“Our laundry.” – Toothgrinder
“Won money in Vegas” – I Prevail
“Attend the premiere of the new Star Wars movie! Some of us bought tickets and won’t be able to go because we are on the road! Hopefully we will catch it in 2016.” – Come and Rest
“Collectively get six-pack abs” – XXI
Bonus Question: 2016 New Year’s Resolution:
“Rock harder” – Beartooth
“Tour internationally” – I Prevail
“To try to quit smoking again, but we all know that won’t happen.” – My Enemies & I
“Stop drinking Redbull, drink more Redbull, tour the world.” – XXI
