In My Ear – The 2017 Playlist

The ‘why‘ for this blog comes from a lifetime of loving music and an ever-evolving musical taste. But, the name and real inspiration come from annual versions of this playlist that I’ve kept for the last 7+ years. These are artists, tracks, and records that have been in my ear all year long.

Apple Music subscribers can listen here.

For the rest of y’all, I created a YouTube playlist with full versions of all of the tracks.

Who’s been in your ear? Let’s start some chatter! Leave a comment below or on Facebook.

• Mavis Stapes — “Tomorrow”
• Run the Jewels — “Talk to Me” / “Thieves! (Screamed the Ghost)” [feat. Tunde Adebimpe]
• Chris Thile & Brad Mehidau — “Scarlet Town”
• Naji — “Fallen” [feat. Howle]
• Miles Mosley — “Abraham”
• Jesca Hoop — “The Lost Sky”
• Sampha — “Blood on Me” / “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano”
• • In My Ear Album — Process
• Loyle Carner — The Isle of Arran / Ain’t Nothing Changed
• • In My Ear Album — Yesterday’s Gone
• Missy Elliott — “I’m Better” (feat. Lamb)
• Brother Ali — “Own Light (What Hearts Are For” / “Pen to Paper” (feat. Amir Sulaiman) / “Dear Black Son”
• • In My Ear Album — All the Beauty in This Whole Life
• Jorja Smith — “Beautiful Little Fools”
• Earl St. Clair — “Ain’t Got It Like That (feat. PJ)
• The Jesus and Mary Chain — “Amputation”
• Henry Green — “Real”
• Oddisee — “Things”
• John Mayer — “Helpless” / “Moving On and Getting Over”
• Clap Your Hands Say Yeah — “Fireproof”
• Kendrick Lamar — “FEEL.” / “HUMBLE” / “DNA.”
• • In My Ear Album — DAMN
• Hard Proof — “Stinger”
• The New Pornographers — “High Ticket Attractions
• Talib Kweli & Styles P — “Teleprompters” (feat. Common & Vic Orena)
• Sammus — “100 Percent” (feat. Latasha Alcindor aka LA) / “1080p” (feat. Jean Grae)
• Gorillaz — “Ascension” (feat. Vince Staples) / “Andromeda” (feat. DRAM)
• Spoon — “Hot Thoughts” / “I Ain’t The One”
• • In My Ear Album — Hot Thoughts
• Syd — “Body” / “Dollar Bills” (feat Steve Lacy)
• Anik Khan — “Kites”
• Junius Meyvant — “Mr. Minister Great”
• Aimee Mann — “Goose Snow Cone” / “Patient Zero”
• • In My Ear Album — Mental Illness
• Joey Bada$$ — “Good Morning AmeriKKKa” / “Land of the Free” / “Super Predator” (feat Styles P)
• • In My Ear Album — All-Amerikkkan Bada$$
• Perfume Genius — “Slip Away”
• Hippo Campus — “Way It Goes” / “Monsoon”
• The Family Crest — “Mirror Love”
• Beth Ditto — “Fire”
• The Building — “Have to Forgive”
• Alt-J — “In Cold Blood”
• Phoenix — “Fleur de Lys” / “J-Boy” / “Ti Amo”
• • In My Ear Album — Ti Amo
• Chastity Belt — “Different Now”
• Somi — “Black Enough”
• • In My Ear Album — Petite Afrique
• Slowdive — “Sugar for the Pill”
• Goapele — “Stand”
• Thievery Corporation — “Letter to the Editor” (feat. Racquel Jones)
• Tank and the Bangas — “Quick”
• Jay-Z — “The Story of O.J.”
• Ibeyi — “Deathless” (feat. Kamasi Washington) / “Away Away”
• • In My Ear Album — Ash
• Neil Young — “Powderfinger”
• AHI — “Ol Sweet Day”
• St. Vincent — “New York”
• ODESZA — “Higher Ground” (feat. Naomi Wild) / “Across the Room” (feat. Leon Bridges)
• Charlotte Gainsbourg — “Deadly Valentine”
• The Roots — “It Ain’t Fair” (feat. Bilal)
• Ledisi — “Here” / “Add to Me”
• Jamila Woods — “Blk Girl Soldier” / “Holy”
• • In My Ear Album — HEAVN
• Canyon City — “Our Way”
• Middle Kids — “Edge of Town”
• Beck — “Colors”
• Earthgang — “Underwater” / “Meditate”
• Rapsody — “Power” (feat. Kendrick Lamar & Lance Skiiiwalker) / “Black & Ugly” (feat. BJ the Chicago Kid)
• • In My Ear Album — Laila’s Wisdom
• Valley Queen — “Stars Align”
• The Wild Reeds — “Only Songs”
• The Lone Bellow — “Deeper in the Water”
• The Wailin’ Jennys — “Old Churchyard”
• Agnes Obel — “Familiar”
• Jay Som — “The Bus Song”
• Gurr — “Moby Dick”
• Cherry Glazerr — “Nurse Ratched” / “Told You I’d Be with the Guys”
• • In My Ear Album — Apocalipstick
• Phoebe Bridgers — “Smoke Signals”
• Moses Sumney — “Plastic”
• Talib Kweli — “Traveling Light” (feat. Anderson .Paak) / “Write At Home” (feat. Datcha, Bilal & Robert Glasper
• • In My Ear Album — Radio Silence
• Rhye — “Taste” / “Please”
• Will Stratton — “Some Ride”
• The Regrettes – “Seashore” / “Hot”
• • In My Ear Album — Feel Your Feelings Fool!