The Music 2015 Writers' Poll: Xavier Rubetzki Noonan

album of the year

1. Hop Along — Painted Shut
2. Carly Rae Jepsen —  Emotion
3. Courtney Barnett — Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit
4. Girlpool — Before The World Was Big
5. Custard — Come Back, All Is Forgiven
6. Jeff Rosenstock — We Cool?
7. Gang Of Youths — The Positions
8. Natalie Prass — Natalie Prass
9. Born Ruffians — Ruff
10. Beach House — Depression Cherry

song of the year

1. Carly Rae Jepsen — When I Needed You
2. SPORTS — Reality TV
3. Babaganouj — Can't Stop
4. Bully — Trying
5. Speedy Ortiz — Raising The Skate

artist of the year

1. Courtney Barnett
2. Beach House
3. Sports
4. Jeff Rosenstock
5. Jeremy Neale

international artist performance

1. Jenny Lewis
2. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
3. Pup
4. They Might Be Giants
5. St Vincent

australian artist performance

1. Courtney Barnett
2. Custard
3. Babaganouj
4. Oh Mercy
5. Jeremy Neale

top tv show

1. Nathan For You
2. Wet Hot American Summer: First Day Of Camp
3. Mad Men
4. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
5. BoJack Horseman

top movie

1. It Follows
2. Ex Machina
3. The Lobster
4. The Overnight
5. Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief

top website 

1. Discogs
2. Letterboxd
3. Bandcamp
4. Junkee
5. Cymbal

2015 highlight of the year

Seeing Custard, one of my all-time favourite bands, reform for an incredible tour and album.

prediction for 2016

After yet another round of strict and ineffective lockout laws, some ingenious local band will figure out a way to disguise themselves as pokies so that they're still allowed in Sydney venues.