As said in previous years, this award started long before the site was even a thought, in one
publication, radio show or another. Since 2000, I have handed out a
"League of Their Own" Award to an album that is made by an artist who is
the most forward thinking, open minded, revolutionary musician out
there today. Their accomplishments in the past 12 months have either
resurrected a sound, broke down walls and created new frontiers or have
totally reinvented a genre all together. The choices for "League of
Their Own" have become more than just the best album of the year but the
most important record to be released at that time.
In the past winners have included:
2000 - Radiohead - Kid A
2001 - The Strokes - Is This It?
2002 - NERD - In Search of...
2003 - The White Stripes - Elephant
2004 - The Killers - Hot Fuss
2005 - The Mars Volta - Francis the Mute
2006 - TV On The Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain
2007 - Kanye West - Graduation
2008 - Santigold
2009 - Mastodon - Crack the Skye
2010 - Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
2011 - Bjork - Biophilia
2012 - Flying Lotus - Until The Quiet Comes
2013 - Arcade Fire - Reflektor
2014 - Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2
2015 - Kamasi Washington - The Epic
2016 - David Bowie - Blackstar
2017 - Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
2018 - Richard Russell - Everything is Recorded
2019 - King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Infest the Rats Nest
2020 - Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters
2021 - St. Vincent - Daddy's Home
2022 - Black Midi - Hellfire
...and now to add to this ever growing list is a band who have taken
rock n roll and mixed it with soul and dipped it into gospel but also
using electronic arrangements to make their voices and
message heard loud and clear. With a slew of guests that include
the reclusive Zach de la Rocha, Sam
Herring of Future Islands, Big Rube, Lee Bains, among others.
The fourth record from this Georgia-based
band isn't Southern Rock it is a mirror to America itself.
The 2023 League of Their Own winner is...
Algiers - "Shook"
