2017 Year End Awards: Staff Picks

Amber Miller – Middays 10a-3p/Assistant Program Director

Backstage at the 10th Birthday Show Night One. Photo: Scott WeinerTop 5 favorite songs: 
Glass Animals “Agnes”
The xx “Say Something Loving”
Sylvan Esso “Die Young”
The National “Day I Die”
Foo Fighters “Run”

Best Album of 2017:  TIE: The xx “I See You” & The National “Sleep Well Beast”

Artist of The Year for 2017:  Portugal. The Man

Best New Artist of 2017: Superorganism

Best Music Video of 2017: Glass Animals “Agnes”

Favorite Philly area Band/Artist: The Districts

Favorite Concert/Show of 2017:  I refuse to pick just one: Arcade Fire at Wells Fargo Center. The National at Verizon Hall. Sylvan Esso at Union Transfer x 2. The Districts album release show at Union Transfer. 

Favorite Radio 104.5 Summer Block Party of 2017:  August: Vance Joy, Portugal. The Man, Judah & the Lion, The Outdoor Type, and The Groove Merchants

Best Philly Area Concert Venue: Union Transfer

Most Anticipated Album for 2018: Arctic Monkeys

Best Radio 104.5 Studio Session of 2017:  Vance Joy

Most Overlooked Artist of 2017: Sylvan Esso

Favorite App:  Is it weird if I say Spothero? I don’t care. It saves me every single time I have to park in the city.

Favorite Band/Artist to Follow on Twitter: @bastilledan


Jammin' Jessie - Weeknights + New Music Discovery Show

JessieTop 5 favorite songs: 

1) 'Feel It Still' Portugal. The Man 
2) 'Run' Foo Fighters' 
3) 'Nimble Bastard' Incubus 
4) 'Holding On' The War On Drugs 
5) 'Out Of Mana' Brand New

This was tough. This year brought us so many good songs..... Paramore's "hard times" was just such a great song.. Beck 'up all night' Dan Auerbach 'malibu man'...Daddylap "Submerged"... WHAT A YEAR YA KNOW?!

Best Album of 2017: Primus 'Desaturating Seven' & Bleachers 'Gone Now'...oh and Dan Auerbach 'Waiting On A Song' is literally perfection from start to finish every single song is magic.

Most Disappointing Album of 2017:  Arcade Fire 'Everything Now'

Artist of The Year for 2017:  Bleachers

Best New Artist of 2017: Greta Van Fleet

Best Music Video of 2017: Dan Auerbach 'Shine On Me' ALSO my music video of Fry frolicking in the summer time to Canned Heat's "Goin Up The Country" -check it out on my twitter @jammminjessie

Favorite Philly area Band/Artist: DADDYLAP dude...go check 'em out. they're just so damn good i can't even wrap my brain around it....daddylap.bandcamp.com.

Favorite Concert/Show of 2017:  I almost said Green Day @ Tower Theater but that was 2016, the years are blurring together. Best show of 2017??? Hmmm....I'm gonna have to say seeing Chaka Kahn join Lettuce on stage at Peach Fest in August.

Favorite Radio 104.5 Summer Block Party of 2017: ENDLESS SUMMER SHOW. MON THE BIFF! also when Portugal. The Man played 'Feel It Still' twice because they're Gs.

Best Philly Area Concert Venue: I have a strong love for Tower Theater. So much history in that place.

Artist/Band You Hope Takes A Long Break in 2018:  Arcade Fire

Most Anticipated Album for 2018: Arctic Monkeys 

Best Radio 104.5 Studio Session of 2017:  Portugal. The Man

Most Overlooked Artist of 2017: Greta Van Fleet... & Magic Giant

Favorite App:  Headspace

Favorite Band/Artist to Follow on Twitter: The Lords of Portland (@PortugalTheMan)

Band/Artist to follow on Instagram: @JohnMayer

Favorite Band/Artist to follow on Snapchat: no snap for me! ..anxiety's already at an all time high w/ the other social media apps.

Favorite Podcast: "Train by day, Joe Rogan Podcast by night!"


Mike Jones -  Afternoons

Mike JonesTop 5 (or 7) favorite songs: 
Weezer – Feels Like Summer
Foo Fighters – Run
Royal Blood – I Only Lie When I Love You
Beck – Up All Night
The Struts – One Night Only
Liam Gallagher – Wall Of Glass
The Killers – The Man 

Best Album of 2017:  Foo Fighters – Concrete & Gold, Liam Gallagher – As You Were

Most Disappointing Album of 2017:  Arcade Fire – Everything Now

Artist of The Year for 2017:  Portugal. The Man.

Best New Artist of 2017: Rag n’ Bone Man

Best Music Video of 2017: Foo Fighters - Run

Favorite Philly area Band/Artist: Daddylap

Favorite Concert/Show of 2017: Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters

Favorite Radio 104.5 Summer Block Party of 2017:  August was such a good time!

Best Philly Area Concert Venue: Foundry At The Fillmore

Artist/Band You Hope Takes A Long Break in 2018: The Lumineers

Most Anticipated Album for 2018: Thirty Seconds To Mars, Twenty One Pilots

Best Radio 104.5 Studio Session of 2017: The Pixies

Favorite App: Amazon, MLB

Favorite Band/Artist to Follow on Twitter: @MarkHoppus – He’s hilarious.

Favorite Band/Artist to follow on Instagram: @LukeStruts – Rock. Star.

Favorite Podcast: Something To Wrestle With Bruce Prichard



Josh - On Air Weekends / Fill-In

Josh with MisterwivesTop 5 favorite songs: 

  • 1. Feel it Still – Portugal. The Man
  • 2. Take it All Back – Judah & The Lion
  • 3. Thunder – Imagine Dragons
  • 4. The Sky is a Neighborhood – Foo Fighters
  • 5. Fire Escape – Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
  • Honorable Mention – Walk on Water – Thirty Seconds To Mars
  • Honorable Mention – Wish I Knew You – The Revivalists

Best Album of 2017: 

  • 1. Concrete and Gold – Foo Fighters
  • 2. Zombie on Broadway – Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
  • 3. Wonderful Wonderful – The Killers
  • 4. Evolve – Imagine Dragons
  • 5. Woodstock – Portugal. The Man

Most Disappointing Album of 2017:  8 - Incubus

Artist of The Year for 2017:  Imagine Dragons

Best New Artist of 2017: Judah & The Lion

Best Music Video of 2017: TIE: Sky is a Neighborhood (Foo Fighters) & Thunder (Imagine Dragons)

Favorite Philly area Band/Artist: War on Drugs

Favorite Concert/Show of 2017:  TIE: Radio 104.5 10th Birthday Celebration Day #2 & August Radio 104.5 Summer Block Party

Favorite Radio 104.5 Summer Block Party of 2017:  August: Vance Joy, Portugal. The Man, Judah & the Lion, The Outdoor Type, and The Groove Merchants (Day before I donated my kidney too!)

Best Philly Area Concert Venue: XFINITY Live!

Artist/Band You Hope Takes A Long Break in 2018:  Fall Out Boy

Most Anticipated Album for 2018: The Struts new album

Best Radio 104.5 Studio Session of 2017:  Alice Merton (11/29/17)

Most Overlooked Artist of 2017: Sir Sly

Favorite App:  iHeartRadio

Favorite Band/Artist to Follow on Twitter: @weezer

Favorite Band/Artist to follow on Instagram: @portugaltheman

Favorite Band/Artist to follow on Snapchat: N/A

Favorite Podcast: Shat The Movies


Cole - On Air Sundays/Blogger

Cole DJ picTop 5 favorite songs: 

5. Andrew McMahon- Don't Speak For Me
4. Sir Sly- &Run
3. Bleachers- Don't Take The Money
2. Cold War Kids- Restless
1. Beck- Dear Life

Best Album of 2017: Bleachers- "Gone Now" (Incredible from start to finish)

Artist of The Year for 2017: Imagine Dragons (I mean talk about a comeback!)

Best New Artist of 2017: Magic Giant 

Best Music Video of 2017: Cold War Kids/Bishop Briggs - "So Tied Up"

Favorite Philly area Band/Artist: I have to pass. Too many to name. There are so many incredible bands from our area and I love so many of them! 

Favorite Concert/Show of 2017: Panic! At The Disco At Wells Fargo Center in February

Favorite Radio 104.5 Summer Block Party of 2017:  August: Vance Joy, Portugal. The Man, Judah & the Lion, The Outdoor Type, and The Groove Merchants

Best Philly Area Concert Venue: The TLA 

Best Radio 104.5 Studio Session of 2017: Andrew McMahon 

Most Overlooked Artist of 2017: Magic Giant

Favorite App: MoviePass

Favorite Band/Artist to Follow on Twitter: John Mayer


Wendy Rollins - Weekends

wendy rollinsTop 5 favorite songs: 
Sir Sly-High
Foo Fighters-Run
Bishop Briggs + Cold War Kids-So Tied Up
Imagine Dragons-Believer
Manchester Orchestra-Alien

Best Album of 2017: Don’t You Worry Honey-Sir Sly (Honorable Mention Foo Fighters and QOTSA)

Most Disappointing Album of 2017: Depeche Mode

Artist of The Year for 2017: Portugal. The Man-finally got the spotlight they deserved

Best New Artist of 2017: (TIE) Fitness, The Wrecks, and Magic Giant

Best Music Video of 2017: I Found God-Mainland

Favorite Philly area Band/Artist: DJ Reed Streets

Favorite Concert/Show of 2017: FooFAnthem with Mike Jones in DC!

Best Philly Area Concert Venue: Long Live The Electric Factory

Artist/Band You Hope Takes A Long Break in 2018: Weezer

Most Anticipated Album for 2018: Florence + The Machine, Jack White, Twenty One Pilots, Arctic Monkeys, Hozier, Smashing Pumpkins, Wombats, Muse, Bastille

Most Overlooked Artist of 2017: Fitness

Favorite App: Instagram

Favorite Podcast: the return of Alter Natives


DJ Reed Streets - Block Party DJ, Saturday Night Mix Tape

DJ Reed StreetsTop 5 favorite songs: 
Francis & the Lights - "May I Have This Dance"
Maggie Rodgers - "Alaska"
Passion Pit - "Hey K"
LCD Soundsystem - "Call The Police"
Lil Peep - "Awful Things"

Best Album of 2017: Bleachers "Gone Now"

Most Disappointing Album of 2017: Imagine Dragons "Evolve"

Artist of The Year for 2017: Post Malone

Best New Artist of 2017: POWERS

Best Music Video of 2017: The Killers "The Man"

Favorite Philly area Band/Artist: Vacationer 

Favorite Concert/Show of 2017:  LCD Soundsystem (Fillmore)

Favorite Radio 104.5 Summer Block Party of 2017:  August

Best Philly Area Concert Venue: The Fillmore

Artist/Band You Hope Takes A Long Break in 2018: Fall Out Boy

Most Anticipated Album for 2018:  The 1975 "Music For Cars"

Best Radio 104.5 Studio Session of 2017:  Glass Animals

Most Overlooked Artist of 2017: Akof

Favorite Band/Artist to Follow on Twitter: Passion Pit

Favorite Band/Artist to follow on Instagram: Matt & Kim


Tricia Gdowik - Digital Producer/Photographer/Philly Music Podcast

Trish w/ WeezerTop 5 favorite songs: 
JoJo & the Neon Grease - Baptized in Vibe
Grace Vonderkuhn - Worry
Japanese Breakfast - Diving Woman
Low Cut Connie - Revolution Rock'N'Roll
Pete Donnelly - Dr. Richard (OMG THIS IS SO CATCHY, do not get it stuck in your head!)

Runners-up: Ben Arnold - Hellfire (this technically gets released in 2018!), Andorra - In Limbo

Best Album of 2017: JD McPherson - Undivided Heart & Soul

Most Disappointing Album of 2017: tbh I didn't listen to enough full albums to have an educated & informed opinion about this

Artist of The Year for 2017: St. Vincent

Best New Artist of 2017: Daddylap

Favorite Philly area Band/Artist: So many good ones but I'm gonna call out Ali Wadsworth & David Fantasy & Adult Content this year.

Favorite Concert/Show of 2017:  Besides our own Radio 104.5 shows -- St. Vincent at Electric Factory - November 2017 followed closely by JD McPherson at World Cafe Live ... as well as Os Mutantes at the Troc earlier in the year

Favorite Radio 104.5 Summer Block Party of 2017: They were all really great but I was not prepared for how amazing the Revivalists were live (June). 

Best Philly Area Concert Venue: Union Transfer

Artist/Band You Hope Takes A Long Break in 2018: Foo Fighters

Most Anticipated Album for 2018: (THAT I KNOW OF...) Ben Arnold - Sunday Morning Meltdown, Jojo & the Neon Grease new album coming out in February 2018?

Best Radio 104.5 Studio Session of 2017: TIE: Phoenix, The Pixies

Most Overlooked Artist of 2017: The Revivalists

Favorite App: Hipstamatic

Favorite Band/Artist to Follow on Twitter: Andorra is hilarious & so is Cookie Rabinowitz

Favorite Band/Artist to follow on Instagram: Low Cut Connie

Favorite Band/Artist to follow on Snapchat: I only follow friends on Snapchat sorry!

Favorite Podcast: Philly Music Podcast  or WTF with Marc Maron



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