The Albums That Saved Me From 2016

The internet is dragging us back into 2016. Some of us are kicking and screaming.

Torres @ Johnny Brenda’s. Exactly ten years ago to the day, shitty Instagram filters and all.

If you used any social media in recent weeks, you’ve probably noticed that a whole lot of people have time traveled back to 2016.

2016 is trending. A calendar year. Is trending. I didn’t think that a specific year in the relatively recent past was a creative enough meme prompt, but perhaps I’ve lost some whimsy in my grumpy dotage.

In any event, this mostly means we’re seeing a surfeit of quirky selfies dipped in the Valencia filter, massive plaid scarves and block eyebrows, and a lot of wistful reminiscing.¹

Again, perhaps odd to romanticize so much when it’s only been ten years, but it allows the youths to participate. Setting aside all the overbearing thinkpieces with titles like “IS NOSTALGIA GEN Z’S COPING MECHANISM?!,” I’m all for it. In theory.

Normally, I’d even join in. But it so happens that 2016 was one of the worst years of my life. I lost two jobs and two relationships in quick succession and resigned myself dramatically to remain secluded in my bunker for the rest of my days… long before anyone even started seriously worrying about election returns.

In short, there’s nothing about 2016 I want to revisit.

Except, mayyybe the music.

The Albums That Got Me Through 2016

There were a handful of records that helped me survive the year that would not be named (until everyone decided to resurrect it right into my face).

I’ll share a small selection of them with you now, with a little anchor each to bring you back to the present.²

1. Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial

This was my introduction to Will Toledo, and though I’d end up loving Twin Fantasy better, it still has the distinct honor of being the first record I turn to when I feel my mental health start dipping (“You have no right to be depressed/you haven’t tried hard enough to like it”). We’d already been primed for a return to ‘90s slacker rock with Courtney Barnett’s excellent debut the previous year, but something about Teens of Denial was so much more complex and layered and thoughtfully constructed than its influences could have predicted.

For former fans of: Pavement, Television, Guided by Voices
For future fans of³: Water From Your Eyes

2. Thao and the Get Down Stay Down - A Man Alive

There was a week in 2016 — I think right around January⁴, in fact — when I played “Astonished Man” on a loop several times a day, every day. It has the effect of two songs stitched together: the haunting, scratchy kick-drum/bass opener mixed with the uplifting choral refrain combine into something truly hypnotic. You can hear Merrill Garbus’ production all over this record, but its eclectic funk and grit are difficult to ascribe any one genre to.

For former fans of: tune-yards, Deerhoof, Pixies, Talking Heads, The Blow
For future fans of: Daughter of Swords

3. Tegan and Sara - Love You to Death

I understand that 2013’s Heartthrob — the album where Tegan and Sara broke synthpop — was universally considered to be their greatest, certainly far overshadowing this one. But I can’t help it, Love You to Death has my heart. To me, it feels more like an ‘80s mall pop record all grown up (and out of the closet). It’s so earnest, so vulnerable, so bright and neon and emotionally enormous. Dancing absolutely mandatory.

For former fans of: Robyn, Carly Rae Jepsen, Tiffany
For future fans of: MUNA

4. Lucy Dacus - No Burden

Lucy Dacus has gotten far too big for us to talk about her debut anymore, but this is the first and last of her records that I felt a true connection with. Maybe you’re sensing a (highly unsurprising) emotional theme to these albums. Dacus’ confessional blues-twinged Americana, syrupy voice, and deftly deployed key changes had me in her thrall. But what is surprising is how tethered I was to her lyrics. And we’ve already established my usual thoughts about lyrics, haven’t we?⁵

Whoopsie.

But I recognized myself in them. “Is there room in the band?/I don’t need to be the front man/If not, then I’ll be the biggest fan.”

(Coincidentally, this was my peak Mitski- and Torres-listening era as well. I think perhaps early 30s might just be skating the tail end of the right time of life for artists like this, since they didn’t embed themselves in my psyche when I was at a more impressionable age?)

For former fans of: Feist, PJ Harvey, Sharon von Etten
For future fans of: Why Bonnie

Honorable mentions:

Speed round.

• Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool

• The Avalanches - Wildflower

• Mexrrissey - No Manchester (I actually can’t recommend this record enough, especially in light of last week’s post)

• Ra Ra Riot - Need Your Light

What were your favorite records from 2016?

Do they still hold up a decade later?

And if you’re brave enough…

What albums got you through the toughest year of your life?

Ciao for niao,

Gabbie

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1. Generally from people who were teenagers in 2016, which seems scientifically implausible to me, but I’m leaning in.

2. As you’re likely aware, New Bands for Old Heads focuses pretty heavily on brand new, fresh off the presses releases. But when I started this project, the goal was to catch people up on new music who had potentially been out of touch for decades. For them (and maybe that means you?), albums released in 2016 might also qualify as new. I don’t intend to make a habit of posting “stale” records, if you will, but I think playing catch-up serves a function, too.

3. CSH put out a great record in 2025, but we’re going for newer bands here.

4. Fact checking myself, it must actually have been in March, based on album release day, unless this was a single or I was in the promo list. I may have been but I'm too lazy to dig through emails and I was definitely too depressed that year to go through with writing a review.

5. Gosh, I sure hope Queen Kwong isn’t reading this!