2016 was a quieter year for Nebraska LPs, a downturn you’d maybe only notice if you did a podcast reviewing them. That said, it wasn’t a dull year for Nebraska music en masse. Slews of debut EPs and singles arrived from incoming and forward-looking artists. That’s why this year, the year-end On The Record podcast looks a bit more like a survey: It moves from our four favorite albums to our favorite songs to some looser discussions of new revelations within, and new national connections to, the Nebraska scene.

Listen below as managing editor Andrew Stellmon and former managing editor Chance Solem-Pfeifer reel off the highlights of 2016. Time stamps are included behind the selected artists if you’d like to skip around the podcast.

On The Record’s Favorite 2016 Albums

Voices From The Moon by Jack Hotel (2:20)
Bogusman by Bogusman (5:55)
La Maga by Conny Franko (9:15)
Ruminations by Conor Oberst (12:30)
A shout-out to Kait Berreckman’s Battle Scenes (16:15)

On The Record’s Favorite 2016 Songs and Singles

“Loose Ends” by Oquoa (17:15)
“Try To Stay On My Side” by Uh Oh (19:25)
“Without You” by Mesonjixx (20:45)
“Katz” (Live) and “Teleprompter King” by The Hottman Sisters (22:25)
“Flashdrive” by Both (25:00)
“Young & Realistic” by The Faint (27:20)

Honorable Mentions and Discoveries

The Ambulanters (29:50)
Bed Rest (32:05)
Edem (33:05)
INFNTLP ((35:40)
David Nance (37:00)
Bib (39:25)
The Way Out (40:45)
Andrea Von Kampen (42:05)

The Year in Nebraska-Adjacent Music

Big Thief and the beauty of “Paul” (43:30)
The Thermals (47:10)
Navy Gangs (48:15)
Terrace Martin and living, breathing genres (49:15)

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Catch up with the full compliment of On The Record podcast reviews via our running playlist, which features all nine 2016 episodes and beyond.