KDHX: Top 20 Album Spins of 2018

As a radio station, KDHX is truly rare, even among its competitors.

Dozens of volunteer hosts create and deliver all of the programming listeners hear on a daily basis. With interests ranging from early Americana to old-school rap, they shape the foundations of the St. Louis music community – creating one of the most eclectic and unpredictable scenes in the country.  

The following list of KDHX’s 20 most-played albums of 2018 speaks to this diversity of style. For the third year in a row, the ‘St. Louis Blues Society Presents’ compilation received the most spins. While a quarter of the entries are local, the rest include artists from across the globe, on both independent and major labels, at every stage of their careers. They represent bluegrass, soul, rock and every shade of music in between. 

Top 20 Albums Spins of 2018

1. Various artists / ‘St. Louis Blues Society Presents 17 in ‘17’ / St. Louis Blues Society / Local

2. Courtney Barnett / ‘Tell Me How You Really Feel’ / Mom + Pop

3. Sloan / ‘12’ / Yep Rock

4. Calexico / ‘The Thread That Keeps Us’ / Anti-

5. Middle Class Fashion / ‘Ego’ / Middle Class Fashion / Local

6. First Aid Kit / ‘Ruins’ / Columbia

7. The Wilhelms / ‘Contortionist Blues’ / Perdition / Local

8. Bettye LaVette / ‘Things Have Changed’ / Verve

9. Grace Basement / ‘Mississippi Nights’ / Avonmore / Local

10. Ezra Furman / ‘Transangelic Exodus’ / Bella Union

11. Neko Case / ‘Hell-On’ / Anti-

12. Shopping / ‘The Official Body’ / Fat Cat

13. Summer Magic / ‘Sharks and Other Dangers’ / Summer Magic / Local

14. Courtney Marie Andrews / ‘May Your Kindness Remain’ / Fat Possum, Momma Bird Recording 

15. Anna Burch / ‘Quit the Curse’ / Polyvinyl

16. Orgone / ‘Undercover Mixtape’ / Colemin

17. Caroline Rose / ‘Loner’ / New West

18. The James Hunter Six / ‘Whatever It Takes’ / Daptone

19. Middle Kids / ‘Lost Friends’ / Domino

20. Ry Cooder / ‘The Prodigal Son’ / Fantasy

Above: Middle Class Fashion. Live at The Listening Room - KDHX,  June, 13, 2018. Photo by Colin Suchland. Check out our Flickr photo gallery from the event.

Main article photo: Kim Massie performs at Beale on Broadway on August 16, 2016. Massie is one of the local artists featured on ‘St. Louis Blues Society Presents 17 in ‘17.’  Photo by Monica Mileur. Check out our Flickr photo gallery from the event.