Check out the final roster of local and regional albums which earned the most airplay at WYCE-FM last year, topped by a Michigan bluegrass powerhouse. Then, listen to tracks from all of the featured artists.
Soaring to No. 1 for the Year: Greensky Bluegrass (Photo/Anna Sink)
SCROLL DOWN TO LISTEN TO SONGS FROM THE TOP 10 ALBUMS
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With the 2020 Jammie Awards show celebrating Michigan music fast approaching, it’s only apropos to look back at the local and regional releases that racked up the most spins at Grand Rapids radio station WYCE (88.1 FM) last year.
Kalamazoo-bred bluegrass powerhouse Greensky Bluegrass’ “All for Money” topped the Local Spins Hot Top 10 for 2019, a roster culled from the Hot Top 5 charts published every month at Local Spins from data compiled by Shane German, WYCE’s music director.
The Most-Played Regional Albums of 2019
It was followed close behind by Grand Rapids alt-country band Deep Greens & Blues with its “Roll On” album at No. 2 and funky GR outfit Melophobix with “Cage Free” at No. 3.
The rest of the Hot Top 10 – which is really 11, with two albums tied for No. 10 – features a mix of veteran West Michigan bands (Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish, Max Lockwood, The Go Rounds, Bermudas) and emerging artists (Earth Radio, Political Lizard, Patty PerShayla, Molly).
Interestingly, local artists were also among the 20 most-played albums overall at WYCE for 2019, with Greensky Bluegrass’ “All for Money” at No. 2, Deep Greens & Blues’ “Roll On” at No. 4, and Melophobix’s “Cage-Free” at No. 15.
“We’re tremendously grateful for the love and support shown by WYCE and our fans toward our music and this album,” Deep Greens & Blues’ Travis Atkinson told Local Spins.
“We started our band eight years ago from the ground up right here in Grand Rapids, and we feel incredibly fortunate to have seen our musical hopes and aspirations come to life since then. This album is an amalgamation of the best of ourselves as musicians, bandmates and people, and we’re humbled by how receptive this community has been to our music.”
Travis Atkinson
All of the Top 10 artists also are nominated for various Jammie Awards, which will be presented by WYCE as part of “West Michigan’s biggest night for music” at The Intersection on Feb. 14.
Three of them – Molly, PerShayla and Political Lizard – are nominated for best album by a new artist, and all are among the 88 albums up for album of the year honors.
Deep Greens & Blues, Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish, Patty PerShayla and Political Lizard will also be among more than two dozen nominees playing three stages at the Jammie Awards.
Get more information about the Jammies at Local Spins here, with a full list of nominees at wyce.org.
LISTEN: LOCAL SPINS HOT TOP 10 FOR 2019 ON SPOTIFY
Listen: Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish, “Story Song” (from “Love & Luck”)
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