Every Friday night, RVA Mag brings you an essential playlist curated by Virginia’s most influential artists, musicians, and institutions.

This week, as the year draws to a close and the holidays come into view, we’re staying in-house to bring you a playlist from our editorial director and resident music nerd, Marilyn Drew Necci. Here’s what she has to say about it:

“Usually by the time Thanksgiving rolls around, music critics are starting to release their best-albums-of-the-year list. I’ve never believed in jumping the gun like that, so please don’t take this playlist as a final official word on the year in music from my perspective, or anything of the sort. However, I did think it would be fun to share a slew of rad tracks from all sorts of genres that have come out since the beginning of 2019. Enjoy this one as you contemplate your own best-of-2019 list (if you’re the sort of nerd that makes one), or simply as a helpful guide to some good music from this year that you might have missed. PS — the top photo is me with my old band, Samarra, back in 2016. I really do play bass, it isn’t just a clever song choice. ;)”

You heard the lady — give this one a spin and see what the year has had to offer, musically speaking. And be prepared for everything from hip hop and metal to shoegaze and quiet acoustic folk. If there’s one thing Drew’s never been accused of, it’s having a narrow range of musical tastes.

Add it up, Virginia.

Open this playlist from mobile in your Spotify app HERE.

Top Photo by Jake Cunningham

Music Sponsored By Graduate Richmond