2019 was a fantastic year for New Age music – both in terms of quality and quantity. Some of the albums our Top 10 list have already become modern classics. Many have said that New Age music is a dying genre, but that is far from the truth. The New Age music Grammy is still being handed out (congratulations Peter!) and the Billboard New Age album chart is doing well – so there is no reason to write off New Age music just yet.
We who have followed this genre since the mid-1980s have seen plenty of other genres come and go. Today it is all about mindfulness, 10 years ago we were “in the zone” and 20 years ago “adult contemporary” was “the next big thing”. But believe me; New Age music is a genre for 2020s. Millennials are loving its sound and expression. It is a genre that is always new. And new is, as we know, always better 🙂
Artists in our genre still have a massive impact on music. Norwegian artist Aurora, who we know from Disney’s Frozen 2 and the Oscars 2020, says she listens to nothing but Enya. Aurora is also an important influence to Billie Eilish, who won five Grammys recently.
Without further ado, here is New Age Music Guide’s Top 10 New Age Music Albums of 2019!
1. Grayhawk – Voice of the Ancestors
“Voice of the Ancestors” is the long-awaited third installment in Grayhawk’s “Shamanic Trilogy”. It is dedicated to his son, Christopher, who died from neuroblastoma pediatric cancer just 3 weeks shy of his 3rd birthday in 2007. The album urges us to listen to tradition, nature, and spiritualism.
Just like the previous albums in the series defined our genre in the 1990s, this album redefines the music of today and takes it to new heights. “Voice of the Ancestors” is, in short, a masterpiece for the ages.
Read our review
2. Karen Biehl – Starlight Dreams
Listening to Karen Biehl’s debut album “Starlight Dreams” got me thinking about Plato’s famous quote: “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” In Biehl’s music there’s a remarkable sensibility and existential longing. It makes you see the world in new ways. “Starlight Dreams” is, simply put, an outstanding solo piano debut.
The album is nicely balanced, and you may enjoy every song independently. The album has on been out a few months, but “Meditation on a Moonlit Lake” is on its way to becoming a modern classic. To sum the review up in one word: bravo!
Read our review
3. Dan Palladino – Pastoral Memory
Kate Winslet once said: “The countryside, particularly, is very good for my head.” I believe most people feel this way, in an age dominated by city life and everything that entails. Still, we cannot all escape to the country. Here Dan Palladino comes to our rescue. His new album “Pastoral Memory” is a collection of nature sounds with music. Each of the seven soundscapes offers a unique, easily perceived panorama.
It is easy to overproduce such delicate sounds, but Palladino has done a terrific job in extending the atmosphere that was already there, in nature. “Pastoral Memories” is exquisite, a real treat.
Read our review
4. Nicholas Gunn – Riding the Thermals
It takes both talent and courage to do something new, unexpected and totally different – especially for successful artists. But this is exactly what Nicholas Gunn is doing on his new album “Riding the Thermals”. His first album with vocals is a ground-breaking release, bridging the gap between Contemporary Instrumental of the 90s and modern electronic genres such as EDM. “Riding the Thermals” will for sure lift Nicholas Gunn’s career to new heights.
Read our review here.
5. Secret Garden – Storyteller
Secret Garden’s 10th original studio album “Storyteller” is their first release since “Winter Poem” eight years ago. It is very much true to Secret Garden form of mostly instrumental melodies, each telling their own unique stories. They have also included three vocal songs sung by three amazing artists: Brian Kennedy, Catherine Iversen, and Espen Grotheim.
See more here.
6. Kokhe – Blue World
EverSound debut artist Kokhe presents the album “Blue World”. Like a well-written fantasy novel, it effortlessly transports us to a far-away dimension. From the “Temple Of Ellesyia”, via “Gateway To Korinthia” to “Across The Quiet Universe”, Kokhe’s album is musical world-building on a massive scale.
While still maintaining their separateness, the tracks on “Blue World” flow harmoniously together along barely rippling currents, taking the listener on a unique journey through scenic woods and dark forests before reaching a luminous destination.
Read more here.
7. Omar Akram – Destiny
Omar Akram’s piano-driven, instrumental music elegantly defies borders and has played a crucial role in defining modern New Age music. ‘’Destiny’’ is Omar’s first release since his critically acclaimed album Daytime Dreamer.
The new album was produced by the legendary Walter Afanasieff and features an eighty-piece symphony orchestra conducted by Shardad Rohani (Yanni: Live at the Acropolis).
Read more here.
8. Vangelis – Nocturne
Fascinated by space and having previously collaborated with NASA, Vangelis releases a new double vinyl album inspired by nighttime, along with solo piano versions of his best-loved hits, including the Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner themes.
Read more here.
9. EverSound – Keys of Beauty
Including pieces by some of the finest artists in the New Age music genre – John Adorney, Michele McLaughlin and Suzanne Ciani – this collection shows why the piano is the finest instrument there is. Played by talented and accomplished artists like this, it resonates to us on a deep, personal level.
We tend to forget that it is “the King of instruments.” The compilation is a welcome reminder of how versatile and many-sided this instrument really is. That’s why «Keys of Beauty» will fit in almost any occasion, from your daily work routine to a romantic dinner. It features some of the best performers out there, from established A-list artists to up-and-coming talents.
Read our review
10. David Arkenstone – Fairy Dreams
David Arkenstone describes “Fairy Dreams” as “Cinematic New Age rock”. “It is sometimes difficult to categorize my music and this is a term I can live with,” David continues, “I enjoy bringing many different influences together in my music.”
“World music, classical rock, and New Age are some of the styles I draw from and enjoy weaving into an entertaining and adventurous whole,” says David. “I have always loved the sound of the orchestra. Now I believe I have refined a wonderful blend combining the best elements of the acoustic world, with the electronic world.”
Read more here.
Congratulations to all! Wow, what a list! I can’t wait to see what 2020 has in store for us 🙂
Here you can see the winners for 2018, 2017 and 2016.
Or if you want to check out the chart for individual months, here are the links:
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
The list is, as always, based on two factors; (1) The popularity of an artist’s tag on Newagemusic.guide, and (2) Number of requests for songs from an album, to be played on New Age Stars.
Above picture by kbuntu and pkruger – Bigstockphoto.com