Preservation Hall Jazz Band performs at the Tiny Desk on Dec. 3, 2013. John W. Poole/NPR hide caption

Clockwise from upper left: Lorde, SZA, The National, St. Vincent Courtesy of the artists hide caption

The Decemberists' cover of "Ben Franklin's Song" from Hamilton is out now. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Feist's Pleasure was one of Robin Hilton's favorite albums this year. Mary Rozzi /Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Clockwise from upper left: The singer, MILCK at the Women's March on Washington in January, Lorde, Big Thief, SZA, Partner, Moses Sumney Courtesy of the artists hide caption

Charli XCX on the cover of POP 2. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Ed Sheeran performs onstage during 102.7 KIIS FM's Jingle Ball 2017. Spotify reports Sheeran is the most-streamed artist of 2017. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartMedia hide caption

On Liberman, Vanessa Carlton opts to pare down her lyrics, personal narratives and production, making it her most confessional work yet. Brad Barket/Getty Images hide caption

Steely Dan's Walter Becker (at left, who died in September), and Donald Fagen in Los Angeles in 2001. Laura Farr/Getty Images hide caption

Ryan Adams performs live at the World Cafe 25th anniversary concert in Philadelphia. Joe Del Tufo/WXPN hide caption

Jack Johnson inside the World Cafe performance studio at WXPN in Philadelphia, Penn. Galea McGregor/WXPN hide caption

Beck Eliot Lee Hazel/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Taylor Swift on November 11, 2017 in New York City. James Devaney/GC Images hide caption

A still from Björk's "Blissing Me" video. Facebook hide caption