New music releases are still trickling in amongst the deluge of holiday releases but for shows like the New Music Experience it’s the time of year for year-end lists, lookbacks and best of’s. Last week in tribute to our Winter Fund Drive we had WNXP founding listener-members pick their favorite discoveries of our first year on air and this week, thanks to a great idea from Marquis Munson, we check in with Nashville Public Radio staff members outside of WNXP.

That includes the voices you normally hear on the news ala Blake Farmer, Marianna Baccallao, Paige Pfleger and Chas Sisk as well as the producers, editors and support staff whose work isn’t as visible or, in this case, audible. We also have picks from new names in our expanding world including multiple members of the This Is Nashville staff, the one-hour daily news and culture program starting on WPLN in the new year. Follow the links below to learn more about the pickers.

1. Khalil Ekulona – Silk Sonic “Blast Off”
2. Chas Sisk – Japanese Breakfast “Be Sweet”
3. Tony Gonzalez – Bachelor “Anything At All”
4. Paige Pfleger – Snail Mail “Ben Franklin”
5. Steve Haruch – Linda Lindas “Racist Sexist Boy”
6. Samantha Max – Joy Oladokun “If You’ve Got a Problem”
7. Beth Fernandes – Bomba Estereo “Soy Yo”
8. Blake Farmer – Band Of Horses “Crutch”
9. Marianna Bacallao – Hippo Campus “Semi Pro”
10. Emily Siner – Leah Nobel “Beginning Middle End”
11. Anna Gallegos-Cannon – Madi Diaz “Nervous”
12. Tasha French Lemley – Tori Amos “Metal Water Wood”
13. Andrea Tudhope – Wet Leg “Chaise Lounge”
14. Julia Ritchey –Blu DeTiger “Cotton Candy Lemonade”
15. Mikayla Elias – Sofia Valdes “Handful of Water”
16. *Alexis Marshall – Daniel Nunnelee “Wrong To You“

* = Bonus Picks that did not make the broadcast