I was looking around on the interwebs the other day for a listing of every essential mix of the year, but to my surprise it did not exist. So I made my own, complete with links to stream/download each mix.
Notes: It seems that in 2003, the Essential Mix of the Year was never chosen... if you happen to know the story behind that, or if they named an EM of the year before 1995, let me know.
Also, I couldn't find a definitive answer to the EM of the year 1999... there are reports of both Paul Oakenfold and Basement Jaxx winning. Anyone know the final answer? ...In the meantime, I posted them both.
I'm still working on listening to all of them, but so far I'd highly recommend 2010, 2007, 2005 and 2004. UPDATE: Definitely check out the David Holmes from '97... Amazing.
Actually, fuck it listen to them all... its the best of the best.
Enjoy!
2016 // Midland Studio Session 2.20.16
2013 // Eric Prydz Studio Session 2.2.2013 // Progressive House
2011 // Above & Beyond Studio Session 7.2.2011 // Trance
2010 // Swedish House Mafia Live @ Creamfields, Northern England 9.4.2010 // Progressive House
2009 // Sharam Studio Session 8.29.2009 // Progressive House
2008 // Flying Lotus Studio Session 11.29.2008 // Electronic / Experimental / Hip Hop
2007 // High Contrast Studio Session 10.7.2007 // Drum & Bass
2006 // Trentemøller Studio Session 10.15.2006 // Downtempo/Minimal
2005 // Sasha Live @ Maida Vale, Northwest London (BBC Studios) 5.22.2006 // First live laptop mix / Progressive House
2004 // Above and Beyond Studio Session 6.6.2004 // Trance
2003 // Apparently never picked this year... if you know the story, let me know!
2002 // Sasha & Digweed Live @ Miami World Music Conference - Delta Heavy Tour 4.7.2002 // Progressive House
2001 // Sander Kleinenberg Studio Session 6.10.2001 // House / Trance
2000 // Dave Clarke Studio Session 1.16.2000 // Techno
1999 // Basement Jaxx Studio Session 5.2.1999 // House
1999 // Paul Oakenfold Live @ Gatecrasher, Lotherton Hall, Leeds 6.19.1999 // Trance
1998 // Carl Cox Live @ The Terrace, Space, Ibiza 8.9.1998 // House
1997 // David Holmes Studio Session 6.15.1997 // Northern Soul/Psychedelic Funk/Hip Hop
If you are interested in tracklists / downloads / background for these or any other essential mixes, Ill post some resources here sometime when Im not staying late at the office on a Friday night posting essential mixes. Either that or check this out.
Some background on the Essential Mix of the year (From Wikipedia):
At the end of each year, a shortlist of the most popular Essential Mixes from that year is drawn up by the BBC. Listeners are invited to vote for their favourite shortlisted mix in a poll on the Essential Mix web site around two weeks before the final show of the year. The mix with the majority of the votes is given the title of "Essential Mix of the Year" and is replayed in the final show of the year. The exception for the proper nomination of the essential mix of the year award was in 2007 - when voting and competitions were suspended on Radio 1 until further notice. So for that year, the essential mix of the year (High Contrast) was chosen by Pete Tong and the Radio 1 Essential mix team.