2016 was really the year I substantially expanded my music horizons. This doesn’t just mean I listened to genres I typically didn’t like or wasn’t familiar with, but also that I found more reasons to hate the stuff I hate and love the stuff I love. Today, I’ll be focusing on the latter. Without further ado, here are my favorite albums and EPs of 2016.
Genre Rankings:
Pop- 7 albums
Rap/Hip-hop- 32 albums
Loud rock- 17 albums
Rock- 23 albums
Experimental- 3 albums
Rnb- 11 albums
Country- 1 albums
Electronic- 4 albums
Jazz- 2 albums
100. Hamburger Helper - Watch the Stove (trap, hip-hop, soul)
While the rest of my list might seem like a joke with this addition, Watch The Stove was agruably the best brand produced April Fools joke of 2016. Why? Well, each participating company tried to fit in with old trends, but Hamburger Helper went towards a more current route. It was even better that the project was teased leaps and bounds before release, with followers thinking it was simply a joke that wouldn’t pull through.
Best Track: Feed the Streets
99. Death Grips - Interview 2016 (electronic, instrumental hip-hop)
I’ve always heard that Death Grips music is great for working out, but the aesthetic they provide can lead to quick exhaustion if you’re not careful enough. On Interview 2016, instrumentals are a lot calmer, but still pack a Death Grips punch. If you’ve eaten through their discography like I have, this album shows that they always have something to surprise fans.
Best Track: Interview B
98. Young Legionnaire - Zero Worship (punk rock)
Zero Worship may be straightforward punk rock, but it still manages to stand out. Hooks are fierce and each song has an escalation that is simply great to listen to. I’m also a fan of the vocals in this album, as you need a specific sound to work with the punk rock architecture.
Best Track: Disappear
97. J. Cole- Forest Hills Drive Live (hip-hop)
I’m a fan of J Cole’s style, but he never seems to iron out the flaws I find with each of his albums. Forest Hills Drive Live is an exception, and brings me deeper to why Cole’s music is so beloved. Instrumentation impresses on a bigger and better scale, and an energetic crowd makes this one of the more memorable live albums I’ve heard in a long while.
Best Track: Love Yourz
96. The Last Shadow Puppets - Everything You’ve Come to Expect (indie rock, psychedelic)
It may not be as fierce as the single Bad Habits suggests, but the second endeavor from The Last Shadow Puppets is still worth listening to. Stories of sex and love bounce against great riffs, establishing the significance that was missing from AM. And months later, its lead to some great sessions and EP(s).
Best Track: Sweet Dreams, TN
95. Childish Gambino - Awaken My Love! (rnb, soul, funk, psychedelic)
It may not be as good as the singles Redbone and Me and Your Mama, but Childish Gambino has still found intriguing ways to stay relevant when his acting career blossoms more than most imagined. I never happened to grow attached to his previous work, but Awaken My Love! feels like the start I should have received.
Best Track: Zombies
94. Sioux Falls - Rot Forever (punk rock)
Contradictory to the album’s title, the low-fi punk rock expressed on Rot Forever is lasting and strong. Crying vocals construct walls between the many riffs and rhythms, creating personified patterns. There’s also nice touches added between the chorus of every song, so replays aren’t sparse.
Best Track: Dom
93. Deftones - Gore (Alt-metal)
Just like the album cover and title, atmospheres shaped on Gore are fleeting and climactic. “Prayers/Triangles” is dark and grisly and “Pittura Infamante” establishes itself to be a rising epic. It can be hard to form musical diversity in a metal album, but Deftones have finally cracked the code.
Best Track: Geometric Headdress
92. White Lung - Paradise (punk rock)
I originally wrote this one off as the type of record where every song sounds the same, but in the end I was missing the album’s subtlety and great themes. Rewriting traditional feminist punk, Paradise is unending in critique, becoming more passioned than anything White Lung has released before. Everything musical decision is done for a reason across these ten tracks, creating the weight punk deserves.
Best Track: Below
91. Flume - Skin (wonky, EDM, electronic)
Flume has work to do, but I’m happy to see how he’s brought a genre that doesn’t always click to work with mainstream audiences. “Wall Fuck” creates and destroys intense electronic pops, and “3” is soothing with its layered vocals/humming. If only some filler was trimmed a little bit, it would probably be a little higher.
Best Track: 3
90. Kid Cudi - Passion, Pain, and Demon Slayin (alternative hip-hop)
Kid Cudi still doesn’t seem to listen to the feedback requesting his songs be a bit shorter, but this only hurts Passion, Pain, and Demon Slayin by a fraction. Synths and strings melt than any other alternative hip-hop being released today, and features such as Pharell, Travi$ Scott, and Andre Benjamin form great chemistry with the one and only.
Best Track: Rose Golden [Feat. Willow Smith]
89. Drug Apts - Drug Apts EP (noise rock)
The first project from Drug Apts is the lighthearted side of noise rock I rarely see release. Screams aren’t as harrowing, and instrumentals fly instead of constructing hardship. Combine this with production from two Death Grips folks, and you get a rock album that goes hard (with elements for everyone).
Best Track: Broadcast
88. Metallica - Hardwired… to Self Destruct (metal)
All signs were pointing to this being a bad record. Metallica didn’t want to go political, the singles weren’t especially admirable, and previous live shows by the band felt unfitting. (Cough, Their acoustic performance at the Bridge School Benefit Festival, Cough) Yet Hardwired…To Self-Destruct is ridiculously fun, particularly to how it uses familiarity as a weapon for ambition.
Best Track: Here Comes Revenge
87. Gold Panda - Good Luck and Do Your Best (electronic)
On Good Luck and Do Your Best, Gold Panda delivers soothing, sample heavy instrumentals that are sure to brighten anybody’s mood. Each song occupies a new space within the realms of happiness, and they all feel refreshing. It’s minimalist when it needs to be, but focused at its most important moments.
Best Track: In My Car
86. Wrekmiester Harmonies - Light Falls (drone metal)
I wasn’t impressed by the newest album from drone/noise rock group Swans, but thankfully Light Falls by Wrekmiester Harmonies feels like an accurate replacement. Giving the listener ambient breaks between each heavy guitar section, the record manages to subvert the queasy feeling when things get too intense. It’s also pretty short for a drone rock album, meaning there isn’t much filler or wasted time.
Best Track: Some Were Saved Some Were Drowned
85. Violent Soho - Waco (grunge, alternative rock)
Waco sounds similar to 90’s punk, but still manages to hold refreshing characteristics. This is partly because it sounds like the band is trying to have fun, instead of cashing off of the heavy nostalgia. If you give it a chance, you'll see it does wonders.
Best Track: Evergreen
84. Rolling Stones - Blue & Lonesome (blues rock)
Even though it’s a cover album, The Rolling Stones still retain their traits on Blue & Lonesome. Mick Jagger, as usual shines, and the guitar and drums are fashioned and slick, echoing the Rolling Stones best days. It’s also a record where it’s fun to listen to, and judging by what’s provided, was likely fun to make.
Best Track: Hate to See You Go
83. Babyfather - BBF Hosted By DJ Escrow (grime, UK hip-hop)
At times, BBF feels like the Charlie Hebdo of UK hip-hop. No matter how awful they can get, they’ll still criticize and poke at everybody else. They’ll repeat ideas, fake others, and confuse those of their intentions. However, BBF adds some endearingness to this, packed within mass critique of hip-hop culture. In other words, it’s a smooth way to portray the nonsensical.
Best Track: Meditation [Feat. Arca]
82. The Avalanches - Wildflower (hip-hop, psychedelic, plunderphonics)
Even after sixteen years of mixing, Wildflower contains some inconsistencies. But the album is generally impressive, each interlude setting the stage for jubilation and prosperity. Best of all, it reminds listeners that psychedelics aren’t a necessity for frivolous activities, as long as you relish in satisfaction of the current moment.
Best Track: If I Was A Folkstar
81. Aphex Twin- Cheeta EP (electronic, ambient)
On this EP, Aphex Twin is more direct than he’s ever been, delivering dancey cerebral beats that occasionally pass the five minute mark. Sure the interludes are weak, but the use of building unrelated sounds into something constructed is far from formulaic.
Best Track: CIRKLON3 [Колхозная mix]
80. Ab-Soul - Do What Thou Wilt (hip-hop)
Less bloated than These Days and more spiraling than Control System, Ab Soul’s Do What Thou Wilt is a mix of production tricks under contradicting sociopolitical commentary. With the amount of vehement arguing taking place today, this is a type of hip-hop that needs more recognition, and less analysis.
Best Track: D.R.U.G.S
79. Lil Yachty - Lil Boat (bubblegum trap)
After Lil Boat, I assumed Lil Yachty would be the next Kreayshawn. Come out with a couple bangers and a funny album, and then fade into obscurity, popping out every now and then. Yachty’s 65 features in 2016 alone have proved me wrong in this respect, but Lil Boat misses these quantity vs quality themes. Instead, its self-aware, comical trap, ear-worms galore.
Best Track: Minnesota (Remix) [Feat. Young Thug, Quavo, and Skippa da Flippa]
78. Chairlift - Moth (indie pop)
Over the course of 2016, I learned that there are great ways to improve the conventions of pop music, and Chairlift does this by leaving no aspect of the genre to rest. I also hate to call certain music underrated, but the group’s upcoming break up in the first half of 2017 is having me consider what more music could have been released from the duo if recognition was less sparse.
Best Track: Romeo
77. Boris - Gensho 1st side (noise rock, doom metal, sludge metal, drone)
I’ve only listed the first side of this album because I don’t think I’ll ever be into traditional noise composition (relegated in the second half), but Gensho is nevertheless towering when it comes to what the Japanese drone metal band Boris, has provided. Whether reworked or original, each track contains the same epic textures, and the flat-out removal of percussion creates a space all the more memorable.
Best Track: Heavy Rain
76. Ty Segall - Emotional Mugger (psychedelic, noise rock)
Ty Segall has been at it for a while, but Emotional Mugger is where his musical force feels the most potent. Taking influence from a flurry of obscure rock genres, the album details styles and structures that aren’t too common. But it’s nevertheless interesting despite its rarity, contributing to a compelling noise rock record.
Best Track: Emotional Mugger/Leopard Priestess
75. Jay Prince - Smile Good (gospel rap, jazz rap, hip-hop)
Gospel rap is definitely going to take bigger strides in the mainstream music scene, but the way Jay Prince handles it on Smile Good shows that he’s consistent and dedicated to craft among the genre’s popularity spike. The mastered charisma also helps.
Best Track: Father, Father
74. Jesu & Sun Kil Moon- Jesu/Sun Kil Moon (ambient, metal, folk)
“What does rekindle mean?” In its first track alone, Jesu/Sun Kil Moon offers questions that don’t seem to be immediately answered. But as you listen closer, you’ll learn how the meta themes present trigger moments of solace that wouldn’t seem fitting in any other heavy shoegaze record.
Best Track: Good Morning My Love
73. Street Sects - End Position (noise, industrial)
Turn your headphones down for this one at every turn. The biggest effort from Street Sects feels like it was produced in the dirtiest back alley of a dystopian city, where misery is the only sensation left. Many albums conceptualize the same grievances, but Street Sects makes them the most appropriate and immediate.
Best Track: Featherweight Hate
72. Skepta - Konnichiwa (UK hip-hop, grime)
On Konnichiwa, Skepta seals his dominance in the grime genre. Each bar packs a punch, and the features/production presented are alive and ruthless. None of these strengths were created without risk, but Skepta’s confidence pushes the record over the edge to tackle things with a more hands-on approach.
Best Track: Numbers [Feat. Pharell Williams]
71. Open Mike Eagle and Paul White - Hella Personal Film Festival (hip-hop)
Featuring one of my favorite underground rappers at the moment (Open Mike Eagle), Hella Personal Film Festival is an album that balances pictures of social injustices with humorous, inventive hooks. With the tense times many are living through right now, a more laid-back sociopolitical hip-hop record is always welcome.
Best Track: Smiling (Quirky Race Doc)
70. Holy Fuck - Congrats (electronic rock)
Congrats by Holy Fuck is probably one of my guiltiest music-related pleasures in 2016. None of the ideas it presents are entirely original (see the Death Grips-like synths on “House of Glass”) but boy does the album sound great. This is how you produce electronic rock to be smooth and quick.
Best Track: Xed Eyes
69. Flatbush Zombies - 3001: A Laced Odyssey (hip-hop)
On 3001, Flatbush Zombies realize the many ambitions they’ve placed with previous projects. Flows feel unmatched, wordplay is consistent but still subtle, and hooks are soulful and passionate. Not every song hits, but the ones that do make up the album’s low points with their excellence.
Best Track: This is It
68. Bones - PaidProgramming2 (cloud rap)
Despite homing a style that can get old quick, the magnitude of projects Bones releases in a year parallels few other rappers. This is a trick that hasn’t always succeeded, but manages to be appropriate on PaidProgramming2. In fact, some of his best tracks happen to float across the hour plus runtime.
Best Track: TheCurseofTheGhost
67. Porches - Pool (synth-pop, lo-fi)
Pool is moody, and to those who don’t listen to much indie music, may feel generic or whiny. But it does expand the sound of indie rock outfit Porches, into something more intriguing. This wouldn’t be so accomplished if it wasn’t for the emotional vocals, which contain all around indie pop levity.
Best Track: Car
66. Yeasayer - Amen and Goodbye (psychedelic, indie pop, avant-garde)
Amen and Goodbye doesn’t deliver the commentary it’s strange cover promises, but it does give new interpretations on common human issues. “I Am Chemistry” is one of the more interesting songs I’ve heard this year surrounding drug addiction, and “Divine Simulacrum” gives new meanings to the concept of a crush, without feeling pretentious. I also adore how Yeasayer use world music concepts on this record, but still flesh out their own sound.
Best Track: I Am Chemistry
65. $uicideboy$ - Radical $uicide EP (cloud rap)
I hate that I love this album. The lyrics are nothing special, the artists behind it are assholes, and the thing barely reaches the 10 minute mark. So, why did it capture my attention? Well, if there’s anything $uicideboy$ manages to accomplish, it’s a sense of exhilaration. This is mostly due to how they switch up their rapping style through each song, although other albums by them have proved this to be a one-trick-pony.
Best Track: Champion of Death
64. Weyes Blood - Front Row Seat to Earth (psychedelic, folk, alt rnb)
Weyes Blood talks about topics that are commonplace in rnb, but Front Row Seat to the Earth makes them more blissful and leisurely. Acoustic guitars line the slow vocals, and the album uses minimalism to its benefit. If you want a different type of indie themed romance album, listen to this.
Best Track: Seven Words
63. Marissa Nadler - Strangers (ambient, folk, indie)
Dreamy without descending into shallow characteristics, Strangers avoids a lot to develop a more intimate sound. This progresses exceptionally well through each song, letting certain elements shine during the right moments. Now, the frequent themes of melancholy isn’t detracting.
Best Track: Katie I Know
62. Big Ups - Before A Million Universes (grunge, punk rock, hardcore)
Before A Million Universes is a loud record, but subsides the more negative notions that come with this through glorious riffs, gripping pre-chrosuses and an inventive punk rock structure. Even more impressive is how the songs fit a lot in, with short runtimes, so the band doesn’t swallow their strengths whole.
Best Track: Feathers of Yes
61. Kanye West - The Life of Pablo (hip-hop)
It’s far from his best work, but The Life of Pablo’s best moments are strangely fitting to current discourse. “Ultralight Beam” uses religious thought to craft hopeful and devoted themes, and quicker cuts like “I Love Kanye” would be out of place on any other project. It also introduced the idea of updating albums after release, which could impact music for years to come.
Best Track: Ultralight Beam [Feat. The Dream, Kelly Price, Kirk Franklin, and Chance the Rapper]
60. Mick Gordon - DOOM (heavy metal, electronic rock, score)
Doom wasn’t supposed to be a good game, and the same goes for its soundtrack. But what ended up releasing (in terms of music) was a soundtrack that combined relentless electronics on top of multiplying riffs. And as much as I love video games, I don’t tend to listen to their soundtracks except when I’m playing them. However, DOOM is an exception when you need motivation in any scenario.
Best Track: BFG Division
59. Kevin Abstract - American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story (indie pop, hip-hop, rnb)
“My boyfriend saved me, My mother’s homophobic, My best friend’s racist
My mother’s homophobic, I’m stuck in the closet, I’m so claustrophobic
I just wanna know shit, Well we all love Young Thug” are just some of the closing lyrics off of Kevin Abstract’s American Boyfriend, an alternative R&B album that tells one of the most emotional stories I’ve heard in a concept record this year. While some of the instrumental concepts presented are flawed or too short, Kevin Abstract has definite potential for the future of his genre.
Best Track: Miserable America
58. Young Thug - Jeffery (trap)
It was obvious Young Thug needed to change his style a little bit, but the way he did so on JEFFERY is truly compelling. Wyclef Jean contains a reggae like beat that is truly addictive, and some vocal effects on other tracks showcase that Young Thug is still at the top of his game. Expect this album to influence a lot of other artists soon. (We’ve already seen it with Drake)
Best Track: Wyclef Jean
57. Angel Olsen - My Woman (garage/indie rock, dream pop, psychedelic)
Angel Olsen undertakes a multitude of heavy themes on My Woman, but all are persevering and materialized. She also melts genres together better than her previous records, which cuts out the predictability that can be seen in the folk genre. I could name more of her impressive tasks, but it’s better to experience the album in order to understand why they work so well.
Best Track: Shut Up Kiss Me
56. Weezer - The White Album (alt rock)
On The White Album, Weezer rekindles the energy they’ve lost for a decade. There’s very few filler tracks, and each member of the band is enthusiastic through their musical delivery. It’s not a definite classic, but manages to be what Weezer needs to perfectly capture their 90’s mojo.
Best Track: California Kids
55. Aesop Rock — The Impossible Kid (hip-hop)
Aesop structures his wordplay and lyrics like no other rap artist, and this is present again on The Impossible Kid. Wether spitting bars about career regrets or even his pet cat, nearly every line on this album is enthralling because of the detail and verboseness. It’s not for everybody, but certainly refreshing to see a different type of rap that works.
Best Track: Dorks
54. Parquet Courts - Human Performance (garage rock)
On Human Performance, Parquet Courts deliver garage rock at its most evolved. Different characteristics of emotion are thrown within each track, but the overall picture is never the less fluid. Better yet, they manage to prove the genre as one that’s versatile and expansive, at least with their interpretation of it.
Best Track: Dust
53. Swain - The Long Dark Blue (hardcore, punk rock)
The Long Dark Blue gets better the further you get through it, while managing to up its viscerality. And while each song is short, they use punk constructs in new and inventive ways, creating some definite and long lasting anthems to hear. By the last track, there isn’t anything about it that doesn’t feel complete.
Best Track: Kiss Me Hard
52. NxWorries - Yes Lawd! (rnb)
In one of the best collaborations of the year, underground beat maker KnXwledge and up and coming rnb artist Anderson Paak. deliver an album boasting with sexual, soulful tracks. They also disguise what’s typically considered raunchy, equalling a product that’s hard to not love. Lastly, little instrumental touches also make this one to remember.
Best Track: Lyk Dis
51. Kemba — Negus (hip-hop)
Echoing the themes found on blockbuster hip hop albums such as To Pimp A Butterfly, Negus is still impressive because of how underground and limited Kemba is. He lacks a big label and producers, but still sends out meaningful and developed messages while detailing his journey to how he came to these beliefs.
Best Track: The New Black Theory
50. Beyonce - Lemonade (pop)
Beyonce does a lot of honorable things on Lemonade, but the aspect I was the compelled by was the presentation of her versatility as an artist. She attempts country, hip-hop, rock, and pop, and establishes thoughtful and necessary commentary through whichever outlet. This is exactly what mainstream music should do, and I’m happy Beyonce was able to realize it.
Best Track: Don’t Hurt Yourself [Feat. Jack White]
49. Everything Everything — Get to Heaven (indie pop)
There was a lot of good indie pop released in 2016, but Get to Heaven by Everything Everything was probably the most cohesive. Hooks are sharp, the mixing is perfected, and synths come in and out like magic. Combine this with the album’s subtle political shots, and you have a unique indie pop extravaganza.
Best Track: Blast Doors
48. Frank Ocean - Endless (rnb)
It might have been an album released only to escape Def Jam, but Endless is still a strong addition to Frank Ocean’s catalogue. Drawing comparisons to The Life of Pablo, the album’s rough presentation contributes more thought from the listener, and the way electronics are used is sometimes more advanced than Blonde’s. Remember to spend a lot of time letting this one grow on you too.
Best Track: Rushes
47. BadBadNotGood — IV (jazz, electronic)
BadBadNotGood’s fourth record doesn’t show them completely reinventing their style, but it does showcase the progress they’ve made with electronics and artist chemistry. For instance, a collab with Future Islands member Samuel T Herring feels like it was a soul hit released decades ago, and jazz instrumentals bounce in a heavenly fashion among a Kaytranada produced track. They may be one of the only modern jazz acts right now, but with IV, they have enough clout to prove their residence.
Best Track: IV
46. Solange - A Seat at the Table (rnb)
Solange stayed out of the spotlight for quite some time, but her return, A Seat At The Table, shows this was done for good reason. Tracks contain passionate messages of black empowerment, and Solange’s vocals are calm and determined. Also, the album’s lyrics don’t fall apart during any key moments, instead being vibrant and putting everything into perspective.
Best Track: Mad [Feat. Lil Wayne]
45. Lemon Demon - Spirit Phone (indie pop)
I’ve never been super into futuristic pop or modern pop that sounds like it’s borrowing elements from the 80’s, but Lemon Demon’s Spirit Phone makes this much more accessible. The synths and keyboards sounds like they were graced with alien characteristics, and it’s all the better that the album is completely self-aware. Basically, it’s a brand of pop you won’t find anywhere else.
Best Track: Touch Tone Telephone
44. Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book (gospel rap, hip-hop)
Unlike other modern hip hop albums, Coloring Book feels like it was crafted by a family, because every contributor isn’t put to waste. 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne shine on the album’s biggest hit No Problem, and Finish Line/Drown made a name (no pun intended) for Noname before she blew up with Telefone. In the end, Chance happens to be so talented that he spreads his newfound success to others.
Best Track: No Problem [Feat. 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne]
43. The Body/Full of Hell - One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache (Sludge metal, hardcore noise rock)
One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache seems like a direct antithesis to my favorite metal album of all time, Sunbather by Deafheaven. Sunbather uses dream pop and shoegaze influences to create relaxing and serene musical scenes, while One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache combines elements of grindcore, sludge metal, and noise for a series of musical distress. I’ve never been a fan of the aforementioned genres, but this albums mix of them makes them sound so much more fierce and enveloping.
Best Track: Gehorwilt
42. Massive Attack - Ritual Spirit (trip hop)
Ritual Spirit is short and sweet, a commanding effort from one of the best trip-hop groups of all time. Some of the best touches are held in the album’s production, which builds and tightens unlike anything I’ve heard this year. This is most apparent on “Voodoo in My Blood”, a haunting hit starring rnb group Young Fathers.
Best Track: Vodooo in My Blood [Feat. Young Fathers]
41. Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker (soft rock)
While it’s hints weren’t as instant as Blackstar, You Want It Darker is a nonetheless ominously written album, containing some of Cohen’s most chilling work yet. Much of this is done by the sparse instrumentals and gravely vocals, which set unforgettable dissertations on life and death.
Best Track: Treaty
40. Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor’s Guide to the Earth (alt-country)
The type of country Sturgill Simpson makes is rarely in the limelight anymore, which makes the musical journey presented in A Sailor’s Guide to Earth all the more absorbing. Risks also have a higher habit of paying off on this record, with a Nirvana cover being one of the best country songs I’ve heard in ages.
Best Track: Brace for Impact (Live a Little)
39. Bloc Party - Hymns (indie rock, soft rock)
The inspirations taken in Hymns are seemingly unorthodox for an indie rock record, but it establishes a new era the band desperately needed, especially after a lineup change. Songs like “My True Name” hold great riffs, and “Exes” is sorrowful and potent. There’s also a couple cuts that go off the wall compared to the band’s previous works, but the overall ambition works.
Best Track: Different Drugs
38. PUP - The Dream is Over (punk rock)
Canadian punk group PUP come with a catchy, unforgivable sense of violence on the Dream is Over. Certain tracks are some of the most self-aware you’ll hear in the genre, while others carry more serious pre-tenses. This unpredictability makes the album one to remember for punk fans.
Best Track: If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, Then I Will
37. Thee Oh Sees - A Weird Exits (noise rock, garage rock)
Quirky and undoubtedly weird, A Weird Exits explores and stuns with its psychedelic rhythms. Riffs echo and lead to new sonic spaces, and the rebounding, feedback intense production is something I’d like to see in rock more often. Lastly, the record is also filled with great hooks, that never feel out of place for each track.
Best Track: Plastic Plant
36. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Nonagon Infinity (garage rock)
“Loosen up. Time to drop. Fuck shit up. Don’t forget about it.” are the lyrics off of the first hook present in Nonagon Infinity, and they certainly set a stage for the next 40 minutes of garage rock psychedelia. Another nice touch is how the closer and opener perfectly repeat, so the album becomes forever un-expendable.
Best Track: Robot Stop
35. clipping. - Wriggle EP (noise rap)
They may use a whole lot of noise, but Wriggle EP proves that clipping. can be versatile, encapsulating their structure within pop constructs. The EP’s prime example of this is the title track, which eases its abrasiveness and raunchiness with a great hook. If that still isn’t your thing, try “Shooter” which delivers a new perspective of gun violence commentary.
Best Track: Back Up [Feat. ANTWON & Signor Benedick the Moor]
34. Isaiah Rashad - The Sun’s Tirade (jazz rap, hip-hop, chill)
While taking a glance at Isaiah Rashad’s Twitter profile, I noticed he was one of the few rappers to be unfazed by Trump’s election. However, this didn’t come as bewildering, considering his recently released album, The Sun’s Tirade. Rashad depicts typical rap cliches in positive and flourishing ways, to develop a relaxing style unlike anything TDE has done before. There’s no denying he’s been through struggle, but Rashad is able to squeeze the good out of everything, something that is rare in modern hip-hop.
Best Track: Tity and Dolla [Feat. Hugh Augustine and Jay Rock]
33. Glass Animals - How to Be A Human Being (indie pop)
If I were to imagine indie pop acts as inanimate objects, Glass Animals would be a cuckoo clock. ZABA was the hand passing 9, and How to be a Human Being is the grand finale, popping bird included. The album processes crazy into great pop pastiche, and throws references to Kim Jong Un and James Bond like an acid influenced Jeopardy. I was wondering how far Glass Animals would embrace the zany with their second project, but How to Be A Human Being is a couple notches above what I thought would be possible.
Best Track: Cane Shuga
32. The I.L.Y’s - Scum With Boundaries (experimental rock, art rock)
If MC Ride were to die in a freakish accident, Scum With Boundaries reminds me that Death Grips would be ok. After all, the album gives a better picture of what truly influences the group, on top of the creative production and musical tricks already provided. Don’t forget to sprinkle a little bit of David Bowie, Animal Collective, and Xiu Xiu too.
Best Track: I’m Gonna Have Sex
31. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree (art rock)
When artists deal with unfathomable tragedy, their reflections can be some of their best work yet. This is exactly the case on Skeleton Tree, an eerie collection of tracks surrounding the death of Cave’s 15 year old son. Drawn out synths, slow drums, and frequent ambience establish vulnerabilities and regrets, concocting a Nick Cave album unlike any other.
Best Track: Jesus Alone
30. Pinegrove - Cardinal (alt-country, americana, indie rock)
Reminiscent of classic Midwestern emo acts such as American Football or The World is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die, Pinegrove’s Cardinal is poignant indie rock with a country twang. And while the album deals with themes found with many albums in its genre, it’s far more personified and poignant than the rest of the pack.
Best Track: New Friends
29. Various Artists - Day of The Dead (rock)
Day of the Dead may be one of the best tribute records ever produced, containing over five hours of Grateful Dead covers from acclaimed acts such as The War on Drugs, The National, Local Natives, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and more. While they don’t completely reinvent the songs, it’s awesome to see how The Grateful Dead have been commemorated in terms of indie music.
Best Track: Shakedown Street
28. TiDUS - Soon You’ll Understand (trap)
On Soon You’ll Understand, TiDUS out Young Thugs Young Thug. Synths are sparse, and the whole project settles on a theme of tempered, ethereal production. It’s not entirely groundbreaking, but nevertheless alleviating when compared to the plodding and commercially washed trap released today.
Best Track: Interlude
27. Car Seat Headrest - Teens of Denial (indie rock)
Out of all the movie trailers I witnessed in 2016, the one that disappointed me the most was Spider Man: Homecoming. It had nothing to do with its devotion to its source material or the continuation of classic Marvel tropes, but rather the way it portrayed high-school in such a non-serious, generic light. I probably wouldn’t have felt this strongly if I hadn’t listened to Car Seat Headrest’s Teens of Denial, which beautifully expresses the mixture of feelings that come during that time through indie rock tunes. The album is also a fiery ember in the crowd of bands that set to relish in this nostalgia, and continue to fail.
Best Track: Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales
26. Blood Orange - Freetown Sound (rnb)
Containing one of my favorite songs of the year (Augustine), Blood Orange’s Freetown Sound proves that he’s one to watch in the rnb space. Channeling such greats as Prince or Frank Ocean, Orange’s heartwarming vocals give voice to those struggling the most. His rnb experimentation is also pleasant to listen to instrumentally, being washy and mending.
Best Track: Best to You
25. Denzel Curry - Imperial (trap)
To me, trap music always has an expiration date. So despite liking Denzel Curry, I was a bit skeptical during Imperial’s release due to this belief. However, Curry doesn’t overstay his welcome. He actually has something to say, which is something a lot of other artists in his genre can’t pull off, and the album’s latter half + bonus tracks translate to a slower, reflective setting. There’s no doubting that Curry is in a crowded space, but he manages to utilize his potential like no other.
Best Track: ULT
24. Anderson Paak. - Malibu (rnb)
Although he hasn’t achieved the mainstream success his talent warrants, Anderson Paak.’s Malibu is a testifying effort on how to display funk music within different constraints. For example, Schoolboy Q fits beautifully on “Am I Wrong”, and BJ The Chicago Kid flavors “The Waters”. The album also contains one of the best singles of the year, “Come Down”.
Best Track: Come Down
23. The Drones - Feelin Kinda Free (noise rock, punk blues, garage rock)
A lot of albums in 2016 acknowledged me on a flurry of subjects, but I consider Feelin Kinda Free the most respectable in this regard, since it documents the Australian government’s corruption so damn well. The album also properly mixes self-awareness, cynicism, and true stories, among a twisted hard rock style, that only gives up when appropriate.
Best Track: Taman Shud
22. Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered. (jazz rap, funk rap, hip hop)
Before untitled unmastered., rumors may have arisen showing Kendrick Lamar to be a perfectionist, but they didn’t hold any true evidence. Now, we have enough proof for decades. Untitled 04 discloses instrumentally meticulous hip hop that wasn’t found on To Pimp a Butterfly, and Untitled 02 creates great commentary while also taking shots at fellow artists. Also, levitate is a kickass single.
Best Track: Untitled 02
21. clipping. - Splendor & Misery (noise rap)
Splendor and Misery is like no other hip-hop album I heard in 2016, but I have a feeling it will hold that title for many years to come. Centering on a slave in outer space, every verse is written in past tense and without the pronoun “i”. Even with these restrictions, the record contains the intensity of a movie. “True Believer” is commandeering and hopeful, and “The Breach” features some of the most impressive rapping the group has done yet. CLPPNG is still their best project, but this is a close second.
Best Track: A Better Place
20. Fire! - She Sleeps, She Sleeps (jazz)
On She Sleeps, She Sleeps Fire! deliver lengthy and bleak jazz ballads. Saxophone feels weak and trembling, and drums move with a certain franticness not found in other jazz records. The songs don’t change too often, but their atmospheres feel permanent and enduring.
Best Track: She Sleeps, She Sleeps
19. Run the Jewels - Run The Jewels 3 (hip hop)
Although some of the group’s stronger work beats this album out by a margin, Run The Jewels 3 is still their most apt record to date. Political motivation and explanation is stretched out on every cut, and beats are energetic and produced to excellence. El P and Killer Mike still have a long way to go before their ride ends.
Best Track: Call Tickettron
18. Preoccupations - Preoccupations (noise rock, industrial, post punk)
Even with a name change, industrial punk act Preoccupations didn’t change their identity with their new record. However, they did release a new album that gives an identity to those who feel philosophically destroyed, through propulsive instrumentation, quenching vocals, and heartbreaking lyrics. The album pounds negativity, and by it’s closer, it’s for the listeners to decide which path to take.
Best Track: Degraded
17. Injury Reserve - Floss (jazz rap, hardcore hip hop, punk rap)
Arizona hip-hop group Injury Reserve still haven’t settled on a specific style, but their mixtape Floss proves that whatever they go with is acceptable. “S On Ya Chest” is one of the smoothest jazz rap tracks in recent memory, and “Eeny Meeny Miny Moe” is an abrasive trap banger to remember. The album’s final thoughts are more sentimental, but still work against the ever evolving structure.
Best Track: Oh Shit!!!
16. YG - Still Brazy (gangsta rap)
There are countless examples of artists going through hardships to produce better music, and YG’s Still Brazy is that for the revitalized g-funk genre. He talks police brutality, trust issues, and of course the heated election, bringing insight that wasn’t otherwise expected. The album also doesn’t lose the previous strengths YG was known for, such as catchy gangsta rap hooks.
Best Track: Still Brazy
15. Kaytranada - 99.9% (hip hop, rnb)
One of the most entertaining albums I’ve heard in 2016, Kaytranada proves his intuitiveness on his debut 99.9%. The album’s instrumental tracks remind me of a modernized J. Dilla, and the smooth R&B and futuristic hip-hop present is sure to impress fans of those featured on the project. Plus, a quick shoutout to “Glowed Up”, one of my favorite songs of the year.
Best Track: Glowed Up [Feat. Anderson Paak.]
14. Iggy Pop - Post Pop Depression (garage rock)
2016 had a lot of comebacks, but David Bowie colleague Iggy Pop was the strongest of them all. Developed by artists ranging from Queens of the Stone Age to Arctic Monkeys, Post Pop Depression shows how stars can succeed even when their mainstream base has shrinked. Classic rock returning is no longer in theory.
Best Track: Sunday
13. Touche Amore - Stage Four (hardcore, screamo)
There are certain genres I’m not entirely convinced by, and in these cases I’ll only listen if there’s a purpose. Touche Amore’s Stage Four definitely has one. Based off of the frontman missing his mom’s dying words during a performance, the album is questioning and resilient of existence. Emotions certainly click when the band goes in a more melodic direction, something they haven’t done much before.
Best Track: Skyscraper
12. Deakin - Sleep Cycle (psychedelic, folk)
This album is what Animal Collective’s new album should have been. Mixing the aesthetic from the group’s projects Feels and Strawberry Jam, this solo effort is also propelled by how it mixes this with folk and psychedelia, a combination that no band other than Animal Collective can accurately provide.
Best Track: Golden Chords
11. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool (art rock)
Presumably based off of the breaking of a 23 year long relationship, A Moon Shaped Pool is harrowing and Radiohead’s softest record yet. Yet, this doesn’t mean their ambition is tempered. Fan favorites that never saw the light of day have been reworked to fit the album’s mood, and Thom Yorke transcends topics in a serene manner during the album’s heaviest moments. King of Limbs may have been faulty, but A Moon Shaped Pool lets them continue their pace.
Best Track: Daydreaming
10. ScHoolboy Q - Blank Face LP (gangsta rap, jazz rap)
As much as hip-hop can deal with drugs and violence, Blank Face brings consistency to these taboo stories. After all, it’s what it’s creators lived through. And while it’s disappointing to see how original, darker album cuts didn’t get a full release, I’ve still been listening to this thing avidly since June, so Q must have done something damn right.
Best Track: JoHn Muir
9. Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition (hardcore hip hop, punk rap)
Drug addiction is talked about commonly in music, but little seems to be said about withdrawal, especially in poverty stricken neighborhoods. Danny Brown attacks these topics on his punk/hip-hop fusion Atrocity Exhibition, resulting in his strongest record yet. And to further add to the tension, Brown also points a little bit at everyday perilous sights in the places he used to call home.
Best Track: Really Doe [Feat. Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, and Earl Sweatshirt]
8. A Tribe Called Quest - We Got it From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service (hip-hop)
What’s a comeback if it isn’t relevant? On We Got it From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service, A Tribe Called Quest reel in political nausea with classic production, speedy flows, and killer features. The album also manages to be memorable because of it’s great number of lines and hooks, further progressing the social message Tribe is trying to invoke.
Best Track: Melatonin
7. Xiu Xiu - Plays The Music of Twin Peaks (ambient, avant-garde, score)
Xiu Xiu is typically hit or miss for me. There’s songs by them where the band members are screaming over static, but there’s also songs by them where they directly tackle self-loathing in detailed and intricate ways. However, these tracks are always developed by the experiences the band members have gone through. So when I heard they were doing a Twin Peaks cover album, I was a bit skeptical. The last time they refused to release a typical solo album ended in a collection of Merzbow collaborations. (Awful.) But, Twin Peaks is a far different beast. The album is already haunting without the context of the TV show, and probably accomplishes even more to Twin Peaks fans. I’m also amazed by how well the emotional vocals flow with the slow, stressed instrumentation. If you need an album to listen to after you feel like you’ve lost everything, this is a definite recommendation.
Best Track: Falling
6. Death Grips - Bottomless Pit (punk rap, experimental, digital hardcore)
After Bottomless Pit, Death Grips have finished their first lap. Their first couple sprints involved the hookey structure found on The Money Store, their next couple involving the electronic structure with the explicit No Love Deep Web, and the remaining quarter half lap involving the instrumentals found on Government Plates, + the remix and punk rock aspects off of The Powers That B. So, what’s more genius than combining all of these ideas into one? Well, it never lets up. The first two tracks on this album may be misleading, but after that its unfiltered abrasive rock-rap with a pop kitsch.
Best Track: Bottomless Pit
5. Fews - Means (shoegaze, kraut-rock, dream pop, light post punk, indie)
Fews’s Means is the album I want to have on a car-ride to a music festival with a bunch of friends + significant others. We’ll be singing the catchy and resilient hooks, and blast when each guitar comes in with a drug-like effect. That’s just the aesthetic the album settles for. Oh, and I have to mention the album’s closer, which is one of the smartest ways to create walls of sound without avoiding a structure-less noisy atrocity.
Best Track: Ill
4. Show Me The Body- Body War (sludge/doom metal, raprock, punk rap)
It sounds off, but Body War reminds me of the feeling of eating Warheads as a kid. You have a sense of resounding shock, but later attach to the thrill of how insane they taste. Show Me The Body combines these feelings into their hardcore punk rap, which is one 2016 album that gets better and better the more you listen to it. Oh, and the ridiculous lyrics certainly boost this. (“Suicide, such an easy out” is one of the more memorable examples)
Best Track: Aspirin
3. David Bowie- Blackstar (experimental rock, avant-garde)
Considering the vanilla characteristics of popular music today, it’s unlikely that Blackstar will have an impact in those regards. However, it’s bound to impact underground music, especially with its deep dark themes and dispersed jazz moments. With the whole album being inspired by such musicians, it’s awesome that these ideas are being reformed into innovation.
Best Track: Lazarus
2. Frank Ocean - Blonde (rnb)
While it doesn’t settle for political commentary as much as it should, Blonde is a great portrayal of the relationships that occur by today’s social constructs. (and the destruction that comes with them) White Ferrari is probably the album’s shining example of this, settling for a slow and reminiscent backdrop while sampling a Beatles song. The album also fires some very subtle shots at some of its listener base, which is a risk worth taking.
Best Track: Nights
- DIIV - Is The Is Are (shoegaze, dream pop, indie rock, light post punk)
In 2016, I found Is The Is Are the perfect album to listen to in-between the common stress and fun. It’s sounds almost make me forget my problems, and there were plenty of times where I would just lay down and listen to it. Its versatility has made it fit every season of the year, and the album’s more personal stories about drug addiction are harrowing and brutal. It’s also awful to see what the band’s members went through in order to make this, but how they’ve transformed their reflections into sound is both resilient and crucial.
Best Track: Incarnate Devil
