Albums I Love. 2010 to Now.

I am an obsessive music collector, curator, and groomer of metadata. For many years, I’ve used the star rating tool in iTunes to power a smart playlist called “Loved Albums”. The basic idea is this: if I like approximately 75% or more of an album’s songs, I give it 5 stars (or now a heart) and it becomes a loved album.

I abandoned this practice when I joined Spotify a few years ago but have picked it back up since switching over to (and really liking) Apple Music. It’s not for everyone, but unlimited streaming music combined with my aforementioned years of library grooming is pretty amazing.

That being said, it’s not all sunshine and roses. Seeing Apple Music screw up my existing library here and there (clean version of Supreme Clientele?!?) has made me keenly aware that iTunes (or any other program) should not be a single point of failure for data that I care about.

With that mind, I’ve started typing up a list of my loved albums organized by year. I’ve made it through the 2010s so far. Albums in bold are my favorite from that year. Please let me know what modern classics I’m missing!

2016

• and the Anonymous Nobody… by De La Soul
• ANTI by Rihanna
• Atrocity Exhibition by Danny Brown
• “Awaken, My Love!” by Childish Gambino
• Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight by Travis Scott
• blackSUMMERS’night by Maxwell
• Blank Face LP by ScHoolboy Q
• Blonde/Endless by Frank Ocean
• Bobby Tarantino by Logic
• Bottomless Pit by Death Grips
• Coloring Book by Chance the Rapper
• Cozy Tapes Vol. 1: Friends by A$AP Mob
• The Diary by J Dilla
• DJ-Kicks by Moodymann
• Don’t Smoke Rock by Smoke DZA & Pete Rock
• Everybody Looking by Gucci Mane
• EVOL by Future
• A Fistful of Peril by CZARFACE
• A Good Night in the Ghetto by Kamaiyah
• Good vs. Evil by KXNG Crooked
• The Impossible Kid by Aesop Rock
• Islah by Kevin Gates
• JEFFERY by Young Thug
• Kairi Chanel by Dave East
• Layers by Royce da 5'9"
• Lemonade by Beyoncé
• The Life of Pablo by Kanye West
• Lil Big Pac by Kodak Black
• Major Key by DJ Khaled
• Malibu by Anderson .Paak
• On the Way Uptown by Camp Lo
• Red Friday by YG
• Run the Jewels 3 by Run the Jewels
• Savage Mode by 21 Savage & Metro Boomin
• A Seat at the Table by Solange
• Slime Season 3 by Young Thug
• Starboy by The Weeknd
• Statik KXNG by Statik KXNG
• Still Brazy by YG
• The Sun’s Tirade by Isaiah Rashad
• There’s Alot Going On by Vic Mensa
• untitled unmastered. by Kendrick Lamar
• We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your service by A Tribe Called Quest
• Wildflower by The Avalanches
• 22, A Million by Bon Iver
• 99.9% by KAYTRANADA
• 1992 by The Game
• 3001: A Laced Odyssey by Flatbush Zombies

2015

• AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP by A$AP Rocky
• B4.DA.$$ by Joey Bada$$
• Bad Neighbor by MED, Blu & Madlib
• The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam by Thundercat
• Black Market by Rick Ross
• Coming Home by Leon Bridges
• Compton by Dr. Dre
• Currents by Tame Impala
• Deeply Rooted by Scarface
• The Documentary 2 & 2.5 by The Game
• DS2 by Future
• The Ecology by Fashawn
• Fly International Luxurious Art by Raekwon
• I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside by Earl Sweatshirt
• I Love You, Honeybear by Father John Misty
• In Colour by Jamie xx
• King Push — Darkest Before the Dawn by Pusha T
• The Powers That B by Death Grips
• Shadow of a Doubt by Freddie Gibbs
• Sour Soul by Ghostface Killah & BADBADNOTGOOD
• SremmLife by Rae Sremmurd
• Summertime ’06 by Vince Staples
• Surf by Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment
• To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
• Universal Themes by Sun Kil Moon
• 90059 by Jay Rock

2014

• Benji by Sun Kil Moon
• El Pintor by Interpol
• Glitches in the Break by Black Milk
• Hell Can Wait by Vince Staples
• Honest by Future
• Lese Majesty by Shabazz Palaces
• Lost in the Dream by The War on Drugs
• Mastermind by Rick Ross
• Morning Phase by Beck
• My Krazy Life by YG
• Our Love by Caribou
• Oxymoron by ScHoolboy Q
• Piñata by Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
• PRhyme by PRhyme
• Run the Jewels 2 by Run the Jewels
• Singles by Future Islands
• Soul Power by Curtis Harding
• Syro by Aphex Twin
• They Want My Soul by Spoon
• Turn Blue by The Black Keys
• Venice by Anderson .Paak
• You’re Dead by Flying Lotus
• 36 Seasons by Ghostface Killah

2013

• Acid Rap by Chance the Rapper
• Albert Einstein by Prodigy & The Alchemist
• Blue Chips 2 by Action Bronson & Party Supplies
• Czarface by Czarface
• Doris by Earl Sweatshirt
• Legends Never Die by R.A. The Rugged Man
• LONG.LIVE.A$AP by A$AP Rocky
• Music from Drinking Buddies, a film by Joe Swanberg
• No Poison No Paradise by Black Milk
• Nothing Was the Same by Drake
• Old by Danny Brown
• Random Access Memories by Daft Punk
• Reflektor by Arcade Fire
• Run the Jewels by Run the Jewels
• Twelve Reasons to Die by Ghostface Killah & Adrian Younge
• Watching Movies with the Sound Off by Mac Miller
• We are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic by Foxygen
• Yeezus by Kanye West
• 360 Waves by Durag Dynasty

2012

• An Awesome Wave by alt-J
• Attack on Memory by Cloud Nothings
• Baby Face Killa by Freddie Gibbs
• Based on a T.R.U. Story by 2 Chainz
• Bloom by Beach House
• Blue Chips by Action Bronson & Party Supplies
• Cancer 4 Cure by El-P
• Celebration Rock by Japandroids
• Channel ORANGE by Frank Ocean
• Cruel Summer by Kanye West Presents GOOD Music
• Devotion by Jessie Ware
• Fear Fun by Father John Misty
• God Forgives, I Don’t by Rick Ross
• good kid, m.A.A.d city by Kendrick Lamar
• Kill for Love by Chromatics
• Life is Good by Nas
• Live from the Underground by Big K.R.I.T.
• Lonerism by Tame Impala
• Mic Tyson by Sean Price
• Mista Thug Isolation by Lil Ugly Mane
• The Money Store by Death Grips
• No Love Deep Web by Death Grips
• Pluto by Future
• R.A.P. Music by Killer Mike
• Rare Chandeliers by Action Bronson & The Alchemist
• Reloaded by Roc Marciano
• Russian Roulette by The Alchemist
• Solo Piano II by Chilly Gonzales
• The Stoned Immaculate by Curren$y
• Sweet Heart Sweet Light by Spiritualized
• The Tae Beast Tape 2 by Tae Beast

2011

• Black Up by Shabazz Palaces
• Bon Iver, Bon Iver by Bon Iver
• Tha Carter IV by Lil Wayne
• Channel Pressure by Ford & Lopatin
• Charity Starts at Home by Phonte
• Circuital by My Morning Jacket
• Days by Real Estate
• The Dreamer/The Believer by Common
• Dr. Lecter by Action Bronson
• El Camino by The Black Keys
• Fear of God II: Let Us Pray by Pusha T
• Hell: The Sequel by Bad Meets Evil
• Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes
• Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming by M83
• The King of Limbs by Radiohead
• Kiss Each Other Clean by Iron & Wine
• LIVE.LOVE.A$AP by A$AP Rocky
• Nine Types of Light by TV on the Radio
• Oneirology by Cunninlynguists
• On the Water by Future Islands
• Random Axe by Random Axe
• The R.E.D. Album by The Game
• Section.80 by Kendrick Lamar
• Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang by Raekwon
• Smoke Ring for My Halo by Kurt Vile
• Take Care by Drake
• Watch the Throne by JAY Z & Kanye West
• Weekend at Burnie’s by Curren$y
• XXX by Danny Brown
• Zonoscope by Cut Copy

2010

• Apollo Kids by Ghostface Killah
• The ArchAndroid by Janelle Monae
• Astro Coast by Surfer Blood
• Before Today by Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti
• Broken Bells by Broken Bells
• Brothers by The Black Keys
• Clinging to a Scheme by The Radio Dept.
• Contra by Vampire Weekend
• Cosmogramma by Flying Lotus
• Gorilla Manor by Local Natives
• Halcyon Digest by Deerhunter
• High Violet by The National
• How I Got Over by The Roots
• In Evening Air by Future Islands
• InnerSpeaker by Tame Impala
• My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West
• OJ Simpson by Guilty Simpson
• One Life Stand by Hot Chip
• Overly Dedicated by Kendrick Lamar
• Pilot Talk by Curren$y
• Pilot Talk II by Curren$y
• Plastic Beach by Gorillaz
• Recovery by Eminem
• Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty by Big Boi
• The Stimulus Package by Freeway & Jake One
• Str8 Killa by Freddie Gibbs
• Subiza by Delorean
• The Suburbs by Arcade Fire
• Swim by Caribou
• Teflon Don by Rick Ross
• Teen Dream by Beach House
• Thank Me Later by Drake
• There is Love in You by Four Tet
• This is Happening by LCD Soundsystem
• Transference by Spoon
• Treats by Sleigh Bells
• Write About Love by Belle & Sebastian
• Wu-Massacre by Method Man, Ghostface Killah & Raekwon

Updates:

09/12/17: Added Future Islands to 2010 & 2011

09/04/17: Added 20+ albums across all years

01/27/17: Added Dave East, Isaiah Rashad, Kodak Black and KXNG Crooked to 2016

01/01/17: Added Logic and Run the Jewels to 2016

11/28/16: Added Run the Jewels to 2013

11/25/16: Added Chilly Gonzales to 2012

11/23/16: Added CZARFACE and DJ Khaled to 2016. Added Anderson .Paak to 2014

11/20/16: Added Beach House to 2012

11/18/16: Added Interpol to 2014 and Japandroids to 2012

11/17/16: Added Tame Impala to 2010

11/15/16: Added Danny Brown to 2013 and Caribou to 2010

11/14/16: Added Broken Bells, Local Natives and The National to 2010

11/12/16: Added new ATCQ album