Albums of 2016
The records from 2016 that made our lists.
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1We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your ServiceA Tribe Called Quest
We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service
A poignant, accomplished final album after Phife's death. Warm and acclaimed. A fitting farewell.
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2MalibuAnderson .Paak
Malibu
Sun-soaked, funky and soulful, blending hip-hop, R&B and live grooves. Charismatic throughout. His breakthrough.
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3Dangerous WomanAriana Grande
Dangerous Woman
A confident, soulful pop peak. Polished and big. A high point.
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4IVBadBadNotGood
IV
A genre-blending modern-jazz peak of hip-hop feel. Cool and acclaimed. A high point.
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5LemonadeBeyoncé
Lemonade
A visual album and emotional reckoning that moves through country, rock, hip-hop and gospel, blending the personal and the political. Ambitious in scope and immaculate in execution. Widely regarded as her masterpiece.
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6Freetown SoundBlood Orange
Freetown Sound
A collage-like art-R&B record of identity and 80s textures. Lush and acclaimed. A modern landmark.
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722, A MillionBon Iver
22, A Million
A glitchy, fractured electronic reinvention of the folk sound. Bold and acclaimed. A daring pivot.
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824K MagicBruno Mars
24K Magic
A slick, joyful throwback to 80s/90s funk and R&B. Polished and fun. An award-sweeping crowd-pleaser.
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9Teens of DenialCar Seat Headrest
Teens of Denial
A sprawling, literate indie-rock breakthrough. Raw and acclaimed. A defining 2010s record.
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10Coloring BookChance the Rapper
Coloring Book
A bright, gospel-soaked record of gratitude and faith, a Grammy-winning streaming landmark. Joyful and assured. A defining 2010s release.
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11Awaken, My Love!Childish Gambino
Awaken, My Love!
A bold pivot into psychedelic funk and soul, channelling Funkadelic on 'Redbone'. Adventurous and warm. A striking reinvention.
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12Atrocity ExhibitionDanny Brown
Atrocity Exhibition
A harrowing, experimental record of addiction and anxiety over abrasive, art-damaged beats. Singular and acclaimed. A bold high point.
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13BlackstarDavid Bowie
Blackstar
A dark, jazz-inflected final statement released days before his death, mortality woven throughout. Brave and haunting. A profound farewell.
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14ViewsDrake
Views
A glossy, sprawling blockbuster of mood and hits, home to 'Hotline Bling'. Polished and huge. A commercial peak.
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15Emily's D+EvolutionEsperanza Spalding
Emily's D+Evolution
An adventurous jazz-rock-soul peak. Bold and acclaimed. A creative high.
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16BlondeFrank Ocean
Blonde
An elliptical, gorgeous album of fragmented memory and feeling, stripped of obvious hooks in favour of mood and texture. Initially elusive, it becomes a favourite. A defining record of the 2010s.
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17MagmaGojira
Magma
A streamlined, emotional peak of accessible heaviness. Bold and acclaimed. A creative high.
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1899.9%KAYTRANADA
99.9%
A funky, dancefloor-ready debut of crisp house and soul. Groovy and acclaimed. A breakthrough.
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19Made in the ManorKano
Made in the Manor
A reflective, accomplished grime peak. Sharp and acclaimed. A creative high.
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20The Life of PabloKanye West
The Life of Pablo
A sprawling, gospel-tinged collage of a record. Messy and acclaimed. A divisive peak.
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21untitled unmastered.Kendrick Lamar
untitled unmastered.
A loose, jazzy collection of To Pimp a Butterfly offcuts. Sharp and acclaimed. A surprising gem.
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22Nonagon InfinityKing Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
Nonagon Infinity
A relentless, looping psych-rock landmark designed to never stop. Wild and beloved. A fan favourite.
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23You Want It DarkerLeonard Cohen
You Want It Darker
A graceful, mortality-haunted final album. Powerful and acclaimed. A profound farewell.
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24Midwest Farmer's DaughterMargo Price
Midwest Farmer's Daughter
A sharp, traditional-leaning debut of hard-won storytelling. Honest and acclaimed. A breakthrough.
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25Love & HateMichael Kiwanuka
Love & Hate
A lush, soulful peak of vintage warmth, home to 'Cold Little Heart'. Beautiful and acclaimed. A high point.
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26Puberty 2Mitski
Puberty 2
A raw, inventive indie-rock peak of compressed emotion. Sharp and acclaimed. A defining record.
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27Skeleton TreeNick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Skeleton Tree
A devastating record shadowed by personal tragedy, sparse and raw. Haunting and acclaimed. A profound work.
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28TelefoneNoname
Telefone
A warm, jazzy debut mixtape of gentle, literate rap. Smooth and acclaimed. A breakthrough.
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29A Moon Shaped PoolRadiohead
A Moon Shaped Pool
A lush, string-laden late peak of melancholy and beauty. Gorgeous and acclaimed. A graceful record.
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30AntiRihanna
Anti
A moody, adventurous record that reframed Rihanna as an artist, home to 'Work'. Atmospheric and assured. Her most acclaimed album.
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31KonnichiwaSkepta
Konnichiwa
A raw, confident grime peak that defined the genre's resurgence. Sharp and influential. An award-winning landmark.
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32A Seat at the TableSolange
A Seat at the Table
A graceful, political art-soul album about identity and self-care, beautifully arranged. Quietly powerful. A defining 2010s R&B statement.
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33A Sailor's Guide to EarthSturgill Simpson
A Sailor's Guide to Earth
A genre-bending, soul-and-strings country peak. Bold and acclaimed. A creative high.
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34I Like It When You Sleep...The 1975
I Like It When You Sleep...
A sprawling, ambitious pop-rock peak. Bold and acclaimed. A creative high.
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35WildflowerThe Avalanches
Wildflower
A long-awaited, sunny sample-collage sequel. Joyful and acclaimed. A worthy return.
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36StarboyThe Weeknd
Starboy
A glossy, Daft-Punk-assisted pop-R&B peak. Polished and huge. A commercial high.