[Shaun]

10 more then

#40 - "Honey" by Katy B

I don't think there will ever come a time where there's an object that can be identified as "a bad Katy B album", but this skated quite close to the edge for some. I can see why: it's a collection of random producers and DJs that are a lot more chilled-out than her older garage/dubstep sounds and it's not a terribly exciting listen. But for a winding down gathering it'd be pretty wonderful.

#39 - "Front Row Seat to Earth" by Weyes Blood

Her third album but the first I've heard, she came to my attention because of a future collaboration with Perfume Genius. Turns out she's done stuff with Ariel Pink too. In my head those are exciting names, but I admit on TiBB they're probably foreign-sounding appetisers. This album was an eye-opener for me, though, and she's something like an updated Karen Carpenter.

#38 - "Joanne" by Lady GaGa

Lady GaGa album cycles invariably come along with trying moments: will it match the Fame Monster, will she have RedOne back, is Beyonce going to finish that story, has she ditched the jazz crap? All questions that flatter her command on the world of pop. Perhaps the buzz flattered to deceive: Joanne landed with not so much a bang as a light thud. It's an odd direction for her, not without its fun songs and misfires, but five years ago we were all lauding her unpredictability and now we seem to bemoan it. Joanne is a pretty decent-to-good album.

#37 - "A Seat at the Table" by Solange

I would imagine it's inevitable that this'll creep further the list retrospectively but as of January 30, 2017, Shaun Collins cannot grasp what it is about this album that is supposedly Pitchfork's best of 2016. It is good. It has great tracks. But it's so padded out with waffle and really not all that memorable to me?

#36 - "Night Thoughts" by Suede

They've been pottering about with mediocrity since 1996's 'Coming Up' album. Even 2013's "Bloodsports" - which was received well - wasn't up to much for me, but something clicked with this album and Suede became a band I liked again.

#35 - "Love You to Death" by Tegan and Sara

Whilst the artwork is markedly similar to Taylor Swift's "1989", and it was never going to match the record label money spent on such a project, "Love You to Death" almost as overblown and majestic as it. They've become almost rivals to Robyn now in their sheer dependability with which they release excellent pop music. Speaking of which...

#34 - "Emotion: Side B" by Carly Rae Jepsen

If you are a queer person online (and let's face it, 67% of you are), chances are you're already sick of reading about her. I hope this doesn't serve as a barrier between you listening to the second wave of her 'Emotion' albums, though, because you'd be missing out on a lot of fun. 'Higher', 'Roses', 'The One' and 'Fever' could've all easily crept onto the main event in 2015, but for now they serve as highlights from a surprisingly solid group of eight off-cuts. 'Store' kinda sucks though. Sorry not sorry.

#33 - "Summer 08" by Metronomy

In the three albums now that I've been following Metronomy (a local band to me, which is rare) all of them have been complete surprises and 180 turns of genre and inspiration from the last. Where 'Love Letters' embraced psychedelia and space-age imagery, 'Summer 08' stomps into a weird 70s disco that is just as captivating.

#32 - "Lady Wood" by Tove Lo

It didn't come as a huge surprise that Tove Lo didn't quite come back to the same success that the likes of 'Talking Body' and 'Habits' did from her first record, but what she may have lost in commercial marketability she's more than made up for - in honing albums without significant gaps of lapsed interest. 'Queen of the Clouds', for all of its innovation, was very stop-start. 'Lady Wood' cannot really be faulted.

#31 - "Super" by Pet Shop Boys

I understand that the idea of still listening to the Pet Shop Boys in 2016 is not going to be a terribly popular idea. I also understand that "they've still got it!" is the cry of a defeated man. But I like them

[Pete.]

Let Store live

[Jamie89]

I love (most of) Joanne Solange too

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

Shaun Collins cannot grasp what it is about this album that is supposedly Pitchfork's best of 2016. It is good. It has great tracks. But it's so padded out with waffle and really not all that memorable to me?

Let me critique your review. Your inane blathering makes me embarrassed for you. You're pretty clueless when it comes to music and even basic writing. You have no business reviewing anything. You should go back to flipping burgers.

[Shaun]

and then she went and made herself the most hated woman in the world

GSA 1-0 Natalia Kills stan

[Shaun]

Not long left!!!! (although I still intend on posting my 10 favourite artworks, 10 biggest disappointments and...no that's it actually. Not bothering with a '10 worst songs' or '10 worst albums' thing bc I generally avoid albums if I think they're going to be especially bad now).

Could do songs I suppose...

#30 - "Anti" by Rihanna

I know a lot of this album was a load of old rubbish (which is why it doesn't place higher, I suppose) but the bits that she got right were some of her career-bests. 'Consideration', 'James Joint', 'Close to You', 'Higher' and of course 'Kiss It Better' are all very fine tracks indeed, and who'd have seen a Tame Impala cover coming? Could grow on me a bit more with time, too.

#29 - "There's Alot Going On" by Vic Mensa

Still awaiting that debut album, but this EP was more than enough to tide me over... at only seven tracks it might not endure in many memories but it's a great opening act for the main event. 'Danger', 'New Bae' and the title track were all great.

#28 - "Views" by Drake

Still making albums a little too overblown to challenge for the "best of our time" accolades, and I really really wish the memes and the Twitter chat that comes with each new Drake release would die already, but as long as each new LP contains strengths like 'Too Good', 'Feel No Ways', 'Controlla' and 'Still Here' - not to mention the obvious mega hit - then I'll let him live.

#27 - "Roosevelt" by Roosevelt

A great debut dance record, and I suppose it's pertinent that I applaud something German from 2016 after the referendum.

#26 - "Skin" by Flume

Not a debut like Roosevelt but it felt just as much of a startling breakthrough. A pretty star-studded affair with tracks from AlunaGeorge, Beck, Tove Lo and Vince Staples, it does have a tendency to leave you wondering how on earth it all comes together, but the component parts are almost all brilliant.

#25 - "Dangerous Woman" by Ariana Grande

It doesn't seem like a terribly unique thing any more, to produce an excellent pop album, after the efforts we've seen in recent years from Carly Rae Jepsen, Taylor Swift, Ke$ha, Robyn and Kelis (and Beyonce, of course), but as they become more and more mainstream and the stars releasing them are bigger names, you can't help but marvel at certain record labels' abilities to get their shit together. Grande's third is far and away her best, and even non-singles like 'Thinking Bout You', deluxe tracks like 'Touch It' and odd surprise collaborations like 'Leave Me Lonely' with Macy Gray (remember her?) leave you pretty wigless.

#24 - "Love and Hate" by Michael Kiwanuka

We're now entering the territory where I fret and worry that I've placed albums too low: all albums from this point forward were scored 8/10 or higher by me. His first album - the foundations of which picked him up the BBC Sound of 2014 award - was largely forgotten (whilst pleasant), but the follow-up was unprecedented in its power. It's a heavy listen, incredibly political and features some masterpieces. Yeah I think I've placed it too low

#23 - "For All We Know" by Nao

When trying to nominate for "breakthrough" categories at the end of 2016 I did briefly consider the idea that there weren't really many and that perhaps 2016 was a poor year for debuts. This album serves as a solid argument to the contrary: British electronic musician Nao dropped one of the year's most exciting records. Her ear for a great beat and soulful vocals make it a great listen.

#22 - "Durt" by Ray BLK

...and if the names that were floated around for the BBC Sound of 2017 were anything to go by, then this year's breakthroughs should be stellar. Step forward the winner: Ray BLK. Her second EP, Durt, was released in October and is a collection of her biggest singles out on YouTube, and there's so much to get excited by; the feature spot from Stormzy, the masterful production, her own wordplay. 'Chill Out' continues to grow on me and may be one of my favourite songs of the decade, and the rest of 'Durt' is almost as strong.

#21 - "The Bride" by Bat for Lashes

I didn't immediately love this - certainly not as much as the previous effort 'The Haunted Man' anyway - but the theme behind it was so heartbreaking and a little terrifying that it didn't take too long to strike a chord. A record about a woman whose fiance dies on their wedding day, it's a dark but beautiful album of loss and grief.

[Shaun]

Lalalalalalala...

#20 - "Untitled Unmastered" by Kendrick Lamar

Was never going to dominate 2016 given its nature as a collection of offcuts without titles, artwork or promotion, but it's a fairly solid selection of eight tracks. Of course, stacked next to the two proper albums before it, it may be quickly forgotten.

#19 - "The Life of Pablo" by Kanye West

I haven't got over just how awful the artwork for this is, yet. Like, there's deviating from the idea of "eye-catching art" and then there's dicking around on Microsoft Paint at primary school. The album itself? It may be one of West's weakest... in fact it is... but its highlights are good enough to warrant a top twenty placing. The editing and cutting process of it was extremely well-publicised (by West himself) and it did get to the stage where I felt he didn't have any idea of what he wanted to present: even with all of its post-release edits and tweaks, it's relatively flawed. But the foundations are all there for another Kanye classic, and some tracks will be some of his career-best if he ever does retire.

#18 - "Chaleur Humaine" by Christine and the Queens

Released originally in France in 2014, her breakthrough in 2016 was most unexpected. The idea of a French genderfluid person being one of Britain's most beloved new musicians in the same year as Brexit is quite laughable on paper, but her stage presence, unique performance styles and a bag of memorable songs made it quite justifiable.

#17 - "A Moon Shaped Pool" by Radiohead

Now approaching the part of the list where everyone could've arguably made the top ten on a good day, but the competition was just so tight. Five years after the terribly divisive 'King of Limbs' came their ninth album, and probably their strongest since Kid A. Many would argue the merits of In Rainbows ahead of this and that's fine, since arguing over which is the best Radiohead album is often like arguing over how to make the best cup of tea; 'True Love Waits' finally got its centre stage moment and all of the surroundings were just as rewarding.

#16 - "99.9%" by Kaytranada

It won Canada's equivalent of the Mercury Prize and it's not hard to see why: the album contains some of the most exciting and wonderful production in a long time. He's worked and written for Alicia Keys, Katy B, Craig David, Chance the Rapper and Azealia Banks and that's just in 2016 alone: given time and honing he can only grow from here. 99.9% doesn't require a lot more to be the perfect 100 after all.

#15 - "Nothing's Real" by Shura

As already mentioned in the singles countdown, the fact that most of this album had already been floating around as singles and soundcloud files for the more diehard of Shura fans meant that this debut's eventual release wasn't quite as impactful for me as it should've been. For the casual pop fan though - I do envy you - this would be a perfect pop record upon hearing for the first time.

#14 - "Puberty 2" by Mitski

(thank you Scott)
This year was the first I'd heard of her, but this is her fourth LP now. That it's her first with a Wikipedia page might illustrate its status as something of a breakthrough, however. I look forward to (eventually) getting around to the three that precede it, but for now, Puberty 2 is captivating enough to keep me entertained for a while. Her song titles might sound like things Scott says whilst huffing glue ("I BET ON LOSING DOGS", he cries), and that's part of its charm.

#13 - "Malibu" by Anderson .Paak

Another breakthrough that isn't strictly a breakthrough, Anderson's second album was strong enough for even the BBC to pay attention. Not enough to put him above whatever a 'Jorja Smith' is, but that battle's a lost cause. 'Malibu' is a sort-of psychedelic, soulful masterpiece that is only topped by two other hip hop records of 2016. One's immediately to come and the other scrapes into the top ten. But this is one of those albums that stands alone entirely on its own terms: it's difficult to describe with genres but is perhaps best described as Anderson .Paak's little world.

#12 - "Coloring Book" by Chance the Rapper

"He said let's do a good-ass job with Chance 3, I hear you gotta sell it to snatch the Grammy. Let's make it so free and the bars so hard that there ain't one gosh darn part that you can't tweet." - Chance's own words on a little song called Ultralight Beam that preceded the release of this, his third mixtape, by roughly three months. Were it eligible for those awards and were Chance more concerned with coins than free music, this would surely sweep the board, but is there something commendable about taking his road? Sure. He stands as a refreshing alternative to the legions of artists out to boast their own wealth, but that's really of some insignificance when it comes to his music. Faith, Chicago, his daughter and his other relationships all make for some of the drawings in this coloring book, and it's more than a little enjoyable.

#11 - "The Colour in Anything" by James Blake

In hindsight I may have been a little harsh on Blake's debut album. That I've gone on to love Overgrown and now this should indicate that I've probably changed my stance on his sound somewhat. In the same year that James Blake has written not one but two songs for Beyonce's Lemonade, he's welcomed Frank Ocean, Bon Iver and Rick Rubin onto his own work - hell, he only needs Drake and he's won Hipster Bingo. Those two tracks on Lemonade may be a lot stronger than what's on display here, but he's made a great step here from indie darling to production superstar.

[Jamie89]

Her song titles might sound like things Scott says whilst huffing glue

Christine, Radiohead and Mitski <3

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

[Shaun]

right let's get this over with

#10 - "Atrocity Exhibition" by Danny Brown

It's just... idk... I thought I had put Danny Brown into a box where he was yapping and running around like a ball of energy, with little else to surprise or impress me in terms or production and lyrical output, but then this happened and I didn't really expect it. His previous albums were both strong but I feel like this somehow surpassed both of them? I'm not sure. It's a Mad Hatter's Tea Party of drugs, paranoia and violence, and pretty compelling.

#9 - "Hopelessness" by ANOHNI

Her first solo album, and also her first with her new name, saw her take a huge departure from the style of Antony + the Johnsons and embrace electronics. The album's political enough to get Alf and LeatherTrumpet to moan about it when she (hopefully) wins Best Female at the BRITS soon, tackling issues like capital punishment, Barack Obama's presidency and war, but retains the same kind of poetic beauty that thrived on her albums with her band. Some of the tracks are career-bests, and when that career includes the likes of 'Hope There's Someone' and 'Cut the World', that's high praise indeed.

#8 - "My Woman" by Angel Olsen

I know it's a childish impulse to go all "yes X is nice but she's not as good as Y", so I did briefly flirt with the idea that Mitski vs. Angel Olsen was a thing I wanted to tackle and instigate in this list, but given it's a ranking I guess Angel won anyway? Sorry Scott. Their sounds are similar and in a year that PJ Harvey collapsed under her own pretentious weight, there were many stepping forward to take her crown. For me, this was the most consistent and mind-blowing album from a solo rock/alt-rock/whatever woman.

#7 - "22, A Million" by Bon Iver

I like Bon Iver ok

#6 - "Skeleton Tree" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Dark as hell and maybe the saddest album I've ever heard? I dunno, it's sort of on the same level as Joni Mitchell's Blue in terms of tugging at my heart.

#5 - "Wildflower" by The Avalanches

I would appreciate not having to wait another 17 years for the next album. In a year of frightening politics, endless death and terrorism, this was a brief flicker of optimism and colourful fun. Their unique production style was the perfect method of execution for a psychedelic, beautiful album that'd sit happily and strongly next to the likes of Sgt. Pepper's or Love's 'Forever Changes'.

#4 - "Freetown Sound" by Blood Orange

Another monster of an album (at 17 tracks and 59 minutes), Dev Hynes' latest masterpiece was the perfect blend of the funk & grooves of Prince (I honestly believe that Hynes may be the reincarnation of him) and the fraught world-view and cutting insight of 70s-era Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Freetown Sound should go down as one of the greatest albums on black identity... if not of all time, then certainly the past 30 years.

#3 - "Blackstar" by David Bowie

The second stage of five in dealing with grief is anger, and for a brief while I did feel it: specifically because after decades of nothing, certainly nothing of much strength, released by David Bowie, he popped back in 2013 with the brilliant 'The Next Day'. All seemed to be great, and it turned out his follow-up would be too. That it would be his last was the most unpleasant of surprises. The mental strength and solemnity with which this must have been recorded is something I've yet to understand, but something I'll forever admire. 'Dollar Days', 'Lazarus' and 'I Can't Give Everything Away' are particular highlights, and nicely serve as the Low or Lodger alternatives to much of the more early Bowie-sounding tracks available on The Next Day.

#2 - "Lemonade" by Beyoncé

Just phenomenal. I toyed with placing this at #1 for a long time - in fact everything in this top four has been #1 for at least a month or two over the course of 2016 - and whilst the singles and tracks definitely stand more memorable than those available on my winner, it would seem that Lemonade losing out is the recurring theme of 2017. Not a single weak track, and some of the most startlingly personal lyrics and poignant melodies ever released by the most compelling woman in music right now.

#1 - "Blonde" by Frank Ocean

In 2012, I put 'Channel Orange' second to a staunchly political masterpiece (good kid, m.A.A.d city). It really did look like I was going to do the same for his follow-up - perhaps just out of spite for it taking so long to surface more than anything. The hype that surrounded it would be enough to quash even the highest of expectations and leave you disappointed but Blonde did nothing of the sort. I haven't had nearly as much free time as I used to to let albums sink in so I've probably yet to fully let Blonde sink in, but oh god it's so good

[Gstar]

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

[Marsh.]

Where is Mel C?

[Shaun]

She was disqualified for being a lesbian

[Fetch The Bolt Cutters]

i really don't GET the lemonade hype ahtcbgcbh like idk

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by That Girl

i really don't GET the lemonade hype ahtcbgcbh like idk

why are you so contrary just for the sake of itt

[Shaun]

yeah piss off to the controversial music opinions thread with the other desperate-to-be-edgy ASSHOLES