Another 2016 list...
Inspired by a list I saw earlier this week, this is MOSTLY new 2016 music but also contains a few other albums that I jammed a lot for the first time this year. Most genre's are laughably off (what am I, an Argos catalogue?) and albums rated the same aren't really ranked in order of preference. As always, I only listen to music I think I'll like, hence why it skews positive. Recommendations welcome as I know I missed loads this year! |
| 1 |  | Sun Ra
Singles
Genre - Intergalactic jazz
Score - 4.5
Out of this world, and very difficult to score. I'm still not sure. Recommended music for everyone, as I'm convinced there's something here for most people. |
| 2 |  | SUMAC
What One Becomes
Genre - Ugly, bruising metal
Score - 4.4
Superb sophomore record, Aaron Turner did good. Heavier than a 12-ton badger. |
| 3 |  | Fucked Up
Hidden World
Genre - Pretentious hardcore punk
Score - 4.3
Best Fucked Up, also last of their records that I've listened to for some reason. |
| 4 |  | Failure
Fantastic Planet
Genre - Space rock
Score - 4.2
Saturday Saviooour…why haven't I listened to this before, it's great? |
| 5 |  | Weezer
The White Album
Genre - Alt. rock
Score - 4.1
Return to form, better than 'Everything…'. Also saw them live for the second time in Manchester this year, first time at Reading Festival '02 or '03…they still got it! |
| 6 |  | Deftones
Gore
Genre - Alt. metal
Score - 4.1
Beauty school. |
| 7 |  | Kvelertak
Nattesferd
Genre - Intergalactic party metal
Score - 4.1
Van Halen/Burzum (ok, not quite), this is still the most fun I've had this year. |
| 8 |  | Radiohead
A Moon Shaped Pool
Genre - Alt. rock/electronica
Score - 4.1
True Love Waits, you guys. |
| 9 |  | Danny Brown
Atrocity Exhibition
Genre - Alt. hip-hop
Score - 4.1
Really Doe = hip-hop SOTY, all else is excellent, first rate DB. |
| 10 |  | Fire!
She Sleeps, She Sleeps
Genre - Avant-jazz
Score - 4.1
Recent listen (thanks to this site), omg it's so good. Slow at the end, but worth sticking around for. |
| 11 |  | Lambchop
FLOTUS
Genre - Alt. Country
Score - 4.1
Super gentle but lovely alt. country record. |
| 12 |  | A Tribe Called Quest
We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your service
Genre - hip-hop
Score - 4.1
So much better than I thought it would be; Tribe, Busta and Consequence all on point. RIP Phife. |
| 13 |  | Charles Mingus
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
Genre - Jazz
Score - 4.1
Another Sput find, thanks for whoever did the write up for this because this piece of music is incredible. |
| 14 |  | Baroness
Purple
Genre - Rock
Score - 4
Loved this album when it dropped, still love it now. Reminds me of moving house (because that's a thing I did). |
| 15 |  | Every Time I Die
Low Teens
Genre - Metalcore
Score - 4
Astonishing record, not sure why it hasn't connected as well with other people but I love it. |
| 16 |  | The Dillinger Escape Plan
Dissociation
Genre - Metal / Punk / Glitchcore
Score - 4
RIP Dillinger, might try and see them in Wolverhampton on their last tour. Going out with a strong one. |
| 17 |  | Jon Hopkins
Immunity
Genre - Electronica
Score - 4
Best electro record I spun this year, though I've been recommended countless times. There's a humanity here which I just don't hear in other electro music. In short, brilliant. |
| 18 |  | Husker Du
Zen Arcade
Genre - Hardcore
Score - 4
Trying that 'listen to classics' thing and this one lives up to the hype. Took me a few listens though, 80's hardcore production is charming. |
| 19 |  | Grimes
Art Angels
Genre - Pop
Score - 4
Another miss from last year; Grimes is phenomenal, first album from her which has connected with me. Every track is a banger. |
| 20 |  | Jawbox
For Your Own Special Sweetheart
Genre - Post-hardcore
Score - 4
Re: Husker. Excellent stuff. |
| 21 |  | Neutral Milk Hotel
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
Genre - Lo-fi / Folk / Rock
Score - 4
Yet another Sput find; took me ages, but I love this album now. |
| 22 |  | Kendrick Lamar
untitled unmastered.
Genre - hip-hop
Score - 3.9
Levitate, levitate, levitate; Kendrick defacates on 99% of MC's. I idolise him a bit. |
| 23 |  | Oranssi Pazuzu
Värähtelijä
Genre - Black-hole metal?
Score - 3.9
WTF is this. It's good, though. |
| 24 |  | Carly Rae Jepsen
E MO TION Side B
Sugar-sweet pop
Score - 3.9
I heart Carly; pop AOTY, easy. |
| 25 |  | Alcest
Kodama
Blackgaze
Score - 3.9
Never rated Alcest before, however this album is goddamn incredible. |
| 26 |  | Altar of Plagues
Teethed Glory and Injury
Weird-ass black metal
Score - 3.9
I really like this but have no idea why. |
| 27 |  | Car Seat Headrest
Teens of Denial
Indie rock
Score - 3.9
Sprawling indie, but with tunes up the whazoo. |
| 28 |  | Drive Like Jehu
Yank Crime
Post-hardcore
Score - 3.9
See also Husker and Jawbox. |
| 29 |  | Greys
Outer Heaven
Genre - Post-hardcore
Score - 3.8
Way better than their debut, I like this record a lot. Colourful and snarky, but insightful at the same time. |
| 30 |  | Bon Iver
22, A Million
Genre - Glitch-folk
Score - 3.8
It's really good, but maybe not the second coming. |
| 31 |  | Opeth
Sorceress
Genre - Prog
Score - 3.8
Best of the prog years to date. Not by much though, I really liked Pale Communion! |
| 32 |  | Kevin Morby
Singing Saw
Genre - Folk
Score - 3.8
So good, like sitting round a campfire with a guy who isn't an arsehole and actually understands song-craft. |
| 33 |  | Prince
Purple Rain
Genre - Timeless
Score - 3.8
RIP Prince. Couldn't live up to the hype but it's still great. |
| 34 |  | Agent Fresco
Destrier
Genre - Alt. rock
Score - 3.8
Feel through the cracks last year, I dig this a lot more than most. |
| 35 |  | Jimmy Eat World
Integrity Blues
Genre - Emo
Score - 3.8
2 points awarded for the end of Pass the Baby (jokes, it's all good…but that RIFF!) |
| 36 |  | Rx Bandits
...And the Battle Begun
Genre - Ska / Prog
Score - 3.8
Didn't know this was a thing, surprisingly ace. |
| 37 |  | Steven Wilson
4 1/2
Genre - Prog
Score - 3.7
Odds 'n' sods. Really good, but looking forward to his next full length more. |
| 38 |  | The 1975
I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It
Genre - Pop / Rock / Funk
Score - 3.7
So much better than it's given credit for, I really like this album. |
| 39 |  | The Body
No One Deserves Happiness
Genre - Metal for serial killers
Score - 3.7
Like being trapped in a basement with a misunderstood ghost. |
| 40 |  | Mogwai
Atomic
Genre - Post-rock
Score - 3.7
Beautiful, haunting, ace. Solid Mogwai. |
| 41 |  | Biffy Clyro
Ellipsis
Genre - Alt. rock
Score - 3.7
Better than it's given credit for, I like. |
| 42 |  | Against Me!
Shape Shift With Me
Genre - Punk
Score - 3.7
Decent, not as good as Blues though. |
| 43 |  | Matmos
Ultimate Care II
Genre - Electronica / Experimental
Score - 3.7
Washing machine, GTFO. |
| 44 |  | Eight Bells
Landless
Genre - Doom
Score - 3.7
Recent but decent find. |
| 45 |  | Adventures
Supersonic Home
Genre - Alt. rock
Score - 3.7
Code Orange's side project which I way prefer, I think they missed a trick and should release a follow up! |
| 46 |  | Animals as Leaders
The Madness of Many
Genre - Alt. metal
Score - 3.7
Lovely instrumental metal, AAT get better with each release. I've spun this loads this year. |
| 47 |  | Anagnorisis
Peripeteia
Genre - Black metal
Score - 3.7
In some ways, the scariest album I've listened to in a long while. Hauntingly personal BM. |
| 48 |  | Oneohtrix Point Never
Garden of Delete
Genre - Electronica
Score - 3.7
Like being trapped in a hall of mirrors, stalked by synths. |
| 49 |  | Droids Attack
Sci-Fi or Die
Genre - Stoner
Score - 3.6
Riffs for breakfast, riffs for lunch, riffs for tea (and riffs for pudding). |
| 50 |  | Explosions in the Sky
The Wilderness
Genre - Post-rock
Score - 3.6
Very nice listen, although that sounds like damning-with-faint-praise. It's not. |
| 51 |  | Black Mountain
IV
Genre - 70's-worshipping rock
Score - 3.6
STILLWATER!! This rules, especially the opening track. |
| 52 |  | Death Grips
Bottomless Pit
Genre - ??
Score - 3.6
Gif-core. Meme-tronica. It's cool. |
| 53 |  | DJ Shadow
The Mountain Will Fall
Genre - Electronica
Score - 3.6
Best since Private Press, especially Bergschrund which is stunning. |
| 54 |  | Bastille
Wild World
Genre - Pop
Score - 3.6
These guys don't get the credit they deserve; way better and more interesting than it seems. |
| 55 |  | Preoccupations
Preoccupations
Genre - Post-punk
Score - 3.6
Not as good as Viet Cong but still miserablism at its finest. |
| 56 |  | Oathbreaker
Rheia
Genre - Metalcore / Blackgaze
Score - 3.6
Rage and sadness, distilled. Vocals are pure passion (though it's a tad long). |
| 57 |  | Inter Arma
Paradise Gallows
Genre - Alt. metal
Score - 3.6
Really good, but not quite the masterpiece it could have been. |
| 58 |  | David Bowie
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
Genre - Timeless
Score - 3.6
RIP Ziggy. Couldn't live up to the hype but it's still great. |
| 59 |  | Car Bomb
Meta
Genre - Metal
Score - 3.6
Hi, we're Meshug-, I mean Car Bomb. Not really, this is great. |
| 60 |  | Swans
The Glowing Man
Genre - Swans
Score - 3.5
Swans do Swans. Fitting end to the trilogy, but not as good as To Be Kind. |
| 61 |  | Sturgill Simpson
A Sailor's Guide To Earth
Genre - Alt. country
Score - 3.5
Lovely. |
| 62 |  | Crying
Beyond The Fleeting Gales
Genre - Nintendo-core
Score - 3.5
This made me laugh out loud the first time I heard it. Weird and ADHD-like, but pretty good. |
| 63 |  | Ben Nichols
The Last Pale Light in the West
Genre - Alt. country
Score - 3.5
Liked this a lot; reflects the colour of the book it's based on. |
| 64 |  | Iggy Pop
Post Pop Depression
Genre - Rock
Score - 3.4
Nowhere near as good as year end lists would like to think, but Homme makes it as good as it could be. |
| 65 |  | Turnstile
Move Thru Me
Genre - 80's-indebted hardcore
Score - 3.4
Yaaaaaar, fun! Short and sweet, can't wait for their debut major. |
| 66 |  | Cinemechanica
Cinemechanica
Genre - Alt. metal
Score - 3.4
Apparently 10 years in the making; length doesn't justify the wait, but it's still a good listen. |
| 67 |  | Descendents
Hypercaffium Spazzinate
Genre - Punk
Score - 3.4
Super fun, in the way Descendents tend to be. Showing the young pups how it's done (also, I can relate to the lyrics about getting older) |
| 68 |  | Metallica
Hardwired... to Self-Destruct
Genre - Metal
Score - 3.4
Way better than anything since St Anger but c'mon…still low-grade Metallica. Fun, though. |
| 69 |  | American Football
American Football (LP2)
Genre - Emo
Score - 3.4
Like it was going to get close. I still like it though (twinkly guitars are pretty). |
| 70 |  | Polyphia
Renaissance
Genre - Alt. metal
Score - 3.4
Intervals released another album this year? |
| 71 |  | Delta Sleep
Twin Galaxies
Genre - Alt. rock
Score - 3.4
Minus the Bear-lite. |
| 72 |  | Dinosaur Jr.
Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not
Genre - Alt. rock
Score - 3.4
First Dinosaur…I like it! |
| 73 |  | Chance the Rapper
Coloring Book
Genre - Hip-hop
Score - 3.3
Overrated and not as good as Acid Rap but still great. |
| 74 |  | Pallbearer
Fear and Fury
Genre - Doom
Score - 3.3
Slight but fun EP; the Type-O Negative cover is amazing. |
| 75 |  | Giraffe Tongue Orchestra
Broken Lines
Genre - Alt. rock
Score - 3.3
Best Mastodon SP this year, but not much in it. I like this more every listen, for what it's worth. |
| 76 |  | Gone is Gone
Gone Is Gone
Genre - Alt. rock
Score - 3.3
It's ok, not the best Mastodon SP this year. Full length next year will hopefully be better. |
| 77 |  | Esperanza Spalding
Emily's D+Evolution
Genre - Jazz / Funk / Rock
Score - 3.2
Decent listen, but sometimes the vocals are bit 'free jazz'-y for me. |
| 78 |  | Entropia (PL)
Ufonaut
Genre - Metal
Score - 3.2
Double kicks and growls with whale noises; it's weird, but pretty ok (I still dk). |
| 79 |  | Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Getaway
Genre - Alt. rock
Score - 3.2
Better than I'm With You; also, last track (Samurai) is all-time Chili's, for me. |
| 80 |  | Big Business
Command Your Weather
Genre - Alt. rock
Score - 3.2
Likeable but slight heavy rock. |
| 81 |  | Khemmis
Hunted
Genre - Metal
Score - 3.2
Not getting the hype, decent but nothing more. |
| 82 |  | Rihanna
ANTI
Genre - Alt. pop
Score - 3.2
Better than it has any right to be. |
| 83 |  | Wo Fat
Midnight Cometh
Genre - Stoner
Score - 3.1
Love this band, not digging this album as much as I thought I would. |
| 84 |  | Wolf People
Ruins
Genre - Folk / rock
Score - 3.1
Solid, but a bit boring. Did we need three Kingfishers? |
| 85 |  | KEN mode
Nerve
Genre - Noise-rock
Score - 3.1
Leftovers, but still aite. |
| 86 |  | Kanye West
The Life of Pablo
Genre - Hip-hop
Score - 3
Lowest Yeezy, but there's some good stuff on here (Ultralight Beam is stunning). |
| 87 |  | Issues
Headspace
Genre - Pop-metal
Score - 3
Love the Bieber-vocals, runs out of steam though. |
| 88 |  | Blink-182
California
Genre - Pop-punk
Score - 3
15 yr old me can't give it less than a 3, but really it's like a 1.5. Cynical is excellent, though. |
| 89 |  | letlive.
If I'm the Devil...
Genre - Post-hardcore
Score - 3
Disappointing, but a grower. |
| 90 |  | Neurosis
Fires Within Fires
Genre - Post-metal
Score - 3
Short, sweet, low-tier Neurosis. |
| 91 |  | Red Fang
Only Ghosts
Genre - Rock / metal
Score - 3
Not as good as their first three records; still a couple of bangers, though. |
| 92 |  | Brain Tentacles
Brain Tentacles
Genre - Jazz / metal
Score - 3
Weird for weird's sake, but at least it's interesting. |
| 93 |  | NOFX
First Ditch Effort
Genre - Pop-punk
Score - 2.9
Like it less and less each time I listen. |
| 94 |  | Three Trapped Tigers
Silent Earthling
Genre - Sega-core
Score - 2.9
Nowhere near as much fun as it should be. |
| 95 |  | Islander
Power Under Control
Genre - Alt. metal
Score - 2.9
Disappointing follow up. |
| 96 |  | TesseracT
Errai
Genre - Alt. metal
Score - 2.8
Totally superfluous but pretty. |
| 97 |  | Green Day
Revolution Radio
Genre - Pop-punk
Score - 2.8
Stop it. Better than the last three, though. |
| 98 |  | Greys
Warm Shadow
Genre - Post-hardcore
Score - 2.7
Underwhelming companion to Outer Heaven. |
| 99 |  | Yuck
Stranger Things
Genre - 90's worship
Score - 2.5
Meh |
| 100 |  | Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
This Unruly Mess I've Made
Genre - Hip-hop
Score - 2.4
The Heist II: Electric Boogaloo |
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