Year-End Lists

The A.V. Club: 21 Best Albums of 2016

[see also 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Blackstar
   David Bowie
2. A Moon Shaped Pool
   Radiohead
3. My Woman
   Angel Olsen
4. Cardinal
   Pinegrove
5. Goodness
   The Hotelier
6. Paradise
   White Lung
7. Coloring Book
   Chance The Rapper
8. Puberty 2
   Mitski
9. Blond
   Frank Ocean
10. Cody
    Joyce Manor
11. You Want It Darker
    Leonard Cohen
12. Eric Bachmann
    Eric Bachmann
13. A Seat at the Table
    Solange
14. Holy Ghost
    Modern Baseball
15. Real
    Lydia Loveless
16. You Will Never Be One of Us
    Nails
17. Stage Four
    Touché Amoré
18. The Life of Pablo
    Kanye West
19. Teens of Denial
    Car Seat Headrest
20. I Had A Dream That You Were Mine
    Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam
20. Blisters In the Pit of My Heart
    Martha

Mojo Magazine: 50 Best Albums of 2016

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Blackstar
   David Bowie
2. Love & Hate
   Michael Kiwanuka
3. Skeleton Tree
   Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
4. FLOTUS
   Lambchop
5. You Want It Darker
   Leonard Cohen
6. Post Pop Depression
   Iggy Pop
7. Blond
   Frank Ocean
8. Stranger to Stranger
   Paul Simon
9. The Hope Six Demolition Project
   PJ Harvey
10. Heron Oblivion
    Heron Oblivion
11. A Moon Shaped Pool
    Radiohead
12. Lemonade
    Beyoncé
13. Here
    Teenage Fanclub
14. Changes
    Charles Bradley
15. Hidden City
    The Cult
16. 22, A Million
    Bon Iver
17. Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not
    Dinosaur Jr.
18. Apricity
    Syd Arthur
19. Swell to Great
    Modern Studies
20. Fallen Angels
    Bob Dylan
21. Golden Sings That Have Been Sung
    Ryley Walker
22. A Seat at the Table
    Solange
23. Singing Saw
    Kevin Morby
24. Teens of Denial
    Car Seat Headrest
25. Konnichiwa
    Skepta
26. Mangy Love
    Cass McCombs
27. case/lang/veirs
    case/lang/veirs
28. My Woman
    Angel Olsen
29. A Weird Exits
    Thee Oh Sees
30. Good Times!
    The Monkees
31. Songs for Our Mothers
    The Fat White Family
32. The Still
    The Still
33. Night Thoughts
    Suede
34. Lighthouse
    David Crosby
35. Commontime
    Field Music
36. Schmilco
    Wilco
37. The Colour in Anything
    James Blake
38. This Is Where I Live
    William Bell
39. Stiff
    White Denim
40. Coloring Book
    Chance The Rapper
41. Eyes on the Lines
    Steve Gunn
42. Hopelessness
    ANOHNI
43. Epic Jammers and Fortunate Little Ditties
    Bitchin Bajas & Bonnie “Prince” Billy
44. 2013
    Meilyr Jones
45. Untitled Unmastered
    Kendrick Lamar
46. Chaleur Humaine
    Christine and the Queens
47. Keep Me Singing
    Van Morrison
48. Channel the Spirits
    The Comet Is Coming
49. You Know Who You Are
    Nada Surf
50. Foreverland
    The Divine Comedy

Flood Magazine: The Best Records of 2016

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014]

1. Skeleton Tree
   Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
2. A Moon Shaped Pool
   Radiohead
3. We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
   A Tribe Called Quest
4. My Woman
   Angel Olsen
5. You Want It Darker
   Leonard Cohen
6. The Party
   Andy Shauf
7. Blackstar
   David Bowie
8. The Life of Pablo
   Kanye West
9. Jumping the Shark
   Alex Cameron
10. Blond
    Frank Ocean
11. Untitled Unmastered
    Kendrick Lamar
12. Light Upon the Lake
    Whitney
13. Coloring Book
    Chance The Rapper
14. Preoccupations
    Preoccupations
15. Lemonade
    Beyoncé
16. Human Performance
    Parquet Courts
17. Hopelessness
    ANOHNI
18. Mowing
    Michael Nau
19. Malibu
    Anderson .Paak
20. A Seat at the Table
    Solange
21. Crab Day
    Cate Le Bon
22. Black Terry Cat
    Xenia Rubinos
23. Post Pop Depression
    Iggy Pop
24. Mangy Love
    Cass McCombs
25. Midwest Farmer’s Daughter
    Margo Price

Uncut Magazine: 75 Best Albums of 2016

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. Blackstar
   David Bowie
2. A Moon Shaped Pool
   Radiohead
3. Skeleton Tree
   Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
4. You Want It Darker
   Leonard Cohen
5. Golden Sings That Have Been Sung
   Ryley Walker
6. The Hope Six Demolition Project
   PJ Harvey
7. A Sailor’s Guide to Earth
   Sturgill Simpson
8. Hopelessness
   ANOHNI
9. Here
   Teenage Fanclub
10. Lemonade
    Beyoncé
11. A Weird Exits
    Thee Oh Sees
12. The Ship
    Brian Eno
13. American Band
    Drive-By Truckers
14. 22, A Million
    Bon Iver
15. Schmilco
    Wilco
16. Heart Like a Levee
    Hiss Golden Messenger
17. Void Beats / Invocation Trex
    Cavern of Anti-Matter
18. A Seat at the Table
    Solange
19. FLOTUS
    Lambchop
20. My Woman
    Angel Olsen
21. Modern Country
    William Tyler
22. Wildflower
    The Avalanches
23. Midwest Farmer’s Daughter
    Margo Price
24. Stranger to Stranger
    Paul Simon
25. Post Pop Depression
    Iggy Pop
26. Crab Day
    Cate Le Bon
27. Lodestar
    Shirley Collins
28. case/lang/veirs
    case/lang/veirs
29. Untitled Unmastered
    Kendrick Lamar
30. Blond
    Frank Ocean
31. Mangy Love
    Cass McCombs
32. Wood / Metal / Plastic / Pattern / Rhythm / Rock
    75 Dollar Bill
33. Nonagon Infinity
    King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
34. The Ghosts of Highway 20
    Lucinda Williams
35. New View
    Eleanor Friedberger
36. Blood Bitch
    Jenny Hval
37. Love Streams
    Tim Hecker
38. The Rarity of Experience
    Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band
39. Little Seeds
    Shovels and Rope
40. I, Gemini
    Let’s Eat Grandma
41. Varmints
    Anna Meredith
42. Brigid Mae Power
    Brigid Mae Power
43. Take Her Up to Monto
    Róisín Murphy
44. Away
    Okkervil River
45. We Are King
    KING
46. The Glowing Man
    Swans
47. Unseen
    The Handsome Family
48. Konnichiwa
    Skepta
49. Chaleur Humaine
    Christine and the Queens
50. Singing Saw
    Kevin Morby
51. Barbara Barbara, we face a shining future
    Underworld
52. Day of the Dead
    various artists
53. Leave Me Alone
    Hinds
54. Upland Stories
    Robbie Fulks
55. Killer Road
    Soundwalk Collective / Patti Smith / Jesse Paris Smith
56. Atrocity Exhibition
    Danny Brown
57. blackSUMMERS’night
    Maxwell
58. EARS
    Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
59. Shine a Light: Field Recordings from the Great American Railroad
    Billy Bragg & Joe Henry
60. Emotional Mugger
    Ty Segall
61. Music for a New Society/M:FANS
    John Cale
62. Centres
    Ian William Craig
63. You Can’t Go Back If There’s Nothing to Go Back To
    Richmond Fontaine
64. Set Fire to the Stars
    Gruff Rhys
65. In Search of Harperfield
    Emma Pollock
66. Changes
    Charles Bradley
67. Eyes on the Lines
    Steve Gunn
68. Distance Inbetween
    The Coral
69. American Tunes
    Allen Toussaint
70. Grapefruit
    Kiran Leonard
71. Channel the Spirits
    The Comet Is Coming
72. Hubris
    Oren Ambarchi
73. Heron Oblivion
    Heron Oblivion
74. Last Evenings on Earth
    Melt Yourself Down
75. III
    Innercity Ensemble

The Skinny: Top 50 Albums of 2016

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015]

1. Blond
   Frank Ocean
2. A Seat at the Table
   Solange
3. 22, A Million
   Bon Iver
4. Malibu
   Anderson .Paak
5. My Woman
   Angel Olsen
6. Skeleton Tree
   Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
7. Blackstar
   David Bowie
8. Hopelessness
   ANOHNI
9. Human Performance
   Parquet Courts
10. Lemonade
    Beyoncé
11. A Moon Shaped Pool
    Radiohead
12. Teens of Denial
    Car Seat Headrest
13. Lost Time
    Tacocat
14. Coloring Book
    Chance The Rapper
15. Puberty 2
    Mitski
16. Freetown Sound
    Blood Orange
17. Varmints
    Anna Meredith
18. For All We Know
    NAO
19. Nothing’s Real
    Shura
20. Cardinal
    Pinegrove
21. I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It
    The 1975
22. Rojus (Designed to Dance)
    Leon Vynehall
23. The Life of Pablo
    Kanye West
24. Adore Life
    Savages
25. 99.9%
    KAYTRANADA
26. Next Thing
    Frankie Cosmos
27. Sirens
    Nicolas Jaar
28. The Colour in Anything
    James Blake
29. Telefone
    Noname
30. Atrocity Exhibition
    Danny Brown
31. Boy King
    Wild Beasts
32. Will
    Julianna Barwick
33. Leave Me Alone
    Hinds
34. Don’t Let the Kids Win
    Julia Jacklin
35. Fetish Bones
    Moor Mother
36. How to Be a Human Being
    Glass Animals
37. Painting of a Panic Attack
    Frightened Rabbit
38. Light Upon the Lake
    Whitney
39. Darwîś
    Parra for Cuva
40. Good Luck And Do Your Best
    Gold Panda
41. Here
    Teenage Fanclub
42. Mirror Breathing
    Shield Patterns
43. Babes Never Die
    Honeyblood
44. Singing Saw
    Kevin Morby
45. American Football (LP2)
    American Football
46. City
    Law Holt
47. Meet the Humans
    Steve Mason
48. Weem
    De Rosa
49. E•MO•TION: Side B
    Carly Rae Jepsen
50. Not to Disappear
    Daughter

Jim DeRogatis: Best Albums of 2016, as aired on Sound Opinions

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Adore Life
   Savages
2. Love Yes
   TEEN
3. Mystère
   La Femme
4. Gymnastics
   Sneaks
5. Blood // Sugar // Secs // Traffic
   The Gotobeds
6. Babes Never Die
   Honeyblood
7. Blood Bitch
   Jenny Hval
8. American Band
   Drive-By Truckers
9. Unseen
   The Handsome Family
10. A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings
    Beach Slang

Entertainment Weekly: 50 Best Albums of 2016

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2011]

1. Lemonade
   Beyoncé
2. Blackstar
   David Bowie
3. Anti
   Rihanna
4. 99.9%
   KAYTRANADA
5. A Sailor’s Guide to Earth
   Sturgill Simpson
6. Puberty 2
   Mitski
7. Coloring Book
   Chance The Rapper
8. Hopelessness
   ANOHNI
9. Malibu
   Anderson .Paak
10. A Moon Shaped Pool
    Radiohead
11. The Life of Pablo
    Kanye West
12. A Seat at the Table
    Solange
13. Love You to Death
    Tegan and Sara
14. Blond
    Frank Ocean
15. Midwest Farmer’s Daughter
    Margo Price
16. The Weight of These Wings
    Miranda Lambert
17. You Want It Darker
    Leonard Cohen
18. Freetown Sound
    Blood Orange
19. SVIIB
    School Of Seven Bells
20. We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
    A Tribe Called Quest
21. Teens of Denial
    Car Seat Headrest
22. The Colour in Anything
    James Blake
23. Stranger to Stranger
    Paul Simon
24. I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It
    The 1975
25. Day Breaks
    Norah Jones
26. Matter
    St. Lucia
27. Dangerous Woman
    Ariana Grande
28. Atrocity Exhibition
    Danny Brown
29. For All We Know
    NAO
30. Long Way Home
    Låpsley
31. Lady Wood
    Tove Lo
32. Schmilco
    Wilco
33. My Woman
    Angel Olsen
34. Leave Me Alone
    Hinds
35. Ouroboros
    Ray LaMontagne
36. Jeffery
    Young Thug
37. Paradise
    White Lung
38. Black America Again
    Common
39. A Good Night in the Ghetto
    Kamaiyah
40. Human Ceremony
    Sunflower Bean
41. Tkay
    Tkay Maidza
42. Full Circle
    Loretta Lynn
43. Light Upon the Lake
    Whitney
44. Telefone
    Noname
45. I Had A Dream That You Were Mine
    Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam
46. Shape Shift With Me
    Against Me!
47. Day of the Dead
    various artists
48. Talk To You Soon
    Ricky Eat Acid
49. Standards
    Into It. Over It.
50. RMX/RBN
    Robyn

AllMusic: 48 Best Albums of 2016 (roughly alphabetical by artist)

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

• We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
  A Tribe Called Quest
• Citizen of Glass
  Agnes Obel
• Burn Something Beautiful
  Alejandro Escovedo
• Spirit
  Amos Lee
• Malibu
  Anderson .Paak
• Too Many Voices
  Andy Stott
• My Woman
  Angel Olsen
• Air
  Astronoid
• New City Blues
  Aubrie Sellers
• Lemonade
  Beyoncé
• Big Day in a Small Town
  Brandy Clark
• Teens of Denial
  Car Seat Headrest
• Changes
  Charles Bradley
• Atrocity Exhibition
  Danny Brown
• Blackstar
  David Bowie
• Beyond Now
  Donny McCaslin
• American Band
  Drive-By Truckers
• Emily’s D+Evolution
  Esperanza Spalding
• Post Pop Depression
  Iggy Pop
• Blood Bitch
  Jenny Hval
• Oh No
  Jessy Lanza
• Orphée
  Jóhann Jóhannsson
• EARS
  Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
• 99.9%
  KAYTRANADA
• Untitled Unmastered
  Kendrick Lamar
• We Are King
  KING
• Nonagon Infinity
  King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
• Nattesferd
  Kvelertak
• Stranger Things OST Volumes 1 and 2
  Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein
• Canto América
  Michael Spiro, Wayne Wallace & La Orquestra Sinfonietta
• You Want It Darker
  Leonard Cohen
• Hero
  Maren Morris
• Midwest Farmer’s Daughter
  Margo Price
• The Weight of These Wings
  Miranda Lambert
• Puberty 2
  Mitski
• Skeleton Tree
  Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
• Deluxe
  Omni
• Stranger to Stranger
  Paul Simon
• A Moon Shaped Pool
  Radiohead
• Day to Day
  Sarathy Korwar
• Adore Life
  Savages
• A Seat at the Table
  Solange
• A Sailor’s Guide to Earth
  Sturgill Simpson
• Love You to Death
  Tegan and Sara
• Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional
  The Dear Hunter
• Blue & Lonesome
  The Rolling Stones
• Modern Country
  William Tyler
• Black Focus
  Yussef Kamaal

Slant Magazine: 25 Best Albums of 2016

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. A Moon Shaped Pool
   Radiohead
2. The Life of Pablo
   Kanye West
3. Lemonade
   Beyoncé
4. We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
   A Tribe Called Quest
5. Blackstar
   David Bowie
6. Blond
   Frank Ocean
7. Skeleton Tree
   Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
8. Coloring Book
   Chance The Rapper
9. You Want It Darker
   Leonard Cohen
10. Glory
    Britney Spears
11. FLOTUS
    Lambchop
12. The Ghosts of Highway 20
    Lucinda Williams
13. A Seat at the Table
    Solange
14. Strange Little Birds
    Garbage
15. A Sailor’s Guide to Earth
    Sturgill Simpson
16. Will
    Julianna Barwick
17. Midwest Farmer’s Daughter
    Margo Price
18. Lady Wood
    Tove Lo
19. American Band
    Drive-By Truckers
20. American Tunes
    Allen Toussaint
21. Trágame Tierra
    Big Black Delta
22. This Is What the Truth Feels Like
    Gwen Stefani
23. Teens of Denial
    Car Seat Headrest
24. Freetown Sound
    Blood Orange
25. Blood Bitch
    Jenny Hval

NPR Music: Best 50 Albums of 2016

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012 • 2011]

1. A Seat at the Table
   Solange
2. Lemonade
   Beyoncé
3. Blackstar
   David Bowie
4. Blond
   Frank Ocean
5. 22, A Million
   Bon Iver
6. H. Abrahamsen: Let Me Tell You
   Barbara Hannigan, Andris Nelsons & Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
7. Malibu
   Anderson .Paak
8. Teens of Denial
   Car Seat Headrest
9. The Weight of These Wings
   Miranda Lambert
10. Coloring Book
    Chance The Rapper
11. Black Terry Cat
    Xenia Rubinos
12. Anti
    Rihanna
13. 99.9%
    KAYTRANADA
14. American Band
    Drive-By Truckers
15. A Moon Shaped Pool
    Radiohead
16. Lola
    Carrie Rodriguez
17. We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
    A Tribe Called Quest
18. The Dreaming Room
    Laura Mvula
19. David T. Little: Dog Days
    James Bobick, Marnie Breckenridge, Cherry Duke, John Kelly, Michael Marcotte, Newspeak, Alan Pierson, Peter Tantsits & Lauren Worsham
20. Midwest Farmer’s Daughter
    Margo Price
21. I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It
    The 1975
22. Telefone
    Noname
23. Habib Galbi
    A-Wa
24. Jeffery
    Young Thug
25. My Woman
    Angel Olsen
26. Arbina
    Noura Mint Seymali
27. HEAVN
    Jamila Woods
28. Emily’s D+Evolution
    Esperanza Spalding
29. Puberty 2
    Mitski
30. EARS
    Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
31. Masterpiece
    Big Thief
32. Hopelessness
    ANOHNI
33. Shift
    Logan Richardson
34. The Bird & the Rifle
    Lori McKenna
35. Chopin: Mazurkas
    Pavel Kolesnikov
36. Hero
    Maren Morris
37. Sound of Red
    René Marie
38. Cardinal
    Pinegrove
39. Charlene
    Tweet
40. Silver Tears
    Aaron Lee Tasjan
41. Darraje
    Carl Gari & Abdullah Miniawy
42. Pure Disgust
    Pure Disgust
43. The Very Last Day
    Parker Millsap
44. Christopher Rouse: Odna Zhizn, Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4 and Prospero’s Rooms
    New York Philharmonic & Alan Gilbert
45. Kiid
    Mal Devisa
46. Fallen
    Steven Julien
47. Ojos Del Sol
    Y La Bamba
48. Genesis
    Domo Genesis
49. A Sailor’s Guide to Earth
    Sturgill Simpson
50. Harlem on My Mind
    Catherine Russell