Year-End Lists

Harper’s Bazaar: The 13 Best Books of 2016

[see also 2023 • 2020 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015]

1. Here I Am
   Jonathan Safran Foer
2. When Breath Becomes Air
   Paul Kalanithi
3. The Girls
   Emma Cline
4. Born To Run
   Bruce Springsteen
5. In the Darkroom
   Susan Faludi
6. Swing Time
   Zadie Smith
7. The Underground Railroad
   Colson Whitehead
8. Sweetbitter
   Stephanie Danler
9. In Other Words
   Jhumpa Lahiri
10. Known and Strange Things

    Essays
    Teju Cole
11. Homegoing
    Yaa Gyasi
12. Eleanor and Hick

    The Love Affair That Shaped a First Lady
    Susan Quinn
13. All That Man Is
    David Szalay

Amy Taubin: 10 Best Films of 2016, as published by Artforum

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

1. Bruce Conner: It’s All True (exhibition and retrospective) at Museum of Modern Art, New York
2. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
3. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
4. Everything Else
   Natalia Almada
5. I Am Not Your Negro
   Raoul Peck
6. O.J.: Made in America
   Ezra Edelman
7. My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea
   Dash Shaw
8. Tempestad
   Tatiana Huezo
9. Sand Storm
   Elite Zexer
10. Command and Control
    Robert Kenner

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

K. Austin Collins: 12 Best Movies of 2016, as published by The Ringer

[see also 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017]

1. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
2. O.J.: Made in America
   Ezra Edelman
3. Sully
   Clint Eastwood
4. Cemetery of Splendor
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
5. Silence
   Martin Scorsese
6. Love & Friendship
   Whit Stillman
7. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
8. The Love Witch
   Anna Biller
9. Everybody Wants Some!!
   Richard Linklater
10. Cameraperson
    Kirsten Johnson
11. The Witness
    James D. Solomon
12. Elvis & Nixon
    Liza Johnson

Anne Thompson: 10 Best Films of 2016, as published by IndieWire

[see also 2019 • 2017 • 2015 • 2011]

1. The Jungle Book
   Jon Favreau
2. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
3. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
4. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
5. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
6. Arrival
   Denis Villeneuve
7. Loving
   Jeff Nichols
8. Maggie’s Plan
   Rebecca Miller
9. 20th Century Women
   Mike Mills
10. Fences
    Denzel Washington

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

Melissa Anderson: 10 Best Movies of 2016, as published by Artforum

[see also 2019 • 2018 • 2015 • 2012]

1. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
2. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
3. O.J.: Made in America
   Ezra Edelman
4. Happy Hour
   Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
5. Fort Buchanan
   Benjamin Crotty
6. Born in Flames
   Lizzie Borden
6. Regrouping
   Lizzie Borden
7. An Early Clue to the New Direction: Queer Cinema Before Stonewall, Film Society of Lincoln Center, New York
8. The Ornithologist
   João Pedro Rodrigues
9. Elle
   Paul Verhoeven
10. Hermia & Helena
    Matías Piñeiro

J Hoberman: 10 Best Films of 2016, as published by Artforum

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

1. THREE SCREEN RAY
   Bruce Conner
2. O.J.: Made in America
   Ezra Edelman
3. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
4. Kaili Blues
   Bi Gan
5. The Death of Louis XIV
   Albert Serra
6. Sieranevada
   Cristi Puiu
7. Austerlitz
   Sergei Loznitsa
8. The Witch
   Robert Eggers
9. Demon
   Marcin Wrona
10. Walkers: Hollywood Afterlives in Art and Artifact at Museum of the Moving Image, New York

James Quandt: 10 Best Films of 2016, as published by Artforum

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

1. Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet retrospective at Museum of Modern Art, New York
2. From the Branches Drops the Withered Blossom
   Paul Meyer
3. Sieranevada
   Cristi Puiu
4. The Death of Louis XIV
   Albert Serra
5. The Ornithologist
   João Pedro Rodrigues
6. Ma’ Rosa
   Brillante Mendoza
7. Yourself and Yours
   Hong Sang-soo
8. Neruda
   Pablo Larraín
9. Kékszakállú
   Gastón Solnicki
10. As Without So Within
    Manuela De Laborde