AllMusic: 48 Best Albums of 2016 (roughly alphabetical by artist)
[see also 2018, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011]
- A Tribe Called Quest — We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
- Agnes Obel — Citizen of Glass
- Alejandro Escovedo — Burn Something Beautiful
- Amos Lee — Spirit
- Anderson .Paak — Malibu
- Andy Stott — Too Many Voices
- Angel Olsen — My Woman
- Astronoid — Air
- Aubrie Sellers — New City Blues
- Beyoncé — Lemonade
- Brandy Clark — Big Day in a Small Town
- Car Seat Headrest — Teens of Denial
- Charles Bradley — Changes
- Danny Brown — Atrocity Exhibition
- David Bowie — Blackstar
- Donny McCaslin — Beyond Now
- Drive-By Truckers — American Band
- Esperanza Spalding — Emily’s D+Evolution
- Iggy Pop — Post Pop Depression
- Jenny Hval — Blood Bitch
- Jessy Lanza — Oh No
- Jóhann Jóhannsson — Orphée
- Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith — EARS
- KAYTRANADA — 99.9%
- Kendrick Lamar — Untitled Unmastered
- KING — We Are King
- King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard — Nonagon Infinity
- Kvelertak — Nattesferd
- Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein — Stranger Things OST Volumes 1 and 2
- Michael Spiro, Wayne Wallace & La Orquestra Sinfonietta — Canto América
- Leonard Cohen — You Want It Darker
- Maren Morris — Hero
- Margo Price — Midwest Farmer’s Daughter
- Miranda Lambert — The Weight of These Wings
- Mitski — Puberty 2
- Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds — Skeleton Tree
- Omni — Deluxe
- Paul Simon — Stranger to Stranger
- Radiohead — A Moon Shaped Pool
- Sarathy Korwar — Day to Day
- Savages — Adore Life
- Solange — A Seat at the Table
- Sturgill Simpson — A Sailor’s Guide to Earth
- Tegan and Sara — Love You to Death
- The Dear Hunter — Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional
- The Rolling Stones — Blue & Lonesome
- William Tyler — Modern Country
- Yussef Kamaal — Black Focus