Year-End Lists

Lindsey Bahr: Top 10 Movies of 2016, as published by Associated Press

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

1. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
2. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
3. Jackie
   Pablo Larraín
4. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
5. The Red Turtle
   Michael Dudok de Wit
6. 20th Century Women
   Mike Mills
7. I Am Not Your Negro
   Raoul Peck
8. Hail, Caesar!
   Joel & Ethan Coen
9. Certain Women
   Kelly Reichardt
10. Sausage Party
    Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon

Jake Coyle: Top 10 Movies of 2016, as published by Associated Press

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

1. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
2. Cameraperson
   Kirsten Johnson
3. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
4. I Am Not Your Negro
   Raoul Peck
5. Sunset Song
   Terence Davies
6. American Honey
   Andrea Arnold
7. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
8. O.J.: Made in America
   Ezra Edelman
9. Hell or High Water
   David Mackenzie
10. The Edge of Seventeen
    Kelly Fremon Craig

Justin Chang: Top 25 Movies of 2016, as published by The Los Angeles Times

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

1. Silence
   Martin Scorsese
2. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
3. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
4. O.J.: Made in America
   Ezra Edelman
5. Everybody Wants Some!!
   Richard Linklater
6. My Golden Days
   Arnaud Desplechin
7. Paterson
   Jim Jarmusch
8. I Am Not Your Negro
   Raoul Peck
9. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
10. Certain Women
    Kelly Reichardt

And 15 honorable mentions (in alphabetical order)

• American Honey
  Andrea Arnold
• Arrival
  Denis Villeneuve
• A Bigger Splash
  Luca Guadagnino
• Cameraperson
  Kirsten Johnson
• Cemetery of Splendor
  Apichatpong Weerasethakul
• Elle
  Paul Verhoeven
• The Handmaiden
  Park Chan-wook
• Jackie
  Pablo Larraín
• Krisha
  Trey Edward Shults
• La La Land
  Damien Chazelle
• Last Days in the Desert
  Rodrigo García
• Love & Friendship
  Whit Stillman
• Mountains May Depart
  Jia Zhang-ke
• The Neon Demon
  Nicolas Winding Refn
• Things to Come
  Mia Hansen-Løve

The Quietus: Top 100 Albums of 2016

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

1. The Gospel
   Årabrot
2. A Seat at the Table
   Solange
3. III
   Innercity Ensemble
4. Oh No
   Jessy Lanza
5. Lodestar
   Shirley Collins
6. Songs for Our Mothers
   The Fat White Family
7. Blackstar
   David Bowie
8. Centres
   Ian William Craig
9. Redemption
   Dawn Richard
10. Blood Bitch
    Jenny Hval
11. Blond
    Frank Ocean
12. Simultaneous Flight Movement
    Laura Cannell
13. Ultimate Care II
    Matmos
14. Too
    Klara Lewis
15. Konnichiwa
    Skepta
16. Everywhere at the End of Time
    The Caretaker
17. Värähtelijä
    Oranssi Pazuzu
18. Devotional Songs
    Shackleton with Ernesto Tomasini
19. Controlling Body
    Peder Mannerfelt
20. Strangers
    Marissa Nadler
21. Hardcore Sounds From Tehran
    Sote
22. Skeleton Tree
    Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
23. Color
    Katie Gately
24. Sex Swing
    Sex Swing
25. The Ship
    Brian Eno
26. We Are King
    KING
27. Mirror
    Gnod
28. Be One
    Wolfgang Buttress & Bees
29. Perdurance
    Jute Gyte
30. For Those of You Who Have Never (And Also Those Who Have)
    Huerco S
31. Freetown Sound
    Blood Orange
32. Remoteness Of Light
    The Stargazer’s Assistant
33. We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
    A Tribe Called Quest
34. Will
    Julianna Barwick
35. A Moon Shaped Pool
    Radiohead
36. Night Thoughts
    Suede
37. A Hermitage
    Jambinai
38. 2845
    Convextion
39. The Life of Pablo
    Kanye West
40. Toll
    Kemper Norton
41. The Spiral
    Puce Mary
42. Hipnotik Tradisi
    Black Merlin
43. I, Sun
    Daniel Patrick Quinn
44. Butterflies
    Lord Tang
45. Barbara Barbara, we face a shining future
    Underworld
46. FRKWYS Vol. 13: Sunergy
    Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith & Suzanne Ciani
47. We Be All Africans
    Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids
48. Bird Sound Power
    Equiknoxx
49. Varmints
    Anna Meredith
50. 25 25
    Factory Floor
51. Love Streams
    Tim Hecker
52. Defy a Thing to Be
    Bully Fae
53. Lemonade
    Beyoncé
54. Made in the Manor
    Kano
55. Human Condition
    Bruxa Maria
56. Furfour
    Grumbling Fur
57. You Want It Darker
    Leonard Cohen
58. Shred
    Skee Mask
59. Hubris
    Oren Ambarchi
60. Channel the Spirits
    The Comet Is Coming
61. “BBF” Hosted By DJ Escrow
    Babyfather
62. No One Deserves Happiness
    The Body
63. Housebound Demigod
    G.H.
64. Thankful Villages, Vol. 1
    Darren Hayman
65. A Pot of Powdered Nettles
    Laniakea
66. Lines
    Waclaw Zimpel
67. Third Law
    Roly Porter
68. Coloring Book
    Chance The Rapper
69. Atlantikwall
    Atlantikwall
70. SsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSs
    SHXCXCHCXSH
71. Adieux Au Dancefloor
    Marie Davidson
72. Pattern Man
    Pattern Man
73. Insight II
    Julien Marchal
74. Lagos Sessions
    Billy Bao
75. Epicycle
    Gyða Valtýsdottir
76. Arbina
    Noura Mint Seymali
77. Remain Calm
    Mica Levi & Oliver Coates
78. Bronze
    Hen Ogledd
79. Disclosure
    Kassem Mosse
80. The Black Meat
    Kristoffer Lo
81. Awake but Always Dreaming
    Hannah Peel
82. Isis and Osiris
    Sam Shalabi
83. In Drum Play
    Pangaea
84. PYR
    Ghold
85. From Patterns to Details
    FIS
86. You Know What It’s Like
    Carla dal Forno
87. The Glowing Man
    Swans
88. 22, A Million
    Bon Iver
89. The Best
    Omar S
90. Bottled out of Eden
    Knifeworld
91. Hymns for the Broken, Swollen And Silent
    Gnaw Their Tongues
92. M:FANS
    John Cale
93. Patience
    The Invisible
94. Nocturnal Koreans
    Wire
95. Jackie Lynn
    Circuit Des Yeux
96. Bes
    The Dwarfs of East Agouza
97. Treasure House
    Cat’s Eyes
98. Ahrkh Wagner
    Ahrkh Wagner
99. Last Evenings on Earth
    Melt Yourself Down
100. Strandebarm
     Stein Urheim

Powell's Books: Best Nonfiction of 2016

[see also Best Nonfiction of 2023 • Best Fiction of 2023 • Best Nonfiction of 2022 • Best Fiction of 2022 • The 14 Best Nonfiction Books of 2021 • The 18 Best Novels of 2021 • Best Fiction of 2020 • Best Nonfiction of 2020 • Best Fiction of 2019 • Best Nonfiction of 2019 • Best Fiction of 2018 • Best Nonfiction of 2018 • Best Nonfiction of 2017 • Best Fiction of 2017 • Best Fiction of 2016 • Best Nonfiction Books of 2015 • Best Fiction Books of 2015 • Best Fiction of 2014 • Best Nonfiction of 2014]

• Shrill
  Lindy West
• Hillbilly Elegy

  A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
  J.D. Vance
• The Nordic Theory of Everything

  In Search of a Better Life
  Anu Partanen
• Evicted

  Poverty and Profit in the American City
  Matthew Desmond
• Another Day in the Death of America

  A Chronicle of Ten Short Lives
  Gary Younge
• Beautiful Trouble

  A Toolbox for Revolution
  Andrew Boyd

The A.V. Club: 30 Best TV Shows of 2016

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

1. The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
2. Atlanta
3. The Americans
4. Better Call Saul
5. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
6. Halt and Catch Fire
7. Veep
8. BoJack Horseman
9. O.J.: Made in America
10. The Good Place
11. Westworld
12. Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
13. Rectify
14. Documentary Now!
15. Insecure
16. You’re the Worst
17. Game of Thrones
18. Silicon Valley
19. Lady Dynamite
20. Fleabag
21. Jane the Virgin
22. The Night Of
23. Better Things
24. Stranger Things
25. Search Party
26. Black-ish
27. Girls
28. Black Mirror
29. Horace and Pete
30. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Todd McCarthy: 19 Best Films of 2016, as published by The Hollywood Reporter

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

1. O.J.: Made in America
   Ezra Edelman
2. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
3. 13th
   Ava DuVernay
4. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
5. I Am Not Your Negro
   Raoul Peck
6. Elle
   Paul Verhoeven
7. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
8. The Handmaiden
   Park Chan-wook
9. Silence
   Martin Scorsese
10. Hell or High Water
    David Mackenzie

Nine Other Worthy Films

• Moonlight
  Barry Jenkins
• Eye in the Sky
  Gavin Hood
• The Edge of Seventeen
  Kelly Fremon Craig
• I, Daniel Blake
  Ken Loach
• Life, Animated
  Roger Ross Williams
• Aquarius
  Kleber Mendonça Filho
• Southside with You
  Richard Tanne
• Certain Women
  Kelly Reichardt
• Sunset Song
  Terence Davies

Pitchfork: 50 Best Albums of 2016

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. A Seat at the Table
   Solange
2. Blond
   Frank Ocean
3. Lemonade
   Beyoncé
4. Blackstar
   David Bowie
5. The Life of Pablo
   Kanye West
6. Coloring Book
   Chance The Rapper
7. We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
   A Tribe Called Quest
8. Hopelessness
   ANOHNI
9. My Woman
   Angel Olsen
10. A Moon Shaped Pool
    Radiohead
11. Atrocity Exhibition
    Danny Brown
12. 22, A Million
    Bon Iver
13. Malibu
    Anderson .Paak
14. Freetown Sound
    Blood Orange
15. Skeleton Tree
    Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
16. Untitled Unmastered
    Kendrick Lamar
17. You Want It Darker
    Leonard Cohen
18. Puberty 2
    Mitski
19. Anti
    Rihanna
20. Sirens
    Nicolas Jaar
21. Jeffery
    Young Thug
22. Still Brazy
    YG
23. Blood Bitch
    Jenny Hval
24. Teens of Denial
    Car Seat Headrest
25. 99.9%
    KAYTRANADA
26. Human Performance
    Parquet Courts
27. Telefone
    Noname
28. Yes Lawd!
    NxWorries
29. EARS
    Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
30. Emily’s D+Evolution
    Esperanza Spalding
31. Light Upon the Lake
    Whitney
32. A Mulher do Fim do Mundo
    Elza Soares
33. blackSUMMERS’night
    Maxwell
34. Singing Saw
    Kevin Morby
35. I Had A Dream That You Were Mine
    Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam
36. HEAVN
    Jamila Woods
37. We Are King
    KING
38. Blank Face LP
    Schoolboy Q
39. DJ-Kicks
    Moodymann
40. A Cosmic Rhythm with Each Stroke
    Vijay Iyer & Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith
41. For Those of You Who Have Never (And Also Those Who Have)
    Huerco S
42. Prima Donna
    Vince Staples
43. Front Row Seat to Earth
    Weyes Blood
44. Islah
    Kevin Gates
45. Modern Country
    William Tyler
46. Cardinal
    Pinegrove
47. A Good Night in the Ghetto
    Kamaiyah
48. Next Thing
    Frankie Cosmos
49. Pool
    Porches
50. Savage Mode
    21 Savage & Metro Boomin

Fact Magazine: 50 Best Albums of 2016

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

1. Blood Bitch
   Jenny Hval
2. Bird Sound Power
   Equiknoxx
3. Atrocity Exhibition
   Danny Brown
4. Persona
   Lorenzo Senni
5. Puberty 2
   Mitski
6. A Good Night in the Ghetto
   Kamaiyah
7. Strands
   Steve Hauschildt
8. We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
   A Tribe Called Quest
9. In Drum Play
   Pangaea
10. A Seat at the Table
    Solange
11. Oh No
    Jessy Lanza
12. No One Deserves Happiness
    The Body
13. Anti
    Rihanna
14. Still Brazy
    YG
15. Lemonade
    Beyoncé
16. Green Lights: Everythang Goin
    The Outfit, TX
17. Caramel
    Konx-Om-Pax
18. “Б”
    Bjarki
19. Jeffery
    Young Thug
20. Controlling Body
    Peder Mannerfelt
21. Skeleton Tree
    Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
22. Wonderland
    Demdike Stare
23. Blackstar
    David Bowie
24. Body Work
    Negative Gemini
25. The Life of Pablo
    Kanye West
26. Singulacra
    Sophia Loizou
27. Notu_Uronlineu
    DVA
28. From Patterns to Details
    FIS
29. If I Can’t Handle Me at My Best, Then You Don’t Deserve You at Your Worst
    Helena Celle
30. Sport
    Powell
31. My Woman
    Angel Olsen
32. RaggaPreservationSociety
    Seekersinternational
33. Acid Park
    Ohal
34. Malibu
    Anderson .Paak
35. Stranger Things OST Volumes 1 and 2
    Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein
36. Seven Psychotropic Sinewave Palindromes
    Jake Meginsky
37. Princess
    ABRA
38. Second Woman
    Second Woman
39. Hyper Light Drifter
    Disasterpeace
40. Deepak Verbera
    Botany
41. FRKWYS Vol. 13: Sunergy
    Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith & Suzanne Ciani
42. Long Trax
    Will Long
43. Mandatory Check
    Mozzy
44. The Human Pet
    Elon Katz
45. Too
    Klara Lewis
46. Monda
    Cousin Stizz
47. Airport Music For Black Folk
    Chino Amobi
48. Things Our Bodies Used to Have
    Good Willsmith
49. blisters
    serpentwithfeet
50. Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World
    Lil Uzi Vert

Film Comment: 20 Best Films of 2016 (as selected by contributors)

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

1. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
2. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
3. Elle
   Paul Verhoeven
4. Cemetery of Splendor
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
5. Certain Women
   Kelly Reichardt
6. Paterson
   Jim Jarmusch
7. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
8. Aquarius
   Kleber Mendonça Filho
9. Things to Come
   Mia Hansen-Løve
10. No Home Movie
    Chantal Akerman
11. The Lobster
    Yorgos Lanthimos
12. Right Now, Wrong Then
    Hong Sang-soo
13. Love & Friendship
    Whit Stillman
14. Cameraperson
    Kirsten Johnson
15. Kaili Blues
    Bi Gan
16. The Handmaiden
    Park Chan-wook
17. Everybody Wants Some!!
    Richard Linklater
18. The Fits
    Anna Rose Holmer
19. Neruda
    Pablo Larraín
20. The Other Side
    Roberto Minervini