Year-End Lists

Sasha Frere-Jones: 100 Favorite Albums of 2016. See his spreadsheet for color codes and tiers; we’ve separated anything highlighted with “fire engine red,” which means “an exceptional thing.” Otherwise, albums are listed chronologically.

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

exceptional

• Blackstar
  David Bowie
• Drawn with Shadow Pens
  Yves De Mey
• Anti
  Rihanna
• Untitled Unmastered
  Kendrick Lamar
• Second Love
  Emmy the Great
• Sunwatchers
  Sunwatchers
• MM3
  Metá Metá
• Lemonade
  Beyoncé
• A Moon Shaped Pool
  Radiohead
• Coloring Book
  Chance The Rapper
• Interventions
  Horse Lords
• elseq 1-5
  Autechre
• Works
  Abul Mogard
• Puberty 2
  Mitski
• Emotions and Math
  Margaret Glaspy
• Wood / Metal / Plastic / Pattern / Rhythm / Rock
  75 Dollar Bill
• Wildflower
  The Avalanches
• Prima Donna
  Vince Staples
• Femenine
  Julius Eastman
• Private Energy
  Helado Negro
• T.C.R.
  Sleaford Mods
• We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
  A Tribe Called Quest
• Mannerlaatta
  Mika Vainio
• Flink
  Air Cushion Finish

stayed with me

• Third Law
  Roly Porter
• Don’t You
  Wet
• Negative Space (1981–2014)
  Meyers
• On the Quakefish
  SUGAI KEN
• The Last Panthers
  Clark
• A Cosmic Rhythm with Each Stroke
  Vijay Iyer & Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith
• Felder (Fiepblatter Catalogue #4)
  Jan St. Werner
• No Burden
  Lucy Dacus
• Expecting
  Tashi Dorji & Shane Parish
• Fluid to the Influence
  Chris Abrahams
• Love Streams
  Tim Hecker
• Possible Mountain
  ROM
• Crab Day
  Cate Le Bon
• ASS
  Jochen Arbeit, Günter Schickert & Schneider TM
• Plant Cell Division
  You’re Me
• The Impossible Kid
  Aesop Rock
• Colliding Contours
  Driftmachine
• Will
  Julianna Barwick
• Steamroom 29
  Jim O’Rourke
• Hero
  Maren Morris
• Black Terry Cat
  Xenia Rubinos
• Stranger to Stranger
  Paul Simon
• (((WHITE NOISE)))
  Boobs of DOOM
• Big Day in a Small Town
  Brandy Clark
• 99.9%
  KAYTRANADA
• The Glowing Man
  Swans
• Entities Inertias Faint Beings
  David Toop
• The New Breed
  Jeff Parker
• Freetown Sound
  Blood Orange
• Telefone
  Noname
• Interior Architecture
  M. Geddes Gengras
• Prayer and Resonance
  Unearth Noise
• Sweatbox Dynasty
  TOBACCO
• 2845
  Convextion
• Hazel
  Aethenor
• The Sun’s Tirade
  Isaiah Rashad
• 1992
  Princess Nokia
• Goodbye to Language
  Daniel Lanois
• Schaum
  Jan Jelinek & Masayoshi Fujita
• Skeleton Tree
  Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
• Departed Glories
  Biosphere
• Atrocity Exhibition
  Danny Brown
• Fio da Memória
  Luisa Maita
• A Seat at the Table
  Solange
• III
  Innercity Ensemble
• VLSI
  Monolake
• The Future of Discipline
  Hanno Leichtmann / Valerio Tricoli
• COW / Chill Out, World!
  The Orb
• Cashmere
  Swet Shop Boys
• Deepak Verbera
  Botany
• Disclosure
  Kassem Mosse
• You Want It Darker
  Leonard Cohen
• Big Baby D.R.A.M.
  D.R.A.M.
• Front Row Seat to Earth
  Weyes Blood
• Bottoms Revenge
  Faka
• Frozen Geometry
  Casino Versus Japan
• Yes Lawd!
  NxWorries
• Hubris Variation
  Ricardo Villalobos & Oren Ambarchi
• New Teeth for an Old Country
  Jay Glass Dubs
• Michael Gordon: Timber Remixed
  Mantra Percussion
• Greek Composers of Electronic Music in Sci Fi Soundscapes
  various artists
• Chronology
  Qasim Naqv
• The Whispering Awakening
  Streiber
• Factory Photographs
  Hexa
• Hubris
  Oren Ambarchi
• A Pine Tree Shilling’s Worth of Willie Lane
  Willie Lane
• The Weight of These Wings
  Miranda Lambert
• On Dark Silent Off
  Radian
• LP1
  Mirko
• Con-Struct
  Conrad Schnitzler & Pyrolator
• Taking into Account Only a Portion of Your Emotions
  Pinkcourtesyphone
• Swimming in Light
  Mike Majkowski
• Wonderland
  Demdike Stare
• The Feudal Spirit
  Rob Noyes
• Ground and Figure
  Sendai
• The Labyrinth of the Straight Line
  Cindytalk

The Playlist: 30 Best TV Shows of 2016

[see also 2023 • 2010s • 2018]

1. Atlanta
2. The Girlfriend Experience
3. Rectify
4. Transparent
5. The Americans
6. BoJack Horseman
7. Togetherness
8. Fleabag
9. The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
10. Girls
11. Stranger Things
12. The Night Of
13. Search Party
14. Silicon Valley
15. Westworld
16. The Good Place
17. Orange is the New Black
18. Catastrophe
19. Game of Thrones
20. Jane the Virgin
21. Broad City
22. Baskets
23. Halt and Catch Fire
24. Black Mirror
25. Horace and Pete
26. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
27. London Spy
28. The Crown
29. Lady Dynamite
30. The Night Manager

Little White Lies: 25 Best Films of 2016

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

1. Everybody Wants Some!!
   Richard Linklater
2. Julieta
   Pedro Almodóvar
3. Embrace of the Serpent
   Ciro Guerra
4. Paterson
   Jim Jarmusch
5. Knight of Cups
   Terrence Malick
6. Love & Friendship
   Whit Stillman
7. Sully
   Clint Eastwood
8. Arabian Nights
   Miguel Gomes
9. Midnight Special
   Jeff Nichols
10. Heaven Knows What
    Ben Safdie and Joshua Safdie
11. The Assassin
    Hou Hsiao-Hsien
12. Chi-Raq
    Spike Lee
13. Things to Come
    Mia Hansen-Løve
14. No Home Movie
    Chantal Akerman
15. Further Beyond
    Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor
16. Son of Saul
    László Nemes
17. Kate Plays Christine
    Robert Greene
18. Anomalisa
    Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson
19. Cosmos
    Andrzej Zulawski
20. Rogue One
    Gareth Edwards
21. The Neon Demon
    Nicolas Winding Refn
22. Fire at Sea
    Gianfranco Rosi
23. Hail, Caesar!
    Joel & Ethan Coen
24. High-Rise
    Ben Wheatley
25. The BFG
    Steven Spielberg

J.R. Jones: The Best Films of 2016, as published by The Chicago Reader

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

1. Embrace of the Serpent
   Ciro Guerra
2. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
3. Don’t Think Twice
   Mike Birbiglia
4. The Witness
   James D. Solomon
5. London Road
   Rufus Norris
6. The Club
   Pablo Larraín
7. Son of Saul
   László Nemes
8. Microbe & Gasoline
   Michel Gondry
9. Tower
   Keith Maitland
10. Weiner
    Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg

Runners-up

11. Seasons
    Jacques Perrin & Jacques Cluzaud
12. The President
    Mohsen Makhmalbaf
13. Anomalisa
    Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson
14. Moonlight
    Barry Jenkins
15. 45 Years
    Andrew Haigh
16. Hello, My Name Is Doris
    Michael Showalter
17. The Measure of a Man
    Stéphane Brizé
18. Hell or High Water
    David Mackenzie
19. Gleason
    Clay Tweel
20. Equity
    Meera Menon

Leah Pickett: Top Ten Films of 2016, as published by The Chicago Reader

1. American Honey
   Andrea Arnold
2. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
3. Arrival
   Denis Villeneuve
4. La La Land
   Damien Chazelle
5. The Handmaiden
   Park Chan-wook
6. O.J.: Made in America
   Ezra Edelman
7. The Witch
   Robert Eggers
8. 13th
   Ava DuVernay
9. The Lobster
   Yorgos Lanthimos
10. Manchester by the Sea
    Kenneth Lonergan

Honorable mentions

• The Edge of Seventeen
  Kelly Fremon Craig
• Hell or High Water
  David Mackenzie
• Southside with You
  Richard Tanne
• The Love Witch
  Anna Biller
• Christine
  Antonio Campos
• Don’t Think Twice
  Mike Birbiglia

NME: 50 Best Albums of 2016

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

1. I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It
   The 1975
2. The Life of Pablo
   Kanye West
3. Chaleur Humaine
   Christine and the Queens
4. Konnichiwa
   Skepta
5. 99.9%
   KAYTRANADA
6. Blackstar
   David Bowie
7. Is the Is Are
   DIIV
8. Post Pop Depression
   Iggy Pop
9. Coloring Book
   Chance The Rapper
10. Blond
    Frank Ocean
11. Lemonade
    Beyoncé
12. Human Ceremony
    Sunflower Bean
13. My Woman
    Angel Olsen
14. Trick
    Jamie T
15. Made in the Manor
    Kano
16. Atrocity Exhibition
    Danny Brown
17. Views
    Drake
18. Love You to Death
    Tegan and Sara
19. Paradise
    White Lung
20. Joanne
    Lady Gaga
21. Malibu
    Anderson .Paak
22. A Moon Shaped Pool
    Radiohead
23. Love & Hate
    Michael Kiwanuka
24. Skeleton Tree
    Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
25. Blossoms
    Blossoms
26. Ellipsis
    Biffy Clyro
27. Landlord
    Giggs
28. Requiem
    Goat
29. Let Them Eat Chaos
    Kate Tempest
30. For All We Know
    NAO
31. Wild World
    Bastille
32. WALLS
    Kings of Leon
33. Midwest Farmer’s Daughter
    Margo Price
34. I, Gemini
    Let’s Eat Grandma
35. How to Be a Human Being
    Glass Animals
36. Cashmere
    Swet Shop Boys
37. Soft Hair
    Soft Hair
38. Take Control
    Slaves
39. Revolution Radio
    Green Day
40. Anti
    Rihanna
41. A Seat at the Table
    Solange
42. Light Upon the Lake
    Whitney
43. Hopelessness
    ANOHNI
44. Do Hollywood
    The Lemon Twigs
45. Teens of Denial
    Car Seat Headrest
46. Adore Life
    Savages
47. Boy King
    Wild Beasts
48. Body War
    Show Me the Body
49. Never Enough
    Public Access T.V.
50. 22, A Million
    Bon Iver

Scott Tobias: Top 10 Films of 2016 as submitted to the Village Voice Film Poll and the Indiewire poll

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

1. Manchester by the Sea
   Kenneth Lonergan
2. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade
3. Silence
   Martin Scorsese
4. The Handmaiden
   Park Chan-wook
5. Paterson
   Jim Jarmusch
6. Right Now, Wrong Then
   Hong Sang-soo
7. Moonlight
   Barry Jenkins
8. Jackie
   Pablo Larraín
9. Elle
   Paul Verhoeven
10. Aquarius
    Kleber Mendonça Filho

This list contributes to:

• Village Voice Film Poll: Top 50 Films of 2016

Complex: 50 Best Albums of 2016

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

1. Lemonade
   Beyoncé
2. Coloring Book
   Chance The Rapper
3. We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
   A Tribe Called Quest
4. The Life of Pablo
   Kanye West
5. Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight
   Travis Scott
6. Blond
   Frank Ocean
7. A Seat at the Table
   Solange
8. Anti
   Rihanna
9. Blank Face LP
   Schoolboy Q
10. 22, A Million
    Bon Iver
11. Untitled Unmastered
    Kendrick Lamar
12. Atrocity Exhibition
    Danny Brown
13. Jeffery
    Young Thug
14. Malibu
    Anderson .Paak
15. Views
    Drake
16. Slime Season 3
    Young Thug
17. 99.9%
    KAYTRANADA
18. Islah
    Kevin Gates
19. Still Brazy
    YG
20. Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World
    Lil Uzi Vert
21. A Good Night in the Ghetto
    Kamaiyah
22. Yes Lawd!
    NxWorries
23. The Divine Feminine
    Mac Miller
24. Ology
    Gallant
25. Telefone
    Noname
26. I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It
    The 1975
27. The Colour in Anything
    James Blake
28. 24K Magic
    Bruno Mars
29. COLLEGROVE
    2 Chainz
30. SremmLife 2
    Rae Sremmurd
31. Lil Boat
    Lil Yachty
32. My Woman
    Angel Olsen
33. SEPT. 5TH
    dvsn
34. Blackstar
    David Bowie
35. Aa
    Baauer
36. iiiDrops
    Joey Purp
37. Honor Killed the Samurai
    Ka
38. Endless
    Frank Ocean
39. Savage Mode
    21 Savage & Metro Boomin
40. Starboy
    The Weeknd
41. Emily’s D+Evolution
    Esperanza Spalding
42. Big Baby D.R.A.M.
    D.R.A.M.
43. Joanne
    Lady Gaga
44. blackSUMMERS’night
    Maxwell
45. Freetown Sound
    Blood Orange
46. Puberty 2
    Mitski
47. Always Strive and Prosper
    A$AP Ferg
48. Major Key
    DJ Khaled
49. Dangerous Woman
    Ariana Grande
50. Majid Jordan
    Majid Jordan

Michael Robbins: 4 Best Poetry Books of 2016, as published by The Chicago Tribune

[see also 2018 • 2017 • 2012]

• Works & Days
  Bernadette Mayer
• A Woman of Property
  Robyn Schiff
• Still Dirty
  David Lau
• The White Stones
  J.H. Prynne

Maria Popova: 16 Favorite Books of 2016

[see also 2018 • 2015]

1. The Lonely City

   Adventures in the Art of Being Alone
   Olivia Laing
2. Hope in the Dark

   Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities
   Rebecca Solnit
3. Upstream

   Selected Essays
   Mary Oliver
4. Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space
   Janna Levin
5. Time Travel

   A History
   James Gleick
6. The View from the Cheap Seats

   Selected Nonfiction
   Neil Gaiman
7. Hold Still

   A Memoir with Photographs
   Sally Mann
8. Anger and Forgiveness

   Resentment, Generosity, Justice
   Martha C. Nussbaum
9. Unforbidden Pleasures

   Rethinking Authority, Power, and Vitality
   Adam Phillips
10. The Course of Love

    A Novel
    Alain de Botton
11. The Gutsy Girl

    Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure
    Caroline Paul
12. Hidden Figures

    The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race
    Margot Lee Shetterly
13. Becoming Wise

    An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living
    Krista Tippett
14. The Abundance

    Narrative Essays Old and New
    Annie Dillard
15. When Breath Becomes Air
    Paul Kalanithi
16. Pinocchio

    The Origin Story
    Alessandro Sanna