Complex's 50 Best Albums of 2016
The Best Albums of 2016 includes projects from Chance the Rapper to Anderson .Paak to Drake to Rihanna to Beyonce to Esperanza Spalding but who's No. 1?
Published: December 05, 2016 16:45
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Lemonade | Beyoncé | Apr-23-2016, Contemporary R&B |
| #2 | Coloring Book | Chance the Rapper | May-27-2016, Pop Rap |
| #3 | We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service | A Tribe Called Quest | Nov-11-2016, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #4 | The Life Of Pablo | Kanye West | Jun-10-2016, Pop Rap |
| #5 | Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight | Travis Scott | Sep-02-2016, Trap |
| #6 | Blonde | Frank Ocean | Aug-20-2016, Alternative R&B |
| #7 | A Seat at the Table | Solange | Sep-30-2016, Neo-Soul |
| #8 | ANTI | Rihanna | Jan-28-2016, Alternative R&B |
| #9 | Blank Face LP | ScHoolboy Q | Jul-08-2016, Gangsta Rap |
| #10 | 22, A Million | Bon Iver | Sep-30-2016, Art Pop |
| #11 | untitled unmastered. | Kendrick Lamar | Mar-04-2016, Jazz Rap |
| #12 | Atrocity Exhibition | Danny Brown | Sep-27-2016, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #13 | JEFFERY | Young Thug | Aug-26-2016, Trap |
| #14 | Malibu | Anderson .Paak | Jan-15-2016, Neo-Soul |
| #15 | Views | Drake | May-06-2016, Pop Rap |
| #16 | Slime Season 3 | Young Thug | Mar-25-2016, Trap |
| #17 | 99.9% | KAYTRANADA | May-06-2016, Alternative R&B |
| #18 | Islah (Deluxe) | Kevin Gates | Dec-11-2015, |
| #19 | Still Brazy (Deluxe) | YG | Jun-14-2016, |
| #20 | Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World | Lil Uzi Vert | May-27-2016, Trap |
| #21 | A Good Night in the Ghetto | Kamaiyah | Mar-23-2016, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #22 | Yes Lawd! | NxWorries | Oct-21-2016, Neo-Soul |
| #23 | The Divine Feminine | Mac Miller | Sep-16-2016, Neo-Soul |
| #24 | Ology | Gallant | Apr-06-2016, Alternative R&B |
| #25 | Telefone | Noname | Jul-31-2016, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #26 | I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it | The 1975 | Feb-26-2016, Synthpop |
| #27 | The Colour In Anything | James Blake | May-05-2016, Alternative R&B |
| #28 | 24K Magic | Bruno Mars | Nov-17-2016, Contemporary R&B |
| #29 | COLLEGROVE | 2 Chainz | Mar-03-2016, Southern Hip Hop |
| #30 | SremmLife 2 | Rae Sremmurd | Aug-12-2016, Pop Rap |
| #31 | Lil Boat | Lil Yachty | Jul-05-2016, Trap |
| #32 | MY WOMAN | Angel Olsen | Sep-02-2016, Indie Rock |
| #33 | SEPT. 5TH | dvsn | Mar-27-2016, Alternative R&B |
| #34 | Blackstar | David Bowie | Jan-08-2016, Art Rock |
| #35 | Aa | Baauer | Mar-18-2016, Trap [EDM] |
| #36 | iiiDrops | Joey Purp | May-12-2017, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #37 | Honor Killed the Samurai | KA | Aug-13-2016, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #39 | Savage Mode | 21 Savage, Metro Boomin | Jul-15-2016, Trap |
| #40 | Starboy | The Weeknd | Nov-25-2016, Alternative R&B |
| #41 | Emily’s D+Evolution | Esperanza Spalding | Jan-01-2016, Jazz Fusion |
| #42 | Big Baby DRAM | DRAM | Oct-21-2016, |
| #43 | Joanne | Lady Gaga | Oct-21-2016, Pop Rock |
| #44 | blackSUMMERS'night (2016) | Maxwell | Jul-01-2016, |
| #45 | Freetown Sound | Blood Orange | Jun-28-2016, Alternative R&B |
| #46 | Puberty 2 | Mitski | Jun-17-2016, Indie Rock |
| #47 | ALWAYS STRIVE AND PROSPER | A$AP Ferg | Jun-22-2016, Pop Rap |
| #48 | Major Key | DJ Khaled | Aug-05-2016, Pop Rap |
| #49 | Dangerous Woman | Ariana Grande | May-20-2016, Contemporary R&B |
| #50 | Majid Jordan | Majid Jordan | Feb-05-2016, Electropop |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Lemonade | Beyoncé | Album, Apr-23-2016, Contemporary R&B |
| #2 | Coloring Book | Chance the Rapper | Album, May-27-2016, Pop Rap |
| #3 | We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service | A Tribe Called Quest | Album, Nov-11-2016, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #4 | The Life Of Pablo | Kanye West | Album, Jun-10-2016, Pop Rap |
| #5 | Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight | Travis Scott | Album, Sep-02-2016, Trap |
| #6 | Blonde | Frank Ocean | Album, Aug-20-2016, Alternative R&B |
| #7 | A Seat at the Table | Solange | Album, Sep-30-2016, Neo-Soul |
| #8 | ANTI | Rihanna | Album, Jan-28-2016, Alternative R&B |
| #9 | Blank Face LP | ScHoolboy Q | Album, Jul-08-2016, Gangsta Rap |
| #10 | 22, A Million | Bon Iver | Album, Sep-30-2016, Art Pop |
| #11 | untitled unmastered. | Kendrick Lamar | Album, Mar-04-2016, Jazz Rap |
| #12 | Atrocity Exhibition | Danny Brown | Album, Sep-27-2016, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #13 | JEFFERY | Young Thug | Album, Aug-26-2016, Trap |
| #14 | Malibu | Anderson .Paak | Album, Jan-15-2016, Neo-Soul |
| #15 | Views | Drake | Album, May-06-2016, Pop Rap |
| #16 | Slime Season 3 | Young Thug | Album, Mar-25-2016, Trap |
| #17 | 99.9% | KAYTRANADA | Album, May-06-2016, Alternative R&B |
| #18 | Islah (Deluxe) | Kevin Gates | Album, Dec-11-2015, |
| #19 | Still Brazy (Deluxe) | YG | Album, Jun-14-2016, |
| #20 | Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World | Lil Uzi Vert | Album, May-27-2016, Trap |
| #21 | A Good Night in the Ghetto | Kamaiyah | Album, Mar-23-2016, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #22 | Yes Lawd! | NxWorries | Album, Oct-21-2016, Neo-Soul |
| #23 | The Divine Feminine | Mac Miller | Album, Sep-16-2016, Neo-Soul |
| #24 | Ology | Gallant | Album, Apr-06-2016, Alternative R&B |
| #25 | Telefone | Noname | Album, Jul-31-2016, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #26 | I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it | The 1975 | Album, Feb-26-2016, Synthpop |
| #27 | The Colour In Anything | James Blake | Album, May-05-2016, Alternative R&B |
| #28 | 24K Magic | Bruno Mars | Album, Nov-17-2016, Contemporary R&B |
| #29 | COLLEGROVE | 2 Chainz | Album, Mar-03-2016, Southern Hip Hop |
| #30 | SremmLife 2 | Rae Sremmurd | Album, Aug-12-2016, Pop Rap |
| #31 | Lil Boat | Lil Yachty | Album, Jul-05-2016, Trap |
| #32 | MY WOMAN | Angel Olsen | Album, Sep-02-2016, Indie Rock |
| #33 | SEPT. 5TH | dvsn | Album, Mar-27-2016, Alternative R&B |
| #34 | Blackstar | David Bowie | Album, Jan-08-2016, Art Rock |
| #35 | Aa | Baauer | Album, Mar-18-2016, Trap [EDM] |
| #36 | iiiDrops | Joey Purp | Album, May-12-2017, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #37 | Honor Killed the Samurai | KA | Album, Aug-13-2016, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #39 | Savage Mode | 21 SavageMetro Boomin | Album, Jul-15-2016, Trap |
| #40 | Starboy | The Weeknd | Album, Nov-25-2016, Alternative R&B |
| #41 | Emily’s D+Evolution | Esperanza Spalding | Album, Jan-01-2016, Jazz Fusion |
| #42 | Big Baby DRAM | DRAM | Album, Oct-21-2016, |
| #43 | Joanne | Lady Gaga | Album, Oct-21-2016, Pop Rock |
| #44 | blackSUMMERS'night (2016) | Maxwell | Album, Jul-01-2016, |
| #45 | Freetown Sound | Blood Orange | Album, Jun-28-2016, Alternative R&B |
| #46 | Puberty 2 | Mitski | Album, Jun-17-2016, Indie Rock |
| #47 | ALWAYS STRIVE AND PROSPER | A$AP Ferg | Album, Jun-22-2016, Pop Rap |
| #48 | Major Key | DJ Khaled | Album, Aug-05-2016, Pop Rap |
| #49 | Dangerous Woman | Ariana Grande | Album, May-20-2016, Contemporary R&B |
| #50 | Majid Jordan | Majid Jordan | Album, Feb-05-2016, Electropop |