Consequence of Sound's Top 50 Albums of 2016

These are the titles we clung to in a year dominated by division, conflict, and loss.

Published: November 28, 2016 05:00 Source

# 1

Lemonade by Beyoncé

Album • Apr 23 / 2016 Contemporary R&B Pop

# 2

Coloring Book by Chance the Rapper

Album • May 27 / 2016 Pop Rap Conscious Hip Hop

# 3

Blackstar by David Bowie

Album • Jan 08 / 2016 Art Rock

# 4

Blonde by Frank Ocean

Album • Aug 20 / 2016 Alternative R&B Art Pop Neo-Soul

# 5

HOPELESSNESS by ANOHNI

Album • May 06 / 2016 Art Pop Electropop Deconstructed Club

# 6

Skeleton Tree by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Album • Sep 09 / 2016 Singer-Songwriter Art Rock

# 7

MY WOMAN by Angel Olsen

Album • Sep 02 / 2016 Indie Rock Singer-Songwriter

# 8

Malibu by Anderson .Paak

Album • Jan 15 / 2016 Neo-Soul

# 9

22, A Million by Bon Iver

Album • Sep 30 / 2016 Art Pop Folktronica

# 10

You Want It Darker by Leonard Cohen

Album • Oct 21 / 2016 Singer-Songwriter Chamber Folk

# 11

Puberty 2 by Mitski

Album • Jun 17 / 2016 Indie Rock

# 12

We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service by A Tribe Called Quest

Album • Nov 11 / 2016 Conscious Hip Hop East Coast Hip Hop Jazz Rap

# 13

A Moon Shaped Pool by Radiohead

Album • May 08 / 2016 Art Pop Art Rock Chamber Pop

# 14

Freetown Sound by Blood Orange

Album • Jun 28 / 2016 Alternative R&B Synth Funk

# 15

Blank Face LP by ScHoolboy Q

Album • Jul 08 / 2016 Gangsta Rap West Coast Hip Hop Hardcore Hip Hop

# 16

Schmilco by Wilco

Album • Sep 06 / 2016 Indie Rock Alt-Country

# 17

Love Streams by Tim Hecker

Album • Apr 08 / 2016 Ambient Glitch

# 18

Teens Of Denial by Car Seat Headrest

Album • May 20 / 2016 Indie Rock

# 19

A Seat at the Table by Solange

Album • Sep 30 / 2016 Neo-Soul

# 20

Stranger Things, Vol. 1 (A Netflix Original Series Soundtrack) by Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein

Album • Aug 12 / 2016

# 21

Blood Bitch by Jenny Hval

Album • Sep 30 / 2016 Art Pop Ambient Pop

# 22

99.9% by KAYTRANADA

Album • May 06 / 2016 Alternative R&B Funky House

# 23

No One Deserves Happiness by The Body

Album • Mar 18 / 2016 Drone Metal Post-Industrial

# 24

The Colour In Anything by James Blake

Album • May 05 / 2016 Alternative R&B Art Pop

# 25

Atrocity Exhibition by Danny Brown

Album • Sep 27 / 2016 Experimental Hip Hop Hardcore Hip Hop

# 26

HEAVN by Jamila Woods

Album • Aug 15 / 2017 Neo-Soul Alternative R&B

# 27

Love You to Death by Tegan and Sara

Album • Jun 03 / 2016 Synthpop

# 28

Next Thing by Frankie Cosmos

Album • Apr 01 / 2016 Twee Pop Bedroom Pop Indie Pop

# 29

Sirens by Nicolas Jaar

Album • Sep 30 / 2016 Ambient Pop Art Pop Electronic

# 30

Cardinal by Pinegrove

Album • Feb 12 / 2016 Indie Rock

# 31

Metal Resistance by BABYMETAL

Album • Apr 01 / 2016 Alternative Metal

# 32

The Wilderness by Explosions In the Sky

Album • Apr 01 / 2016 Post-Rock

# 33

Magma by GOJIRA

Album • Jun 17 / 2016 Progressive Metal Groove Metal

# 34

Rot Forever by Sioux Falls

Album • Feb 19 / 2016 Midwest Emo Indie Rock

# 35

Standards by Into It. Over It.

Album • Mar 11 / 2016 Midwest Emo

# 36

Telefone by Noname

Album • Jul 31 / 2016 Conscious Hip Hop Jazz Rap

# 37

Potential by The Range

Album • Mar 25 / 2016 Future Garage UK Bass

# 38

Light Upon the Lake by Whitney

Album • Jun 03 / 2016 Indie Rock Indie Folk

# 39

Adore Life by Savages

Album • Jan 22 / 2016 Post-Punk

# 40

Gore by Deftones

Album • Apr 08 / 2016 Alternative Metal Alternative Rock

# 41

When You Walk A Long Distance You Are Tired by Mothers

Album • Feb 26 / 2016 Indie Folk Singer-Songwriter Indie Rock

# 42

Islah (Deluxe) by Kevin Gates

Album • Dec 11 / 2015

# 43

Goodness by The Hotelier

Album • May 27 / 2016 Indie Rock Emo

# 44

FLOTUS by Lambchop

Album • Nov 04 / 2016 Indietronica

# 45

JEFFERY by Young Thug

Album • Aug 26 / 2016 Trap Southern Hip Hop Pop Rap

# 46

Blisters in the Pit of My Heart by Martha

Album • Jul 01 / 2016 Pop Punk Indie Rock Power Pop

# 47

Psychopomp by Japanese Breakfast

Album • Apr 16 / 2016 Dream Pop Indie Pop

# 48

Paradise by White Lung

Album • May 06 / 2016 Punk Rock

# 49

Weaves by Weaves

Album • Jun 17 / 2016 Indie Rock

# 50

Post Pop Depression by Iggy Pop

Album • Jan 22 / 2016 Alternative Rock