Rolling Stone's 45 Best Albums of 2016 So Far

The 45 best albums of 2016 so far, including Beyoncé, Radiohead, Chance the Rapper, David Bowie and more.

Published: June 20, 2016 15:06 Source

# 1

HOPELESSNESS by ANOHNI

Album • May 06 / 2016 Art Pop Electropop Deconstructed Club

# 2

Lemonade by Beyoncé

Album • Apr 23 / 2016 Contemporary R&B Pop

# 3

Patch the Sky by Bob Mould

Album • Mar 25 / 2016 Alternative Rock

# 4

Dig In Deep by Bonnie Raitt

Album • Feb 26 / 2016 Singer-Songwriter Blues Rock

# 5

Big Day in a Small Town by Brandy Clark

Album • Jun 10 / 2016 Contemporary Country Country Pop

# 6

The Ship by Brian Eno

Album • Apr 29 / 2016

# 7

Teens Of Denial by Car Seat Headrest

Album • May 20 / 2016 Indie Rock

# 8

Coloring Book by Chance the Rapper

Album • May 27 / 2016 Pop Rap Conscious Hip Hop

# 9

Blackstar by David Bowie

Album • Jan 08 / 2016 Art Rock

# 10

Bottomless Pit by Death Grips

Album • May 06 / 2016 Industrial Hip Hop Abstract Hip Hop Experimental Hip Hop

# 11

Gore by Deftones

Album • Apr 08 / 2016 Alternative Metal Alternative Rock

# 12

Views by Drake

Album • May 06 / 2016 Pop Rap Contemporary R&B

# 13

Wonderful Crazy Night (Deluxe) by Elton John

Album • Feb 05 / 2016

# 14

Emily’s D+Evolution by Esperanza Spalding

Album • Jan 01 / 2016 Jazz Fusion Art Pop Progressive Pop

# 15

7/27 (Deluxe) by Fifth Harmony

Album • May 27 / 2016

# 16

Skin by Flume

Album • May 27 / 2016 Future Bass Wonky Glitch Pop

# 17

Next Thing by Frankie Cosmos

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

# 18

Post Pop Depression by Iggy Pop

Album • Jan 22 / 2016 Alternative Rock

# 19

The Westerner by John Doe

Album • Apr 29 / 2016 Alt-Country

# 20

EARS by Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith

Album • Apr 01 / 2016 Progressive Electronic

# 21

The Life Of Pablo by Kanye West

Album • Jun 10 / 2016 Pop Rap Hip Hop Experimental Hip Hop

# 22

untitled unmastered. by Kendrick Lamar

Album • Mar 04 / 2016 Jazz Rap Conscious Hip Hop West Coast Hip Hop

# 23

Islah (Deluxe) by Kevin Gates

Album • Dec 11 / 2015

# 24

Full Circle by Loretta Lynn

Album • Mar 04 / 2016 Country

# 25

The Ghosts of Highway 20 by Lucinda Williams

Album • Feb 05 / 2016 Americana Singer-Songwriter Country Rock

# 26

Hero (Deluxe Edition) by Maren Morris

Album • Jun 03 / 2016

# 27

Midwest Farmers Daughter by Margo Price

Album • Mar 25 / 2016 Country

# 28

Livin' On A High Note by Mavis Staples

Album • Feb 19 / 2016 Southern Soul Deep Soul

# 29

Puberty 2 by Mitski

Album • Jun 17 / 2016 Indie Rock

# 30

2 by Mudcrutch

Album • May 20 / 2016 Country Rock Americana

# 31

Human Performance by Parquet Courts

Album • Apr 08 / 2016 Indie Rock

# 32

Stranger To Stranger by Paul Simon

Album • Jun 03 / 2016 Art Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 33

A Cure For Loneliness by Peter Wolf

Album • Apr 08 / 2016 Rock

# 34

The Hope Six Demolition Project by PJ Harvey

Album • Apr 15 / 2016 Art Rock Alternative Rock

# 35

A Moon Shaped Pool by Radiohead

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

# 36

ANTI by Rihanna

Album • Jan 28 / 2016 Alternative R&B Contemporary R&B

# 37

Adore Life by Savages

Album • Jan 22 / 2016 Post-Punk

# 38

A Sailor's Guide to Earth by Sturgill Simpson

Album • Apr 15 / 2016 Country Soul Alt-Country Progressive Country

# 39

Human Ceremony by Sunflower Bean

Album • Feb 05 / 2016 Neo-Psychedelia Indie Pop Psychedelic Pop

# 40

Love You to Death by Tegan and Sara

Album • Jun 03 / 2016 Synthpop

# 41

I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it by The 1975

Album • Feb 26 / 2016 Synthpop Pop Rock

# 42

Good Times! by The Monkees

Album • May 27 / 2016 Sunshine Pop Pop Rock

# 44

Paradise by White Lung

Album • May 06 / 2016 Punk Rock

# 45

Still Brazy (Deluxe) by YG

Album • Jun 14 / 2016