The Times / The Sunday Times 40 Best Albums of 2016

POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR1 Radiohead A Moon Shaped Pool (XL) Reworked, updated ideas and songs from years ago jostling with newly minted tracks, lyrics mired in the break-up of Thom Yorke’s relationship

Published: December 04, 2016 00:01 Source

# 1

A Moon Shaped Pool by Radiohead

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

# 2

Lemonade by Beyoncé

Album • Apr 23 / 2016 Contemporary R&B Pop

# 3

22, A Million by Bon Iver

Album • Sep 30 / 2016 Art Pop Folktronica

# 4

Skeleton Tree by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Album • Sep 09 / 2016 Singer-Songwriter Art Rock

# 5

Blackstar by David Bowie

Album • Jan 08 / 2016 Art Rock

# 6

You Want It Darker by Leonard Cohen

Album • Oct 21 / 2016 Singer-Songwriter Chamber Folk

# 7

A Seat at the Table by Solange

Album • Sep 30 / 2016 Neo-Soul

# 8

ANTI by Rihanna

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

# 9

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

# 10

Chaleur Humaine by Christine and the Queens

Album • Jun 02 / 2014 Electropop Alt-Pop Nouvelle chanson française

# 11

HOPELESSNESS by ANOHNI

Album • May 06 / 2016 Art Pop Electropop Deconstructed Club

# 12

Ruminations by Conor Oberst

Album • Oct 14 / 2016 Singer-Songwriter Indie Folk

# 14

Views by Drake

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

# 15

and the Anonymous Nobody... by De La Soul

Album • Aug 26 / 2016 East Coast Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop

# 16

99.9% by KAYTRANADA

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

# 17

FLOTUS by Lambchop

Album • Nov 04 / 2016 Indietronica

# 18

Konnichiwa by Skepta

Album • May 06 / 2016 Grime UK Hip Hop

# 19

Blood Bitch by Jenny Hval

Album • Sep 30 / 2016 Art Pop Ambient Pop

# 20

The Hope Six Demolition Project by PJ Harvey

Album • Apr 15 / 2016 Art Rock Alternative Rock

# 21

Black America Again by Common

Album • Nov 04 / 2016 Conscious Hip Hop

# 22

Zanaka (Deluxe) by Jain

Album • Nov 25 / 2016 Alt-Pop Indie Pop

# 23

Oh No by Jessy Lanza

Album • May 13 / 2016 UK Bass Alternative R&B Synthpop

# 24

blackSUMMERS'night (2016) by Maxwell

Album • Jul 01 / 2016

# 25

For All We Know by Nao

Album • Jul 29 / 2016 Alternative R&B Electropop

# 26

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

# 27

Coloring Book by Chance the Rapper

Album • May 27 / 2016 Pop Rap Conscious Hip Hop

# 28

SEPT. 5TH by dvsn

Album • Mar 27 / 2016 Alternative R&B

# 29

This Is Acting by Sia

Album • Jan 29 / 2016 Electropop Alt-Pop

# 30

Post Pop Depression by Iggy Pop

Album • Jan 22 / 2016 Alternative Rock

# 31

2013 by Meilyr Jones

Album • Mar 18 / 2016 Art Pop Chamber Pop Indie Pop

# 32

I, Gemini by Let's Eat Grandma

Album • Jun 17 / 2016 Art Pop Psychedelic Pop Ambient Pop

# 33

The Dreaming Room by Laura Mvula

Album • Jun 17 / 2016 Art Pop

# 34

Lil Empire by Petite Meller

Album • Sep 16 / 2016 Dance-Pop Synthpop Electropop

# 35

Nothings Real by Shura

Album • Jul 08 / 2016 Synthpop Dance-Pop Alt-Pop

# 36

Retribution by Tanya Tagaq

Album • Oct 21 / 2016 Experimental Rock Inuit Music

# 37

The Bride by Bat for Lashes

Album • Jul 01 / 2016 Art Pop

# 38

MY WOMAN by Angel Olsen

Album • Sep 02 / 2016 Indie Rock Singer-Songwriter

# 39

Meet The Humans by Steve Mason

Album • Feb 26 / 2016 Indie Rock Neo-Psychedelia Singer-Songwriter

# 40

The Life Of Pablo by Kanye West

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