Best Albums of 2016 (So Far)

Release date: February 19, 2016

Label: Island Records

Diversity and cohesion are two words that don't often come together. Rarely do we see a project that's full of different genres and styles, yet still feels like one succinct story. But when an album can achieve this without sounding disorganized, it's something special. Jack Garratt's Phase is one of these albums.

At different times throughout the project, you hear pop hooks, sentimental ballads, gospel-inspired choruses, and electronic experimentation. Sometimes you even hear these influences all on one track. Each track serves a distinct purpose in the narrative Garratt is telling.

With every song, you go a little further on the intense emotional journey he takes us on. Phase could've played it safe and told this story in a straight-forward, singer-songwriter way. Instead, Garratt shows us he can do so much more, and the album stands out because of his risk.—Katie K.

Read our interview with Jack Garratt here.

Release date: March 30, 2016

Label: N/A

Brockhampton introduced themselves to the world last year with a series of stellar singles, but they took it to another level with the release of their debut mixtape, All-American Trash.

The entire tape is a colorful display of talent and disparate styles. Joba shines brightly on the gorgeous closer “Lost in Love,” while Ameer Vann and Merlyn Wood make a brilliant case for their slick lyrical expertise with the fierce “Ben Carson.”

As far as young artists go, Brockhampton might just be the strongest collective of talent going. There are no weak links and All-American Trash is proof of that. There hasn’t been a group of young talent this exciting since Odd Future emerged back around 2010.—Joe Price

Release date: April 8, 2016

Label: Closed Sessions

Kweku Collins' "Lonely Lullabies" revealed a young, thoughtful artist with an ear for melody and a disregard for genre. His following releases were all over the place, from minimalist pop chants to rootsy raps, but with his official debut album Nat Love, the 19-year-old Evanston, IL native harnessed his unique set of skills for one beautifully cohesive project.

It didn't come easily. A week before the album's release, Kweku told us that he had been thinking about this project for years. "I was a wreck after that shit," he said. "I worked so hard for this project. I really put my everything into it, as cliché as that sounds. It’s true." It paid off.

Debut albums are more important than ever before. There's so much music to choose from these days that if the first album is a flop, it's easy to write off an artist and move on to other things. With Nat Love, nobody should be writing Kweku Collins off.—Jacob Moore

Release date: May 27 Label: N/A

There's a lot more to Chicago's SaveMoney crew than Chance and Vic. Case in point: Joey Purp's iiiDrops. It may have been released between Chance The Rapper's Coloring Book and Vic Mensa's There's A Lot Going On but sleep on this project at your peril.

Backed by a cast of Chicago friends and associates—Chance, Mick Jenkins, Saba, OddCouple, Peter Cottontale, Donnie Trumpet, Thelonious Martin, Vic Mensa, and Knox Fortune all appear—Joey Purp proves he can do it all, from party songs to reflections on the violence in Chicago. It doesn't get much realer than the first time we hear Purp on the tape: "I done been on both sides of the burner," he raps. "I done witnessed both sides of the murder."

Backing up the witty punchlines and brutally honest bars, the production is stellar throughout, at times sounding like throwback Just Blaze and The Neptunes beats given a crisp modern update, at others raw and distorted. "My album’s a pure rap album," Joey told us, and he's right. Get this in rotation.—Constant Gardner

Read our interview with Joey Purp here.

Release date: May 6, 2016

Label: White Room Records

Here's the first line JMSN sings on It is.: "There's just something 'bout the way / I could die for love and be satisfied." This romanticism isn't an uncommon theme in music, especially R&B. But when JMSN sings it, something feels different.

With him, the sentiment transforms from just words we've heard before to something real. Because when JMSN sings about love, or the blues, you believe him. That's what makes It is. so fantastic.

While the album features stand-out modern R&B production, it's JMSN's passionate delivery that makes it so successful. He bares his flaws, he reveals his longings, he shares his desires, he embraces his pain and anger. He does so not for the sake of storytelling, but because these are the feelings that are authentic to him. And in doing so, he reminds us how each of these emotions really feels, for better or for worse. We're in it with him on It is., and by the end of the album, you realize it's a pretty beautiful place to be.—Katie K.

Release date: March 11, 2016

Label: OVO Sound

Unpopular opinion: "Hold On, We're Going Home" is my favorite Drake track. It's a clean, feel-good, exceptionally catchy pop song, which Drake described to MTV as a record meant to be played at weddings. It's a side of Drake amplified by Majid Jordan, who are featured on the song and helped write and produce it.

The Toronto-based OVO duo's self-titled debut album features all the elements that make "Hold On, We're Going Home" so good. It's filled with tidy, upbeat, emotive, R&B-tinged pop songs like "Small Talk," "Day And Night," and "Make It Work," and there's a smooth, spacious feel throughout it all. What Majid Jordan lack in showmanship, they make up for in expert songwriting and efficient production. If handed off to Drake, a lot of these songs could probably be radio hits, but Majid Jordan handle things with more subtlety. Majid Jordan doesn't flaunt the kind of huge, excessive moments that chart-topping hits are made of, but it's a skillfully crafted album that you can listen to all the way through without skipping, and these songs are sneakily addictive.—Jacob Moore

Release date: April 29, 2016 Label: Young Money/Cash Money/Republic

Views grows on me each time I listen to it. This album isn't as relatable or vulnerable as Take Care or his earlier work, but that's because Drake is neither as vulnerable or relatable as he was during those times. He is arguably at the peak of his stardom and spent most of the past year trying to protect himself from attacks on his credibility as a songwriter.

Views is a very strong defense. Drake has reasserted his prowess as a hitmaker—"Controlla" and "One Dance" are the obvious highlights but "9," "Feel No Ways," and "Redemption" are all solid records and touch on different elements of Drake that we've grown to know and love.

Yes, Views is just another Drake album, but in a time where hip-hop is revolving around everything but the music, this album seems to have come at a perfect moment. I didn't have to watch a film, go to a concert/listening party, or play some interactive game to listen to this album. I didn't even have to join Apple Music. All I had to do was click on Beats1 Radio, and me and my friends were able to sit and play the album in its entirety.

As a Drake fan, it's easy to dismiss Views, but a better decision may be to embrace it and celebrate as an artist you've loved grows into one of the biggest stars in the world.—Eric Isom

Release date: March 4, 2016 Label: Bruiser Brigade Records

Six-foot-five Bruiser Brigade representative ZelooperZ stretches rap to an extreme on Bothic. His erratic, unstable flows and the chaotic production might make this album unbearable to fans of traditional hip-hop music, but there's an electrifying energy to everything ZelooperZ touches. Standouts "Isbd" and "Elevators" ring off like sirens, provoking a sense of danger and urgency, and even though it's punishing to the senses, it's equally thrilling.

The rest of the concise 10-song project is consistent in its radical approach, but Bothic showcases ZelooperZ's versatility, too. "Bothic Bout It" stays grounded, "Inhale" is oddly euphoric, and "Scale" is barely even a rap song. This young and wildly creative artist isn't easy listening, but for those looking for something new, unique, and excitingly volatile, Bothic is a trip worth taking.—Jacob Moore

Release date: May 12, 2016

Label: Republic

Post Malone's rise has been quick and controversial. The Dallas singer first burst onto the scene with his infectious hit "White Iverson"—it was everywhere, and put Post in the same room as Kanye West. They ended up recording "Fade" together, which ended up on The Life of Pablo. A few SoundCloud singles later, Post was opening for Justin Bieber on the Purpose tour. All of that was achieved before releasing his first full-length project, August 26th.

August 26th is Post Malone's first chance to make a case that he's more than "White Iverson" and Justin Bieber's opener. The 21-year-old doesn't disappoint. There are definitely some growing pains on the project, as Post navigates the space between being a "balling" rapper and a country singer. Certain moments, however, outshine all of that.

"Go Flex" is a new type of crossover hit that achieves the perfect blend of hip-hop and country that Tim McGraw and Nelly so desperately wanted. "Monta" and "Money Made Me Do It" are both bangers, but Malone sounds most at home on "Hollywood Dreams / Come Down" when he's able to blend a Fleetwood Mac "Dreams" sample into the haunting hangover that is "Come Down." It's been 16 months since "White Iverson," and Malone has carved out his own lane and proved to be an act with staying power.—John W.

Release date: March 9, 2016 Label: Quality Control, Solid Foundation

For a while I couldn't decide if I really liked Lil Yachty or if I liked Lil Yachty for the sake of liking Lil Yachty. Spontaneously shouting "lil boat!" seemed fun, but the music wasn't quite there for me. Even with a superb video for "1 Night," the song just never clicked, so Lil Boat stayed in uncharted waters. But after hearing Yachty shine on D.R.A.M.'s "Broccoli," Chance The Rapper's "Mixtape," and Post Malone's "Monta," I had no choice but to put on my goggles and dive in.

On Lil Boat we're introduced to Darnell Boat and his two nephews, Lil Yachty and Lil Boat. These different characters serve as the perfect outlet for Yachty to tell his story and share with us that he's not quite sure what he's doing either. "I don't know who I am sometimes. I might rap a verse, I might sing a song," he raps on "Intro (Just Keep Swimming)," a personal favorite. "Minnesota (Remix)" and "Good Day" are other standout tracks on a project that's full of good moments. With Burberry Perry handling the bulk of production, Lil Boat is a complete, cohesive project that deserves a listen from front to back. And remember, "just keep swimming, just keep swimming."—John W

Release date: March 9, 2016 Label: C9

Gritty and rough as it is, Denzel Curry’s Nostalgic 64 is one hell of a debut. This second full-length effort is even better.

On Imperial, Denzel has sharpened up his sound without sacrificing what made him one of Florida’s most exciting rappers to begin with—the album flexes Denzel’s abilities on the mic as much as possible. Imperial is full of satisfying hooks, punchy production, and rapping that borders on maniacal.

Despite his young age of 21, Denzel has a style and sound far beyond his years, telling stories with unparalleled conviction and passion. That's the major lesson to take from Imperial: in a year where technical ability hasn’t exactly been at the forefront of major rap releases, Denzel Curry has out-rapped just about everybody.—Joe Price

Watch Denzel Curry freestyle over "My Mind Playing Tricks On Me" at SXSW.

Release date: June 14, 2016
Label: N/A

When Night Lovell first made us aware of his singular voice back in 2014, it was clear that he was destined for something bigger than Concept Vague. With Red Teenage Melody, the Ottawa artist is hitting his stride and capitalizing on the immense promise he initially showed. Intense, insanely catchy, and an absolute joy from start to finish, Red Teenage Melody is a cohesive vision that really makes use of the talent behind it.

Featuring some incredible production from the likes of Dylan Brady, Glocque, and the unmistakeable Blank Body, Night Lovell has put together an impressive collection of forward-thinking producers. As much a display of production expertise for the producers involved as it is a showcase of Lovell’s rapping, Red Teenage Melody is one of the hardest and most distinctive rap releases of the year.—Joe Price

Release date: March 18, 2016

Label: LuckyMe Records

Over four years into a career spawned by a viral sensation (back when "virality" was still an alien term in record label boardrooms, rather than a marketing strategy), it would have been easy for Baauer to rest on his laurels. He could have continued mining the speaker busting trap territory that built his buzz in 2012.

He could have revisited "Harlem Shake" ad nauseum and relived the glory days of 2013. He could have followed the open format train to freedom and chased pop success by latching onto the flavor du jour. Instead, Baauer used his wryly titled debut album Aa as a platform to show his growth and breadth as a producer.

"GoGo!" and "Sow" retain Baauer's adherence to heaviness with an updated, worldly air and sonic inventiveness. Star-studded singles "Kung Fu" (featuring Pusha T and Future) and "Temple" (featuring M.I.A. and G-DRAGON) show off a producer pushing his sound to infectious, accessible places.

Aa exhibits taste and restraint, even as it aims to bash you in the skull with rattling low end. A worthy course correction (or perhaps a reset) for a career that could have easily been defined by a single, bright-burning moment.—Jon Tanners

Release date: March 14, 2016

Label: N/A

The classic West Coast tale of a good kid thriving against the odds gets a modern face in Kamaiyah. “Music was my answer to the madness,” she raps on the grand opening song “I’m On.” Beneath a California sun, evergreen palm leaves sway to the tunes of Oakland’s latest export, a 21-year-old phenom who spins a good time out of stifling conditions.

A Good Night In The Ghetto arrived on the heels of boisterous singles built atop thick and juicy bass lines. “How Does It Feel” promised a project overflowing with melody and charisma, a crucial part of success in an era when how you say something is often as important as the words themselves. Her striking control of cadence fluidly traverses a wide emotional scale, all the way to the poignant album closer "For My Dawg."

Honoring the long-standing tradition of interludes that reveal the world behind the music, this 16-song effort is far more than a collection of bangers. Whether you’re looking for joyous, celebratory soundtracks or a body of work to digest with care, look no further.—Alex Siber

Release date: May 6, 2016 Label: Boy Better Know

While 2015 saw the release of JME's Integirty>, 2016 was the year that JME's big brother Skepta brought the UK grime sound to the States. While artists like Dizzee Rascal helped introduce the hyper sound of grime to American shores years ago, Skepta reignited the fire with a Pharrell collab and memorable bangers like "Man (Gang)" and "It Ain't Safe." He also hit at the right time. With mans like Drake openly IGing their love of UK culture for the world to see, British music was due for a renaissance. But they still needed a leader, someone with the songs to make it happen.

Outside of the cultural climate that created the perfect time for Skepta to drop an album, he also just had heavy tunes. "Lyrics" is a hypnotic, hard-hitting bars fest with Novelist, but there is also variety in tracks like the album's closer "Text Me Back" in which he took some time to speak directly to the lady in his life. Dude has range, and while he is unafraid of competition, he's not spending his days aiming gats at mans' head. Skepta's here to show the world that the UK should be taken seriously without having to put on an American accent or spit over U.S.-friendly beats. He's doing him and winning, standard.—khal

Watch our No Ceilings video with Skepta here.

Release date: May 6, 2016

Label: Secretly Canadian / Rough Trade Records

ANOHNI, Hudson Mohawke, and Oneohtrix Point Never teamed up to create a new kind  protest album. It's a dying art—the market for social outrage has been out of style for some time, but as the world's many ills receive more and more media coverage, righteous indignation becomes ever more appetizing.

ANOHNI puts various villains in her crosshairs across the album, including climate change deniers ("4 Degrees"), the N.S.A. ("Watch Me"), and the U.S. government ("Obama," "Drone Bomb Me"). "Rage is a really fun place to dance from," she told Pitchfork. "Expressions of anger sublimated into something beautiful are invigorating, especially if you feel like you’re telling the truth."

Hudson Mohawke's electric, staticky production is a revelation throughout. He's always made music to feel to, and his signature horns and searing drums have a great time next to ANOHNI's booming vocals. HudMo claims "pretty much every huge name in rap/pop turned down the sketches that became the ANOHNI record," and if that's true, we have to agree with what he said next: "Thank god."—Graham

Release date: January 6, 2016 Label: N/A

Allan Kingdom had all eyes on him following his feature on Kanye West’s “All Day,” meaning it’s not unreasonable to say there was almost insurmountable pressure leading up to the release of Northern Lights. While the release immediately stuck out as low-key following his appearance on a song with both Kanye West and Paul McCartney, six months removed from its release it's safe to say that Allan absolutely pulled through and delivered.

Making full use of his unmistakeable flow and cadence, Northern Lights is a remarkable release that both improves upon its predecessor and promises even better in the future. Allan Kingdom is a unique talent and he’s certainly aware of that. Allan is working within a genre entirely his own, moving effortlessly between so many different styles that it’s a style itself.—Joe Price

Read our interview with Allan Kingdom here.

Release date: June 3, 2016 Label: Gazi World

Drowsy, drugged croons come to define A.CHAL's Welcome to GAZI—a voyage inside the man’s mind. Swiping cards, spilling champagne, taking ayahuasca—he presses down on the gas pedal when stop signs roll into view, yet the sounds remain muddy, slurred, and intoxicating.

Just over one year ago, A.CHAL shared a song that went on to inspire the project’s title. He had one EP to his name that’s since been stripped from the internet. In the months to come, the bi-coastal act blossomed into a hit machine, someone who understood the truth in pushing quality over quantity. His 10-track full-length is more of the same, in the best of ways. Tapping textures from abroad and twisting domestic styles, nobody sounds quite like this young artist.—Alex Siber

Release date: June 15, 2016

Label: Def Jam Recordings

"Who Shot Me?"

"Police Get Away Wit Murder"

"Don't Come To LA"

"Why You Always Hatin?"

The titles of the songs on Still Brazy, the second studio album from Compton rapper YG, give a fair assessment of where he is mentally. Since the release of his debut album My Krazy Life, YG has seen a lot of success and made a lot of money, but he also got shot by an unknown attacker outside his recoding studio in Los Angeles. This event has made YG paranoid and distrustful, happy to be alive but on edge, ready to protect himself and his family at any cost. On the brutally honest "Who Shot Me?" YG explains his mind-state:

I'm like damn

Did the homies set me up?

'Cause we ain't really been talking much

I know that sounds sick

My thoughts dark as fuck

Like the barrel of the pistol I saw when he sparked it up

Of course, YG is still out to have a good time, and the beats slap hard on tracks like "Twist My Fingaz" and "Bool, Balm & Bollective." DJ Mustard handled production on half of My Krazy Life, but he doesn't appear in the credits for this album. Instead, DJ Swish is on the buttons, alongside Terrace Martin, P-Lo, and 1500 or Nothin', and they bring a distinct West Coast flavor, classic G-funk sounds delivered with a modern edge.

West Coast rappers have given us some fantastic rap albums in recent years–full bodies of work that deserve repeated close listening—and YG's Still Brazy stands up beside any of them.—Constant Gardner

Release date: February 1, 2016 Label: N/A

The buzz began when Toronto's Jazz Cartier released his Marauding In Paradise mixtape last year. There was a shrewd, inviting tone in both the lyrics and Lantz's production that just grabbed people.

Jazz took things to new heights when he released Hotel Paranoia in February. It's a fully-realized concept album this time around—we are welcomed to Hotel Paranoia through skits and samples, giving us a glimpse into Cartier's endless imagination.

It also doesn't hurt that Hotel Paranoia is stacked with hit after hit. There are no filler tracks here—between the more energetic tracks like "100 Roses," "Red Alert," and "Opera," and the slow builders like "I Know" and "Illuminati Love Song," there's no doubt that Hotel Paranoia has a little bit of something for everyone.—Adrienne Black

Watch our video interview with Jazz Cartier here.

Release date: January 8, 2016 Label: Mom & Pop Music

Infusing the raw energy of lo-fi garage rock with a contagious pop-leaning spirit, Hinds’ debut LP is delightfully unafraid of its own youthful exuberance. The Madrid garage-rock quartet happily revels in the fumbling failed relationships and identity crises at the core of any early twenties experience, unapologetically shouting stories of their missteps over upbeat jangly guitar riffs.

Throughout the album, the Spanish rockers reveal themselves as laid-back and approachable through a series of beer-soaked anthems. Raucous power chord-heavy cuts like “Garden” are easy to gravitate to on first listen, but Hinds prove equally effective on mellower tracks like the clever gender-flipping, “I’ll Be Your Man."

Leave Me Alone introduces Hinds as an unpretentious and immediately likable band you’d want to bullshit with over a round of beers. Or at the very least, the creators of an undeniably fun record perfectly suited to soundtrack a similar occasion with your own friends.—Eric Skelton

Read our interview with Hinds here.

Release date: March 4, 2016 Label: Top Dawg Entertainment

Thank you, LeBron James. If it weren't for you and your coaxing tweets, these songs may have never seen the light of day. But TDE listened to King James and released this beauty—eight tracks of untitled, unmastered, behind-the-scenes music that is better than the vast majority of music released since To Pimp A Butterfly.

But as much as untitled unmastered is a sequel to TPAB (these are the tracks that didn't make the cut), the album stands on its own as a collection of music and a statement by TDE: even if these tracks aren't "finished" by industry standards, Kendrick Lamar can still rap circles around his competition. It was also extremely validating to hear tracks like "untitled 03" and "untitled 08," songs we thought would live in late night archives forever, in their studio form. Those two songs are radio-ready hits that would have lived happily on the previous album, but they're re-contextualized here as part of an alluring collection of cast-offs and intimate live recordings.

That intimacy makes this a must-listen for any fan of Kendrick—you can hear the process in the songs, hear how ideas turn into melodies, which pop up in turn as part of longer songs. Context aside, this is further proof that Kendrick is walking on water in 2016. The musicality, lyrical content, and delivery are at a level we can only expect from our generation's most talented artists.—Graham

Release date: February 25, 2016 Label: Year0001

Back in 2013 when Yung Lean was releasing his debut mixtape, Unknown Death 2002, many were understandably confused as to what it was that he was trying to do. Three years later, it’s become considerably easier to appreciate Leandoer’s earlier material, even if few traces of it are found on his latest effort and second studio album, Warlord.

The best part of Lean’s bizarre career trajectory is that, despite many other internet success stories, he hasn’t been afraid to evolve. Delving deeper into the darker, more gothic elements of his material, Warlord is his most cohesive and impressive effort. Few would have believed that Lean was capable of evolution back when he released his Sadboy anthem “Kyoto,” and that’s the beauty of Warlord. No one could have predicted Lean would go from “Ginseng Strip 2002” to “Miami Ultras.”

Full of revelatory moments from a musician many thought wouldn't be able to produce such artistry, Warlord demonstrates a huge maturation in content and sound from Lean.—Joe Price

Read our interview with Yung Lean here.

Release date: March 25, 2016 Label: 300/Atlantic

Young Thug is one of the most exciting factors in mainstream rap in 2016. He's unpredictable to the core, and never fails to grab attention with outrageous and highly captivating antics, lyrics, and visuals.

Thugger has it all figured out on Slime Season 3—the first two projects of the Slime Season series both had over 15 tracks, and they were tough to get through in one sitting. SS3 is just eight tracks long, a better representation of who Thug is as an artist. "With Them" and "Digits" are the fan favorites, but if you want to dive completely into the Thugger rabbit hole, check out "Drippin'."—Eric

Related: Young Thug's Best Songs of 2016

Release date: May 6, 2016

Label: Polydor Records

In interviews surrounding the surprise release of James Blake’s third full-length LP, The Colour In Anything, the reclusive artist told stories of falling in love and yearning to open himself up to collaboration—even hinting at a possible appearance from Kanye West.

Admirers of his Mercury Prize-winning sophomore album Overgrown may have been worried about losing the nocturnal shut-in they fell in love with, but Blake managed to deftly weave his evolving worldview into the familiar delicate setting of his past works. Like its predecessors, The Colour In Anything is soaked in solitude and heartbreak—but it cracks open a window to let in glimmers of hope alongside slyly incorporated collaborators Frank Ocean, Rick Rubin, and Justin Vernon.

Traditionally shrouded vocals are emboldened to make their way to the front of stark electronic arrangements, and Blake's mastery of experimental production techniques appears sharper than ever.
 Molding the same collection of materials he’s always worked with in stunning new ways, this album is a rare example of an artist pushing himself to grow and evolve without losing the essence that endeared him to so many fans in the first place.—Eric Skelton

Release date: May 6, 2016

Label: XL Recordings

Kaytranada had been gearing up for 99.9% for quite some time, and he’s more than delivered with his long-awaited debut album. He spares no expenses when it comes to 99.9%. All the guests on the album—Craig David, BadBadNotGood, Syd from The Internet, Anderson .Paak, Little Dragon, AlunaGeorge, GoldLink, Phonte, Vic Mensa—do an incredible job working over Kay’s smooth production, but this is without a doubt his show.

Even if he steps back to take on more of a directional role on a number of tracks, 99.9% is everything that Kay has been working towards, fit snugly into 60 excellent minutes of music. Moving through countless production styles at a brisk pace, he refuses to settle in one place for too long. His Montreal style is easily identifiable and hard to replicate, making it easy to see why so many artists have jumped at the chance to work with him.

Not many albums, let alone albums in 2016, contain as many diverse styles as 99.9% without sounding haphazard or disjointed. Kaytranada is an absolute master when it comes to putting a track together, but what 99.9% shows is that he’s also able to stretch that talent across an entire album without wearing himself thin.—Joe Price

Release date: February 15, 2016 Label: Roc-A-Fella Records, G.O.O.D. Music and Def Jam Recordings

Much of the conversation around Kanye West's The Life of Pablo, his seventh solo studio album, centered on its unique and messy rollout, both before and after its actual release. We might have guessed that this was going to be a scrappy, evolving process after West changed the album title four times (So Help Me God, Swish, Waves, and finally TLOP), but that was just the beginning. After teasing fans with singles "Real Friends" and "No More Parties in LA," not to mention returning to Twitter with a vengeance, Kanye West debuted most of the album alongside his Yeezy Season 3 fashion show at Madison Square Garden in New York on February 11.

The album was originally slated for release that same day, but by February 12 it still hadn't arrived. "The album is being mastered and will be out today," Kanye tweeted, but it wasn't until February 15 that the album finally hit Tidal, now with 17 tracks. From there, this "living breathing changing creative expression" (Kanye's words) was altered again in March, when it also became available on other streaming services like Spotify, and again in June, when "Saint Pablo" with Sampha was added.

From the notepad Kanye used to reveal song names and featured artists to the tweets explaining why the release was delayed, for the first time ever we saw an album evolve in real time, and as such gained a little more insight into West's creative process.

So, that was the context, but what about the music? Well, once you get past a few headline-grabbing lyrics and the fact that the inferior version of "Wolves" made the final cut, this is another excellent Kanye project, in many senses a glorious mix of the best elements from his previous albums. Certain sounds or styles of production came to define past records—soul samples on The College Droput, emotional electro-pop on 808s & Heartbreak, abrasive experimental electronics on Yeezus—but this time we get it all.

We get gospel ("Ultralight Beam"), viral rap hits ("Pt. 2"), genius sampling ("Famous," "Fade"), bumping boom-bap ("30 Hours"), moody pop ("Wolves," "FML"), edgy electronics ("Feedback") and even a Frank Ocean sighting. The stellar guests are fitted into place on the album like pieces of a puzzle—Ty Dolla $ign, Kid Cudi, Rihanna, The Weeknd, and Young Thug all providing memorable hooks or melodies on this truly collaborative effort of an album.

Yes, The Life of Pablo is stylistically schizophrenic, and a little sprawling ("Facts" could certainly have been cut), but when all is said and done, that's a testament to Kanye's outsized ambition. Hopefully he continues dreaming bigger and changing the game, because that's why we love Kanye.—Constant Gardner

Release date: January 15, 2016

Label: Steel Wool Records

The music world finally stopped sleeping on Anderson .Paak in 2016. We started awaking from our slumber when .Paak appeared all over Dr. Dre's Compton in 2015, but Malibu was a bucket of cold water to the face.

Every major musical movement of the last 50 years gets its due over the album's course—doo-wop, soul, rock, punk, dance, rap, ballads—it's all there, and .Paak is the chef turning all these tastes into a delicious California stew.

Favorites are hard to pick—album closer "The Dreamer" is anthemic inspiration ("I'm on my fifth brew / And my rent's due"), "Parking Lot" and "Lite Weight" provide dance-off opportunities, and the album's first third ("The Waters," "The Season / Carry Me") zooms in on social justice, fractured childhood, and the trappings of fame.

But what really makes Malibu stand out from this year's competition—and even from .Paak's excellent predecessor, 2014's Venice—is its staggering musicality. The whole album sounds live, a seamless jam session where no one hits a wrong note. Watching .Paak perform these songs—often singing and playing drums at the same damn time—proves it's more than a feeling. Hearing Anderson .Paak do his thing is a gift, and at 16 tracks, Malibu almost feels too short.—Graham

Release date: May 27, 2016 Label: N/A

Up until now, Chance The Rapper has been the underdog that everyone wants to root for. He's fiercely independent, defiantly optimistic, and brazenly welcoming. But before his third album, there was a feeling that the next step for Chance was away from underdog status and into the position of top tier rap superstar.

Intentionally or not, Chance introduced the world of Coloring Book three months before its release, with his verse on Kanye West's "Ultralight Beam."

He said let's do a good ass job with Chance three I hear you gotta sell it to snatch the Grammy Let's make it so free and the bars so hard That there ain't one gosh darn part you can't tweet This is my part, nobody else speak This is my part, nobody else speak

When Coloring Book finally dropped in May, nobody else was speaking. The roles are reversed this time around—Kanye West features on the album-opening "All We Got." The rest of the A-list guests are mind-boggling, considering that this is a project made by an independent artist and released for free, with sales totaling zero. Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, Jeremih, Young Thug, Justin Bieber, Jay Electronica, Future, and Ty Dolla $ign all appear on the album, all accommodating for Chance's vision.

It's an amazing feat for an independent artist, and no easy task. “I don’t agree with the way labels are set up,” Chance told Zane Lowe. “I don’t agree that anybody should sign 360 deals or sign away their publishing or take most of the infrastructure that’s included with a formal deal. I’ve learned not to be like, 'fuck this company and fuck that company,' even though a lot of those people tried to make it really hard for me to release my project.”

Somehow, Chance got Coloring Book done on his terms, and he boldly addresses his clash with labels on the Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz-featuring "No Problem": "If one more label try to stop me, it's gon' be some dreadhead n****s in ya lobby."

Musically, Chance's third album is a giant move forward, blending the lively energy of The Social Experiment with the kind of gospel influence we expected from Kanye and bars so hard that there ain't one gosh darn part you can't tweet. There are too many good songs to point out highlights, and the sequencing is faultless.

Coloring Book is a game-changer on so many levels. It advances Chance's standing in popular music, it exposes the potential for independent music in 2016, and shit, it might even be Grammy-worthy. It's the most important—and best—album of the year, so far.—Jacob Moore

Related: Chance The Rapper's Coloring World was a Gift to His City