The time has come again, it's the end of the year and we're all ready to look back on the best music of 2016! In this thread I'll reveal the cream of the crop for albums and singles, but who'll come out on top, following in the footsteps of Little Mix's Black Magic and Selena Gomez's Revival?

 

Starting off is the best albums of 2016!

20

UK peak: #15

US peak: #39

Highlights: Karate, No Rain No Rainbow, Sis. Anger

 

The first album on this list is very much unlike anything else you'll see coming up! This is a metal album that mixes hair metal and symphonic metal with J-Pop influences, which makes for a very easy gateway to a genre that can be quite hard to get into. The cutesy J-Pop melodies and aesthetic are the perfect juxtaposition to striking metal elements, crafting a hugely unique album that is quite hard to pin down with a small description like this!

 

19

UK peak: #129

US peak: N/A (#1 Australia)

Highlights: I Believe In A Thing Called Love, Dear Life, The River)

 

Delta is a very consistent albums act, and this latest effort is no different! Whilst the pinnacle is the stunningly dramatic rendition of The Darkness' classic hit, as usual Delta weaves stories with wonderfully atmospheric songs that range from the attitude of Encore to the fragility and emotion of Only Human, as always being at ease with each style. This is no Child Of The Universe, but that wasn't to be expected!

 

18

UK peak: #46

US peak: #6

Highlights: f*** Apologies, Mad Love, FAB

 

Being 10 bloody years in the making, this had to be good! We had the glorious singles Disaster, When Love Hurts, Save My Soul and an incredible cover of Marvin's Room, as well as the brilliant demo The Other Chick, but nothing stuck and we were left waiting. f*** Apologies, the sassy lead single, finally led to this collection, and JoJo is at her best. Arguably one of the most underrated voices in music today, there's sass, emotion and potential hits aplenty!

 

17

UK peak: #25

US peak: #2

Highlights: Close, Chainsaw, Under You

 

The resident daddy of all of the gay internet also happens to make rather good music, and for all it's worth this is an improvement on his debut! Whilst it doesn't have the highs of Avalanche and Jealous, there are so many potential hits and a real sense of consistency. That didn't go unnoticed by the record comapny as it seemed like Voodoo, Under You and Chainsaw were all touted as the second single, although officially that was Bacon!

 

16

UK peak: #2

US peak: N/A (#2 France)

 

Finishing off this batch is one of the surprise successes of the year! A Jools Holland appearnace sent interest skyrocketting, and with Titled being a hit this was propelled to Silver success in the UK. Miminal synths and revealing lyrics combine to gift us with a wonderfully unique album.

Christine + the Queens' album was a huge surprise for me too. Like a lot of people, I was first properly made aware of her due to the Graham Norton Show and I was so intrigued by her performance. The plodding intro of 'Tilted', the quirks in her voice and the French rap all helped make the song so unique; catchy but not like anything else in the charts and not something I'd expect myself to take to. Then there's the routine which I summed up as being quite Sia-esque - I had no idea what was supposed to be presented but it sure did look good.

 

The whole album is glorious and easily one of my favourites of the year. 'Tilted', 'Saint Claude' and 'Night 52' are official The Holy Trinity.

15

UK peak: #70

US peak: #3

Highlights: Vice, Running Just In Case, Ugly Lights

 

"Only" #15 seems quite low for a Miranda album in my EOY, as Revolution is an all time favourite and Platinum and Four The Record made top 5 of the respective years, but hear me out. The Weight Of These Wings is a double album, and whilst The Nerve's half is brilliant, The Heart's just drags. The Nerve boasts fun (Pink Sunglasses), hope (Running Just In Case) and crushingly brutal honesty (Vice), but The Heart's nice enough songs just tend to all blend into one, with only a couple of highlights out of the 12 songs. As a whole set, this has its flaws but The Nerve buoys it to a rightful place on this list.

 

14

UK peak: N/A

US peak: #89

Highlights: Ghetto Boy, Touch Pass, Party Favors

 

With her foray into poppier songs failing to yield her that breakthrough hit, Tinashe pleased her fans with a bounce back into R&B. Like The Weight Of These Wings mentioned above, this suffers a bit from inconsistency in quality as the first half does drag towards the end with samey songs, but the old Tinashe magic is plentiful in the other half. The hypnotic vibes that made Aquarius so perfect are present on Ghetto Boy, whilst Touch Pass clicks its way into your affections as slickly as possible. This isn't the sort of music that will give her commercial success, but she's clearly at home here.

 

13

UK peak: #40

US peak: #11

Highlights: True Disaster, Lady Wood, Influence

 

With Queen Of The Clouds being such a brilliant debut, this had a lot to live up to! For that reason, this album had to be left to be a grower, especially as its style is somewhat different. The masses fell in love with Tove for her powerful choruses that hit you like a truck, but on a lot of these tracks the vibe is far more subtle. The minimalist nature of tracks such as Lady Wood creep up on you, so the album takes it time for you to come to terms with as a fan of "old" Tove. True Disaster, however, is classic Tove through and through, and easily would have fit in as a highlight on Queen Of The Clouds. With the themes of self-awareness and the downward part of an emotional rollercoaster present on this album, the style does fit though and with that in mind it's hard not to appreciate the scope of this record.

 

12

UK peak: N/A

US peak: N/A

Highlights: Se avessi un cuore, Potrei abuitarmi/Used To You, Noi siamo un'isola

 

I didn't know anything of Annalisa Scarrone until I stumbled upon the Italian pop banger of 2016, the title track to her fifth album. This set is more electronically influenced than her previous, as perfectly demonstrated by the title track and the bouncy Katy Perry-esque Potrei abuitarmi/Used To You, present in both Italian and English on the album. The beautiful sound of the Italian language pairs perfectly with production values that would be at home at albums by any English speaking starlet.

 

11

UK peak: N/A

US peak: #5

Highlights: My Church, 80s Mercedes, I Could Use A Love Song

 

Just missing the top 10 is the year's best country album from a rising star who has recently received two Grammy nominations for this very body of work and two for its single My Church! This album comes from an exciting new talent who breaks the rules of country so effectively and casually that you barely even realise. R&B is casually weaved into songs a la Sam Hunt via melodies and production, whilst never venturing too far from country. Whilst there are songs such as 80s Mercedes which are closer to the usual, even that has a huge pop chorus, and it's easy to imagine one of these songs being a crossover hit and charting in countries outside of the US.

10

UK peak: #3

US peak: N/A

Highlights: One Strike, One Woman Man, This Is A War

 

Kicking off the top 10 is somewhat of a surprise package! I have always liked All Saints, but the quality of this set definitely surprised me. One Strike was a perfect lead single, and in general this album does a brilliant job of bringing the classic All Saints sound that made them so popualr in the late 90s and early 00s right into 2016. The harmonies are flawless, the production is striking and the quality is consistent. I have to give some credit to the often hated Ratchet Behaviour as being great fun, it gets far too much stick!

 

09

UK peak: N/A

US peak: N/A

Highlights: Nessun grado di separazione, L'amore esiste, Battio di ciglia

 

Just a tad higher than Annalisa, this is the highest foreign language album of the year which happens to also be in Italian! Francesca's brilliant debut single Distratto was on my radar in 2012 after she won Italian X Factor, but I didn't think anything of her again until she was announced as Italy's Eurovision representative for 2016. Convieniently, her most recent album was repackaged then, and I fell in love with it. Her powerful voice works incredibly well on ballads like Nessun grado di separazione, as well as hard hitting atmospheric mid-tempos like L'amore esiste, and she is equally at home at rhythmic songs like Lontano. Overall, the album is packed with brilliant artistry and is a must listen.

 

08

UK peak: #1

US peak: #4

Highlights: Move Your Body, Broken Glass, Alive

 

As much as her infuriating facial "mystique" pisses me off (anybody can google her face from the 10+ years she was famous in Australia before becoming pretentious...), Sia can't half crack out a tune when she wants to. The concept for this album seems odd - this is a collection of songs for other artists that they turned down. However, some of the songs (Alive in particular) feel like a perfect fit for Sia. Broken Glass is the Celine Dion hit that never was, while Move Your Body would have been an On The Floor style career resuscitation and worldwide #1 for Shakira; but perhaps Sweet Design would better with Beyonce... Either way, Sia's sheer vocal talent manages to make a range of styles work on one album, and she moulds songs that were made for artists very different to her into her own style effortlessly. There be a couple of filler tracks that make it easy to see why they were passed on, but by and large this is a wonderful album.

 

07

UK peak: #7

US peak: #1

Highlights: Love On The Brain, Kiss It Better, Same Ol' Mistakes

 

With Rihanna firing out albums yearly between 2006-2012 and being an unstoppable omnipresent force for most of those years, the 3 and a half year gap waiting for this album felt like a lifetime for the Navy! When it came, it was fairly divisive, given that this album is much more experimental and less pop than previous efforts, but it does feel like the album that RiRi really wanted to make. Vocally, Rihanna has seldom sounded better, whether it's the power behind Love On The Brain, the sass of Consideration or the passion emanating from Kiss It Better you take into account, and sonically there's a range of influences that manage to sound cohesive. This might not be what everyone wants from the star who's capable of undeniable pop bangers like Only Girl and Umbrella, but as long as we get those in the future I am more than happy with a darker, more serious album like this that shows her artistry and versatility.

 

06

UK peak: #2

US peak: #3

Highlights: Do You Wanna Come Over?, Liar, If I'm Dancing

 

After Pretty Girls and even Make Me, I didn't hold out much hope for a Britney album in 2016. But the promo track Do You Wanna Come Over, an ode to half night stands in the Tinder generation, re-ignited my hope and against the odds, Britney totally delivered. This album is brimming with Britney at her best, with tracks ranging from sensual (Just Luv Me) to whimsically wondorous (Man On The Moon) to just a bit crazy (If I'm Dancing), with barely a dud in sight. The rumoured Xtina collab for Do You Wanna Come Over will make every pop fan's life tbh, and if Slumber Party's Tinashe remix doesn't manage a hit perhaps that will? Oh who are we kidding, let's just enjoy the music, and it's bloody good music at that.

Hi Liam

 

I think I share most of my highlights from Anti with you! Same Ol' Mistakes is definitely the best album track and a great cover version, especially after how odd it sounds on paper. Of course, it probably wouldn't have worked as a single at all but I'd have loved for more people to have heard it. She definitely sounds her best vocally too on the album as you say, Love On the Brain definitely showcases that voice she has now!

 

:D

No surprise basically all of this slays *.* Sia my favourite so far (Move Your Body <3), followed by Britney! ❤️

 

Couple of albums I should really check out here! I loved Francesca's Eurovision song so will give the album a go at some point and Maren Morris sounds like someone I'll really like!

Hi Liam!

 

I think My favourite album of yours so far HAS to be Chaleur Humaine such a extrondinary album and really unique too I could go on for days about how much I love it:o

 

Shout outs to Mad Love., Metal Resistance, Lady Wood, Last Year Was Complicated, Weight Of These Wings, Red Flag, This Is Acting, Anti and Glory too :heart:

Thanks for the comments guys! Omg yes Sam you would LOVE Maren!!

 

05

UK peak: #3

US peak: #1

 

10 Diamond Heart

10 A-Yo

07 Joanne

07.5 John Wayne

10 Dancing’ In Circles

10 Perfect Illusion

11 Million Reasons

09 Sinner’s Prayer

04 Come To Mama

06 Hey Girl (ft. Florence Welch)

08.5 Angel Down

 

Kicking off the top 5 is the long-awaited follow up to Artpop. Music fans were somewhat divided by the fact this album was more raw and personal than previous albums, brimming with rock, country and folk influences. I wasn't sure what to expect myself when it transpired that this wouldn't be a typical Gaga album, but my lowered expectations meant that when this came and slayed it really did knock me for six! This sees Gaga at her most raw on the likes of Million Reasons and Joanne, bearing her soul and showing textures of her voice that we were all sleeping on, proving she is possibly the best current pop vocalist, but there's still fun in the form of the country bop A-Yo and glamour in the form of rock stomper Diamond Heart.

 

04

UK peak: #1

US peak: #2

 

07 Moonlight

09 Dangerous Woman

08.5 Be Alright

11 Into You

10 Side To Side (ft. Nicki Minaj)

09 Let Me Love You (ft. Lil’ Wayne)

10 Greedy

07 Leave Me Lonely (ft. Macy Gray)

08 Everyday (ft. Future)

06.5 Sometimes

07.5 I Don’t Care

09 Bad Decisions

09.5 Touch It

08 Knew Better/Forever Boy

09 Thinking About You

 

If you told me a few years ago a Nickelodeon star would become one of the big pop girls I'd have laughed - that's Disney's territory! But here we are, with a pint sized pop princess with a vocal range that harks back to Mariah in her hey day *.* Whilst Ariana has unleashed two brilliant pop albums, this really saw her come into her own, especially with the bona fida pop banger Into You which decimates entire discographies with THAT chorus. Versatility is rife on this album, with Ari trying her hand at reggae-pop on Side To Side, bouncing from note to note on Greedy (THE KEY CHANGE!!!) and acting all sensual on Let Me Love You. There's something for everyone on this set, proving that Ariana is a real pop force to be reckoned with.

 

03

UK peak: #1

US peak: #25

 

11 Shout Out To My Ex

10 Touch

09 F.U.

08 Oops (ft. Charlie Puth)

08 You Gotta Not

08.5 Down & Dirty

10 Power

06.5 Your Love

08.5 Nobody Like You

09.5 No More Sad Songs

10 Private Show

08.5 Nothing Else Matters

07 Freak

07.5 Beep Beep

 

Just missing the top 2 albums for the second year in a row is the world's current biggest girlband (pipe down 5H stans, Work From Home was a fluke x). This overall isn't quite as good as their previous #3 Get Weird, but nobody can deny it's full of jams. Shout Out To My Ex has already smashed and Touch is sure to do the same with its club ready banging production. As is common on this upper tier of albums, there's a range of styles present here, so something for everything. As shown on Love Me Like You, the girls masterfully navigate the 50s-60s Motown style on Oops and F.U., and they can equally tug at the heartstrings as they shown on the break-up song Nobody Like You. The biggest curveball, though, is the wonderfully bonkers track Power, which harks back to Girls Aloud at their maddest and simply must be a single. It might not be typical chart fodder, but if any act can make it work, it's Little Mix *.*

So here we are - but who will come out on top? Will it be the Queen of pretty much everything who decimated the internet with her surprise album release live on TV, or the alternative Tumblr kings who've permeated the mainstream with their eclectic music and depressive, relatable themes?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

02

UK peak: #1

US peak: #1

 

07.5 Pray You Catch Me

08 Hold Up

09 Don’t Hurt Yourself

10 Sorry

09 6 Inch

10 Daddy Lessons

07 Love Drought

07 Sandcastles

06 Forward

11 Freedom

10 All Night

10 Formation

 

Pretty much the one thing she hasn't conquered this year is this EOY, but only just :kink: This isn't just sonically amazing; it's socially and politically crucial. Only Beyonce could deal with themes of identity so effortlessly, sprawling across the struggles of many and striking a chord in some way with each and every listener. A truly astounding body of work that fits together perfectly whilst jumping from trap to rock to country to gospel, Lemonade is strikingly honest, dealing with themes of anger, heartbreak and love. As it's so cohesive and isn't bound to genre, it would be impossible to single out hits, the whole body of work needs to be appreciated for what it is. Song wise, there may be a dud or two that blends in, but thematically even they fit perfectly. Through its diverse musicality, Lemonade pretty much manages to be everything at once. It's honest yet intriguing, striking yet subtle, and raw yet polished, and each listen seems to bring a new dimension to the social, political and personal contexts around the album. If you're a self respecting pop fan and haven't heard this album yet, make sure you do.

 

 

 

01

UK peak: #5

US peak: #1

 

09 Heavydirtysoul

11 Stressed Out

10 Ride

10 Fairly Local

10 Tear In My Heart

10 Lane Boy

08.5 The Judge

09 Doubt

08.5 Polarize

08 We Don’t Believe What’s On TV

08.5 Message Man

07 Hometown

07.5 Not Today

10 Goner

 

So, what exactly can top the most socially important album of 2016? Something that's personal to me of course. Few acts have ever struck a chord with me so quickly as Twenty One Pilots. I knew of them vaguely before Blurryface broke them through (Car Radio is too incredible to have ever passed up on), but all it took for my like to move to love was a cover of Can't Help Falling In Love, nothing but Tyler Joseph and a ukelele. From there, I was immersed in the world that their incredible lyrics paint on every single song, as if I was living Tyler's life simultaneously as he sang. And again with the versatility, but this album really has it all. From the raw and stripped back Goner, which exposes every insecurity Tyler has, to the summery anthem Tear In My Heart, which is completely radio ready, to the manic disjointedness of heavydirtysoul, no two songs on this record are the same but they all tie into the personal journey of Tyler - blurryface represnting the alter ego that personifies all his insecurities. It sounds cheesy and cliche but it's very rare to find an act, album or even song you relate to whole heartedly, who seem to encapsulate everything you feel and put it into words in a way that's much more concise and fitting than anything you could ever attempt. And that quality is what edges Blurryface ahead of the rest of 2016's albums (well, and 2015 actually, but I didn't know it then and it's "proper" UK release was 2016 so shh).

This I sActing is my favourite album from your chart, such a variety of songs there!

tbh I love all of your top 5 so much :wub:

Hey Liam! Some great albums here so far, a few comments:

 

Glory Days is my favourite Little Mix album to date, so on point 90% of the time and loads of potential singles. So delighted they're enjoying more success than ever in the UK right now!

I 100% agree that Dangerous Woman has seen Ari come into her own, brushing away the Mariah comparisons once and for all. Such an effortless album in terms of its sound :heart:

Red Flag and Mad Love are both artists' best albums so far, incredible to think they've pulled it out of the bag so long after their last albums!

 

Lots of great stuff so far, excited for what else will appear :D

Seeing the first of your albums be Metal Resistance is very pleasing, love that album, it's got so many highlights and is very disparate for me.

 

Wonderful #1 to complete the bookend too, they've really brightened the year up for me with an album similarly everywhere genre-wise and reading that commentary is really cool to see how much you took to it - those lyrics are so very awesome throughout the album.

91 Annalisa - Potrei abuitarmi/Used To You

92 JoJo - f*** Apologies

93 Selena Gomez - Kill ‘Em With Kindness

94 Emeli Sande - Hurts

95 Illy ft. Vera Blue - Papercuts

96 Sean Paul ft. Dua Lipa - No Lie

97 Little Big Town - Better Man

98 Nat Conway - Everybody's Free

99 All Saints - One Woman Man

100 Miguel ft. Kacey Musgraves - Waves

 

Kicking off this countdown of singles is a change in genre for country queen Kacey Musgraves. Waves is an R&B track with Miguel who's smoothness fits perfectly with her voice.

One Woman Man boasts soaring strings and wonderful harmonies, bringing All Saints into 2016 perfectly without compromising the magic thaat made them popular in the 90s.

Everybody's Free is a banger of a cover of the 90s classic, with modern production that leaves it ready for the clubs, if only Nat wasn't a floppy 6th placed Australian X Factor contestant they might play it :kink:

Better Man received some press coverage for being written by Taylor Swift :o After a disastorous outing with a pop album (one of the worst of the year), Little Big Town got back on track with a beautiful country ballad about a break-up.

No Lie is sure to be one of the first big hits of 2017, and I personally can't wait for it to smash so I can hear it out and get my life *.* Dua sounds flawless on it and even Sean Paul can't bring it down.

Papercuts is an anthemic rap-sung song that sounds straight of 2010 - in the best way possible. If it were by a bigger name it would be a hit WW tbh, Vera Blue sounds lush on it and Illy's rapping is so accessible.

Hurts was a bit of a shock comeback for Emeli, having more of an edge than her previous material and being quite rhythmic. It paid off though; it really made me sit up and take notice!

Kill 'Em With Kindness might be one of Selena's weaker single, but she still does tropical house very well. The whistle chorus will refuse to your head!

F*** Apologies holds of the honour of striking a chord enough so that after god knows how many false starts, JoJo finally released her third album :lol: The song is packed with attitude and great vocals, it's a shame it didn't do better.

Used To You is Annalisa's first English single, although its Italian counterpart is also on the album. The video bears more than a passing resemblance to Katy Perry's This Is How We Do, and the song wouldn't sound out of place on Prism tbh.

THanks all for the comments <3

 

Hey Liam! Some great albums here so far, a few comments:

 

Glory Days is my favourite Little Mix album to date, so on point 90% of the time and loads of potential singles. So delighted they're enjoying more success than ever in the UK right now!

I 100% agree that Dangerous Woman has seen Ari come into her own, brushing away the Mariah comparisons once and for all. Such an effortless album in terms of its sound :heart:

Red Flag and Mad Love are both artists' best albums so far, incredible to think they've pulled it out of the bag so long after their last albums!

 

Lots of great stuff so far, excited for what else will appear :D

I think I prefer Salute and certainly Get Weird but this still slays and yes they of course deserve all the success <3

 

Seeing the first of your albums be Metal Resistance is very pleasing, love that album, it's got so many highlights and is very disparate for me.

 

Wonderful #1 to complete the bookend too, they've really brightened the year up for me with an album similarly everywhere genre-wise and reading that commentary is really cool to see how much you took to it - those lyrics are so very awesome throughout the album.

Yep it's definitely a great album to convert people to the rockier side of things *.*

Hi Liam

 

I agree with you that KEWM is definitely one of Selena's weaker singles but it was still a catchy tune I guess and I enjoyed it. Good For You and Hands to Myself were her masterpieces this era <3

 

No Lie is also a massive banger, has such a catchy chorus and it makes you feel like it really is going to be lit tonight :lol: Really hoping it is huge in the beginning of 2017!

 

:D

Great to see No Lie here, really catchy :music:

 

Kill Em With Kindness is my favourite Selena single, the only song of hers to ever chart in my Personal Chart :D

Share many of the albums you've posted in my own list :o Good to see Tinashe, Jojo (I didn't even know her before this album oops), Gaga, Ariana, Sia, Rihanna, Little Mix and All Saints in particular <3 Bring on the singles ~~

Really love F**k Apologies, Kill Em With Kindness, Hurts and One Woman Man from your first section Liam :wub: none of them were as big as they deserved to be :drama: