Written & illustrated by Joe Carrel, Buffalo Exchange HQ

What do you get when you’re a music fan AND a stat nerd?  66 music “Best Of”s distilled to one consensus list to rule them all.

There are, of course, drawbacks to cobbled-together selections like this, what with their common denominator-ness. But it’s similar to the annual nominees for Best Picture – while your favorite may not be on the list, it’s still a good snapshot of what’s making an impact at the time. So, whaddaya say we get that turntable spinnin’ and drop the needle? Without further ado, we present the best music of 2016.

25. PINEGROVE – CARDINAL

This album made it onto 26% of Best Of lists and 3 Top Ten lists.

24. IGGY POP – POST POP DEPRESSION

This album made it onto 17% of Best Of lists and 6 Top Ten lists. Rough Trade Shops named it Album of the Year.

23. STURGILL SIMPSON – A SAILOR’S GUIDE TO EARTH

This album made it onto 33% of Best Of lists and 5  Top Ten lists.

22. BLOOD ORANGE – FREETOWN SOUND

This album made it onto 39% of Best Of lists and 4 Top Ten lists.

21. THE 1975 – I LIKE IT WHEN YOU SLEEP, FOR YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL YET SO UNAWARE OF IT

This album made it onto 29% of Best Of lists and 5 Top Tens lists. NME named it Album of the Year.

20. DANNY BROWN – ATROCITY EXHIBITION

This album made it onto 42% of Best Of lists and 6 Top Ten lists. 

19. RIHANNA – ANTI

This album made it onto 44% of Best Of lists and 8 Top Ten lists. Fuse named it Album of the Year.

18. JENNY HVAL – BLOOD BITCH

This album made it onto 33% of Best Of lists and 10 Top Ten lists. FACT and The Line of Best Fit named it Album of the Year.

17. ANOHNI – HOPELESSNESS

This album made it onto 47% of Best Of lists and 11 Top Ten lists.

16. KAYTRANADA – 99.9%

This album made it onto 44% of Best Of lists and 10 Top Ten lists. Mixmag named it Album of the Year.

15. LEONARD COHEN – YOU WANT IT DARKER

This album made it onto 44% of Best Of lists and 13 Top Ten lists.

14. CAR SEAT HEADREST – TEENS OF DENIAL

This album made it onto 42% of Best Of lists and 11 Top Ten lists. Diffuser named it Album of the Year.

13. NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS – SKELETON TREE

This album made it onto 45% of Best Of lists and 14 Top Ten lists. Chicago Tribune named it Album of the Year. 

12. BON IVER – 22, A MILLION

This album made it onto 55% of Best Of lists and 14 Top Ten lists.

11. ANDERSON .PAAK – MALIBU

This album made it onto 53% of Best Of lists and 13 Top Ten lists. On the Record and KCRW named it Album of the Year. 

10. MITSKI – PUBERTY 2

This album made it onto 62% of Best Of lists and 20 Top Ten lists. LA Music Blog and Largehearted Boy named it Album of the Year. 

9. ANGEL OLSEN – MY WOMAN

This album made it onto 64% of Best Of lists and 20 Top Ten lists. BrooklynVegan and American Songwriter named it Album of the Year. 

8. RADIOHEAD – A MOON SHAPED POOL

This album made it onto 64% of Best Of lists and 23 Top Ten lists. Slant named it Album of the Year. 

7. CHANCE THE RAPPER – COLORING BOOK

This album made it onto 58% of Best Of lists and 25 Top Ten lists. Salon named it Album of the Year. 

6. KANYE WEST – THE LIFE OF PABLO

This album made it onto 62% of Best Of lists and 24 Top Ten lists. Dummy named it Album of the Year. 

5. A TRIBE CALLED QUEST – WE GOT IT FROM HERE… THANK YOU 4 YOUR SERVICE

This album made it onto 67% of Best Of lists and 25 Top Ten lists. Gorilla vs. Bear named it Album of the Year. 

4. SOLANGE – A SEAT AT THE TABLE

This album made it onto 74% of Best Of lists and 29 Top Ten lists. Pitchfork, SPIN, NPR Music, The Ringer (tie), The Vinyl Factory and The 405 named it Album of the Year. 

3. DAVID BOWIE – BLACKSTAR

This album made it onto 80% of Best Of lists and 39 Top Ten lists. Paste, Newsweek, The A.V. Club, MOJO, Treble, musicOMH, Gigwise and Uncut named it Album of the Year. 

 

2. FRANK OCEAN – BLONDE

This album made it onto 80% of Best Of lists and 37 Top Ten lists. Vulture, Esquire, Time, The Atlantic, UPROXX, Noisey, Irish Examiner, Dazed and The Skinny named it Album of the Year. 

1. BEYONCÉ – LEMONADE

This album made it onto 71% of Best Of lists and 336 Top Ten lists. Rolling Stone, Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, The Guardian, Stereogum, The Ringer (tie), Idolator, Complex, The Oregonian, Baeble and Independent named it Album of the Year. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Michael Kiwanuka – Love and Hate  //  Lambchop – FLOTUS  //  Kamaiyah – A Good Night in the Ghetto  //  Young Thug – JEFFERY  //  Parquet Courts – Human Performance  //  KING – We are KING  // //  Drive-By Truckers – American Band  //  Margo Price – Midwest Farmer’s Daughter  //  Kendrick Lamar – untitled unmastered.  //  Whitney – Light Upon the Lake  //  Jessy Lanza – Oh No  //  Noname – Telefone

No matter your favorite album of the year, one thing’s for sure: 2016 saw some fantastic album releases. Here’s to a year of innovative music and hopes for a great-sounding 2017!