2015 was one of the best years in music in a long while. For the first time I can remember, narrowing down the list to 20 is actually difficult. However, I gave it my best shot. Although I must preface this list with two things:

1. The majority of music I listen to is rap, thus I am biased towards rap while making this list. Even though it's undeniable rap sort of ran the game this year, I tried to make the list as diverse as possible.

2. I haven't listened to Adele's album yet. I don't know why, from what I've heard it's fuego. I'm sure if I listened to it it would be somewhere in the top 10.

20. Carly Rae Jepsen:: "Emotion"

19. Houndmouth:: "Little Neon Light"

18. Dr. Dre:: "Compton"

17. Tyler, the Creator:: "Cherry Bomb"

16. Joey Badass:: "B4.DA.$$"

15. Young Thug:: "Barter 6"

There's not much to say about "Barter 6." You either think Thugger is the next coming of Jesus, or you think he's a joke of a musician. Thankfully for a Young Thug fan like myself, consensus is shifting towards the former.

Tracks to listen to: "Constantly Hating," "Check," "Amazing"

14. Mac DeMarco:: "Another One"

Mac DeMarco is one of the most interesting men in music. He brings some of the most introspective, contemplative music but still manages to be an incredibly goofy, lovable character in interviews and performances. Nonetheless, I think he’s criminally underrated.

Tracks to listen to: "Without Me," "No Other Heart," "A Heart Like Hers"

13. Drake:: "If You're Reading This, It's Too Late"

Admittedly, this album deserves to be higher. I just have sort of predisposed distaste towards Drake, although recently he’s been growing on me. This album (no Aubrey, it’s not a mixtape if you make us pay for it) is Drake at his most refined and has me getting more and more excited for “Views From the 6.”

Tracks to listen to: "Legend," "Energy," "6 PM in New York"

12. The Weeknd:: Beauty Behind the Madness

Just an incredibly solid R&B album delivered by the Weeknd. This album really has no low points, but hits some incredible highs, delivering some of the biggest hits of the year. Weeknd seems to have hit a niche that no one else is filling, which leads me to think he’s not going away anytime soon.

Tracks to listen to: "Tell Your Friends," "Can’t Feel My Face," "Losers"

11. Pusha T:: King Push- "Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude"

Pusha T tease’s us for next year’s long-awaited “King Push” with “Darkest Before Dawn.” If this is what’s used to tease us, consider me teased. Pusha grabs some of the hottest beats I’ve heard this year and holds his signature bars over them.

Tracks to listen to: "Intro," "Sunshine," "M.P.A"

10. Donnie Trumpet and the Social Experiment:: "Surf"

Along the same lines of SremmLife, this album is just so fun. Lead by the distinct vocals of Chance the Rapper and backed by an undeniably talented Donnie Trumpet, this is the feel good album of the year. It’s impossible to hold back a smile when Chance really gets going on some of these tracks (“YOU SINGING TOO, BUT YO GRANDMA AIN’T MY GRANDMA”). I mean he turns an actual heartfelt song about his Grandma into one of the most catchy songs all year. Man, this album is just so much fun.

Tracks to Listen to: "Sunday Candy," "Miracle," "Familiar"

9. ASAP Rocky:: "At. Long. Last. ASAP"

ALLA is the first ASAP Rocky has shown a lot of growth on. His mixtape, “Live. Love. ASAP” along with his debut album “Long. Live. ASAP” were both semi-mindless, drug-induced trap albums. However, on “At. Long. Last. ASAP,” it seems as though he at least tries for something more. The production is much more diverse, and his range of topics has expanded from: “I drink lean” to religion, love, violence, and more. While there are some glaring errors in this album, it seems as though Rocky is heading in the right direction.

Tracks to Listen to: "Excuse Me," "Everyday," "Holy Ghost"

8. Alabama Shakes:: "Sound & Color"

“Ohhhhh that’s this song.” This album is full of songs that everyone knows but don’t know they know, you know? If “Sound and Color’s” second half would have matched its first half, it could have cracked my top three of the year. However, the second half is disappointing, as Alabama Shakes (surprisingly not a country band), packs all of their hits into the first six songs. That being said, these first six songs are spectacular. They’re diverse in their sound which is something I feel a lot of albums struggle in, while still maintaining a signature voice. Maybe just do yourself a favor and-- except for “Shoegaze”--ignore the last six songs of the album.

Tracks to Listen to: "Dunes," "Future People," "Don’t Wanna Fight"

7. Kurt Vile:: "b'lieve i'm goin down"

This album has such a distinct, twangy sound to it that I totally love. The opening track, “Pretty Pimpin’” is one of my favorite songs of the year. Vile hops through this album with a beautiful array of instruments and subtle jokes. This is an all-over but still slightly held together twelve track folk album that is a joy to listen to.

Tracks to Listen to: "Pretty Pimpin’," "I’m an Outlaw," "That’s life, tho (almost hate to say)"

6. Rae Sremmurd:: "SremmLife"

Bangers. Bangers. Bangers. If “I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside” is depression in an album, this is a party in an album. The duo of Swae Lee and Slim Jimmy has to be the most entertaining group in music right now. Every single song by Rae Sremmurd brings more energy than the last. This is not a personal album. It has no deep, contemplative songs. This is two teenagers having the time of their life and making incredibly catchy music while they’re at it.

Tracks to Listen to: Any of them. This album is pure fun.

5. J. Cole:: 2014 "Forest Hills Drive"

Oh boy. J. Cole. The man I’m forced to hate. If people would stop comparing him to Kendrick, I would have no problem with this guy! He’s just not on that level yet guys, stop! That being said, this album is incredible. Jeez, talk about personal. This follows J. Cole from his childhood, to losing his virginity, to his quarrels with the rap industry in his rise to fame. What’s most impressive, he did this all with no features. Considering he also handles the majority of production on his albums, this seems like it is coming directly from Jermaine to his fans. “2014 Forest Hills Drive” brings catchy beats, intriguing story-telling, and passable rap skills. Hey Collin.

Tracks to Listen to: "Hello," "G.O.M.D," "Apparently"

4. Vince Staples:: "Summertime '06"

Vince Staples is quickly becoming the face of young, up and coming hip-hop. He’s made small waves with his five mixtapes over the years, however he rose to prominence with his 20-track long debut album “Summertime ‘06”. Vince, like his other albums, focuses his lyrics around his personal life. However, this is a more personal Vince than seen before. He talks of his youthful gang-banging, watching his friends lose themselves to drug abuse, and even falling in love. While “Summertime ‘06” easily establishes Vince as a rising star, it’s clear he has much more room to grow.

Tracks to Listen to: "Jump off the Roof," "Norf Norf," "Lemme Know"

3. Father John Misty:: "I Love You, Honeybear"

What pushes me away from most non hip-hop albums tends to be there lack of cohesiveness. I often times find albums that jump all around, attempting to get a pop hit wherever they can. This is not the case with "I Love You, Honeybear"; not the case at all. This album has a clear, distinct sound all throughout. John Misty beautifully paints the world he and his wife Emma live in, by themselves. Whether it's their wedding day, a lazy Sunday morning, or most often finding the same things to hate in the world together. The lyrics in this album are some of the most beautiful poems turned songs I've ever seen.

Tracks to listen to: "Chateau Lobby #4," "Holy Shit," "Bored in the USA"

2. Earl Sweatshirt:: "I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside"

I'll admit I’m a bit biased on this one. Behind Kanye, Earl is my favorite rapper in the game right now. I think he’s incredibly dynamic, personable, and talented. I’ll also admit that I did not have high hopes for this album after hearing the name (believe it or not, “I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside" is not the most cheery album). I wanted the fast-paced, happy Earl he showed on his debut mixtape and a few tracks on his debut album “Doris.” However, this 15 year-old Odd Future child prodigy turned 21 year-old man dropped one of the most personal, mature albums of the year. This album let Earl fans into his life more than ever before. If you’ve ever wondered what depression sounds like, this album comes pretty close. However there’s something beautiful in Earl’s 30 minute, 10-track album. The signature lyricism and Sweatshirt flow is still there, the production is clean, and it is simply raw humanity.

Tracks to listen to: "Huey," "Mantra," "Grief"

1. Kendrick Lamar:: "To Pimp a Butterfly"

I tried simply writing a paragraph on this album like all the other ones. Wrote, deleted, wrote deleted, so on. Until I decided that I am not a good enough writer, and that this album is too good for me to be able to condense it into a few snippy sentences. So, instead I just kept writing, and it quickly became evident that TPAB needed its own article. So next week, hopefully there will be an article posted on why this album is undoubtedly the best album of 2015. For now, take the fact that you’ll be hard-pressed to find a year-end list compiled online without Kendrick’s album at the top spot.

Tracks to listen to: "The Blacker the Berry," "For Free?," "Wesley's Theory"

P.S: WHERE ARE YOU FRANK? BOYS DONT CRY WAS SUPPOSED TO COME OUT IN JULY. I'VE BEEN WAITING ALL THIS TIME WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME. If Frank Ocean had dropped his sophomore album like promised, I'm sure that would be on this list as well.