Best Albums (so far)
1. Melodrama (Lorde)
Genre: Pop
Best Song: Green Light
It took three-and-a-half years for Lorde to follow up her debut smash Pure Heroine, but the wait was well worth it. The 20-year-old New Zealander returned with Melodrama, an ode to the popstar's loss of innocence and first, real heartbreak. Mature, smart and well thought out, Lorde perfectly conveys the whirlwind of emotions associated with loss, fame and self discovery, while also implementing 11 sonically cohesive songs. David Bowie referred to her as the 'future of music' and how exciting that her career is only beginning.
2. DAMN. (Kendrick Lamar)
Genre: Rap/Hip-Hop
Best Song: HUMBLE.
Having released Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City in 2012, and then To Pimp a Butterfly in 2015, Lamar has created a reputation as an album artist. DAMN. is the Compton native's most pop-worthy album, including the chart topping "DNA", "Loyalty" ft. Rihanna and club favorite "Humble". He is the perfect mix of new and old, making him both nostalgic and fresh. I'm not sure there has ever been an artist to release three consecutive albums as good, and culturally relevant, as he has; which is why he, quite simply, is the best.
3. Run the Jewels 3 (Run the Jewels)
Genre: Rap/Hip-Hop
Best Song: Legend Has It
The third installment for the Hip-Hop duo of El-P and Killer Mike, Run the Jewels returned with an album that is funnier, wittier and more political than in prior efforts. In their past few albums, some songs really stuck out, which made others go unnoticed. This album doesn't have one banger, but instead a collection of good songs with zero bad ones. Combined, the songs produce an album that tells it's listeners to feel valued.
4. Big Fish Theory (Vince Staples)
Genre: Rap/Hip-Hop
Best Song: Big Fish
An interesting combination of Rap and EDM, Vince Staples shows listeners his growth as an artist, and his ability to re-brand himself. If Summertime '06 was about the young, wannabe-rapper from the ghetto who never thought his dream was possible, Big Fish tells the tale of an accomplished, experienced artist who only wants more.
5. Pure Comedy (Father John Misty)
Genre: Folk
Best Song: Pure Comedy
Josh Tillman has become well-known in the music industry, having previously been a part of the folk-indie band Fleet Foxes, while also working alongside pop icons Lady Gaga, Beyonce and indie starlet Lana Del Rey. Known now, as Father John Misty, his sophomore album Pure Comedy does what many of this year's albums do; focus on American politics. However, he does so in a way that is witty, smart and sarcastic, which is to no surprise if you're familiar with his prior work. Tackling religion, misogyny, and capitalism, this is an album you shouldn't miss.
6. Process (Sampha)
Genre: R&B
Best Song: (No One Knows Me) Like the Piano
Sampha is not a name many people know; yet. He is, by no means, well-known, to the general public, but he has been credited with helping produce hits for Drake, Kanye West, Frank Ocean and Solange Knowles. This album is the year's saddest (so far), as he recalls the grieving of his mother's death, and the process of moving forward, in an effort to crawl out of the deep hole that is depression.
7. Crack-Up (Fleet Foxes)
Genre: Folk/Country
Best Song: Third of May/Odaigahara
It took six years for Fleet Foxes to release new material, which is a tall order after the highly successful and critically acclaimed Helplessness Blues, and the loss of drummer Josh Tillman, who pursued a solo career (see Pure Comedy review at No. 5 above). Crack-Up is the band's most intricate and detailed album to-date, recounting the turmoil and anxiety of failing to meet society's standards and getting out of one's head to live a life with no expectations.
8. After Laughter (Paramore)
Genre: Rock/Pop
Best Song: Hard Times
Paramore is the punk-rock band every emo-middle schooler know thanks to "Misery Business" and the theme from one of the Twilight movies. On their fifth studio album, they ditch the sound they became known for and opt for a more crisp, clear sounding album that, at times, channels Taylor Swift's 1989. Aside from the several hits this album has, the lyrical content revolves around maintaining happiness during a time of hopelessness and depression and is believed to surround the real-life issues experienced by the band's lead singer, Hayley Williams.
9. CTRL (SZA)
Genre: R&B
Best Song: Love Galore
With the global success of the Chainsmokers and various other EDM artists, it seems artists are opting to utilize electronic sounds and influences in their music. Some succeed and some fail. SZA is the former, and on CTRL combines R&B and EDM perfectly to string together an album that tells the tale of a young woman's experience with modern dating; and her desire to have control of the uncontrollable situations life sometimes throws at you.
10. I See You (The xx)
Genre: Electronic
Best Song: Dangerous
The third collaboration of the British electronic trio, The xx, is a departure from their two previous efforts; mixing a cleaner, more poppy, club-sounding production. I See You is the band's smoothest and put-together work, while not necessarily topping their previous efforts, but nonetheless has top notch beats and grooves, thanks to the work of Jamie Smith, whose solo album In Colour topped the list of several music critics in 2015.
11. The Navigator (Hurray for the Riff Raff)
Genre: Rock
Best Song: Pa'lante
The Navigator is one of the most theatrical works released on the year (so far) and tells the story of lead singer Alynda Lee Segarra in two acts, utilizing Navi, the main character of much of the album's story. A more rock-inspired album, than Segarra's folk, country-sounding records, this album demands that the unheard voices go noticed.
12. hopeless fountain kingdom (Halsey)
Genre: Pop
Best Song: Now or Never
The album begins with Halsey reciting the prolog from Romeo and Juliet, retelling the tale of the star-crossed lovers who undergo a forbidden love. Halsey abandons her image as the girl who sang on the Chainsmokers hit, and consumes the role of the bisexual, bi-racial, stoner chick who sucks at love and will break your heart. Despite Badlands being the young, twentysomething's introduction album, hopeless fountain kingdom is the album that tells you who the artist really is.
13. Divide (Ed Sheeran)
Genre: Pop
Best Song: Shape of You
After touring on Taylor Swift's Red tour back in 2013, Ed Sheeran has since gone on to become a Platinum-selling, world-touring, Grammy-award-winning, household name. On Divide, Sheeran delivers upbeat songs with catchy pop hooks that will get stuck in his listeners head for days. He doesn't have a college degree, and he'll remind you of that a few times here, but he's traveled the world and knows a thing or two about life. At the end of the day, all he needs is a guitar, pen and paper and he thinks the same for you too.
14. SweetSexySavage (Kehlani)
Genre: R&B
Best Song: Undercover
The debut studio album from Kehlani is arguably one of the greatest debuts so far in the 2010's. In part, this is because the 22-year-old has a lot on her mind; tackling the issue of what it means to be a woman, and more importantly how to be a strong one at that. Once you get through all 17 songs, you will learn that Kehlani is everything she told you from the beginning; Sweet, sexy and savage.
