The 15 Best Albums Of 2016 (So Far)

We’re halfway through 2016, and what have we got to show for it? Well, this list for one!

Our music critic has put together his list of the year’s best albums (when really, he should be getting his tax return ready – it’s EOFY!).

If last year had a catchphrase, it was that which Drake and Future popularised: “What a time to be alive.”

At the end of 2015, we celebrated an “incredible” year for music by ranking our 25 favourite records. Because 2016 is stacking up to be just as impressive, we have another 15 contenders to prematurely consider, with only one returning champion (Chance the Rapper) from last year’s set. Instead of ranking them, we’ve given each their own prize.

We're nice/ indecisive like that.

Let's just put a blanket language warning for all the songs in this list.

Best Album That Still, Technically, Might Not Be Finished: The Life of Pablo by Kanye West

A five-star work of art that Kanye is apparently still tinkering with (he added another track last week). The Life of Pablo is just the second most talked about album of the year so far (we’ll get to the most talked about in a second), but the breadth of its scope and achievement make it our runaway favourite.

Best Naming and Shaming Of A Tidal Owner: Lemonade by Beyoncé

There’s no denying Beyoncé’s revenge epic Lemonade is the album that’s been on the most lips in 2016 (and not simply because potential philanderer Jay Z’s spot was blown up on the biggest scale we’ve maybe ever seen). It’s a powerful tribute to black womanhood too, armed with impeccable singles.

Best Farewell: Blackstar by David Bowie

Kanye may have earned the title of 2016’s top album (to date), but David Bowie’s “Lazarus” is our favourite song of the year so far. Blackstar, recorded with a jazz combo while Bowie wrestled with terminal cancer, was released just two days before his death. At the very end, he was still at his best.

Best Australian Album: Blastoma by Ngaiire

Fittingly, this accolade goes to a former Australian Idol contender. On Blastoma, the beguiling Ngaiire infuses disco with gospel, soul with EDM, and sonic experimentation with classic, indelible hooks. It will make you think, “Nollsy who?”

Best Album To Enthusiastically Screech Along With: Coloring Book by Chance the Rapper

Few artists have had a year as good as Chance's, and you can tell he’s psyched about how his career is going on Coloring Book, an infectious, independently-spirited concoction packed to the gills with great guests (from Bieber to Lil Wayne to the Chicago Children’s Choir).

Best Album To Delete Your Social Media Presence To: A Moon Shaped Pool by Radiohead

Radiohead returned from exile (after doing a bunch of bizarre, promotional activities, as is their wont) to move the Doomsday Clock closer to midnight with their nihilistic, apocalyptic new record. That they kicked it off with a darkly adorable music video only made their return stranger. Classic Radiohead.

Best Comedy Album That’s Legit Better Than Most Regular Albums: Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping by The Lonely Island

When Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping flopped at the U.S. box office, distributors decided to deny Aussie audiences the chance to see The Lonely Island’s music mockumentary on the big screen. You’ll have to make do with the soundtrack, which, like their other albums, Is deviously funny (and freakishly catchy too).

Best Album From An Artist With A Frustrating Name: Malibu by Anderson .Paak

You can’t write Anderson .Paak’s name without getting some squiggly lines on Word telling you that you’ve made a terrible grammatical mistake. We’ve been writing it a lot lately, on account of his show-stealing performance on Dr. Dre’s Compton and his sterling, Summer-ready long-player, Malibu.

Best Album To Have Its Release Botched By Tidal: Anti by Rihanna

When a Tidal intern (we're assuming) accidentally hit ‘publish’ on Rihanna’s long-awaited Anti, the beleaguered streaming company was forced to push it out prematurely – leading to a debut at #27 on the Billboard chart. It eventually climbed to #1 and became a bona fide hit… but any album featuring “Consideration” deserved better.

Best Major-Label Debut From A Guy Who Had Already Released 13 Mixtapes: Islah by Kevin Gates

It took eight years for the prickly, prolific Kevin Gates to release his first ever studio album, unleashing on a wider audience his trademark collision of radio-friendly choruses and radio-unfriendly verses. This confessional collection will be an eye-opener for newcomers.

Best Album That Almost Bankrupt Its Label: Teens of Denial by Car Seat Headrest

When The Cars decided at the last minute to retract approval for a sample on Car Seat Headrest’s Teens of Denial, Matador Records was forced to recall all copies of the LP at a cost of $50,000. A shame; the talented CSH’s Will Toledo now faces an uphill battle to turn a profit on his sly assemblage of tunes.

Best Album That Floats The Horrible Possibility Of A Second Puberty: Puberty 2 by Mitski

The finest rock record of 2016 comes from Japanese-American singer-songwriter Mitski. Fans of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Sleater-Kinney and St. Vincent would do well to get acquainted with the personal Puberty 2.

Best ‘Flumestep’ Album: Skin by Flume

Attention, imitators: Flume cannot be got, and that’s a given. The 24-year-old Sydneysider (who became so influential they named a genre after him) returned this year with a mesmerising new brew, complete with chart-topping singles “Never Be Like You” and “Say It”. Bonus: Beck even popped by for a song.

Best Album To Come In Under 30 Minutes: Next Thing by Frankie Cosmos

The fact that the quirky, endearingly unvarnished new album from indie folkster Frankie Cosmos comes in at 28:28 isn’t the only reason to recommend it. (After all, it’s jam-packed with perfect, two-minute pop confections.) But it’s refreshing to think some artists still know not to overstay their welcome…

Best Album That Nonetheless Is About 40 Minutes Too Long: Views by Drake

Drake seriously needed to take a page out of Frankie’s book and cut-down his 81-minute opus Views, which buries genuine bangers like “One Dance”, “With You” and “9” amid offcuts like “Pop Style” and too-cute turns of phrase. Turn the 6 upside down; it’s a nein now.

Tell us, what’s your favourite album of the year so far?

Want another list? Check out The Top 10 Movies Of 2016 (So Far).