The Best Albums of 2016

"Here we are with another completely different and totally transformational sound from Lady Gaga. I thought I knew what I wanted Gaga's fifth album to be, but she gave me something totally different. And yet, I still love it. She's infused so much love, pain, loss, and healing into the fabric of every song. I hear and learn new things every time I listen to it. I think it's because she's so ahead of the game, her music's sheer brilliance doesn't truly shine until much later." — Ryan Roschke, assistant editor

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"Lemonade is a veritable love letter to black women, and one that couldn't have come at a better or more needed time. The songs are impeccable, yes, but the film that accompanies it is what catapults Lemonade into the stratosphere. You cannot listen to the album without seeing Beyoncé's stunning, powerful visuals in your head, which is exactly how it should be." — Brittney Stephens, editor

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"I don't care if country isn't your cup of tea — Maren Morris will appeal to you if you enjoy pop music, female singers, or just good jams. The 20-something artist comes across as your badass spitfire soulmate, and she has the kind of songs you'll want to blast in your car ('Rich,' 'Drunk Girls Don't Cry,' 'My Church'), even if you don't have a car. Find one, turn up Hero, and fall in love." — Shannon Vestal Robson, director

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"I'll be honest: I was starting to doubt that another Frank Ocean album was ever going to come. So when Blonde was finally released, I dedicated my entire day (then life) to listening. It's definitely one of my favorite albums of the year, and the more I listen to it, the further I fall in love. 'Solo,' 'Close to You,' and 'White Ferrari' are standouts, as is 'Pink + White,' which has some floaty vocals from Beyoncé." — BS

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"I definitely didn't anticipate loving an Ariana Grande album half as much as I love Dangerous Woman. This album will drag even the biggest skeptic into appreciating Grande's depth of vocal talent. Obviously the title track is a breakout, but 'Side to Side,' her racy collaboration with Nicki Minaj, is arguably the most memorable song of the crop." — Maggie Pehanick, editor

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"I have not loved an entire album since Britney Spears's self-titled record in 2001, but Sia completely blew me away this year. Not only are the songs empowering to the point where you feel them in your bones, but her insane voice sounds almost the exact same live. That, to me, is pure talent." — Caitlin Hacker, editor

"It's rare that I come across an album and fall in love with every single song, but This Is Acting is truly something special. Sometimes I feel like Sia — with her gorgeous, raw vocals and incredibly thoughtful lyrics — is singing directly to me, and I haven't taken this album off my rotation since the first time I listened (nor do I plan to)." — Quinn Keaney, assistant editor

"Drake's Views was highly anticipated for a reason — and while it's no Take Care, it certainly gave me what I wanted in terms of up-tempo beats that I could body-roll along to. Along with the radio smash 'One Dance' and the emotional 'U With Me?,' my favorite track has to be 'Too Good,' which features Rihanna and perfectly captures the feeling of that one person you just can't let go of, no matter how hard you try." — BS

"Chance the Rapper's Coloring Book manages to be fun and uplifting while also poignant and culturally relevant. I love the way he mixes hip-hop and gospel so seamlessly — and seeing him perform live is like being a part of the most fun church service/birthday party ever." — BS

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"Yes, one of my favorite new albums of 2016 is by a 68-year-old soul singer. Bradley spent most of his life living in the projects in Brooklyn, moonlighting as a James Brown impersonator, until finally releasing his first album in 2011. (This is his third.) He still has incredible pipes and the sort of passion that comes from decades of pent-up desire. I saw him at Bonnaroo and was basically rendered speechless. The highlight is the album's title track, a singing-his-heart-out cover of a Black Sabbath song." — Nancy Einhart, executive editor

"I first heard Grace on her tribute cover of Leslie Gore's 'You Don't Own Me' and was instantly entranced by her voice. Her full-bodied, soulful vocals definitely stand out among the feathery pop singers we've been hearing on the radio all year, especially on hard-hitting tracks like 'Hell of a Girl' and 'Church on Sunday.'" — BS

"Lush and retro, the sophomore album by this Birmingham, AL, band borrows heavily from gospel and soul and even disco. The vocal harmonies are catchy, but the rousing brass band really does it for me. This is the kind of album you can listen to all day at work then throw on at a party later that night, and neither your ears nor your friends will complain." — NE

"The surprise self-titled album from indie-rock trio Jenny Lewis, Erika Forster, and Tennessee Thomas was a rallying cry to feminists in the midst of a grueling and exhausting presidential campaign. The lyrics hit hard, and tracks like 'Homerun' and 'Door' will have you shaking your ass and burning your bra." — BS

"OneRepublic's latest album blends the rock sound that earned them hits like 'Counting Stars' and 'Good Life' with some trendy electric beats. 'Wherever I Go' and 'Kids' are immediate breakouts, but 'Choke' is the one I find myself listening to on repeat." — MP

"My beloved Drive-By Truckers put out the best protest record of the year, with ripped-from-the-headlines political anthems railing against everything from the mass shootings in Oregon to the Confederate flag controversy in South Carolina and police violence everywhere. The band chose the album name in the hopes that everyone would stop describing them as a 'Southern rock band,' because they are so much more." — NE

"If you swore off The Lumineers after being bombarded with 'Ho Hey' a few years ago, it's time to give them another chance. Cleopatra unfolds in a sweet and exciting way, amping up the energy with tracks like 'Ophelia' then comforting you with 'Angela' and the instrumental 'Patience.' It's a rainy-day album that is totally, and unmistakably, The Lumineers." — MP

"We can't talk about The Life of Pablo without talking about 'Famous.' It was my favorite track from the album even before The Great Taylor Swift Snapchat Debacle of 2016, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't fascinated by the amount of drama that surrounded it all year. If that wasn't headline-making enough, Kanye went and gave us another jaw-dropping moment with the video for 'Fade' featuring the ridiculously gorgeous Teyana Taylor. Oh, and Chance the Rapper's verse on the gospel-tinged 'Ultralight Beam' will give you goosebumps." — BS

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"This was the year that Good Charlotte returned to the spotlight after being away for six years. Not only did they go back to their roots, but they also added a bit of heaviness to their songs (like 'War'), ultimately proving that they haven't lost their abilities to craft an anthem." — Monica Sisavat, assistant editor

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"Fifth Harmony's 'Work From Home' had me twerking at my desk all day, every day, so when their album 7/27 came out, I was pumped. 'All in My Head (Flex)' and 'Scared of Happy' are impossible not to dance to, and 'Not That Kind of Girl,' which features Missy Elliott, reminds me of an early '90s Janet Jackson hit. Add this album to your workout playlist before you start going in on that New Year's gym resolution." — BS