2016 in Music: Mid-Year Recap

2016 has been one strange, unpredictable year for music so far. Artists that I didn't have a particularly favorable opinion of in the past (Ariana Grande, Future, YG) have released some of the year's best albums while some of my favorite veteran (Deftones, letlive.) and up-and-coming artists (Chance the Rapper, Beartooth, A$AP Ferg) have all dropped highly underwhelming projects. Even with the handful of major letdowns that have hit the musical marketplace over the past six months, the quality of 2016 so far has been a blessing after the disheartening, spirit-crushing year that was 2015. With a tentative second half slate that is absolutely jam-packed with intriguing releases, I wouldn't be surprised if we're talking about 2016 as a landmark year for music come December. Below are my rankings of every EP and LP I've heard from 2016 ranked from worst to best with star ratings along with my picks for the 50 best songs of the year so far. As always, feel free to bombard the comment box with your own lists and whatever praise, hatred or indifference you have for my picks.  

EP's

5.Young Thug-Slime Season 3 (2/5) (Favorite Track: "With Them")

4.Charli XCX-Vroom Vroom (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Trophy")

3.TWENTY88-TWENTY88 (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Selfish")

2.Vic Mensa-There's Alot Going On (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Dynasty")

1.Michael Christmas-Baggy Eyes EP (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Intercontinental Champion")

LP's

53.Lil Yachty-Lil Boat (1/5) (Favorite Track: "Minnesota (remix)")

52.Future-Purple Reign (2/5) (Favorite Track: "All Right")

51.A$AP Ferg-Always Strive and Prosper (2/5) (Favorite Track: "New Level")

50.Sia-This is Acting (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Bird Set Free")

49.Textures-Phenotype (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Shaping a Single Grain of Sand")

48.Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-This Unruly Mess I've Made (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Light Tunnels")

47.letlive.-If I'm the Devil... (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "A Weak Ago")

46.Lil Uzi Vert-Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Hi Roller")

45.Deftones-Gore (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Doomed User")

44.Chance the Rapper-Coloring Book (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Angels")

43.Red Hot Chili Peppers-The Getaway (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Getaway")

42.Wheeler Walker Jr.-Redneck Shit (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Eatin Pussy/Kickin' Ass")

41.The Fall of Troy-OK (3/5) (Favorite Track: "401K")

40.Beartooth-Aggressive (3/5) (Favorite Track: "However You Want It Said")

39.blink-182-California (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Los Angeles")

38.Beyonce-Lemonade (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Freedom")

37.2 Chainz & Lil Wayne-Collegrove (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Bounce")

36.Wormed-Krigshu (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Molecular Winds")

35.Anderson.Paak-Malibu (3/5) (Favorite Track: "The Season/Carry Me")

34.Architects-All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Downfall")

33.Megadeth-Dystopia (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Dystopia")

32.Bury Tomorrow-Earthbound (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Last Light")

31.Weezer-Weezer (The White Album) (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "King of the World")

30.Fleshgod Apocalypse-King (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Healing Through War")

29.Rihanna-ANTI (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Kiss It Better")

28.Riff Raff-Peach Panther (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "I Drive By")

27.Gojira-Magma (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Stranded")

26.Drake-Views (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Weston Road Flows")

25.Anthrax-For All Kings (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Evil Twin")

24.Kendrick Lamar-untitled unmastered. (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "untitled 05|9.21.2014")

23.Denzel Curry-Imperial (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Zenith")

22.Kanye West-The Life of Pablo (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "No More Parties in LA")

21.Flatbush Zombies-3001: A Laced Odyssey (Favorite Track: "The Odyssey")

20.Death Angel-The Evil Divide (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Electric Cell")

19.The Zenith Passage-Solipsist (4/5) (Favorite Track: "The Dissension Consensus")

18.Hatebreed-The Concrete Confessional (4/5) (Favorite Track: "In the Walls")

17.Deviant Process-Paroxysm (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Persecution")

16.Hope for the Dying-Legacy (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Flame Forged")

15.Polyphia-Renaissance (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Ivory")

14.Aesop Rock-The Impossible Kid (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Lotta Years")

13.Killswitch Engage-Incarnate (Favorite Track: "Strength of the Mind")

12.YG-Still Brazy (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Twist My Fingaz")

11.Kvelertak-Nattesferd (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Svartmesse")

10.Toothgrinder-Nocturnal Masquerade (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Diamonds for Gold")

9.Amon Amarth-Jomsviking (4/5) (Favorite Track: "On a Sea of Blood")

8.After the Burial-Dig Deep (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Mire")

7.Future-EVOL (Favorite Track: "Seven Rings")

6.Obscura-Akroasis (Favorite Track: "Perpetual Infinity")

5.Migos-Y.R.N. 2 (Young Rich Niggas 2) (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Trippin")

4.Death Grips-Bottomless Pit (4/5) (Favorite Track: "BB Poison")

3.Ariana Grande-Dangerous Woman (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Into You")

2.Entheos-The Infinite Nothing (4.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Perpetual Miscalculations")

1.Fallujah-Dreamless (4.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Adrenaline")

Top 50 Best Songs So Far (in alphabetical order)
(Note: YG's Twist My Fingaz, Future's Low Life, Killswitch Engage's Strength of the Mind and A$AP Ferg's New Level would've made this list, but they singles that were released in 2015, which disqualified them from contention): 

2 Chainz & Lil Wayne-Bounce

Aesop Rock-Lotta Years

After the Burial-Deluge

After the Burial-Mire

Amon Amarth-On a Sea of Blood

Anderson.Paak-The Season/Carry Me 

Ariana Grande-Bad Decisions 

Ariana Grande-Greedy 

Ariana Grande-Into You 

Ariana Grande-Moonlight

Danny Brown-When It Rain

Death Grips-BB Poison 

Death Grips-Bubbles Buried in This Jungle

Death Grips-Ring a Bell

Denzel Curry-Zenith (feat. Joey Bada$$)

Drake-Keep the Family Close

Drake-Weston Road Flows 

Entheos-An Ever-Expanding Human

Entheos-New Light

Entheos-Perpertual Miscalculations

Entheos-Terminal Stages of Nostalgia
Fallujah-Abandon

Fallujah-Adrenaline

Fallujah-Amber Gaze 

Fallujah-Lacuna

Fallujah-The Void Alone

Flatbush Zombies-The Odyssey

Future-Photo Copied

Future-Seven Rings

Hope for the Dying-Flame Forged

Kanye West-Famous

Kanye West-No More Parties in LA (feat. Kendrick Lamar)

Kanye West-Wolves (feat.Sia, Vic Mensa and Frank Ocean)

Killswitch Engage-Quiet Distress

Kvelertak-Svartmesse 

Migos-Commando

Migos-Plan B

Migos-Trippin

Obscura-Akroasis

Obscura-Perpetual Infinity

Obscura-Sermon of the Seven Suns

Polyphia-Ivory

Riff Raff-I Drive By (feat. Gucci Mane & Danny Brown)

Rihanna-Kiss It Better

ScHoolboy Q-Groovy Tony

Toothgrinder-Blue

Toothgrinder-Diamonds for Gold

Travi$ Scott & Young Thug-Pick Up the Phone (feat. Quavo)

YG-Gimme Got Shot

YG-Word is Bond (feat. Slim 400)