2016 in Music: A Year in Review

While it was a massive shitpile of a year for mankind on the whole, 2016 was an absolutely glorious year for music. This past year had everything from young artists making huge steps forward (Travi$ Scott, Allegaeon, Tove Lo) to triumphant comeback stories (Gucci Mane, Death Grips, blink-182) to continued excellence from the finest in metal (Fallujah, Revocation, The Dillinger Escape Plan), hip-hop (Danny Brown, Run the Jewels, Migos) and pop/R&B (Frank Ocean, The Weeknd, Banks). Of course that abundance of success was slightly counteracted by some disheartening disappointments from promising up-and-comers (Chance the Rapper, Beartooth, A$AP Ferg) and reliable veteran juggernauts alike (Deftones, letlive., Mac Miller). Below you'll find a ranking of every EP and LP I heard in 2016 from worst to best with star ratings and standout track selections, my picks for the 50 best songs of the year and a whole lot of other miscellaneous best/worst of lists. Hope you enjoy!     

EP's:

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

14.Gucci Mane and Lil Uzi Vert-1017 vs. the World (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Secure the Bag")

13.TWENTY88-TWENTY88 (3/5) (Favorite Track: "On the Way")

12.Turnstile-Move Thru Me (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Move Thru Me")

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

10.Carly Rae Jepsen-E.MO.TION Side B (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Higher")

9.Lamb of God-The Duke (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Culling")

8.Skeletonwitch-The Apothic Gloom (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Well of Despair")

7.2 Chainz-Hibachi for Lunch (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Good Drank")

6.Kiiara-lo kii savage (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Gold")

5.Gucci Mane & Future-Free Bricks 2 (Zone 6 Edition) (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Kinda Dope")

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

3.Vince Staples-Prima Donna (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Loco")

2.Migos-3 Way EP (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Can't Go Out Sad")

1.21 Savage and Metro Boomin-Savage Mode (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "No Advance")

LP's:

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

140.Future-Purple Reign (1.5/5) (Favorite Track: "All Right")

139.Riff Raff & DJ Afterthought-Balloween (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Working Everyday")

138.Rob Zombie-The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Get Your Boots On! That's the End of Rock and Roll")

137.Kodak Black-Lil B.I.G. Pac (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Vibin in This Bih")

136.Thomas Giles-Velcro Kid (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Immersion Highway")

135.J.Cole-4 Your Eyez Only (2/5) (Favorite Track: "For Whom the Bell Tolls")

134.Devin Townsend Project-Transcendence (2/5) (Favorite Track: "Failure")

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

132.Clams Casino-32 Levels (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "All Nite")

131.D.R.A.M.-Big Baby D.R.A.M. (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Broccoli")

130.Blood Orange-Freetown Sound (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Hands Up")

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

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

127.Lil Uzi Vert-The Perfect Luv Tape (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Of Course We Ghetto Flowers")

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

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

124.Sum 41-13 Voices (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "A Murder of Crows")

123.Red Fang-Only Ghosts (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Shadows")

122.Lady Gaga-Joanne (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Hey Girl")

121.Deftones-Gore (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Prayers/Triangles")

120.Chance the Rapper-Coloring Book (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Juke Jam")

119.Juicy J-#MustBeNice (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Trap")

118.Regina Spektor-Remember Us to Life (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Small Bill$")

117.Childish Gambino-Awaken, My Love! (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Zombies")

116.Red Hot Chili Peppers-The Getaway (2.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Getaway")
115.The Fall of Troy-OK (3/5) (Favorite Track: "401k")

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

113.Steve 'n' Seagulls-Brothers in Farms (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Aces High")

112.Young Thug-I'm Up (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Fuck Cancer (Boosie)")

111.Jessy Lanza-Oh No (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Going Somewhere")

110.Beartooth-Aggressive (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Hated")

109.Volbeat-Seal the Deal & Let's Boogie (3/5) (Favorite Track: "The Gates of Babylon")

108.Wormed-Krigshu (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Neomorph Mindkind")

107.gates-Parallel Lives (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Empty Canvas")

106.Solange-A Seat at the Table (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Weary")

105.Nails-You Will Never Be One of Us (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Life is a Death Sentence")

104.NxWorries-Yes Lawd! (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Starlite")

103.Lil Uzi Vert-Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Hi Roller")

102.Chevelle-The North Corridor (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Last Days")

101.Beyonce-Lemonade (3/5) (Favorite Track: "6 Inch")

100.Nick Jonas-Last Year Was Complicated (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Close")

99.Mac Miller-The Divine Feminine (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Dang!")

98.Carnifex-Slow Death (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Black Candles Burning")

97.Hail the Sun-Culture Scars (3/5) (Favorite Track: "Entertainment Lies")

96.Whitechapel-Mark of the Blade (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Tremors")

95.2 Chainz-Daniel Son; Necklace Don (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Get Out the Bed")

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

93.Trophy Eyes-Chemical Miracle (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Heaven Sent")

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

91.Bury Tomorrow-Earthbound (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Burden")

90.Despised Icon-Beast (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Drapeau Noir")

89.Young Thug-Slime Season 3 (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "With Them")

88.Weezer-Weezer (The White Album) (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Endless Bummer")

87.Plini-Handmade Cities (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Cascade")

86.Aborted-Retrogore (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Coven of Ignorance")

85.Fleshgod Apocalypse-King (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "And the Vulture Beholds")

84.Rae Sremmurd-SremmLife 2 (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Start a Party")

83.Invent, Animate-Stillworld (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Celestial Floods")

82.Architects-All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Empty Hourglass")

81.Strugill Simpson-A Sailor's Guide to Earth (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Welcome to Earth (Polywog)")

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

79.Injury Reserve-Floss (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "All This Money")

78.Dark Tranquility-Atoma (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Force of Hand")

77.Dave East-Kari Chanel (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Keisha")

76.Wovenwar-Honor is Dead (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Compass")

75.CZARFACE-A Fistful of Peril (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Czar Wars")

74.Avenged Sevenfold-The Stage (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Sunny Disposition")

73.A Tribe Called Quest-We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Conrad Tokyo")

72.Gojira-Magma (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Shooting Star")

71.Metallica-Hardwired... To Self Destruct (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Spit Out the Bone")

70.The Zenith Passage-Solipsist (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Dreamsphere")

69.Korn-Serenity of Suffering (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Die Yet Another Night")

68.Silent Planet-Everything Was Sound (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Understanding Love as Loss")

67.Ordinance-The Ides of March (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Bloodwine")

66.Moon Tooth-Chromaparagon (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Igneous")
65.Deviant Process-Paroxysm (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Persecution")
64.Night Verses-Into the Vanishing Light (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Drift")

63.blink-182-California (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Kings of the Weekend")

62.Anderson.Paak-Malibu (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Season/Carry Me")

61.Gucci Mane-Everybody Looking (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Waybach")

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

59.Aesop Rock-The Impossible Kid (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Lotta Years")

58.Anthrax-For All Kings (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Breathing Lightning")

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

56.Young Thug-Jeffrey (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Harambe")

55.2 Chainz & Lil Wayne-Collegrove (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Bounce")

54.Kendrick Lamar-untitled unmastered. (3.5/5)(Favorite Track: "untitled 07|levitate")

53.Norma Jean-Polar Similar (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "An Ocean of War")

52.Animals as Leaders-The Madness of Many (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Glass Bridge")

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

50.ScHoolboy Q-Blank Face LP (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Dope Dealer")

49.Flatbush Zombies-3001: A Laced Odyssey (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "The Odyssey")

48.A Day to Remember-Bad Vibrations (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Paranoia")

47.Death Angel-The Evil Divide (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Father of Lies")

46.Isaiah Rashad-The Sun's Tirade (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Free Lunch")

45.Tove Lo-Lady Wood (3.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Don't Talk About It")

44.Hatebreed-The Concrete Confessional (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Us Against Us")

43.Descendants-Hypercaffium Spazzinate (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Shameless Halo")

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

41.Abnormality-Mechanisms of Omniscience (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Synthetic Pathogenesis")

40.Trap Them-Crown Feral (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Revival Spines")

39.First Fragment-Dasein (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Mordetre Et Denaissance")

38.Killswitch Engage-Incarnate (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Strength of the Mind")

37.Anciients-Voice of the Void (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Worshipper")

36.Painted in Exile-The Ordeal (4/5) (Favorite Track: "House of Cards")

35.Kvelertak-Nattesferd (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Svartmese")

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

33.Gucci Mane-The Return of East Atlanta Santa (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Walk on Water")

32.Serpentine Dominion-Serpentine Dominion (4/5) (Favorite Track: "The Vengeance in Me")

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

30.Dance Gavin Dance-Mothership (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Chucky vs. the Giant Tortoise")

29.Gucci Mane-Woptober (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Wop")

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

27.Meshuggah-The Violent Sleep of Reason (4/5) (Favorite Track: "By the Ton")

26.Polyphia-Renaissance (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Culture Shock")

25.The Weeknd-Starboy (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Sidewalks")

24.Obscura-Akroasis (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Perpetual Infinity")

23.Thank You Scientist-Stranger Heads Prevail (4/5) (Favorite Track: "The Amateur Arsonist's Handbook")

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

21.Testament-Brotherhood of the Snake (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Seven Seals")

20.Future-EVOL (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Seven Rings")

19.Periphery-Periphery III: Select Level (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Flatline")

18.Car Bomb-Meta (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Black Blood")

17.Banks-The Altar (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Gemini Feed")

16.Frank Ocean-Blonde (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Pink + White")

15.Allegaeon-Proponent for Sentience (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Gray Matter Mechanics-Apassionata Ex Machinea")

14.Travi$ Scott-Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Sweet Sweet")

13.Black Crown Initiate-Selves We Cannot Forgive (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Again")

12.Every Time I Die-Low Teens (4/5) (Favorite Track: "The Coin Has A Say")

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

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

9.Vale of Pnath-II (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Reaver")

8.Ariana Grande-Dangerous Woman (4/5) (Favorite Track: "Bad Decisions")

7.Touche Amore-Stage Four (4/5) (Favorite Track: "New Halloween")

6.Run the Jewels-RTJ3 (4.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Panther Like A Panther")

5.Revocation-Great is Our Sin (4.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Crumbling Imperium")

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

3.The Dillinger Escape Plan-Dissociation (4.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Honysuckle")

2.Danny Brown-Atrocity Exhibition (4.5/5) (Favorite Track: "Ain't It Funny")

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

Biggest Surprises:
1.Ariana Grande-Dangerous Woman
2.YG-Still Brazy 
3.Descendants- Hypercaffium Spazzinate
4.Norma Jean-Polar Similar
5.2 Chainz and Lil Wayne-Collegrove  

Biggest Disappointments:
1.Chance the Rapper-Coloring Book
2.letlive.-If I'm the Devil...
3.Mac Miller-The Divine Feminine 
4.Deftones-Gore
5.Beartooth-Aggressive  

Most Underrated:
1.Entheos-The Infinite Nothing
2.Vale of Pnath-II
3.Migos-Y.R.N. 2
4.Travi$ Scott-Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight
5.Banks-The Altar
  
Most Overrated:
1.J.Cole-4 Your Eyez Only
2.Beyonce-Lemonade
3.Chance the Rapper-Coloring Book
4.Solange-A Seat at the Table
5.Devin Townsend Project-Transcendence

Top Album Covers:
1.Flatbush Zombies: 3001: A Laced Odyssey 
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/695468660534566912/sSOvYgOa_400x400.jpg
2.Fallujah-Dreamless
http://www.metal-archives.com/images/5/6/1/9/561955.jpg?5224 
3.Travi$ Scott-Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight
http://images.genius.com/3db71f92260db9e330883b11d7c68f2d.1000x1000x1.jpg 
4.Death Angel-The Evil Divide
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bf/Death_Angel_-_The_Evil_Divide.jpg 
5.Young Thug-Slime Season 3 
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e2/Slime_Season_3_Cover.jpg 

Worst Album Covers:
1.Beartooth-Aggressive
http://newnoisemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Beartooth-Aggressive-cover.jpg 
2.Tove Lo-Lady Wood
http://www.slantmagazine.com/assets/music/26762/ladywood.jpg 
3.Kanye West-The Life of Pablo 
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4d/The_life_of_pablo_alternate.jpg 
4.Drake-Views
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/64/Drakeviewsfromthe6.jpg 
5.Metallica-Hardwired to... Self Destruct  
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/93/Metallica_Hardwired..._To_Self-Destruct_2016.jpeg 
 
Top Discoveries:
1.Car Bomb 
2.First Fragment
3.21 Savage
4.Moon Tooth
5.Silent Planet

Top 50 songs (in alphabetical order)
(Note: I'm excluding YG's "Twist My Fingaz", Killswitch Engage's "Strength of the Mind" and A$AP Ferg's "New Level" from this list because they were singles released in 2015)

2 Chainz & Lil Wayne-Bounce

After the Burial-Deluge

Allegaeon-Gray Matter Mechanics-Apassionata Ex Machinea

Anderson.Paak-The Season/Carry Me

Ariana Grande-Bad Decisions

Ariana Grande-Into You

Banks-Gemini Feed

Car Bomb-Black Blood

Dance Gavin Dance-Chucky vs. the Giant Tortoise

Danny Brown-Ain't It Funny

Danny Brown-When It Rain

A Day to Remember-Paranoia

Death Grips-BB Poison

The Dillinger Escape Plan-Honeysuckle

The Dillinger Escape Plan-Nothing to Forget

Entheos-New Light

Entheos-Perpetual Miscalculations

Entheos-Terminal Stages of Nostalgia

Every Time I Die-The Coin Has a Say

Fallujah-Adrenaline

Fallujah-Amber Gaze

Fallujah-The Void Alone

Frank Ocean-Nights

Frank Ocean-Pink + White

Future-Seven Rings

Gucci Mane-Walk on Water

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

Meshuggah-By the Ton

Metallica-Spit Out the Bone

Migos-Trippin

Obscura-Perpetual Infinity

Painted in Exile-House of Cards

Periphery-Flatline

Polyphia-Culture Shock

Revocation-Crumpling Imperium

Revocation-Profanum Vulgus

Rihanna-Kiss It Better

Run the Jewels-Legend Has It

Run the Jewels-Panther Like a Panther (feat. Trina)

ScHoolboy Q-Dope Dealer (feat. E-40)

Serpentine Dominion-The Vengeance in Me

Thank You Scientist-The Amateur Arsonist's Handbook

Touche Amore-New Halloween

Travi$ Scott-Sweet Sweet

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

Tove Lo-Don't Talk About It

The Weeknd-Sidewalks (feat. Kendrick Lamar)

Vale of Pnath-Reaver

YG-Gimme Got Shot

Young Thug-With Them