rock nyc’s Best Albums Of 2016

 

1 – Blue And Lonesome – The Rolling Stones

2 –  Coloring Book – Chance The Rapper

3  – Lemonade – Beyoncé

4 – Skeleton Tree – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

5 – The Life Of Pablo – Kanye West

6 – Blackstar – David Bowie

7 – Malibu – Anderson Paak

8 – In The Next Life – Maria Taylor

9 – Cashmere – Swet Shop Boys

10 – Miracles: Lost And Found – Marla Mase

11- The Hamilton Mixtape – Various Artists

12 – The Flesh Is Weak – James Chance And The Contortions

13 – Hardwired… To Self Destruct – Metallica

14 – 4 Your Eyez Only – J. Cole

15 – A Loud Bash Of Teenage Feelings – Beach Slang\

16 – You Want It Darker – Leonard Cohen

17 – 16 & Runnin Resurrected  – Lil Snupe

18 – For Better Or Worse – John Prine

19 –  Fallen Angels – Bob Dylan

20 – Blonde/Endless  – Frank Ocean

21 – Bloom Forever – Thomas Cohen

22 – Talking Quietly Of Anything With You – Free Cake For Every Creature

23 – DNCE – DNCE

24 – Aim – M.I.A.

25 – Lazarus – Various Artists

26 – American Tunes – Allen Toussaint

27 – Quiero Creedence – Various Artists

28 – The Malibu Sessions – Colbie Caillat

29 – The Dreaming Room – Laura Mvula

30 – This Is Where I Live – William Bell

31 – I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It -The 1975

32 – Blood // Sugar // Secs // Traffic – The Gotobeds

33 – Teens Of Denial – Car Seat Headrest

34 – Fingers Crossed – Ian Hunter And The Rant Band

35 – Fire – Amy Klein

36 – Patch the Sky – Bob Mould

37 – Inside Another Side  – Paul Foglino

38 – Let Them Eat Chaos – Kate Tempest

39 – Side Pony – Lake Street Dive

40 – Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart – Martha

41 – Mind of Mine – Zayn

42 – When You Walk A Long Distance You Are Tired – Mothers

43 – Full Circle – Loretta Lynn

44 – What I’m Feelin’ – Anthony Hamilton

45 – Upland Stories – Robbie Fulks

46 – xxx EP – Pussy Riot

47 – Wildflower – The Avalanches

48 – Give Me A Groove EP – Charlie Funk

49 – Aa – Baauer

50 – A Moon Shaped Pool –  Radiohead

 

51 – Before The Dawn – Kate Bush

52 – 24 Karat – Bruno Mars

53 – Empire Builder – Laura Gibson

54 – KINGSIZED – Dressy Bessy

55 – Big Day In A Small Town – Brandy Clark

56 – City – Law Holt

57 – The Bird And The Rifle – Lori McKenna

58 – Life’s What You Make It – Placebo

59 – Growing Over Life – Wretch 32

60 – saintmoteltelevision – Saint Motel

61 – Milestones – Chrisette Michelle

62 – Def Jam Presents Direct Deposit – Various Artists

63 – Everybody Looking – Gucci Mane

64 – untitled unmastered – Kendrick Lamar

65 – It Doesn’t Have To Make Sense – Ingrid Michaelson

66 – Transit Blues – The Devil Wears Prada

67 – Viola Beach – Viola Beach

68 – Writing of Blues and Yellows – Billie Marten

69 – Young In All The Wrong Ways – Sara Watkins

70 – Before The Flood – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

71 – Death Of A Bachelor – Panic! At The Disco

72 – Red Lips – Cerrone

73 – Mark Kozelek Sings Favorites – Mark Kozelek

74 – Romantic – Mannequin Pussy

75 – The Heart Speaks In Whispers – Corinne Bailey Rae

76 – Anti – Rihanna

77 – God Don’t Never Change: The Songs Of Blind Willie Johnson – Various Artists

78 – Hamburg Demonstrations – Peter Doherty

79 – blackSummer’snight – Maxwell

80 – Blues – Alabama 3

81 – Ocean – Parekh & Singh

82 – The Lexicon Of Love II – ABC

83 – Konnichiwa – Skepta

84 – American Band – Drive-By Truckers

85 – Wild Stab – The I Don’t Cares

86 – Pylon Live – Pylon

87 – You Are Going To Hate This – The Frights

88 – Emily’s D+evolution – Esperanza Spalding

89 – Carved From Tides – Message To Bears

90 – Gameshow – Two Door Cinema Club

91 – Instinctive Drowning – Red Pill

92 – Vices et Mensonges – Violence Conjugale

93 – Wonderful Crazy Night – Elton John

94 – Air For Free – Relient K

95 – Wynonna & The Big Noise, – Wynonna & The Big Noise

96 – New York Is My Home – Dion

97 – Colleen Green EP – Colleen Green

98 – Porta Bohemica – Trixie Whitley

99 – The Cracks That Built The Wall – Communist Daughter

100 – Blisters EP – Serpentwithfeet

101 – So Many Things – Annie Sofie von Otter, Brooklyn Rider

102 –  COLLEGROVE – 2 Chainz

103 – Midwest Farmer’s Daughter – Margo Price

104 – The Very Last Day – Parker Millsap

105 – New View – Eleanor Friedberger

106 – In The Magic Hour – Aoife Donovon

107 – Feed The Fire – Promise And The Monster

108 – Masterpiece – Big Thief

109 – Impulse – Boyfrndz

110 – On Your Feet – Original Broadway Cast

111 – Skilled Mechanics – Tricky

112 – Hypercaffium Spazzinate – Descendents

113 – Love Letter For Fire – Sam Beam, Jesca Hoop

114 – Eric Benet – Eric Benet

115 – Ibifornia – Cassius

116 – The Traveller – Baaba Maal

117 – The Long Way Home – Show Of Hands

118 – Views – Drake

119 – 40KI – Steve Aoki

120 – Prima Donna EP

121 – No, My Name Is Jeffery – Young Thug

122 – Let Me Get By – Tedeschi Trucks Driver

123 – We Are King

124 – The Ghost Of Highway 20 – Lucinda Williams

125 – Real – Lydia Loveless

126 – Popcorn Fish Guinea Pig – Museum Mouth

127 – Gwen Stefani – This Is What The Truth Feels Like…

128 – The Bible 2 – AJJ –

129 – A Seat At The Table – Solange –

130 – Johannesburg – Mumford And Sons

131 – Be Yourself – Tamara Rutkovska

132 – Magical Solutions To Everyday Struggles – Telstar Sound Drone

133 – Live At Easy Street – The Sonics

134 – Fun’s Cool – The Prettiots

135 – Standards – Into It. Over It.

136 – Kindness For Weakness – Homeboy Sandman

137 – Mi Vicio y Mi Adiccion – Kevin Ortiz

138 – American Appetite – Harriet

139 – Hopelessness – ANOHNI

140 – Don’t Be Afraid – Tami Neilson

141 – Dream Darling – The Slow Show

142 – Keep Me Singing – Van Morrison

143 – Daydream – Empty Houses

144 -Creon – Rorcal

145 – Back On My Wall – Burnt Palms

146 – Pigeonheart – DM Stith –

147 – Wolves of Want – Bent Shapes

148 – New Misery – Cullen Omori

149 – Hot Sauce – The Madcaps

150 – I Long To See You – Charles Lloyd and The Marvels

151 – Misty Shrub EP – Bird Dog –

152 – Suicide Songs – MONEY

153 – Spagat Der Liebe

154 – Don’t You – Wet

155 – The Colour In Anything – James Blake

156 – Majesty – Flamingods

157 – Arias – Pumeza Matshikiza

158 – A Sense Of Falling: Strange Geometry Outtakes EP – The Clientele

159 – Introducing Karl Blau – Karl Blau

160 – Dawn – RY X

161 – Statik Kxng – Statik Selektah

162 – Studio 2 – The Weeklings

163 – The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser – Rob Zombie

164 – 3001: A Laced Odyssey – Flatbush Zombies

165 – Colin Stetson Presents Sorrow A Reimagining of Henryk Górecki’s 3rd Symphony – Colin Stetson

166 – I’ve Got A Way – Kelsey Waldon

167 – Wanderlust – Little Big Town

168 – 99¢ – Santigold

169 – Free Will

170 – S+@dium Rock : Five Nights at the Opera – Titus Andronicus

171 – Twentyears – Air

172 – Your Girlfriend Thinks I’m The Shit EP – Round2Crew

173 – Brahms: The Four Symphonies Live – Detroit Symphony Orchestra

174 – Stranger To Stranger – Paul Simon

175 – Leave Me Alone – Hind

176 – Paramount – It Lies Within

177 – For Mark, Your Son – Lando Chill

178 – Talk Tight – Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

179 – Hold On! – The James Hunter Six

180 – Long Play – The Wealthy West

181 – Eternal Returns – United Fruits

182 – That’s Hip Hop – Joell Ortiz

183 – Dreamless – Fallujah

184 – Animal Races – Cool Ghouls

185 – Hella Personal Film Festival – Open Mike Eagle & Paul White

186 – Crush – High Water

187 – Inceste EP – Imperial Triumphant

188 – Boy King – Wild Beasts

189 – Collect – 18+

190 – The Lexicon Of Love II – ABC

191 –  Polaris – Annabelle Lord-Patey

192 – Black – Dierks Bentley

193 – Never Enough – Public Access TV

194 – Mayday – Boys Noize

195 – Mark Kozelek Sings Favorites – Mark Kozelek

196 – Remember Us To Life – Regina Spektor

197 – V – Tiger Army

198 – Por Favor – Brett Dennen –

199 – Cowardly Deeds – Randolph’s Leap

200 – Everything At Once – Travis

201 – Mac Gollehon And The Hispanic Mechanics – Mac Gollehon And The Hispanic Mechanics

202 – Black – Dierks Bentley

203 –  Sweet Charity Original London Production – Various Artist

204 – Blood, Bath And Beyond – Copywrite

205 = Light On The Lake – Whitney

206 – Black Terry Cat – Xenia Rubinos

207 – The Switch – Emily King

208 –  For The Good Times: A Tribute To Ray Price – Willie Nelson

209 – Spiritual Songs For Lovers To Sing – Luh

210 – Masterpiece – Big Thief

211 – Impulse – Boyfrndz

212 – Ephemera – Little Green Cars

213 – Pop Deluxe – Mari Wilson

214 – One Day All of This Won’t Matter Any More – Slow Club

215 – Bobby Tarantino – Logic

216 – Adult Teen – Lisa Prank

217 – Burden Piece

218 – Pure And Simple – Dolly Parton

219 – Year Of The Rabbit EP – Eskimeaux

220 – Fire In The Church – Montana Of 300

221 – A Cure For Loneliness – Peter Wolf

222 – Blastoma – Ngaiire

223 – There’s A Lot Going On

224 – Mariner – Cult Of Luna, Julie Christmas

225 – Peach – Culture Abuse

226 – #GPG – Guizmo

227 – BIG BABY D.R.A.M. – D.R.A.M.

228 – Rita Wilson – Rita WIlson

229 – Borderland State – J Churcher

230 – Kin – KT Tunstall

231 – Impossible Dream – Haley Bonar

232 –  Love You To Death EP – The-Dream

233 – Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not – Dinosaur Jr

234 – Joanne – Lady Gaga

235 – Penitentiary Chances – Boosie Badazz, C-Murder

236 – Skybreak – Zo!

237 – Furnaces – Ed Harcourt

238 – Lily – Christy Moore

239 – Pure Plush Bone Cage – Turtlenecked

240 – California Sunrise – Jon Pardi

241 – Summertime – Willie Nelson

242 – Second Home – DOGBRETH

243 – Painting Of A Panic Attack – Frightened Rabbit

244 – Fishing Blues – Atmosphere

245 – I Will Be Nothing Without Your Love – The Ready Set

246 – Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness: Part One EP – Tokyo Police Club

247 – Yes Lawd – Nxworries

248 – Singing Saw – Kevin Morby

249 – Westerner – John Doe

250 – Golden Sings That Have Been Sung (Deep Cuts Edition) – Ryley Walker

251 – Son Of A Pimp, Pt 2 – Mistah F.A.B.

252 – Burden Piece – Clique

253 – Pyr – Ghold –

254 – Lovers – Nels Cline

255 – Atrocity Exhibition – Danny Brown

256 – Homages – Benjamin Grosvenor

257 – Glass: Prophecies – Anton Batagov

258 – Better Together – Gaither Vocal Band

259 – Gunslinger – Garth Brooks

260 The Sun’s Tirade – Isaiah Rashad

261 – Earth – Neil Young

262 – Tweens – Wye Oak

263 – Centres – Ian William Craig

264 – If You See Me, Say Yes – Flock Of Dimes

265 – Mindfullness

266 – Tunnel Vision On Your Part EP – Happyness

267 – Artist – A Boogie Wit A Hood

268 – Shape Shift With Me – Against Me!

269 – Death Resonance – Soilwork

270 – The Easy Truth – Apollo Brown & Skyzoo

271 – 22, A Million – Bon Iver

272 – Red Lips – Cerrone

273 – Blues – Alabama 3

274 – Romantic – Mannequin Pussy

275 – Ocean – Parekh & Singh

276 – Bucket List Project

277 – xxx EP – Pussy Riot

278 – Tkay – Tkay Maidza

279 – Red Friday EP – YG

280 – Nightride – Tinashe

281 – We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your service – A Tribe Called Quest

282 – Slop EP – Forth Wanderers

283 – Just… Fabulous Rock ‘N’ Roll – Cliff Richard

284 – 24 Hours – Olly Murs

285 – Side Hustle EP – Phoebe Nir

286 – Slugger – Sad13

287 – Devil Music – The Men

288 – 24 Karat – Bruno Mars

289  – Darkness And Light – John Legend

290 – Konnichiwa –  Skepta

291 – WE GOT IT FROM HERE… THANK YOU 4 YOUR SERVICE – A Tribe Called Quest

Reissues, Box Sets, Greatest Hits

“.. It’s Too Late to Stop Now … Volumes II, III, IV & DVD” (3 CDs and 1 DVD) – Van Morrison

Pure McCartney – Paul McCartney

Live From A&R Studios – The Allman Brothers

Genuine: The Alan Jackson Story – Alan Jackson

Way Down In The Jungle Room – Elvis Presley

The Complete Trio Recordings – Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt

Who Can I Be Now? (1974 – 1976) – David Bowie

The Black Parade/Living With Ghost (10th Anniversary) – My Chemical Romance

Becoming The Beach Boys: The Complete Hite & Dorinda Morgan Sessions – The Beach Boys

Ramones 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition – The Ramones

The Last Waltz – The Band

Live At The Hollywood Bowl – The Beatles

Complete Third – Big Star

Be Here Now (Deluxe Edition) – Oasis

Out Of Time (25th Anniversary Edition) – R.E.M.

4Ever – Prince

Avocet – Bert Jansch

Comment: Of my top ten albums, at least five are on every other list: Chance, Bey, Paak, Bowie and Kanye: just about everywhere you look (except the Grammys, of course). But there is no gainsaying and no denying it, all five coulda been contenders for the best of the year, all are big pop and art statements. As for the # 1 album, since nobody really cares I have no explanation for how I became paralyzed with doubt, moving from the Stones to Chance and back and not necessarily because I thought the Stones was better -it is a toss up, but because I prefer it. As for the sheer number of albums, I included every album I graded a “B+” or better. Since I review around 2500 CURRENT albums a year, that’s about 10% and not outrageous. Obviously, you can’t get a handle on all of this really, there is too much product, but if you follow modern music, the Top 50 are both in chronological order and a primer on 2016. If you listen to JUST ONE ALBUM, go for Chance.