There’s no doubt that 2016 was an amazing year for music. I remember looking ahead at the end of 2015, brimming with excitement for the releases of many albums that I had been patiently waiting for. While there were plenty of big artists from whom fans expected albums this year, there were also some fantastic albums that went under the radar, not getting much recognition. Without further ado, here are my top 10 favorite albums of 2016.
#### 10. PHANTOGRAM – _Three_
While trip-hop duo Phantogram’s latest LP is certainly not their best, _Three_ is still a great record. The duo has notably improved their overall production capabilities, as tracks such as “Run Run Blood” and “Cruel World” demonstrate. The live show that accompanies this album is absolutely incredible and an amazing contribution to their performance in concert. This album may be a little bogged down with an abundance of mid-tempo tracks, but _Three_ is still a worthy addition to Phantogram’s discography.
#### 9. MIIKE SNOW – _iii_
Miike Snow’s third album wonderfully embraces the new side of indie-pop music. The beats and production tricks are truly astounding, but with the greater focus on sampling and interesting beats, the melodies tend to take a step back from their previous two albums. However, _iii_ is a fantastic record that welcomes a new side of Miike Snow, and its modern production tricks are a nice change for the trio’s indie-pop style.
#### 8. JACK GARRATT – _Phase_
I first heard Jack Garratt from my favorite radio station in Kansas City, and once I heard his single, “Worry,” I was immediately hooked. I instantly listened to his entire debut, _Phase_, as it had recently come out. Not only does Jack Garratt have an angelic, beautiful voice, but he is also an amazing producer. His brilliant sense of layering and his one-man-band show are breathtaking. The passion and emotion in Garratt’s voice on songs such as “Surprise Yourself” and “The Love You’re Given” are remarkably palpable. _Phase_ is a noteworthy debut from this up-and-coming British artist.
#### 7. BAND OF HORSES – _Why Are You OK_
It’s safe to admit that Band of Horses’ fourth LP, _Mirage Rock_, was mediocre at best. There was nothing memorable about it and it wasn’t nearly as good as _Everything All the Time_ or _Cease to Begin_, so many fans had given up on the indie rock outfit. Four years later, they came back with _Why Are You OK_, and because many fans had lost hope in the band due to their fourth album, this album went largely unnoticed. Except, when you actually listen to it, you realize you had no need to lose hope. The indie rockers’ fifth album is a successful rebound from their previous album that displays the band’s resilience and ability to create beautiful music, despite all of the odds going against them. If you were a Band of Horses fan who gave up when _Mirage Rock_ was released, you need to listen to this album, because it is quite a musical journey.
#### 6. GLASS ANIMALS – _How to Be a Human Being_
Indie quartet Glass Animals collected a large following throughout the past two years with the rising popularity of their debut record, _ZABA_. Most fans were probably not expecting their next effort to be as conceptual as _How to Be a Human Being_ is, but it surely worked. Lead vocalist Dave Bayley secretly recorded countless conversations while touring _ZABA_, and he became obsessed with the wild stories people would tell him. With this album, Bayley and the gang wrote an album that matched songs to characters that the band had created. It’s an ambitious work of art, and it touches aspects of human nature that most people would subconsciously ignore. Yet, Glass Animals expounds on these kinds of stories and experiences that most people wouldn’t even discover to begin with.
#### 5. LOCAL NATIVES – _Sunlit Youth_
With the release of Local Natives’ third record, _Sunlit Youth_, they discuss a subject that has previously been unexplored territory in music: politics. The fourth track on the album, “Fountain of Youth,” promotes a positive message to America’s youth. It articulates the idea that the youth are the primary key to making a difference and stimulating change in this country. Not only does _Sunlit Youth_ put forth answers, but it also raises some questions as well. On the fifth track, “Masters,” vocalist Taylor Rice asks, “Are you afraid to call yourself a feminist?” Overall, Local Natives’ third effort is a thought-provoking, beautifully crafted album that deserves ample recognition.
#### 4. RADIOHEAD – _A Moon Shaped Pool_
Early on in 2016, collaborator Nigel Godrich posted some enigmatic photos that portrayed Radiohead in the recording studio, working with a full-blown orchestra. The images were quickly deleted and were never acknowledged again. When band members were flooded with tweets and messages regarding a new record, guitarist Jonny Greenwood responded to them, advising them to be patient and explaining that the band is in the recording process. Patience was well rewarded, because _A Moon Shaped Pool_ was certainly worth the wait. Tracks such as “Daydreaming” and “Glass Eyes” show vocalist Thom Yorke in a state of emotional fragility, and songs such as “Burn the Witch” and “True Love Waits” had been lurking around in Radiohead’s catalogue for quite some time, until they were finally released as part of the LP. _A Moon Shaped Pool_ places Radiohead in an even more experimental and emotional light, and it’s a welcome change of pace.
#### 3. THE 1975 – _i like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it_
The 1975’s sophomore LP is definitely as ambitious as the lengthy title suggests. Filled to the brim with 17 songs, the British indie-pop quartet have refined their sound while boasting a new aesthetic. Drummer and producer George Daniel shows how he has grown as producer since their debut album, especially with the six-minute, instrumental title track. It’s also wild to see how much the band has grown since their 2013 debut, now selling out stadiums all over the globe. The 1975’s second record divulges how the band has crafted a new style and sound, while still remaining the same band that fans fell in love with when they first heard “Chocolate.”
#### 2. M83 – _Junk_
With M83’s typical self-seriousness, it came as a surprise to many fans when songwriter Anthony Gonzalez released the lead single from _Junk_, “Do It, Try It.” I’ll admit, even as an extremely loyal and passionate M83 fan, I initially felt pretty ambivalent about the new direction Gonzalez and crew were taking. All I needed to do, though, was to listen to the single more. After about four listens, I was hooked. It was a completely new and unprecedented side of M83, and while some fans loathed it, I thought it was an ironic statement on how music listeners consume music itself. That’s exactly what Gonzalez intended. Plenty of M83 fans were wondering what happened to the triumphant, shoegazey and conceptual side of the band. Yet, they didn’t realize that, beneath the surface, _Junk_ is a concept album disguised as an arbitrary collection of songs. The idea that most people don’t see why this record is so brilliant is what makes it so brilliant. _Junk_ intelligently makes a statement about the condition of the music industry: how fans usually take away two or three songs from an album and never listen to the other tracks again. It’s precisely what M83 meant this record to be.
#### 1. BON IVER – _22, A Million_
Prior to hearing this album, I had heard of Bon Iver. I had heard “Skinny Love” and a handful of songs from their second LP. In other words, I was familiar with Bon Iver, but not nearly as familiar as I should have been. Then, _22, A Million_ arrived on the scene, and people were incessantly talking about how wonderful this album was. I figured I had to listen to it and see what all the commotion was about, and I must say, those people were absolutely right. _22, A Million_ is a masterpiece of a record, and has generated myriad conversations and discussions regarding the meaning of the LP, and exactly how songwriter Justin Vernon achieved all of these glitchy, unconventional sounds and textures. The enigmatic numerical symbolism, the intentionally faulty auto-tune plug-ins and the unusual, yet brilliant song structure all combine to form a true work of art.
