Year-End Lists

Jeremy D. Larson: Favorite Albums of 2016

[see also 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015]

1. Blackstar
   David Bowie
2. Hopelessness
   ANOHNI
3. A Moon Shaped Pool
   Radiohead
4. Atrocity Exhibition
   Danny Brown
5. Skeleton Tree
   Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
6. 22, A Million
   Bon Iver
7. Lemonade
   Beyoncé
8. Upstepping
   Oliver Coates
9. Jeffery
   Young Thug
10. 99.9%
    KAYTRANADA
11. Mangy Love
    Cass McCombs
12. Light Upon the Lake
    Whitney
13. Blood Bitch
    Jenny Hval
14. My Woman
    Angel Olsen
15. We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
    A Tribe Called Quest
16. Arrival
    Jóhann Jóhannsson
17. New View
    Eleanor Friedberger
18. Human Performance
    Parquet Courts
19. Puberty 2
    Mitski
20. Preoccupations
    Preoccupations

gal-dem: Best Albums of 2016, in chronological order

[see also 2018 • 2017 • 2015]

• Malibu
  Anderson .Paak
• The Birds Outside Sang
  Florist
• The Life of Pablo
  Kanye West
• 99¢
  Santigold
• Untitled Unmastered
  Kendrick Lamar
• A Good Night in the Ghetto
  Kamaiyah
• Afterlife
  DJ Rashad
• SECURITY
  Gaika
• Lemonade
  Beyoncé
• Konnichiwa
  Skepta
• The Colour in Anything
  James Blake
• Coloring Book
  Chance The Rapper
• Puberty 2
  Mitski
• Church
  Kelsey Lu
• Princess
  ABRA
• Telefone
  Noname
• Blond
  Frank Ocean
• 1992
  Princess Nokia
• The Healing Component
  Mick Jenkins
• Six Paths
  Dave
• Lamentations
  Moses Sumney
• A Seat at the Table
  Solange
• Big Baby DRAM
  DRAM
• Durt
  Ray BLK
• Black Focus
  Yussef Kamaal
• We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
  A Tribe Called Quest
• "Awaken, My Love!"
  Childish Gambino
• 4 Your Eyez Only
  J. Cole
• Real Ting
  Stefflon Don
• Stillness in Wonderland
  Little Simz

David Morgan: The 10 Best Films of 2016, as posted by CBS News

[see also 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015]

• Moonlight
  Barry Jenkins
• Manchester by the Sea
  Kenneth Lonergan
• Cameraperson
  Kirsten Johnson
• The Lobster
  Yorgos Lanthimos
• Don’t Breathe
  Fede Alvarez
• Hell or High Water
  David Mackenzie
• Toni Erdmann
  Maren Ade
• Weiner
  Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg
• Rogue One
  Gareth Edwards
• Arrival
  Denis Villeneuve

Magnet Magazine: Top 25 Albums of 2016

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. No Burden
   Lucy Dacus
2. Blackstar
   David Bowie
3. case/lang/veirs
   case/lang/veirs
4. Modern Country
   William Tyler
5. Requiem
   Goat
6. Skeleton Tree
   Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
7. Teens of Denial
   Car Seat Headrest
8. The Ghosts of Highway 20
   Lucinda Williams
9. A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings
   Beach Slang
10. Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not
    Dinosaur Jr.
11. American Band
    Drive-By Truckers
12. Puberty 2
    Mitski
13. Mangy Love
    Cass McCombs
14. A Moon Shaped Pool
    Radiohead
15. My Woman
    Angel Olsen
16. Wildflower
    The Avalanches
17. 22, A Million
    Bon Iver
18. Human Performance
    Parquet Courts
19. I Had A Dream That You Were Mine
    Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam
20. Patch the Sky
    Bob Mould
21. Schmilco
    Wilco
22. You Know Who You Are
    Nada Surf
23. Get Off
    Bird of Youth
24. Hopelessness
    ANOHNI
25. If You See Me, Say Yes
    Flock of Dimes

IndieWire: 10 Best TV Shows of 2016

[see also 2022 • 2010s • 2018 • 2017]

1. BoJack Horseman
2. Veep
3. The Americans
4. Better Call Saul
5. You’re the Worst
6. The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
7. Atlanta
8. Rectify
9. Catastrophe
10. Mr. Robot

Hanif Abdurraqib: 40 Favorite Albums Of 2016

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2018 • 2017]

1. We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
   A Tribe Called Quest
2. 99.9%
   KAYTRANADA
3. Sleep Cycle
   Deakin
4. The Visitor
   Kadhja Bonet
5. A Seat at the Table
   Solange
6. Never How You Plan
   Jerreau
7. Blackstar
   David Bowie
8. Skeleton Tree
   Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
9. Anti
   Rihanna
10. Freetown Sound
    Blood Orange
11. My Woman
    Angel Olsen
12. Lemonade
    Beyoncé
13. Sirens
    Nicolas Jaar
14. Coloring Book
    Chance The Rapper
15. Teens of Denial
    Car Seat Headrest
16. The Weight of These Wings
    Miranda Lambert
17. Islah
    Kevin Gates
18. HEAVN
    Jamila Woods
19. IV
    BADBADNOTGOOD
20. WORRY.
    Jeff Rosenstock
21. Prima Donna
    Vince Staples
22. Long Live the Angels
    Emeli Sandé
23. Winter's Gate
    Insomnium
24. Puberty 2
    Mitski
25. A Good Night in the Ghetto
    Kamaiyah
26. Imperial
    Denzel Curry
27. Dissociation
    The Dillinger Escape Plan
28. Yes Lawd!
    NxWorries
29. 7/27
    Fifth Harmony
30. Wildflower
    The Avalanches
31. The Dream Is Over
    PUP
32. Ology
    Gallant
33. Mariner
    Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas
34. Still Brazy
    YG
35. Glory
    Britney Spears
36. Bittersweet
    Aaron West and The Roaring Twenties
37. Coconut Oil
    Lizzo
38. Stage Four
    Touché Amoré
39. 4
    Sturgill Simpson
40. 24K Magic
    Bruno Mars

Roger Koza’s La Internacional Cinéfila Poll: Best Movies of 2016 (as voted by critics, programmers, festival directors and filmmakers from 28 countries)

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015]

1. Elle
   Paul Verhoeven
2. The Death of Louis XIV
   Albert Serra
3. Aquarius
   Kleber Mendonça Filho
4. Sieranevada
   Cristi Puiu
5. Toni Erdmann
   Maren Ade

Honorable Mentions

• El viento sabe que que vuelvo a casa
  José Luis Torres Leiva
• Homeland (Iraq Year Zero)
  Abbas Fahdel
• The Ornithologist
  João Pedro Rodrigues
• Hermia & Helena
  Matías Piñeiro
• Paterson
  Jim Jarmusch
• Staying Vertical
  Alain Guiraudie

Carl Wilson: The Best Albums of 2016, as published by Slate

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013]

Top 10, in alphabetical order

• Hopelessness
  ANOHNI
• Lemonade
  Beyoncé
• Blackstar
  David Bowie
• American Band
  Drive-By Truckers
• Away with You
  Mary Halvorson Octet
• Love Waves
  Veda Hille
• The Weight of These Wings
  Miranda Lambert
• Malibu
  Anderson .Paak
• A Mulher do Fim do Mundo
  Elza Soares
• Retribution
  Tanya Tagaq

Another 15, in alphabetical order

• That Makes Me Smart
  Anal Trump
• Teens of Denial
  Car Seat Headrest
• Coloring Book
  Chance The Rapper
• Big Day in a Small Town
  Brandy Clark
• You Want It Darker
  Leonard Cohen
• A Cosmic Rhythm with Each Stroke
  Vijay Iyer & Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith
• blackSUMMERS’night
  Maxwell
• Blond
  Frank Ocean
• My Woman
  Angel Olsen
• Post Pop Depression
  Iggy Pop
• Midwest Farmer’s Daughter
  Margo Price
• Arbina
  Noura Mint Seymali
• We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
  A Tribe Called Quest
• We Are the Halluci Nation
  A Tribe Called Red
• The Life of Pablo
  Kanye West

Pigeons & Planes: 50 Best Albums of 2016

[see also 2017 • 2015]

1. Blond
   Frank Ocean
2. Malibu
   Anderson .Paak
3. A Seat at the Table
   Solange
4. Coloring Book
   Chance The Rapper
5. Telefone
   Noname
6. The Life of Pablo
   Kanye West
7. Lemonade
   Beyoncé
8. Slime Season 3
   Young Thug
9. We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service
   A Tribe Called Quest
10. Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight
    Travis Scott
11. Starboy
    The Weeknd
12. 99.9%
    KAYTRANADA
13. Savage Mode
    21 Savage & Metro Boomin
14. Anti
    Rihanna
15. Blank Face LP
    Schoolboy Q
16. 22, A Million
    Bon Iver
17. Atrocity Exhibition
    Danny Brown
18. Leave Me Alone
    Hinds
19. Yes Lawd!
    NxWorries
20. Freetown Sound
    Blood Orange
21. Big Baby D.R.A.M.
    D.R.A.M.
22. A Moon Shaped Pool
    Radiohead
23. Untitled Unmastered
    Kendrick Lamar
24. Lil Boat
    Lil Yachty
25. The Sun’s Tirade
    Isaiah Rashad
26. The Colour in Anything
    James Blake
27. Hotel Paranoia
    Jazz Cartier
28. Landlord
    Giggs
29. Nothing’s Real
    Shura
30. Welcome to GAZI
    A.CHAL
31. Still Brazy
    YG
32. My Woman
    Angel Olsen
33. Imperial
    Denzel Curry
34. Konnichiwa
    Skepta
35. A Good Night in the Ghetto
    Kamaiyah
36. Blackstar
    David Bowie
37. Stillness in Wonderland
    Little Simz
38. FREE 6LACK
    6LACK
39. American Boyfriend: A Suburban Love Story
    Kevin Abstract
40. Northern Lights
    Allan Kingdom
41. Shade Trees
    Trapo
42. Negus
    Kemba
43. Awaken, My Love!
    Childish Gambino
44. Bucket List Project
    Saba
45. Arcade
    Topaz Jones
46. Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’
    Kid Cudi
47. Nat Love
    Kweku Collins
48. Farewell, Starlite!
    Francis and the Lights
49. Monda
    Cousin Stizz
50. Stoney
    Post Malone

David Orr: 10 Best Poetry Books of 2016, as published by The New York Times

[see also 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2015]

• Night
  Etel Adnan
• A Pillow Book
  Suzanne Buffam
• Bestiary
  Donika Kelly
• The After Party
  Jana Prikryl
• Works & Days
  Bernadette Mayer
• Blue Laws

  Selected and Uncollected Poems, 1995-2015
  Kevin Young
• So Much Synth
  Brenda Shaughnessy
• All The Poems

  Stevie Smith
  Stevie Smith
• Blackacre
  Monica Youn
• Solarium
  Jordan Zandi