For a year characterized in popular culture as one of the worst collective experiences ever, 2016 still hosted some incredible music from both new artists and old favorites. What follows is a list, based on critical acclaim, popularity and personal judgement, of the ten best albums that 2016 had to offer.

10. Parquet Courts – Human Performance
As gritty as it is personal, Parquet Courts bring their trademark blend of sophisticated songwriting and relentless punk-rock tunes forward on their sixth studio album. The contrasting yet still complimentary moods of bitterness and romanticism are most notable in the band’s two vocalists, Andrew Savage and Austin Brown. While Savage nears screaming on tracks like “Paraphrased,” Brown maintains a calmness about him, touching briefly emotional lyrics in tracks like “One Man and No City.” For anybody who’s a fan of punk or classic rock music, this album is a must listen.

9. Bon Iver – 22, A Million
When I reviewed this album following its September release, I asserted that it would definitely be a candidate for best album of the year. While many other works surpassed its significance, the importance of this album for modern folk music and electronic/folk fusion is undeniable. Justin Vernon’s decision to steer the once acoustic, soothingly depressing Bon Iver towards a more bombastic and unpredictable (yet depressing nonetheless) landscape of sound has proven successful. This album cooperates in pleasing old fans, while attracting new ones who once waved off Bon Iver as boring acoustic folk.

8. Nicolas Jaar – Sirens
Though born in New York City, Nicolas Jaar’s childhood experiences in Chile speak the loudest in his music. Since his debut album “Space is Only Noise,” an experimental ambient project which received astoundingly positive critical acclaim, Jaar has continued his cultural blend of U.S. electronic music with his Chilean roots on his most recent LP “Sirens.” As mysteriously ambient as it can be hard-hitting, the tracks on this album immerse oneself into Jaar’s masterfully crafted world of intimacy.

7. Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool
For the last 25 years, Radiohead has captivated fans and critics in their unique obscurity and alienation surrounding their numerous projects. “A Moon Shaped Pool” is a welcoming evolution in Radiohead’s discography, as the band brings in outside assistance for the first time, coming in the form of strings from the London Contemporary Orchestra. The band also returned to recording with tapes, a technique which brings back the vibe that solidified early Radiohead albums into critical masterpieces.

6. Beyoncé – Lemonade
With this sixth studio album in her nearly two-decade-long musical career, Beyoncé
presents her most well rounded project to date. It debuted number one on Billboard’s Top 200, and proved to many critics that sensational albums can still double as massive commercial hits. Providing commentary on her relationship with rapper and spouse Jay-Z, Beyoncé’s lyrical messages transcend her own personal experiences, acting as a universal guide for self appreciation.

5. Kanye West – The Life of Pablo
Be it the memes mocking or praising its uniquely designed album art, the fiasco regarding its true release date, or the bizarre track alterations made on its post-Tidal release, “The Life of Pablo” could easily be called the most anticipated album of Kanye West’s career. The positive critical reception of this album has only cemented it as a cornerstone of 2016’s musical scene, even though many wouldn’t call it West’s most artistically impressive achievement. Whether you love it or hate it, this album was a wild ride, made up of both party-friendly bangers and emotionally jarring moments of serenity.

4. Chance the Rapper – Coloring Book
For Chicago native Chancelor Johnathan Bennett, refusing to submit his artistic rights to big record labels has always been a staple of his rapping career. Chance luckily made his third mixtape, “Coloring Book,” his most accessible to date, which spans streaming platforms outside of soundcloud, unlike his last two tapes. Gathering together native Chicagoans like Kanye West, Jeremih and Towkio, and an impressive list of big rappers, Coloring Book’s jam packed feature list adds to the colorful (pun intended) party Chance creates on this record.

3. Blood Orange – Freetown Sound
Compared to his writing credits, which include the likes of Florence and the Machine and The Chemical Brothers, Devonte Hyne’s solo work as Blood Orange is a distant entity of its own. Focusing on a retro blend of R&B, funk and electronic music, “Freetown Sound” is decisively Hyne’s masterpiece. The album’s vocals are hypnotically affectionate, and while most songs are sung by Hynes himself, the project enlists help from singers such as Nelly Furtado, Empress Of and even Carly Rae Jepsen. Uniting with the stellar and diverse instrumentalization, “Freetown Sound” creates a warm and cozy sonic world, while also providing commentary on love, race, culture and gender in the world.

2. Frank Ocean – Blonde
Frank Ocean’s highly anticipated follow up to his last album, “Orange,” has been painstakingly waited on by fans since 2012. Coupled with “Endless,” Ocean’s experimental audio/visual project which was released just prior to “Blonde,” this album marks a visible maturity in his songwriting and musical approach. While “Orange” centered around pop tunes exhibiting a solid instrumental presence, many tracks on “Blonde” turn for a more hesitant and minimalistic approach to spotlighting Ocean’s superb vocals and lyricism. Even with this somewhat lacking musical backdrop, Ocean still creates a dynamic and uniquely dreamy world of his own on “Blonde.”

Frank Ocean – ‘Nikes’ from DoBeDo Productions on Vimeo.

1. Solange – A Seat at the Table
Most of the time, Solange Knowles is overlooked when compared to her older sister Beyonce. But this year, and with this album, Solange is finally in her well deserved spotlight. “A Seat at the Table” commentates beautifully and empathetically on the complicated racial tensions of the country, in a manner that’s as straightforward as it is poetic. The often calming R&B instrumentals of this record elicit stark complacency to the indignancy sung by Solange. Additionally, personally striking interludes like “Dad Was Mad” add powerful context to the subject manner of the album’s tracklist. Regardless of whether you’re listening to feel inspired by Solange’s narratives or to be taken away by the excellent instrumental compositions, “A Seat at the Table” is 2016’s most compelling and relevant album.