We’re already halfway through 2016, and in the first sixth months of year, we’ve the release of several albums that are shaping up to be remembered for years to come.

We at the Young Folks asked some of our writers to name some of their favorite albums released between January 1 and June 30 and their lists include several of the usual suspects (Beyoncé, Radiohead, Chance the Rapper, David Bowie) and a few others that may not neccesarily make other lists of this stripe

Ryan Gibbs’ Top 5 Mid-Year Albums

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

On their second album, The 1975 crafted a perfect love letter to 80s pop. The album has something for every fan of music from the decade: funky synthpop (“Love Me”), brooding new wave (“The Ballad of Me and My Brain”) and some of the best sophisti-pop since the days of Prefab Sprout and Level 42 (“UGH!”, “This Must Be My Dream”). I Like It When You Sleep is an inventive sophomore album that’s always engaging and entertaining and highly listenable

2. David Bowie – Blackstar

Bowie’s final album is also one of his best. It stands as a triumphant swan song from one of rock’s most influential and innovative musicians. At the end of his career, Bowie still stood at the cutting edge of music and turned in an arty jazz rock set that sounds expansive and weighty even though it clocks in at just seven tracks.

3. Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Denial

Car Seat Headrest have recorded 13 albums in five years, and their breakthrough Teens of Denial stands as the crowning achievement in the already prolific career of frontman Will Toledo. His sharp, funny lyrics on songs such as “Destroyed by Hippie Powers” and “Vincent” cast Toledo as their heir apparent to Robert Pollard. Considering how much great music Car Seat Headrest has made in such a short time, you can expect them to have a rewarding career if Teens of Denial is any indication.

4. Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool

25 years into their career and Radiohead is still full of surprises. Much has been made of A Moon Shaped Pool containing several longtime concert favorites, but the album works so well as a cohesive whole that it’s easy to look past the hype of seeing, for instance, “True Love Waits” on a studio album after all these years.

5. Suede – Night Thoughts

Few reunited bands go on to release new albums that rival the best work from their heydey, but Suede have managed to buck the trend, first with 2013’s Bloodsports and now with Night Thoughts. The album is one of the best they’ve ever recorded and is full of the same vitality and spunk that make their ’90s work so invigorating.

Ryan’s Top 5 Songs of 2016 (So Far)

1. David Bowie – “Lazarus”
2. KING – “The Greatest”
3. Automat – “Turn the Music Up”
4. Tacocat – “Talk”
5. Kendrick Lamar – “Untitled 08 | 09.06.14”

Gabrielle Bondi’s Top 5 Mid-Year Albums

1.  Beyoncé – Lemonade

Musically ambitious and emotionally bold, Lemonade, the album itself, is almost as cinematic as the film that accompanies it. Public spectacle aside, Beyoncé hits every emotional beat as we move through an album that chronicles a difficult time in her life. What we end up is something fully realized and incredibly empowering from the world’s fiercest artist.

2. Tegan and Sara – Love You To Death

A well-crafted and solid follow up to Heartthrob, Tegan and Sara are still pushing expectations and their pop sound. Complex, fun and personal, there are not many pop albums like Love You To Death.

3. Rihanna – ANTI

Not the opus fans were expecting, but Anti is an interesting and unexpected album from Rihanna. Feeling a little more introspective and personal than her previous albums, Rihanna delivers a fun yet dark pop record.

4. Kanye West – The Life of Pablo

This may be my least favorite Kanye West album, but it still earns a spot on this list for great tracks like “Ultralight Beam” and “Wolves.”

5. Drake – VIEWS

Also not this artist’s best entry, Drake’s Views has great moments (“One Dance,” “Too Good”), but too much introspection can get a little boring.

Allyson Johnson’s Top 5 Mid-Year Albums

1. Birdy – Beautiful Lies

The newest album by Birdy taps into her more soulful side with songs such as “Shadow” and “Lifted” demonstrating her wonderful voice and pop influences. It’s one of the few albums I’ve listened to so far this year that once I got to the end instantly pressed play to listen to again.

2. The Hotelier – Goodness

Emotionally charged with some wonderful acrobatic vocals, The Hotelier’s newest album Goodness is all that you hope to hear from their music. Poetic, enthusiastic and powerful, The Hotelier are storytellers.

3. ROMP – Departure From Venus

An accidental find, ROMP is a band that I didn’t know I needed until I listened. Fun, vibrant and addicting, make sure you don’t miss out on their album “Departure From Venus” this year.

4. Yuna – Chapters

Because I love pop and I love soul infused pop and Yuna’s album is both of those things. A fresh talent, Yuna’s songs are perfect for long summer days and nights.

5. James Blake – The Color in Anything

James Blake is the kind of artist that perfectly fits into the type of music I tend to fall head over heels for. Soulful with tinges of dream pop and some hazy vocals make for one of the best albums of the year.

Allyson’s Top 5 Songs of 2016 (So Far)

1. Panic! at the Disco – “L.A. Devotee”
2. HANA – “Clay”
3. Birdy – “Shadow”
4. Lapsley – “Hurt Me”
5. The Jezabels – “Flowers in the Attic”

Brooke Pawling Stennett’s Top 5 Mid-Year Albums

1. Ariana Grande – Dangerous Woman

Solid pop, solid production, all around this is Ariana’s best album so far. Every track is worth multiple listens and the flow of track to track keeps you on your toes. This album definitely lived up to its hype. Some of my favorites: “Into You,” “Side to Side” featuring Nicki Minaj, and “Everyday” featuring Future.

2. Birdy – Beautiful Lies

An incredible sophomore effort by Birdy. It’s flawlessly put together and like Ariana Grande’s Dangerous Woman, the flow of track to track is impeccable. Birdy’s voice is so unique in its vulnerability that this album will leave you emotionally vulnerable yourself. Some of my favorites: “Keeping Your Head Up,” “Wild Horses,” and “Hear You Calling.”

3. Yuna – Chapters

I want to simultaneously keep this album for myself and also let the world listen to how brilliant it is. It’s a very under the radar album (so far) and the larger part of me that has expectations for everyone to love the melodic, sultry album has won out. Listen to it. There’s also a duet with Jhene Aiko and it’s so good. Some of my favorites: “Lanes,” “Too Close,” and “Used to Love You,” featuring Jhene Aiko.

4. Beyoncé – Lemonade

There is nothing I can say about this album than what has already been said, other than how fantastic and iconic this album is. If you haven’t had the chance to listen to this in full, and watch the accompanied movie, please do so. It will change you. Some of my favorite tracks: “Pray You Catch Me,” “Sorry,” and “Don’t Hurt Yourself.”

5. Fifth Harmony – 7/27

This album is so addictive it hurts. I have never loved pop music like I love it when it’s performed by a band. Girl bands, especially. Do yourself a favor and ignore the song you hear ten times on the radio each hour and listen to one of the greatest girl band albums of all time. So far, at least. Some of my favorite tracks: “Dope,” “All in My Head (Flex)” featuring Fetty Wap, and “Scared of Happy.”

Brooke’s Top 5 Songs of 2016 (So Far)

1. OneRepublic – “Wherever I Go”
2. Sia  – “Cheap Thrills”
3. Bastille – “Good Grief”
4. Drake feat. Wiz Kid and Kyla – “One Dance”
5. The Chainsmokers feat. Daya – “Don’t Let Me Down”

Matt Rice’s Top 5 Mid-Year Albums

1. Chance The Rapper – Coloring Book

From Acid Rap to Surf, and then Surf to Coloring Book, Chance has been steadily improving throughout the past few years. On one hand, it has culminated with a major album that few, if any artists will be able to top this year. On the other hand, it will be hard for even Chance to top it with anything less than a To Pimp a Butterfly-level artistic statement.

2. Parquet Courts – Human Performance

Years of releasing an astounding amount of music has paid off with an album that fully lives up to the Pavement comparisons they’ve been ducking and dodging since Light Up Gold.

3. Anderson .Paak – Malibu

Artists who adore music often release joyous albums, and Malibu is absolutely joyous. A journey through generations of music, these songs range from funk (“The Bird”), disco (“Am I Wrong”), straightforward West Coast hip-hop (“Your Prime”) and ‘90s R&B (“Without You”). In the spirit of Blackstreet, the latter recalls a time when a male R&B artist could actually have their song interrupted by a female rapper. Malibu’s music may be nostalgia-fueled, but it’s nostalgic for all the right things.

4. Rihanna – ANTI

In a year in which numerous great artists finally released the artistic triumph they’d been building towards, Rihanna’s may be the most surprising. A singles artist all the way, she didn’t seem like an artist who needed to release an A-level album. And yet ANTI is just that, an expansive, heavily listenable collection of songs that feels like something she’s been setting up her entire career.

5. Beyoncé – Lemonade

Real-life drama and performance, combined until it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. She’s released better albums before—the self-titled, of course, but also B’Day, which you should re-listen to—but never one this political and complete.

Matt’s Top 5 Songs of the Year (So Far)

1. The Coathangers – “Squeeki Tiki”
2. Rihanna – “Woo”
3. Alex Anwandter: -“Siempre Es Viernes En Mi Corazón”
4. The 1975 – “UGH!”
5. Colleen Green – “Green My Eyes”

Joey Daniewicz’s Top 5 Mid-Year Albums

1. Chance the Rapper – Coloring Book

Not just the gospel rap masterpiece Kanye was trying for, Coloring Book‘s love for God might be central, but it’s the softer tracks, the gentle “Summer Friends” and the sultry “Juke Jam” that fill in the gaps.

2. Beyoncé – Lemonade

Though not flawless, it slays, cutting through the bullshit and condensing its fury in a way that her superior self-titled really could have used.

3. Parquet Courts – Human Performance

Parquet Courts are a very good band, but they’ve yet to really put out something that felt like an achievement. This comes close.

4. Rihanna  – ANTI

After breaking from her album-a-year schedule, she’s come back with her best long-player yet, and not by a little.

5. Kendrick Lamar – untitled. unmastered.

Even his trash is treasure.

Joey’s Top 5 Songs of 2015 (So Far)

1. Kanye West (feat. Chance the Rapper, The-Dream, Kelly Price and Kirk Franklin) – “Ultralight Beam”
2. Beyoncé – “Formation”
3. G.L.O.S.S. – “Give Violence a Chance”
4. Radiohead – “True Love Waits”
5. Beyoncé (feat. Jack White) – “Don’t Hurt Yourself”

Jon Winkler’s Top 5 Mid-Year Albums

1. Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool

The most musically beautiful and emotionally bare record the art rock legends have ever made. It’s a rare moment when a band that shrouds itself in mystery and surprise lays everything out for the audience to see and hear.

2. David Bowie – Blackstar

Only an ultimate showman like David Bowie would chronicle the dark spiral of his final days alive on a manic jazz album where he proclaims he’ll always be beyond the norm. Brilliance gone far too soon

3. Chance the Rapper – Coloring Book

In the midst of annoying trap rap and overbearing gangsta rap, Chicago’s own Chance the Rapper makes one of the most uplifting records in hip-hop history with some of the most lively beats and hopeful lyrics. Much needed in the dark world of today

4. Kendrick Lamar – untitled. unmastered.

If even the tracks Kendrick left on the cutting room floor are this lyrically engrossing and musically strong, hip hop better step it’s game up

5. Weezer – Weezer (The White Album)

Some of the most fun you’ll have with music this year with Weezer’s best offering since their debut.

William Eguizabal’s Top 5 Mid-Year Albums

1. Deftones – GORE

HOLY CRAP! That was my reaction after I finish listening to what I think is 2016’s first masterwork. After the lose of friend Chi Cheng these Sacramento metalhead took tragedy and made poetry. There’s been a bubbling cauldron of great songs for over twenty years and it is that 2 decade plus legacy that led me to hope the Deftness hadn’t lost it. This record is the opposite of what a band that started in 1988 should sound like. This is not a band whose 90’s contemporaries were P.O.D. and Limp Bizkit. This is beauty put on vinyl, a cornucopia of emotion that pulls full throttle at every string and plays it like a violin.

2. Tegan and Sara – Love You to Death

These two seem to be progressing towards pop stardom. Gone, for the most part, is the tweeism and indie quiet of their earlier discography. This years album really just says “we are woman, hear us roar!” Right from the opener, which is an absolute banger you know these Canadian minx’ are about to party, break some hearts, and exit.  

3. Chance the Rapper – Coloring Book

This is by far the best hip-hop cut of the year (though Kendrick gets real close). Chance mixes creative lyricism and killer beats to craft a hip-hop dagger that is far better than the trap music permeating the genre. Chance knows what is popular though, he understands this as he has Bieber, Kanye and Future all guesting on the tracks.

4. Letlive – If I’m the Devil

Known for their blitzkrieg of a live show and manic lead man Jason Alon Butler letlive are back and funkier than ever! Not only does this perhaps feature some of the bands deepest cuts lyrically but there’s a pain and a hope behind ever turn of phrase Butler utters. It crafts a beautiful violence that I think no other band can emulate no matter how hard they try.

5. Saosin – Along the Shadow

Anthony Green returns and brings glory back to the band that got him his start. Hitting blistering highs and crashing lows there’s a certain like spark in Green’s eyes as he hits the high notes. Formulating perhaps the scenes most beautiful soliloquy Along the Shadow really put the gravitas on this meaty sammich.

Kevin Montes’ Top 5 Mid-Year Albums

1. Chance the Rapper – Coloring Book

Chance comes back with another mixtape full of memorable tracks and new ways to flex the gospel rap genre, as well as maintaining that initial Chance charm we’ve come to love.

2. Weezer – Weezer (The White Album)

Weezer comes back with an album that has been packed for the summer. It’s like Weezer remembered where they originated from and send off the listener with lavish vibes like on the song “Do You Wanna Get High?”

3. YG – Still Brazy

YG comes back with a sophomore album that’s more socially conscious. Themes of sticking out based on race and the divide in culture, amongst others are underlined throughout the album in gangsta rap form, the way YG knows.

4. KAYTRANDA – 99.9%

KAYTRANADA is an up and coming electronic and hip-hop producer/artist from Canada that just blows it out of the park in his debut album. His sound is graceful and eclectic and each track comes with their own uniqueness in the instrumental, along with the features.

5. Lion Babe – Begin

Lion Babe knows how to make an appearance with a danceable album that has nothing but bangers throughout, even the melancholy ones. And throughout out it all it embraces the empowerment of females within, in a beautiful fashion where it entrances you.

Amber Mack’s Top 5 Mid-Year Songs

1. Beyoncé (feat. Kendrick Lamar) – “Freedom”

One of the most powerful songs on Beyoncé’s Lemonade album, Freedom is an anthem for and about black women, empowering us as a whole. This is definitely my anthem.

2. Ta-Ku (feat. Wafia) – “Meet in The Middle (Feat Wafia)”

Sensual and overall beautiful, this song explains every personal experience anyone has had. Their voices blend together so perfectly to create a smooth track that I can literally play over and over again.

3. Ariana Grande – “Into You”

Produced by Max Martin, this song is most definitely my favorite pop song of this year. Plus, haven’t you seen the video? An A+ video with and amazing love story.

4. Nick Jonas (feat. Tove Lo) – “Close”

A slow jam that makes me want to belt out my vocals loudly in the comfort of my own room. “Close” combines my favorite Swedish pop star with one of my American ones to create something great.

5. Rihanna – “Sledgehammer”

I know this song was just released but Rihanna’s vocals are fantastic on this track. I can’t help but put it on repeat and channel my inner Rihanna and plus the video is something out of this world.

Sean Romano’s Top 5 Mid-Year Songs

1. Drake (feat. The Throne) – “Pop Style”

2. Desiigner – “Panda”

3. The Chainsmokers (feat. Daya) – “Don’t Let Me Down”

4. Kanye West (feat. Sia and Vic Mensa) “Wolves”

5. Drake – “Child’s Play”

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