40. Kaytranada – 99.9% 
The surprise Polaris Music Prize winner is one of the simplest listening pleasures of the year and is a new landmark in instrumental hip hop. – Joey Daniewicz
39. Youssou N’Dour – #SenegaalRekk EP
Not released in the U.S., this five-song EP was a wonderful surprise to fans when (if) they discovered it. Tight and nearly perfect, even with an Akon appearance that somehow doesn’t feel out of place. When N’Dour finally released an LP in the U.S. later in the year, it couldn’t help but disappoint. – Matt Rice
38. Anderson .Paak – Malibu
The least progressive great record released this year, Malibu doesn’t do anything in its music or words that feels new or forward-thinking, and .Paak often leaves a lot to be desired on gender. But it is nevertheless a great record, because of what it steals from. Disco (“Am I Wrong”), ‘90s R&B (“Without You,” “Water Fall”), and Miguel-esque fuzz-guitar funk (“The Bird”) are all utilized, creating a diverse collection of soul and R&B songs that even the appalling “Silicon Valley” can’t scathe too much. – Matt Rice
37. The Monkees – Good Times!
Considering that previous Monkees reunions had not resulted particularly tremendous music, the quality of Good Times! is one of the year’s most pleasant surprises. The album is a fun, charming celebration of The Monkees’ career, and perfectly captures the optimism and sweetness that made them one of the marquee artists of the 1960s. – Ryan Gibbs
36. various artists – The Hamilton Mixtape
It shouldn’t be surprising that this re-imagining of the now-classic Hamilton: An American Musical is so good. Recruiting a slew of major pop artists, Lin Manuel Miranda’s musical triumph has transcended the stage with how contemporary sounding these songs on the mixtape are. From Kelly Clarkson’s breathtaking vocals on “It’s Quiet Uptown” to the perfectly dramatic take on “Satisfied” by Sia, Miguel and Queen Latifah, this album is a definite peak in today’s pop culture. – Gabrielle Bondi
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35. The Hotelier – Goodness
There was a trepidation when coming across The Hotelier’s newest album Goodness that they wouldn’t ever be able to capture the electrifying nature of their song “Dendron”. They did and with a fervent energy that touched every listener that pressed play on their album. “End of Reel” in particular is a strong reflection of “Dendron” and on the whole, Goodness channel the band’s feelings by reckoning with the pain and grief they sang about in previous albums. Powerful, urgent and full to the brim with repeat listen worthy songs, Goodness is the album that assures fans that The Hotelier is a group that is here to stay. – Allyson Johnson
34. Yuck – Stranger Things
Stranger Things finds Yuck back in its sweet spot of grunge-pop, ’90s revivalism. Catchy, fuzz-soaked tunes are signs of a much more positive step past the tepid Glow & Behold record released just months after the former lead singer, Daniel Blumberg, dropped out to “focus on other things”. Their Sonic Youth-meets-Dinosaur Jr. debut Yuck, a record that graced the indie rock stages way back in the year of 2011, was often regaled to being one of the most exciting acts to emerge that year. While Yuck may never be able to replicate the magic of their own titular debut, Stranger Things sounds a lot like a band that feels grounded in the direction they’re headed in. – Jennifer Baugh
33. School of Seven Bells – SVIIB
School of Seven Bells’ final album is a poignant tribute to band founder Ben Curtis, written while he was battling the cancer that ultimately took his life at the end of 2013. The record is crafted and curated expertly by the other half of the band, vocalist Alejandra Deheza, and forms a sweet, heartening portrait of the pair’s close friendship and platonic love in the face of Curtis’ illness. This energetic blast of dream pop and electropop is one of the most alive-feeling records about mortality in a year seemingly full of them. – Ryan Gibbs
32. Kevin Gates – Islah
Maybe the most disillusioned rapper in the game, Gates describes drug-dealing as if nothing could be more mundane. This disillusionment makes Gates’ music smarter and richer than most of its ilk. But when he gets to sex, that’s when he shines, notably on “Kno One” and “Jam.” – Matt Rice
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31. G.L.O.S.S. – Trans Day of Revenge EP
G.L.O.S.S.’s final breath of fire was released the day after the shooting in Orlando’s nightclub Pulse, and its politics have somehow become gradually more essential even after being removed from that stupefying, horrifying moment. The album is a refreshing but necessarily painful rejection of standing by idly and accepting the atrocities we’ve too often become numb to. It might be the 2016 album with the most to say, and it’s just seven minutes long. – Joey Daniewicz
50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1
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