The good albums usually stand out from the first couple of spins, but to narrow them down to the very best ones, that’s a tough job to do. It was, again, a very productive year for the music industry, despite the great losses. Big names, big releases. I had to exclude albums that I love, in order to select the top 5 (plus 1) of 2016. This is a list that reflects my personal taste in music, so don’t get it twisted, for if it is mainly mainstream pop music, that’s me, as mainstream and pop as one gets. Five great albums, plus one EP, that I absolutely adored this past 12 months. Check them out after the jump!
Συνήθως, για να διακρίνεις ένα καλό album αρκεί μία απλή ακρόαση, αλλά το να επιλέξεις πέντε (plus 1) albums ως τα καλύτερα μίας χρονιάς, ε εδώ δυσκολεύει το πράγμα, τουλάχιστον για εμένα. Το 2016 ήταν πολύ παραγωγικό μουσικά, για μία ακόμη φορά, αν εξαιρέσουμε το θανατικό που έπεσε, με αποτέλεσμα να χάσουμε τους μισούς θρύλους της μουσικής που μας είχαν απομείνει. Μεγάλα ονόματα, μεγάλες κυκλοφορίες. Χρειάστηκε να αποκλείσω albums που πραγματικά έλιωσα μέσα στη χρονιά που πέρασε. Η λίστα αυτή, των πέντε (plus 1) - ΕP αυτή τη φορά - καλύτερων albums της χρονιάς, είναι μία καθαρά υποκειμενική επιλογή, οπότε μην σας ξαφνιάζει το περιεχόμενο, mainstream pop μουσική. Αυτός είμαι εγώ, mainstream και pop. Αν δεν σας βρίσκω απόλυτα σύμφωνους, τι να κάνουμε, ελπίζω του χρόνου να πέσω μέσα! Δείτε τις επιλογές μου παρακάτω και ας ελπίσουμε ότι το 2017 δεν θα είναι τόσο θανατερό!
5. I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It by The 1975
It wasn’t a love at first sight, I must admit. The first single, “Love Me”, was a little misleading and the final body of work left me scratching my head. But eventually, I gave into the pastel world of The 1975, their authenticity, their devastation camouflaged behind pop melodies and unconcealed self-obsessed lyrics.
4. Starboy by The Weeknd
Tesfaye did what he does best. 18 dazzling synth-pop songs about easy sex, a whole lot of drugs and some romance for a change. A humongous talented monster with the magic touch a.k.a. The Weeknd. Not to mention the lead single, a space tribute to David Bowie.
3. Joanne by Lady Gaga
After a misfire with the ambitious Art Pop and a successful career-reset with Tony Bennett, Gaga is back in her sweet spot with Joanne. She got rid of the big colorful wigs and the extravaganza outfits (sort of) and she put on her glamorous hat and cowboy boots to present her new persona to the world. Nashville swing, rock guitars and raw lyrics in the most consisted album she’s ever made.
Frankly, I never was a fan of Bey’s little sister, but after this tribute-to-black-culture / neo-soul opus, I became a groupie. A fierce black female in the United States combines anger and sensitivity to give us this powerful subsequent of The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill.
It is a Knowles world after all! Beyoncé went through an adultery that was followed by devastation, grief and, ultimately, forgiveness and created this, safely to say, pop masterpiece. She travels through sentiments and genres like no-one else can and she lures us into her emotional journey that leads to redemption. “The album, as a format, is dead”, many people have claimed, well, Queen Bey has raised it from the dead in the bigger and bolder way possible.
After penning hits for Rihanna, Bibi Bourelly released her first EP crafted entirely by angry, autobiographical pop songs and one soul-rock anthem in particular, “Sally”, which led her into becoming her own rowdy self.
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