Top 10 Metal Albums of 2016

Since we are only in the infancy of 2017, I thought I’d post a list of my top 10 favorite metal albums of 2016. While many of these also appeared on the Top 40 Albums of 2016 list and  the Top 10 Favorite Songs of 2016 podcast, I wanted to give metal its due in a year where we saw the boundaries of the genre continue to widen. For some of these posts I used excerpts from past write-ups (I hope you don’t mind!).

Top 40 Albums of 2016 (20-1)

I think we can all agree that 2016 was not a great year. From terrorist attacks to deaths of beloved celebrities to the tumultuous presidential election, it’s easy to compile a list of 2016’s lowlights. What has been lost in this sea of let-downs and despair is the amount of great music that was released this past year. Once again, I’ve compiled a list of some incredible albums that hail from a wide range of genres. Give the final 20 a read through and a listen. I’m sure you’ll find something you also enjoy, and maybe you’ll discover something that strayed beyond your listening peripheral in 2016.

The Top 20 Albums of 2016 (So Far)

2016 has been a comeback year for “the album” with artists like Beyonce, Chance the Rapper, Radiohead, Drake, and Kanye West dominating news cycles with the surprising arrivals of their new full-length albums. I see this as both a blessing and a curse. As a fan of the long-form listening experience, I love that albums as a whole are getting love in the age of Spotify playlists and Pandora radio. On the other hand, many of these albums do not deserve the hype that surrounds them (i.e: Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Book pales in comparison to his last effort, Acid Rap, and Drake’s VIEWS might be the most uninspiring, uninteresting albums of 2016). Lost amidst all of this album release hoopla is a lot of the great music not getting the attention it deserves. That’s where we here at BDWPS come. Below you will find 20 original, rousing, and memorable albums that you should have been listening to instead of wasting your time with the latest Rihanna album.

(All of the albums on this list were released before June 1^st. I set this cut-off date to ensure I’ve had ample time to listen and connect with albums before placing them on the list.)

BDWPS Podcast: Episode 46 (Cinco De Metal)

In this year’s episode of “Cinco De Metal” we check out some of the best metal releases in the past five months. You’ll hear new music from Baroness, Cobalt, Oranssi Pazuzu, Aluk Todolo, Black Tusk, and Deftones. We also take a look at the Lemmy Kilmister documentary, “Lemmy”.

Check out the episode HERE or better yet, go subscribe to the podcast at iTunes, Stitcher, or GooglePlay (search key word: BDWPS).

Track List:

Baroness “Chlorine & Wine”
Cobalt “Beast Whip”
Oranssi Pazuzu “Saturaatio”
Aluk Todolo “III”
Black Tusk “Gods On Vacation”
Deftones “Hearts – Wires”
Hawkwind “Down through the Night”
Bob Dylan “Girl From the North Country”