Staff Picks: Steve’s Top 5 Albums of 2016

December 16th, 2016 by WLOY Staff

Review by: Stephen Vanyo’17

Disclaimer: These albums are albums listened to in 2016, these may not actually be albums released in 2016.

 * Disclaimer these rankings aren’t hard and true, please don’t get mad at me for not putting Beyonce on this, Beyonce has her time elsewhere *

5. D.R.A.M – Big Baby DRAM – [itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/big-baby-d.r.a.m./id1162244059?uo=4″ title=”Big_Baby_DRAM”]

Fresh off the success of “Cha Cha”, D.R.A.M  dropped his soul influenced, positivity laced new LP “Big Baby D.R.A.M”. With features coming from everyone from Lil Yachty to Erykah Badu, D.R.A.M shook up the hip-hop world with his energetic style of hip-hop. Described by D.R.A.M himself as “trappy-go lucky music”, D.R.A.M clearly differentiated himself from his counterparts this year. “[itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/broccoli-feat.-lil-yachty/id1162247737?i=1162248457&uo=4″ title=”Broccoli” text=”Broccoli”]” is a certified party anthem.

4. Cloud District – Summer Slam EP – [itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/summer-slam-ep/id1127373992?uo=4″ title=”Summer_Slam_-_EP”]

Cloud District is going to be the biggest band in the world. There. I said it. The Summer Slam EP by Walden, New York’s Cloud District is a 6-track opus to being young, in romantic relations over a long distance, and just growing up in the world in the 21st Century. Songs like the bouncy “[itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/natalie-dormer/id907317404?i=907317424&uo=4″ text=”Natalie Dormer”]” are made to be sung along with friends in damp basements across the country. Be on the look-out for the 7” release of the Summer Slam EP because it’s going to be worth a lot some day.  

3. Microwave – Much Love – [itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/much-love/id1141555017?uo=4″ title=”Much_Love”]

Atlanta has a rich musical history and Microwave only stands to add to the legacy of great music in the southern states. Songs like “[itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/lighterless/id1141555017?i=1141555175&uo=4″ title=”Lighterless” text=”Lighterless”]” depicts a terrible day in which you’d rather just spend the day in bed than try to step out into the world. With riffs for days, and solos that will melt faces, Microwave treats the listener with some down good southern hospitality.

2. Pinegrove – Cardinal – [itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/cardinal/id1067440541?uo=4″ title=”Cardinal”]

There’s beauty in simplicity with Pinegrove. Simple statements from songwriter Evan Stephens Hall such as “I should call my parents when i think of them, I should tell my friends when i love them” have a profound effect, and the correct use of “Solipsistic Moods” would make any English Professor smile. Toeing the line of various genres like country, folk, and hints of punk, Pinegrove has gone from basements of Montclair, NJ to the CBS Sunday Morning show and international tours. Cardinal is a record that will last longer than 2016 and in my mind is already a classic.

1. Chance the Rapper- Coloring Book – [itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/coloring-book/id1113239004?uo=4″ title=”Coloring_Book”]

“I don’t make music for free, I make Music for Freedom”. Throughout his mixtape Chance The Rapper bombards the music industry and it’s faults. Coloring Book effortlessly blends elements of gospel with “Blessings” and sticks to Chance’s roots with “[itunes link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/angels-feat.-saba/id1113239004?i=1113239896&uo=4″ title=”Angels” text=”Angels”]”. Chance the Rapper is becoming the flag-bearer for hip-hop and is certainly making waves across the industry. Im super stoked to hear his first true studio album which should be coming sometime in 2017.