2017 in the year of music, Pop didn’t struck gold like last year, instead Hip-Hop was the reign supreme. Hip-Hop dominated the album and song charts for majority of the year, including Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Post Malone, Migos and J.Cole as some of the Top 10 best-selling albums of the year! We’ll see if Pop can try and take down Hip-Hop next year or will Rock finally be able to resurrect from the dead and make a surprise appearance in 2018.
I compiled a list of my favorite albums of the year. Did my most listened albums reflect the charts? Find out below:
Lana Del Rey Lust for Life
Lana returns to her old formula of hipster whimsical fictional storytelling love songs that fuses hip-hop and indie rock. Lust for Life shows that Lana is still capable of compiling compelling, and beautiful music.
Standout Tracks: "Love" "Summer Bummer" "Coachella- Woodstock in My Mind"
Tundercat Drunk
Thundercat can make Hip-Hop and Jazz sound effortlessly cool in a world filled with Drake and the Migos. It’s probably the reason why Kendrick Lamar always recruits Thundercat to assist with his albums. Drunk even snags another effortlessly cool OG crooner, Michael McDonald. Who doesn’t love Michael McDonald and his incredible arrangements of harmonies.
Standout Tracks: "Bus in These Streets" "Show You the Way" "3AM" "The Turn Down"
Tyler, The Creator Flower Boy
Tyler is finally in his creative space where he’s no longer imitating his idols, The Neptunes. Flower Boy shows how mature a musician Tyler has become over the year and how comfortable his is with his lyrics and productions.
Standout Tracks: "See You Again" "Glitter" "Where This Flower Blooms"
Kendrick Lamar DAMN.
Kung Fu Kenny continues to deliver top notch albums that synchs beautifully together where each songs represents a bigger picture to the story. DAMN. is no different and I am hoping it can finally help him walk away with the Grammy’s biggest award for Album of the Year in February.
Standout Tracks: "DNA" "GOD" "LOYALTY" "LOVE" "FEAR"
Katy Perry Witness
This era for Katy was messy and many listeners gave up on her. However, Witness is her most cohesive album since Teenage Dream. Yes, the lyrics are terrible but when has Katy ever given us stellar lyrics? Never! It’s a typical case of when 'good albums have bad singles' that can be off putting to listeners.
Standout Tracks: "Roulette" "Power" "Miss You More" "Tsunami" "Pendulum"
SZA Ctrl
After years of releasing mixtapes and appearing on other artists’ tracks, SZA finally released her debut Ctrl and the album showed the world what an incredible unique artist on the brink of stardom she is. We are able to listen to an artist who is completely uninhibited with her life experiences and not afraid to share those intimate, sometimes embarrassing details.
Standout Tracks: "Supermodel" "Drew Barrymore" "Go Gina" "Broken Clocks" "Prom"
GoldLink At What Cost
GoldLink completely outdid himself with his sophomore album, At What Cost, from production to lyrically.
Standout Tracks: "Same Clothes As Yesterday" "Have You Seen That Girl?" "Meditation" "Crew" "Some Girl"
Foster the People Sacred Hearts Club
Continuing their juxtaposition of dancey/pop music melodies over haunting depressing lyrics with Sacred Heart Club. Merging more 60’s psychedelia Beach Boys harmonies with modern Hip-Hop 808’s beats that is both daring and bold, yet makes the album even more fun to listen to.
Standout Tracks: "Sit Next to Me" "Pay the Man" "Doing It for the Money" "Loyal Like Sid & Nancy" "Harden the Paint"
Miguel War & Leisure
I am really not sure why most listeners and publications have swoon more so over Frank Ocean’s blond and not Miguel’s. It’s political, it’s sensual, it’s crafty—it’s the R&B music we’re been asking for constantly on Twitter.
Standout Tracks: "Come Through and Chill" "Anointed" "Sky Walker" "Caramelo Duro" "Pineapple Skies"
NERD No_One Ever ReallyDies
Back in 2015, Pharrell repped the New Black committee (Black People no longer want to be defined by their pigmentations and blame other races for their discrimination). However in 2017, Pharrell is woke AF. No_One Ever Dies is a politically charged album with insane beats. If you’re looking for your typical NERD alternative rock album, you’re not going to find it with their new album.
Standout Tracks: "Don't Don't Do It!" "ESP" "Deep Down Body Thrust" " Lightning Fire Magic Prayer" Voila"
