Many may argue that 2016 has been a pretty rough year. And I must admit that it has been quite tumultuous. However, it has not been a rough year for the music lover. Over the course of the past twelve months, there have been some great albums that have dropped. This list was incredibly hard because I enjoyed various artists. I like Beyonce's Lemonade, the 1975's early 2016 release, David Bowie's departing album, and J Cole's recent release. However, I am basing this off of the albums I listened to the most and think delivered the most. So with that being said, here is my list of my favorites and the best (IMO).

5. Sylar - Help!

The new nu-metal outfit from Queens, NY, Sylar, put out a really great follow-up to their first album, To Whom it May Concern (2014), with their 2016 full-length Help! Prior to this album, I knew of the band Sylar and listened to their older EP's occasionally. However, they sounded pretty generic to me; a cookie cutter metalcore band with shoddy clean vocals and poor production. But after listening to their first single "Assume," I knew I was going to check out their latest effort. While nu-metal as a genre has made a comeback, I found that after a while, nothing seemed refreshing and new to me. Issues' newest album was disappointing and I had always chalked them up to be the poster boys for nu-metal. Enter Sylar. This album is filled with great instrumentation, awesome production, and much-improved vocals. Despite previous efforts, Jayden Panesso and Miguel Cardona's voices are so cohesive, yet distinctly differently. The blending of Jayden's screams and occasional rapping with Miguel's clean vocals is on point; Miguel definitely sounds like he is more confident in his singing, especially on the track "Soul Addiction." Overall, a great album for letting off steam and/or working out.

4. Bruno Mars - 24k Magic

I am absolutely in love with Bruno Mars' latest album 24k Magic. And despite your opinion on Bruno's songwriting and his musicality in general, there is no denying that he has crafted so many top 40 hits that are not even his own music. There is also no denying his vocal talent. His range is ridiculously good, especially his upper range and shows no signs of struggles with his falsetto. His voice is reminiscent of a young Michael Jackson (IMO). Even if you are not a fan of pop music as a whole, Bruno is a true hit maker. It seems evident that Bruno is 100% aware of the fact that throwbacks are guaranteed hits when he writes them. 24 Magic has funky 80's synths, fat bass grooves, and signature gang vocals throughout. This is a nostalgic take on 80's pop and early 90's RnB. Despite the many dance worthy tracks, it is once again Bruno's vocals that shine. Even on the incredibly catchy second track, "Chunky," with its hooky synth in the chorus, it is Bruno's vocals in the bridge and last chorus that stick out in my mind the most. He always uses vocal runs effectively and not in an over the top "look at me" type of way. A truly enjoyable album with no skip-worthy tracks.

3. Polyphia - Renaissance

I first became intrigued by Polyphia back in 2014 when I was really getting into progressive metal. I came across a playthrough of one of their earlier songs and was amazed at how talented they were, especially at such a young age. These guys looked like they were about 18 years old and they were shredding like true veterans. I immediately bought their EP and despite the lackluster mixing and production, it was still enjoyable nonetheless. However, their 2016 release of Renaissance was everything I had hoped for and more. Timothy Henson and Scott LePage bring the awesome technical guitar work per usual; these two guys have the ability to turn their guitars into vocal hooks with a pop sensibility in a really accessible way. I was expecting that, but I was pleasantly surprised with the bass in songs such as their single "Crush" where bassist Clay Gober uses a RnB touch to his playing and drummer, Clay Aeschliman grooves over the track solidly. Overall, this is just a really great album for guitar lovers alike but has the ability to suck new fans in with their catchy instrumental tunes. The metal influence takes a turn in this album where many tracks have the distortion to a minimum and I am happy that they are experimenting with their sound.

2. Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book

I have been a fan of Chance, aka Chancelor Jonathan Bennet, for quite some time now. I first heard his mixtape Acid Rap a few years ago and he has been on my top five list since. Besides his music, I am just a fan of Chance in general. He takes pride in his city and its inhabitants and doesn't let labels deter him from his passion for creating music, and puts on some of the most memorable shows I can think of. His writing is solid and I feel an authenticity about what he professes on tracks. And for me, that is what I look for most in a rapper; authenticity. Chance doesn't showboat, instead, he takes another approach: humbleness. "They never seen a rapper practice modesty." His 2016 mixtape, Coloring Book did not disappoint in the least. I have heard some reviews take shots at the poor production on certain tracks, such as the opener "All We Got" featuring Kanye. And this is, in fact, my least favorite track on the album. I felt like Kanye's collaboration was not necessary, except for the fact that Chance looks up to him as a fellow Chicago rapper. Besides this particular song, I feel like the collaborations with his fellow group member, Towkio, the Biebs, and most notably Jay Electronica are on par. Strong points of the album were the hit single, featuring Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz, "No Problem" where Chance gives a huge middle finger to the corruption of the music industry, as well as songs where Chance professes his faith in both "Blessings," and "How Great" featuring Jay Electronica, gospel superstar, Kirk Franklin, and his cousin Nicole. But, my favorite song is "Finish Line/Drown" where you get a nice helping of Chance's supporting band The Social Experiment. The tune is upbeat and fun with a great message of self-belief and perseverance. Even if you are not a devout Christian like Chance is, the positivity of the album is contagious.

1. Frank Ocean - Blonde

I don't really know what to say about this album simply because I am a huge fan of Frank Ocean and his songwriting capabilities. What always impressed me the most is his blending of genres to craft something unique and memorable. On this album, he delivers just that. He seems to have taken a step away from a more pop sensibility that he had shown on his critically acclaimed debut Channel Orange, but still composes lyricism that is felt deeply by listeners. Instead, the are songs on Blonde dripping with soul and new age psychedelia throughout where Frank even admits to how the use of drugs may be in fact be a deterrent to his well-being on the song "Be Yourself" where you can hear Frank's mom's worrisome voice, concerned that the drugs are taking away from who Frank truly is as a person. And what is great about this particular song is that that is all there is. It is purely a skit, but that is what I like about Frank's music. Despite what avenue he takes, you know that it is purely Frank and what is going on in his mind. Listening to this album, you feel like you are getting a glimpse into the deepest, darkest parts of his psyche and it's an intricate, sometimes bizarre journey. The opening track "Nikes" is incredibly catchy, even with the modulated, high pitched vocal track. But, my favorite track is "Godspeed" because of its stripped-down approach where its mostly just pads and Frank's voice. It is a superb follow-up and no matter what your taste is, you will appreciate the creativity Frank displays on it.