The 101 Most Anticipated Albums Of 2016

The 101 Most Anticipated Albums Of 2016

Stereogum still has some 2015 reminiscence on deck, but 2016 is fast approaching — and with it, dozens of highly anticipated new releases. Below, as has become our tradition, you’ll find a list of the 101 albums we’re most excited to hear next year.

It’s amazing how many projects from last year’s list are back here again, yet to be released. Our writers and commenters alike have rhapsodized repeatedly about 2015’s bumper crop of LPs, and the wall-to-wall quality this year is extra impressive considering our Most Anticipated list for 2016 could have easily included a blockbuster top 10 entirely composed of rumored 2015 albums that never dropped. Indeed, a lot of those repeat inclusions are clogging up the top of the rankings, but they’re not the only titles up there. In addition to the many intriguing projects that have been officially announced, still others have been taking shape in the studio. Based on the ones we know about, and what we’ve heard from a bunch of them so far, here’s what’s got us on the edge of our desk chairs.

101 Death Grips – Bottomless Pit

100 The Afghan Whigs (Sub Pop)

99 Tove Lo

98 Gwen Stefani

97 Tortoise – The Catastrophist (Thrill Jockey, 1/22)

96 Sleigh Bells

95 MGMT

94 Jesu/Sun Kil Moon – Jesu/Sun Kil Moon (Caldo Verde/Rough Trade, 1/21)

93 Porches – Pool (Domino, 2/5)

92 Band Of Horses

91 Alvvays

90 The Horrors

89 The Shins

88 Weezer

87 Warpaint

86 Wild Nothing – Life Of Pause (Captured Tracks, 2/19)

85 The Smashing Pumpkins – Day For Night

84 The 1975 – I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It (Vagrant, 2/26)

83 Tim Hecker (4AD)

82 Crying (Run For Cover)

81 Florist – The Birds Outside Sang (Double Double Whammy, 1/29)

80 Pity Sex – White Hot Moon (Run For Cover, Spring)

79 Santigold – 99¢ (Atlantic, 2/26)

78 Diet Cig

77 Swearin’

76 Weaves (Buzz Records)

75 Ty Segall – Emotional Mugger (Drag City, 1/22)

74 CL

73 Modern Baseball – Holy Ghost (Run For Cover)

72 Cullen Omori – Cullen Omori (Sub Pop)

71 LVL UP

70 Shura

69 DIIV – Is The Is Are (Captured Tracks, 2/5)

68 Tinashe – Joyride

67 Metallica

66 Chairlift – Moth (Columbia, 1/22)

65 My Morning Jacket

64 The Last Shadow Puppets

63 TOPS (Arbutus)

62 Explosions In The Sky

61 Mothers – When You Walk A Long Distance You Are Tired (Grand Jury/Wichita, 2/26)

60 Perfect Pussy

59 Savages – Adore Life (Matador, 1/22)

58 Spiritualized

57 Ariana Grande – Moonlight (Republic)

56 The Jesus And Mary Chain

55 Hannah Diamond (Columbia/PC Music)

54 Steve Gunn

53 YG – Still Krazy

52 Rihanna – Anti (Def Jam)

51 Animal Collective – Painting With (Domino, 2/19)

50 School Of Seven Bells – SVIIB (Vagrant, 2/12)

49 M.I.A. – Matahdatah (Interscope)

48 Sturgill Simpson

47 Frightened Rabbit

46 Cobalt – Slow Forever (Profound Lore)

45 A$AP Ferg – Always Strive And Prosper

44 Strand Of Oaks (Dead Oceans)

43 Tool

42 Mitski (Dead Oceans)

41 Tegan And Sara

40 Mutual Benefit (Mom + Pop)

39 Sigur Rós

38 Crystal Castles

37 Alice Glass

36 Kvelertak

35 FKA Viet Cong

34 Wet – Don’t You (Columbia, 1/29)

33 Against Me!

32 Grandaddy

31 Blood Orange

30 Gorillaz

29 Car Seat Headrest – Teens Of Denial (Matador)

28 ANOHNI – Hopelessness (Secretly Canadian, Spring)

27 Brand New

26 Swans

25 Missy Elliott (Goldmind/Atlantic)

24 Beck

23 PJ Harvey (Spring)

22 Pusha T – King Push (G.O.O.D. Music)

21 Charli XCX (Asylum/Atlantic)

20 David Bowie – ? (Blackstar) (Columbia, 1/8)

19 James Blake – Radio Silence

18 White Lung

17 Chance The Rapper

16 Grizzly Bear

15 The Strokes

14 The xx

13 Lorde

12 Sky Ferreira – Masochism (Capitol)

11 M83 (Mute)

10 Chromatics – Dear Tommy (Italians Do It Better)

9 Radiohead

8 Vampire Weekend

7 Run The Jewels – RTJ3

6 Haim (Polydor/Columbia)

5 Drake – Views From The 6

4 The Wrens

3 Kanye West – SWISH (Def Jam)

2 Japandroids

1 Frank Ocean – Boys Don’t Cry (Def Jam)

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