Now that we’re nearly halfway done with 2016, the time has come for your annual summer-listening list. Expect to find a tender comeback from the world’s foremost purveyors of 21st-century dread; a jubilant mixtape from a Chicago rapper looking to spread the Good Word; a sprawling epic from Manchester’s hottest export; a modest mash note from a Ramones fanatic; and a touching swan song from a singular icon. All those and more are below, arranged alphabetically by artist. These are the 50 Best Albums of 2016 So Far.

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196656″ title=”The 1975,
<em>i
like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of
it</em>”
index=”” image_id=”196658″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195153″ title=”Andy Stott, <em>Too Many Voices</em>” index=”” image_id=”195154″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195159″ title=”ANOHNI, <em>HOPELESSNESS</em>” index=”” image_id=”195162″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195163″ title=”Beyoncé, <em>Lemonade</em>” index=”” image_id=”195165″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195264″ title=”The Body, <em>No One Deserves Happiness</em>” index=”” image_id=”195265″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195267″ title=”Bombino, <em>Azel</em>” index=”” image_id=”195268″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195270″ title=”Brothers Osborne, <em>Pawn Shop</em>” index=”” image_id=”195275″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195289″ title=”Chairlift, <em>Moth</em>” index=”” image_id=”195290″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195329″ title=”Chance the Rapper, <em>Coloring Book</em>” index=”” image_id=”195332″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195337″ title=”The Coathangers, <em>Nosebleed Weekend</em>” index=”” image_id=”195338″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195665″ title=”Cobalt, <em>Slow Forever</em>” index=”” image_id=”195666″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195667″ title=”Colleen Green, <em>Colleen Green</em> EP” index=”” image_id=”195668″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195669″ title=”David Bowie, <em>★</em>” index=”” image_id=”195670″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195709″ title=”Death Grips, <em>Bottomless Pit</em>” index=”” image_id=”195710″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195712″ title=”DIIV, <em>Is the Is Are</em>” index=”” image_id=”195713″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195717″ title=”Eric Prydz, <em>Opus</em>” index=”” image_id=”195719″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195891″ title=”Esperanza Spalding, <em>Emily's D+Evolution</em>” index=”” image_id=”195892″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195893″ title=”The Field, <em>The Follower</em>” index=”” image_id=”195894″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”195902″ title=”Frankie Cosmos, <em>Next Thing</em>” index=”” image_id=”195903″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196009″ title=”Future, <em>EVOL</em>” index=”” image_id=”196012″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196104″ title=”Goon Sax, <em>Up to Anything</em>” index=”” image_id=”196106″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196120″ title=”Homeboy Sandman, <em>Kindness for Weakness</em>” index=”” image_id=”196122″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196174″ title=”The Hotelier, <em>Goodness</em>” index=”” image_id=”196175″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196177″ title=”Into It. Over It., <em>Standards</em>” index=”” image_id=”196178″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196458″ title=”Jessy Lanza, <em>Oh No</em>” index=”” image_id=”196459″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196460″ title=”Julianna Barwick, <em>Will</em>” index=”” image_id=”196462″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196463″ title=”Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, <em>EARS</em>” index=”” image_id=”196465″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196469″ title=”Kanye West, <em>The Life of Pablo</em>” index=”” image_id=”196472″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196475″ title=”Kendrick Lamar, <em>untitled unmastered.</em>” index=”” image_id=”196477″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196483″ title=”Kevin Gates, <em>Islah</em>” index=”” image_id=”196487″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196514″ title=”Lucy Dacus, <em>No Burden</em>” index=”” image_id=”196516″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196517″ title=”Marissa Nadler, <em>Strangers</em>” index=”” image_id=”196518″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196519″ title=”Michete, <em>Cool Tricks 2</em>” index=”” image_id=”196523″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196326″ title=”Moodymann, <em>DJ-Kicks</em>” index=”” image_id=”196327″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196530″ title=”Oranssi Pazuzu, <em>Värähtelijä</em>” index=”” image_id=”196532″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196584″ title=”Parquet Courts, <em>Human Performance</em>” index=”” image_id=”196588″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196590″ title=”Pinegrove, <em>Cardinal</em>” index=”” image_id=”196591″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196593″ title=”Radiohead, <em>A Moon Shaped Pool</em>” index=”” image_id=”196595″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196598″ title=”The Range, <em>Potential</em>” index=”” image_id=”196599″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196601″ title=”Rihanna, <em>ANTI</em>” index=”” image_id=”196602″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196611″ title=”Sheer Mag, <em>III</em>” index=”” image_id=”196613″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196614″ title=”Teen Suicide, <em>It's the Big Joyous Celebration, Let's Stir the Honeypot</em>” index=”” image_id=”196615″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196328″ title=”Tweet, <em>Charlene</em>” index=”” image_id=”196329″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196618″ title=”Ty Segall, <em>Emotional Mugger</em>” index=”” image_id=”196620″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196625″ title=”Underworld, <em>Barbara Barbara, we face a shining future</em>” index=”” image_id=”196627″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196330″ title=”Vic Spencer / Chris Crack, <em>Who the F**k Is Chris Spencer??</em>” index=”” image_id=”196331″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196631″ title=”Weezer, <em>The White Album</em>” index=”” image_id=”196632″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196634″ title=”White Lung, <em>Paradise</em>” index=”” image_id=”196636″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196638″ title=”Wussy, <em>Forever Sounds</em>” index=”” image_id=”196639″]

[featuredStoryItemBlock tile_id=”196644″ title=”Young Thug, <em>Slime Season 3</em>” index=”” image_id=”196645″]