5 Underrated Albums That Have Been Neglected So Far in 2016

In a year full of musical star power, where some of music’s biggest personalities have been taking up the spotlight with their releases, it seems as though there’s an insane amount of impressive music getting ignored and thrown under the rug. Here are some of the best releases from the first half of 2016 that deserve more recognition.

#5. Violent Femmes – We Can Do Anything

It would’ve been incredibly easy for the Milwaukee alt rock legacy act to disappoint with their first full-length release in 15 years, and, to many of the hipster elite, the Violent Femmes did exactly that. However, with the bare bones trio back in their old form, what more could people expect. The Femmes returned to the glory of their debut album with songs such as “Issues” and “Big Car.”

#4. Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression

Considering the fact that most punk icons and originators are long dead, it’s a total shock that total madman Iggy Pop has managed to not only survive this long, but completely reinvent himself as an artist. In his collaboration with Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age and Matt Helders of Arctic Monkeys, he produced a dark, depressing and dirgy album of songs such as “Gardenia” and “American Valhalla.”

 

#3. Anderson .Paak – Malibu

Before he made this year’s XXL Freshmen List, Anderson .Paak was making a name for himself within the alternative hip hop community with his incredibly soulful voice and genre-melding instrumental talent. He made it quite clear that he’s earning his fame and much more this year with his album Malibu, a project that gets bogged down with the label of hip hop. .Paak made it very clear that he has the talent to be successful in hip hop, soul, funk or any other conceivable genre he many choose with songs like “Come Down” and “Am I Wrong (feat. ScHoolboy Q).”

#2. Weezer – Weezer (The White Album)

After what seemed like a fifteen-year decline, the heavy alternative rock band made a step in the right direction after the slump with Everything Will Be Alright in the End. With the hopes and expectations fairly high for their cult fanbase, Weezer has returned back to form with their fourth self-titled album, and first concept album in twenty years. They’ve proven that not many can make guitar-shredding rock/pop hits like them, with songs such as “King of the World” and “Do You Wanna Get High?”

#1. Allan Kingdom – Northern Lights

Arguably one of the worst snubs from this year’s XXl Freshmen list, Minneapolis alternative rapper Allan Kingdom has been a rising star ever since he featured on Kanye West’s “All Day,” yet still has nowhere to go but up. His January mixtape Northern Lights was full of perfect winter anthems of angst and woe, with him somehow encapsulating region’s sound so eloquently. He displays his excellent talent in tracks like “Go Fish” and “The Ride.”