2016 was an awful year in many other ways, but it was a great year for music. I reviewed 65 albums and listened to countless more, which is probably a personal best for me. I have to admit that it became somewhat overwhelming and I probably won't be going quite as hard next year, but it was still a largely positive experience. The most rewarding part was discovering and supporting so many smaller bands and artists, many of whom are on their way to becoming long-term favorites. Because of them, I ended up with a treasure trove of exciting new music despite many higher-profile releases failing to move me.

I went back and forth all year on whether or not I would even be capable of numerically ranking my favorites. In the end, the idea of breaking what next year will be a decade-long personal tradition was too disappointing to bear. Whittling down this list was more difficult than any other year I remember. In the end, my only rules were to go with my gut, choose albums that resonated with me on an emotional level, and stop tinkering (for the most part) the moment it felt right. These thirty are, without a doubt, the albums that most clearly defined my year and will remain in frequent rotation long afterward.