musicMagpie Blog

We're going back in time to reminisce some of the most anticipated albums of 2016… whether they were bops or flops is up to you!

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In this blog:

• Blackstar – David Bowie
• The Life of Pablo – Kayne West
• California – Blink 182
• Everything You've Come To Expect – The Last Shadow Puppets
• A Moon Sahped Pool – Radiohead
• This Is Acting – Sia
• Views – Drake

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Blackstar – David Bowie

Having sealed his status as a legend, David Bowie decided to go full-on gonzo and release an album of experimental jazz.

The 10-minute title track, with an accompanying video that will haunt your dreams forever, should help you decide whether this one is for you or not.

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The Life of Pablo – Kanye West

After three different title changes, you'd have been forgiven for thinking that Kanye had forgotten to release The Life of Pablo.

He apparently performed it as far back as 2014's Paris Fashion Week and rapped the entire thing to Seth Rogen in the back of a van.

Kanye himself described it as a 'sonic painting' that 'get better and better' every week, which should mean it's the greatest album ever made… but you can be the judge of that.

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California – Blink 182

Blink 182 fell apart in 2015 after co-founder Tom DeLonge left/was fired (depending on who you ask) to focus on other projects, including writing 15 novels – nothing like a bit of ambition, eh?

Luckily, Mark and Travis found a more than suitable replacement in Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba. With darker tones that suit grown-up Blink perfectly, the band went on to produce California.

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Everything You've Come To Expect – The Last Shadow Puppets

In the years since The Age of the Understatement was released, Alex Turner has transformed from lovable indie scamp to slick rock n' roller and Miles Kane has become a solo star in his own right.

It features a wide array of genres that include baroque pop, blue-eyed soul, and psychedelic pop and was definitely highly anticipated back in 2016!

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A Moon Shaped Pool – Radiohead

In May of 2016 we were graced with Radiohead's ninth studio album, A Moon Shaped Pool.  It features strings and choral vocals arranged by guitarist Jonny Greenwood and performed by the London Contemporary Orchestra.

The lyrics address climate change, groupthink and heartbreak, with some suggesting that this album was the result of Thom York's split from his then-wife.

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This is Acting – Sia

Sia had been churning out songs for other artists, including Rihanna and Beyonce, for years, but it wasn't until her album This Is Acting that Sia was truly catapulted into the spotlight.

This is Acting consists solely of songs Sia wrote with other artists in mind but ended up performing herself.

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Views – Drake

No-one would argue if the man who spawned a million memes in 2015 took a nice long break in 2016. After releasing two albums in 2015 that both topped the charts in the US, Drake continued to give us banger after banger with 2016 album Views.

The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and all 20 songs from the album charted on the Billboard Hot 100!

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