Ten of the best albums of the year, as selected by The Associated Press entertainment journalists.

Few would be shocked that Beyonc茅B次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淩enaissanceB次元官网网址� would makes our top albums list, but just because itB次元官网网址檚 low hanging fruit doesnB次元官网网址檛 negate how delicious it is. Dropping her first album in six years, Queen Bey once again proved why sheB次元官网网址檚 worth the wait. Led by the multi-format dance track B次元官网网址淏reak My SoulB次元官网网址� and the TikTok-crazed B次元官网网址淐uff ItB次元官网网址� which both reached No. 1 on various Billboard Charts including B次元官网网址淪oulB次元官网网址� reaching the top of the Hot 100, B次元官网网址淩enaissanceB次元官网网址� boasted plenty of fan favorites including B次元官网网址淐ozy,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淎lien Superstar,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淐hurch Girl,B次元官网网址� Plastic off the SofaB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淰irgoB次元官网网址檚 Groove.B次元官网网址� But beyond the two-stepping and body-rolling was the messaging within the music, championing Black women and reminding the LBGTQ community they have an ally in her. Whether meticulously planned or purely coincidental her highness released the album as the coronavirus pandemic moves behind us, if her goal was to get us out of our houses and out dancing again, then mission accomplished. B次元官网网址�

Making a low-key entry last January, B次元官网网址淒awn FMB次元官网网址� is a concept album that The Weeknd likened to listening to a radio station in purgatory, hence its mix of styles and effects from the B次元官网网址�70s, B次元官网网址�80s and B次元官网网址�90s mixed in with modern production. Much of it is downright weird: The fake British accent, a spoken-word interlude by Quincy Jones, the funny radio ads, narration by Jim Carrey and the singer digitally aged on the cover. It is also brilliant, a dance record with lyrics of hopelessness, with nods to Michael Jackson, New Wave, neo-soul, Prince and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. If this is what purgatory sounds like, heaven is overrated. B次元官网网址�

Spanish singer Rosal铆a turned three years of anguish and home sickness into mega successful third studio album B次元官网网址淢otomamiB次元官网网址� (B次元官网网址渂iker chickB次元官网网址�). It was perhaps impossible not to make lemonade out of lemons for such a bold artist whose ease in playing with genres and words are her greatest strengths. Described as an alternative reggaeton record, the hefty 16-track B次元官网网址淢otomamiB次元官网网址� delivers something for everyone and every mood. From B次元官网网址淐andyB次元官网网址檚B次元官网网址� stripped down reggaeton, to B次元官网网址淐hicken TeriyakiB次元官网网址滲次元官网网址檚 playfulness and B次元官网网址淒iabloB次元官网网址滲次元官网网址檚 experimental sound, B次元官网网址淗entaiB次元官网网址檚B次元官网网址� piano power ballad, or B次元官网网址淟a FamaB次元官网网址檚B次元官网网址� classic Latin beats, Rosal铆a shows her prowess as a singer. Her four Latin Grammys for the album were just the beginning. Next stop: the world. B次元官网网址� Cristina Jaleru

In the age of streaming, the musical floodgates are wide open as artists release multiple projects in a single year: EPs, double albums, deluxe albums and on and on. Country artist Zach Bryan upped the ante by dropping the 34-song album B次元官网网址淎merican HeartbreakB次元官网网址� as his major label debut in 2022. The Navy veteranB次元官网网址檚 stories span the vast landscape of his Oklahoma upbringing with coming-of-age ragers like B次元官网网址淗eavy Eyes,B次元官网网址� the wanderlust on B次元官网网址淗ighway BoysB次元官网网址� and odes to the towns heB次元官网网址檚 outgrown like B次元官网网址淥klahoma City.B次元官网网址� His stripped down production and confessional, narrative lyrics have earned him comparisons to Jason Isbell and Taylor Swift alike (HeB次元官网网址檚 a Swiftie). But heB次元官网网址檚 at his best when heB次元官网网址檚 describing the colors of those Western vistas in the standout track, B次元官网网址淪omething in the Orange,B次元官网网址� as he dwells in the loneliness of heartbreak. Bryan has proved heB次元官网网址檚 providing both quality and quantity. B次元官网网址�

LARRY JUNE, B次元官网网址淪PACESHIP ON THE BLADEB次元官网网址�

Drake. Kendrick Lamar. Nas. These hip-hop heavyweights released some of the best albums of the year. Some might even think Earl SweatshirtB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淪ickB次元官网网址� was just as top notch. But the musician who has stood above them was rapper Larry June through B次元官网网址淪paceships on the Blade.B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 the San Francisco-based rapperB次元官网网址檚 10th solo studio album and most impressive body of work since his 2018 debut. With his laid-back demeanor and infectious ad lib B次元官网网址淎ye, Aye, Aye,B次元官网网址� June thrives throughout on songs such as B次元官网网址淓xtra of UmB次元官网网址� featuring Babyface Ray, B次元官网网址淒onB次元官网网址檛 Check Me,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淎nother Day, Pt. 2B次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淏reakfast in Monaco.B次元官网网址� On well-produced tracks, he takes listeners on a journey of a successful hustler who makes driving luxury cars, living in high-rise condominiums and spending $50,000 during vacation seem like an easy feat. But he also shows a deeper side of his rap persona. On B次元官网网址淎ppreciate It All,B次元官网网址� he talks about grinding hard for his son, learning how to love from his mother and acquiring real estate in hopes of achieving generational wealth. Throughout B次元官网网址淪paceships,B次元官网网址� June is a force to be reckoned with. B次元官网网址�

Former pop idol Jackson Wang turned solo artist turned B次元官网网址淢agic ManB次元官网网址� on his sophomore album. With an incisive, cohesive sound that harks back to B次元官网网址�90s rock mixed with B次元官网网址�80s synths, WangB次元官网网址檚 record shows heB次元官网网址檚 ready for a leading role; the character he plays in B次元官网网址淢agic ManB次元官网网址� is a debonair, seductive stranger who likes the pleasures of life. The singer rises up to the challenge of delivering some sultry vocals off the back of classic guitar riffs in B次元官网网址淏low,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淐ruelB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淐hampagne Cool.B次元官网网址� But where it all takes off is the pop ditty B次元官网网址淒rive It Like You Stole It,B次元官网网址� which lights up the discoball section of the amygdala. Some magic stuff indeed. B次元官网网址� Cristina Jaleru

Sophie Allison and her band Soccer MommyB次元官网网址檚 third album is a wonderfully varied mix, from the industrial harshness of B次元官网网址淯nholy AfflictionB次元官网网址� to the eerie B次元官网网址淔ollowing EyesB次元官网网址� to the airy B次元官网网址淲ith U.B次元官网网址� The title B次元官网网址淪ometimes, Forever,B次元官网网址� suggests a push-and-pull of light and dark, happiness and sadness, both jumping from song to song but also within songs. One connection with another album on this list is its avant-garde producer Oneohtrix Point Never, who helped shape The WeekndB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淒awn FM.B次元官网网址� He gave Soccer Mommy a layered, dark-synth gloom. One highlight is B次元官网网址淪hotgun,B次元官网网址� a song of devotion, with the lyric B次元官网网址淐old beer and ice cream is all we keep/The only things we really need.B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� Mark Kennedy

BLXST, B次元官网网址淏EFORE YOU GOB次元官网网址�

Blxst is considered as the preeminent voice of Los Angeles R&B after the release of his mixtape album B次元官网网址淣o Love LostB次元官网网址� in 2020. But the singer-rapper expanded his reach with his impeccable album B次元官网网址淏efore You GoB次元官网网址� along with his recent Grammy nominations for his feature work on Kendrick LamarB次元官网网址檚 single B次元官网网址淒ie Hard.B次元官网网址� On B次元官网网址淏efore You Go,B次元官网网址� he delivers an assortment of catchy hooks and smooth melodies that earned praise from critics and fans alike. He cleverly works through the matters of handling relationships on B次元官网网址淎bout YouB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淪till Omw,B次元官网网址� a fan favorite. He talks about experiencing the ocean views and driving down the Pacific Coast Highway while escaping the fake element of his hometown in B次元官网网址淔ake Love in LA,B次元官网网址� featuring Arin Ray. He mentions him carrying the torch of delivering quality music after the loss of Nipsey Hussle, thinking big and being blessed with a strong support system on B次元官网网址淐ouldnB次元官网网址檛 Wait for ItB次元官网网址� with Rick Ross. In all, Blxst put together a full collection of infectious songs from start to finish. B次元官网网址�

Americana standout Charley Crockett sets the scene in his cinematic B次元官网网址淭he Man From Waco,B次元官网网址� an album that interlinks Western filmmaking, the mythmaking of cowboy culture and the R&B and soul of the Gulf states. The Texas-born singer is a prolific independent musician with a strong hustle formed in his early street musician years. The albumB次元官网网址檚 title track centers on a lonesome gunman who accidentally kills his lover in a jealous rage, with a beautiful horn section over the loping acoustic guitar. Crockett punches deep in the Stax-inspired B次元官网网址�70s groove on B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 Just a Clown,B次元官网网址� and a swinging piano and trumpet winds along in B次元官网网址淭rinity River.B次元官网网址� Crockett even takes a shot at completing an unfinished Bob Dylan track from outtakes of songs written for the B次元官网网址淧at Garrett and Billy the KidB次元官网网址� soundtrack, which Crockett transformed into B次元官网网址淭om Turkey.B次元官网网址� CrockettB次元官网网址檚 old soul isnB次元官网网址檛 just a nostalgic trick, as this post-modern troubadour is creating new ties to classic themes. B次元官网网址�

BAD BUNNY, B次元官网网址淯N VERANO SIN TIB次元官网网址�

Bad Bunny is a bonafide global superstar, and if you werenB次元官网网址檛 aware previously, B次元官网网址淯n Verano Sin TiB次元官网网址� snapped you into reality. Spending 13 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the Puerto Rican artist expertly blended reggaeton, pop and EDM, effortlessly transporting you to a beach on his home island for a temporary break from real world stressors. Party-ready songs such as B次元官网网址淭it铆 Me Pregunt贸B次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淢e Porto BonitoB次元官网网址� featuring Chencho Corleone have each racked up half a billion views on YouTube, and he headlined arguably the biggest tour of the year. Despite ascending to the realm of one of the worldB次元官网网址檚 biggest artists, he also used his music to criticize issues on the island such as gentrification and repeated power outages. Did it matter to me that B次元官网网址淯n Verano Sin TiB次元官网网址� is mainly in Spanish? Not at all. While dancing, his music motivates you be curious and learn more, and thatB次元官网网址檚 what great art does. B次元官网网址�