Well, that's it for this year's top albums but along the way there was a whole heap of unbelievable music released. Tonnes more contenders and a bunch of records that I didn't even get to listen to that may have been able to make the cut had I gotten round to it. Not all can be mentioned, but here is a list of this year's most notable honourable mentions in no particular order.

• Bicep - Bicep
• Feist - Pleasure
• Bonobo - Migration 
• Declan McKenna - What Do You Think About The Car?
• BROCKHAMPTON - SATURATION I & III
• Can't Swim - Fail You Again
• Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes - Modern Ruin 
• Wolf Alice - Visions Of A Life 
• J HUS - Common Sense
• Jordan Rakei - Wallflower
• Marika Hackman - I'm Not Your Man
• Meg Mac - Low Blows 
• King Krule - The OOZ
• Sylvan Esso - What Now 
• Foo Fighters - Concrete And Gold 
• Ibeyi - Ash 
• Mount Kimbie - Love What Survives
• Sinead Harnett - Chapter One
• Miguel - War & Leisure
• Kweku Collins - grey 
• Jaden Smith - SYRE
• Haim - Something To Tell You
• Charlotte OC - Careless People
• Mr Jukes - God First 
• N.E.R.D - NO ONE EVER REALLY DIES
• Smino - blkswn
• The National - Sleep Well Beast
• Khalid - American Teen
• Toro y Moi - Boo Boo

Check out a favourite track from each of these albums (+ a couple extras) on a handy playlist here. 

Finally, after 30 days (thanks to anyone who stuck through this with me), we're here at the end of the year and the end of my list.

Taking this year's number one spot... Thundercat presents Drunk. Okay this album is big time. When I first saw how long the track list was I was little wary to be honest but I don't feel like the album ever dragged on, each piece just added to the whole concept seamlessly. The flow was so great in fact I couldn't really imagine it being played in any other order live - it's a whole performance piece in itself.

In terms of the music itself, it's all well and good having great production on an album (which Drunk has much of), but the live instrumentation on this album is what made it stand out so much for me on this year's list. Of course Thundercat's signature bass hugs the ears throughout, but things like the subtle trumpets here and there, the mindboggling chrod progressions, and of course the silky jazz drums are the much needed touches that set each track on a higher level than Thundercat's peers in the genre. Then of course there are the features.

Most know who Kendrick, Wiz and Pharrell are and what they can each add to a track, but I'd not heard anything from Michael McDonald or Kenny Loggins before, and their work on "Show You The Way" was more than enough to make me search for their names again in future. That song actually has one of the most memorable hooks/choruses on the whole record.

My favourite tracks at the moment are "Captain Stupido", "A Fan's Mail (Tron Song Suite II)", "Friend Zone", and "Them Changes". These are the kind of songs that I listen to and wish that I'd written first. It's so hard to produce really unique and fresh music these days with a new album dropping daily, and so with tracks like these coming out in 2017; whilst I'm jealous that I didn't think of it first, it gives me a strong hope for music moving forward. I think that I've definitely found myself a classic here with Thundercat's Drunk.

Have a look at what I had to say about last year's list topper here.

Well, I did say earlier this year quite confidently that this album wouldn't be outdone by many and here we are at the number two spot beaten by only one - Process by Sampha.

This is one of the only albums on my list this year that I have kept the same favourites on since the first listen. The tracks that stood out to me in February are still the same tracks that stand out to me now - "Plastic 100c", "Blood On Me", "(No One Knows Me) Like The Piano" and "Reverse Faults". Not only have my favourites stayed the same but they've played such a huge part in my year, some of the most memorable moments of my summer were spent either watching Sampha perform this a festivals, cycling around with this sound tracking my trip, or having it play softly in the background on a road trip. Some of the best albums I've heard stick in my mind with vivid memories and this album does just that.

On top of all that, Process was not only nominated for a Mercury Prize - amongst several other amazing albums that came out this year, some of which feature on this list - but it topped the entire list. Clearly rightfully so. Almost anybody that I've spoken to about this album has given it nothing but praise and awe. Sampha's been around for a while but with a debut this strong, I know he's only just getting warmed up. Also, I can't finish this post without noting that the most beautiful version of "Plastic 100c" has got to be this right here - please do yourself a favour and watch this.

Check out my thoughts on the album that was pipped at the post last year here.

Into the top three and into the last few days of 2017 - the homestretch. Bringing us into these next few days is the album that's moved around the most on this list - in fact just yesterday it was in a different position - DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar. After listening to this record backwards (we'll get into that later) and forwards again I have no doubts that this is at the very least the position it should sit in.

Kendrick has featured on every one of my top albums of the year lists since 2015 - and often multiple times, be it with his own solo album or as a feature artist on one of my favourite records. Everything that Kendrick touches just turns to gold and DAMN. is no different. This album managed to take a lot of the vibes and beats I loved about good kid, m.A.A.d city and the conscious verses and relevant topics in To Kill A Butterfly and put them together in this stellar album package. On top of this, one of the best things about it is that you can listen to it backwards (collector's edition) or forwards and it still sounds phenomenal. Some even say it sounds better backwards.

My go to tracks on this album are "DNA", "ELEMENT", "PRIDE", and "HUMBLE". These are some of favourite songs of the year to be honest. I can't even tell you how many times I listened to "HUMBLE" the day that it came out. That beat is something else and of course, this song has one of the best music videos of the year for it. This video and to be very honest, this album just reinforced what an innovator Kendrick is. Not necessarily one step ahead of the game but always thinking outside of the box.


Have a look at the album that brought us into my top three last year here.

It really pains me to admit this but I didn't know whether this album was going to make the list this year. Actually, before listening to it, I was probably leaning more towards it not making the cut. I'm particularly embarrassed because after all of my years hailing Paramore as one of my all time favourite bands, I (foolishly) doubted them. With that said, in the number four spot is rightfully awarded to Paramore with After Laughter.

I think overall it was just tough for me to let go of what Paramore was because it had meant so much to me and my musical journey finding them at the time that I did. But now - after the self-titled - my mind has caught up with their feelings and I'm finally on track with where they're at again. Now this album means just as much to me as their earlier albums, but for very different reasons.

My favourites at the moment have to be "Fake Happy", "Told You So", "Grudges", "Caught In The Middle" and "Rose-Coloured Boy", and even that was hard to narrow it down. The drums on "Told You So" are so clean, to be honest that isn't even specific to "Told You So". The musicianship on this record is their best to date. The production on this album is fantastic. The lyrics were the shining light for me though - speaking so directly and solemnly over music that tells a completely different story. I always love a bit of juxtaposition on an album but Paramore have done it perfectly here. I danced my way through most of the first listens but always found myself with a lump in my throat at the end. 

I don't think Paramore have made another album that was this representative of them and their feelings in a particular moment. Not only is it one of my favourites of 2017 but it's one of my favourite Paramore records, period.

Have a look at what just missed out on my top 3 last year here.

After listening to their lead single "Heaven" I was pretty much settled on this being top five - easy. To be honest I would have even thought top three given how excited I was. Well they managed to PVRIS managed to make it into my top five with All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell but ohnly just. Don't let that negate how good the album actually is, I just didn't expect there to be so much other amazing music out this year! But let's get into it...

Following on from 2013's pretty stellar White Noise, PVRIS are back with another brilliant album concept staying true to their nature. Practically made to be heard live, and with Lynn's unique vocals, as strong and as enchanting as ever.

My biggest criticism of this album is that they released too many of the songs as singles. By the time it dropped I'd already heard most of the tracks and to be honest a lot of the strongest ones. The visuals were amazing but I reckon if they wanted to get the most out of such a strong concept I would've liked to see them do an enire visual album all released at once instead. I just feel like that would've had more of an impact.

Regardless, my favourite tracks at the moment are "Anyone Else", "Walk Alone", "Same Soul", "Heaven", and "Half". I haven't even gone a week since the album was released without listening to at least one of these songs. "Anyone Else" probably has the least lyrics on any track in this whole record but resonates the most to me. I had that rolling over in my head for weeks and weeks after first listening and I'm sure I'll be listening to this and the rest of the record on repeat until album three drops.

Have a read of my thoughts on last year's very different number five pick here.

Queens of the Stone Age - makers of magic. My goodness. Seven albums later and almost twenty years on, they're still giving us a lesson in badassery. After their last album ...Like Clockwork (my number one album of 2013) I wasn't too sure whether they'd be making another record and to be honest, I was worried that if they did, it might be the album that made them fall from grace. Oh, how naive I was. QOTSA in at number 6 with Villains.

This was actually the first album this year that I listened to the minute that it was released. My initial feelings when listening ranged from pure giddiness to underlying nostalgia. Watching an interview of Josh talking through Villains one thing he said really stuck out to me. He said "I don't understand why the dance-ability has left rock and roll music" and he's right! Rock music in recent years has been slowly shimmy-ing away from "dance-y" music, lest it be compared to pop music. I think we forgot that you can still make music that hits hard without losing a beat that can make you do more than just nod your head. QOTSA have 100% hit the nail on the head with this album, and oh so effortlessly.

My favourites that have stuck since first listen have got to be "Fortress", "The Evil Has Landed" and "Feet Don't Fail Me". Josh's voice is ageless. One song that embarassingly crept up on me - and I say embarassingly, because it should've never had to creep - is "Domesticated Animals". What a gem! Possibly my current favourite to be honest.  The levels to this song are something else. The thumping beat almost makes you miss how melodic Josh's voice is here. A skulking rhythm with a positively chipper vocal - it's this combo that make QOTSA such a force to be reckoned with.

Check out what I had to say about 2016's number six choice here.

If you'd have asked me whether London Grammar's sophomore album would make it onto my top albums of the year list at the beginning of the year, I wouldn't have been so sure. However, the more I've listened to it, the more that any feelings of doubt evaporated. Here we are now at number 7 with London Grammar's Truth Is A Beautiful Thing.

I always talk about how tough it can be to make a sophomore album after having a strong debut, but London Grammar have completely knocked it out of the park. As a whole, the record's song-writing is very very solid, however I have to admit; it was Hannah's voice that stole the whole entire show on this one for me. Phenomenal. Something that I've been thinking about a lot recently is how a lot of "here-and-now" artists don't have voices that stand out or are distinctive. Voices that you can hear on a track and know immediately who it is (Disclaimer: this doesn't refer to artists whom have been around for ages and are still around today). Hannah Reid's voice is nothing of the sort. The Truth Is A Beautiful Thing shows a confident vocal performance throughout that is both striking and memorable.

My favourites at the moment "Everyone Else", "Oh Woman Oh Man", "Leave The War With Me" "Hell To The Liars" and "Control". I chose a couple extra tracks there because there's a lot to choose from on the Deluxe Edition - all great but these are the ones that I regularly find myself going back to. After finding out about them through their first EP Metal & Dust in 2013, I wasn't too sure what direction things would go for them moving forward. However, this album has left any of my feelings of doubt in the back burner. Great addition to a year of many, many fantastic albums.

Here's what I had to say about my number seven pick from 2016. 

Neck Deep have really honed in on their sound and their talent with this album. Their previous two albums have both been great and each has built on what the last had to offer; this album is no different. The Peace And The Panic is my favourite of the three and the kind of album that I've been waiting for them to make since I first discovered them.

Aside from the production being near perfect on this, the lyricism is engaging and meaningful and even the more commercial tracks hit hard. I haven't been able to say all of that about many pop punk albums these past couple of years - sure there have been some good'uns but it is so easy to get caught up in the instrumentals, the key changes and I guess the "mosh-ability" of a track, without actually checking to see whether it's actually great quality or if it's just catchy and generic. Pop punk is not an easy thing to make well and too many bands are forgetting this and spewing out cookie cutter riffs and lyrics because it's worked before. Anyway, I digress - Neck Deep have worked hard on this record and it's obvious.

A quick word on some of my favourites on the album. The riff on "Happy Judgement Day" is most definitely high up in my top five riffs of the year. So catchy. "In Bloom" might just be one of my favourite songs of this yer to be very honest. Well you guys already know how much I love Architects so seeing Sam featured on "Don't Wait" caught my attention straight away. The combination works so well on this! It's a little heavier than the rest of the album but still true to the band and Sam's voice just first like a glove. I'd pay very good money to see these two bands tour together. Finally the lyrics on "19 Seventy Sumthin'" really stuck with me after the first listen. I actually stopped what I was doing at the time to listen more closely - very well written song.

Check out last year's number eight album choice here.

Pushing forward with our top ten is Tyler, The Creator in at number 9 with Flower Boy. Absolutely loved having this album in my life over these past few months. A tune for most moods on here.

My favourites right now are "Who Dat Boy (feat. A$AP Rocky)", "Pothole (feat. Jaden Smith & Roy Ayers)", "Boredom (feat. Rex Orange County, Anna of the North & Corinne Bailey Rae)", and "911/Mr. Lonely (feat. Frank Ocean & Steve Lacy)". First things first, his flow on Who Dat Boy reminded me of Andre 3000 a little bit, which can never be a bad thing. Also, that line "find some time, find some time to do something" is possibly the catchiest line in music this year. When this played in the Insecure season 2 finale this year as well that just refreshed my loved for this track. Such a quality piece of music and the perfect collaboration. This is the track that actually put me on to Rex Orange County's material.

I know that the majority of this album is just Tyler's thoughts spilled out on tape but you could listen to the entire thing twice over and still not have a clear idea of how Tyler's mind was working whilst he wrote a few sections of this record - the phrase 'the magic's in the mystery' comes to mind here. Although it's the most vulnerable and open he's been over the past few years, I feel like there's still more to come following this up. This record alongside Cherry Bomb are actually the only two Tyler albums that I've listened through in full as of now, and between the two of those, artistically Tyler's clearly levelled up.

Check out what record I picked for the number 9 spot last year here.

We've made it to the top ten and ushering us in is At What Cost by Goldlink - giving listeners a little look into pockets of the music scene in DC.

This album actually really crept up on me this year. I listened to almost as soon as it dropped and liked it but didn't love it. Nothing stuck out at me much right away. I mean there were a couple of songs that I jammed to on repeat but as more albums started dropping this one just kind of fell off the list for me.

It wasn't until late summer this year when I listed to the whole album through again and it was like I was listening to it with fresh ears. Goldlink has always had fire beats, one thing you can never fault his music on is instrumentals but I think I've only just recently caught on to how his witty lyricism shone through on the record. Being his "major label debut record", I feel like he's come out of the blocks really strong, however there may still be things about his sound that will be improved on in his next few records. Don't get me wrong this is not a major criticism this more just acted as a reminder that although Goldlink's been around for quite a few years, it's only just the beginning for his music.

The tracks that have been getting the most plays these past few months are "Some Girl (feat. Steve Lacy)", "Pray Everyday (Survivor's Guilt)", "Roll Call (feat. Mya)", and "We Will Never Die (feat. Lil Dude)". There were so many highlights throughout to be honest, and the features on this album were pretty much spot on. Nobody that was featured sounded like they didn't belong there. It's album for you to listen to on a sunny day, walking around your neighbourhood with not much to do, or even an album to listen to on an evening commute walking in the dark. It has pockets of each of these moods with an overall satisfying feeling. It can only be onwards and upwards from here really.

Have a look at what I thought about last year's number ten pick here.

Alongside SZA's album, this has had a lot of talk around over the year surrounding its release. Evidently most of it was warranted as Kelela's Take Me Apart sits here at my number 11 spot just whispers away from a top 10 spot.

After catching her set at Sonar Festival last year I was sold. I'd heard a few singles beforehand but after seeing her perform my eyes were opened. If you get the chance to see her at a show in the new year - take it. You will not regret it one bit. Sonically and visually, Kelela is out of this world.It's not often that you'll go to a show a find yourself torn between closing your eyes to immerse yourself in the sound and keeping your eyes open to keep track of the visual performance. Kelela gives you both and even just by looking at her video for "LMK" you can understand what I mean.
 
Being her first studio album this definitely Kelela starting s she means to go on. Her earlier tracks still show off her talent well but this album brings everything full circle. The tracks that I've spun the most since it was released have to be "Frontline", "Onanon", "Turn To Dust", "LMK" and "Truth Or Dare". I think after listening to "Turn To Dust" for the first time I actually said that Kelela sounds a bit like this new generation's Mya. The tone is reminiscent but the two's concepts are relatively different. Just by listening to these few tracks I can see a whole repertoire full of quality material unfolding in front of Kelela and I look forward to getting to listen to it.

Tomorrow we get into this year's top ten, if you've stuck with it all month - kudos. If you're just jumping in now; keep your eyes peeled.