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.

If you'd have told me at the beginning of the year that this album would be closing in on my top 10 albums of the year I wouldn't have believed you. I probably would've said something like "honourable mentions maybe", but after just one listen I knew that this would be a hard one to top. In at number 12 is Denai Moore with We Used To Bloom.

Not to be misconstrued, I've been a fan of Denai's work for a while now but until this album she was more of a "one to watch" for me. Well thank God I did keep watching because this sophomore record is glorious. This album manages to balance stripped back with powerful almost effortlessly. The addition of horns, strings and backing vocals from time to time lifts the album up where necessary and adds a fullness I can't explain. The album keeps its tone fairly consistent throughout and some may even criticise it for seeming "samey" but the album levels out seamlessly. It's almost necessary because had there been more experimentation, this may have resulted in some of the message being left behind.

Big time favourites of mine at the moment are "Leave It Up To You", "Bring You Shame", "Does It Get Easier?" and "All The Way (fet. Kwabs)". A lot of the tracks on this album feel cathartic -like both listening to it and creating it act as a release for emotions relating to anxiety, political fears, societal woes, depression or all the above. Every-so-often while listening I'll find myself picking up on a particular lyric that just says everything that I didn't even know I wanted to say before. "Does It Get Easier?" in particular was an elevating moment for me on this album - the kind of song that makes you want to just throw your up in the air in agreement.

The album finisher "All The Way (feat. Kwabs)" made it very clear to me why there was only one feature on the whole record - a match made in heaven - leaving the album on an emotionally satisfying note.

In at number 13 - possibly the best lyrical performance of all of the albums on this list - is the painfully beautiful Turn Out The Lights by Julien Baker. I wasn't quite prepared for how powerful this record is and I guess that's part of what took me so long to get round to listening to it.

An album centred of just vocals, guitar and piano wouldn't ordinarily be something that I'm drawn to, especially not for a whole record but after this, my opinion's done a full 180. The intricacies, the cracks and flaws in Julien's voice make this whole body of work that much more touching and real. There is nothing to hide behind here and for that reason Julien's intentions shine through all the more clearly.

My favourites at the minute are "Appointments",  "Shadowboxing", "Televangelist" and "Claws in Your Back". The first time I listened to the album, the last song "Claws in Your Back", hit me more than almost any piece of music I've heard this year. One of the most well crafted, gut wrenching,  songs I've ever heard and the closing of the piano lid at the end gave me all the closure I could've asked for.

It took me a little longer than I would've liked to have a listen to this but better late than never. Julien Baked based on music alone is the most intriguing artist I've had the pleasure of listening to in 2017. I loving forward to sticking with her journey in the months to come. I just hope she comes back on tour.

Stormzy, Stormzy, Stormzy! Y'all knew he was going to make the list right? Before I listened to the album I wouldn't have been so sure. Of course I'd heard the singles like "Shut Up", "Wicked Skengman 4", and "Know Me From" but just listening to those singles wouldn't have been enough for me. However, after just the first listen I was sold. If you hadn't already guessed, in at number 14 is Stormzy with Gang Signs And Prayer.

The versatility of this album is probably what shocked me most. For an artist whom many now seem to consider as the embodiment of UK Grime; it's crazy how overlooked his contribution to Gospel, Pop and even R&B are on this album. From beginning to end this album had me raising my eyebrows - from the intricate bars on "First Things First" to the vocals on "Blinded By Your Grace, Pt. 2 (feat. MNEK)". To this day "Cold" is possibly one of my favourite tracks of the year. Not even necessarily the best track on the album but a favourite of mine nonetheless. Alongside that, current favourites are "Blinded By Your Grace, Pt. 2", "Return Of The Rucksack", "Don't Cry For Me (feat. Raleigh Ritchie)". Each showing off diverse high points of Stormzy's repertoire, but each with room for live development. The same can be said for the entire album - very solid but I see a lot of room for growth in the follow up.

Stormzy's success this year has been colossal and widespread, and whilst a part of me wants to say it's a little too much hype, after seeing him live quite a bit these past few months and listening through his album several times since its release, I can't help but feel like the hype is warranted. Aside from being a quality character, he's a phenomenal performer and a humble newcomer. A recipe for success. I'm more than excited for what's to come.

Closer and closer to the top ten and we're separating the cream from the crop. In at number 15 we have the fantastic A Fever Dream from Everything Everything.

Yes! This is the album that I've been waiting for Everything Everything to make since Man Alive. Don't get me wrong, each of their albums since have had some super strong, stand-out moments. However, I felt like with the last few albums it was too easy for me to choose three or four songs to continue to enjoy and then for the most part disregard the rest of the album. With A Fever Dream there were definitely a few clear heavy hitters for me in the beginning but my favourites have had room to move and change over time.

My favourites at the moment are "Ivory Tower", "Desire", "Night Of The Long Knives", "Run The Numbers" and "White Whale". If you would have asked me this a couple of months ago, at least three of those tracks would be different. As instrumentalists, the band has been immense since their inception - their rhythm section being one of the tighest I've heard to date in today's mainstream - this record is just another testament to that. The beat on "Can't Do" completely knocked the wind out of me. I woke up singing that hook on more than one occasion.

The only qualm that I've ever had with Everything Everything's music, which has also over the years become an endearing quality to their music in some ways, is the fact that their lyrics seem to make little to no sense. Similar to the issue I had with Glass Animals. I couldn't possibly tell you the lyrical concept running through this album, all I know is that my ears liked the album very much and that Johnathan's voice is one of the most distinct that I've ever heard.


 

After their last record Blood & Chemistry I feel like I've been waiting for a follow up from them for an age. I actually even wrote about them in my 2015 Album Wishlist, but they say that you can't rush greatness. So finally, in 2017 we have been blessed with my 16th favourite album of the year - Melancholia Hymns by Arcane Roots. It was more than worth the wait.

I must admit it was a little bit of a slow build for me on this one. I definitely liked it on first listen, however most of the non singles took me a minute to get into. Especially the more anthemic songs like "Indigo", being the type of song that I don't regularly listen to. Although, after a while those very same songs ended up growing into my favourites on the entire album.

The biggest stand-outs for me on this record at the moment are "Solemn", "Curtains", "Everything (All At Once)" and "Indigo". "Curtains" came out as the lead single last year and I played it to death; I actually had to give it a breather before the album came out and hearing it again after a while, in the context of the album, only made it shine brighter for the gem of a song that it is. The transitions are wild, the sort of levels that made me fall in love with their music in the first place. 


Arcane Roots truly have their own sound and this record shows that even more clearly than the rest of their material. They've tapped into more sonic synth sounds and really honed in their take on anthemic songs, all the while staying true to their heavier math rock roots throughout. I really couldn't have asked for more on this, it almost makes me feel bad for rushing them because evidently good things come to those who wait.

This was a little bit of a late discovery for me this year, but better late than never because this is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've heard all year. Swimming in at number 17 in the list is Moses Sumney with Aromanticism.

The first thing that I heard about Moses actually wasn't really to do with his music. A friend of mine told me about him after bumping into him at an event and being caught up by his presence, understandably. After a bit of googling and youtubing I stumbled on this video of Moses performing at Sofar a couple of years ago, and I've been keeping track ever since. 

One of my biggest praise points and my smallest criticisms of this debut is the conscious choice to go it alone. Moses has a lot of big musical connections that he could have had feature on these tracks (e.g. Solange, Kelela, Kindness, Dev Hynes, etc...). I would have really loved to hear Lianne La Havas somewhere on this record; I could've even seen Thom Yorke lending his hand on a couple of tracks on here. One of my favourite things about music is how collaborative it can be. However, Moses forgoes all of this on the debut and in doing so, gives us the rawest version of his musical sound. One of the bravest things to do as an artist is to put out work that holds a piece of you, and Moses has done so big time, with nothing to hide behind and it's come out beautifully.

My favourites on the album so far are "Don't Bother Calling", "Quarrel", and "Lonely World". It wasn't until second or third listen that I realised that quite a lot of this album is instrumental. As cheesy as it'll sound, the music speaks so loud, the whole album could've been instrumental and it still would have made me feel how I do listening to it now. All I want for 2018 is to see this performed live.

One of my most played artists of the year according to Spotify, and also album to one of my favourite opening songs of the year - in at number 18 is How To Be A Human Being by Glass Animals. 

Still have no idea where all of the crazy hype for this album came from, it was mindboggling! However, not completely unjustified clearly as we're in at number 19 with SZA and her solo debut Ctrl.

I first heard about SZA a few years through soundcloud, when she put out her EP - Z - and I liked it so much I even wrote about it here. Since then her name's always stayed in the back of my mind but I wasn't really anticipating anything as the years went on. When she dropped her single "Drew Barrymore" (still one of my favourites from the record) last year that brought her right back to the forefront of my mind and all of a sudden I was excited again. Just as suddenly, almost overnight, she was one of the most well known, and anticipated artists of the year. SZA fans came out of the wood-work and they sure made a lot of noise.

My favourites on the album right now are "Drew Barrymore", "Doves In The Wind (feat. Kendrick Lamar)", "The Weekend" and "Go Gina". Each of the tracks on this album has helped shape a lot of the more recent pop music that we've listened to and been exposed to this year. It's not often that a debut album puts so much influence on any one genre in such a short time, but SZA did exactly that. One of the main things that was clear from track one, and something I particularly love about this record is SZA's candour. She holds little back from her romantic tales and the emotions that accompany them, and this probably plays a large part in how this album caught the attention of so many ears and hearts this year.

There is definitely room for expansion on a lot of the songs with this one, despite the fantastic production, some tracks lack a je ne sais quoi. However, this is a minor criticism given just how much potential is shown in these few tracks. It can only be onwards and upwards from here for SZA.

There have been quite a few opinions and criticisms surrounding this next choice actually, but after going back and forth with where I sit, based on music alone, this record is more than deserving of its place on the list. So without further ado, bringing us into our top 20 is Jay Z with 4:44.

A lot of people had a problem with Jay's album receiving critical acclaim because it served as a "response or apology" to Lemonade, and given how much I enjoyed Lemonade last year this criticism was something that I kept in mind at first. However, regardless of this specific aspect of the album, there were plenty of other things that this album spoke towards, and I don't think that the apology was the overarching theme here. Also, just as it would be ridiculous to compare a Solange record to a Beyoncé one; it's equally as nonsensical to do so with Jay and Bey. As such, it was pretty easy to hear this record for what it was after blocking out all the other noise.

Biggest tunes on this for me right now are "Kill Jay Z", "The Story Of O.J.", "4:44" and "Family Feud". After seeing Jay at V Festival earlier this year it served as a reminder not only for how many absolute BANGERS he has, but also as a reminder of just how much genius goes into making a Jay Z masterpiece. As much as he's famed for freestyling a lot of his work, some of the most memorable things about this record seem well thought out - his collaborations, his words on leaving a legacy for his children, the list goes on.

Now, this is a good album with nothing but solid songs on it, but for a Jay Z record, it's not in the same ranks as his earlier material in my opinion. I don't feel like this has grown that much since Magna Carta, there are definitely a few aspects of it that are a cut above (e.g. the samples, the influences, the witty lyrics), however in terms of innovation, I wasn't as blown away as I wanted to be. Despite these feelings, I don't foresee there ever being a time where I don't look forward to listening to a new Jay Z album.