AllMusic 2016 Year in Review
Favorite Pop Albums
Some of the biggest names in pop delivered excellent new albums in 2016, including Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Britney Spears and Rihanna, while fresh faces like Shura, Broods, and Niki and the Dove also made their marks.
On her third album, Ariana Grande consolidates her R&B and pop influences with restraint and flair.
The band's second album builds on "Pompeii"'s success with style, adding hints of R&B and rock to their anthemic pop.
Modern and mature but also playful, Glory is Britney Spears' best album in a decade.
A great leap from their downtempo debut, the New Zealand siblings' sophomore set vaults them into a glimmering pop future.
The chart-busting sophomore effort from the K-pop septet that dares to combine substance and style with a genre-blurring mix of influences.
![E-MO-TION [Side B]](https://fastly-s3.allmusic.com/release/mr0004610256/front/400/PaOMUlI9wvyL18IHMBpHsw4Q1ghY8VaPylnm7PwcKNY=.jpg)
Another parcel of perfectly crafted pop from the sessions for Jepsen's second album.
The debut from Joe Jonas' dance-rock-meets-disco band is a hooky and exuberant party album.
Adding a diverse array of world instruments to the already forward-thinking pop sound makes for the Swedish artist's most interesting record to date.
The band's third album is dipped in sunshine and full of sleekly warm modern pop.
Bright and joyous fifth LP from the Asian-American electronic rap crew, which enlists a global team of guests on its cross-cultural mission to uplift.
With the help of some well-chosen -- and similarly genre-hopping -- collaborators, the producer delivers a more mature and memorable second album.
Vibrant blast of deftly produced, emotionally stirring, and stylish pop from the young British singer.
Leaving the Dum Dum Girls behind, Dee Dee changed her name and moved to an '80s/'90s pop-influenced, synth-heavy sound.
Unexpected, unusual collaboration between the pop-country band and R&B producer Pharrell Williams.
Beat-heavy and soul-infused collection of intelligent avant pop gems from hook maestro trio.
A confident, assured R&B-infused dance-pop album imbued with heartbreak.
Everybody’s Heart Is Broken Now
Channeling joyous disco and luminous synth pop -- as well as Prince and Bowie -- the duo dances its troubles away in epic, politically charged fashion.
PSB and producer Stuart Price means the same crew that created 2013's Electric, but this is a looser, freer LP with some welcome experiments.
Perched halfway between heartbreak and ennui, Anti is melancholy, cohesive, and compelling.
Recorded at the same time as Hairless Toys, Murphy's fourth solo album is some of her most personal and eclectic music yet.
Santi White's third album offers some of her catchiest and most subversive music yet.
The singer/songwriter's debut mixes 2010s atmosphere and '80s vibrancy with results that are as ephemeral and powerful as a crush.
The twin sisters' eighth album is, like Heartthrob before it, wrenchingly honest modern pop music made with heart and no silly frills.
The Neon Trees frontman goes solo on a cathartic, funny, and danceable set of songs about his breakup with the Mormon Church.