The 2017 Albums Of The Year

2017 has been a particularly fine vintage for music. The less said about other things the better but there's nothing like political turbulence and societal upheaval for turning out incredible albums, just ask this wonderful lot.

The music world has lost some legends this year in Tom Petty, Chuck Berry, Chris Cornell, Chester Bennington and Malcolm Young whose work will always be remembered.

We also said farewell to The Maccabees, Wild Beasts and H.I.M. who decided to go their separate ways as bands. Thanks for the music chaps.

After squabbles, in-fighting and more shuffling than a Vegas casino I present the best albums of 2017:

50. Zeal And Arbor - Devil Is Fine

49. The Amazons - The Amazons

48. Blaenavon - That's Your Lot

47. Slowdive - Slowdive

46. Declan McKenna - What Do You Think About The Car?

45. Jay Som - Everybody Works

44. Ten Fe - Hit The Light

43. Jay Z - 4:44

42. Tyler, The Creator - Flower Boy

41. The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die - Always Foreign

40. InHeaven - InHeaven

39. Sundara Karma - Youth Is Only Ever Fun In Retrospect

38. QTY - QTY

37. Lana Del Rey - Lust For Life

36. The War On Drugs - A Deeper Understanding

35. The Killers - Wonderful, Wonderful

34. Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile To The Surface

33. Paramore - After Laughter

32. Taylor Swift - Reputation

31. The Shins - Heartworms

30. U2 - Songs Of Experience

29. Ryan Adams - Prisoner

28. Everything Everything - A Fever Dream

27. Liam Gallagher - As You Were

26. Gorillaz - Humanz

25. Mac DeMarco - This Old Dog

24. Lorde - Melodrama

23. The XX - I See You

22. The Horrors - V

21. Marika Hackman - I'm Not Your Man

20. St.Vincent - Masseduction

19. The Big Moon - Love In The 4th Dimension

18. Loyle Carner - Yesterday's Gone

17. alt-J - Relaxer

16. K.Flay - Everywhere Is Somewhere

15. Gang Of Youths - Go Farther In Lightness

14. Beck - Colors

13. Phoebe Bridgers - Stranger In The Alps

12. Cameron Avery - Ripe Dreams, Pipe Dreams

11. Bleachers - Gone Now

10. Queens Of The Stone Age - Villains

9. Slotface - Try Not To Freak Out

8. Alexandra Savior - Belladonna Of Sadness

7. The National - Sleep Well Beast

6. Wolf Alice - Visions Of A Life

5. Royal Blood - How Did We Get So Dark?

4. Mura Masa - Mura Masa

3. Father John Misty - Pure Comedy

2. Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

1. LCD Soundsystem - American Dream

It's been such an amazing twelve months for music that there's yet MORE that didn't make the 50. Nods here to: Arcade Fire, King Krule, Alex Lahey, Bully, Future Islands, Grizzly Bear, Big Thief, Haim, Her's, Vince Staples, Jen Cloher, Pvris, Rat Boy, Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit, The Cribs, Will Joseph Cook, Thundercat, Stormzy, Kasabian, Baxter Dury, SZA, Phoenix, Sorority Noise and also Run The Jewels who released their RTJ3 last year but seems to be included in a lot of critic's lists anyway.

A cursory nod, as well, to The 1975's surprise live album release: DH00278. A fantastic document of their prowess as a live band.

Head here for the playlist of the year: the tracks of 2017.

Head here for a glimpse of what to look forward to next year with a rundown of new artists for 2018.