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The Best Albums of 2017 (So Far)

Posted by Craig Manning
Best of 2017

The first six months of 2017 have probably brought more than enough albums to fill a year-end list. Alas, it’s only mid-year, which leaves us with the task of distilling everything we’ve heard so far into quick, concise top 10 lists. Rather than try to define the overarching themes of the year, we’d rather just let the albums we love speak for themselves. Below, you will find both our combined staff top 10, as well as individual lists from our contributors and moderators. Here’s hoping you find something new to love.

Note: You can share your own list in our music forum.

The Top Albums of 2017 (So Far)

  1. The Menzingers – After the Party
  2. Paramore – After Laughter
  3. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
  4. Bleachers – Gone Now
  5. Lorde – Melodrama
  6. Sorority Noise – You’re Not As _____ As You Think
  7. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – The Nashville Sound
  8. Chris Stapleton – From A Room: Volume 1
  9. Tigers Jaw – spin
  10. (TIE) Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness – Zombies on Broadway
  11. (TIE) The Maine – Lovely Little Lonely

Contributors

Jason Tate

  1. The Menzingers – After the Party
  2. Bleachers – Gone Now
  3. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
  4. Paramore – After Laughter
  5. MUNA – About U
  6. Aaron Sprinkle – Real Life
  7. Allie X – Collxtion II
  8. Acceptance – Colliding By Design
  9. The Maine – Lovely Little Lonely
  10. Betty Who – The Valley

There’s a lengthier discussion of these picks on a recent episode of Encore.

Craig Manning

  1. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – The Nashville Sound
  2. Steve Moakler – Steel Town
  3. Natalie Hemby – Puxico
  4. Colter Wall – Colter Wall
  5. Chris Stapleton – From A Room: Volume 1
  6. The Menzingers – After the Party
  7. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness – Zombies on Broadway
  8. Ryan Adams – Prisoner
  9. John Moreland – Big Bad Luv
  10. Sam Outlaw – Tenderheart

Drew Beringer

  1. Sorority Noise – You’re Not As _____ As You Think
  2. Code Orange – Forever
  3. Tigers Jaw – spin
  4. Fleet Foxes – Crack-Up
  5. King Woman – Created In The Image of Suffering
  6. Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
  7. Paramore – After Laughter
  8. Lorde – Melodrama
  9. Hundredth – RARE
  10. Father John Misty – Pure Comedy

Zac Djamoos

  1. Souvenirs – Posture of Apology
  2. Sorority Noise – You’re Not As _____ As You Think
  3. Emperor X – Oversleepers International
  4. Bleachers – Gone Now
  5. Cigarettes After Sex – Cigarettes After Sex
  6. Tigers Jaw – spin
  7. The Menzingers – After the Party
  8. Nana Grizol – Ursa Minor
  9. Adult Mom – Soft Spots
  10. Lorde – Melodrama

Craig Ismaili

  1. Paramore – After Laughter
  2. MUNA – About U
  3. The Menzingers – After The Party
  4. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
  5. MisterWives – Connect the Dots
  6. Emperor X – Oversleepers International
  7. Bleachers – Gone Now
  8. Dua Lipa – Dua Lipa
  9. Vausdeva – No Clearance
  10. Lorde – Melodrama

Ryan Gardner

  1. The Menzingers – After The Party
  2. Bleachers – Gone Now
  3. Sorority Noise – You’re Not As _____ As You Think
  4. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
  5. Paramore – After Laughter
  6. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – The Nashville Sound
  7. Natalie Hemby – Puxico
  8. Chris Stapleton – From A Room: Volume 1
  9. Code Orange – Forever
  10. Power Trip – Nightmare Logic

Kyle Huntington

  1. Hippo Campus – landmark.
  2. Marika Hackman – I’m Not Your Man
  3. IDLES – Brutalism
  4. Bonobo – Migration
  5. Mac DeMarco – This Old Dog
  6. The Big Moon – Love In The 4th Dimension
  7. Tall Ships – Impressions
  8. Pumarosa – The Witch
  9. Orchestra Baobab – Tribute To Ndiouga Dieng
  10. THEY. – Nu Religion: HYENA

Anna Acosta

  1. The Maine – Lovely Little Lonely
  2. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
  3. Harry Styles – Harry Styles
  4. Paramore – After Laughter
  5. Lorde – Melodrama
  6. MUNA – About U
  7. Tigers Jaw – spin
  8. All Time Low – Last Young Renegade
  9. Sorority Noise – You’re Not As _____ As You Think
  10. Halsey – Hopeless Fountain Kingdom

Aaron Mook

  1. Beach Fossils – Somersault
  2. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
  3. Mac DeMarco – This Old Dog
  4. Father John Misty – Pure Comedy
  5. Slowdive – Slowdive
  6. Mount Eerie – A Crow Looked At Me
  7. (SANDY) Alex G – Rocket
  8. Homeshake – FRESH AIR
  9. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Flying Microtonal Banana
  10. Sampha – Process

Jonathan Bautts

  1. Kendrick Lamar -DAMN.
  2. Cold War Kids – LA DIVINE
  3. Spoon – Hot Thoughts
  4. Vince Staples – Big Fish Theory
  5. Acceptance – Colliding by Design
  6. Ryan Adams – Prisoner
  7. Drake – More Life
  8. John Mayer – The Search for Everything
  9. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness – Zombies on Broadway
  10. Imagine Dragons – Evolve

Aj Lagambina

  1. The Menzingers – After the Party
  2. Paramore – After Laughter
  3. Born Without Bones – Young at the Bend
  4. Tigers Jaw – spin
  5. Lorde – Melodrama
  6. Sinai Vessel – Broken Vessel
  7. TOPS – Sugar at the Gate
  8. Bleachers – Gone Now
  9. Camp Cope / Cayetana – Split
  10. Rocket – (Sandy) Alex G

Becky Kovach

  1. Sorority Noise – You’re Not As _____ As You Think
  2. Have Mercy – Make The Best Of It
  3. The Menzingers – After The Party
  4. Dryjacket – For Posterity
  5. A Lot Like Birds – DIVISI
  6. Creeper – Eternity, In Your Arms
  7. The Maine – Lovely, Little, Lonely
  8. Pet Symmetry – Vision
  9. The Early November – 15 Years
  10. Born Without Bones – Young At The Bend

Deanna Chapman

  1. The Menzingers – After The Party
  2. Paramore – After Laughter
  3. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – The Nashville Sound
  4. John Mayer – The Search For Everything
  5. Culprit – Sonder
  6. Bleachers – Gone Now
  7. Chris Stapleton – From A Room: Volume 1
  8. The Maine – Lovely Little Lonely
  9. Lorde – Melodrama
  10. Dave Hause – Bury Me in Philly

Garrett Lemons

  1. Chris Stapleton – From A Room: Volume 1
  2. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
  3. Sufjan Stevens, et al – Planetarium
  4. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – The Nashville Sound
  5. Bleachers – Gone Now
  6. Future – HNDRXX
  7. Ed Sheeran – Divide
  8. Future – Future
  9. Lorde – Melodrama
  10. Paramore – After Laughter

Chrisanne Grise

  1. Dreamcar – Dreamcar
  2. The Menzingers – After the Party
  3. Paramore – After Laughter
  4. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness – Zombies on Broadway
  5. Incubus – 8
  6. AFI – AFI (The Blood Album)
  7. Acceptance – Colliding By Design
  8. Portugal. The Man – Woodstock
  9. Bleachers – Gone Now
  10. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – The Nashville Sound

Scott Surette

  1. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
  2. The Menzingers – After the Party
  3. Lorde – Melodrama
  4. Paramore – After Laughter
  5. The Smith Street Band – More Scared of You Than You Are of Me
  6. Slowdive – Slowdive
  7. At the Drive-In – in•ter a•li•a
  8. Rise Against – Wolves
  9. Gorillaz – Humanz
  10. Migos – Culture

Eric Wilson

  1. Bleachers – Gone Now
  2. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness – Zombies on Broadway
  3. Imagine Dragons – Evolve
  4. Dia Frampton – Bruises
  5. Paramore – After Laughter
  6. Lorde – Melodrama
  7. All Time Low – Last Young Renegade
  8. Misterwives – Connect the Dots
  9. Harry Styles – Harry Styles
  10. John Mayer – The Search for Everything