10 Greatest Albums Of 2016

10. Kanye West - The Life Of Pablo

It's strange to be looking back on the release period of The Life Of Pablo with nostalgia. Back then, fans and critics were dumbfounded by West's erratic release schedule, wondering when he would finally confirm the track list and put the record out into the world. Now, of course, he's just cancelled the album's entire tour and has been forcibly hospitalised for apparent paranoia and depression. Perspective changes things.

For all its flaws, The Life Of Pablo is an incredibly significant release. In an age of video game DLC and director's cuts, it's amazing no artist up until now has toyed with the idea of "album as platform" before Kanye. What that means is that even after release, Kanye continued to tinker with the track list, swapping out tracks with edited versions and adding new tracks in the weeks that followed. The idea that an album can actually be modified post-release is quite fascinating.

As for the music itself, it's a bit of a mixed bag, but the tracks that work are absolutely brilliant. Opener Ultralight Beam is one of Kanye's most infectious ever, Real Friends sheds a light on the man's inner struggles and who in their right mind doesn't think I Love Kanye is hilarious?

Even if, as the lyrics state, we miss the old Kanye...