There have been many highly anticipated and recognized albums released in 2016. Drake, Rihanna, Beyonce, and The Weeknd (and many others) all put out albums that received a lot of hype and attention. However, there are many artists who released excellent albums this year that did not gain as much attention. Here are five great albums from 2016 that you might not have heard yet:

Artist: Mac Miller

Album: The Divine Feminine

For fans of: Tyler, The Creator, Childish Gambino, Chance the Rapper

Listen to: Soulmate

Mac Miller started out years ago trying to make a name for himself through mixtapes, and gained a somewhat larger fan base from his 2011 debut EP, On and On and Beyond. In the years since, Miller has been trying to establish himself as a serious, top-tier rapper, moving out of the shadow of his mentor, Wiz Khalifa, and he has grown more comfortable and polished with every release. On September 16, 2016, Mac Miller came out with his sixth album, “The Divine Feminine.”

“The Divine Feminine,” is easily Mac’s most captivating album yet. Introducing the album is the beautifully composed song, “Congratulations,” featuring Bilal, which gives the perfect sneak peek to what the rest of his album consists of: smooth beats and a unique variety of sounds, which bring out Miller’s soulful individuality through every song. With features from artists like Kendrick Lamar, CeeLo Green, and Ty Dolla $ign, The Divine Feminine follows Mac’s signature throwback style, and consists of mainly slower jams all centered around the idea of love, and exploring the topic of the universe and what’s beyond it.

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Artist: The 1975

Album: I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it

For fans of: The Neighbourhood, Bad Suns, Kodaline

Listen to: This Must Be My Dream

The 1975 is one of the most creative and unique bands on the rise right now. Their ability to not fit into just one genre is what makes them so different from many other artists out there. Mixing various flavors of alternative rock, 80’s pop, punk, and acoustic pop, their music resonates with listeners of many tastes and generations.

The 1975 released their album, “I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it,” on February 26, 2016.The album touches on topics of love, fear, freedom, and depression. The 1975’s impactful and inspiring messages make the album truly great, and different from a lot of other music on the radio today. The album consists of 17 songs, 3 of which are soothing interludes, and the opener song, “The 1975,” which contains the more alternative feel of their first album, and also introduces the vintage vibes that appear on “I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it.” The 1975’s eclectic soundboard explores past and future realms of music, bringing out their individuality and creativity that makes them stand out in the music industry.

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Artist: Flume

Album: Skin

For fans of: ODESZA, Hippie Sabotage, Snakeships

Listen to: 3

Flume, known by family and friends as Edward Streten, is a record producer, musician and DJ, who became recognizable by his hit song, “Never Be Like You,” featuring Kai. “Skin” made its appearance on May 27, 2016, an album full of vivid beats and electronic tones, which make you want to get up and dance to every song.

With 16 songs, featuring artists such as Tove Lo, AlunaGeorge, Little Dragon and Beck, “Skin,” is a very lively and enjoyable album. With Electronic Dance Music on the rise as a genre, “Skin,” offers a more mellow approach to most EDM before it. Most of Flume’s songs don’t contain huge bass drops or crazy audio, but still offer a fun party vibe that is a little less intense and easier to listen to. Not only does “Skin” stay true to its EDM roots, it also has some hip-hop mixed in as well. “You Know,” featuring Allan Kingdom & Raekwon, throws a spin on the album with rap at the forefront and R&B undertones. The entire album is fun to listen to, and it’s as if you can see the music in every song.

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Artist: Banks

Album: The Altar

For fans of: Tove Lo, FKA Twigs, Marian Hill

Listen to: Haunt

Jillian Banks, better known as Banks, released her second album, “The Altar”, on September 30, 2016. “The Altar” takes an alternative pop and R&B twist on an emotional album that is mainly centered around the contrasting feelings of love and  hate. Banks’ mellow and raspy voice combined with her moody tone earns her the title of a dark pop artist, similar to artists like Tove Lo and FKA Twigs. Dark pop seems to be a whole new genre of music being mainly taken on by women with a message of empowerment.

Banks’ attitude really shows through her music on this album. Her sound is unmistakably her own and if you’ve liked any of her past music then you will enjoy “The Altar.” The album is 13 songs long, with an even mix of calming and upbeat music. Similar in sound to her debut album, “Goddess”, it seems like Banks has found her voice with “The Altar.” Banks wanted to portray her own self empowerment and strength through the music on this album, and to hopefully empower other women who listen to her songs.

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Artist: Glass Animals

Album: How to be a Human Being

For fans of: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Saint Motel, HOMESHAKE

Listen to: Poplar St

Glass Animals is a band that compiles the sounds of alternative, indie, synth pop and hip-hop to get to the smooth and infatuating music on their newest album, “How to be a Human Being.” The band recently took two years off from recording and touring to travel the world together. During their travels they collected the stories that would serve as lyrical inspiration for their album.

“How to be a Human Being,” was released on August 26, 2016, and consists of 11 songs that each tell the story of a different character, created based on the people and tales the band encountered during their travels. Every song is so uniquely different from the other, but they all follow the same messy form. Songs are jam packed with strange and peculiar sounds, all combined to create an unusual and somewhat mysterious effect. Probably the most peculiar song on the album is “Season 2 Episode 3”, which takes hip hop sounds and beats of the early 2000’s to get a song different from any other on the album. “How to be a Human Being,” is one of a kind and will take you on an alternative odyssey, and leave you wanting to listen to the album over and over again.

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What do you think of these albums? Can you recommend any other excellent releases from 2016? Let us know in the comments below.