20 Best EDM and Electronic Albums of 2016

There is no single definitive ranking of the best electronic albums of 2016. This guide brings together 20 standout records from year-end selections by Pitchfork, Exclaim!, and NPR Music—publications that used different approaches and did not share one ranking system. Here, “best” means editorially selected, and “electronic” is broad enough to include house, techno, ambient, footwork, funk, and hybrids with pop, R&B, and hip-hop. That range makes the list useful whether you want club momentum, exploratory production, or more song-driven listening.

How to read these 2016 picks

Pitchfork ranked 20 electronic albums in its December 8, 2016 list; Exclaim! ranked 10 dance and electronic albums on December 7; NPR Music described its electronic selection as favorites rather than a definitive “best of.” Those are different editorial frames, not parts of one combined scoreboard. The examples below are drawn from albums specifically identified in those selections; they are not a reconstructed ranking of all 20 positions.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		SOLACE	$24.15	Buy on Amazon
2		True [LP]	$19.58	Buy on Amazon
3		Worlds[2 LP]	$33.55	Buy on Amazon

The range also matters: “EDM” is often used narrowly for festival-oriented dance music, but these lists use electronic music more expansively. Their selections include club records, atmospheric and experimental work, sample-based collage, and music that crosses into other popular styles. Pitchfork contributing editor Philip Sherburne observed that the year showed no major “tectonic shifts,” with artists instead extending established forms.

Crossovers, samples, and hybrid songwriting

The Avalanches — Wildflower

The Avalanches’ long-awaited return is a sample-rich collage with guest contributions spread across 21 tracks, according to Exclaim!’s review. It appears in both Pitchfork’s selection and Exclaim!’s ranking, where it placed third. Its layered, cut-and-paste approach makes it a natural choice for listeners drawn to dense production and unexpected transitions rather than a conventional sequence of club tracks.

#1 Best Overall

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SOLACE

• RÜFÜS DU SOL has spent the past year in Venice, CA, writing and recording their third album, which is largely influenced by the stark desert landscapes of California and their experiences on the road."It feels like a new RÜFÜS," the trio says. "We are inspired by our new home out here, by the people we've met and the music we've heard along the way. We've got a refreshed sense of ambition and cannot wait to share our creation with the world."

$24.15

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Kaytranada — 99.9%

Exclaim! placed 99.9% first on its 2016 dance and electronic list, describing a sound that bridges electronica, R&B, pop, and hip-hop. Its hybrid character makes it an accessible entry point for listeners who like electronic production but want rhythmic variation and a strong connection to song-based music.

The Range — Potential

Appearing in both Pitchfork’s and Exclaim!’s selections, Potential is notable for its use of voices producer James Hinton found online. The sampling approach gives the record a human, vocal presence while keeping the focus on electronic construction.

Rank #2

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True [LP]

• True is Avicii's debut studio album, in which he is said to have moved away from his well-known electronic sound

$19.58

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A Tribe Called Red — We Are the Halluci Nation

Exclaim! ranked this album second, and it also appears in Album of the Year’s 2016 electronic index. Electronic production and spoken-word passages support its cultural and political themes. Its Indigenous collaborators and context are central to the work, not incidental genre details; approach it as a specific artistic statement rather than a generic electronic crossover.

Exploratory records and shifting textures

Nicolas Jaar — Sirens

Sirens appears in both Pitchfork’s and Exclaim!’s selections. Exclaim! highlights its political subject matter and varied styles and timbres; Pitchfork points to house beats, atmospheric collage, and pop elements. It suits listeners who want an album to move between recognizable forms rather than settle into one consistent dancefloor mode.

Rank #3

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Worlds[2 LP]

• Genre: Electronic/Dance
• Label: Astralwerks
• Release Date: August 12, 2014
• Features collaborations with Amy Millan, Breanne Duren, and more
• Includes hit tracks like 'Divinity' and 'Sad Machine'

$33.55

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Tycho — Epoch

Exclaim! placed Epoch tenth. Its melodic instrumentals combine synths, guitar, and percussion, balancing ambient restraint with more energetic passages. It offers a comparatively clear, instrumental route into the year’s electronic releases.

Choose by the kind of listening you want

• For sample-heavy collage: start with The Avalanches’ Wildflower.
• For a bridge between electronic production and R&B, pop, or hip-hop: try Kaytranada’s 99.9%.
• For exploratory shifts in mood and style: choose Nicolas Jaar’s Sirens.
• For melodic instrumental listening: try Tycho’s Epoch.
• For an album foregrounding cultural and political themes through electronic production and spoken word: consider A Tribe Called Red’s We Are the Halluci Nation.

These are listening routes, not fixed genre boxes or a universal quality scale. For the publications’ full editorial selections, see Pitchfork’s 20 Best Electronic Albums of 2016, Exclaim!’s Top 10 Dance & Electronic Albums, and NPR Music’s Favorite Electronic Albums Of 2016. Album of the Year’s 2016 electronic album index is a useful release and genre cross-check, not an official industry ranking.

Quick Recap

SaleBestseller No. 1

SOLACE

$24.15

SaleBestseller No. 2

True [LP]

$19.58

SaleBestseller No. 3

Worlds[2 LP]

Genre: Electronic/Dance; Label: Astralwerks; Release Date: August 12, 2014; Features collaborations with Amy Millan, Breanne Duren, and more

$33.55

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.