Artribune's 2016 Music Top Ten: Bowie, Anohni, A Tribe Called Quest, and More
In 2016, Artribune's music critics identified the year's standout albums and performances, with David Bowie's last release, 'Blackstar,' taking the top spot. Anohni's 'Hopelessness' received acclaim for its impactful political themes and powerful vocals. After an 18-year hiatus, A Tribe Called Quest made a comeback with 'We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service.' Frank Ocean's 'Blonde' serves as a bridge between hip-hop and the LGBT community. The Silver Swans debuted 'Illusions' via Coypu Records, while Autechre's 'elseq 1-5' was recognized for its forward-thinking approach. Classical music highlights featured seven opera productions and three albums, including Yury Revich's 'Four Seasons.' Noteworthy concerts included Autechre at Club To Club and Kraftwerk at Arena di Verona.
Key facts
- David Bowie's 'Blackstar' is number one, released posthumously in 2016.
- Anohni's 'Hopelessness' features political and social themes with electronic music.
- A Tribe Called Quest's 'We Got It From Here…' is their first album in 18 years.
- Frank Ocean's 'Blonde' is compared to Beyoncé's 'Lemonade' and bridges hip-hop and LGBT communities.
- Silver Swans' EP 'Illusions' was released on Italian label Coypu Records.
- Autechre's 'elseq 1-5' was a surprise digital-only release.
- Classical highlights include seven operas and three albums.
- Philip Glass performed his 20 Etudes for the first time in Italy at Teatro Regio di Parma.
- Kraftwerk performed a 3D multimedia concert at Arena di Verona with LED screens and 3D glasses.
- Autechre played a pop-up concert at Club To Club in Turin at 5 AM.
Entities
Artists
- David Bowie
- Anohni
- Antony Hegarty
- A Tribe Called Quest
- Frank Ocean
- Beyoncé
- Silver Swans
- Ann Yu
- Jonathan Waters
- Lana Del Rey
- The National
- Autechre
- Richard Wagner
- Giacomo Puccini
- Terry Gilliam
- Gioacchino Rossini
- Leóš Janáček
- Yury Revich
- Antonio Vivaldi
- Astor Piazzolla
- Nicola Montella
- Alberto Ginastera
- Philip Glass
- Maki Namekawa
- Roberto Esposito
- Kraftwerk
- Ralf Hütter
- Claudia Giraud
- Paolo Marella
- Paolo Tarsi
- Vincenzo Santarcangelo
- Giuseppe Pennisi
Institutions
- Artribune
- ISO Records
- RCA Records
- Columbia Records
- Sony Music
- Secretly Canadian
- Epic Records
- Boys Don't Cry
- Coypu Records
- Warp Records
- Teatro Massimo di Palermo
- Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
- Teatro San Carlo di Napoli
- Rossini Opera Festival
- Teatro alla Scala
- Club To Club
- Teatro Regio di Parma
- Barezzi Festival
- Arena di Verona
- Tate Modern
Locations
- San Francisco
- United States
- Turin
- Italy
- Parma
- Verona
- Palermo
- Rome
- Naples
- Pesaro
- Milan
- Busseto
- Düsseldorf
- Germany