The Billboard 200 ranks the best 200 albums each year based off the sales and overall quality of music on each track. Currently in 2015, the collaborative album by rappers Drake and Future, “What A Time To Be Alive,” has stolen the top spot on the chart.  Lana Del Rey’s “Honeymoon” is a close second, followed by The Weeknd’s “Beauty Behind The Madness.”

To add diversity to this article, I have made the executive decision to include two of my favorite albums that are also on the chart, however they are not in the fourth and fifth ranking positions.  Instead I will be reviewing “Badlands” by Halsey, which occupies the sixteenth spot, and “Blurryface” by Twenty One Pilots which is twenty four on the chart.  For the sake of the review, “Badlands” will be considered as number four, and “Blurryface” as five. So without further ado, the top five albums of 2015. Enjoy!

1. “What A Time To Be Alive” By: Drake and Future

With all the hype that surrounded the release of this album, it has definitely fulfilled its top position at number one. The collaborative album is the product of rap’s two kings, Drake and Future. The album starts off with the track “Digital Dash,” which in my opinion, was not the most solid song to begin with. It has an odd techno-sound in the background, and extremely degrading lyrics that immediately repulsed me. Instead, I would have placed the song “Big Rings” as the album’s opener. “Big Rings” has a head bobbing beat, repetitive rap chorus, and introduces the stylish persona of the entire album.  With the lyrics, “Man what a time to be alive,” and “it’s a new season and we still breathin’,” this song would have been a better choice for the initial track. The eleven-song album distributes equal amounts of solos to both artists. Drake’s solo track, “30 For 30 Freestyle,” is my favorite song off the whole album. The song is immersed in emotion; Drake expounds upon life’s struggles and never strays from the truth. I credit “30 For 30 Freestyle” as the one major song on the album that has the most artistic appeal– both stylistically and lyrically. The album has diverse mixes and beats, intense raps, and establishes its own character. I’ll admit, rap albums are not my thing, and I was hesitant about listening to the album in the first place. However, once I got past the first song, it did not prove to be as terrible as I had expected.

2. “Honeymoon” By: Lana Del Rey

The Alternative album by Lana Del Rey brings to life the coveted old Hollywood glamour by combining emotionally raw ballads, artistically crafted lyrics, and soft attractive rhythms. The first single off of the album, “High By The Beach,” is hypnotic with its relaxing vibrations and theatrical dramatics. The album’s namesake track, “Honeymoon,” sounds as if one is entering into a fairytale. It is full of mellow tones, and is perfect to listen to when in need of unwinding from the day’s stress. The vocals are extravagantly impressive, and elegantly soothing throughout the entire song.  Perhaps you’re not in the mood for a delicate dreamy song, but rather one that understands just how terrible those rainy, dark days are. “The Blackest Day” makes any pity-party all the more theatrical, which I admit does make the gloom more bearable. However, maybe you would rather listen to something that is a little more high spirited, for this I recommend “Freak.” It has mesmerizing lyrics that make one want to move to California, and “slow dance to rock music.”  Choosing one song off this album to obsess over is not even fathomable; “Honeymoon” has tracks of all flavors.  As an album, it is absolutely breathtaking. The chill mood, showcasing of Del Rey’s vocal talent, and aura of entrancement contribute to its enormous success.

3. “Beauty Behind The Madness” By: The Weeknd

The melodic R&B album by The Weeknd has captivated many listeners. It’s debut single, “Earned It,” annoyed me with its overall sound and content. However, I didn’t let this get in my way of listening to the rest of the album; I’m glad I didn’t. After jamming out to “Can’t Feel My Face,” which is still replayed on the radio various times a day, I concluded that this artist has notable talent. The song “Real Life” has a fantastic instrumental aspect that is strong in the bass and drum section. The vocals in this song have soul and sincerity; they are both powerful and impactful.  As great as the features are in “Real Life,” I have to admit that my ultimate go-to song off the album is instead “Dark Times.” The collaborative song with Ed Sheeran defines what good teamwork is. The pairing of Sheeran and The Weeknd is incomprehensibly good; it is one of the best collabs I have ever heard. The lyrics are full of passion and spirit, and the dark tones provoke so much emotion. The album “Beauty Behind The Madness” exposes all types of feelings within its songs– making it definitely one to check out.

4. “Badlands” By: Halsey

The new face of indie pop, Halsey, released her new album in late August this year, and has since gained more fans due to its overall success. To kick off the albums awaited drop, Halsey released the anticipated single, “New Americana.” The track’s lyrics urge teens to band together and represent a new generational culture in America. The catchy rhythm and references to famous figures such as Rockefeller, Biggie, Nirvana, and James Dean attract members of the young adult generation. However “New Americana” is not the only talked about track on the album; “Badlands” contains far more than just one hit. The first song of the album, “Castle,” is full of dramatics and cleverly written lyrics. The beat is so eccentric that it distracts listeners from the true message of the song.  The symbolism and desperation within the lyrics demand attention, and appreciation.  The precise crafting of the lyrics is very much evident in “Castle,” as well as in another track, “Colors.” Located in the very middle of the album, “Colors,” is yet another masterpiece painted by Halsey. The lyrics and vocals reveal a new meaning to the song as a whole; and the techniques that are used contribute to the effectiveness of the story being told through the song. If you thought Halsey’s music couldn’t get any more deeper, then you thought wrong. The very last track on the album is called “Ghost,” and coincidentally the lyrics allude to it being about a paranormal entity. However, after looking into the context of the words, I have came to the conclusion that the song is referring to her inner psyche.  This song, along with the others on the album, reflects Halsey’s creativity and art. “Badlands” is full of inventive tunes and concepts, that are primarily all upbeat.

5. “Blurryface” By: Twenty One Pilots

“Blurryface,” the album that is classified as a rap alternative crossover, contains techno-style rhythms and distinctive vocals. “Tear In My Heart,” the album’s first single, contains a powerful instrumental that is both catchy and cool. By far, the most intense tracks on the album are “Heavydirtysoul” and “Fairly Local.”  “Heavydirtysoul” has fast lyrics, but it isn’t your typical rap; the quickness of the lines are mellowed out in the bridge of the song with lyrics that say, “Gangsters don’t cry, therefore I’m mister misty eyes.” The other track, “Fairly Local,” is also full of unique lyrics such as the line, “Yo, this song will never be on the radio.”  The track is slam packed with extremely different features, such as the common feature of the slow beat that contrasts with the fierce drums. The album is not solely intense songs, it also has dulcet pop songs that everyone will love. “Not Today,” the second to last song on the album, is amiable, and in my opinion it’s the number one song off of “Blurryface,” perfect to drive around with the windows down.  Altogether, the album is a fabulous mixture of energetic and low tunes. I recommend this to anyone who is eager to jam to a new, innovative type of sound.

If you’re looking for new music, check out these albums. While you’re jamming, visit my spotify account @ecally99. You won’t regret it.