Already have an account?
Get back to the

Best Music of 2015: The Top Tracks and Albums of the Year Include Kendrick Lamar, Adele and More!

Kendrick Lamar and Adele

Hello, it's that time of year again! With 2016 is just around the corner, there are plenty of tunes to play before the countdown to the New Year begins. Us Weekly's entertainment director, Ian Drew, rounded up the best tracks and albums of 2015, which includes acclaimed, chart-topping music by Kendrick Lamar, Adele, Justin Bieber and more.

Check out the full lists below:

Best Albums of the Year

1. Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly

It went light years beyond just "Alright." K-Dot’s next-level sound defied expectations and redefined hip-hop. His head-spinning struggle to make sense of dirty politics, racial injustice and, most startlingly, his tortured soul was so genius that ignoring it should be a crime.

2. Adele, 25

The cosmetics industry thanks you, Adele. Our lady of the golden voice reemerged with 11 more gut-punching tearjerkers to keep mascara streaming down cheeks across the universe for another four years.

3. Don Henley, Cass County

Is it A) country, B) rock, C) American roots music or D) the long-lost Eagles record we’ve waited for? All of the above! At 68, the legend toasted his native Texas in pure tunes contemplating life and love.

4. Ryan Adams, 1989

Sick beats? Who needs ’em? The alt-rock hero reimagined Taylor Swift’s pop colossus (heavily featured on last year's best-of lists) into a new soundtrack that was impossible to shake off. In peeling away the gloss, he exposed greater depths of her brilliance.

5. Justin Bieber, Purpose

No need to apologize! By paving his road to redemption with slick earworms — including the R&B/EDM hits "What Do You Mean?" and "Sorry" — the ex–tween star converted the masses into true Beliebers.

Best Songs of the Year

1. The Weeknd, "Can’t Feel My Face"

That unstoppable bass line mixed with Jacksonian exuberance had even your grandma dancing down the aisle at the grocery store.

2. Alessia Cara, "Here"

Let’s hear it for the anti­social pessimists! The killer cut about the lamest party ever put the 19-­year-­old in a class all by herself.

3. Adele, "Hello"

One ticket to the other siiide, please. We must have pleaded a thousand times to hear about those unan­swered calls to that jerk.

4. Drake, "Hotline Bling"

Whenever this hypnotizing rumination on a booty­-calling babe came on, it meant only one thing: Nobody puts Drizzy in a corner.

5. Major Lazer & DJ Snake, "Lean On"

More than half a billion Spotify listens and count­ing! Diplo’s groove and resonant message of unity was a shot right to the heart.

In this article

Got a Tip form close button
Got a tip for US?
We're All Ears for Celebrity Buzz!