AllMusic 2016 Year in Review

Big Star

Complete Third

Obsessive and definitive examination of the creation of Alex Chilton's eccentric, damaged masterpiece.

Bob Dylan

The 1966 Live Recordings

A hefty 36-CD box containing every known Dylan live performance from 1966, the year of the legendary "Royal Albert Hall" bootleg.

Bobby Darin

Another Song on My Mind: The Motown Years

Double-disc set of all of Bobby Darin's wide-ranging early-'70s recordings for Motown.

Bruce Springsteen

Chapter & Verse

An aural autobiography companion to Bruce Springsteen's memoir Born to Run, highlighted by five unreleased tracks from his early years.

Buck Owens / Buck Owens & His Buckaroos

The Complete Capitol Singles 1957-1966

A double-disc collection that contains the A- and B-sides of all the singles Buck Owens & His Buckaroos released between 1957 and 1966.

Cannonball Adderley / Cannonball Adderley Quintet

Music, You All

Issued in 1976, this David Axelrod-produced set from the same 1971 live dates that netted The Black Messiah, is a stone classic.

David Bowie

Who Can I Be Now? (1974-1976)

A deep dive into David Bowie's peak years of stardom, containing all three studio albums, live albums, plus alternate mixes and rarities -- along with the unreleased album The Gouster -- between 1974 and 1976.

Deniece Williams

Black Butterfly: The Essential Niecy

Definitive and attractively packaged 1976-1989 overview of the top-tier pop-soul artist's rich discography.

Eddy Arnold

Each Road I Take: The 1970 Lee Hazlewood & Chet Atkins Sessions

This compilation exists at a crossroads between Arnold's easy listening crooning and the suddenly shifting tides of Nashville.

Eggs Over Easy

Good 'n' Cheap: The Eggs Over Easy Story

A double-disc set of the complete works of the pioneering pub rock band.

Elvis Presley

Way Down in the Jungle Room

The complete home-recorded sessions that would comprise the King's final two studio albums.

Emmylou Harris / Dolly Parton / Linda Ronstadt / Trio

The Complete Trio Collection

Two collaborative albums from three outstanding country-leaning vocalists are paired with a bonus disc of similarly fine outtakes.

Erroll Garner

Ready Take One

Swinging, even funky, unheard recordings from 1967, 1968, and 1971 by the great jazz pianist.

Fleetwood Mac

Mirage [Deluxe Three-CD, DVD, Vinyl]

Fleetwood Mac rebounded from the messy Tusk with the slick, streamlined Mirage.

Game Theory

Big Shot Chronicles [Bonus Tracks]

Great reissue of the 1986 album where Scott Miller's inventive and ambitious pop band hit their stride.

George Jones

The Tour de Force 1972-1980

George Jones' five greatest albums for Epic are combined on this double-disc set.

Hank Ballard & the Midnighters

Unwind Yourself: The King Recordings 1964-1967

Lack of commercial success fades away, and what sticks is how Ballard gamely adapted to the trends without losing sight of his churchy passion.

Jack White

Acoustic Recordings 1998-2016

A double-disc set of acoustic-anchored songs Jack White recorded with the White Stripes, the Raconteurs, and by himself.

Jimi Hendrix

Machine Gun: Jimi Hendrix The Fillmore East First Show 12/31/1969

Band of Gypsys' debut live performance, released in its entirety for the first time.

Johnnie Frierson

Have You Been Good to Yourself

A deeply soulful and unadorned collection of posthumously released gospel tracks from this Memphis native.

Judy Henske / Jerry Yester

Farewell Aldebaran [Bonus Tracks]

Long-awaited official reissue of this psych-folk masterpiece from the cult-heroine vocalist and her producer/arranger husband.

Kleeer

Get Tough: The Kleeer Anthology, 1978-1985

Long overdue, in-depth overview of one of the finest and most flexible '70s/'80s funk bands that never had a major hit.

Led Zeppelin

The Complete BBC Sessions [Deluxe]

Led Zeppelin reissue their 1997 BBC Sessions collection with an additional disc of nine unheard live performances.

Lou Reed

The RCA & Arista Album Collection

Includes 16 memorable albums (released from 1972 to 1986), newly remastered under the supervision of the New York rock icon.

Michael Jackson

Off the Wall [CD/DVD]

Under the influence of Quincy Jones and Afrobeat, nascent King of Pop tops charts with this disco-era masterpiece.

Mickey Gilley

The Definitive Hits Collection

A double-disc set containing all of the traditional country singer's big hits from 1974-1986.

Mike Watt

Ring Spiel Tour '95

The former Minutemen and fIREHOSE bassist on his first solo tour, with Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder backing him up.

Milk 'N' Cookies

Milk 'N' Cookies [Bonus Tracks]

Post-glam? Pre-punk? Primal power pop? Yes, yes, and yes on the first and only album from these girl-crazy Long Islanders.

NRBQ

High Noon: A 50-Year Retrospective

Exhaustive, fascinating, and joyous celebration of the first half-century of an unclassifiably great band.

Otis Redding

Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul [50th Anniversary Deluxe]

Redding's fifth album found the rugged-voiced deep soul singer continuing to expand the boundaries of his style while staying true to his rough and passionate signature sound.

Peter Case

Peter Case [30th Anniversary Expanded Edition]

Expanded reissue of the solo debut that revealed the Plimsouls frontman was also a perceptive and impassioned singer/songwriter.

Phil Collins

Face Value [Deluxe Edition]

The Genesis drummer's first solo effort is a classic divorce album, filled with soft rock delights and bitter anthems.

Pink Floyd

The Early Years 1965-1972

Massive 28-disc box set filled with unreleased Pink Floyd recordings and films.

Porter Wagoner

The Definitive Collection

A double-disc set that contains all of the Nashville icon's major hits between 1954 and 1974.

Pylon

Pylon Live

The pride of Athens, Georgia on-stage in 1983; despite flawed audio, a powerful and joyous performance.

Queen

On Air: Complete BBC Sessions

A double-disc collection of Queen's complete BBC sessions.

R.E.M.

Out of Time [25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition]

R.E.M. got lush and pastoral on this 1991 blockbuster featuring "Losing My Religion."

Richard H. Kirk

#7489: Collected Works 1974-1989

Fascinating box set of early solo material by Cabaret Voltaire co-founder Richard H. Kirk, ranging from industrial experiments to acid house tracks.

Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet

Dim the Lights, Chill the Ham

Reissue of first proper album from Toronto's greatest semi-surf band joyously ups the ante from their fine early singles.

Tad

God's Balls [Deluxe Edition]

Powerful reissue of the suitably heavy, over the top debut from the band that made grunge as ugly as it needed to be.

The Beatles

Live at the Hollywood Bowl [Bonus Tracks]

Great-sounding -- and exciting -- remaster of the only official live recordings of the Beatles in concert.

The Doors

London Fog 1966 [CD +10" Vinyl]

The earliest known live tapes of the Doors showcase the band stumbling through blues covers.

The Egyptian Lover

1983-1988

The electro pharaoh's crucial 12" and early album material, ardently assembled by the Stones Throw label.

The Long Ryders

Final Wild Songs

Career-spanning box set from the Americana pioneers features their three studio albums in full along with live tracks and rarities.

The Meters

A Message from the Meters: The Complete Josie, Reprise & Warner Bros. Singles 1968-1977

Exceptional double-disc collection of the singles the seminal New Orleans band released between 1968 and 1977.

The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones in Mono

Comprehensive box of all the mono mixes the Rolling Stones released on Decca/London in the '60s.

The Turtles

All the Singles

A terrific double-disc set of all the 45s from the Turtles.

Tori Amos

Boys for Pele [Deluxe Edition]

The landmark third album that finds Amos diving headlong into pain and catharsis on a challenging but ultimately rewarding opus.

Van Morrison

It's Too Late to Stop Now...Vols. II, III, IV and DVD

Appending the original album, this essential package contains three audio discs of completely unissued performances and a live DVD.

Various Artists

Still in a Dream: A Story of Shoegaze 1988-1995

Exhaustive trawl through the short history of shoegaze's glory years of 1988 to 1995, with loads of great guitar pop along the way.

Various Artists

Sharon Signs to Cherry Red: Independent Women 1979-1985

Excellent collection of female-fronted and created post-punk rarities and treats.

Various Artists

Hillbillies in Hell

Various Artists

Wayfaring Strangers: Cosmic American Music

Every one of these 19 cuts feels right, sounding sun-burned and blissed-out, embodying the hangover of the hippie dream.

Various Artists

Close to the Noise Floor: Formative UK Electronica 1975-1984

Discerning box of mostly obscure noise and odd pop excursions featuring acts like Bourbonese Qualk, Blah Blah Blah, and good old EG Oblique Graph.

Velvet Crush

Pre-Teen Symphonies

A companion piece to the band's power pop masterpiece Teenage Symphonies to God, featuring demos and live tracks.

Ween

GodWeenSatan [Live]

Ween celebrated the 2001 reissue of their 1990 debut by performing it in its entirety in their hometown of New Hope, Pennsylvania.

White Zombie

It Came from N.Y.C.

Heavy -- and heavily annotated -- deep dive into White Zombie's skronky, weird pre-fame records.