The 12 Most Interesting Album Titles of 2016 | Year in Review

The Most Interesting Album Titles of 2016 features 12 album titles that stand out. The albums are categorized alphabetically by artist.

Often times, we focus on the music itself. Rightfully so. The content of an album is the meat and ultimately, this how we determine the quality of a project. Even so, an album title can be captivating as its own entity, as well as playing a direct role in the album content. After scanning various album titles, some of the most interesting album titles of the given year are selected. For this particular list, we focus on 2016. Here are The 12 Most Interesting Album Titles of 2016. Albums are categorized alphabetically by the artist.

1. Bon Iver, 22, A Million

Justin Vernon – better known as Bon Iver – is one of a kind. His unique sound sets him apart from the multitude. Also judging by the title 22, A Million, he knows how to make an interesting name for an album. What does the title mean? Every song on the album has a numeric title. The project as a whole dabbles in numerology.

2. Danny Brown, Atrocity Exhibition

So, we said Bon Iver is one of a kind, but what about Danny Brown? Phew, the rapper is definitely something else. The album title Atrocity Exhibition feels fitting or Brown, given his idiosyncratic style, not to mention the demons which he raps about.

3. Die Antwoord, Mount Ninji and da Nice Time Kid

Unapologetic. That’s the best way to characterize Die Antwoord. Look at any of their albums, and the explicitness seems impossible to censor – if you desire that is. Anyways, there’s nothing particularly controversial about the name Mount Ninji and da Nice Time Kid – it’s just unique. Still, with such an interesting title, the content is also interesting: “Gucci Coochie,” “Wings on My Penis,” “U Like Boobies?” and personal favorite, “Fat Faded F*ck Face.”

https://youtu.be/czcjU1w-c6k

4. Dustin Kensrue, Thoughts That Float on a Different Blood

Who is Dustin Kensrue? He may best be known as a member of Thrice, though he’s a solo artist as well. He earned the distinction of releasing one of the most distinctively titled albums of 2016 with Thoughts That Float on a Different Blood. While this sounds like perfect fuel for the fire of a set of original, thoughtful songs, Thoughts That Float on a Different Blood is actually a covers album. Some of the covers include “Buzzcut Season” (Lorde), “Creep” (Radiohead), and “Wrecking Ball” (Miley Cyrus).

5. K. Michelle, More Issues Than Vogue

K. Michelle has always come off as having no filter whatsoever. An incredibly talented artist, arguably, her blunt persona sometimes overshadows her proficiency. Nonetheless, she characterizes herself perfectly in the title of her third studio album, More Issues Than Vogue. Urban dictionary nails the definition of the title, as they often do:

“When you imply that your amount of issues (problems) are greater than the amount of issues (magazine articles) the famous magazine company, Vogue, has.”

6. Kid Cudi, Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’

Kid Cudi never fully reclaimed his swagger after his disastrous Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven. Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’ was a much better album, even if failed to perform well commercially. The title is full of resolve – the Kid was “in it to win it,” showcasing his passion, sharing his pain, and slaying those demons. What more is there really to say?

7. Marillion, F*ck Everyone and Run (F E A R)

Marillion is a veteran British rock band. In other words, these are some old dudes. Nonetheless, they don’t have any issue whatsoever with the potty mouth. It’s just not every day that you hear an album titled F*ck Everyone and Run (F.E.A.R.). At 68 minutes, there’s plenty of F.E.A.R. for sure. The burning question is, does F.E.A.R. contain a title track? Of course – no. 13, “The New Kings, I: F*ck Everyone and Run.” Also, for good measure, track no. 4 is called “El Dorado, Iv: F.E.A.R.” and track no. 6 is called “Living in F.E.A.R.”

8. Nick Jonas, Last Year Was Complicated

Nick Jonas stepped his game up on his sophomore album since embracing his rebellious side. Sure, Nick Jonas was a great start, but Last Year Was Complicated ups the ante. Not only is Jonas more of a “bad boy” throughout the course of the effort, he gave it a can’t-miss title. No matter how complicated last year was, he delivers the goods with the likes of “Close,” “Chainsaw,” and “Bacon.”

9. Radiation City, Synesthetica

Radiation City choose a variation of an awesome word for the title of their third studio album, Synesthetica. The main word is synesthesia, defined by Dictionary.com as:

“A sensation produced in one modality when a stimulus is applied to another modality, as when the hearing of a certain sound induces the visualization of a certain color.”

Okay, that was effing complicated. A simpler definition, courtesy of The University of Washington, states:

“Synesthesia is a condition in which one sense (for example, hearing) is simultaneously perceived as if by one or more additional senses such as sight.”

See why Synesthetica is such a cool title? Radiation City is a unique, eclectic indie rock collective, something captured on the album. According to Alejandra Ramirez of Consequence of Sound, she states, “Just as their previous records, the band’s sound combines space-age soundscapes with shimmering synths ripped straight out of a lost Stereolab album.”

10. Tove Lo, Lady Wood

Little depth is needed to explain this one. Tove Lo lives on the edge. Expectedly, her sophomore album didn’t break away from such edginess, instead continuing to embrace it. Normally, the wood which Tove Lo references in the title is associated with males – we’ll leave it at that. In this case, she decides to amplify the sex, hence how she arrives at Lady Wood. As always, the reliable Urban Dictionary has a definition, which may be read here.

11. Travis Scott, Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight

Travis Scott is definitely on his own planet. Two albums into his career (as of publication) and he’s quite a unique artist. His first go around, he didn’t give the album a cool title, settling on Rodeo. But for his sophomore album, he stepped up his game, titling the effort Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight. So, what does the title mean? According to a Billboard interview by Adelle Platon, Scott says that the title:

“All stemmed from me having that frustration of just like wanting to do creative shit and just not being able to do it… ‘In the trap’ has nothing to do with coke or anything. It’s literally a trap.”

12. The 1975, I Like It When You Sleep, For You are so Beautiful yet So Unaware of It

We’ll keep the last one short and sweet. The 1975 get the honors for one of the longest album titles of 2016. There’s no way – NO WAY – anyone could miss this title with 16 words! At least I Like It When You Sleep, For You are so Beautiful yet So Unaware of It is a poetic title.

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