For music fanatics, a new year means the build-up of album drops, new stars, and the return of trusty, well-known artists. The competition in the rap and R&B industry has definitely heated up over the last few years and finding talented, new artists has proven difficult. But I’m going to break down the top five rap and R&B albums to look out for in the new year, hopefully making album searches more worthwhile.

Anti by Rihanna

The variety of her music and talented voice makes her an artist to look out for in the new year. Albums like ‘Loud’, ‘Rated R’, and ‘Good Girl Gone Bad’ have proven to her fans that she’s a vocal powerhouse and extremely versatile with her range. Many female R&B artists come out with maybe one breakthrough album and then seem to disappear from the music industry as their popularity dies down. With Rihanna, each album is unique, catchy, and filled with artists that compliment her voice.

The Life of Pablo by Kanye West

Is it just me that is extremely surprised West hasn’t released a new album since 2013? Maybe his roles as a husband, father, and rising rap star have kept him slightly under the radar, but let’s not forget his breakthrough album ‘Graduation’ released in 2007. “Stronger” was my go-to song for the longest time, and I still listen to it from time to time. Based on his past albums, I’m banking on ‘The Life of Pablo’ being a best-seller for West.

Khalifa by Wiz Khalifa

Most know him by his breakout song “Black and Yellow” released in 2011. Ever since, Wiz has been coming out with album after album, while still maintaining his constant appearance on social media. While the majority of his music consists of rap, he has a few hits that are slower and catchy such as “See You Again” with Charlie Puth. Maybe he could have come up with a more creative album title, but his new album is sure to continue his success in the rap industry.

Evol by Future

I don’t know much about Future, with the exception of his appearances on the album, ‘What A Time To Be Alive’. Based on his compilations with Drake, I’m a big fan of his raspy, auto-tuned filled voice. If it’s not too creepy to say, I think his voice is slightly soothing but in a thug kind of way. With his own album coming out, we’ll be able to see how he does on his own. Because of what I’ve already heard, I think Future could overshadow top rap artists easily.

The Dime Trap by T.I.

I feel like T.I. gets a lot of hate, but I have high hopes for him after his massive success with songs like “Whatever You Like” and “Live Your Life” in 2008. His rap isn’t as hardcore and smooth like many artists, let’s be honest, his songs are a little all over the place, but I’m hoping he can make a comeback. His voice has a nice tone to it, and he has the ability to create songs that listeners keep on repeat. With his last successful album, ‘Paper Trail’,  being released in 2008, here’s to hoping he’s had time to make ‘The Dime Trap’ a hit for listeners.

Whether you agree with these top five albums or not, there’s no denying that 2016 will be a big year for America’s rap and R&B artists.