2015's Best Hip Hop and R&B Albums

This article is a collaborative effort, crafted and edited by a team of dedicated professionals.

Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

The year is coming to a close, and it’s time to look back at the best hip hop and R&B albums of 2015. From Kendrick Lamar to Drake to Fetty Wap, these are the records that defined the year.

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Best Hip Hop Albums

In 2015, there were many great hip hop and R&B albums released. Here are some of the best:

– Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly
– Vince Staples, Summertime ’06
– Big Sean, Dark Sky Paradise
– Drake, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late
– J. Cole, 2014 Forest Hills Drive
– Flying Lotus, You’re Dead!
– The Weeknd, Beauty Behind the Madness
– Earl Sweatshirt, I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside
– Rae Sremmurd, SremmLife

Best R&B Albums

This year was an exceptionally strong one for R&B albums, with a wide range of sounds and styles represented in our top 10. From Janet Jackson’s triumphant return to form to D’Angelo’s long-awaited comeback album, there was something for everyone. Here are our picks for the best R&B albums of 2015.

1. D’Angelo and the Vanguard, “Black Messiah”
2. Janet Jackson, “Unbreakable”
3. Tove Lo, “Queen of the Clouds”
4. Weeknd, “Beauty Behind the Madness”
5. Miguel, “Wildheart”
6. Ty Dolla $ign, “Free TC”
7. Jeremih, “Late Nights: The Album”
8. Bryson Tiller, “T R A P S O U L”
9. Kemeticjust, “War Against Fear”
10. Melanie Martinez, “Cry Baby”