So much has happened in the past 12 months that it’s hard to remember what life was like before it. Remember when people once doubted that Migos would last? Now it feels like their ubiquitous presence in rap will never end. Remember when people wondered if SZA would ever release a debut album worth the hype? Now she’s a five-time Grammy nominated artist. Remember when Childish Gambino was only an actor, writer, producer, director, comedian, rapper, and songwriter? Well now he’s a funk singer too. That’s the power of an album: Whatever preconceived notion you have about an artist can be totally wiped away—so long as they make the right record.

Our list is filled with artists who changed their narratives this year. Whether that meant beating the odds (Meek Mill, Kesha), making a name for themselves (Daniel Caesar, J Hus, Lil Peep), or showing that they could extend the scope of their established talent (Young Thug, Lana Del Rey, JAY-Z). With that in mind, some of our most dedicated and knowledgeable music lovers came together to rank and review the most compelling projects of the year. Contributors voted on an initial poll, spent weeks discussing revisions and replacements, and elected to write about their favorite albums. Here are the Genius Community’s 50 Best Albums of 2017.

[Editor’s Note—The Genius list accounts for albums released between Dec. 2016 and Dec. 4, 2017. Albums released after Dec. 4, 2017 do not qualify for this year’s list and will be considered next year.]