2017 was surely the year for breakout debuts and killer sophomore follow-up albums. Drag notably came to the forefront of pop culture, and marginalized voices -- particularly those of women -- cut through the toxic political static for 12 months of unapologetic artistic endeavors.

As the year comes to a close, Billboard Pride has ranked the ten best albums released in 2017 by members of the LGBTQ community.

10. PVRIS, All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell

PVRIS laid it all on the line for their sophomore release, staying true to vulnerable lyrics (such as on "Heaven," with "And did you ever wonder/ About the dread on my tongue?/ The blood in my lungs?/ All I did was suffer/ I was too afraid to say") that rung true to loyal fans, and expanded to reach many more. Aside from the captivating vocal performances lead singer Lynn Gunn always seems to provide, she stands out for numerous additional reasons: she’s served as a beacon for a community that’s historically been less than hospitable to both women and the LGBTQ community.

9. Adore Delano, Whatever

2017 is truly the year drag dropped the prefix off "counter-culture": it's now inescapable in the best way. Delano, a.k.a. Danny Noriega, has been America's sweetheart since winning our hearts on Season 7 of American Idol. The androgynous star pushed their limits a bit further on this year's Whatever, calling upon their childhood influences to bring punk to the drag scene.

8. Syd, Fin

Two years following her Grammy nomination for her Kaytranada-produced "Girl" (with R&B group The Internet), Syd has finally introduced herself as a solo artist with a strong full length debut. It's sexy in its effortlessly cool vibe; Syd is right to say "Young star in the making/ Swear they sleeping on me," which shouldn't be the case much longer after Fin's acclaim.

7. Miley Cyrus,Younger Now

Cyrus went back to her roots for this country-influenced release, putting vocals front and center, converse to her controversial 2013 album cycle with Bangerz. Despite the title, she is all grown up now, putting her emotions in plain and simple terms for the world to understand, and for the first time used both feminine and masculine pronouns, in the bittersweet love song "She's Not Him" -- placing her long-discussed sexuality at the forefront of the lyrics.

6. Halsey, hopeless fountain kingdom

Halsey's sophomore release started off incredibly strong, debuting atop the Billboard 200 -- with lead single "Now Or Never" also marking a milestone for the singer as her first Top 40 hit on the Hot 100 as lead artist, and "Bad at Love" becoming her first solo top 10 hit this December. kingdom notably features "Strangers," Halsey's duet with Fifth Harmony's Lauren Jauregui, which sings unapologetically of a same-sex relationship in a way that's still, unfortunately, largely unfamiliar to pop radio.

5. Sam Smith, The Thrill of it All

Smith also earned his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 in 2017, tugging at the hearts of fans yet again with his tried-and-true desperately romantic ballads. Perhaps even more notable than the release itself, Smith has opened up more freely when not in the studio, and his outward persona coincided beautifully with his presence on the album.

4. Kelela, Take Me Apart

?A late contribution to the music of 2017, but nevertheless one of the strongest. Four years in the making, Kelela's album weaves together her emotions and political thoughts with her childhood influences, R&B and Björk, to create a signature blend of electro-soul.

3. MUNA, About U

The band followed their strong breakout lead single "I Know A Place” with a debut album that lived up to the hype. Muna's heavy, punchy drums pull together the dark pop soundscape that lingers throughout the album. The single itself is an ode to the underground drag ball scene of decades past, calling for a safe place, "I know a place where you don't need protection/ Even if it's only in my imagination."

2. St. Vincent, MASSEDUCTOIN

Annie Clark and Jack Antonoff teamed up for the most accessible (and most personal) St. Vincent album yet, which Clark notably marked by telling the press, "If you want to know about my life, listen to this record." The title track is marked by the witty hook, "I can’t turn off what turns me on," encapsulating all divulged on the album. After grappling with struggles of heartache and identity for 13 stunning tracks, Clark leads off with a defiant chant, "It's not the end," determined to carry on through to the next day.

?1. Kehlani, SweetSexySavage

This debut album's title truly puts it best. Kehlani's voice demands to be listened to, harnessing her fierceness -- as she puts it on advance single "CRZY," "If I gotta be a bitch, I'mma be a bad one." The singer had long proven she has the vocal chops to hold her own on a full-length, with her critically acclaimed 2015 mixtape You Should Be Here, so SSS let her kick back and allow fans to get a sense of who she truly is.