This year has offered us colorful music releases, where funk was making its mainstream comeback through artists like Mark Ronson and Kendrick Lamar, and electro-pop filled the charts with fun tracks. Of the many albums released this year, there were quite a few standouts. Here are some of 2015’s best albums, which offer a stunning production quality, along with genre-bending sounds and illustrious lyrics.

1. “Art Angels” — Grimes

Before “Art Angels” dropped in early November, many fans had no idea what the newest Grimes record would sound like. Many of her fans have criticized her for adopting a more mainstream sound and distancing herself from the electronic music that brought her fame. However, when she released the joint video for “Flesh Without Blood” and “Life In The Vivid Dream,” it was clear Grimes was sitting on a musical masterpiece, influenced by a pop-inspired sound. Her newest album is a tour de force composed of formulaic synth-pop and dance music that that she recorded, produced and mixed herself. Tracks like “World Princess part II” and “Venus Fly” establish her dance credibility, while she shows off her master production value on more alternative tracks like “Pin” and “Butterfly.” A diverse yet cohesive LP, Grimes’ newest album is the best of 2015.

2. “To Pimp A Butterfly” — Kendrick Lamar

Lamar’s third studio effort redefined rap and hip hop in 2015, as tracks like “Alright” and “The Blacker The Berry” brought social matters to light across the rapper’s large audience. The 16-track LP is a combination of jazz, funk and electro-hip hop. “These Walls” and “King Kunta” incorporate dance elements that serve mainstream audiences, solidifying the “Bad Blood”-featured rapper as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. From the content and quality of his music, Lamar wins the title of 2015’s best rapper.

3. “Froot” — Marina and the Diamonds

Marina Diamandis, known as Marina and the Diamonds, released her third studio album this March. Simply known as “Froot,” Diamandis takes the 12-track LP into a new direction of pop, one that is more slow-paced and stripped down. Maintaining her vocal prowess on tracks like “Happy” and “Savages,” it’s clear that her songwriting skills have improved considerably since her last album, “Electra Heart.” Tracks like “I’m a Ruin” and “Blue” show the singer’s understanding of what it takes to make an exceptional pop song. She lyrically incorporates feminism into tracks like “Can’t Pin Me Down,” and even disses a fellow pop vocalist in “Better Than That.” Marina’s “Froot” is a breath of fresh air in an industry full of over-processed hits, letting pop fans know that good music exists if you know where to look for it.

4. “Currents” — Tame Impala

Tame Impala’s third release “Currents” is perhaps one of the most trippy albums of the year. Tracks like “Yes I’m Changing” and “Eventually” offer serene instrumentals combined with electronic sounds. The lyrical value in songs like “The Less I Know The Better” make the album’s sentiments clear, while delivering a funky rock sound, as lead singer Kevin Parker belts out, “Oh my love, can’t you see that you’re on my mind/ Don’t suppose we could convince your lover to change his mind” over the psychedelic beat. The final result is an LP where every song works, especially when a listener uses headphones to fully experience every strong bass instrumental.

5. “Emotion” — Carly Rae Jepsen

Ever since “Call Me Maybe,” Jepsen has had a hard time rebranding herself as something other than a one-hit wonder. With “Emotion,” however, it’s clear that 2015’s greatest pop hits aren’t even on the charts. Songs like “Run Away With Me” and “Black Heart” offer a dazzling production quality that are a step up from Jepsen’s last album. Lyrically, she is better than she has ever been, and it’s hard to believe her lead single “I Really Like You” — which peaked at #39 — was the only song to chart on the Hot 100. Jepsen brings back ’80s dance pop while successfully creating an identity for herself. She is the under-appreciated, though gifted, pop singer with a great ear for fun music.