It has been painful to watch Joji’s slide into mediocrity. This feels less like evolution and more like clear stagnation.

About halfway through Icon you might find yourself asking, is Brent Faiyaz finally in love for real? But the illusion never lasts long.

As we enter 2026, a wave of albums that defined the culturally treasured year of 2016 turn ten. A decade later, these projects have outlived the era that produced them, continuing to shape conversations around sound, culture and legacy.