How did Kesha's Rainbow end up near the top of the top of Rolling Stone's list of the top 50 albums of 2017? Why is Jay-Z's 4:44 ranked below Migos' Culture? Who are Open Mike Eagle, Code Orange and Songhoy Blues? Why did 2017 see so many pop acts embracing rock, and
This article originally appeared on www.rollingstone.com: Breaking Down the Best Albums of 2017: Trends, Surprises and Methodology