20. Nelly Furtado - Loose
Probably the most commercially successful album on my list (worldwide), and the only mainstream American pop release worth a second look, Loose was the perfect combination of pop star and producer. What other album of 2006 opened with back-to-back successes like Promiscuous and Maneater and finished up the year with no less than five successful worldwide singles? Even better, the album manages to be experimental yet not off-putting, a tough quality to find in pop music.

Album Track: Afraid - Opening the album with a suitably funky hip-hop/pop makeover, this is the most immediate sign that Furtado's grown as an artist. Atmospheric and immediate, it could have easily been slated for single release.

19. Sparks - Hello Young Lovers
By far the oldest group on my countdown, this is Sparks' 21st album, and one of their best. Fusing symphonic production with dramatic, hilarious vocals, Hello Young Lovers is unlike anything else out there, and that's why it excels so completely. It's probably not for everyone, as it isn't always as hum-able as most pop releases, but it is continually experimental, always catchy, and theatrical in a different way than any other release this year.

Album Track: As I Sit To Play The Organ At The Notre Dame Cathedral - The longest track I'll post, at seven minutes, this song goes through distinct phases, from the hectic to the heavenly. It may be jarring at first, but it is absolutely captivating.