Year-End Lists

Greg Kot: Best Albums of 2019 So Far, as aired on WBEZ’s Sound Opinions

[see also 2018, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011]

1. Jamila Woods — LEGACY! LEGACY!
2. The Comet Is Coming — Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery
3. Yugen Blakrok — Anima Mysterium
4. Sharon Van Etten — Remind Me Tomorrow
5. Shana Cleveland — Night of the Worm Moon
6. Dave — Psychodrama
7. Fontaines D.C. — Dogrel
8. Julia Jacklin — Crushing
9. Pip Blom — Boat
10. Jenny Lewis — On the Line

Jim DeRogatis: Best Albums of 2019 So Far, as aired on WBEZ’s Sound Opinions

[see also 2018, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011]

1. Lizzo — Cuz I Love You
2. Tacocat — This Mess Is a Place
3. Ex Hex — It's Real
4. Jenny Lewis — On the Line
5. various artists — 3 x 4
6. Solange — When I Get Home
7. Priests — The Seduction of Kansas
8. Sneaks — Highway Hypnosis
9. Sharon Van Etten — Remind Me Tomorrow
10. Bob Mould — Sunshine Rock

Time Magazine: The 11 Best Fiction Books of 2019 So Far

[see also 2018, 2017]

• Trust Exercise
  Susan Choi
• Sing to It
  Amy Hempel
• Black Leopard, Red Wolf
  Marlon James
• Miracle Creek
  Angie Kim
• The Other Americans
  Laila Lalami
• Where Reasons End
  Yiyun Li
• Lost Children Archive
  Valeria Luiselli
• An Orchestra of Minorities
  Chigozie Obioma
• Normal People
  Sally Rooney
• The Old Drift
  Namwali Serpell
• American Spy
  Lauren Wilkinson

Vulture: The Best TV Shows of 2019 (So Far), a consensus list by Jen Chaney and Matt Zoller Seitz

• The Act
• Barry
• Better Things
• Catastrophe
• Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
• Documentary Now!
• Fleabag
• Fosse/Verdon
• Leaving Neverland
• The OA
• On My Block
• The Other Two
• PEN15
• Russian Doll
• Shrill
• Tidying Up with Marie Kondo
• True Detective
• Veep
• Vida
• What We Do in the Shadows
• When They See Us
• You’re the Worst

Gorilla vs. Bear: Our Favorite Albums from the First Half of 2019

[see also 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011]

1. Jai Paul — Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones)
2. Erika de Casier — Essentials
3. Big Thief — U.F.O.F.
4. Yves Jarvis — The Same But By Different Means
5. BEA1991 — Brand New Adult
6. Aldous Harding — Designer
7. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib — Bandana
8. Jessica Pratt — Quiet Signs
9. Ariana Grande — thank u, next
10. Nivhek — After its own death / Walking in a spiral towards the house
11. Baltra — Ted
12. Tyler, The Creator — IGOR
13. Kornél Kovács — Stockholm Marathon
14. park hye jin — If U Want It
15. Billie Eilish — When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
16. Faye Webster — Atlanta Millionaires Club
17. Nilüfer Yanya — Miss Universe
18. Laurel Halo — DJ-Kicks
19. Burial — Claustro / State Forest
20. Grace Ives — 2nd

Next 20 (alphabetical)

• Barrie — Happy to Be Here
• Bella Boo — Supervillain
• Boy Harsher — Careful
• Carly Rae Jepsen — Dedicated
• Hand Habits — placeholder
• Kim Petras — Clarity
• Kedr Livanskiy — Your Need
• Kelsey Lu — Blood
• Little Simz — GREY Area
• Maria Somerville — All My People
• Mega Bog — Dolphine
• Panda Bear — Buoys
• Young Nudy & Pi'erre Bourne — Sli'merre
• Pottery — No. 1
• Pure Bathing Culture — Night Pass
• Rabit — The Dope Show
• Sofia Kourtesis — Sofia Kourtesis
• Solange — When I Get Home
• Toro y Moi — Outer Peace
• Toro y Moi — Soul Trash
• Weyes Blood — Titanic Rising