Year-End Lists

Crack Magazine: Albums of the Year 2013

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012]

1. Wakin on a Pretty Daze
   Kurt Vile
2. Immunity
   Jon Hopkins
3. Yeezus
   Kanye West
4. Field of Reeds
   These New Puritans
5. Sunbather
   Deafheaven
6. Reflektor
   Arcade Fire
7. Double Cup
   DJ Rashad
8. mbv
   My Bloody Valentine
9. Drone Logic
   Daniel Avery
10. Silence Yourself
    Savages
11. Push the Sky Away
    Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
12. Shaking the Habitual
    The Knife
13. Amok
    Atoms for Peace
14. Old
    Danny Brown
15. Psychic
    Darkside
16. Dream River
    Bill Callahan
17. The Inheritors
    James Holden
18. With Love
    Zomboy
19. Light Up Gold
    Parquet Courts
20. Loud City Song
    Julia Holter
21. Acid Rap
    Chance The Rapper
22. Virgins
    Tim Hecker
23. Restless Idylls
    Tropic of Cancer
24. Ruthless Sperm
    His Electro Blue Voice
25. A Brief Introduction To Unnatural Lightyears
    Olivia Wilde
26. Honeys
    Pissed Jeans
27. Seasons of Your Day
    Mazzy Star
28. 7 Days of Funk
    7 Days of Funk
29. Doris
    Earl Sweatshirt
30. Chance of Rain
    Laurel Halo
31. Engravings
    Forest Swords
32. Beautiful Rewind
    Four Tet
33. Caramel
    Connan Mockasin
34. The Man Who Died In His Boat
    Grouper
35. Monomania
    Deerhunter
36. Trouble Will Find Me
    The National
37. The Child of Lov
    The Child of Lov
38. Pearl Mystic
    Hookworms
39. Factory Floor
    Factory Floor
40. Fuzz
    Fuzz
41. Floating Coffin
    Thee Oh Sees
42. The Terror
    The Flaming Lips
43. No Answer: Lower Floors
    Wolf Eyes
44. Slow Focus
    Fuck Buttons
45. Home & Garden
    Jay Shepheard
46. Wenu Wenu
    Omar Souleyman
47. Perfect View
    Lust For Youth
48. The 20/20 Experience Pt. 1
    Justin Timberlake
49. Comfort
    Splashh
50. Excavation
    The Haxan Cloak
51. Fade
    Yo La Tengo
52. You’re Nothing
    Iceage
53. …Like Clockwork
    Queens of the Stone Age
54. II
    Moderat
55. Half of Where You Live
    Gold Panda
56. Heliosphere
    Benjamin Damage
57. Pain Is Beauty
    Chelsea Wolfe
58. Holy Fire
    Foals
59. Swisher
    Blondes
60. Legacy
    RP Boo
61. Out of View
    The History of Apple Pie
62. Chelsea Light Moving
    Chelsea Light Moving
63. Allegoria
    Sapphire Slows
64. Apocalypse
    Thundercat
65. Drifters/Love Is the Devil
    Dirty Beaches
66. The Redeemer
    Dean Blunt
67. How to Stop Your Brain in an Accident
    Future of the Left
68. A Blink of an Eye
    Syclops
69. Nepenthe
    Julianna Barwick
70. Cerulean Salt
    Waxahatchee
71. Government Plates
    Death Grips
72. Long Island
    Endless Boogie
73. Mug Museum
    Cate Le Bon
74. Sunday School
    Tree
75. Random Access Memories
    Daft Punk
76. Big Inner
    Matthew E. White
77. Run the Jewels
    Run the Jewels
78. My Name Is My Name
    Pusha T
79. Wolf
    Tyler, The Creator
80. Tomorrow’s Harvest
    Boards of Canada
81. No One Dances Quite Like My Brothers
    Vår
82. Welcome To Mikrosector-50
    Space Dimension Controller
83. Innocence Is Kinky
    Jenny Hval
84. The Flower Lane
    Ducktails
85. If You Leave
    Daughter
86. Mr. Pink, what have you been smokin’?
    Damiano von Erckert, Tito Wun
87. Afraid of Heights
    Wavves
88. Pull My Hair Back
    Jessy Lanza
89. R Plus Seven
    Oneohtrix Point Never
90. Bass Drum of Death
    Bass Drum of Death
91. Modern Worship
    Hyetal
92. An Object
    No Age
93. weird sister
    Joanna Gruesome
94. Cold Mission
    Logos
95. Soul Music
    Special Request
96. Cupid’s Head
    The Field
97. Son
    Beautiful Swimmers
98. Stills
    Gauntlet Hair
99. Strange Pleasures
    Still Corners
100. 13
     Black Sabbath

Slant Magazine: 25 Best Albums of 2013

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Modern Vampires of the City
   Vampire Weekend
2. Reflektor
   Arcade Fire
3. Pure Heroine
   Lorde
4. Yeezus
   Kanye West
5. Settle
   Disclosure
6. White Lighter
   Typhoon
7. Shaking the Habitual
   The Knife
8. Trouble Will Find Me
   The National
9. Nothing Was the Same
   Drake
10. Electric
    Pet Shop Boys
11. The Electric Lady
    Janelle Monáe
12. The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You
    Neko Case
13. Wakin on a Pretty Daze
    Kurt Vile
14. Born Sinner
    J. Cole
15. Hummingbird
    Local Natives
16. AM
    Arctic Monkeys
17. Government Plates
    Death Grips
18. True Romance
    Charli XCX
19. Slow Focus
    Fuck Buttons
20. Once I Was an Eagle
    Laura Marling
21. Fantasy
    Lightning Dust
22. The Bones Of What You Believe
    Chvrches
23. The Civil Wars
    The Civil Wars
24. mbv
    My Bloody Valentine
25. Nocturnes
    Little Boots

The Wire: Top 50 Albums of 2013

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Loud City Song
   Julia Holter
2. Chance of Rain
   Laurel Halo
3. Traditional Music Of Notional Species Vol. I
   Rashad Becker
4. The Glass Trunk
   Richard Dawson
5. Virgins
   Tim Hecker
6. R Plus Seven
   Oneohtrix Point Never
7. Legacy
   RP Boo
8. No Answer: Lower Floors
   Wolf Eyes
9. Photographs
   Graham Lambkin & Jason Lescalleet
10. Shaking the Habitual
    The Knife
11. Yeezus
    Kanye West
12. Double Cup
    DJ Rashad
13. Exai
    Autechre
14. Coin Coin Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile
    Matana Roberts
15. November
    Dennis Johnson
16. Abandon
    Pharmakon
17. Ghil
    Okkyung Lee
18. Field of Reeds
    These New Puritans
19. Your Crate Has Changed
    eMMplekz
20. Ablation
    Main
21. mbv
    My Bloody Valentine
22. Exit!
    Fire! Orchestra
23. Tomorrow’s Harvest
    Boards of Canada
24. A Wonder Working Stone
    Alasdair Roberts & Friends
25. Nexus
    Young Echo
26. The Redeemer
    Dean Blunt
27. The Inheritors
    James Holden
28. Austerity Dogs
    Sleaford Mods
29. Psi 847
    Eliane Radigue
30. Anxiety
    Autre Ne Veut
31. Svaevninger
    Jacob Kirkegaard & Else Marie Pade
32. Armed Courage
    The Dead C
33. The Outer Church
    various artists
34. Doris
    Earl Sweatshirt
35. Engravings
    Forest Swords
36. Pull My Hair Back
    Jessy Lanza
37. HD
    Atom TM
38. Line The Clouds
    Ashley Paul
39. Open
    The Necks
40. Long Island
    Endless Boogie
41. Sub
    G*Park
42. Wed 21
    Juana Molina
43. Acid Rap
    Chance The Rapper
44. Soul Music
    Special Request
45. Joy One Mile
    Stellar OM Source
46. John Wizards
    John Wizards
47. NYC, Hell 3:00am
    James Ferraro
48. The Marianne
    Call Back the Giants
49. Glynnaestra
    Grumbling Fur
50. Visionary Seascapes
    Jem Finer & Andrew Kötting

Pretty Much Amazing: 40 Best Albums of 2013, top 10 presented alphabetically

[see also 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012 • 2011]

• Anxiety
  Autre Ne Veut
• The Bones Of What You Believe
  Chvrches
• Random Access Memories
  Daft Punk
• Settle
  Disclosure
• The 20/20 Experience
  Justin Timberlake
• Yeezus
  Kanye West
• Trouble Will Find Me
  The National
• Silence Yourself
  Savages
• Modern Vampires of the City
  Vampire Weekend
• Repave
  Volcano Choir

11. R Plus Seven
    Oneohtrix Point Never
12. Torres
    TORRES
13. Acid Rap
    Chance The Rapper
14. Shaking the Habitual
    The Knife
15. Doris
    Earl Sweatshirt
16. We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic
    Foxygen
17. Muchacho
    Phosphorescent
18. Wondrous Bughouse
    Youth Lagoon
19. Wakin on a Pretty Daze
    Kurt Vile
20. Monomania
    Deerhunter
21. The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You
    Neko Case
22. Cerulean Salt
    Waxahatchee
23. AM
    Arctic Monkeys
24. Days Are Gone
    Haim
25. You’re Nothing
    Iceage
26. Once I Was an Eagle
    Laura Marling
27. If You Wait
    London Grammar
28. Woman
    Rhye
29. EP2
    FKA twigs
30. mbv
    My Bloody Valentine
31. Tomorrow’s Harvest
    Boards of Canada
32. Overgrown
    James Blake
33. Holy Fire
    Foals
34. demos
    Jai Paul
35. Kiss Land
    The Weeknd
36. Slow Focus
    Fuck Buttons
37. After Dark 2
    various artists
38. The Next Day
    David Bowie
39. The Chronicles of Marnia
    Marnie Stern
40. The Electric Lady
    Janelle Monáe

AllMusic: 50 Best Albums of 2013 presented alphabetically

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012 • 2011]

• Body Music
  AlunaGeorge
• AM
  Arctic Monkeys
• Drone Logic
  Daniel Avery
• Silver Wilkinson
  Bibio
• A Love Surreal
  Bilal
• Tomorrow’s Harvest
  Boards of Canada
• The Next Day
  David Bowie
• Old
  Danny Brown
• The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You
  Neko Case
• 12 Stories
  Brandy Clark
• Random Access Memories
  Daft Punk
• Sunbather
  Deafheaven
• Settle
  Disclosure
• Run the Jewels
  Run the Jewels
• Night Time, My Time
  Sky Ferreira
• Love In Flying Colors
  The Foreign Exchange
• We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic
  Foxygen
• The Terror
  The Flaming Lips
• Twelve Reasons To Die
  Ghostface Killah and Adrian Younge
• Tales of Us
  Goldfrapp
• Days Are Gone
  Haim
• Loud City Song
  Julia Holter
• No Beginning No End
  José James
• Wolf’s Law
  Joy Formidable
• Shaking the Habitual
  The Knife
• Meir
  Kvelertak
• The Electric Lady
  Janelle Monáe
• Like a Rose
  Ashley Monroe
• Vanishing Point
  Mudhoney
• Same Trailer Different Park
  Kacey Musgraves
• mbv
  My Bloody Valentine
• Abandon All Life
  Nails
• Bed & Bugs
  Obits
• Paramore
  Paramore
• Liquid Spirit
  Gregory Porter
• My Name Is My Name
  Pusha T
• Avalanche
  Quadron
• …Like Clockwork
  Queens of the Stone Age
• The Stand-In
  Caitlin Rose
• Silence Yourself
  Savages
• She
  Alice Smith
• Bloodsports
  Suede
• Heartthrob
  Tegan and Sara
• Apocalypse
  Thundercat
• Anything In Return
  Toro y Moi
• Say That To Say This
  Trombone Shorty
• Modern Vampires of the City
  Vampire Weekend
• Wakin on a Pretty Daze
  Kurt Vile
• Yeezus
  Kanye West
• With Love
  Zomboy

Sasha Frere-Jones of The New Yorker: 42 Best Albums of 2013 (listed chronologically within three tiers)

[see also 2022 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012 • 2011]

I have lost sensation in my extremities.

• Excavation
  The Haxan Cloak
• …Like Clockwork
  Queens of the Stone Age
• Yeezus
  Kanye West
• Slow Focus
  Fuck Buttons
• Dysnomia
  Dawn of Midi
• 6 Feet Beneath the Moon
  King Krule
• Virgins
  Tim Hecker
• Not Here/Not Now
  Swans
• Open
  The Necks
• Matangi
  M.I.A.

I feel funny.

• Nocturnes
  William Basinski
• Once I Was an Eagle
  Laura Marling
• Compendium
  Old Apparatus
• Immunity
  Jon Hopkins
• Settle
  Disclosure
• Random Access Memories Memories
  Daftside
• Electric
  Pet Shop Boys
• Swisher
  Blondes
• Doris
  Earl Sweatshirt
• One Breath
  Anna Calvi
• Old
  Danny Brown
• Beautiful Rewind
  Four Tet
• 12 Stories
  Brandy Clark
• Lanterns
  Son Lux
• Process
  YVETTE
• Syndrome Syndrome
  Gardland
• Saint Heron
  various artists
• Love’s Crushing Diamond
  Mutual Benefit

Something is up.

• Amok
  Atoms for Peace
• Impossible Truth
  William Tyler
• mbv
  My Bloody Valentine
• Magic Trix
  Xenia Rubinos
• Loud City Song
  Julia Holter
• Run the Jewels
  Run the Jewels
• Nothing Was the Same
  Drake
• Days Are Gone
  Haim
• Pure Heroine
  Lorde
• No Dreams
  Noveller
• Night Time, My Time
  Sky Ferreira
• Solar Motel
  Chris Forsyth
• Wed 21
  Juana Molina
• FRKWYS Vol. 10 Fits & Starts
  David Van Tieghem x Ten

Magnet Magazine: Top 25 Albums of 2013

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012 • 2011]

1. The Silver Gymnasium
   Okkervil River
2. The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You
   Neko Case
3. Fade
   Yo La Tengo
4. Amok
   Atoms for Peace
5. Trouble Will Find Me
   The National
6. Monomania
   Deerhunter
7. I Hate Music
   Superchunk
8. Random Access Memories
   Daft Punk
9. Tonight You Look Like a Spider
   David Yow
10. We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic
    Foxygen
11. Silence Yourself
    Savages
12. mbv
    My Bloody Valentine
13. The Bones Of What You Believe
    Chvrches
14. English Little League
    Guided By Voices
15. Siberia
    Polvo
16. Wakin on a Pretty Daze
    Kurt Vile
17. Self-Titled
    Wesley Stace
18. Honeys
    Pissed Jeans
19. Modern Vampires of the City
    Vampire Weekend
20. Dream River
    Bill Callahan
21. B-Room
    Dr. Dog
22. Personal Record
    Eleanor Friedberger
23. Push the Sky Away
    Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
24. Days Are Gone
    Haim
25. Muchacho
    Phosphorescent

Paste Magazine: 50 Best Albums of 2013

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Muchacho
   Phosphorescent
2. MCII
   Mikal Cronin
3. We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic
   Foxygen
4. The Electric Lady
   Janelle Monáe
5. Monomania
   Deerhunter
6. Wakin on a Pretty Daze
   Kurt Vile
7. Modern Vampires of the City
   Vampire Weekend
8. The Bones Of What You Believe
   Chvrches
9. Run the Jewels
   Run the Jewels
10. Days Are Gone
    Haim
11. Southeastern
    Jason Isbell
12. Trouble Will Find Me
    The National
13. Wildewoman
    Lucius
14. Silence Yourself
    Savages
15. Random Access Memories
    Daft Punk
16. Yeezus
    Kanye West
17. Repave
    Volcano Choir
18. Reflektor
    Arcade Fire
19. Cerulean Salt
    Waxahatchee
20. Same Trailer Different Park
    Kacey Musgraves
21. Shaking the Habitual
    The Knife
22. The Silver Gymnasium
    Okkervil River
23. Light Up Gold
    Parquet Courts
24. Matangi
    M.I.A.
25. II
    Unknown Mortal Orchestra
26. mbv
    My Bloody Valentine
27. Dream River
    Bill Callahan
28. The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You
    Neko Case
29. …Like Clockwork
    Queens of the Stone Age
30. Hummingbird
    Local Natives
31. Idle No More
    King Khan and the Shrines
32. Woman
    Rhye
33. Anxiety
    Autre Ne Veut
34. My Name Is My Name
    Pusha T
35. Wondrous Bughouse
    Youth Lagoon
36. Pure Heroine
    Lorde
37. White Lighter
    Typhoon
38. Old
    Danny Brown
39. lousy with sylvianbriar
    of Montreal
40. Excavation
    The Haxan Cloak
41. Pedestrian Verse
    Frightened Rabbit
42. Big Wheel and Others
    Cass McCombs
43. Doris
    Earl Sweatshirt
44. Victim of Love
    Charles Bradley
45. Bigfoot
    Cayucas
46. Personal Record
    Eleanor Friedberger
47. The Lone Bellow
    The Lone Bellow
48. Tape Deck Heart
    Frank Turner
49. Major Arcana
    Speedy Ortiz
50. B-Room
    Dr. Dog

Complex: 50 Best Albums of 2013

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Yeezus
   Kanye West
2. Nothing Was the Same
   Drake
3. My Name Is My Name
   Pusha T
4. Acid Rap
   Chance The Rapper
5. Old
   Danny Brown
6. The Marshall Mathers LP 2
   Eminem
7. Days Are Gone
   Haim
8. Trap Lord
   A$AP Ferg
9. Cupid Deluxe
   Blood Orange
10. Because the Internet
    Childish Gambino
11. Doris
    Earl Sweatshirt
12. Watching Movies with the Sound Off
    Mac Miller
13. Born Sinner
    J. Cole
14. Woman
    Rhye
15. Run the Jewels
    Run the Jewels
16. Reflektor
    Arcade Fire
17. Blue Chips 2
    Action Bronson & Party Supplies
18. Anxiety
    Autre Ne Veut
19. Long.Live.A$AP
    A$AP Rocky
20. Yours Truly
    Ariana Grande
21. The Night’s Gambit
    Ka
22. Anything In Return
    Toro y Moi
23. Magna Carta... Holy Grail
    JAY-Z
24. The Luca Brasi Story
    Kevin Gates
25. Night Time, My Time
    Sky Ferreira
26. Indicud
    Kid Cudi
27. Stay Trippy
    Juicy J
28. Cut 4 Me
    Kelela
29. B.O.A.T.S. II #METIME
    2 Chainz
30. …Like Clockwork
    Queens of the Stone Age
31. Sunbather
    Deafheaven
32. Matangi
    M.I.A.
33. Overgrown
    James Blake
34. Innanetape
    Vic Mensa
35. Settle
    Disclosure
36. 1017 Thug
    Young Thug
37. Shulamith
    Poliça
38. 6 Feet Beneath the Moon
    King Krule
39. Double Cup
    DJ Rashad
40. I Have Lost All Desire For Feeling
    Perfect Pussy
41. Excuse My French
    French Montana
42. Ketchup
    DJ Mustard
43. Indigoism
    The Underachievers
44. YRN
    Migos
45. Random Access Memories
    Daft Punk
46. The H: The Lost Album, Vol. 1
    Birdman & Rick Ross
47. Modern Vampires of the City
    Vampire Weekend
48. Get Home Safely
    Dom Kennedy
49. True Romance
    Charli XCX
50. Hall of Fame
    Big Sean

Q Magazine: 50 Best Albums of 2013

[see also 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2012 • 2011]

1. AM
   Arctic Monkeys
2. Modern Vampires of the City
   Vampire Weekend
3. The Next Day
   David Bowie
4. Random Access Memories
   Daft Punk
5. Immunity
   Jon Hopkins
6. Rewind the Film
   Manic Street Preachers
7. Big Wheel and Others
   Cass McCombs
8. A Bad Wind Blows
   Bill Ryder-Jones
9. Pale Green Ghosts
   John Grant
10. Days Are Gone
    Haim
11. Howlin’
    Jagwar Ma
12. mbv
    My Bloody Valentine
13. Monkey Minds in the Devil’s Time
    Steve Mason
14. …Like Clockwork
    Queens of the Stone Age
15. Holy Fire
    Foals
16. Sing to the Moon
    Laura Mvula
17. Big Inner
    Matthew E. White
18. Once I Was an Eagle
    Laura Marling
19. Factory Floor
    Factory Floor
20. Opposites
    Biffy Clyro
21. 180
    Palma Violets
22. Bloodsports
    Suede
23. Settle
    Disclosure
24. Ice on the Dune
    Empire of the Sun
25. Tomorrow’s Harvest
    Boards of Canada
26. Yeezus
    Kanye West
27. Dream River
    Bill Callahan
28. Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action
    Franz Ferdinand
29. Drone Logic
    Daniel Avery
30. Electric
    Pet Shop Boys
31. The Electric Lady
    Janelle Monáe
32. Silence Yourself
    Savages
33. Light Up Gold
    Parquet Courts
34. Crimson/Red
    Prefab Sprout
35. Mala
    Devendra Banhart
36. Wakin on a Pretty Daze
    Kurt Vile
37. Trouble Will Find Me
    The National
38. Tales of Us
    Goldfrapp
39. Body Music
    AlunaGeorge
40. Run the Jewels
    Run the Jewels
41. Praxis Makes Perfect
    Neon Neon
42. Field of Reeds
    These New Puritans
43. Shaking the Habitual
    The Knife
44. Lightning Bolt
    Pearl Jam
45. Kveikur
    Sigur Rós
46. Overgrown
    James Blake
47. Comedown Machine
    The Strokes
48. Mug Museum
    Cate Le Bon
49. More Light
    Primal Scream
50. Seasons of Your Day
    Mazzy Star