Year-End Lists

AllMusic: Best Albums of 2023

[see also 2021 • 2020 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

• 10,000 gecs
  100 gecs
• Integrated Tech Solutions
  Aesop Rock
• Shook
  Algiers
• Aşk
  Altın Gün
• Luna
  Anna Lapwood
• April March Meets Staplin
  April March & Staplin
• My Soft Machine
  Arlo Parks
• Through and Through
  Baby Rose
• Natural Disaster
  Bethany Cosentino
• Maps
  Billy Woods & Kenny Segal
• The Ballad of Darren
  Blur
• Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You
  Bonnie “Prince” Billy
• the record
  boygenius
• Brand New Life
  Brandee Younger
• Brandy Clark
  Brandy Clark
• Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
  Caroline Polachek
• Cascades
  Christian Dillingham
• Sus Dog
  Clark
• Black Rainbows
  Corinne Bailey Rae
• Mélusine
  Cécile McLorin Salvant
• Quaranta
  Danny Brown
• Memento Mori
  Depeche Mode
• Danse Macabre
  Duran Duran
• Wait Til I Get Over
  Durand Jones
• Behind the Tea Chronicles
  Ed Motta
• Les Égarés
  Sissoko Segal Parisien Peirani
• Principia
  En Attendant Ana
• Afterpoem
  Faten Kanaan
• Multitudes
  Feist
• Radical Romantics
  Fever Ray
• Alive at the Village Vanguard
  Fred Hersch & Esperanza Spalding
• Angels & Queens
  Gabriels
• Struggler
  Genesis Owusu
• Dante
  Thomas Adès
• Workin' on a World
  Iris DeMent
• Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war))
  Jaimie Branch
• Joy'All
  Jenny Lewis
• That! Feels Good!
  Jessie Ware
• When you're this, this in love
  John Southworth
• The Greater Wings
  Julie Byrne
• Year Away
  Kacey Johansing
• Taking Shape
  Kaisa's Machine
• Red Moon in Venus
  Kali Uchis
• Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?
  Kara Jackson
• Mañana Será Bonito
  Karol G
• Raven
  Kelela
• Smalltown Stardust
  King Tuff
• Endling
  Kvelertak
• Tension
  Kylie Minogue
• Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
  Lana Del Rey
• False Lankum
  Lankum
• Radio Red
  Laura Groves
• Colours of Air
  Loscil & Lawrence English
• Girl In The Half Pearl
  Liv.e
• The Comeback Kid
  Marnie Stern
• Goodbye, Hotel Arkada
  Mary Lattimore
• Ahora
  Melenas
• The Omnichord Real Book
  Meshell Ndegeocello
• Burning Desire
  Mike
• The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
  Mitski
• Pop-Up! Ker-Ching! and the Possibilities of Modern Shopping
  Mozart Estate
• Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! (Complete Original Score)
  John Wilson, Sinfonia of London, Nathaniel Hackmann, Sierra Boggess
• Strange Disciple
  Nation of Language
• Celebrants
  Nickel Creek
• The Great White Sea Eagle
  James Yorkston, Nina Persson and The Second Hand Orchestra
• Bent Sørensen: St Matthew Passion
  The Norwegian Soloists' Choir / Ensemble Allegria / Grete Pedersen
• Guts
  Olivia Rodrigo
• This Is Why
  Paramore
• After the Magic
  Parannoul
• Coast 2 Coast
  Pearl & The Oysters
• I/O
  Peter Gabriel
• Heaven Knows
  PinkPantheress
• I Inside the Old Year Dying
  PJ Harvey
• In Times New Roman...
  Queens of the Stone Age
• Monteverdi: Vespro della Beata Vergine
  Raphaël Pichon / Pygmalion
• In Between Thoughts...A New World
  Rodrigo y Gabriela
• Lahai
  Sampha
• Flight of the Long Distance Healer
  Skyway Man
• UK Grim
  Sleaford Mods
• everything is alive
  Slowdive
• Madres
  Sofia Kourtesis
• Javelin
  Sufjan Stevens
• Blómi
  Susanne Sundfør
• The Third Decade: From Paris To Paris
  Art Ensemble Of Chicago
• I Am Not There Anymore
  The Clientele
• Sea of Mirrors
  The Coral
• Get Up Sequences Part Two
  The Go! Team
• God Games
  The Kills
• Tony Allen JID018
  Tony Allen, Adrian Younge
• Suk - Dvořák
  Trio Karénine
• A Cat in the Rain
  Turnpike Troubadours
• Rustin' In The Rain
  Tyler Childers
• Afternoon X
  Vanishing Twin
• Jaguar II
  Victoria Monét
• Everyone's Crushed
  Water From Your Eyes
• With A Hammer
  yaeji
• This Stupid World
  Yo La Tengo
• Heavy Heavy
  Young Fathers
• Live from The Cliburn - Liszt: Transcendental Etudes
  Yunchan Lim
• Black Classical Music
  Yussef Dayes

Chris Willman: The Best Albums of 2023, as published by Variety

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018]

1. the record
   boygenius
2. Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
   Lana Del Rey
3. The Returner
   Allison Russell
4. Guts
   Olivia Rodrigo
5. Brandy Clark
   Brandy Clark
6. Weathervanes
   Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit
7. Seven Psalms
   Paul Simon
8. My 21st Century Blues
   Raye
9. Bewitched
   Laufey
10. Zach Bryan
    Zach Bryan

Honorable mention

• Rat Saw God
  Wednesday
• The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte
  Sparks
• Lucky
  Megan Moroney
• Mañana Será Bonito
  Karol G
• I/O
  Peter Gabriel
• 10,000 gecs
  100 gecs
• Bluegrass Vacation
  Robbie Fulks
• Strays
  Margo Price
• Good Riddance
  Gracie Abrams
• Proof of Life
  Joy Oladokun
• Loving You
  Amanda Shires & Bobbie Nelson
• Unreal Unearth
  Hozier
• Anarchist Gospel
  Sunny War

Steven J. Horowitz: The Best Albums of 2023, as published by Variety

1. 10,000 gecs
   100 gecs
2. Jaguar II
   Victoria Monét
3. Calico
   Ryan Beatty
4. Like..?
   Ice Spice
5. Something to Give Each Other
   Troye Sivan
6. Faith Is A Rock
   MIKE, Wiki & The Alchemist
7. Raven
   Kelela
8. Larger than Life
   Brent Faiyaz
9. The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
   Chappell Roan
10. Guy
    Jayda G

Honorable mention

• That! Feels Good!
  Jessie Ware
• Barbie The Album
  various artists
• Fountain Baby
  Amaarae
• Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
  Caroline Polachek
• Michael
  Killer Mike
• Messy
  Olivia Dean
• Get Up
  NewJeans

Thania Garcia: The Best Albums of 2023, as published by Variety

1. Mañana Será Bonito
   Karol G
2. Fountain Baby
   Amaarae
3. Larger than Life
   Brent Faiyaz
4. Génesis
   Peso Pluma
5. Red Moon in Venus
   Kali Uchis
6. Heaven Knows
   PinkPantheress
7. SUPERNOVA
   Ralphie Choo
8. With A Hammer
   yaeji
9. Let's Start Here
   Lil Yachty
10. Data
    Tainy

Honorable mention

• Utopia
  Travis Scott
• Barbie The Album
  various artists
• Dogsbody
  Model/Actriz
• Desvelado
  Eslabon Armado
• Bebe
  Bebe Rexha
• Forward
  Jordan Ward
• Arepa Mixtape
  MJ Nebreda

Jem Aswad: The Best Albums of 2023, as published by Variety

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019]

1. Larger than Life
   Brent Faiyaz
2. Jamie XX, Live at Forest Hills Stadium, Queens, NY, June 16
3. Scarlet
   Doja Cat
4. Gloria
   Sam Smith
5. Paranoia, Angels, True Love
   Christine and the Queens
6. Red Moon in Venus
   Kali Uchis
7. Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
   Caroline Polachek
8. Psychic Dance Routine
   Scowl
9. Átta
   Sigur Rós
10. Asylum
    Uncle Waffles
10. Solace
    Uncle Waffles

Honorable mention

• Space Heavy
  King Krule
• Jaguar II
  Victoria Monét
• Heaven
  Cleo Sol
• Gold
  Cleo Sol
• Playing Robots into Heaven
  James Blake
• Paint My Bedroom Black
  Holly Humberstone

Fiona Sturges: Best Podcasts of 2023, as published by Financial Times

[see also 2022]

• Ghost Story
• Have You Heard George's Podcast?
• Filthy Ritual
• Love, Janessa
• Where Are You Going?
• Think Twice: Michael Jackson
• The Retrievals
• McCartney: A Life in Lyrics
• The Heart: Sisters
• Rylan: How to Be a Man

Mesfin Fekadu: The 10 Best Albums of 2023, as published by The Hollywood Reporter

[see also 2022]

1. Jaguar II
   Victoria Monét
2. Red Moon in Venus
   Kali Uchis
3. Gloria
   Sam Smith
4. Barbie The Album
   various artists
5. Magic 2
   Nas
6. Magic 3
   Nas
7. Something to Give Each Other
   Troye Sivan
8. Electric Dusk
   Leon Thomas
9. Guts
   Olivia Rodrigo
10. What I Didn’t Tell You (Deluxe)
    Coco Jones

Honorable mentions

• Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
  Lana Del Rey
• Michael
  Killer Mike
• Zach Bryan
  Zach Bryan
• Submissive
  Destin Conrad
• Raven
  Kelela

The Boston Globe: Books We Loved in 2023, published along with lists of favorite middle grade and young adult books

[see also 2021 • 2020]

Fiction

• At Sea
  Emma Fedor
• Blackouts
  Justin Torres
• Small Mercies
  Dennis Lehane
• Enter Ghost
  Isabella Hammad
• Small Worlds
  Caleb Azumah Nelson
• Take What You Need
  Idra Novey
• The Fraud
  Zadie Smith
• Terrace Story
  Hilary Leichter
• Birnam Wood
  Eleanor Catton
• Let Us Descend
  Jesmyn Ward
• Brooklyn Crime Novel
  Jonathan Lethem
• Everybody Knows
  Jordan Harper
• The New Naturals
  Gabriel Bump
• Decent People
  De'Shawn Charles Winslow
• Loved and Missed
  Susie Boyt
• Small World
  Laura Zigman
• The Faraway World
  Patricia Engel
• Hope
  Andrew Ridker
• North Woods
  Daniel Mason
• Voices of the Dead
  Ambrose Parry
• Witness
  Jamel Brinkley
• The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
  James McBride
• The Long Form
  Kate Briggs
• The Romantic
  William Boyd
• I Have Some Questions for You
  Rebecca Makkai

Nonfiction

• The Wager

  A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder
  David Grann
• Becoming Ella Fitzgerald

  The Jazz Singer Who Transformed American Song
  Judith Tick
• Wild Dances

  My Queer and Curious Journey to Eurovision
  William Lee Adams
• Hollywood and the Movies of the Fifties

  The Collapse of the Studio System, the Thrill of Cinerama, and the Invasion of the Ultimate Body Snatcher--Television
  Foster Hirsch
• Dialogue with a Somnambulist

  Stories, Essays & A Portrait Gallery
  Chloe Aridjis
• Shakespeare in Bloomsbury
  Marjorie Garber
• Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant
  Curtis Chin
• Doppelganger

  A Trip into the Mirror World
  Naomi Klein
• I Can't Save You

  A Memoir
  Anthony Chin-Quee
• Welcome 2 Houston

  Hip Hop Heritage in Hustle Town
  Langston Collin Wilkins
• The Loved Ones

  Essays to Bury the Dead
  Madison Davis
• King

  A Life
  Jonathan Eig
• How Not to Kill Yourself

  A portrait of the Suicidal Mind
  Clancy Martin
• The Loneliness Files

  A Memoir in Essays
  Athena Dixon
• The Book of (More) Delights

  Essays
  Ross Gay
• The Con Queen of Hollywood

  The Hunt for an Evil Genius
  Scott C. Johnson
• It's Not You, It's Capitalism

  Why It's Time to Break Up and How to Move On
  Malaika Jabali
• The Night Parade
  Jami Nakamura Lin
• The Path to Paradise

  A Francis Ford Coppola Story
  Sam Wasson
• The Black Guy Dies First

  Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar
  Robin R. Means Coleman and Mark H. Harris
• This is Not Miami
  Fernanda Melchor
• Love Across Borders

  Passports, Papers, and Romance in a Divided World
  Anna Lekas Miller
• Body Horror

  Capitalism, Fear, Misogyny, Jokes
  Anne Elizabeth Moore
• Quantum Criminals

  Ramblers, Wild Gamblers, and Other Sole Survivors from the Songs of Steely Dan
  Alex Pappademas & Joan LeMay
• LeBron
  Jeff Benedict

Magnet Magazine: Top 25 Albums of 2023

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Nowhere To Go But Up
   Guided By Voices
1. Welshpool Frillies
   Guided By Voices
1. La La Land
   Guided By Voices
2. Blondshell
   Blondshell
3. The Ballad of Darren
   Blur
4. I Inside the Old Year Dying
   PJ Harvey
5. Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
   Caroline Polachek
6. Weathervanes
   Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit
7. First Two Pages of Frankenstein
   The National
8. everything is alive
   Slowdive
9. I Am Not There Anymore
   The Clientele
10. the record
    boygenius
11. Bird Machine
    Sparklehorse
12. War Poems, We Rested
    R. Ring
13. The Window
    Ratboys
14. The Town That Cursed Your Name
    The Reds, Pinks & Purples
15. Lucky for You
    Bully
16. Jump for Joy
    Hiss Golden Messenger
17. Rat Saw God
    Wednesday
18. A Colossal Waste Of Light
    Eyelids
19. Manzanita
    Shana Cleveland
20. Don't Look Back
    Hurry
21. This Stupid World
    Yo La Tengo
22. Fountain Baby
    Amaarae
23. Javelin
    Sufjan Stevens
24. Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling
    Slaughter Beach, Dog
25. Desire Pathway
    Screaming Females

Film Comment: Best Films of 2023, a poll of the magazine's contributors

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. May December
   Todd Haynes
2. Showing Up
   Kelly Reichardt
3. Killers of the Flower Moon
   Martin Scorsese
4. Fallen Leaves
   Aki Kaurismäki
5. Pacifiction
   Albert Serra
6. Anatomy of a Fall
   Justine Triet
7. Afire
   Christian Petzold
8. The Zone of Interest
   Jonathan Glazer
9. Unrest
   Cyril Schäublin
10. Our Body
    Claire Simon
11. Dry Ground Burning
    Joana Pimenta and Adirley Queirós
12. Passages
    Ira Sachs
13. Trenque Lauquen
    Laura Citarella
14. Orlando, My Political Biography
    Paul B. Preciado
15. De humani corporis fabrica
    Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel
16. Menus-plaisirs - Les Troisgros
    Frederick Wiseman
17. Youth (Spring)
    Wang Bing
18. Asteroid City
    Wes Anderson
19. Rewind & Play
    Alain Gomis
20. The Boy and the Heron
    Hayao Miyazaki