Year-End Lists

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

Jordan Hoffman: The Best Movies of 2013, as published by ScreenCrush

[see also 2017]

1. Inside Llewyn Davis
   Joel & Ethan Coen
2. 12 Years a Slave
   Steve McQueen
3. Her
   Spike Jonze
4. The Wolf of Wall Street
   Martin Scorsese
5. Frances Ha
   Noah Baumbach
6. Gravity
   Alfonso Cuaron
7. Upstream Color
   Shane Carruth
8. Man of Steel
   Zack Snyder
9. Blue is the Warmest Color
   Abdellatif Kechiche
10. Cutie and the Boxer
    Zachary Heinzerling
11. Blue Jasmine
    Woody Allen
12. Sightseers
    Ben Wheatley
13. Paradise: Love
    Ulrich Seidl
14. Room 237
    Rodney Ascher
15. Escape from Tomorrow
    Randy Moore
16. Stoker
    Park Chan-wook
17. Lore
    Cate Shortland
18. Wadjda
    Haifaa al-Mansour
19. Beyond the Hills
    Cristian Mungiu
20. The World’s End
    Edgar Wright

honorable mention

• The Act of Killing
  Joshua Oppenheimer

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

Cahiers du Cinéma: Top Ten Films of 2013

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

1. Stranger by the Lake
   Alain Guiraudie
2. Spring Breakers
   Harmony Korine
3. Blue is the Warmest Color
   Abdellatif Kechiche
4. Gravity
   Alfonso Cuaron
5. A Touch of Sin
   Jia Zhang-ke
6. Lincoln
   Steven Spielberg
7. Jealousy
   Philippe Garrel
8. Nobody’s Daughter Haewon
   Hong Sang-soo
9. You and the Night
   Yann Gonzalez
10. Age of Panic
    Justine Triet

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

Greg Kot: The Best Albums of 2013, as aired on Sound Opinions

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

1. Light Up Gold
   Parquet Courts
2. Acid Rap
   Chance The Rapper
3. Songbook
   Allen Toussaint
4. Psychic
   Darkside
5. Silence Yourself
   Savages
6. Woman
   Rhye
7. Innanetape
   Vic Mensa
8. Event II
   Deltron 3030
9. As Plantas Que Curam
   Boogarins
10. The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You
    Neko Case
11. Nobody Knows.
    Willis Earl Beal
12. Inspiration Information / Wings of Love
    Shuggie Otis
13. Electric
    Richard Thompson
14. Nomad
    Bombino
15. Push Any Button
    Sam Phillips
16. I Hate Music
    Superchunk
17. Back to Land
    Wooden Shjips
18. …Like Clockwork
    Queens of the Stone Age
19. Beautiful Africa
    Rokia Traoré
20. The Next Day
    David Bowie

Jim DeRogatis: The Best Albums of 2013, as aired on Sound Opinions

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

1. Silence Yourself
   Savages
2. Light Up Gold
   Parquet Courts
3. Acid Rap
   Chance The Rapper
4. We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic
   Foxygen
5. Pure Heroine
   Lorde
6. Off the Record
   Karl Bartos
7. Change Becomes Us
   Wire
8. She's Gone
   Upset
9. Back to Land
   Wooden Shjips
10. The Invisible Way
    Low
11. Electric
    Richard Thompson
12. Mosquito
    Yeah Yeah Yeahs
13. Double Exposure
    Kelley Stoltz
14. Sleeper
    Ty Segall
15. True
    Solange
16. Fade
    Yo La Tengo
17. Event II
    Deltron 3030
18. Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action
    Franz Ferdinand
19. MGMT
    MGMT
20. Nobody Knows.
    Willis Earl Beal
21. The Recipe Volume 2
    Probcause
22. 180
    Palma Violets
23. Random Access Memories
    Daft Punk
24. Woman
    Rhye
25. Skull Worship
    The Warlocks
26. Fourth Corner
    Trixie Whitley
27. Amok
    Atoms for Peace
28. Crashes On the Platinum Planet
    Big Dipper
29. PillowTalk
    Pantyraid
30. Under the Covers, Vol. 3
    Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs

The New York Times: The 10 Best Books of 2013

[see also The 10 Best Books of 2023 • 100 Notable Books of 2023 • The 10 Best Books of 2022 • 100 Notable Books of 2022 • The 10 Best Books of 2021 • 100 Notable Books of 2021 • The 10 Best Books of 2020 • 100 Notable Books of 2020 • 100 Notable Books of 2019 • The 10 Best Books of 2019 • 10 Best Books of 2018 • 100 Notable Books of 2018 • 100 Notable Books of 2017 • 10 Best Books of 2017 • 10 Best Books of 2016 • 10 Best Books of 2015 • The 10 Best Books of 2014 • 100 Notable Books of 2012 • 10 Best Books of 2012 • 100 Notable Books of 2011 • Ten Best Books of 2011]

Fiction

• Americanah
  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
• The Flamethrowers
  Rachel Kushner
• The Goldfinch
  Donna Tartt
• Life After Life
  Kate Atkinson
• Tenth of December
  George Saunders

Nonfiction

• After the Music Stopped

  The Financial Crisis, the Response, and the Work Ahead
  Alan S. Blinder
• Days of Fire

  Bush and Cheney in the White House
  Peter Baker
• Five Days at Memorial

  Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital
  Sheri Fink
• The Sleepwalkers

  How Europe Went to War in 1914
  Christopher Clark
• Wave
  Sonali Deraniyagala

American Songwriter: Top 50 Albums Of 2013

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

1. Southeastern
   Jason Isbell
2. American Kid
   Patty Griffin
3. Muchacho
   Phosphorescent
4. My Favorite Picture of You
   Guy Clark
5. The Graceless Age
   John Murry
6. Trouble Will Find Me
   The National
7. Same Trailer Different Park
   Kacey Musgraves
8. New
   Paul McCartney
9. Wise Up Ghost and Other Songs
   Elvis Costello and The Roots
10. Build Me Up From Bones
    Sarah Jarosz
11. Dream River
    Bill Callahan
12. Modern Vampires of the City
    Vampire Weekend
13. Old Yellow Moon
    Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell
14. Like a Rose
    Ashley Monroe
15. Magpie and the Dandelion
    The Avett Brothers
16. Stories Don't End
    Dawes
17. The Ash & Clay
    The Milk Carton Kids
18. Push the Sky Away
    Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
19. The Civil Wars
    The Civil Wars
20. Once I Was an Eagle
    Laura Marling
21. Pushin’ Against a Stone
    Valerie June
22. Still Fighting the War
    Slaid Cleaves
23. Reflektor
    Arcade Fire
24. Country Mile
    Johnny Flynn
25. Days Are Gone
    Haim
26. Pure Heroine
    Lorde
27. 12 Stories
    Brandy Clark
28. The Beast in Its Tracks
    Josh Ritter
29. Carry On
    Willy Mason
30. Fossils
    Aoife O'Donovan
31. The Low Highway
    Steve Earle & The Dukes (& Duchesses)
32. Honky Tonk
    Son Volt
33. Privateering
    Mark Knopfler
34. The Stand-In
    Caitlin Rose
35. Caves
    Tristen
36. Tape Deck Heart
    Frank Turner
37. Tooth & Nail
    Billy Bragg
38. Country Sleep
    Night Beds
39. The Diving Board
    Elton John
40. Negativity
    Deer Tick
41. Rubberband
    Charlie Worsham
42. Matt Costa
    Matt Costa
43. Feeling Mortal
    Kris Kristofferson
44. Let's Be Still
    The Head and the Heart
45. Not Cool
    Tim Easton
46. Down Fell the Doves
    Amanda Shires
47. Love Has Come for You
    Steve Martin and Edie Brickell
48. Dad Country
    Jonny Fritz
49. Love and Forgiveness
    Courtney Jaye
50. Runaway Freeway Blues
    The Black Lillies

David Ehrlich’s video countdown of the 25 Best Films of 2013 (presented this year by Film.com).

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

1. Before Midnight
   Richard Linklater
2. The Wind Rises
   Hayao Miyazaki
3. Inside Llewyn Davis
   Joel & Ethan Coen
4. 12 Years a Slave
   Steve McQueen
5. The Grandmaster [Chinese cut]
   Wong Kar-Wai
6. Spring Breakers
   Harmony Korine
7. At Berkeley
   Frederick Wiseman
8. A Touch of Sin
   Jia Zhang-ke
9. Leviathan
   Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel
10. Post Tenebras Lux
    Carlos Reygadas
11. Upstream Color
    Shane Carruth
12. The Wolf of Wall Street
    Martin Scorsese
13. Laurence Anyways
    Xavier Dolan
14. The Act of Killing
    Joshua Oppenheimer
15. Stoker
    Park Chan-wook
16. The Great Gatsby
    Baz Luhrmann
17. Beyond the Hills
    Cristian Mungiu
18. Nebraska
    Alexander Payne
19. Blue Jasmine
    Woody Allen
20. The Great Beauty
    Paolo Sorrentino
21. Pain & Gain
    Michael Bay
22. The Bling Ring
    Sofia Coppola
23. The Broken Circle Breakdown
    Felix van Groeningen
24. The World’s End
    Edgar Wright
25. Frances Ha
    Noah Baumbach