Year-End Lists

PopMatters: 70 Best Albums of 2018

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Cocoa Sugar
   Young Fathers
2. Golden Hour
   Kacey Musgraves
3. Joy as an Act of Resistance
   Idles
4. Dirty Computer
   Janelle Monáe
5. soil
   serpentwithfeet
6. All That Must Be
   George FitzGerald
7. Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
   Deafheaven
8. Power
   Lotic
9. Room 25
   Noname
10. Kingdoms In Colour
    Maribou State
11. Honey
    Robyn
12. Safe in the Hands of Love
    Yves Tumor
13. Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
    Sophie
14. Empress
    Ray BLK
15. Care for Me
    Saba
16. Aviary
    Julia Holter
17. Chris
    Christine and the Queens
18. Persona
    Rival Consoles
19. Young Sick Camellia
    St. Paul & The Broken Bones
20. New Bodies
    Tangents
21. Queen of Golden Dogs
    Vessel
22. Double Negative
    Low
23. MITH
    Lonnie Holley
24. Heaven and Earth
    Kamasi Washington
25. Hell-On
    Neko Case
26. You Won't Get What You Want
    Daughters
27. boygenius
    boygenius
28. Konoyo
    Tim Hecker
29. And Nothing Hurt
    Spiritualized
30. Last Night
    Benin City
31. Negro Swan
    Blood Orange
32. Years
    Sarah Shook & the Disarmers
33. See You Around
    I’m With Her
34. 7
    Beach House
35. Bodied
    Ital Tek
36. IRISIRI
    Eartheater
37. Interstate Gospel
    Pistol Annies
38. Be the Cowboy
    Mitski
39. iridescence
    BROCKHAMPTON
40. Lost & Found
    Jorja Smith
41. Ultraviolet
    Kelly Moran
42. Invasion of Privacy
    Cardi B
43. Ten Fables of Young Ambition and Passionate Love
    St. Lenox
44. Elysia Crampton
    Elysia Crampton
45. Love Is Dead
    Chvrches
46. Sweetener
    Ariana Grande
47. Singularity
    Jon Hopkins
48. Closer Apart
    Okzharp & Manthe Ribane
49. Fenfo
    Fatoumata Diawara
50. Post-
    Jeff Rosenstock
51. Knock Knock
    DJ Koze
52. Open Here
    Field Music
53. God’s Favorite Customer
    Father John Misty
54. Historian
    Lucy Dacus
55. Black Times
    Seun Kuti & Egypt 80
56. Landfall
    Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet
57. Wide Awake!
    Parquet Courts
58. Volunteer
    Old Crow Medicine Show
59. The Future and the Past
    Natalie Prass
60. American Utopia
    David Byrne
61. Le Kov
    Gwenno
62. Daytona
    Pusha T
63. By The Way, I Forgive You
    Brandi Carlile
64. High As Hope
    Florence + The Machine
65. Paraffin
    Armand Hammer
66. Heaven
    Dilly Dally
67. Record
    Tracey Thorn
68. Full Circle Nightmare
    Kyle Craft
69. Prequelle
    Ghost
70. Evening Machines
    Gregory Alan Isakov

NME: Best Albums of the Year 2018

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
   The 1975
2. Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
   Arctic Monkeys
3. Joy as an Act of Resistance
   Idles
4. Twentytwo in Blue
   Sunflower Bean
5. Daytona
   Pusha T
6. Songs of Praise
   Shame
7. Isolation
   Kali Uchis
8. Invasion of Privacy
   Cardi B
9. Be the Cowboy
   Mitski
10. Chris
    Christine and the Queens
11. Honey
    Robyn
12. Negro Swan
    Blood Orange
13. Dream Wife
    Dream Wife
14. Lush
    Snail Mail
15. Kids See Ghosts
    Kids See Ghosts
16. iridescence
    BROCKHAMPTON
17. Wide Awake!
    Parquet Courts
18. Hope Downs
    Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
19. ASTROWORLD
    Travis Scott
20. Acts of Fear and Love
    Slaves
21. Sweetener
    Ariana Grande
22. Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
    Deafheaven
23. Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
    Sophie
24. Cocoa Sugar
    Young Fathers
25. ¥€$
    Tommy Cash
26. Bad Contestant
    Matt Maltese
27. Singularity
    Jon Hopkins
28. Transangelic Exodus
    Ezra Furman
29. Bloom
    Troye Sivan
30. FM!
    Vince Staples
31. Freedom
    Amen Dunes
32. KOD
    J. Cole
33. Palo Santo
    Years & Years
34. ye
    Kanye West
35. Time & Space
    Turnstile
36. Dirty Computer
    Janelle Monáe
37. Parcels
    Parcels
38. Swimming
    Mac Miller
39. Clean
    Soccer Mommy
40. And Nothing Hurt
    Spiritualized
41. Devotion
    Tirzah
42. Geography
    Tom Misch
43. Sex & Food
    Unknown Mortal Orchestra
44. American Utopia
    David Byrne
45. Proper Dose
    The Story So Far
46. God’s Favorite Customer
    Father John Misty
47. The Now Now
    Gorillaz
48. No Tourists
    The Prodigy
49. Dear Annie
    Rejjie Snow
50. Boarding House Reach
    Jack White
51. Family Portrait
    Ross from Friends
52. Kingdoms In Colour
    Maribou State
53. My Mind Makes Noises
    Pale Waves
54. Confident Music For Confident People
    Confidence Man
55. Dance Music
    Mastersystem
56. Dose Your Dreams
    Fucked Up
57. Street Worms
    Viagra Boys
58. Bottle It In
    Kurt Vile
59. Some Rap Songs
    Earl Sweatshirt
60. Holy Hell
    Architects
61. The Dog and the Future
    Agar Agar
62. Come Over When You're Sober, Pt. 2
    Lil Peep
63. Tell Me How You Really Feel
    Courtney Barnett
64. Jassbusters
    Connan Mockasin
65. Golden Hour
    Kacey Musgraves
66. All Nerve
    The Breeders
67. I’m All Ears
    Let’s Eat Grandma
68. Veteran
    JPEGMAFIA
69. Resistance Is Futile
    Manic Street Preachers
70. Simulation Theory
    Muse
71. Superorganism
    Superorganism
72. Mirror Might Steal Your Charm
    The Garden
73. Merrie Land
    The Good, the Bad & the Queen
74. Bad Witch
    Nine Inch Nails
75. In a Poem Unlimited
    U.S. Girls
76. Anthem of the Peaceful Army
    Greta Van Fleet
77. Beyondless
    Iceage
78. Ghetto Gospel: The New Testament
    Ghetts
79. Spaceman
    Octavian
80. Room 25
    Noname
81. Redemption
    Jay Rock
82. Goat Girl
    Goat Girl
83. You Will Not Die
    Nakhane
84. High As Hope
    Florence + The Machine
85. Nothing Is Still
    Leon Vynehall
86. Kamikaze
    Eminem
87. Cool Like You
    Blossoms
88. so sad so sexy
    Lykke Li
89. Errorzone
    Vein
90. Oxnard
    Anderson .Paak
91. Everything Is Love
    The Carters
92. Heaven and Earth
    Kamasi Washington
93. Opal
    Vinyl Williams
94. El Mal Querer
    Rosalía
95. Cranberry
    Hovvdy
96. Where Wildness Grows
    Gengahr
97. Kindness Is the New Rock and Roll
    Peace
98. Someone Out There
    Rae Morris
99. The Future and the Past
    Natalie Prass
100. Marauder
     Interpol

Chris Willman: 20 Best Albums of 2018, as published by Variety

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019]

1. Look Now
   Elvis Costello & The Imposters
2. By The Way, I Forgive You
   Brandi Carlile
3. Nudes
   Lucius
4. Golden Hour
   Kacey Musgraves
5. God’s Favorite Customer
   Father John Misty
6. Interstate Gospel
   Pistol Annies
7. Sweetener
   Ariana Grande
8. Boarding House Reach
   Jack White
9. No Shame
   Lily Allen
10. The Window
    Cécile McLorin Salvant
11. Camila
    Camila Cabello
12. Girl Going Nowhere
    Ashley McBryde
13. See You Around
    I’m With Her
14. Good Thing
    Leon Bridges
15. Simulation Theory (Super Deluxe)
    Muse
16. MassEducation
    St. Vincent
17. Dirty Computer
    Janelle Monáe
18. All the Things That I Did and All the Things That I Didn't Do
    The Milk Carton Kids
19. Desperate Man
    Eric Church
20. Passwords
    Dawes

Jim Harrington: Top 10 Albums of 2018, as published by San Jose Mercury News

[see also 2010s • 2017]

1. Tha Carter V
   Lil Wayne
2. Look Up Child
   Lauren Daigle
3. All That Reckoning
   Cowboy Junkies
4. The Tree of Forgiveness
   John Prine
5. Golden Hour
   Kacey Musgraves
6. Invasion of Privacy
   Cardi B
7. Vicious
   Halestorm
8. Hiding Place
   Tori Kelly
9. Daytona
   Pusha T
10. Firepower
    Judas Priest

Honorable mention

• Desperate Man
  Eric Church
• Ruins
  First Aid Kit
• 7
  Beach House
• In a Poem Unlimited
  U.S. Girls
• Twin Fantasy
  Car Seat Headrest
• ASTROWORLD
  Travis Scott
• Lush
  Snail Mail
• Friendship Music
  Surfbort
• KOD
  J. Cole
• The Sciences
  Sleep
• I’ll Be Your Girl
  The Decemberists

Greg Kot: Best Albums of 2018, as published by The Chicago Tribune and aired on Sound Opinions

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Years
   Sarah Shook & the Disarmers
2. Joy as an Act of Resistance
   Idles
3. Room 25
   Noname
4. What a Time to Be Alive
   Superchunk
5. Care for Me
   Saba
6. Stranger Today
   Our Girl
7. Wide Awake!
   Parquet Courts
8. boygenius
   boygenius
9. Motorcade
   Motorcade
10. Rebound
    Eleanor Friedberger

The next 10

• Please Don't Be Dead
  Fantastic Negrito
• Honey
  Robyn
• Tell Me How You Really Feel
  Courtney Barnett
• GOOD Job, You Found Me
  Valee
• Dirty Computer
  Janelle Monáe
• To the Sunset
  Amanda Shires
• Parts
  Ohmme
• The Tree of Forgiveness
  John Prine
• Historian
  Lucy Dacus
• Chime
  Dessa

Jim DeRogatis: Best Albums of 2018, as aired on Sound Opinions

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Street Worms
   Viagra Boys
2. Ephorize
   cupcakKe
3. Tell Me How You Really Feel
   Courtney Barnett
4. What a Time to Be Alive
   Superchunk
5. Chime
   Dessa
6. FM!
   Vince Staples
7. To the Sunset
   Amanda Shires
8. Future Me Hates Me
   The Beths
9. The Tree of Forgiveness
   John Prine
10. Wide Awake!
    Parquet Courts

Spectrum Culture: Top 20 Albums of 2018

[see also 2022 • 2019]

1. Dirty Computer
   Janelle Monáe
2. Knock Knock
   DJ Koze
3. Double Negative
   Low
4. Daytona
   Pusha T
5. Honey
   Robyn
6. Negro Swan
   Blood Orange
7. Transangelic Exodus
   Ezra Furman
8. Invasion of Privacy
   Cardi B
9. Golden Hour
   Kacey Musgraves
10. Be the Cowboy
    Mitski
11. Future Me Hates Me
    The Beths
12. Sweetener
    Ariana Grande
13. Hive Mind
    The Internet
14. Some Rap Songs
    Earl Sweatshirt
15. Elastic Days
    J Mascis
16. 7
    Beach House
17. Whack World
    Tierra Whack
18. Chris
    Christine and the Queens
19. Safe in the Hands of Love
    Yves Tumor
20. Historian
    Lucy Dacus
20. MITH
    Lonnie Holley

Rolling Stone: 50 Best Albums of 2018

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Invasion of Privacy
   Cardi B
2. Golden Hour
   Kacey Musgraves
3. Camila
   Camila Cabello
4. Interstate Gospel
   Pistol Annies
5. Sweetener
   Ariana Grande
6. ASTROWORLD
   Travis Scott
7. Daytona
   Pusha T
8. A Star Is Born Soundtrack
   Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
9. Bottle It In
   Kurt Vile
10. Scorpion
    Drake
11. Egypt Station
    Paul McCartney
12. By The Way, I Forgive You
    Brandi Carlile
13. Dirty Computer
    Janelle Monáe
14. Be the Cowboy
    Mitski
15. Vibras
    J Balvin
16. Clean
    Soccer Mommy
17. Historian
    Lucy Dacus
18. FM!
    Vince Staples
19. Bark Your Head Off, Dog
    Hop Along
20. Future Me Hates Me
    The Beths
21. 7
    Beach House
22. The Tree of Forgiveness
    John Prine
23. In a Poem Unlimited
    U.S. Girls
24. Isolation
    Kali Uchis
25. SR3MM
    Rae Sremmurd
26. Lush
    Snail Mail
27. Room 25
    Noname
28. High As Hope
    Florence + The Machine
29. What a Time to Be Alive
    Superchunk
30. The Bluest Star
    Free Cake For Every Creature
31. El Mal Querer
    Rosalía
32. American Utopia
    David Byrne
33. Hell-On
    Neko Case
34. Tell Me How You Really Feel
    Courtney Barnett
35. Look Now
    Elvis Costello & The Imposters
36. Sparkle Hard
    Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
37. Whack World
    Tierra Whack
38. Desperate Man
    Eric Church
39. Bad Witch
    Nine Inch Nails
40. Wide Awake!
    Parquet Courts
41. To the Sunset
    Amanda Shires
42. Girl Going Nowhere
    Ashley McBryde
43. Tha Carter V
    Lil Wayne
44. WARM
    Jeff Tweedy
45. Honey
    Robyn
46. The Sciences
    Sleep
47. God’s Favorite Customer
    Father John Misty
48. Everything Is Love
    The Carters
49. 12 Little Spells
    Esperanza Spalding
50. Ephorize
    cupcakKe

Fact Magazine: Best Albums of 2018

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

1. Power
   Lotic
2. Make Me Know You Sweet
   Pendant
3. El Mal Querer
   Rosalía
4. Debiasing
   Barker
5. Nasty
   Rico Nasty
6. DNA Feelings
   Aïsha Devi
7. Unfold
   Gábor Lázár
8. Whack World
   Tierra Whack
9. Queen of Golden Dogs
   Vessel
10. Miro Tape
    Duppy Gun
11. Body Mods
    LSDXOXO
12. soil
    serpentwithfeet
13. Devotion
    Tirzah
14. Animus
    Debit
15. Some Rap Songs
    Earl Sweatshirt
16. Another Life
    Amnesia Scanner
17. The Midnight Orchard
    Neville Watson
18. Safe in the Hands of Love
    Yves Tumor
19. Turning Points
    Renick Bell
20. Invasion of Privacy
    Cardi B
21. Gave In Rest
    Sarah Davachi
22. Ephorize
    cupcakKe
23. Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
    Sophie
24. Inner Worlds
    TSVI
25. Somewhere Decent To Live
    Space Afrika
26. Colt
    Hilary Woods
27. Human Lines
    Astrid Sonne
28. 13th Month
    Kelman Duran
29. SlimeBall 3
    Young Nudy
30. Beacon
    Tess Roby
31. Period
    City Girls
32. Sanguine Bond
    Beta Librae
33. Silk Eternity
    Martyn Bootyspoon
34. Isolation
    Kali Uchis
35. Die Lit
    Playboi Carti
36. Sonder Somatic
    Bruce
37. Low Power
    H.Takahashi
38. In a Poem Unlimited
    U.S. Girls
39. Raw Silk Uncut Wood
    Laurel Halo
40. K.T.S.E.
    Teyana Taylor
41. Adoration
    Cecilia
42. Compro
    Skee Mask
43. Working Class Woman
    Marie Davidson
44. Stadium
    Eli Keszler
45. Punken
    Maxo Kream
46. Organ Dirges 2016​-​2017
    Kali Malone
47. Patina Echoes
    various artists
48. Always Yours
    Chevel
49. Double Negative
    Low
50. Caution
    Mariah Carey

Spin: 51 Best Albums of 2018

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

1. A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
   The 1975
2. Be the Cowboy
   Mitski
3. Golden Hour
   Kacey Musgraves
4. Freedom
   Amen Dunes
5. Negro Swan
   Blood Orange
6. Some Rap Songs
   Earl Sweatshirt
7. Double Negative
   Low
8. Daytona
   Pusha T
9. Honey
   Robyn
10. Age Of
    Oneohtrix Point Never
11. Wide Awake!
    Parquet Courts
12. Caution
    Mariah Carey
13. In a Poem Unlimited
    U.S. Girls
14. Lush
    Snail Mail
15. Sweetener
    Ariana Grande
16. Nasty
    Rico Nasty
17. Knock Knock
    DJ Koze
18. Die Lit
    Playboi Carti
19. Room 25
    Noname
20. Isolation
    Kali Uchis
21. Invasion of Privacy
    Cardi B
22. MIH-TY
    Jeremih & Ty Dolla $ign
23. Whack World
    Tierra Whack
24. Veteran
    JPEGMAFIA
25. Saturn
    Nao
26. Sparkle Hard
    Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
27. Chris
    Christine and the Queens
28. Gangin
    SOB X RBE
29. Devotion
    Tirzah
30. Singularity
    Jon Hopkins
31. God Level
    03 Greedo
32. Parts
    Ohmme
33. Ultraviolet
    Kelly Moran
34. Voicenotes
    Charlie Puth
35. Cold Devil
    Drakeo the Ruler
36. Dirty Computer
    Janelle Monáe
37. Care for Me
    Saba
38. Universal Beings
    Makaya McCraven
39. Ventriloquism
    Meshell Ndegeocello
40. Safe in the Hands of Love
    Yves Tumor
41. Hope Downs
    Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
42. MITH
    Lonnie Holley
43. soil
    serpentwithfeet
44. Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
    Deafheaven
45. Edgewood
    Trouble & Mike WiLL Made-It
46. Record
    Tracey Thorn
47. Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
    Sophie
48. Tell Me How You Really Feel
    Courtney Barnett
49. Ephorize
    cupcakKe
50. Still Trippin'
    DJ Taye
51. Hell-On
    Neko Case