Year-End Lists

Flood Magazine: Best Albums of 2018

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014]

1. Be the Cowboy
   Mitski
2. 7
   Beach House
3. Dirty Computer
   Janelle Monáe
4. In a Poem Unlimited
   U.S. Girls
5. Wide Awake!
   Parquet Courts
6. Sparkle Hard
   Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
7. Tell Me How You Really Feel
   Courtney Barnett
8. Redemption
   Jay Rock
9. Golden Hour
   Kacey Musgraves
10. Daytona
    Pusha T
11. Freedom
    Amen Dunes
12. FM!
    Vince Staples
13. boygenius
    boygenius
14. Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
    Deafheaven
15. And Nothing Hurt
    Spiritualized
16. Double Negative
    Low
17. Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
    Arctic Monkeys
18. No Dogs Allowed
    Sidney Gish
19. Forth Wanderers
    Forth Wanderers
20. Twin Fantasy
    Car Seat Headrest
21. Invasion of Privacy
    Cardi B
22. There’s a Riot Going On
    Yo La Tengo
23. Look Now
    Elvis Costello & The Imposters
24. Some Rap Songs
    Earl Sweatshirt
25. In the Lover's Corner
    The Love-Birds

Carl Wilson: The Best Albums of 2018, as published by Slate, in alphabetical order by artist

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

• Invasion of Privacy
  Cardi B
• Hell-On
  Neko Case
• Historian
  Lucy Dacus
• boygenius
  boygenius
• Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa
  Jeremy Dutcher
• Black Panther The Album Music From And Inspired By
  Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, SZA
• Girl Going Nowhere
  Ashley McBryde
• Now Only
  Mount Eerie
• Ventriloquism
  Meshell Ndegeocello
• In Another Life
  Sandro Perri
• Honey
  Robyn
• Your Queen Is a Reptile
  Sons of Kemet
• What a Time to Be Alive
  Superchunk
• Record
  Tracey Thorn
• A Laughing Death in Meatspace
  Tropical Fuck Storm

Slant Magazine: 25 Best Albums of 2018

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

1. Honey
   Robyn
2. Dirty Computer
   Janelle Monáe
3. Kids See Ghosts
   Kids See Ghosts
4. Bloom
   Troye Sivan
5. Hive Mind
   The Internet
6. Invasion of Privacy
   Cardi B
7. Be the Cowboy
   Mitski
8. 2012-2017
   Against All Logic
9. Dove
   Belly
10. Knock Knock
    DJ Koze
11. iridescence
    BROCKHAMPTON
12. Caution
    Mariah Carey
13. Tell Me How You Really Feel
    Courtney Barnett
14. FM!
    Vince Staples
15. Negro Swan
    Blood Orange
16. Chris
    Christine and the Queens
17. A Productive Cough
    Titus Andronicus
18. Wide Awake!
    Parquet Courts
19. Treehouse
    Sofi Tukker
20. Sweetener
    Ariana Grande
21. What a Time to Be Alive
    Superchunk
22. Daytona
    Pusha T
23. Bad Witch
    Nine Inch Nails
24. Twin Fantasy
    Car Seat Headrest
25. Golden Hour
    Kacey Musgraves

Refinery29: The 10 Best Albums of 2018

[see also 2010s]

1. Dirty Computer
   Janelle Monáe
2. Golden Hour
   Kacey Musgraves
3. Invasion of Privacy
   Cardi B
4. Sweetener
   Ariana Grande
5. so sad so sexy
   Lykke Li
6. A Star Is Born Soundtrack
   Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
7. Honey
   Robyn
8. Be the Cowboy
   Mitski
9. By The Way, I Forgive You
   Brandi Carlile
10. Camila
    Camila Cabello

The Atlantic: 23 Best Albums of 2018

[see also 2020 • 2019]

• Nasty
  Rico Nasty
• Room 25
  Noname
• ...And Justice for All (Remastered)
  Metallica
• Fully Loaded
  Shy Glizzy
• Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
  Sophie
• Gangland Landlord
  Mozzy
• Dose Your Dreams
  Fucked Up
• Hive Mind
  The Internet
• Only Love
  The Armed
• Whack World
  Tierra Whack
• Elephants on Acid
  Cypress Hill
• Post-
  Jeff Rosenstock
• NOIR
  Smino
• 2012-2017
  Against All Logic
• soil
  serpentwithfeet
• Negative Capability
  Marianne Faithfull
• Aura
  Ozuna
• All Melody
  Nils Frahm
• Mudboy
  Sheck Wes
• Tina Snow
  Megan Thee Stallion
• Historian
  Lucy Dacus
• High As Hope
  Florence + The Machine
• To the Sunset
  Amanda Shires

Jeremy D. Larson: Favorite Albums of 2018, as posted to Twitter

[see also 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015]

1. Double Negative
   Low
2. Knock Knock
   DJ Koze
3. 7
   Beach House
4. Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
   Arctic Monkeys
5. Heaven and Earth
   Kamasi Washington
6. Beyondless
   Iceage
7. Room 25
   Noname
8. Lush
   Snail Mail
9. Only Love
   The Armed
10. Daytona
    Pusha T
11. I’m All Ears
    Let’s Eat Grandma
12. Constant Image
    Flasher
13. boygenius
    boygenius
14. Veteran
    JPEGMAFIA
15. Honey
    Robyn
16. Golden Hour
    Kacey Musgraves
17. Some Rap Songs
    Earl Sweatshirt
18. Freedom
    Amen Dunes
19. A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
    The 1975
20. Universal Beings
    Makaya McCraven
21. In a Poem Unlimited
    U.S. Girls
22. Your Queen Is a Reptile
    Sons of Kemet
23. Cold Devil
    Drakeo the Ruler
24. Sparkle Hard
    Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
25. No Dogs Allowed
    Sidney Gish
26. Errorzone
    Vein
27. God’s Favorite Customer
    Father John Misty

Resident Advisor: 2018's Best Albums, compiled by staff and contributors

[see also 2023 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012 • 2011]

• NTS Sessions 1-4
  Autechre
• Aviary
  Julia Holter
• And Yet It's All Love
  Fatima
• Nothing Is Still
  Leon Vynehall
• Anticlines
  Lucrecia Dalt
• 15 Years of the Bunker
  various artists
• Nordic Flora Series Pt.5: Crush
  Varg
• Gave In Rest
  Sarah Davachi
• Don’t You Mess with Cupid, 'cause Cupid Ain’t Stupid.
  Nina Kraviz
• Honey
  Robyn
• soil
  serpentwithfeet
• If You're Into It I'm Out of It
  Christoph De Babalon
• Passion
  Demdike Stare
• Take Me With You
  Anthony Naples
• Autobiography
  Jlin
• Air Lows
  Silvia Kastel
• Voids
  Martyn
• Make Me Know You Sweet
  Pendant
• Safe in the Hands of Love
  Yves Tumor
• Luminosity Device
  Surgeon
• Grid of Points
  Grouper
• Nothing 2 Loose
  DJ Healer
• Mudshadow Propaganda
  Prime Minister of Doom
• Working Class Woman
  Marie Davidson
• De Leon
  De Leon
• Wet Will Always Dry
  Blawan
• Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
  Sophie
• Hunchin' All Night
  Hunee
• Knock Knock
  DJ Koze
• Devotion
  Tirzah
• Heat
  Shinichi Atobe
• Built to Last
  Specter
• Cocoon Crush
  Objekt
• A Body
  Borusiade
• New Horizon
  JK Flesh
• Konoyo
  Tim Hecker
• Kulør 001
  various artists
• Khonnar
  Deena Abdelwahed
• Ostati
  HVL
• Compro
  Skee Mask

Amanda Petrusich: Ten Best Albums of 2018, as published by The New Yorker

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2017]

• 7
  Beach House
• Plainly Mistaken
  Nathan Bowles
• boygenius
  boygenius
• Wanderer
  Cat Power
• MITH
  Lonnie Holley
• Ghost Forests
  Meg Baird & Mary Lattimore
• Magic Ship
  Mountain Man
• Room 25
  Noname
• Starter Home
  Doug Paisley
• El Mal Querer
  Rosalía

Pitchfork: 50 Best Albums of 2018

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

1. Be the Cowboy
   Mitski
2. Golden Hour
   Kacey Musgraves
3. Knock Knock
   DJ Koze
4. Honey
   Robyn
5. Lush
   Snail Mail
6. El Mal Querer
   Rosalía
7. Some Rap Songs
   Earl Sweatshirt
8. Double Negative
   Low
9. Whack World
   Tierra Whack
10. Safe in the Hands of Love
    Yves Tumor
11. Sweetener
    Ariana Grande
12. Ephorize
    cupcakKe
13. Devotion
    Tirzah
14. Freedom
    Amen Dunes
15. Room 25
    Noname
16. Singularity
    Jon Hopkins
17. Daytona
    Pusha T
18. Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
    Sophie
19. Invasion of Privacy
    Cardi B
20. 7
    Beach House
21. A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
    The 1975
22. In a Poem Unlimited
    U.S. Girls
23. ASTROWORLD
    Travis Scott
24. Aviary
    Julia Holter
25. Die Lit
    Playboi Carti
26. FM!
    Vince Staples
27. Clean
    Soccer Mommy
28. Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
    Deafheaven
29. boygenius
    boygenius
30. Chris
    Christine and the Queens
31. Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
    Arctic Monkeys
32. I’m All Ears
    Let’s Eat Grandma
33. Mudboy
    Sheck Wes
34. Broken Politics
    Neneh Cherry
35. 2012-2017
    Against All Logic
36. Nasty
    Rico Nasty
37. Veteran
    JPEGMAFIA
38. Isolation
    Kali Uchis
39. Hive Mind
    The Internet
40. Beyondless
    Iceage
41. MIH-TY
    Jeremih & Ty Dolla $ign
42. abysskiss
    Adrianne Lenker
43. The Sciences
    Sleep
44. How to Socialise & Make Friends
    Camp Cope
45. Wanderer
    Cat Power
46. Negro Swan
    Blood Orange
47. Compro
    Skee Mask
48. Heaven and Earth
    Kamasi Washington
49. Overload
    Georgia Anne Muldrow
50. Gangin
    SOB X RBE

Billboard: 50 Best Albums of 2018

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

1. Sweetener
   Ariana Grande
2. Invasion of Privacy
   Cardi B
3. Golden Hour
   Kacey Musgraves
4. Daytona
   Pusha T
5. Dirty Computer
   Janelle Monáe
6. Black Panther The Album Music From And Inspired By
   Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, SZA
7. ASTROWORLD
   Travis Scott
8. Camila
   Camila Cabello
9. Vibras
   J Balvin
10. Everything Is Love
    The Carters
11. Be the Cowboy
    Mitski
12. Honey
    Robyn
13. A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
    The 1975
14. Swimming
    Mac Miller
15. Scorpion
    Drake
16. Isolation
    Kali Uchis
17. El Mal Querer
    Rosalía
18. Tha Carter V
    Lil Wayne
19. Whack World
    Tierra Whack
20. Chris
    Christine and the Queens
21. A Star Is Born Soundtrack
    Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
22. Room 25
    Noname
23. Shawn Mendes
    Shawn Mendes
24. Hive Mind
    The Internet
25. Lush
    Snail Mail
26. Voicenotes
    Charlie Puth
27. Victory Lap
    Nipsey Hussle
28. Bloom
    Troye Sivan
29. boygenius
    boygenius
30. Kids See Ghosts
    Kids See Ghosts
31. High As Hope
    Florence + The Machine
32. Care for Me
    Saba
33. Piano & a Microphone 1983
    Prince
34. Trench
    twenty one pilots
35. iridescence
    BROCKHAMPTON
36. Singularity
    Jon Hopkins
37. Interstate Gospel
    Pistol Annies
38. beerbongs & bentleys
    Post Malone
39. Caution
    Mariah Carey
40. Clean
    Soccer Mommy
41. Language
    MNEK
42. K.T.S.E.
    Teyana Taylor
43. KOD
    J. Cole
44. Expectations
    Hayley Kiyoko
45. Solace
    Rüfüs Du Sol
46. Egypt Station
    Paul McCartney
47. Aura
    Ozuna
48. I’m All Ears
    Let’s Eat Grandma
49. The Mountain
    Dierks Bentley
50. SR3MM
    Rae Sremmurd