Year-End Lists

Drowned in Sound: 15 Favourite Albums of 2018

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

1. Double Negative
   Low
2. Joy as an Act of Resistance
   Idles
3. Chris
   Christine and the Queens
4. Pastoral
   Gazelle Twin
5. Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
   Sophie
6. Hunter
   Anna Calvi
7. Reiði
   Black Foxxes
8. Love Is Dead
   Chvrches
9. Cocoa Sugar
   Young Fathers
10. Fixed Ideals
    Muncie Girls
11. Art of Doubt
    Metric
12. Negro Swan
    Blood Orange
13. The Blue Hour
    Suede
14. Twin Fantasy
    Car Seat Headrest
15. Resistance Is Futile
    Manic Street Preachers

Treble: Top 50 Albums of 2018

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

1. Be the Cowboy
   Mitski
2. Daytona
   Pusha T
3. 7
   Beach House
4. Room 25
   Noname
5. Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
   Deafheaven
6. Double Negative
   Low
7. On Dark Horses
   Emma Ruth Rundle
8. Bad Witch
   Nine Inch Nails
9. Your Queen Is a Reptile
   Sons of Kemet
10. Heaven and Earth
    Kamasi Washington
11. Beyondless
    Iceage
12. Aviary
    Julia Holter
13. Now Only
    Mount Eerie
14. Joy as an Act of Resistance
    Idles
15. God’s Favorite Customer
    Father John Misty
16. Rausch
    Gas
17. Wide Awake!
    Parquet Courts
18. Safe in the Hands of Love
    Yves Tumor
19. FM!
    Vince Staples
20. Down Below
    Tribulation
21. Love In Shadow
    Sumac
22. Dead Magic
    Anna von Hausswolff
23. Bottle It In
    Kurt Vile
24. Golden Hour
    Kacey Musgraves
25. Our Raw Heart
    YOB
26. Care for Me
    Saba
27. 2012-2017
    Against All Logic
28. The Sciences
    Sleep
29. Konoyo
    Tim Hecker
30. Magus
    Thou
31. Hive Mind
    The Internet
32. Honey
    Robyn
33. Shadow on Everything
    Bambara
34. boygenius
    boygenius
35. Everything's Fine
    Jeane Grae & Quelle Chris
36. The Official Body
    Shopping
37. Dirty Computer
    Janelle Monáe
38. The Wake
    Voivod
39. Singularity
    Jon Hopkins
40. Sparkle Hard
    Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
41. Veteran
    JPEGMAFIA
42. In a Poem Unlimited
    U.S. Girls
43. Constant Image
    Flasher
44. Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album
    John Coltrane
45. You Won't Get What You Want
    Daughters
46. Con Todo El Mundo
    Khruangbin
47. Dose Your Dreams
    Fucked Up
48. There’s a Riot Going On
    Yo La Tengo
49. Songs of Praise
    Shame
50. abysskiss
    Adrianne Lenker

Flavorwire: The 25 Best Albums of 2018

[see also 2015 • 2014]

• Clean
  Soccer Mommy
• Us
  Empress Of
• Floating Features
  La Luz
• God’s Favorite Customer
  Father John Misty
• Constant Image
  Flasher
• Zebra
  Arp
• Hive Mind
  The Internet
• El Mal Querer
  Rosalía
• New Material
  Preoccupations
• K.T.S.E.
  Teyana Taylor
• Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
  Sophie
• Whack World
  Tierra Whack
• Dirty Computer
  Janelle Monáe
• Be the Cowboy
  Mitski
• Freedom
  Amen Dunes
• Chris
  Christine and the Queens
• 7
  Beach House
• Beyondless
  Iceage
• Honey
  Robyn
• Virtue
  The Voidz
• Wide Awake!
  Parquet Courts
• Sweetener
  Ariana Grande
• In a Poem Unlimited
  U.S. Girls
• Golden Hour
  Kacey Musgraves
• Isolation
  Kali Uchis

American Songwriter: Top 25 Albums Of 2018

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

1. Golden Hour
   Kacey Musgraves
2. Interstate Gospel
   Pistol Annies
3. Dirty Computer
   Janelle Monáe
4. To the Sunset
   Amanda Shires
5. The Tree of Forgiveness
   John Prine
6. WARM
   Jeff Tweedy
7. Desperate Man
   Eric Church
8. Black Velvet
   Charles Bradley
9. Things Change
   American Aquarium
10. Mr. Jukebox
    Joshua Hedley
11. Putting on Airs
    Erin Rae
12. Healing Tide
    The War and Treaty
13. Dying Star
    Ruston Kelly
14. Ancient Noise
    Patrick Sweany
15. Port Saint Joe
    Brothers Osborne
16. Among the Ghosts
    Lucero
17. Karma for Cheap
    Aaron Lee Tasjan
18. LONER
    Caroline Rose
19. By The Way, I Forgive You
    Brandi Carlile
20. Rifles and Rosary Beads
    Mary Gauthier
21. Songs of the Plains
    Colter Wall
22. The Eclipse Sessions
    John Hiatt
23. No Mercy In This Land
    Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite
24. The Future and the Past
    Natalie Prass
25. Swimming
    Mac Miller

Jon Pareles: 10 Best Albums of 2018, as published by The New York Times

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

1. Dirty Computer
   Janelle Monáe
2. Be the Cowboy
   Mitski
3. soil
   serpentwithfeet
4. 12 Little Spells
   Esperanza Spalding
5. Broken Politics
   Neneh Cherry
6. El Mal Querer
   Rosalía
7. Sweetener
   Ariana Grande
8. Clean
   Soccer Mommy
9. Kin Sonic
   Jupiter & Okwess
10. NTS Sessions 1-4
    Autechre

Jon Caramanica: 18 Best Albums of 2018, as published by The New York Times

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

1. Clean
   Soccer Mommy
2. Voicenotes
   Charlie Puth
3. Goodbye & Good Riddance
   Juice WRLD
4. Scorpion
   Drake
5. Drip Season 3
   Gunna
5. Harder Than Ever
   Lil Baby
5. Drip Harder
   Lil Baby & Gunna
6. Girl Going Nowhere
   Ashley McBryde
7. ye
   Kanye West
7. Kids See Ghosts
   Kids See Ghosts
8. Invasion of Privacy
   Cardi B
9. My Dear Melancholy
   The Weeknd
10. Experiment
    Kane Brown
11. Daytona
    Pusha T
12. Dancehall
    The Blaze
13. Time & Space
    Turnstile
14. Safe in the Hands of Love
    Yves Tumor
15. Come Over When You're Sober, Pt. 2
    Lil Peep

NPR Music: 50 Best Albums of 2018

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

1. Dirty Computer
   Janelle Monáe
2. Be the Cowboy
   Mitski
3. Golden Hour
   Kacey Musgraves
4. Historian
   Lucy Dacus
5. Room 25
   Noname
6. Invasion of Privacy
   Cardi B
7. Honey
   Robyn
8. El Mal Querer
   Rosalía
9. Isolation
   Kali Uchis
10. Whack World
    Tierra Whack
11. Bark Your Head Off, Dog
    Hop Along
12. boygenius
    boygenius
13. Interstate Gospel
    Pistol Annies
14. Superorganism
    Superorganism
15. Dreamers
    Magos Herrera & Brooklyn Rider
16. Tell Me How You Really Feel
    Courtney Barnett
17. Double Negative
    Low
18. Heaven and Earth
    Kamasi Washington
19. By The Way, I Forgive You
    Brandi Carlile
20. Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa
    Jeremy Dutcher
21. Chris
    Christine and the Queens
22. Sweetener
    Ariana Grande
23. Rifles and Rosary Beads
    Mary Gauthier
24. soil
    serpentwithfeet
25. Con Todo El Mundo
    Khruangbin
26. Care for Me
    Saba
27. Bartók: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
    Christian Tetzlaff, The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra & Hannu Lintu
28. The Tree of Forgiveness
    John Prine
29. Acrylic
    Leikeli47
30. Universal Beings
    Makaya McCraven
31. Orquesta Akokán
    Orquesta Akokán
32. re:member
    Ólafur Arnalds
33. Siblings
    Colin Self
34. Vibras
    J Balvin
35. ASTROWORLD
    Travis Scott
36. FM!
    Vince Staples
37. Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11 "The Year 1905"
    Boston Symphony Orchestra & Andris Nelsons
38. Origami Harvest
    Ambrose Akinmusire
39. Maghreb United
    Ammar 808
40. Friends. Lovers. Favorites
    The Hirs Collective
41. Future Me Hates Me
    The Beths
42. The Other Side of Air
    Myra Melford's Snowy Egret
43. Magus
    Thou
44. Blueprint
    Alice Bag
45. Johann Sebastian Bach
    Vikingur Ólafsson
46. Prisma Tropical
    Balún
47. Spa 700
    700 Bliss
48. DiCaprio 2
    JID
49. Lush
    Snail Mail
50. Everything Is Love
    The Carters

Entertainment Weekly: 20 Best Albums of 2018

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

1. Golden Hour
   Kacey Musgraves
2. Invasion of Privacy
   Cardi B
3. Sweetener
   Ariana Grande
4. Be the Cowboy
   Mitski
5. Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
   Arctic Monkeys
6. Interstate Gospel
   Pistol Annies
7. Black Panther The Album Music From And Inspired By
   Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, SZA
8. Desperate Man
   Eric Church
9. Dirty Computer
   Janelle Monáe
10. Camila
    Camila Cabello
11. By The Way, I Forgive You
    Brandi Carlile
12. Hell-On
    Neko Case
13. Lush
    Snail Mail
14. Daytona
    Pusha T
15. The Tree
    Lori McKenna
16. A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
    The 1975
17. Isolation
    Kali Uchis
18. Negro Swan
    Blood Orange
19. Look Now
    Elvis Costello & The Imposters
20. ASTROWORLD
    Travis Scott

Complex: Best Albums of 2018

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

1. Daytona
   Pusha T
2. ASTROWORLD
   Travis Scott
3. KOD
   J. Cole
4. Sweetener
   Ariana Grande
5. Redemption
   Jay Rock
6. Victory Lap
   Nipsey Hussle
7. Everything Is Love
   The Carters
8. Black Panther The Album Music From And Inspired By
   Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, SZA
9. Negro Swan
   Blood Orange
10. Invasion of Privacy
    Cardi B
11. Swimming
    Mac Miller
12. Drip Harder
    Lil Baby & Gunna
13. Dirty Computer
    Janelle Monáe
14. Kids See Ghosts
    Kids See Ghosts
15. Care for Me
    Saba
16. Whack World
    Tierra Whack
17. Fetti
    Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
18. Tha Carter V
    Lil Wayne
19. Room 25
    Noname
20. DiCaprio 2
    JID
21. Hive Mind
    The Internet
22. NOIR
    Smino
23. beerbongs & bentleys
    Post Malone
24. Honey
    Robyn
25. East Atlanta Love Letter
    6LACK
26. 4275
    Jacquees
27. Book of Ryan
    Royce da 5'9"
28. Championships
    Meek Mill
29. TA13OO
    Denzel Curry
30. SR3MM
    Rae Sremmurd
31. FM!
    Vince Staples
32. MIH-TY
    Jeremih & Ty Dolla $ign
33. KAOS
    DJ Muggs & Roc Marciano
34. Scorpion
    Drake
35. God Level
    03 Greedo
36. Golden Hour
    Kacey Musgraves
37. K.T.S.E.
    Teyana Taylor
38. Us
    Empress Of
39. Vibras
    J Balvin
40. Not All Heroes Wear Capes
    Metro Boomin
41. Forever
    Popcaan
42. Supreme Blientele
    Westside Gunn
43. November
    SiR
44. Oxnard
    Anderson .Paak
45. Die Lit
    Playboi Carti
46. My Dear Melancholy
    The Weeknd
47. Heaven and Earth
    Kamasi Washington
48. Caution
    Mariah Carey
49. Some Rap Songs
    Earl Sweatshirt
50. Culture II
    Migos

The Skinny: Top 50 Albums of 2018

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

1. Cocoa Sugar
   Young Fathers
2. Wide Awake!
   Parquet Courts
3. Be the Cowboy
   Mitski
4. Joy as an Act of Resistance
   Idles
5. Honey
   Robyn
6. Here Lies the Body
   Aidan Moffat & RM Hubbert
7. Dirty Computer
   Janelle Monáe
8. Tell Me How You Really Feel
   Courtney Barnett
9. Twin Fantasy
   Car Seat Headrest
10. All Melody
    Nils Frahm
11. From When I Wake the Want Is
    Kathryn Joseph
12. 7
    Beach House
13. Negro Swan
    Blood Orange
14. Dream Wife
    Dream Wife
15. The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs
    Wye Oak
16. Acts of Fear and Love
    Slaves
17. Confident Music For Confident People
    Confidence Man
18. Saturn
    Nao
19. Chris
    Christine and the Queens
20. Room 25
    Noname
21. Singularity
    Jon Hopkins
22. Isolation
    Kali Uchis
23. Bark Your Head Off, Dog
    Hop Along
24. Ecstatic Arrow
    Virginia Wing
25. Sunday Best
    Martha Ffion
26. Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
    Sophie
27. Lavender
    Half Waif
28. The Future and the Past
    Natalie Prass
29. Now Only
    Mount Eerie
30. Dance Music
    Mastersystem
31. Working Class Woman
    Marie Davidson
32. Freedom
    Amen Dunes
33. Con Todo El Mundo
    Khruangbin
34. Sum of All Your Parts
    Fatherson
35. Lush
    Snail Mail
36. All That Divides
    Black Peaks
37. Beyondless
    Iceage
38. C’est La Vie
    Phosphorescent
39. Superorganism
    Superorganism
40. Compro
    Skee Mask
41. 2012-2017
    Against All Logic
42. Fall Into the Sun
    Swearin’
43. Double Negative
    Low
44. To the Sunset
    Amanda Shires
45. In a Poem Unlimited
    U.S. Girls
46. At Weddings
    Tomberlin
47. Songs of Praise
    Shame
48. The House
    Porches
49. Invitation To Her's
    Her's
50. Veteran
    JPEGMAFIA