Robert Christgau: Dean's List 2019

[see also 2010s, 2018, 2017, 2012]

1. Billie Eilish — When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
2. Todd Snider — Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3
3. Chance the Rapper — The Big Day
4. Purple Mountains — Purple Mountains
5. Carsie Blanton — Buck Up
6. Kim Gordon — No Home Record
7. Danny Brown — uknowhatimsayin¿
8. Sonic Youth — Battery Park, NYC July 4th 2008
9. Kalie Shorr — Open Book
10. The Paranoid Style — A Goddamn Impossible Way of Life
11. Bruce Springsteen — Springsteen on Broadway
12. Salif Keita — Un Autre Blanc
13. Stella Donnelly — Beware of the Dogs
14. Big Thief — Two Hands
15. 75 Dollar Bill — I Was Real
16. Harriet Tubman — The Terror End of Beauty
17. black midi — Schlagenheim
18. Tanya Tagaq — Toothsayer
19. The Delines — The Imperial
20. CHAI — Punk
21. Lee "Scratch" Perry — Rainford
22. The Ex — 27 passports
23. that dog — Old LP
24. Tyler Childers — Country Squire
25. Leyla McCalla — Capitalist Blues
26. Sleater-Kinney — The Center Won't Hold
27. Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage — Bad Wiring
28. Alex Chilton — From Memphis to New Orleans
29. Ezra Furman — Twelve Nudes
30. Lizzo — Cuz I Love You
31. Diabel Cissokho — Rhythm of the Griot
32. Miranda Lambert — Wildcard
33. Craig Finn — I Need a New War
34. Charly Bliss — Young Enough
35. Little Simz — GREY Area
36. Ariana Grande — Sweetener
37. Rapsody — Eve
38. The National — I Am Easy to Find
39. Guy Clark — The Best of Dualtone Years
40. Youssou N'Dour — History
41. Rachid Taha — Je Suis Africain
42. Taylor Swift — Lover
43. Hama Sankaré — Ballébé
44. Pedro the Lion — Phoenix
45. Malibu Ken, Aesop Rock & TOBACCO — Malibu Ken
46. The Coathangers — The Devil You Know
47. Chuck Cleaver — Send Aid
48. Oumar Konaté — I Love You Inna
49. Epic Beard Men — This Was Supposed to Be Fun
50. Jamila Woods — LEGACY! LEGACY!
51. Derek Senn — How Could a Man
52. Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba — Miri
53. Amber Mark — Conexão
54. Nicki Minaj — Queen
55. Big Thief — U.F.O.F.
56. slowthai — Nothing Great About Britain
57. Tyler Childers — Live on Red Barn Radio I & II
58. 100 gecs — 1000 gecs
59. Sudan Archives — Athena
60. Thiago Nassif — Três
61. Priests — The Seduction of Kansas
62. Saba — Care for Me
63. Madonna — Madame X
64. The Seeds — Pushin Too Hard (Original Soundtrack)
65. Raphael Saadiq — Jimmy Lee
66. Khalid — Free Spirit
67. Quelle Chris — Guns
68. Daniele Luppi & Parquet Courts — Milano
69. Lewis Capaldi — Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent
70. Jealous of the Birds — Wisdom Teeth
71. Dua Saleh — Nūr
72. Sneaks — Highway Hypnosis
73. Sharon Van Etten — Remind Me Tomorrow
74. Alex Chilton — Ocean Club '77
75. Serengeti — Dennis 6e
76. Bob Mould — Sunshine Rock

Vibe Magazine: The 30 Best Albums of 2019

[see also 2018, 2017]

1. Ari Lennox — Shea Butter Baby
2. Benny the Butcher — The Plugs I Met
3. Beyoncé — The Lion King: The Gift
4. Beyoncé — Homecoming: The Live Album
5. Burna Boy — African Giant
6. DaBaby — KIRK
7. Daniel Caesar — CASE STUDY 01
8. Danny Brown — uknowhatimsayin¿
9. Doja Cat — Hot Pink
10. Dreamville — Revenge of the Dreamers III
11. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib — Bandana
12. GoldLink — Diaspora
13. Gunna — Drip or Drown 2
14. Jamila Woods — LEGACY! LEGACY!
15. Jim Jones — El Capo
16. Kemba — Gilda
17. Little Brother — May the Lord Watch
18. Lucky Daye — Painted
19. Michael Kiwanuka — Kiwanuka
20. Raphael Saadiq — Jimmy Lee
21. Rapsody — Eve
22. Rick Ross — Port of Miami 2
23. SiR — Chasing Summer
24. Snoh Aalegra — - Ugh, those feels again
25. Solange — When I Get Home
26. Summer Walker — Over It
27. Tyler, The Creator — IGOR
28. Wale — Wow... That's Crazy
29. Young Thug — So Much Fun
30. YBN Cordae — The Lost Boy

Robin Hilton: Best Albums of 2019, as posted by NPR

[see also 2017]

1. Sharon Van Etten — Remind Me Tomorrow
2. Lana Del Rey — Norman Fucking Rockwell!
3. Holly Herndon — PROTO
4. Microwave — Death is a Warm Blanket
5. Ada Lea — what we say in private
6. Weyes Blood — Titanic Rising
7. Tiny Ruins — Olympic Girls
8. Great Grandpa — Four of Arrows
9. Molly Sarlé — Karaoke Angel
10. Kate Davis — Trophy

Bob Boilen: Best Albums of 2019, as posted by NPR

[see also 2018, 2017, 2011]

1. Big Thief — Two Hands
2. Big Thief — U.F.O.F.
3. Angel Olsen — All Mirrors
4. Better Oblivion Community Center — Better Oblivion Community Center
5. Aldous Harding — Designer
6. Lankum — The Livelong Day
7. Mdou Moctar — Ilana (The Creator)
8. Kate Davis — Trophy
9. Joan Shelley — Like the River Loves the Sea
10. The Good Ones — Rwanda, You Should Be Loved

Ann Powers: Favorite Albums of 2019, as posted by NPR

[see also 2017, 2016, 2011]

1. Angel Bat Dawid — The Oracle
2. Adia Victoria — Silences
3. Mereba — The Jungle Is the Only Way Out
4. Mekons — Deserted
5. Philip Bailey — Love Will Find a Way
6. Jazzmeia Horn — Love and Liberation
7. Hiss Golden Messenger — Terms of Surrender
8. Matthew Halsall — Oneness
9. Erin Enderlin — Faulkner County
10. Joe Henry — The Gospel According to Water

American Songwriter: Top 25 Albums of 2019, listed alphabetically

[see also 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012, 2011]

• (Sandy) Alex G — House of Sugar
• Angel Olsen — All Mirrors
• Bill Callahan — Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest
• Brittany Howard — Jaime
• Caroline Spence — Mint Condition
• Craig Finn — I Need a New War
• Duster — Duster
• Dylan LeBlanc — Renegade
• Gary Clark Jr. — This Land
• Jenny Lewis — On the Line
• J.S. Ondara — Tales of America
• Justin Townes Earle — The Saint of Lost Causes
• Kelsey Waldon — White Noise / White Lines
• Marc Cohn & The Blind Boys of Alabama — Work To Do
• Michael Kiwanuka — Kiwanuka
• Purple Mountains — Purple Mountains
• Reba McEntire — Stronger Than the Truth
• Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco Turrisi — there is no Other
• Sharon Van Etten — Remind Me Tomorrow
• Sturgill Simpson — Sound & Fury
• The Claypool Lennon Delirium — South of Reality
• The Highwomen — The Highwomen
• The Lumineers — III
• The Raconteurs — Help Us Stranger
• Yola — Walk Through Fire

Other Great Albums of 2019

• Allison Moorer — Blood
• Billie Eilish — When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
• Bon Iver — i,i
• Bonnie “Prince” Billy — I Made a Place
• Bruce Springsteen — Western Stars
• Charles Wesley Godwin — Seneca
• Dan Luke and the Raid — Out of the Blue
• Ed Sheeran — No.6 Collaborations Project
• Emily Scott Robinson — Traveling Mercies
• Erin Enderlin — Faulkner County
• FKA twigs — Magdalene
• Horse Jumper of Love — So Divine
• Jason Hawk Harris — Love & the Dark
• Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage — Bad Wiring
• Josh Ritter — Fever Breaks
• Lana Del Rey — Norman Fucking Rockwell!
• Leonard Cohen — Thanks for the Dance
• Liam Gallagher — Why Me? Why Not.
• Liz Brasher — Painted Image
• Mavis Staples — We Get By
• Michaela Anne — Desert Dove
• Molly Tuttle — When You're Ready
• Neil Young — Colorado
• Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds — Ghosteen
• Paul Cauthen — Room 41
• people-proof — invisibility
• PUP — Morbid Stuff
• Spencer Radcliffe — Hot Spring
• Steve Gunn — The Unseen In Between
• Strand of Oaks — Eraserland
• Taylor Swift — Lover
• The National — I Am Easy to Find
• Vampire Weekend — Father of the Bride

Jordan Cronk: Top 30 Albums of 2019, as posted to Twitter

[see also 2018, 2017, 2016]

1. Purple Mountains — Purple Mountains
2. Lana Del Rey — Norman Fucking Rockwell!
3. Holly Herndon — PROTO
4. Oso Oso — basking in the glow
5. (Sandy) Alex G — House of Sugar
6. Kim Gordon — No Home Record
7. Default Genders — Main Pop Girl 2019
8. American Football — American Football (LP3)
9. Fennesz — Agora
10. Carl Stone — Baroo
11. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds — Ghosteen
12. Strange Ranger — Remembering the Rockets
13. Fire-Toolz — Field Whispers (Into the Crystal Palace)
14. Rap — Export
15. Jenny Hval — The Practice of Love
16. black midi — Schlagenheim
17. FKA twigs — Magdalene
18. Great Grandpa — Four of Arrows
19. Clairo — Immunity
20. Mount Eerie feat. Julie Doiron — Lost Wisdom, Pt. 2
21. Black Belt Eagle Scout — At the Party with My Brown Friends
22. Florist — Emily Alone
23. Bill Callahan — Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest
24. 100 gecs — 1000 gecs
25. Big Thief — U.F.O.F.
25. Big Thief — Two Hands
26. Fontaines D.C. — Dogrel
27. Sandro Perri — Soft Landing
28. Sunn O))) — Life Metal
28. Sunn O))) — Pyroclasts
29. Floating Points — Crush
30. Lambchop — This (Is What I Wanted to Tell You)

Tyler Andere: Favorite Albums of 2019, as posted to Medium in no particular order

• Hovvdy — Heavy Lifter
• Lomelda — M for Empathy
• Barrie — Happy to Be Here
• Emily Yacina — Remember the Silver
• Summer Walker — Over It
• Taylor Swift — Lover
• Caroline Polachek — Pang
• Vagabon — Vagabon
• Nina Keith — MARANASATI 19111
• R Beny — Echo's Verse
• Pamcy — Binibini
• Jay Som — Anak Ko
• Boy Scouts — Free Company
• Ana Roxanne — ~~~
• Ancient Pools — Cosine
• Solange — When I Get Home
• Toro y Moi — Outer Peace
• Julian Lynch — Rat’s Spit
• Salami Rose Joe Louis — Zdenka 2080
• Ruth Garbus — Kleinmeister
• Casey Golden — II
• Foxes In Fiction — Trillium Killer
• mei ehara — 私をしも
• Yohuna — Mirroring
• Hand Habits — placeholder

XXL: 50 of the Best Hop-Hop Projects of 2019

• YoungBoy Never Broke Again — AI YoungBoy 2
• Rico Nasty & Kenny Beats — Anger Management
• DaBaby — Baby on Baby
• Freddie Gibbs & Madlib — Bandana
• Sada Baby — Bartier Bounty
• Maxo Kream — Brandon Banks
• Shy Glizzy — Covered N Blood
• Lizzo — Cuz I Love You
• Juice WRLD — Death Race for Love
• GoldLink — Diaspora
• Polo G — Die a Legend
• Baby Keem — Die For My Bitch
• Jim Jones — El Capo
• Rapsody — Eve
• Boogie — Everythings for Sale
• Offset — Father of 4
• Megan Thee Stallion — Fever
• Kota the Friend — Foto
• Rod Wave — Ghetto Gospel
• Little Simz — GREY Area
• Quelle Chris — Guns
• Young M.A — Herstory in the Making
• Post Malone — Hollywood's Bleeding
• Doja Cat — Hot Pink
• Tyler, The Creator — IGOR
• IDK — Is He Real?
• DaBaby — KIRK
• Lil Keed — Long Live Mexico
• Little Brother — May the Lord Watch
• EarthGang — Mirrorland
• Gang Starr — One of the Best Yet
• Mustard — Perfect Ten
• Roddy Ricch — Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial
• Rick Ross — Port of Miami 2
• Dave — Psychodrama
• Cam'ron — Purple Haze 2
• 2 Chainz — Rap or Go to the League
• Skyzoo & Pete Rock — Retropolitan
• Dreamville — Revenge of the Dreamers III
• Young Nudy & Pi'erre Bourne — Sli'merre
• Young Thug — So Much Fun
• YBN Cordae — The Lost Boy
• Benny the Butcher — The Plugs I Met
• Danny Brown — uknowhatimsayin¿
• Asian Da Brat — UNFUCCWITABLE
• Anderson .Paak — Ventura
• Wale — Wow... That's Crazy
• Griselda — WWCD
• Pivot Gang — You Can't Sit With Us
• Denzel Curry — ZUU

Revolt: 9 Top Hip Hop Albums of 2019

[see also 2018]

1. Rapsody — Eve
2. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib — Bandana
3. Griselda — WWCD
4. DaBaby — Baby on Baby
5. YBN Cordae — The Lost Boy
6. EarthGang — Mirrorland
7. Little Brother — May the Lord Watch
8. Quelle Chris — Guns
9. Polo G — Die a Legend