Year-End Lists

A hand-curated, browsable index of notable year-end lists. Follow the link for each list to see essential commentary from its author, at the source.
Movies TV Shows Music Books Poetry Podcasts

Highlights

2019
All Movies TV Shows Music Books Poetry Podcasts

Slant: The 25 Best Albums of 2019

16 December 2019

Norman Fucking Rockwell! - Lana Del Rey

Slant Magazine: The 25 Best Albums of 2019

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

  1. Norman Fucking Rockwell!
    Lana Del Rey
  2. Magdalene
    FKA twigs
  3. Ghosteen
    Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
  4. Anima
    Thom Yorke
  5. Dedicated
    Carly Rae Jepsen
  6. Father of the Bride
    Vampire Weekend
  7. Purple Mountains
    Purple Mountains
  8. Immunity
    Clairo
  9. Miami Memory
    Alex Cameron
  10. The Practice of Love
    Jenny Hval
  11. A Bath Full of Ecstasy
    Hot Chip
  12. Madame X
    Madonna
  13. Western Stars
    Bruce Springsteen
  14. Bandana
    Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
  15. LEGACY! LEGACY!
    Jamila Woods
  16. Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3
    Todd Snider
  17. Help Us Stranger
    The Raconteurs
  18. Titanic Rising
    Weyes Blood
  19. How Do You Love?
    The Regrettes
  20. U.F.O.F.
    Big Thief
  21. PROTO
    Holly Herndon
  22. Closer to Grey
    Chromatics
  23. IGOR
    Tyler, The Creator
  24. Jaime
    Brittany Howard
  25. I Made a Place
    Bonnie “Prince” Billy

NME: The 50 Best Albums of 2019

16 December 2019

When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? - Billie Eilish

NME: The 50 Best Albums of 2019

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

  1. When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
    Billie Eilish
  2. IGOR
    Tyler, The Creator
  3. Norman Fucking Rockwell!
    Lana Del Rey
  4. Nothing Great About Britain
    slowthai
  5. GREY Area
    Little Simz
  6. Magdalene
    FKA twigs
  7. Dogrel
    Fontaines D.C.
  8. Kiwanuka
    Michael Kiwanuka
  9. Titanic Rising
    Weyes Blood
  10. Immunity
    Clairo
  11. amo
    Bring Me the Horizon
  12. Father of the Bride
    Vampire Weekend
  13. We Are Not Your Kind
    Slipknot
  14. When I Get Home
    Solange
  15. Part 1 Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost
    Foals
  16. Cuz I Love You
    Lizzo
  17. Psychodrama
    Dave
  18. No Geography
    The Chemical Brothers
  19. Amyl and The Sniffers
    Amyl and The Sniffers
  20. Hollywood's Bleeding
    Post Malone
  21. Jesus Is King
    Kanye West
  22. Assume Form
    James Blake
  23. AJ Tracey
    AJ Tracey
  24. All Mirrors
    Angel Olsen
  25. Ghosteen
    Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
  26. Morbid Stuff
    PUP
  27. Hoodies All Summer
    Kano
  28. All My Heroes Are Cornballs
    JPEGMAFIA
  29. Remind Me Tomorrow
    Sharon Van Etten
  30. thank u, next
    Ariana Grande
  31. Resonant Body
    Octo Octa
  32. Vols. 11 & 12
    Dessert Sessions
  33. i,i
    Bon Iver
  34. Deceiver
    DIIV
  35. ZUU
    Denzel Curry
  36. Map of the Soul: Persona
    BTS
  37. Heavy Is The Head
    Stormzy
  38. Hypersonic Missiles
    Sam Fender
  39. Pony
    Orville Peck
  40. Hot Pink
    Doja Cat
  41. Lover
    Taylor Swift
  42. Ventura
    Anderson .Paak
  43. Everyday Life
    Coldplay
  44. Heard It In A Past Life
    Maggie Rogers
  45. Madame X
    Madonna
  46. Highway Hypnosis
    Sneaks
  47. Charli
    Charli XCX
  48. Pony
    Rex Orange County
  49. Death Race for Love
    Juice WRLD
  50. Good at Falling
    The Japanese House

Sound Opinions: Jim DeRogatis: The Best Albums of 2019

15 December 2019

Cuz I Love You - Lizzo

Jim DeRogatis: The Best Albums of 2019, as aired on Sound Opinions

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

  1. Cuz I Love You
    Lizzo
  2. Sound & Fury
    Sturgill Simpson
  3. This Mess Is a Place
    Tacocat
  4. I Sold My Soul to the Devil When I Was 12
    GRLwood
  5. Kills Birds
    Kills Birds
  6. It's Real
    Ex Hex
  7. How Do You Love?
    The Regrettes
  8. Norman Fucking Rockwell!
    Lana Del Rey
  9. Remind Me Tomorrow
    Sharon Van Etten
  10. Kiwanuka
    Michael Kiwanuka

Noisey: The 100 Best Albums of 2019

15 December 2019

1000 gecs - 100 gecs

Noisey: The 100 Best Albums of 2019, as published by Vice

[see also 2020 • 2010s]

  1. 1000 gecs
    100 gecs
  2. Norman Fucking Rockwell!
    Lana Del Rey
  3. House of Sugar
    (Sandy) Alex G
  4. ZUU
    Denzel Curry
  5. Shea Butter Baby
    Ari Lennox
  6. IGOR
    Tyler, The Creator
  7. Purple Mountains
    Purple Mountains
  8. Hiding Places
    Billy Woods & Kenny Segal
  9. Careful
    Boy Harsher
  10. Charli
    Charli XCX
  11. Quiet Signs
    Jessica Pratt
  12. African Giant
    Burna Boy
  13. Modern Mirror
    Drab Majesty
  14. This Is How You Smile
    Helado Negro
  15. Over It
    Summer Walker
  16. i,i
    Bon Iver
  17. Immunity
    Clairo
  18. My Star
    The Hecks
  19. When I Get Home
    Solange
  20. Titanic Rising
    Weyes Blood
  21. Anger Management
    Rico Nasty & Kenny Beats
  22. Life Metal
    Sunn O)))
  23. Brandon Banks
    Maxo Kream
  24. All Mirrors
    Angel Olsen
  25. Die a Legend
    Polo G
  26. Magdalene
    FKA twigs
  27. Crush
    Floating Points
  28. Caligula
    Lingua Ignota
  29. Apollo XXI
    Steve Lacy
  30. U.F.O.F.
    Big Thief
  31. Two Hands
    Big Thief
  32. Chasing Summer
    SiR
  33. I Don't Know How to Be Happy
    Deli Girls
  34. GREY Area
    Little Simz
  35. PROTO
    Holly Herndon
  36. Sueños
    Sech
  37. Blood
    Kelsey Lu
  38. Hoodies All Summer
    Kano
  39. GIRL
    Maren Morris
  40. Netflix & Deal
    03 Greedo & Kenny Beats
  41. Pony
    Orville Peck
  42. Pang
    Caroline Polachek
  43. Internal Affairs
    Mozzy
  44. Sci Fi 1
    Dijon
  45. Truck Music
    Body Meat
  46. Jules
    Julien Chang
  47. Baby on Baby
    DaBaby
  48. Nest
    Brutus
  49. The Destroyer, Vol. 1
    TR/ST
  50. The Destroyer, Vol. 2
    TR/ST
  51. Fever
    Megan Thee Stallion
  52. Miss Universe
    Nilüfer Yanya
  53. LEGACY! LEGACY!
    Jamila Woods
  54. Better Oblivion Community Center
    Better Oblivion Community Center
  55. Oasis
    J Balvin & Bad Bunny
  56. forevher
    Shura
  57. Mirrorland
    EarthGang
  58. Essentials
    Erika de Casier
  59. Bandana
    Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
  60. Reward
    Cate Le Bon
  61. Sli'merre
    Young Nudy & Pi'erre Bourne
  62. ~~~
    Ana Roxanne
  63. Painted
    Lucky Daye
  64. When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
    Billie Eilish
  65. Arizona Baby
    Kevin Abstract
  66. Divided by Darkness
    Spirit Adrift
  67. Nothing Great About Britain
    slowthai
  68. Sunshine Kitty
    Tove Lo
  69. Bartier Bounty
    Sada Baby
  70. Angel's Pulse
    Blood Orange
  71. Sound & Fury
    Sturgill Simpson
  72. Flamboyant
    Dorian Electra
  73. So Much Fun
    Young Thug
  74. The Oracle
    Angel Bat Dawid
  75. Laughing Matter
    Wand
  76. Sulphur English
    Inter Arma
  77. Wildboy
    Calboy
  78. placeholder
    Hand Habits
  79. Devour
    Pharmakon
  80. Networker
    Omni
  81. Jaime
    Brittany Howard
  82. The Unluccy Luccy Kid
    Sheff G
  83. The Seduction of Kansas
    Priests
  84. Crackheads Live Longer Than Vegans
    Chris Crack
  85. Animated Violence Mild
    Blanck Mass
  86. A Distant Call
    Sheer Mag
  87. Ten-Eight
    G Perico
  88. Resavoir
    Resavoir
  89. From the Neighborhood to the Stage
    Quando Rondo
  90. Heard It In A Past Life
    Maggie Rogers
  91. Future Hndrxx Presents: The WIZRD
    Future
  92. Ocean
    Karol G
  93. Morbid Stuff
    PUP
  94. - Ugh, those feels again
    Snoh Aalegra
  95. Deserted
    Gatecreeper
  96. Sinner: KDJ-48
    Moodymann
  97. Atlanta Millionaires Club
    Faye Webster
  98. So Emotional
    Key!
  99. Punk
    CHAI
  100. Posthumous Humiliation
    Pissgrave
  101. Father of the Bride
    Vampire Weekend
  102. Long Live Mexico
    Lil Keed

Dennis Cooper: Favorite Music of 2019

15 December 2019

When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? - Billie Eilish

Dennis Cooper: Favorite Music of 2019, in no order

[see also 2015 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

Vinyl Me, Please: The Best Albums of 2019

13 December 2019

Magdalene - FKA twigs

Vinyl Me, Please: The Best Albums of 2019

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2018 • 2017]

GCN: Steve Erickson: The Year in Music

12 December 2019

Magdalene - FKA twigs

Steve Erickson: The Year in Music, as published by Gay City News

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020]

  1. Magdalene
    FKA twigs
  2. Die a Legend
    Polo G
  3. Titanic Rising
    Weyes Blood
  4. Two Hands
    Big Thief
  5. U.F.O.F.
    Big Thief
  6. On the Line
    Jenny Lewis
  7. Flamboyant
    Dorian Electra
  8. Queen & Slim: The Soundtrack
    various artists
  9. Pony
    Orville Peck
  10. Remind Me Tomorrow
    Sharon Van Etten
  11. Movimiento Para Cambio
    Pelada

Runners-up

Uproxx: Steven Hyden: Favorite Albums of 2019

11 December 2019

Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains

Steven Hyden: Favorite Albums of 2019, as published by Uproxx

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020]

  1. Purple Mountains
    Purple Mountains
  2. Titanic Rising
    Weyes Blood
  3. Flops In New York
    Ryley Walker/Steve Gunn/Ryan Jewell
  4. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
    various artists
  5. Sound & Fury
    Sturgill Simpson
  6. Deceiver
    DIIV
  7. Natural Facts
    Garcia Peoples
  8. One Step Behind
    Garcia Peoples
  9. On the Line
    Jenny Lewis
  10. i'll show you stronger
    pronoun
  11. 2020
    Richard Dawson
  12. Father of the Bride
    Vampire Weekend
  13. Tip of the Sphere
    Cass McCombs
  14. Ilana (The Creator)
    Mdou Moctar
  15. When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
    Billie Eilish
  16. i,i
    Bon Iver
  17. Hypersonic Missiles
    Sam Fender
  18. Patience
    Mannequin Pussy
  19. Remembering the Rockets
    Strange Ranger
  20. Jaime
    Brittany Howard
  21. Anima
    Thom Yorke
  22. Quiet Signs
    Jessica Pratt
  23. Guv I & II
    Young Guv
  24. Morbid Stuff
    PUP
  25. Pure Imagination, No Country
    Dave Harrington Group
  26. Remind Me Tomorrow
    Sharon Van Etten

Billboard: The 50 Best Albums of 2019

11 December 2019

thank u, next - Ariana Grande

Billboard: The 50 Best Albums of 2019

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2018 • 2017 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

  1. thank u, next
    Ariana Grande
  2. When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
    Billie Eilish
  3. Lover
    Taylor Swift
  4. Cuz I Love You
    Lizzo
  5. Heard It In A Past Life
    Maggie Rogers
  6. Norman Fucking Rockwell!
    Lana Del Rey
  7. IGOR
    Tyler, The Creator
  8. The Highwomen
    The Highwomen
  9. KIRK
    DaBaby
  10. Oasis
    J Balvin & Bad Bunny
  11. Father of the Bride
    Vampire Weekend
  12. Homecoming: The Live Album
    Beyoncé
  13. Hollywood's Bleeding
    Post Malone
  14. African Giant
    Burna Boy
  15. All Mirrors
    Angel Olsen
  16. Happiness Begins
    Jonas Brothers
  17. Jaime
    Brittany Howard
  18. Late Night Feelings
    Mark Ronson
  19. Magdalene
    FKA twigs
  20. Dedicated
    Carly Rae Jepsen
  21. Over It
    Summer Walker
  22. Immunity
    Clairo
  23. Fever
    Megan Thee Stallion
  24. Ocean
    Karol G
  25. The Lost Boy
    YBN Cordae
  26. GIRL
    Maren Morris
  27. When I Get Home
    Solange
  28. Remind Me Tomorrow
    Sharon Van Etten
  29. Eve
    Rapsody
  30. Western Stars
    Bruce Springsteen
  31. X 100PRE
    Bad Bunny
  32. Free Spirit
    Khalid
  33. Shea Butter Baby
    Ari Lennox
  34. Better Oblivion Community Center
    Better Oblivion Community Center
  35. Sound & Fury
    Sturgill Simpson
  36. LEGACY! LEGACY!
    Jamila Woods
  37. 11:11
    Maluma
  38. What You See Is What You Get
    Luke Combs
  39. Miss Universe
    Nilüfer Yanya
  40. Help Us Stranger
    The Raconteurs
  41. Saves the World
    Muna
  42. basking in the glow
    Oso Oso
  43. So Much Fun
    Young Thug
  44. Wildcard
    Miranda Lambert
  45. Nibiru
    Ozuna
  46. Madame X
    Madonna
  47. uknowhatimsayin¿
    Danny Brown
  48. Clarity
    Kim Petras
  49. Ghosteen
    Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
  50. Courage
    Céline Dion

NPR Music: 25 Best Albums of 2019

11 December 2019

Jaime - Brittany Howard

NPR Music: 25 Best Albums of 2019. If it seems odd that some of NPR's favorite artists of the year aren't on this list, it's because of this rule: "no lead artist was allowed to appear on both this list and our list of the 25 Best Songs of 2019."

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

  1. Jaime
    Brittany Howard
  2. All Mirrors
    Angel Olsen
  3. Jimmy Lee
    Raphael Saadiq
  4. When I Get Home
    Solange
  5. Designer
    Aldous Harding
  6. Remind Me Tomorrow
    Sharon Van Etten
  7. Orange
    Caroline Shaw / Attacca Quartet
  8. The Livelong Day
    Lankum
  9. Hiding Places
    Billy Woods & Kenny Segal
  10. The Practice of Love
    Jenny Hval
  11. Vagabon
    Vagabon
  12. Shea Butter Baby
    Ari Lennox
  13. Songs Of Our Native Daughters
    Our Native Daughters
  14. Titanic Rising
    Weyes Blood
  15. Ancestral Recall
    Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah
  16. African Giant
    Burna Boy
  17. PROTO
    Holly Herndon
  18. Almadura
    iLe
  19. Norman Fucking Rockwell!
    Lana Del Rey
  20. 5
    Sault
  21. John Luther Adams: Become Desert
    Seattle Symphony
  22. Oasis
    J Balvin & Bad Bunny
  23. Diatom Ribbons
    Kris Davis
  24. While I'm Livin'
    Tanya Tucker
  25. IGOR
    Tyler, The Creator

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Year-end lists are fingerprints; aggregate statistics are smudges. Therefore, I make no tallies.