Year-End Lists

Robert Christgau: Dean's List 2023

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2012]

1. Guts
   Olivia Rodrigo
2. Super Dope
   Buck 65
3. If My Wife New I'd Be Dead
   CMAT
4. Workin' on a World
   Iris DeMent
5. Savoy
   Taj Mahal
6. the record
   boygenius
7. serious person (part 1)
   corook
8. Zach Bryan
   Zach Bryan
9. Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent
   Lewis Capaldi
10. The Candle And The Flame
    Robert Forster
11. I Play My Bass Loud
    Gina Birch
12. Rustin' In The Rain
    Tyler Childers
13. Some Kinda Love: Performing the Music of the Velvet Underground
    The Feelies
14. Rockstar
    Dolly Parton
15. Several Songs About Fire
    A. Savage
16. The Devil I Know
    Ashley McBryde
17. Bring The Kids
    Hamell On Trial
18. Music Inferno: The Indestructible Beat Tour 1988-89
    Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens
19. 10,000 gecs
    100 gecs
20. How to Love
    Withered Hand
21. Overground
    Tyvek
22. Rat Saw God
    Wednesday
23. Rabbit Rabbit
    Speedy Ortiz
24. I Love You
    Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers
25. Loving You
    Amanda Shires & Bobbie Nelson
26. Lucky
    Megan Moroney
27. Viable
    The Human Hearts
28. Blue Rev
    Alvvays
29. 1988
    Lori McKenna
30. Pet Rent
    Jinx lennon
31. Scaring the Hoes
    JPEGMafia and Danny Brown
32. Grand Salami TIme!
    The Baseball Project
33. best of corook (so far)
    corook
34. Real Life Human Garbage
    Girl Scout
35. Everyone's Crushed
    Water From Your Eyes
36. Quaranta
    Danny Brown
37. Balka Sound
    Balka Sound
38. Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart
    Lucinda Williams
39. Punk Rock B-Boy
    Buck 65
40. The Crosswinds of Kansas
    Bill Scorzari
41. East African Hits On The Colombian Coast
    Piconema
42. Seriana Promethea
    David Murray, Brad Jones, & Hamid Drake
43. The Chicago Sessions
    Rodney Crowell
44. Action Adventure
    DJ Shadow
45. Maps
    Billy Woods & Kenny Segal
46. Origin Story: 1994-1999
    The Moldy Peaches
47. Like..?
    Ice Spice
48. Back Home
    Big Joanie
49. Psychopath
    Morgan Wade
50. Sunrise Bang Ur Head Against Tha Wall
    Nia Archives
51. I Don't Know A Thing About Love
    Willie Nelson
52. America: The Rough Cut
    Allen Lowe and the Constant Sorrow Orchestra
53. Being
    Baaba Maal
54. Sahel
    Bombino
55. Brandy Clark
    Brandy Clark
56. Crazymad, for Me
    CMAT
57. Come Get Your Wife
    Elle King
58. Asides & B-Sides (2014-2018)
    Jeffrey Lewis
59. L'Orchestre National Mauritanien
    Ahl Nana
60. Antologia Vol. 1
    África Negra
61. Shook
    Algiers
62. The Age of Pleasure
    Janelle Monáe
63. Fountain Baby
    Amaarae
64. Breaking the Balls of History
    Quasi
65. Nwanne Bu Ife
    Azuka Moweta and His Anioma Brothers Band of Africa
66. Religiously. The Album.
    Bailey Zimmerman
67. Spunky!
    Grrrl Gang
68. Tracey Denim
    Bar Italia
69. Pink Friday 2
    Nicki Minaj
70. Chai
    Chai
71. Caveman
    Gurf Morlix
72. Tha Fix Before Tha VI
    Lil Wayne
73. Happy Hearts
    Jad Fair and Samuel Locke Ward
74. Nymph
    Shygirl
75. Vision Board
    Lyrics Born
76. Blondshell
    Blondshell
77. Velveteen
    PONY
78. Art Dealers
    Low Cut Connie
79. I Inside the Old Year Dying
    PJ Harvey
80. Take me home
    PinkPantheress
81. Surrender
    Maggie Rogers
82. going...going...GONE!
    Hemlocke Springs
83. Boys of Faith
    Zach Bryan
84. Music From This American Life
    Stephen Ulrich

Clémence Polès: Top Ten Albums of 2023

[see also 2022 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018]

• Erotic Probiotic 2
  Nourished By Time
• Raven
  Kelela
• New Blue Sun
  André 3000
• Se Ve Desde Aquí
  Mabe Fratti
• Suite TWO
  Dreamcrusher
• Good Living Is Coming For You
  Sweeping Promises
• trip9love...???
  Tirzah
• Blooming
  Donna Candy
• Good Lies
  Overmono
• Girl with Fish
  Feeble Little Horse

Notable mentions

• Inland Delta
  Biosphere
• A time to love, a time to die
  Amor Muere
• This Stupid World
  Yo La Tengo
• Swampy
  Dry Cleaning
• Anonym
  Tolerance
• No Soul, No God, No Devil, No Existence
  Hajj
• For Anyone That Knows You
  Josiah Steinbrick
• Κλίμα (Klima)
  Christina Vantzou & John Also Bennett
• love & vex
  ytboutthataction
• 绿帽 Green Hat
  Tzusing
• April Mixtape 3
  Snow Strippers
• Flow 流れ
  David Edren & H.Takahashi

Exclaim: 50 Best Albums of 2023

[see also 2011]

1. Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
   Caroline Polachek
2. The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
   Mitski
3. Javelin
   Sufjan Stevens
4. The Enduring Spirit
   Tomb Mold
5. Scaring the Hoes
   JPEGMafia and Danny Brown
6. Rat Saw God
   Wednesday
7. Maps
   Billy Woods & Kenny Segal
8. The Window
   Ratboys
9. Suntub
   ML Buch
10. Good Luck
    Debby Friday
11. the record
    boygenius
12. 10,000 gecs
    100 gecs
13. Raven
    Kelela
14. Bekka Ma'iingan
    Zoon
15. Multitudes
    Feist
16. Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
    Lana Del Rey
17. & the Charm
    Avalon Emerson
18. Guts
    Olivia Rodrigo
19. Post-American
    MSPAINT
20. Voir Dire
    Earl Sweatshirt and the Alchemist
21. Portrait of a Dog
    Jonah Yano
22. Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
    Yves Tumor
23. Dogsbody
    Model/Actriz
24. Games Of Power
    Home Front
25. Madres
    Sofia Kourtesis
26. Gentle Confrontation
    Loraine James
27. The Greater Wings
    Julie Byrne
28. This Is Why
    Paramore
29. Dizzy
    Dizzy
30. Panic
    TOBi
31. Burning Desire
    Mike
32. The Whaler
    Home Is Where
33. Atlas
    Laurel Halo
34. Kaytraminé
    Kaytraminé
35. Bless This Mess
    U.S. Girls
36. Hellmode
    Jeff Rosenstock
37. Beyond the Uncanny Valley
    myst milano.
38. Let's Start Here
    Lil Yachty
39. Agriculture
    Agriculture
40. Radical Romantics
    Fever Ray
41. Nature Morte
    Big Brave
42. Life Under the Gun
    Militarie Gun
43. Fountain Baby
    Amaarae
44. When we were that what wept for the sea
    Colin Stetson
45. We're Still Here
    The Hirs Collective
46. Guy
    Jayda G
47. Food for Worms
    Shame
48. Rat Wars
    HEALTH
49. Good Living Is Coming For You
    Sweeping Promises
50. Birds, Bees, The Clouds & the Trees
    Harrison

No Depression: Favorite Roots Music Albums of 2023

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016]

1. Weathervanes
   Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit
2. The Returner
   Allison Russell
3. Strays
   Margo Price
4. the record
   boygenius
5. Anarchist Gospel
   Sunny War
6. City of Gold
   Molly Tuttle
7. Time Ain't Accidental
   Jess Williamson
8. Stories from a Rock n Roll Heart
   Lucinda Williams
9. Among Other Things
   Bella White
10. Lover's Game
    The War and Treaty
11. Morning Shift
    Steep Canyon Rangers
12. Stand in the Joy
    William Prince
13. Whiplash
    Jobi Riccio
14. Proof of Life
    Joy Oladokun
15. Valley Of Heart's Delight
    Margo Cilker

The Bitter Southerner: Best Southern Albums of 2023

[see also 2022]

1. Rustin' In The Rain
   Tyler Childers
2. This Is Why
   Paramore
3. Let's Start Here
   Lil Yachty
4. Michael
   Killer Mike
5. Time Ain't Accidental
   Jess Williamson
6. Zach Bryan
   Zach Bryan
7. Rat Saw God
   Wednesday
8. Oh Me Oh My
   Lonnie Holley
9. Anarchist Gospel
   Sunny War
10. Come Back To Me
    Peter One
11. Weathervanes
    Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit
12. Bright as the Mines Out
    McKendrick Bearden
13. With A Hammer
    yaeji
14. Strays
    Margo Price
15. The Southern Suite
    Sean Mason
16. New Blue Sun
    André 3000
17. Proof of Life
    Joy Oladokun
18. Red Moon in Venus
    Kali Uchis
19. Health
    Medium Build
20. The Age of Pleasure
    Janelle Monáe

American Songwriter: Top 17 Albums of 2023 in no particular order

[see also 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

• The Returner
  Allison Russell
• Chronicles of a Diamond
  Black Pumas
• The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
  Mitski
• Guts
  Olivia Rodrigo
• Who We Used to Be
  James Blunt
• Lover's Game
  The War and Treaty
• The Third Mind 2
  The Third Mind
• Leave The Light On
  Terry Klein
• Bits & Pieces
  Malcolm Holcombe
• Edge of Forever
  Jessi Colter
• History Books
  The Gaslight Anthem
• Brandy Clark
  Brandy Clark
• Unreal Unearth
  Hozier
• Brothers Osborne
  Brothers Osborne
• Man's a Wolf To Man
  Andy Taylor
• Autumn's Children
  Ashton Nyte
• Mother Road
  Grace Potter

Kitty Empire: 10 Best Albums of 2023, as published by The Observer

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Maps
   Billy Woods & Kenny Segal
2. Crazymad, for Me
   CMAT
3. 10,000 gecs
   100 gecs
4. Cacti
   Billy Nomates
5. The Age of Pleasure
   Janelle Monáe
6. The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
   Mitski
7. Scaring the Hoes
   JPEGMafia and Danny Brown
8. Dead Meat
   The Tubs
9. Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war))
   Jaimie Branch
10. Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
    Lana Del Rey

Vinyl Factory: Our Favourite Albums of 2023

[see also 2021]

• LXXXVIII
  Actress
• Aşk
  Altın Gün
• Maps
  Billy Woods & Kenny Segal
• the record
  boygenius
• Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
  Caroline Polachek
• The Shell That Speaks The Sea
  David Toop & Lawrence English
• Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war))
  Jaimie Branch
• Scaring the Hoes
  JPEGMafia and Danny Brown
• I've Got Me
  Joanna Sternberg
• Raven
  Kelela
• False Lankum
  Lankum
• Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
  Lana Del Rey
• Atlas
  Laurel Halo
• Oh Me Oh My
  Lonnie Holley
• Gentle Confrontation
  Loraine James
• Pripyat
  Marina Herlop
• The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
  Mitski
• Calm Ya Farm
  The Murlocs
• Natural Wonder Beauty Concept
  Natural Wonder Beauty Concept
• 95 Mindjeres
  Nidia
• Sundial
  Noname
• Erotic Probiotic 2
  Nourished By Time
• Guts
  Olivia Rodrigo
• Changing Channels
  Pangaea
• 12
  Ryuichi Sakamoto
• Madres
  Sofia Kourtesis
• Javelin
  Sufjan Stevens
• With A Hammer
  yaeji
• Heavy Heavy
  Young Fathers
• Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
  Yves Tumor

Hanif Abdurraqib: 108 Favorite Albums Of 2023, posted with links to good writing and a list of favorite EPs

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016]

1. The Land, The Water, The Sky
   Black Belt Eagle Scout
2. Ready When You Are
   Planet Giza
3. A New Tomorrow
   Zulu
4. Higher Lonely Power
   Fireworks
5. Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?
   McKinley Dixon
6. Black Rainbows
   Corinne Bailey Rae
7. Quaranta
   Danny Brown
7. Scaring the Hoes
   JPEGMafia and Danny Brown
8. Fountain Baby
   Amaarae
9. Silver
   Say She She
10. Proof of Life
    Joy Oladokun
11. somebody in hell loves you
    Sydney Sprague
12. No Joy
    Spanish Love Songs
13. Bliss Station
    Bliss Station
14. Drive Home
    Portraits Of Tracy
15. Shook
    Algiers
16. The Window
    Ratboys
17. Girl In The Half Pearl
    Liv.e
18. We Buy Diabetic Test Strips
    Armand Hammer
19. Heaven
    Cleo Sol
19. Gold
    Cleo Sol
20. Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the garden…
    Matana Roberts
21. It Wasn't Supposed To Be Like This
    pulses.
22. Sundial
    Noname
23. Leather Blvd
    B. Cool-Aid
24. I Inside the Old Year Dying
    PJ Harvey
25. The Ones Ahead
    Beverly Glenn-Copeland
26. the record
    boygenius
27. Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lightning
    Chief Adjuah
28. Guts
    Olivia Rodrigo
29. Flowers At Your Feet
    Rahill
30. Spunky!
    Grrrl Gang
31. Sublimation
    Shalom
32. Gentle Confrontation
    Loraine James
33. The Returner
    Allison Russell
34. The King
    Anjimile
35. love is a dying
    Bailey Miller
36. My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross
    Anohni and the Johnsons
37. The Omnichord Real Book
    Meshell Ndegeocello
38. This and Other Gestures
    gal pal
39. Big Mess
    Public Body
40. ...So Unknown
    Jesus Piece
41. Desire Pathway
    Screaming Females
42. Rat Saw God
    Wednesday
43. Heaven Knows
    PinkPantheress
44. Flood City Trax
    Nondi_
45. Eye On The Bat
    Palehound
46. Bravo!
    Sorry Girls
47. Yellow Brick Road
    Lo Village
48. Belongs on a Place Called Earth
    Secret Night Gang
49. The OPEN-HEARTED
    Arlissa
50. History Books
    The Gaslight Anthem
51. Protect Your Light
    Irreversible Entanglements
52. All of This Will End
    Indigo De Souza
53. Sweet Justice
    Tkay Maidza
54. Diamonds & Freaks
    Blk Odyssy
55. City of Gold
    Molly Tuttle
56. Mid Air
    Paris Texas
57. Strawberry Runners
    Strawberry Runners
58. Raíces
    Spine
59. No Tempo da Intolerância
    Elza Soares
60. Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?
    Kara Jackson
61. Radical Romantics
    Fever Ray
62. I Held the Shape While I Could
    Bodywash
63. The Age of Pleasure
    Janelle Monáe
64. Lotus Glow
    Adi Oasis
65. Warm Blanket
    Worriers
66. Blondshell
    Blondshell
67. With A Hammer
    yaeji
68. The Private World Of Correspondence
    African-American Sound Recordings
69. Come Around and Love Me
    Jalen Ngonda
70. Good Luck
    Debby Friday
71. Concrete Cowboys
    Buggin
72. Madres
    Sofia Kourtesis
73. Voir Dire
    Earl Sweatshirt and the Alchemist
74. Voice Notes
    Yazmin Lacey
75. CLUSTERFUNK
    Ric Wilson, Chromeo & A-Trak
76. What Still Gets Me
    Shit Present
77. ROACH
    Miya Folick
78. Mourning Due
    Nappy Nina
79. Chemistry
    Kelly Clarkson
80. Growing In Strange Places
    thank you, im sorry
81. Love/Hate Pt.1
    Xenia Manasseh
82. Dreamer
    Nabihah Iqbal
83. Lovers Lane
    Thanks! I Hate It
84. love has never been a popular movement.
    TYGAPAW
85. Forever Forever
    Genevieve Artadi
86. Raven
    Kelela
87. I've Loved You for So Long
    The Aces
88. Rabbit Rabbit
    Speedy Ortiz
89. We Just Wanna Be Alright
    Dog Breath
90. Your Life and Nothing Else
    FAIM
91. Jaguar II
    Victoria Monét
92. Javelin
    Sufjan Stevens
93. Don't Look Back
    Hurry
94. I Killed Your Dog
    L'Rain
95. Yard
    Slow Pulp
96. Penelope
    Small Crush
97. Creation and the Timeless Order of Things
    Racetraitor
98. Sorry I Haven't Called
    Vagabon
99. The View From The Sky
    insyt
100. The Great Dystopian Songbook III: Songs For The Homeland
     Golden Hymns Sing 'Hurrah'
101. Further Out Than The Edge
     Speakers Corner Quartet
102. A Brief Nirvana
     Khamari
103. Systemic
     Divide and Dissolve
104. That! Feels Good!
     Jessie Ware
105. Drag On Girard
     Purling Hiss
106. Messy
     Olivia Dean
107. Oh Me Oh My
     Lonnie Holley
108. I Was Mature For My Age, But I Was Still a Child
     grouptherapy.

Dazed: The 20 Best Albums of 2023

[see also 2022 • 2021]

1. Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
   Lana Del Rey
2. Raven
   Kelela
3. Softscars
   yeule
4. With A Hammer
   yaeji
5. the record
   boygenius
6. Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
   Caroline Polachek
7. SOS
   SZA
8. Something to Give Each Other
   Troye Sivan
9. The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
   Mitski
10. Fountain Baby
    Amaarae
11. A Grisaille Wedding
    Rainy Miller x Space Afrika
12. Guts
    Olivia Rodrigo
13. Sundial
    Noname
14. homeless n***a pop music
    Jim Legxacy
15. Fluid Meditations
    DJ Gigola
16. Pure Music
    Strange Ranger
17. Javelin
    Sufjan Stevens
18. 10,000 gecs
    100 gecs
19. Famous Last Words
    CASISDEAD
20. Good Lies
    Overmono