Year-End Lists

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

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