Best Albums of 2023

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1.

Javelin 

 Sufjan Stevens

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"Having listened to it thrice today, and knowing the impetus for the record, Javelin stands as Sufjan Stevens's most open-hearted and devastating work to date, even more so than the thorny beauty of his magnificent Carrie & Lowell. Elegiac, wounded, and life-affirming through and through, Javelin ...""Having listened to it thrice today, and knowing the impetus for the record, Javelin stands as Sufjan Stevens's most open-hearted and devastating work to date, even more so than the thorny beauty of his magnificent Carrie & Lowell. Elegiac, wounded, and life-affirming through and through, Javelin is characteristically meditative and soulful, while crystalizing the folktronica sensibilities that he's wrestled with over the years into its most moving configurations yet, and that, despite its weight, is still so warm and inviting. One of the best from one of the best ever to do it."  [+]  Reply

- HoldenM | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +8 votes (13 helpful | 5 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2023

Appears in:

387 charts

Rank Score:

1,993

Rank in 2023:

1

Rank in 2020s:

13

Overall Rank:

855

Average Rating:

 81 (294 votes)

Comments:

12

2.

Did You Know That There's A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd 

 Lana Del Rey

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"This surprised me a lot, after following up her critical breakthrough Norman Fucking Rockwell with a couple of substantially weaker albums I figured that Lana's music had peaked and that the still quite decent standard of Chemtrails and Blue Banisters would be the new normal. I think I was about ...""This surprised me a lot, after following up her critical breakthrough Norman Fucking Rockwell with a couple of substantially weaker albums I figured that Lana's music had peaked and that the still quite decent standard of Chemtrails and Blue Banisters would be the new normal. I think I was about a couple of tracks into this record when I realised that wasn't the case, Ocean Boulevard isn't just a great piece of work but one that elevates the rest of Lana's discography. The opening run of tracks is just as good as on NFR, the effortless emotional build of The Grants, the full production of the title track and the lyrical directness of the second half of Sweet work incredibly together. They also set the stage for Lana's most contemplative and thoughtful album, breaking into new ground while drawing on the fear of being left in the past. This is most successful on A&W which mirrors the lyrical themes of her earliest records but adds some depth to them with its downbeat frustration as she tries to trace the roots of the unfulfilling and demeaning relationships that she used to only cover at a surface level. For me Ocean Boulevard matches NFR in its earlier tracks but it's deeper into the tracklist that it starts to pull away from it, it stays compelling to the end. There are some especially strong melodies on tracks like Paris Texas and Candy Necklace and a warmth to others like Let the Light In. Each of the tracks I've highlighted has a really effective feature on it, Lana's sense for collaboration is at its best here, we're a long way from unnecessary rap features being stuffed into dull tracks. Only Bleachers doesn't quite pull his weight vocally, but his involvement in Margaret feels fair considering his personal connection to the track. It sets up a great finale as things come full circle with the looseness of the first few seconds of the album being mirrored by the almost conversational conclusion to Margaret. Except the album just keeps on going and this is still what really confuses me. Fishtail, Peppers and Taco Truck are all really good but they feel like bonus tracks within the structure of the album. I really enjoy the switch up in sound towards something more hip hop influenced, Peppers especially is one of the catchiest tracks of the past year, it's a shame that it just doesn't fit. I think these songs could have made for a really good EP instead of being grafted onto the end of the record, it's a bit annoying though the fact that it stands out so clearly as an issue shows how well the rest of Ocean Boulevard is structured."  [+]  Reply

- JamesMowbray | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (5 helpful | 1 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2023

Appears in:

311 charts

Rank Score:

1,905

Rank in 2023:

2

Rank in 2020s:

15

Overall Rank:

910

Average Rating:

 77 (287 votes)

Comments:

18

3.

Scaring The Hoes 

 JPEGMAFIA x Danny Brown

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"Easily one of the most interesting and exciting albums this year so far."  Reply

- ExTeaSea | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +10 votes (10 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2023

Appears in:

252 charts

Rank Score:

1,392

Rank in 2023:

3

Rank in 2020s:

33

Overall Rank:

1,238

Average Rating:

 80 (260 votes)

Comments:

17

4.

Desire, I Want To Turn Into You 

 Caroline Polachek

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"Very quirky and playful. Polachek excitedly ruffles around in her toy box of production tricks. Those whistles, chirps and finger snaps gilding the beat of “Bunny is a Rider” dropping right into the flamenco strings of “Sunset”, then the echoing quartz crystal pops of “Crude Drawing of An Angel”,...""Very quirky and playful. Polachek excitedly ruffles around in her toy box of production tricks. Those whistles, chirps and finger snaps gilding the beat of “Bunny is a Rider” dropping right into the flamenco strings of “Sunset”, then the echoing quartz crystal pops of “Crude Drawing of An Angel”, then the dazzling synth sparks of “I Believe”. It’s like after every track she does a little spin in the air and switches costume. It is a boisterous plunge of a record."  [+]  Reply

- viquel | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2023

Appears in:

301 charts

Rank Score:

1,313

Rank in 2023:

4

Rank in 2020s:

36

Overall Rank:

1,301

Average Rating:

 76 (245 votes)

Comments:

17

5.

The Record 

 Boygenius

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"Remarkable how these three idiosyncratic songwriters consciously decide to subsume their quirks within a group voice. Individual traits haven't been erased so much as they've been sanded so they can fit neatly together. Boygenius feels heftier and hookier than Baker, Bridgers, and Dacus do on the...""Remarkable how these three idiosyncratic songwriters consciously decide to subsume their quirks within a group voice. Individual traits haven't been erased so much as they've been sanded so they can fit neatly together. Boygenius feels heftier and hookier than Baker, Bridgers, and Dacus do on their own and I love it."  [+]  Reply

- shanelovesyou1111 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2023

Appears in:

288 charts

Rank Score:

1,042

Rank in 2023:

5

Rank in 2020s:

58

Overall Rank:

1,625

Average Rating:

 76 (228 votes)

Comments:

12

6.

Everything Is Alive 

 Slowdive

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"For a band that was releasing brilliant music 30 years ago to come out with something as good as this in 2023 is remarkable. Its albums and artists like these that reminds us of why we all love music so much , certainly one of years best albums and possibly the most pleasing return by a band last...""For a band that was releasing brilliant music 30 years ago to come out with something as good as this in 2023 is remarkable. Its albums and artists like these that reminds us of why we all love music so much , certainly one of years best albums and possibly the most pleasing return by a band last year 8/10 for me "  [+]  Reply

- | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2023

Appears in:

236 charts

Rank Score:

961

Rank in 2023:

6

Rank in 2020s:

65

Overall Rank:

1,753

Average Rating:

 77 (189 votes)

Comments:

6

7.

That! Feels Good! 

 Jessie Ware

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"Enjoyably listenable pop. Tons of disco and soul influence on the writing and sound. Just a good modern take on that whole genre. Not innovative or avant garde, just really listenable."  Reply

- meltchett | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2023

Appears in:

220 charts

Rank Score:

856

Rank in 2023:

7

Rank in 2020s:

79

Overall Rank:

1,937

Average Rating:

 77 (195 votes)

Comments:

11

8.

Live At Bush Hall 
Live soundtrack

 Black Country, New Road

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"Any doubts that they wouldn't recover from Isaac Woods departure are quickly squished with this fantastic live album. Definitely prefer the tracks with Mae Kershaw as the lead vocalist over the male vocalists. Not that Tyler Hyde's and Lewis Evan's vocals are inherently bad, just that with Mae sh...""Any doubts that they wouldn't recover from Isaac Woods departure are quickly squished with this fantastic live album. Definitely prefer the tracks with Mae Kershaw as the lead vocalist over the male vocalists. Not that Tyler Hyde's and Lewis Evan's vocals are inherently bad, just that with Mae she seems to have a fragility to her vocals in the same way that Isaac had. The obvious standout is "Turbines/Pigs" which is a gorgeous piano ballad, but "The Boy" and "Dancers" are fantastic as well. I was very worried about how BC/NR would move into their next full length album but this has very much put my mind at ease. Cannot wait for future releases from them. "  [+]  Reply

- Rm12398 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +9 votes (9 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2023

Appears in:

150 charts

Rank Score:

833

Rank in 2023:

8

Rank in 2020s:

83

Overall Rank:

1,987

Average Rating:

 82 (192 votes)

Comments:

11

9.

Maps 

 Billy Woods & Kenny Segal

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"Pure poetry from Woods, matched by the illest beats cooked up by Segal"  Reply

- jbentley3997 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2023

Appears in:

175 charts

Rank Score:

732

Rank in 2023:

9

Rank in 2020s:

99

Overall Rank:

2,218

Average Rating:

 76 (130 votes)

Comments:

3

10.

First Two Pages Of Frankenstein 

 The National

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"I had quite a bit of trepidation going into FTPoF. The singles were a bit mixed for me, and even my favorite of the bunch ("Your Mind Is Not Your Friend") probably wouldn't crack my top 15 or 20 National songs. Not to mentoin the early reception for this one has been somewhat tepid. So, I'm happy...""I had quite a bit of trepidation going into FTPoF. The singles were a bit mixed for me, and even my favorite of the bunch ("Your Mind Is Not Your Friend") probably wouldn't crack my top 15 or 20 National songs. Not to mentoin the early reception for this one has been somewhat tepid. So, I'm happy to report that I'm quite won over by this. FTPoF is fueled by a nakedness and fragility that we haven't really seen before from the band. It's far less hopeless and angry than is typical for The National. It's a warm and longing record whose stakes are so much more introspective--complemented further by how comparatively stripped down this one is, although it's not without its louder moments. Yeah, it's sardonic and searching as you might expect, but also loaded with sentimentality. It's taken a few listens, the songs released in the lead-up are much easier to enjoy in context with the album, and I have yet to really find the ceiling, but I love this record. FTPoF may very well be the weakest record the band has made in about 20 years, but that mainly speaks to the consistency and high quality of The National's work up to this point."  [+]  Reply

- HoldenM | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful) A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.

Year of Release:

2023

Appears in:

165 charts

Rank Score:

685

Rank in 2023:

10

Rank in 2020s:

110

Overall Rank:

2,337

Average Rating:

 75 (175 votes)

Comments:

12

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 1 of 100

Best Albums of 2023 composition

Top 1,000 Top 500 Top 250 Top 100

Artist	Albums	%
Tha God Fahim	4	0%
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard	4	0%
Guided By Voices	3	0%
Overmono	2	0%
Bar Italia	2	0%
Hania Rani	2	0%
Cleo Sol	2	0%
Show all

Country	Albums	%
	474	47%
	211	21%
	48	5%
	38	4%
	30	3%
	18	2%
	17	2%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	988	99%
Yes	12	1%

Live?	Albums	%
No	974	97%
Yes	26	3%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	988	99%
Yes	12	1%