50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1
20. Pistol Annies – Interstate Gospel
Wonderful crisp production, autumnal instrumentation, stories written using wonderful flourishes of words, and, above all, wonderful singing make this the ultimate triumph from the three current queens of country music. Apart, they’re simply three of the most intelligent songwriters in the world. Together, they’re untouchable. Come for the undeniable surface pleasures in the gorgeous harmonies and simple yet delightful acoustic arrangements. Stay for the decidedly far from simple subversive tales that simmer beneath the album’s warm surface, such as the one about a daughter who wishes her judgmental mother had had some fun and slept with the milkman (‘but mama never did love nothin’ but daddy and me’). – Oliver Hollander
19. Hop Along – Bark Your Head Off, Dog
“Strange to be shaped by such strange men,” hums the absorbing refrain repeated throughout Bark Your Head Off, Dog, Hop Along’s empathetic exploration of gendered power dynamics. Filled with captivating tales told over ever-changing movements, the Philadelphia rock outfit’s fourth studio album once again showcases singer-songwriter Frances Quinlan’s dazzling abilities as a storyteller. Her commanding voice is much more reserved here than on previous efforts, but it is no less potent, drawing her audiences in with tales of unmatched compassion and intense humanism. The album marks a vast expansion in the band’s aesthetic capabilities, refining the unabashed raw energy of 2015’s Painted Shut and trading it in for a softer, more deeply textured sound that incorporates a wide array of blurred genre lines. With sweeping strings and peppy keyboards, the band crafts self-reflective ballads and zippy dance tracks, continuing to defy easy categorization and taking their place as one of rock’s most skillfully chameleonic acts. – Brian Thompson
18. Travis Scott – Astroworld
No one has had a bigger year in hip hop than Travis Scott. The Houston rapper came out with arguably his most complete and diverse record to date with the much anticipated “Astroworld.” Sonically, Scott finally puts his psychedelic influences to good use, specifically with the additions of Tame Impala and Thundercat on the tracks, “Skeletons,” and “Astrothunder.” The result is unlike anything I’ve heard before in modern-day trap music. Between the kaleidoscopic twists and turns on “Stargazing” and “Sicko Mode,” to the personal references on “Who What” and “Yosemite,” Scott seemingly creates his magnum opus. The aesthetically mindboggling production immerses listeners into the rapper’s own rendition of the torn-down amusement park, and doing so without ever showing an ounce of predictability. Astroworld was the ultimate triumph for an artist who continues to push boundaries within the Houston scene. – Ryan Feyre
17. SOPHIE – Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
SOPHIE’s 2015 EP PRODUCT was great, but though it was likely the best output of the PC Music era, it still felt like just a chapter, perhaps because it felt somewhat anonymous. So she showed her face and her voice for the first time on the glorious, gentle “It’s Okay To Cry.” The rest of the album spends much of its time pulling your hair and spitting in your face, right away on “Ponyboy” and then to close on “Whole New World/Pretend World.” Then we feel so compelled to return to such punishment, both because SOPHIE has otherwise cultivated a wondrous, unique sonic footprint and because of the sheer thrill that the best has been unleashed. – Joey Daniewicz
16. Lucy Dacus – Historian
Historian is one of the most lyrically captivating bodies of work of this year. One of Lucy Dacus’ talents as a songwriter lies in her ability to uncover the lessons that come with some of life’s most unpleasant experiences. Head on engaging with topics like her Grandmother’s death, a discovery of faith (or lack there of), and that unavoidable period of writer’s block, Dacus reminds us of why these moments in our lives are important. Experiences stick with us, good or bad, and have the ability to change us in ways that may be completely necessary. Historian is one of those albums that as you listen to it a second or a third or even a fiftieth time, you’ll keep uncovering new ways that her words stick with you – Oleva Berard
15. MGMT – Little Dark Age
Out of all the 2000s indie giants, MGMT has the weirdest track record. Their poppy, yet psychedelic debut Oracular Spectacular saw them sailing onto the scene like Bastian riding Falcor in The NeverEnding Story, armed with fervor, whimsy, and hooks galore. Then the guys made a sharp turn with Congratulations, a mystifying experimental follow-up, and more or less fell off the face of the Earth, except through continued streams of “Kids” and “Electric Feel.” That is, until Little Dark Age put them back on the map. The album is everything you could hope for in an MGMT comeback, whether you prefer the duo’s synth-y hits or stranger deep cuts. Highlights include the title track, which indulges in glistening dark wave influences; “When You Die,” an Ariel Pink collaboration that’s even more menacingly gorgeous than you’d expect; and “When You’re Small,” in which Ben Goldwasser takes Andrew VanWyngarden’s place as lead vocalist. – Brittany Menjivar
14. Pusha T – Daytona
Pusha T stated in a Tweet prior to the release of his new album that, “Daytona represents the luxury of time. That luxury only comes when u have a skill set that your confident in.” Time is all the coke rapper needed in order to put out his most complete record to date. With some of Kanye West’s best production from his tumultuous 2018, Daytona finds Push comfortably within his element of drug tales, but with more of a focus and purpose. At a cool seven songs and 21 minutes, the G.O.O.D. Music president delivers razor-sharp bars over soulful production, while seemingly never taking a breath in the process. Between memorable lines (“Never trust a bitch who finds love in a camera/She will fuck you, then turn around and fuck a janitor”), haunting piano chords, and subliminal shots at the one and only Drake (“Infrared;” which eventually lead to “The Story of Adidon”), Pusha T solidified himself as one of the best rappers of 2018 with Daytona. – Ryan Feyre
13. Blood Orange – Negro Swan
The career of Devonte Hynes goes all the way back to 2004 and during this time, he has steadily created a notable discography. Under his Blood Orange moniker, however, Hynes has crafted a slew of albums that feel like classics in the making. With that being said, Negro Swan is the magnum opus within the Blood Orange discography. The album is a stunningly beautiful and insightful venture into the minds of those in marginalized communities who suffer from mental illnesses. In contrast to the other albums within Dev Hynes’ catalog, Negro Swan may seem unassuming at first. It may not have the sensational danceability of Cupid Deluxe or the lush, soothing hooks of Freetown Sound, yet the album manages to be an even more of a sonically immersive experience. It sees Hynes working in elements of alternative R&B, hip-hop, and jazz to absolutely wonderful results. Despite the album dealing with such a grim topic, there is an atmosphere of hope permeated throughout the album’s narrative. This hope, on top of everything else, makes this release feel timeless. – Mark Wesley
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12. Parquet Courts – Wide Awake!
Punks who sound like they listen to as much hip-hop or P-Funk as Clash or Ramones are my kind of punks. And this near-concept album about the joys and horrors of being ‘woke’ in today’s society hits twice as hard because of the boogie that sometimes underpins the guitar crunch and howled vocals. Violence is the running theme, about how it can infect just about anyone, even an inherently decent person, in the age of Trump and big business, which don’t give a toss about the (literal and metaphorical) waters getting too high because they’re already high and dry up there in their mighty skyscrapers. But the album invokes Otis Redding and finishes with a track called ‘Tenderness’ for a reason. – Oliver Hollander
11. Kali Uchis – Isolation
Don’t be fooled by her alluring poses in the finest dresses and makeup that makes her glow: Kali Uchis is a stone-cold killer. The more she looks into your eyes and hypnotizes you with her smokey voice, it gets her that most closer to ripping your heart out of your chest..and laughing while doing it. Her debut album is chock-full of smooth yet sharp lounge pop that shows off the bossy strut she exudes when she sings. It’s easy to picture her waving and snapping her fingers in defiance on “Miami” and the funky Steve Lacy-collab “Just a Stranger.” There’s plenty of glee to be had on Isolation but don’t mistake it for a lack of conviction as her words hurt like daggers (“See, you think you got problems with me/But baby I don’t even think about you”). And anyone blessed with the presence of the Starchild himself, Bootsy Collins” on a single must be doing something right. – Jon Winkler
Up next: 10-1
50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1
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