Complex's Best Albums of 2023
From smooth R&B projects to hard-hitting rap albums and an unexpected project that made its way to the top—these are Complex’s picks for the best albums of 2023.
Published: December 14, 2023 17:47
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | a Gift & a Curse | Gunna | Jun-16-2023, Trap |
| #2 | SOS | SZA | Dec-09-2022, Contemporary R&B |
| #3 | UTOPIA | Travis Scott | Jul-28-2023, Southern Hip Hop |
| #4 | Scarlet | Doja Cat | Sep-22-2023, Pop Rap |
| #5 | MICHAEL | Killer Mike | Jun-16-2023, Southern Hip Hop |
| #6 | JAGUAR II | Victoria Monét | Aug-25-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #7 | nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana | Bad Bunny | Oct-13-2023, Pop Rap |
| #8 | HEROES & VILLAINS | Metro Boomin | Dec-02-2022, Trap |
| #9 | Like..? | Ice Spice | Jan-20-2023, Sample Drill |
| #10 | Let’s Start Here. | Lil Yachty | Jan-27-2023, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #11 | Glockoma 2 | Key Glock | Feb-24-2023, Trap |
| #12 | Sundial | Noname | Aug-11-2023, Jazz Rap |
| #13 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST: The Estate Sale | Tyler, The Creator | Mar-31-2023, |
| #14 | Mañana será bonito | KAROL G | Feb-24-2023, Reggaetón |
| #15 | SET IT OFF | Offset | Oct-13-2023, Trap |
| #16 | Ganger | Veeze | Jun-27-2023, Detroit Trap |
| #17 | 3MEN2 KBRN | Eladio Carrión | Mar-17-2023, Trap |
| #18 | Split Decision | Dave, Central Cee | Jun-04-2023, |
| #19 | The Great Escape | Larry June, The Alchemist | Mar-31-2023, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #20 | Never Enough | Daniel Caesar | Apr-07-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #21 | VOIR DIRE | Earl Sweatshirt, The Alchemist | Oct-06-2023, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #22 | For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition | Drake | Oct-06-2023, |
| #23 | Hood Hottest Princess | Sexyy Red | Jun-09-2023, Trap |
| #24 | falling or flying | Jorja Smith | Sep-29-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #25 | Gumbo | Young Nudy | Feb-28-2023, Trap |
| #26 | Through and Through | Baby Rose | Apr-28-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #27 | NO THANK YOU | Little Simz | Dec-12-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #28 | Larger Than Life | Brent Faiyaz | Oct-27-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #29 | A Great Chaos | Ken Carson | Oct-13-2023, Rage |
| #30 | Heaven | Cleo Sol | Sep-15-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #31 | Burning Desire | MIKE | Oct-13-2023, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #32 | Heaven knows | PinkPantheress | Nov-10-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #33 | Love Sick | Don Toliver | Feb-24-2023, Alternative R&B |
| #34 | Fountain Baby | Amaarae | Jun-09-2023, Afrobeats |
| #35 | Red Moon in Venus | Kali Uchis | Mar-03-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #36 | CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE | Summer Walker | May-19-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #37 | Forward | Jordan Ward | Mar-03-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #38 | Aftërlyfe | Yeat | Feb-24-2023, Rage |
| #39 | Too Good To Be True | Rick Ross, Meek Mill | Nov-10-2023, Trap |
| #40 | Magic 2 | Nas | Jul-21-2023, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #41 | Kaytraminé | KAYTRAMINÉ, Aminé, KAYTRANADA | May-19-2023, Pop Rap |
| #42 | Pink Friday 2 | Nicki Minaj | Dec-08-2023, Pop Rap |
| #43 | Raven | Kelela | Feb-10-2023, Alternative R&B |
| #44 | Quaranta | Danny Brown | Nov-17-2023, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #45 | PLAYA SATURNO | Rauw Alejandro | Jul-07-2023, Reggaetón |
| #46 | Welcome 2 Collegrove | 2 Chainz, Lil Wayne | Nov-17-2023, Southern Hip Hop |
| #47 | Lahai | Sampha | Oct-20-2023, Alternative R&B |
| #48 | Wont He Do It | Conway the Machine | May-05-2023, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #49 | To Be Eaten Alive | Mariah the Scientist | Oct-27-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #50 | TEC | Lil Tecca | Sep-22-2023, Trap |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | a Gift & a Curse | Gunna | Album, Jun-16-2023, Trap |
| #2 | SOS | SZA | Album, Dec-09-2022, Contemporary R&B |
| #3 | UTOPIA | Travis Scott | Album, Jul-28-2023, Southern Hip Hop |
| #4 | Scarlet | Doja Cat | Album, Sep-22-2023, Pop Rap |
| #5 | MICHAEL | Killer Mike | Album, Jun-16-2023, Southern Hip Hop |
| #6 | JAGUAR II | Victoria Monét | Album, Aug-25-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #7 | nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana | Bad Bunny | Album, Oct-13-2023, Pop Rap |
| #8 | HEROES & VILLAINS | Metro Boomin | Album, Dec-02-2022, Trap |
| #9 | Like..? | Ice Spice | EP, Jan-20-2023, Sample Drill |
| #10 | Let’s Start Here. | Lil Yachty | Album, Jan-27-2023, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #11 | Glockoma 2 | Key Glock | Album, Feb-24-2023, Trap |
| #12 | Sundial | Noname | Album, Aug-11-2023, Jazz Rap |
| #13 | CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST: The Estate Sale | Tyler, The Creator | Album, Mar-31-2023, |
| #14 | Mañana será bonito | KAROL G | Album, Feb-24-2023, Reggaetón |
| #15 | SET IT OFF | Offset | Album, Oct-13-2023, Trap |
| #16 | Ganger | Veeze | Album, Jun-27-2023, Detroit Trap |
| #17 | 3MEN2 KBRN | Eladio Carrión | Album, Mar-17-2023, Trap |
| #18 | Split Decision | DaveCentral Cee | Single, Jun-04-2023, |
| #19 | The Great Escape | Larry JuneThe Alchemist | Album, Mar-31-2023, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #20 | Never Enough | Daniel Caesar | Album, Apr-07-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #21 | VOIR DIRE | Earl SweatshirtThe Alchemist | Album, Oct-06-2023, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #22 | For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition | Drake | Album, Oct-06-2023, |
| #23 | Hood Hottest Princess | Sexyy Red | Album, Jun-09-2023, Trap |
| #24 | falling or flying | Jorja Smith | Album, Sep-29-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #25 | Gumbo | Young Nudy | Album, Feb-28-2023, Trap |
| #26 | Through and Through | Baby Rose | Album, Apr-28-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #27 | NO THANK YOU | Little Simz | Album, Dec-12-2022, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #28 | Larger Than Life | Brent Faiyaz | Album, Oct-27-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #29 | A Great Chaos | Ken Carson | Album, Oct-13-2023, Rage |
| #30 | Heaven | Cleo Sol | Album, Sep-15-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #31 | Burning Desire | MIKE | Album, Oct-13-2023, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #32 | Heaven knows | PinkPantheress | Album, Nov-10-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #33 | Love Sick | Don Toliver | Album, Feb-24-2023, Alternative R&B |
| #34 | Fountain Baby | Amaarae | Album, Jun-09-2023, Afrobeats |
| #35 | Red Moon in Venus | Kali Uchis | Album, Mar-03-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #36 | CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE | Summer Walker | EP, May-19-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #37 | Forward | Jordan Ward | Album, Mar-03-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #38 | Aftërlyfe | Yeat | Album, Feb-24-2023, Rage |
| #39 | Too Good To Be True | Rick RossMeek Mill | Album, Nov-10-2023, Trap |
| #40 | Magic 2 | Nas | Album, Jul-21-2023, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #41 | Kaytraminé | KAYTRAMINÉAminéKAYTRANADA | Album, May-19-2023, Pop Rap |
| #42 | Pink Friday 2 | Nicki Minaj | Album, Dec-08-2023, Pop Rap |
| #43 | Raven | Kelela | Album, Feb-10-2023, Alternative R&B |
| #44 | Quaranta | Danny Brown | Album, Nov-17-2023, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #45 | PLAYA SATURNO | Rauw Alejandro | Album, Jul-07-2023, Reggaetón |
| #46 | Welcome 2 Collegrove | 2 ChainzLil Wayne | Album, Nov-17-2023, Southern Hip Hop |
| #47 | Lahai | Sampha | Album, Oct-20-2023, Alternative R&B |
| #48 | Wont He Do It | Conway the Machine | Album, May-05-2023, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #49 | To Be Eaten Alive | Mariah the Scientist | Album, Oct-27-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #50 | TEC | Lil Tecca | Album, Sep-22-2023, Trap |