Esquire's (UK) 50 Best Albums of 2018

From rap to pop and hip-hop to electronic, the best releases of the year

Published: December 07, 2018 17:28 Source

# 1

Francis Trouble by Albert Hammond Jr

Album • Mar 09 / 2018 Indie Rock

# 2

Freedom by Amen Dunes

Album • Mar 30 / 2018 Neo-Psychedelia Singer-Songwriter

# 3

Oxnard by Anderson .Paak

Album • Nov 16 / 2018 West Coast Hip Hop Neo-Soul Funk

# 4

Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino by Arctic Monkeys

Album • May 11 / 2018

# 5

Sweetener by Ariana Grande

Album • Aug 17 / 2018 Contemporary R&B Electropop

# 6

Negro Swan by Blood Orange

Album • Aug 24 / 2018 Alternative R&B Sophisti-Pop

# 7

iridescence by BROCKHAMPTON

Album • Sep 21 / 2018 Experimental Hip Hop Hardcore Hip Hop

# 8

Invasion of Privacy by Cardi B

Album • Apr 06 / 2018 Trap East Coast Hip Hop

# 9

Solo Piano III by Chilly Gonzales

Album • Sep 07 / 2018 Modern Classical

# 10

Jassbusters by Connan Mockasin

Album • Oct 12 / 2018 Spoken Word Experimental

# 11

Song for Alpha by Daniel Avery

Album • Apr 06 / 2018 Ambient Techno

# 12

Knock Knock by DJ Koze

Album • May 04 / 2018 House Deep House

# 13

Marble Skies by Django Django

Album • Jan 26 / 2018 Indie Pop

# 14

Ruins by First Aid Kit

Album • Jan 19 / 2018 Americana Indie Folk

# 15

High As Hope by Florence + the Machine

Album • Jun 29 / 2018 Art Pop

# 16

All That Must Be by George FitzGerald

Album • Mar 09 / 2018 Deep House

# 17

I Used to Know Her: Part 2 by H.E.R.

EP • Nov 02 / 2018 Neo-Soul Contemporary R&B

# 18

Qualm by Helena Hauff

Album • Aug 03 / 2018 Industrial Techno Electro

# 19

Microshift by Hookworms

Album • Feb 02 / 2018 Neo-Psychedelia

# 20

Joy as an Act of Resistance. by IDLES

Album • Aug 31 / 2018 Post-Punk Post-Hardcore

# 21

Dirty Computer by Janelle Monáe

Album • Apr 27 / 2018 Contemporary R&B Art Pop

# 22

Singularity by Jon Hopkins

Album • May 04 / 2018 Tech House Microhouse

# 23

Aviary by Julia Holter

Album • Oct 26 / 2018 Progressive Pop Art Pop Experimental Ambient Pop

# 24

For Ever by Jungle

Album • Sep 14 / 2018 Synth Funk Funktronica

# 25

Heaven and Earth by Kamasi Washington

Album • Jun 22 / 2018 Spiritual Jazz

# 26

Con Todo El Mundo by Khruangbin

Album • Jan 26 / 2018 Psychedelic Rock

# 27

KIDS SEE GHOSTS by KIDS SEE GHOSTS + Kanye West + Kid Cudi

Album • Jun 08 / 2018 Pop Rap Experimental Hip Hop

# 28

Bottle It In by Kurt Vile

Album • Oct 12 / 2018 Folk Rock Singer-Songwriter

# 29

Raw Silk Uncut Wood by Laurel Halo

Album • Jul 13 / 2018 Ambient

# 30

Good Thing by Leon Bridges

Album • May 04 / 2018 Neo-Soul Smooth Soul

# 31

Nothing Is Still by Leon Vynehall

Album • Jun 15 / 2018 Ambient Ambient House

# 32

No Shame by Lily Allen

Album • Jun 08 / 2018 Contemporary R&B Alt-Pop Electropop

# 33

Loma by Loma

Album • Feb 16 / 2018 Art Pop Psychedelic Folk

# 34

Kingdoms in Colour by Maribou State

Album • Sep 07 / 2018 Downtempo Indietronica

# 35

All Melody by Nils Frahm

Album • Jan 26 / 2018 Post-Minimalism Electronic

# 36

Die Lit by Playboi Carti

Album • May 11 / 2018 Trap Southern Hip Hop Cloud Rap

# 37

Music for the Long Emergency by POLIÇA + stargaze

Album • Feb 16 / 2018 Art Pop Chamber Pop

# 38

Forever by Popcaan

Album • Jul 20 / 2018 Dancehall

# 39

Blood by Rhye

Album • Feb 02 / 2018 Sophisti-Pop Smooth Soul Alternative R&B

# 40

Honey by Robyn

Album • Oct 26 / 2018 Dance-Pop Electropop House

# 41

I Don't Want: The Gold Fire Sessions by Santigold

Album • Jul 27 / 2018 Dancehall

# 42

Songs of Praise by shame

Album • Jan 12 / 2018 Post-Punk Indie Rock

# 43

MUDBOY by Sheck Wes

Album • Oct 05 / 2018 Trap East Coast Hip Hop

# 44

MassEducation by St. Vincent

Album • Oct 12 / 2018 Art Pop Piano Rock

# 45

Superorganism by Superorganism

Album • Mar 02 / 2018 Indietronica Neo-Psychedelia Glitch Pop

# 46

Hive Mind by The Internet

Album • Jul 20 / 2018 Neo-Soul

# 47

Devotion by Tirzah

Album • Aug 10 / 2018 Alternative R&B Art Pop

# 48

Music Inspired by Illumination & Dr. Seuss' The Grinch by Tyler, The Creator

EP • Nov 16 / 2018 Christmas Music Neo-Soul

# 49

FM! by Vince Staples

Album • Nov 02 / 2018 West Coast Hip Hop Trap Hardcore Hip Hop

# 50

Cocoa Sugar by Young Fathers

Album • Mar 09 / 2018 Indietronica Neo-Soul