Esquire's (UK) 50 Best Albums of 2019

Exceptional debuts from Nilüfer Yanya and Steve Lacy, and big returns from the likes of Bon Iver and Lana Del Rey

Published: December 23, 2019 11:01 Source

# 1

Ventura by Anderson .Paak

Album • Apr 12 / 2019 Neo-Soul Contemporary R&B Funk

# 2

All Mirrors by Angel Olsen

Album • Oct 04 / 2019 Art Pop Chamber Pop

# 3

Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest by Bill Callahan

Album • Jun 14 / 2019 Singer-Songwriter Americana

# 4

Angel's Pulse by Blood Orange

Album • Jul 12 / 2019 Alternative R&B

# 5

i,i by Bon Iver

Album • Aug 09 / 2019 Art Pop

# 6

GINGER by BROCKHAMPTON

Album • Aug 23 / 2019 Pop Rap West Coast Hip Hop

# 7

Reward by Cate Le Bon

Album • May 24 / 2019 Art Pop

# 8

The Big Day by Chance the Rapper

Album • Jul 26 / 2019 Pop Rap

# 9

Why Hasn't Everything Already Disappeared? by Deerhunter

Album • Jan 18 / 2019 Neo-Psychedelia Indie Rock

# 10

Ma by Devendra Banhart

Album • Sep 13 / 2019 Indie Folk Chamber Folk Singer-Songwriter Art Pop

# 11

MAGDALENE by FKA twigs

Album • Nov 08 / 2019 Art Pop Glitch Pop

# 12

Crush by Floating Points

Album • Oct 18 / 2019 IDM

# 13

Emily Alone by Florist

Album • Jul 26 / 2019 Indie Folk Singer-Songwriter

# 14

Flamagra by Flying Lotus

Album • May 24 / 2019 Nu Jazz Glitch Hop

# 15

Future Hndrxx Presents: The WIZRD by Future

Album • Jan 18 / 2019 Trap Southern Hip Hop

# 16

BIG BAD... by Giggs

Album • Feb 22 / 2019

# 17

What Chaos Is Imaginary by Girlpool

Album • Feb 01 / 2019 Indie Rock

# 18

Fine Line by Harry Styles

Album • Dec 13 / 2019 Pop Rock Pop Soul

# 19

A Bath Full of Ecstasy by Hot Chip

Album • Jun 21 / 2019 Synthpop Indietronica Electropop

# 20

Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones) by Jai Paul

Album • Apr 13 / 2013 Alternative R&B Indietronica

# 21

Assume Form by James Blake

Album • Jan 18 / 2019 Alternative R&B Art Pop

# 22

The Practice of Love by Jenny Hval

Album • Sep 13 / 2019 Art Pop Synthpop

# 23

On the Line by Jenny Lewis

Album • Mar 22 / 2019 Soft Rock Pop Rock

# 24

Crushing by Julia Jacklin

Album • Feb 22 / 2019 Singer-Songwriter Indie Folk

# 25

JESUS IS KING by Kanye West

Album • Oct 25 / 2019 Christian Hip Hop

# 26

No Home Record by Kim Gordon

Album • Oct 11 / 2019 Post-Industrial Noise Rock

# 27

Norman Fucking Rockwell! by Lana Del Rey

Album • Aug 30 / 2019 Singer-Songwriter Art Pop

# 28

Metronomy Forever by Metronomy

Album • Sep 13 / 2019 Indietronica Synthpop Indie Pop

# 29

tears of joy by MIKE

Album • Jun 21 / 2019 Experimental Hip Hop Abstract Hip Hop East Coast Hip Hop

# 30

Miss Universe by Nilüfer Yanya

Album • Mar 22 / 2019 Indie Pop Indie Rock

# 31

Jimmy Lee by Raphael Saadiq

Album • Aug 23 / 2019 Neo-Soul

# 32

Unfurl by RY X

Album • Feb 15 / 2019 Ambient Pop Alt-Pop

# 33

Remind Me Tomorrow by Sharon Van Etten

Album • Jan 18 / 2019 Indie Pop Synthpop

# 34

Nothing Great About Britain by slowthai

Album • May 17 / 2019 UK Hip Hop

# 35

When I Get Home by Solange

Album • Mar 01 / 2019 Alternative R&B Neo-Soul Art Pop

# 36

Apollo XXI by Steve Lacy

Album • May 24 / 2019 Neo-Soul Psychedelic Soul

# 37

Heavy Is The Head by Stormzy

Album • Dec 13 / 2019 UK Hip Hop

# 38

Lover by Taylor Swift

Album • Aug 23 / 2019 Synthpop Electropop Alt-Pop

# 39

No Geography by The Chemical Brothers

Album • Apr 12 / 2019 House Big Beat

# 40

I Love You. It's a Fever Dream. by The Tallest Man On Earth

Album • Apr 19 / 2019 Singer-Songwriter Contemporary Folk

# 41

ANIMA by Thom Yorke

Album • Jun 27 / 2019 Glitch Pop Ambient Pop

# 42

Outer Peace by Toro y Moi

Album • Jan 18 / 2019 Alternative R&B Synth Funk

# 43

Everyday by Tourist

Album • Feb 15 / 2019 Downtempo

# 44

Sunshine Kitty by Tove Lo

Album • Sep 20 / 2019 Contemporary R&B Electropop Alt-Pop

# 45

Father of the Bride by Vampire Weekend

Album • May 03 / 2019 Indie Pop

# 46

Titanic Rising by Weyes Blood

Album • Apr 05 / 2019 Baroque Pop Art Pop

# 47

Forever Turned Around by Whitney

Album • Aug 30 / 2019 Indie Pop Indie Folk

# 48

So Much Fun by Young Thug

Album • Aug 16 / 2019 Trap Southern Hip Hop

# 49

Rouge by Yuna

Album • Jul 12 / 2019 Contemporary R&B