Esquire's (US) 20 Best Albums of 2018

The best albums of 2018 represent a time in flux within the industry, within culture, and beyond to our uncertain social-political climate.

Published: December 19, 2018 17:01 Source

Rank Album Artist Info
#1 Be the Cowboy Mitski Aug-17-2018, Art Pop
#2 Invasion of Privacy Cardi B Apr-06-2018, Trap
#3 Lush Snail Mail Jun-08-2018, Indie Rock
#4 Room 25 noname Sep-14-2018, Jazz Rap
#5 DAYTONA Pusha T May-25-2018, Hardcore Hip Hop
#6 Golden Hour Kacey Musgraves Mar-30-2018, Country Pop
#7 Honey Robyn Oct-26-2018, Dance-Pop
#8 Some Rap Songs Earl Sweatshirt Nov-30-2018, Abstract Hip Hop
#9 Knock Knock DJ Koze May-04-2018, House
#10 Sweetener Ariana Grande Aug-17-2018, Contemporary R&B
#11 Boygenius boygenius Oct-26-2018, Indie Rock
#12 Clean Soccer Mommy Mar-02-2018, Singer-Songwriter
#13 A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships The 1975 Nov-30-2018, Art Pop
#14 Whack World Tierra Whack May-30-2018, Pop Rap
#15 Astroworld Travis Scott Aug-03-2018, Trap
#16 Isolation Kali Uchis Apr-06-2018, Neo-Soul
#17 CARE FOR ME Saba Apr-05-2018, Conscious Hip Hop
#18 Everything Is Love THE CARTERS Jun-16-2018, Pop Rap
#19 Chris Christine and the Queens Sep-21-2018, Synthpop
#20 God's Favorite Customer Father John Misty Jun-01-2018, Singer-Songwriter
Markdown

| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Be the Cowboy | Mitski | Album, Aug-17-2018, Art Pop |
| #2 | Invasion of Privacy | Cardi B | Album, Apr-06-2018, Trap |
| #3 | Lush | Snail Mail | Album, Jun-08-2018, Indie Rock |
| #4 | Room 25 | noname | Album, Sep-14-2018, Jazz Rap |
| #5 | DAYTONA | Pusha T | Album, May-25-2018, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #6 | Golden Hour | Kacey Musgraves | Album, Mar-30-2018, Country Pop |
| #7 | Honey | Robyn | Album, Oct-26-2018, Dance-Pop |
| #8 | Some Rap Songs | Earl Sweatshirt | Album, Nov-30-2018, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #9 | Knock Knock | DJ Koze | Album, May-04-2018, House |
| #10 | Sweetener | Ariana Grande | Album, Aug-17-2018, Contemporary R&B |
| #11 | Boygenius | boygenius | EP, Oct-26-2018, Indie Rock |
| #12 | Clean | Soccer Mommy | Album, Mar-02-2018, Singer-Songwriter |
| #13 | A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships | The 1975 | Album, Nov-30-2018, Art Pop |
| #14 | Whack World | Tierra Whack | Album, May-30-2018, Pop Rap |
| #15 | Astroworld | Travis Scott | Album, Aug-03-2018, Trap |
| #16 | Isolation | Kali Uchis | Album, Apr-06-2018, Neo-Soul |
| #17 | CARE FOR ME | Saba | Album, Apr-05-2018, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #18 | Everything Is Love | THE CARTERS | Album, Jun-16-2018, Pop Rap |
| #19 | Chris | Christine and the Queens | Album, Sep-21-2018, Synthpop |
| #20 | God's Favorite Customer | Father John Misty | Album, Jun-01-2018, Singer-Songwriter |