NPR Music's 50 Best Albums of 2023

The album's not dead! Want proof? NPR Music's list of the best albums of 2023 features masterworks by veterans, newcomers, iconoclasts and at least one supergroup.

Published: December 05, 2023 08:00 Source

# 1
Album • Mar 17 / 2023 Alternative Rock Hyperpop
# 2
Album • Oct 06 / 2023
# 3
Album • Jun 09 / 2023 Afrobeats Alternative R&B
# 4
Album • Aug 25 / 2023 Modern Classical
# 5
Album • Oct 20 / 2023 Midwest Emo Post-Hardcore
# 6
Album • Apr 28 / 2023 American Primitivism
# 7
Album • May 05 / 2023 Abstract Hip Hop Jazz Rap Conscious Hip Hop East Coast Hip Hop
# 8
Album • Jun 09 / 2023 Neo-Soul
# 9
Album • Mar 31 / 2023 Singer-Songwriter Indie Folk Indie Rock
# 10
Album • Sep 15 / 2023 Neo-Soul Smooth Soul
# 11
Album • Sep 15 / 2023 Art Pop Art Rock
# 12
Album • Sep 08 / 2023 Progressive Big Band
# 13
Album • Sep 29 / 2023 Free Jazz
# 14
Album • Sep 22 / 2023 Pop Rap West Coast Hip Hop
# 15
Album • Apr 14 / 2023 Singer-Songwriter Contemporary Folk
# 16
Album • Mar 10 / 2023 Art Pop Synthpop
# 17
Album • Jun 01 / 2023 Classical Crossover Art Pop
# 18
Album • Feb 24 / 2023 Americana Country
# 19
Album • Jun 09 / 2023 Contemporary R&B Pop
# 20
Album • Apr 28 / 2023 Disco Dance-Pop
# 21
Album • Mar 03 / 2023 Contemporary R&B
# 22
Album • Sep 29 / 2023 Contemporary R&B
# 23
Album • Apr 28 / 2023 Indie Pop Singer-Songwriter
# 24
Album • Mar 24 / 2023 Experimental Hip Hop Hardcore Hip Hop
# 25
Album • Apr 14 / 2023 Singer-Songwriter Contemporary Folk Chamber Folk
# 26
Album • Mar 24 / 2023 Irish Folk Music Avant-Folk
# 27
Album • Apr 21 / 2023
# 28
Album • Oct 27 / 2023 Alt-Pop Art Pop Flamenco Pop
# 29
Album • Sep 15 / 2023 Country Americana Singer-Songwriter
# 30
Album • Jun 16 / 2023 Neo-Soul Jazz Fusion
# 31
Album • Aug 18 / 2023 Hardcore Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop
# 32
Album • Nov 10 / 2023 Art Pop Latin Alternative
# 33
Album • Aug 11 / 2023 Jazz Rap Conscious Hip Hop Political Hip Hop
# 34
Album • Sep 08 / 2023 Pop Rock Singer-Songwriter Alternative Rock
# 35
Album • Mar 03 / 2023
# 36
Album • Jul 07 / 2023 Singer-Songwriter Art Rock
# 37
Album • Sep 15 / 2023 Art Pop Glitch Pop
# 38
Album • Sep 08 / 2023 Deep House Dance-Pop Alt-Pop
# 39
Album • Oct 20 / 2023 Alternative R&B
# 40
Album • Jun 09 / 2023 Trap
# 41
Album • Jun 30 / 2023 Post-Punk Art Punk
# 42
SOS by SZA
Album • Dec 09 / 2022 Contemporary R&B Pop
# 43
Album • Jul 28 / 2023 Chamber Pop Indie Pop Art Pop
# 44
Album • Jun 30 / 2023 Alt-Pop Indietronica Indie Pop
# 45
Album • Feb 14 / 2023
# 46
Album • Feb 17 / 2023
# 47
Album • Oct 13 / 2023 Dance-Pop Contemporary R&B
# 48
Album • Aug 25 / 2023 Contemporary R&B
# 49
Album • Apr 07 / 2023 Indie Rock Noise Rock
# 50
Album • Sep 08 / 2023 Jazz Fusion