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
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 10,000 gecs | 100 gecs | Mar-17-2023, Alternative Rock |
| #2 | Rivers In Our Veins | Allison Miller | Oct-06-2023, |
| #3 | Fountain Baby | Amaarae | Jun-09-2023, Afrobeats |
| #4 | Stillpoint | Awadagin Pratt, A Far Cry, Roomful of Teeth | Aug-25-2023, Modern Classical |
| #5 | Chaos Takes the Wheel and I Am a Passenger | awakebutstillinbed | Oct-20-2023, Midwest Emo |
| #6 | Jump On It | Bill Orcutt | Apr-28-2023, American Primitivism |
| #7 | Maps | Billy Woods, Kenny Segal | May-05-2023, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #8 | DIAMONDS & FREAKS | BLK ODYSSY | Jun-09-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #9 | the record | boygenius | Mar-31-2023, Singer-Songwriter |
| #10 | Heaven | Cleo Sol | Sep-15-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #11 | Black Rainbows | Corinne Bailey Rae | Sep-15-2023, Art Pop |
| #12 | Dynamic Maximum Tension | Darcy James Argue's Secret Society | Sep-08-2023, Progressive Big Band |
| #13 | fLuXkit Vancouver (i̶t̶s̶ suite but sacred) | Darius Jones | Sep-29-2023, Free Jazz |
| #14 | Scarlet | Doja Cat | Sep-22-2023, Pop Rap |
| #15 | Multitudes | Feist | Apr-14-2023, Singer-Songwriter |
| #16 | Radical Romantics | Fever Ray | Mar-10-2023, Art Pop |
| #17 | EADDA9223 | Fito Páez | Jun-01-2023, Classical Crossover |
| #18 | Workin' on a World | Iris DeMent | Feb-24-2023, Americana |
| #19 | The Age of Pleasure | Janelle Monáe | Jun-09-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #20 | That! Feels Good! | Jessie Ware | Apr-28-2023, Disco |
| #21 | Forward | Jordan Ward | Mar-03-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #22 | falling or flying | Jorja Smith | Sep-29-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #23 | Proof Of Life | Joy Oladokun | Apr-28-2023, Indie Pop |
| #24 | SCARING THE HOES | JPEGMAFIA, Danny Brown | Mar-24-2023, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #25 | Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? | Kara Jackson | Apr-14-2023, Singer-Songwriter |
| #26 | False Lankum | Lankum | Mar-24-2023, Irish Folk Music |
| #27 | Thomas Adès: Dante | Los Angeles Master Chorale, Gustavo Dudamel, Los Angeles Philharmonic | Apr-21-2023, |
| #28 | ULTRABELLEZA | María José Llergo | Oct-27-2023, Alt-Pop |
| #29 | Valley Of Heart's Delight | Margo Cilker | Sep-15-2023, Country |
| #30 | The Omnichord Real Book | Meshell Ndegeocello | Jun-16-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #31 | The Patience | Mick Jenkins | Aug-18-2023, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #32 | Autopoiética | Mon Laferte | Nov-10-2023, Art Pop |
| #33 | Sundial | Noname | Aug-11-2023, Jazz Rap |
| #34 | GUTS | Olivia Rodrigo | Sep-08-2023, Pop Rock |
| #35 | Missy Mazzoli: Dark with Excessive Bright | Peter Herresthal, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, James Gaffigan, Arctic Philharmonic, Tim Weiss | Mar-03-2023, |
| #36 | I Inside the Old Year Dying | PJ Harvey | Jul-07-2023, Singer-Songwriter |
| #37 | SUPERNOVA | Ralphie Choo | Sep-15-2023, Art Pop |
| #38 | Mid Air | Romy | Sep-08-2023, Deep House |
| #39 | Lahai | Sampha | Oct-20-2023, Alternative R&B |
| #40 | Hood Hottest Princess | Sexyy Red | Jun-09-2023, Trap |
| #41 | Good Living Is Coming For You | Sweeping Promises | Jun-30-2023, Post-Punk |
| #42 | SOS | SZA | Dec-09-2022, Contemporary R&B |
| #43 | I Am Not There Anymore | The Clientele | Jul-28-2023, Chamber Pop |
| #44 | In The End It Always Does | The Japanese House | Jun-30-2023, Alt-Pop |
| #45 | Eyes of the World | The Latin Dead | Feb-14-2023, |
| #46 | Terror | Tianna Esperanza | Feb-17-2023, |
| #47 | Something To Give Each Other | Troye Sivan | Oct-13-2023, Dance-Pop |
| #48 | JAGUAR II | Victoria Monét | Aug-25-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #49 | Rat Saw God | Wednesday | Apr-07-2023, Indie Rock |
| #50 | Black Classical Music | Yussef Dayes | Sep-08-2023, Jazz Fusion |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 10,000 gecs | 100 gecs | Album, Mar-17-2023, Alternative Rock |
| #2 | Rivers In Our Veins | Allison Miller | Album, Oct-06-2023, |
| #3 | Fountain Baby | Amaarae | Album, Jun-09-2023, Afrobeats |
| #4 | Stillpoint | Awadagin PrattA Far CryRoomful of Teeth | Album, Aug-25-2023, Modern Classical |
| #5 | Chaos Takes the Wheel and I Am a Passenger | awakebutstillinbed | Album, Oct-20-2023, Midwest Emo |
| #6 | Jump On It | Bill Orcutt | Album, Apr-28-2023, American Primitivism |
| #7 | Maps | Billy WoodsKenny Segal | Album, May-05-2023, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #8 | DIAMONDS & FREAKS | BLK ODYSSY | Album, Jun-09-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #9 | the record | boygenius | Album, Mar-31-2023, Singer-Songwriter |
| #10 | Heaven | Cleo Sol | Album, Sep-15-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #11 | Black Rainbows | Corinne Bailey Rae | Album, Sep-15-2023, Art Pop |
| #12 | Dynamic Maximum Tension | Darcy James Argue's Secret Society | Album, Sep-08-2023, Progressive Big Band |
| #13 | fLuXkit Vancouver (i̶t̶s̶ suite but sacred) | Darius Jones | Album, Sep-29-2023, Free Jazz |
| #14 | Scarlet | Doja Cat | Album, Sep-22-2023, Pop Rap |
| #15 | Multitudes | Feist | Album, Apr-14-2023, Singer-Songwriter |
| #16 | Radical Romantics | Fever Ray | Album, Mar-10-2023, Art Pop |
| #17 | EADDA9223 | Fito Páez | Album, Jun-01-2023, Classical Crossover |
| #18 | Workin' on a World | Iris DeMent | Album, Feb-24-2023, Americana |
| #19 | The Age of Pleasure | Janelle Monáe | Album, Jun-09-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #20 | That! Feels Good! | Jessie Ware | Album, Apr-28-2023, Disco |
| #21 | Forward | Jordan Ward | Album, Mar-03-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #22 | falling or flying | Jorja Smith | Album, Sep-29-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #23 | Proof Of Life | Joy Oladokun | Album, Apr-28-2023, Indie Pop |
| #24 | SCARING THE HOES | JPEGMAFIADanny Brown | Album, Mar-24-2023, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #25 | Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? | Kara Jackson | Album, Apr-14-2023, Singer-Songwriter |
| #26 | False Lankum | Lankum | Album, Mar-24-2023, Irish Folk Music |
| #27 | Thomas Adès: Dante | Los Angeles Master ChoraleGustavo DudamelLos Angeles Philharmonic | Album, Apr-21-2023, |
| #28 | ULTRABELLEZA | María José Llergo | Album, Oct-27-2023, Alt-Pop |
| #29 | Valley Of Heart's Delight | Margo Cilker | Album, Sep-15-2023, Country |
| #30 | The Omnichord Real Book | Meshell Ndegeocello | Album, Jun-16-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #31 | The Patience | Mick Jenkins | Album, Aug-18-2023, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #32 | Autopoiética | Mon Laferte | Album, Nov-10-2023, Art Pop |
| #33 | Sundial | Noname | Album, Aug-11-2023, Jazz Rap |
| #34 | GUTS | Olivia Rodrigo | Album, Sep-08-2023, Pop Rock |
| #35 | Missy Mazzoli: Dark with Excessive Bright | Peter HerresthalBergen Philharmonic OrchestraJames GaffiganArctic PhilharmonicTim Weiss | Album, Mar-03-2023, |
| #36 | I Inside the Old Year Dying | PJ Harvey | Album, Jul-07-2023, Singer-Songwriter |
| #37 | SUPERNOVA | Ralphie Choo | Album, Sep-15-2023, Art Pop |
| #38 | Mid Air | Romy | Album, Sep-08-2023, Deep House |
| #39 | Lahai | Sampha | Album, Oct-20-2023, Alternative R&B |
| #40 | Hood Hottest Princess | Sexyy Red | Album, Jun-09-2023, Trap |
| #41 | Good Living Is Coming For You | Sweeping Promises | Album, Jun-30-2023, Post-Punk |
| #42 | SOS | SZA | Album, Dec-09-2022, Contemporary R&B |
| #43 | I Am Not There Anymore | The Clientele | Album, Jul-28-2023, Chamber Pop |
| #44 | In The End It Always Does | The Japanese House | Album, Jun-30-2023, Alt-Pop |
| #45 | Eyes of the World | The Latin Dead | Album, Feb-14-2023, |
| #46 | Terror | Tianna Esperanza | Album, Feb-17-2023, |
| #47 | Something To Give Each Other | Troye Sivan | Album, Oct-13-2023, Dance-Pop |
| #48 | JAGUAR II | Victoria Monét | Album, Aug-25-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #49 | Rat Saw God | Wednesday | Album, Apr-07-2023, Indie Rock |
| #50 | Black Classical Music | Yussef Dayes | Album, Sep-08-2023, Jazz Fusion |