Pitchfork's 50 Best Albums of 2017
From Fever Ray to Kendrick to King Krule, the album as an art form took on new resonance this year. These are the best of the best.
Published: December 12, 2017 06:00
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | DAMN. | Kendrick Lamar | Apr-14-2017, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #2 | Ctrl | SZA | Jun-09-2017, Alternative R&B |
| #3 | The OOZ | King Krule | Oct-13-2017, Art Rock |
| #4 | Take Me Apart | Kelela | Oct-06-2017, Alternative R&B |
| #5 | Melodrama | Lorde | Jun-16-2017, Synthpop |
| #6 | Aromanticism | Moses Sumney | Sep-22-2017, Art Pop |
| #7 | Big Fish Theory | Vince Staples | Jun-23-2017, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #8 | Flower Boy | Tyler, The Creator | Jul-21-2017, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #9 | Plunge | Fever Ray | Oct-27-2017, Electropop |
| #10 | Black Origami | Jlin | May-19-2017, Footwork |
| #11 | A Deeper Understanding | The War on Drugs | Aug-25-2017, Heartland Rock |
| #12 | american dream | LCD Soundsystem | Oct-06-2017, Dance-Punk |
| #13 | 4:44 | JAY-Z | Jul-07-2017, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #14 | A Crow Looked at Me | Mount Eerie | Mar-24-2017, Singer-Songwriter |
| #15 | Process | Sampha | Feb-03-2017, Alternative R&B |
| #16 | No Shape | Perfume Genius | May-05-2017, Art Pop |
| #17 | Rest | Charlotte Gainsbourg | Nov-17-2017, Art Pop |
| #18 | Turn Out the Lights | Julien Baker | Oct-27-2017, Singer-Songwriter |
| #19 | Culture | Migos | Jan-27-2017, Trap |
| #20 | Utopia | Björk | Nov-24-2017, Art Pop |
| #21 | Arca | Arca | Apr-07-2017, Art Pop |
| #22 | MASSEDUCTION | St. Vincent | Oct-13-2017, Art Pop |
| #23 | Capacity | Big Thief | Jun-09-2017, Indie Rock |
| #24 | Drunk | Thundercat | Feb-24-2017, Neo-Soul |
| #25 | Nothing Feels Natural | Priests | Jan-27-2017, Post-Punk |
| #26 | Everybody Works | Jay Som | Mar-10-2017, Indie Rock |
| #27 | HNDRXX | Future | Jul-27-2017, Pop Rap |
| #28 | Ash | Ibeyi | Sep-29-2017, Art Pop |
| #29 | Run the Jewels 3 | Run The Jewels | Dec-25-2016, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #30 | Slowdive | Slowdive | May-05-2017, Dream Pop |
| #31 | Harmony of Difference | Kamasi Washington | Sep-29-2017, Spiritual Jazz |
| #32 | Lust For Life | Lana Del Rey | Jul-21-2017, Alt-Pop |
| #33 | Kelly Lee Owens | Kelly Lee Owens | Mar-24-2017, Ambient Pop |
| #34 | Love What Survives | Mount Kimbie | Sep-08-2017, Indietronica |
| #35 | Playboi Carti | Playboi Carti | Apr-14-2017, Trap |
| #36 | Fin | Syd | Feb-03-2017, Alternative R&B |
| #37 | Not Even Happiness | Julie Byrne | Jan-12-2017, Contemporary Folk |
| #38 | More Life | Drake | Mar-18-2017, Contemporary R&B |
| #39 | Crack-Up | Fleet Foxes | Jun-16-2017, Progressive Folk |
| #40 | I See You | The xx | Jan-13-2017, Indietronica |
| #41 | Okovi | Zola Jesus | Sep-08-2017, Darkwave |
| #42 | Infinite Worlds | Vagabon | Feb-24-2017, Indie Rock |
| #43 | Black Ken | Lil B | Aug-17-2017, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #44 | The Kid | Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith | Oct-06-2017, Art Pop |
| #45 | Powerplant | Girlpool | May-12-2017, Indie Pop |
| #46 | Dust | Laurel Halo | Jun-23-2017, Electronic |
| #47 | SweetSexySavage (Deluxe) | Kehlani | Jan-27-2017, |
| #48 | Rocket | Alex G | May-19-2017, Indie Folk |
| #49 | Brick Body Kids Still Daydream | Open Mike Eagle | Sep-15-2017, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #50 | EP2 | Yaeji | Nov-03-2017, Ambient House |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | DAMN. | Kendrick Lamar | Album, Apr-14-2017, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #2 | Ctrl | SZA | Album, Jun-09-2017, Alternative R&B |
| #3 | The OOZ | King Krule | Album, Oct-13-2017, Art Rock |
| #4 | Take Me Apart | Kelela | Album, Oct-06-2017, Alternative R&B |
| #5 | Melodrama | Lorde | Album, Jun-16-2017, Synthpop |
| #6 | Aromanticism | Moses Sumney | Album, Sep-22-2017, Art Pop |
| #7 | Big Fish Theory | Vince Staples | Album, Jun-23-2017, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #8 | Flower Boy | Tyler, The Creator | Album, Jul-21-2017, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #9 | Plunge | Fever Ray | Album, Oct-27-2017, Electropop |
| #10 | Black Origami | Jlin | Album, May-19-2017, Footwork |
| #11 | A Deeper Understanding | The War on Drugs | Album, Aug-25-2017, Heartland Rock |
| #12 | american dream | LCD Soundsystem | Album, Oct-06-2017, Dance-Punk |
| #13 | 4:44 | JAY-Z | Album, Jul-07-2017, East Coast Hip Hop |
| #14 | A Crow Looked at Me | Mount Eerie | Album, Mar-24-2017, Singer-Songwriter |
| #15 | Process | Sampha | Album, Feb-03-2017, Alternative R&B |
| #16 | No Shape | Perfume Genius | Album, May-05-2017, Art Pop |
| #17 | Rest | Charlotte Gainsbourg | Album, Nov-17-2017, Art Pop |
| #18 | Turn Out the Lights | Julien Baker | Album, Oct-27-2017, Singer-Songwriter |
| #19 | Culture | Migos | Album, Jan-27-2017, Trap |
| #20 | Utopia | Björk | Album, Nov-24-2017, Art Pop |
| #21 | Arca | Arca | Album, Apr-07-2017, Art Pop |
| #22 | MASSEDUCTION | St. Vincent | Album, Oct-13-2017, Art Pop |
| #23 | Capacity | Big Thief | Album, Jun-09-2017, Indie Rock |
| #24 | Drunk | Thundercat | Album, Feb-24-2017, Neo-Soul |
| #25 | Nothing Feels Natural | Priests | Album, Jan-27-2017, Post-Punk |
| #26 | Everybody Works | Jay Som | Album, Mar-10-2017, Indie Rock |
| #27 | HNDRXX | Future | Album, Jul-27-2017, Pop Rap |
| #28 | Ash | Ibeyi | Album, Sep-29-2017, Art Pop |
| #29 | Run the Jewels 3 | Run The Jewels | Album, Dec-25-2016, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #30 | Slowdive | Slowdive | Album, May-05-2017, Dream Pop |
| #31 | Harmony of Difference | Kamasi Washington | EP, Sep-29-2017, Spiritual Jazz |
| #32 | Lust For Life | Lana Del Rey | Album, Jul-21-2017, Alt-Pop |
| #33 | Kelly Lee Owens | Kelly Lee Owens | Album, Mar-24-2017, Ambient Pop |
| #34 | Love What Survives | Mount Kimbie | Album, Sep-08-2017, Indietronica |
| #35 | Playboi Carti | Playboi Carti | Album, Apr-14-2017, Trap |
| #36 | Fin | Syd | Album, Feb-03-2017, Alternative R&B |
| #37 | Not Even Happiness | Julie Byrne | Album, Jan-12-2017, Contemporary Folk |
| #38 | More Life | Drake | Album, Mar-18-2017, Contemporary R&B |
| #39 | Crack-Up | Fleet Foxes | Album, Jun-16-2017, Progressive Folk |
| #40 | I See You | The xx | Album, Jan-13-2017, Indietronica |
| #41 | Okovi | Zola Jesus | Album, Sep-08-2017, Darkwave |
| #42 | Infinite Worlds | Vagabon | Album, Feb-24-2017, Indie Rock |
| #43 | Black Ken | Lil B | Album, Aug-17-2017, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #44 | The Kid | Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith | Album, Oct-06-2017, Art Pop |
| #45 | Powerplant | Girlpool | Album, May-12-2017, Indie Pop |
| #46 | Dust | Laurel Halo | Album, Jun-23-2017, Electronic |
| #47 | SweetSexySavage (Deluxe) | Kehlani | Album, Jan-27-2017, |
| #48 | Rocket | Alex G | Album, May-19-2017, Indie Folk |
| #49 | Brick Body Kids Still Daydream | Open Mike Eagle | Album, Sep-15-2017, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #50 | EP2 | Yaeji | EP, Nov-03-2017, Ambient House |