Pitchfork's 50 Best Albums of 2023

Featuring Sufjan Stevens, Kali Uchis, SZA, boygenius, Caroline Polachek, André 3000, and more

Published: December 05, 2023 14:00 Source

# 1

SOS by SZA

Album • Dec 09 / 2022 Contemporary R&B Pop

# 2

Desire, I Want To Turn Into You by Caroline Polachek

Album • Feb 14 / 2023 Art Pop Alt-Pop Electronic

# 3

Maps by Billy Woods + Kenny Segal

Album • May 05 / 2023 Abstract Hip Hop Jazz Rap Conscious Hip Hop East Coast Hip Hop

# 4

Rat Saw God by Wednesday

Album • Apr 07 / 2023 Indie Rock Noise Rock

# 5

Erotic Probiotic 2 by Nourished by Time

Album • Mar 21 / 2023

# 6

Javelin by Sufjan Stevens

Album • Oct 06 / 2023 Indie Folk Singer-Songwriter Chamber Folk

# 7

Fountain Baby by Amaarae

Album • Jun 09 / 2023 Afrobeats Alternative R&B

# 8

Radical Romantics by Fever Ray

Album • Mar 10 / 2023 Art Pop Synthpop

# 9

My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross by ANOHNI

Album • Jul 06 / 2023 Soul Singer-Songwriter

# 10

softscars by yeule

Album • Sep 22 / 2023 Dream Pop Indietronica Indie Rock

# 11

Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd by Lana Del Rey

Album • Mar 24 / 2023 Singer-Songwriter Art Pop

# 12

I Killed Your Dog by L’Rain

Album • Oct 13 / 2023 Neo-Psychedelia

# 13

Sundial by Noname

Album • Aug 11 / 2023 Jazz Rap Conscious Hip Hop Political Hip Hop

# 14

GUTS by Olivia Rodrigo

Album • Sep 08 / 2023 Pop Rock Singer-Songwriter Alternative Rock

# 15

With a Hammer by Yaeji

Album • Apr 07 / 2023 Glitch Pop

# 16

the record by boygenius

Album • Mar 31 / 2023 Singer-Songwriter Indie Folk Indie Rock

# 17

Raven by Kelela

Album • Feb 10 / 2023 Alternative R&B Electronic

# 18

10,000 gecs by 100 gecs

Album • Mar 17 / 2023 Alternative Rock Hyperpop

# 19

Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? by Kara Jackson

Album • Apr 14 / 2023 Singer-Songwriter Contemporary Folk Chamber Folk

# 20

i've seen a way by Mandy, Indiana

Album • May 19 / 2023 Post-Industrial

# 21

The Greater Wings by Julie Byrne

Album • Jul 07 / 2023 Chamber Folk Singer-Songwriter

# 22

That! Feels Good! by Jessie Ware

Album • Apr 28 / 2023 Disco Dance-Pop

# 23

The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We by Mitski

Album • Sep 15 / 2023 Singer-Songwriter Indie Folk

# 24

Madres by Sofia Kourtesis

Album • Oct 27 / 2023 Deep House Latin House

# 25

Love in Exile by Arooj Aftab + Vijay Iyer + Shahzad Ismaily

Album • Mar 24 / 2023 Ghazal Chamber Jazz

# 26

Atlas by Laurel Halo

Album • Sep 22 / 2023 Ambient

# 27

Everyone's Crushed by Water From Your Eyes

Album • May 26 / 2023 Experimental Rock Art Pop

# 28

Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) by Jaimie Branch

Album • Aug 25 / 2023 Avant-Garde Jazz

# 29

DÉTWAT by HiTech

Album • May 26 / 2023 Juke Ghettotech

# 30

& the Charm by Avalon Emerson

Album • Apr 28 / 2023 Indietronica Downtempo Indie Pop

# 31

Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) by Yves Tumor

Album • Mar 17 / 2023 Neo-Psychedelia Post-Punk

# 32

Like..? by Ice Spice

EP • Jan 20 / 2023 Sample Drill East Coast Hip Hop

# 33

Dogsbody by Model/Actriz

Album • Feb 24 / 2023 Noise Rock Dance-Punk Industrial Rock

# 34

I've Got Me by Joanna Sternberg

Album • Jun 30 / 2023 Singer-Songwriter Contemporary Folk

# 35

Ganger by Veeze

Album • Jun 27 / 2023 Detroit Trap

# 36

Changing Channels by Pangaea

Album • Oct 06 / 2023 UK Garage UK Bass

# 37

Oh Me Oh My by Lonnie Holley

Album • Mar 10 / 2023 Soul Ambient

# 38

This Stupid World by Yo La Tengo

Album • Feb 10 / 2023 Indie Rock Post-Rock

# 39

Girl In The Half Pearl by Liv.e

Album • Feb 10 / 2023 Neo-Soul Alternative R&B Neo-Psychedelia

# 40

12 by Ryuichi Sakamoto

Album • Jan 17 / 2023 Ambient Modern Classical

# 41

Hood Hottest Princess by Sexyy Red

Album • Jun 09 / 2023 Trap

# 42

Heaven Is a Junkyard by Youth Lagoon

Album • Jun 09 / 2023 Indie Pop

# 43

Red Moon in Venus by Kali Uchis

Album • Mar 03 / 2023 Neo-Soul Contemporary R&B

# 44

Time Ain't Accidental by Jess Williamson

Album • Jun 09 / 2023 Americana Singer-Songwriter Alt-Country

# 45

The Enduring Spirit by Tomb Mold

Album • Sep 15 / 2023 Death Metal Progressive Metal

# 46

Sun Arcs by Blue Lake

Album • Jun 23 / 2023 Ambient Americana Chamber Folk

# 47

After the Magic by Parannoul

Album • Jan 28 / 2023 Shoegaze Indie Rock

# 48

Signs by Purelink

Album • Sep 15 / 2023 Ambient Dub Ambient

# 49

Good Living Is Coming For You by Sweeping Promises

Album • Jun 30 / 2023 Post-Punk Art Punk

# 50

New Blue Sun by André 3000

Album • Nov 17 / 2023 New Age Ambient