The Guardian's 50 Best Albums of 2018

Our countdown is complete, and top spot goes to a timely blast of identity pop – adding to a fine selection of albums that range from the socially conscious to the political, as well as pure slices of ecstatic rock and cutting rap

Published: December 21, 2018 11:02 Source

# 1
Album • Sep 21 / 2018 Synthpop Alt-Pop
# 2
Album • Oct 26 / 2018 Dance-Pop Electropop House
# 3
Album • Apr 27 / 2018 Contemporary R&B Art Pop
# 4
Album • Apr 06 / 2018 Trap East Coast Hip Hop
# 5
Album • Aug 17 / 2018 Art Pop Indie Rock
# 6
Album • Aug 31 / 2018 Post-Punk Post-Hardcore
# 7
Album • Jun 22 / 2018 Spiritual Jazz
# 8
Album • Mar 30 / 2018 Country Pop Singer-Songwriter
# 9
Album • Sep 14 / 2018 Ambient Pop Glitch Pop
# 10
Album • May 11 / 2018
# 11
Album • Jun 15 / 2018 Bubblegum Bass Deconstructed Club
# 12
Album • Mar 30 / 2018 Afro-Jazz
# 13
Album • Jul 20 / 2018 Neo-Soul
# 14
Album • Sep 14 / 2018 Jazz Rap Conscious Hip Hop
# 15
Album • Jun 01 / 2018 Pop Soul Sophisti-Pop Contemporary R&B
# 16
Album • Mar 09 / 2018 Indietronica Neo-Soul
# 17
Album • May 25 / 2018 Hardcore Hip Hop Southern Hip Hop
# 18
Album • Jun 29 / 2018 Art Pop Synthpop Electropop
# 19
Album • Oct 26 / 2018 Progressive Pop Art Pop Experimental Ambient Pop
# 20
Album • Aug 17 / 2018 Contemporary R&B Electropop
# 21
Album • Apr 06 / 2018 Neo-Soul Contemporary R&B
# 22
Album • Sep 07 / 2018 Neo-Psychedelia Post-Industrial
# 23
Album • May 18 / 2018
# 24
Album • Jan 12 / 2018 Post-Punk Indie Rock
# 25
Album • Jun 08 / 2018 Art Pop
# 26
Saturn by Nao
Album • Oct 26 / 2018 Alternative R&B
# 27
Album • May 18 / 2018 Indie Rock Singer-Songwriter
# 28
Album • Aug 03 / 2018 Trap Pop Rap Southern Hip Hop
# 29
Album • Aug 24 / 2018 Alternative R&B Sophisti-Pop
# 30
Album • Jun 15 / 2018 Jangle Pop Indie Rock
# 31
Album • Nov 02 / 2018 Flamenco Pop Flamenco nuevo Art Pop
# 32
Album • Apr 13 / 2018 Nu-Disco Alternative Dance
# 33
Album • Aug 10 / 2018 Alternative R&B Art Pop
# 34
Album • Nov 30 / 2018 Art Pop
# 35
Album • Sep 21 / 2018 Singer-Songwriter Soul
# 36
Album • Jun 08 / 2018 Indie Rock Indie Pop
# 37
Album • Aug 31 / 2018 Electropop Alt-Pop
# 38
Album • Feb 16 / 2018 Art Pop Neo-Psychedelia Psychedelic Pop
# 39
Album • Mar 02 / 2018 Indie Pop Art Pop Indietronica
# 40
Album • Jun 08 / 2018 Contemporary R&B Alt-Pop Electropop
# 41
Album • Jul 13 / 2018 Blackgaze Post-Metal
# 42
Album • May 15 / 2018 Breakbeat Ambient Techno
# 43
Album • Mar 23 / 2018 Singer-Songwriter Americana Alt-Country
# 44
Album • Oct 19 / 2018 Art Pop
# 45
Album • Jun 08 / 2018 Alternative R&B Art Pop
# 46
Album • Mar 02 / 2018 Synthpop Alternative Dance New Wave
# 47
Album • Jan 26 / 2018 Psychedelic Rock
# 48
Album • Oct 05 / 2018 Singer-Songwriter Americana
# 49
Album • May 04 / 2018 Tech House Microhouse
# 50
Album • Apr 06 / 2018 Punk Blues