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
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Chris | Christine and the Queens | Sep-21-2018, Synthpop |
| #2 | Honey | Robyn | Oct-26-2018, Dance-Pop |
| #3 | Dirty Computer | Janelle Monáe | Apr-27-2018, Contemporary R&B |
| #4 | Invasion of Privacy | Cardi B | Apr-06-2018, Trap |
| #5 | Be the Cowboy | Mitski | Aug-17-2018, Art Pop |
| #6 | Joy as an Act of Resistance. | IDLES | Aug-31-2018, Post-Punk |
| #7 | Heaven and Earth | Kamasi Washington | Jun-22-2018, Spiritual Jazz |
| #8 | Golden Hour | Kacey Musgraves | Mar-30-2018, Country Pop |
| #9 | Double Negative | Low | Sep-14-2018, Ambient Pop |
| #10 | Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino | Arctic Monkeys | May-11-2018, |
| #11 | OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES | SOPHIE | Jun-15-2018, Bubblegum Bass |
| #12 | Your Queen Is A Reptile | Sons Of Kemet | Mar-30-2018, Afro-Jazz |
| #13 | Hive Mind | The Internet | Jul-20-2018, Neo-Soul |
| #14 | Room 25 | noname | Sep-14-2018, Jazz Rap |
| #15 | The Future and the Past | Natalie Prass | Jun-01-2018, Pop Soul |
| #16 | Cocoa Sugar | Young Fathers | Mar-09-2018, Indietronica |
| #17 | DAYTONA | Pusha T | May-25-2018, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #18 | I'm All Ears | Let's Eat Grandma | Jun-29-2018, Art Pop |
| #19 | Aviary | Julia Holter | Oct-26-2018, Progressive Pop |
| #20 | Sweetener | Ariana Grande | Aug-17-2018, Contemporary R&B |
| #21 | Isolation | Kali Uchis | Apr-06-2018, Neo-Soul |
| #22 | Safe in the Hands of Love | Yves Tumor | Sep-07-2018, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #23 | Wide Awake! | Parquet Courts | May-18-2018, |
| #24 | Songs of Praise | shame | Jan-12-2018, Post-Punk |
| #25 | Ecstatic Arrow | Virginia Wing | Jun-08-2018, Art Pop |
| #26 | Saturn | Nao | Oct-26-2018, Alternative R&B |
| #27 | Tell Me How You Really Feel | Courtney Barnett | May-18-2018, Indie Rock |
| #28 | Astroworld | Travis Scott | Aug-03-2018, Trap |
| #29 | Negro Swan | Blood Orange | Aug-24-2018, Alternative R&B |
| #30 | Hope Downs | Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever | Jun-15-2018, Jangle Pop |
| #31 | El Mal Querer | ROSALÍA | Nov-02-2018, Flamenco Pop |
| #32 | Confident Music for Confident People | Confidence Man | Apr-13-2018, Nu-Disco |
| #33 | Devotion | Tirzah | Aug-10-2018, Alternative R&B |
| #34 | A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships | The 1975 | Nov-30-2018, Art Pop |
| #35 | MITH | Lonnie Holley | Sep-21-2018, Singer-Songwriter |
| #36 | Lush | Snail Mail | Jun-08-2018, Indie Rock |
| #37 | Bloom | Troye Sivan | Aug-31-2018, Electropop |
| #38 | In A Poem Unlimited | U.S. Girls | Feb-16-2018, Art Pop |
| #39 | Le Kov | Gwenno | Mar-02-2018, Indie Pop |
| #40 | No Shame | Lily Allen | Jun-08-2018, Contemporary R&B |
| #41 | Ordinary Corrupt Human Love | Deafheaven | Jul-13-2018, Blackgaze |
| #42 | Compro | Skee Mask | May-15-2018, Breakbeat |
| #43 | May Your Kindness Remain | Courtney Marie Andrews | Mar-23-2018, Singer-Songwriter |
| #44 | Broken Politics | Neneh Cherry | Oct-19-2018, Art Pop |
| #45 | soil | serpentwithfeet | Jun-08-2018, Alternative R&B |
| #46 | Record | Tracey Thorn | Mar-02-2018, Synthpop |
| #47 | Con Todo El Mundo | Khruangbin | Jan-26-2018, Psychedelic Rock |
| #48 | Wanderer | Cat Power | Oct-05-2018, Singer-Songwriter |
| #49 | Singularity | Jon Hopkins | May-04-2018, Tech House |
| #50 | Goat Girl | Goat Girl | Apr-06-2018, Punk Blues |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Chris | Christine and the Queens | Album, Sep-21-2018, Synthpop |
| #2 | Honey | Robyn | Album, Oct-26-2018, Dance-Pop |
| #3 | Dirty Computer | Janelle Monáe | Album, Apr-27-2018, Contemporary R&B |
| #4 | Invasion of Privacy | Cardi B | Album, Apr-06-2018, Trap |
| #5 | Be the Cowboy | Mitski | Album, Aug-17-2018, Art Pop |
| #6 | Joy as an Act of Resistance. | IDLES | Album, Aug-31-2018, Post-Punk |
| #7 | Heaven and Earth | Kamasi Washington | Album, Jun-22-2018, Spiritual Jazz |
| #8 | Golden Hour | Kacey Musgraves | Album, Mar-30-2018, Country Pop |
| #9 | Double Negative | Low | Album, Sep-14-2018, Ambient Pop |
| #10 | Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino | Arctic Monkeys | Album, May-11-2018, |
| #11 | OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES | SOPHIE | Album, Jun-15-2018, Bubblegum Bass |
| #12 | Your Queen Is A Reptile | Sons Of Kemet | Album, Mar-30-2018, Afro-Jazz |
| #13 | Hive Mind | The Internet | Album, Jul-20-2018, Neo-Soul |
| #14 | Room 25 | noname | Album, Sep-14-2018, Jazz Rap |
| #15 | The Future and the Past | Natalie Prass | Album, Jun-01-2018, Pop Soul |
| #16 | Cocoa Sugar | Young Fathers | Album, Mar-09-2018, Indietronica |
| #17 | DAYTONA | Pusha T | Album, May-25-2018, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #18 | I'm All Ears | Let's Eat Grandma | Album, Jun-29-2018, Art Pop |
| #19 | Aviary | Julia Holter | Album, Oct-26-2018, Progressive Pop |
| #20 | Sweetener | Ariana Grande | Album, Aug-17-2018, Contemporary R&B |
| #21 | Isolation | Kali Uchis | Album, Apr-06-2018, Neo-Soul |
| #22 | Safe in the Hands of Love | Yves Tumor | Album, Sep-07-2018, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #23 | Wide Awake! | Parquet Courts | Album, May-18-2018, |
| #24 | Songs of Praise | shame | Album, Jan-12-2018, Post-Punk |
| #25 | Ecstatic Arrow | Virginia Wing | Album, Jun-08-2018, Art Pop |
| #26 | Saturn | Nao | Album, Oct-26-2018, Alternative R&B |
| #27 | Tell Me How You Really Feel | Courtney Barnett | Album, May-18-2018, Indie Rock |
| #28 | Astroworld | Travis Scott | Album, Aug-03-2018, Trap |
| #29 | Negro Swan | Blood Orange | Album, Aug-24-2018, Alternative R&B |
| #30 | Hope Downs | Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever | Album, Jun-15-2018, Jangle Pop |
| #31 | El Mal Querer | ROSALÍA | Album, Nov-02-2018, Flamenco Pop |
| #32 | Confident Music for Confident People | Confidence Man | Album, Apr-13-2018, Nu-Disco |
| #33 | Devotion | Tirzah | Album, Aug-10-2018, Alternative R&B |
| #34 | A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships | The 1975 | Album, Nov-30-2018, Art Pop |
| #35 | MITH | Lonnie Holley | Album, Sep-21-2018, Singer-Songwriter |
| #36 | Lush | Snail Mail | Album, Jun-08-2018, Indie Rock |
| #37 | Bloom | Troye Sivan | Album, Aug-31-2018, Electropop |
| #38 | In A Poem Unlimited | U.S. Girls | Album, Feb-16-2018, Art Pop |
| #39 | Le Kov | Gwenno | Album, Mar-02-2018, Indie Pop |
| #40 | No Shame | Lily Allen | Album, Jun-08-2018, Contemporary R&B |
| #41 | Ordinary Corrupt Human Love | Deafheaven | Album, Jul-13-2018, Blackgaze |
| #42 | Compro | Skee Mask | Album, May-15-2018, Breakbeat |
| #43 | May Your Kindness Remain | Courtney Marie Andrews | Album, Mar-23-2018, Singer-Songwriter |
| #44 | Broken Politics | Neneh Cherry | Album, Oct-19-2018, Art Pop |
| #45 | soil | serpentwithfeet | Album, Jun-08-2018, Alternative R&B |
| #46 | Record | Tracey Thorn | Album, Mar-02-2018, Synthpop |
| #47 | Con Todo El Mundo | Khruangbin | Album, Jan-26-2018, Psychedelic Rock |
| #48 | Wanderer | Cat Power | Album, Oct-05-2018, Singer-Songwriter |
| #49 | Singularity | Jon Hopkins | Album, May-04-2018, Tech House |
| #50 | Goat Girl | Goat Girl | Album, Apr-06-2018, Punk Blues |