The Guardian's 50 Best Albums of 2019

Our pick of the year’s finest albums brings American dreaming, teenage dynamism, heartbreak, barbed rap, impetuous indie and beautiful soundscapes

Published: December 20, 2019 09:41 Source

# 1

Norman Fucking Rockwell! by Lana Del Rey

Album • Aug 30 / 2019 Singer-Songwriter Art Pop

# 2

PSYCHODRAMA by Dave

Album • Mar 08 / 2019 UK Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop

# 3

WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? by Billie Eilish

Album • Mar 29 / 2019 Alt-Pop Electropop Alternative R&B

# 4

Remind Me Tomorrow by Sharon Van Etten

Album • Jan 18 / 2019 Indie Pop Synthpop

# 5

IGOR by Tyler, The Creator

Album • May 17 / 2019 Neo-Soul

# 6

All Mirrors by Angel Olsen

Album • Oct 04 / 2019 Art Pop Chamber Pop

# 7

MAGDALENE by FKA twigs

Album • Nov 08 / 2019 Art Pop Glitch Pop

# 8

Ghosteen by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Album • Oct 03 / 2019 Singer-Songwriter Ambient Pop

# 9

Nothing Great About Britain by slowthai

Album • May 17 / 2019 UK Hip Hop

# 10

Titanic Rising by Weyes Blood

Album • Apr 05 / 2019 Baroque Pop Art Pop

# 11

Pang by Caroline Polachek

Album • Oct 18 / 2019 Art Pop Alt-Pop Electronic

# 12

KIWANUKA by Michael Kiwanuka

Album • Nov 01 / 2019 Psychedelic Soul

# 13

Father of the Bride by Vampire Weekend

Album • May 03 / 2019 Indie Pop

# 14

GREY Area by Little Simz

Album • Mar 01 / 2019 UK Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop

# 15

2020 by Richard Dawson

Album • Oct 11 / 2019 Art Rock Singer-Songwriter

# 16

thank u, next by Ariana Grande

Album • Feb 08 / 2019 Contemporary R&B Pop

# 17

A Bath Full of Ecstasy by Hot Chip

Album • Jun 21 / 2019 Synthpop Indietronica Electropop

# 18

Reward by Cate Le Bon

Album • May 24 / 2019 Art Pop

# 19

When I Get Home by Solange

Album • Mar 01 / 2019 Alternative R&B Neo-Soul Art Pop

# 20

Immunity by Clairo

Album • Aug 02 / 2019 Bedroom Pop

# 21

Charli by Charli XCX

Album • Sep 13 / 2019 Electropop Bubblegum Bass

# 22

Dogrel by Fontaines D.C.

Album • Apr 12 / 2019 Post-Punk

# 23

Miss Universe by Nilüfer Yanya

Album • Mar 22 / 2019 Indie Pop Indie Rock

# 24

Designer by Aldous Harding

Album • Apr 26 / 2019 Contemporary Folk Singer-Songwriter

# 25

U.F.O.F. by Big Thief

Album • May 03 / 2019 Indie Folk

# 26

On the Line by Jenny Lewis

Album • Mar 22 / 2019 Soft Rock Pop Rock

# 27

Lover by Taylor Swift

Album • Aug 23 / 2019 Synthpop Electropop Alt-Pop

# 28

Cuz I Love You by Lizzo

Album • Apr 19 / 2019 Pop Soul Pop Rap

# 29

The Practice of Love by Jenny Hval

Album • Sep 13 / 2019 Art Pop Synthpop

# 30

No Home Record by Kim Gordon

Album • Oct 11 / 2019 Post-Industrial Noise Rock

# 31

Assume Form by James Blake

Album • Jan 18 / 2019 Alternative R&B Art Pop

# 32

Jaime by Brittany Howard

Album • Sep 20 / 2019 Psychedelic Soul Singer-Songwriter

# 33

Saves The World by MUNA

Album • Sep 06 / 2019 Synthpop Alt-Pop Electropop

# 34

Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest by Bill Callahan

Album • Jun 14 / 2019 Singer-Songwriter Americana

# 35

When I Have Fears by The Murder Capital

Album • Aug 16 / 2019 Post-Punk

# 36

The Center Won't Hold by Sleater-Kinney

Album • Aug 16 / 2019 Indie Rock

# 37

Two Hands by Big Thief

Album • Oct 11 / 2019 Indie Folk Folk Rock

# 38

Schlagenheim by black midi

Album • Jun 21 / 2019 Math Rock Noise Rock Experimental Rock

# 39

Incidental Music by W. H. Lung

Album • Apr 05 / 2019 Neo-Psychedelia Pop Rock

# 40

SOUND & FURY by Sturgill Simpson

Album • Sep 27 / 2019 Blues Rock

# 41

Inside the Rose by These New Puritans

Album • Mar 22 / 2019 Art Pop

# 42

Good at Falling by The Japanese House

Album • Mar 01 / 2019 Synthpop Indietronica Alt-Pop

# 43

LEGACY! LEGACY! by Jamila Woods

Album • May 10 / 2019 Neo-Soul

# 44

House of Sugar by Alex G

Album • Sep 13 / 2019 Indie Folk Neo-Psychedelia

# 45

Purple Mountains by Purple Mountains

Album • Jul 12 / 2019 Alt-Country Indie Rock Singer-Songwriter

# 46

American Love Call by Durand Jones & The Indications

Album • Mar 01 / 2019 Chicago Soul

# 47

Flamagra by Flying Lotus

Album • May 24 / 2019 Nu Jazz Glitch Hop

# 48

Cheap Queen by King Princess

Album • Oct 25 / 2019 Pop Soul Contemporary R&B Alt-Pop

# 49

Serfs Up! by Fat White Family

Album • Apr 19 / 2019 Neo-Psychedelia Post-Punk

# 50

Hoodies All Summer by Kano

Album • Aug 30 / 2019 UK Hip Hop Conscious Hip Hop