The Guardian's Best Albums of 2017
St Vincent tops our countdown of this year’s most outstanding sounds, from complex rap to moody rock, alt-R&B, inventive grime and more
Published: December 05, 2017 06:00
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | MASSEDUCTION | St. Vincent | Oct-13-2017, Art Pop |
| #2 | DAMN. | Kendrick Lamar | Apr-14-2017, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #3 | Ctrl | SZA | Jun-09-2017, Alternative R&B |
| #4 | Melodrama | Lorde | Jun-16-2017, Synthpop |
| #5 | No Shape | Perfume Genius | May-05-2017, Art Pop |
| #6 | american dream | LCD Soundsystem | Oct-06-2017, Dance-Punk |
| #7 | A Deeper Understanding | The War on Drugs | Aug-25-2017, Heartland Rock |
| #8 | Drunk | Thundercat | Feb-24-2017, Neo-Soul |
| #9 | Take Me Apart | Kelela | Oct-06-2017, Alternative R&B |
| #10 | Peasant | Richard Dawson | Jun-02-2017, Progressive Folk |
| #11 | Modern Kosmology | Jane Weaver | May-19-2017, Dream Pop |
| #12 | Visions Of A Life | Wolf Alice | Sep-29-2017, Indie Rock |
| #13 | Flower Boy | Tyler, The Creator | Jul-21-2017, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #14 | Common Sense | J Hus | May-12-2017, UK Hip Hop |
| #15 | V | The Horrors | Sep-22-2017, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #16 | Pure Comedy | Father John Misty | Apr-07-2017, Singer-Songwriter |
| #17 | More Life | Drake | Mar-18-2017, Contemporary R&B |
| #18 | Gang Signs & Prayer | Stormzy | Feb-24-2017, UK Hip Hop |
| #19 | Semper Femina | Laura Marling | Mar-10-2017, Chamber Folk |
| #20 | Process | Sampha | Feb-03-2017, Alternative R&B |
| #21 | Cigarettes After Sex | Cigarettes After Sex | Jun-09-2017, Dream Pop |
| #22 | The OOZ | King Krule | Oct-13-2017, Art Rock |
| #23 | Big Fish Theory | Vince Staples | Jun-23-2017, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #24 | Relatives In Descent | Protomartyr | Sep-29-2017, Post-Punk |
| #25 | Sleep Well Beast | The National | Sep-08-2017, Indie Rock |
| #26 | After Laughter | Paramore | May-12-2017, New Wave |
| #27 | Im Not Your Man | Marika Hackman | Jun-02-2017, |
| #28 | Slowdive | Slowdive | May-05-2017, Dream Pop |
| #29 | Antisocialites | Alvvays | Sep-08-2017, Indie Pop |
| #30 | Earl Grey | Girl Ray | Aug-04-2017, Indie Pop |
| #31 | Rest | Charlotte Gainsbourg | Nov-17-2017, Art Pop |
| #32 | New Energy | Four Tet | Sep-29-2017, Microhouse |
| #33 | War & Leisure | Miguel | Dec-01-2017, Contemporary R&B |
| #34 | Halo | Juana Molina | Apr-07-2017, Folktronica |
| #35 | Green Twins | Nick Hakim | May-19-2017, Psychedelic Soul |
| #36 | Freedom Highway | Rhiannon Giddens | Feb-24-2017, American Folk Music |
| #37 | Hippopotamus | Sparks | Sep-08-2017, Art Pop |
| #38 | Prince of Tears | Baxter Dury | Oct-27-2017, Indie Pop |
| #39 | Life Without Sound | Cloud Nothings | Jan-27-2017, Indie Rock |
| #40 | Aromanticism | Moses Sumney | Sep-22-2017, Art Pop |
| #41 | Lotta Sea Lice | Courtney Barnett, Kurt Vile | Oct-13-2017, Folk Rock |
| #42 | Not Even Happiness | Julie Byrne | Jan-12-2017, Contemporary Folk |
| #43 | The Kid | Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith | Oct-06-2017, Art Pop |
| #44 | I See You | The xx | Jan-13-2017, Indietronica |
| #45 | The Lost Art of Getting Down | Powerdance | Jul-07-2017, |
| #46 | République Amazone | Les Amazones d'Afrique | Mar-10-2017, Mande Music |
| #47 | A Crow Looked at Me | Mount Eerie | Mar-24-2017, Singer-Songwriter |
| #48 | Far From Over | Vijay Iyer Sextet, Vijay Iyer | Aug-25-2017, Post-Bop |
| #49 | Till April Is Dead - A Garland of May | Lisa Knapp | Apr-28-2017, English Folk Music |
| #50 | Ladilikan | Trio Da Kali, Kronos Quartet | Sep-15-2017, Mande Music |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | MASSEDUCTION | St. Vincent | Album, Oct-13-2017, Art Pop |
| #2 | DAMN. | Kendrick Lamar | Album, Apr-14-2017, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #3 | Ctrl | SZA | Album, Jun-09-2017, Alternative R&B |
| #4 | Melodrama | Lorde | Album, Jun-16-2017, Synthpop |
| #5 | No Shape | Perfume Genius | Album, May-05-2017, Art Pop |
| #6 | american dream | LCD Soundsystem | Album, Oct-06-2017, Dance-Punk |
| #7 | A Deeper Understanding | The War on Drugs | Album, Aug-25-2017, Heartland Rock |
| #8 | Drunk | Thundercat | Album, Feb-24-2017, Neo-Soul |
| #9 | Take Me Apart | Kelela | Album, Oct-06-2017, Alternative R&B |
| #10 | Peasant | Richard Dawson | Album, Jun-02-2017, Progressive Folk |
| #11 | Modern Kosmology | Jane Weaver | Album, May-19-2017, Dream Pop |
| #12 | Visions Of A Life | Wolf Alice | Album, Sep-29-2017, Indie Rock |
| #13 | Flower Boy | Tyler, The Creator | Album, Jul-21-2017, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #14 | Common Sense | J Hus | Album, May-12-2017, UK Hip Hop |
| #15 | V | The Horrors | Album, Sep-22-2017, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #16 | Pure Comedy | Father John Misty | Album, Apr-07-2017, Singer-Songwriter |
| #17 | More Life | Drake | Album, Mar-18-2017, Contemporary R&B |
| #18 | Gang Signs & Prayer | Stormzy | Album, Feb-24-2017, UK Hip Hop |
| #19 | Semper Femina | Laura Marling | Album, Mar-10-2017, Chamber Folk |
| #20 | Process | Sampha | Album, Feb-03-2017, Alternative R&B |
| #21 | Cigarettes After Sex | Cigarettes After Sex | Album, Jun-09-2017, Dream Pop |
| #22 | The OOZ | King Krule | Album, Oct-13-2017, Art Rock |
| #23 | Big Fish Theory | Vince Staples | Album, Jun-23-2017, West Coast Hip Hop |
| #24 | Relatives In Descent | Protomartyr | Album, Sep-29-2017, Post-Punk |
| #25 | Sleep Well Beast | The National | Album, Sep-08-2017, Indie Rock |
| #26 | After Laughter | Paramore | Album, May-12-2017, New Wave |
| #27 | Im Not Your Man | Marika Hackman | Album, Jun-02-2017, |
| #28 | Slowdive | Slowdive | Album, May-05-2017, Dream Pop |
| #29 | Antisocialites | Alvvays | Album, Sep-08-2017, Indie Pop |
| #30 | Earl Grey | Girl Ray | Album, Aug-04-2017, Indie Pop |
| #31 | Rest | Charlotte Gainsbourg | Album, Nov-17-2017, Art Pop |
| #32 | New Energy | Four Tet | Album, Sep-29-2017, Microhouse |
| #33 | War & Leisure | Miguel | Album, Dec-01-2017, Contemporary R&B |
| #34 | Halo | Juana Molina | Album, Apr-07-2017, Folktronica |
| #35 | Green Twins | Nick Hakim | Album, May-19-2017, Psychedelic Soul |
| #36 | Freedom Highway | Rhiannon Giddens | Album, Feb-24-2017, American Folk Music |
| #37 | Hippopotamus | Sparks | Album, Sep-08-2017, Art Pop |
| #38 | Prince of Tears | Baxter Dury | Album, Oct-27-2017, Indie Pop |
| #39 | Life Without Sound | Cloud Nothings | Album, Jan-27-2017, Indie Rock |
| #40 | Aromanticism | Moses Sumney | Album, Sep-22-2017, Art Pop |
| #41 | Lotta Sea Lice | Courtney BarnettKurt Vile | Album, Oct-13-2017, Folk Rock |
| #42 | Not Even Happiness | Julie Byrne | Album, Jan-12-2017, Contemporary Folk |
| #43 | The Kid | Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith | Album, Oct-06-2017, Art Pop |
| #44 | I See You | The xx | Album, Jan-13-2017, Indietronica |
| #45 | The Lost Art of Getting Down | Powerdance | Album, Jul-07-2017, |
| #46 | République Amazone | Les Amazones d'Afrique | Album, Mar-10-2017, Mande Music |
| #47 | A Crow Looked at Me | Mount Eerie | Album, Mar-24-2017, Singer-Songwriter |
| #48 | Far From Over | Vijay Iyer SextetVijay Iyer | Album, Aug-25-2017, Post-Bop |
| #49 | Till April Is Dead - A Garland of May | Lisa Knapp | Album, Apr-28-2017, English Folk Music |
| #50 | Ladilikan | Trio Da KaliKronos Quartet | Album, Sep-15-2017, Mande Music |