The Guardian's Best Albums of 2023 So Far

From the unique sonic world of Yaeji to the dark folk music of Lankum, here are our picks of the best LPs from the first half of the year

Published: June 06, 2023 12:00 Source

Rank Album Artist Info
#1 Tracey Denim bar italia May-19-2023, Slacker Rock
#2 Legitimate Cause Bawo Jan-30-2023, UK Hip Hop
#3 Maps Billy Woods, Kenny Segal May-05-2023, Abstract Hip Hop
#4 Live at Bush Hall Black Country, New Road Mar-24-2023, Progressive Pop
#5 Therapy Brendan Eder Ensemble Mar-03-2023, Chamber Music
#6 Desire, I Want To Turn Into You Caroline Polachek Feb-14-2023, Art Pop
#7 Sundown Eddie Chacon Mar-31-2023, Smooth Soul
#8 Fuse Everything But the Girl Apr-21-2023, Alternative R&B
#9 Clubs Hit Império Pacífico Dec-27-2022, Balearic Beat
#10 Imagine This Is a High Dimensional Space of All Possibilities James Holden Mar-31-2023, Progressive Electronic
#11 Time Ain't Accidental Jess Williamson Jun-09-2023, Americana
#12 That! Feels Good! Jessie Ware Apr-28-2023, Disco
#13 Permanent Damage Joesef Jan-13-2023, Contemporary R&B
#14 SCARING THE HOES JPEGMAFIA, Danny Brown Mar-24-2023, Experimental Hip Hop
#15 Red Moon in Venus Kali Uchis Mar-03-2023, Neo-Soul
#16 Raven Kelela Feb-10-2023, Alternative R&B
#17 Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd Lana Del Rey Mar-24-2023, Singer-Songwriter
#18 False Lankum Lankum Mar-24-2023, Irish Folk Music
#19 Let’s Start Here. Lil Yachty Jan-27-2023, Neo-Psychedelia
#20 This Is Why Paramore Feb-10-2023, Post-Punk Revival
#21 Sremm 4 Life Rae Sremmurd Apr-07-2023, Trap
#22 Radial Gate Sluice Mar-03-2023, Contemporary Folk
#23 Blómi Susanne Sundfør Apr-28-2023, Singer-Songwriter
#24 Everything Harmony The Lemon Twigs May-05-2023, Soft Rock
#25 First Two Pages of Frankenstein The National Apr-28-2023, Chamber Pop
#26 V Unknown Mortal Orchestra Mar-17-2023, Psychedelic Pop
#27 Rat Saw God Wednesday Apr-07-2023, Indie Rock
#28 An Inbuilt Fault Westerman May-05-2023, Art Pop
#29 With a Hammer Yaeji Apr-07-2023, Glitch Pop
#30 This Stupid World Yo La Tengo Feb-10-2023, Indie Rock
#31 Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) Yves Tumor Mar-17-2023, Neo-Psychedelia
Markdown

| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Tracey Denim | bar italia | Album, May-19-2023, Slacker Rock |
| #2 | Legitimate Cause | Bawo | EP, Jan-30-2023, UK Hip Hop |
| #3 | Maps | Billy WoodsKenny Segal | Album, May-05-2023, Abstract Hip Hop |
| #4 | Live at Bush Hall | Black Country, New Road | Album, Mar-24-2023, Progressive Pop |
| #5 | Therapy | Brendan Eder Ensemble | Album, Mar-03-2023, Chamber Music |
| #6 | Desire, I Want To Turn Into You | Caroline Polachek | Album, Feb-14-2023, Art Pop |
| #7 | Sundown | Eddie Chacon | Album, Mar-31-2023, Smooth Soul |
| #8 | Fuse | Everything But the Girl | Album, Apr-21-2023, Alternative R&B |
| #9 | Clubs Hit | Império Pacífico | Album, Dec-27-2022, Balearic Beat |
| #10 | Imagine This Is a High Dimensional Space of All Possibilities | James Holden | Album, Mar-31-2023, Progressive Electronic |
| #11 | Time Ain't Accidental | Jess Williamson | Album, Jun-09-2023, Americana |
| #12 | That! Feels Good! | Jessie Ware | Album, Apr-28-2023, Disco |
| #13 | Permanent Damage | Joesef | Album, Jan-13-2023, Contemporary R&B |
| #14 | SCARING THE HOES | JPEGMAFIADanny Brown | Album, Mar-24-2023, Experimental Hip Hop |
| #15 | Red Moon in Venus | Kali Uchis | Album, Mar-03-2023, Neo-Soul |
| #16 | Raven | Kelela | Album, Feb-10-2023, Alternative R&B |
| #17 | Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd | Lana Del Rey | Album, Mar-24-2023, Singer-Songwriter |
| #18 | False Lankum | Lankum | Album, Mar-24-2023, Irish Folk Music |
| #19 | Let’s Start Here. | Lil Yachty | Album, Jan-27-2023, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #20 | This Is Why | Paramore | Album, Feb-10-2023, Post-Punk Revival |
| #21 | Sremm 4 Life | Rae Sremmurd | Album, Apr-07-2023, Trap |
| #22 | Radial Gate | Sluice | Album, Mar-03-2023, Contemporary Folk |
| #23 | Blómi | Susanne Sundfør | Album, Apr-28-2023, Singer-Songwriter |
| #24 | Everything Harmony | The Lemon Twigs | Album, May-05-2023, Soft Rock |
| #25 | First Two Pages of Frankenstein | The National | Album, Apr-28-2023, Chamber Pop |
| #26 | V | Unknown Mortal Orchestra | Album, Mar-17-2023, Psychedelic Pop |
| #27 | Rat Saw God | Wednesday | Album, Apr-07-2023, Indie Rock |
| #28 | An Inbuilt Fault | Westerman | Album, May-05-2023, Art Pop |
| #29 | With a Hammer | Yaeji | Album, Apr-07-2023, Glitch Pop |
| #30 | This Stupid World | Yo La Tengo | Album, Feb-10-2023, Indie Rock |
| #31 | Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) | Yves Tumor | Album, Mar-17-2023, Neo-Psychedelia |