The Independent's 50 Best Albums of 2019
Over the past 12 months, pop artists have toppled the genre’s boundaries; British rap is more socially conscious than ever; and rock has made a tentative comeback. Here are The Independent’s 50 favourite albums this year
Published: December 23, 2019 14:12
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Designer | Aldous Harding | Apr-26-2019, Contemporary Folk |
| #2 | Norman Fucking Rockwell! | Lana Del Rey | Aug-30-2019, Singer-Songwriter |
| #3 | GREY Area | Little Simz | Mar-01-2019, UK Hip Hop |
| #4 | Western Stars | Bruce Springsteen | Jun-14-2019, Americana |
| #5 | Two Hands | Big Thief | Oct-11-2019, Indie Folk |
| #6 | IGOR | Tyler, The Creator | May-17-2019, Neo-Soul |
| #7 | Ghosteen | Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | Oct-03-2019, Singer-Songwriter |
| #8 | Assume Form | James Blake | Jan-18-2019, Alternative R&B |
| #9 | Titanic Rising | Weyes Blood | Apr-05-2019, Baroque Pop |
| #10 | PSYCHODRAMA | Dave | Mar-08-2019, UK Hip Hop |
| #11 | Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Pt. 1 | Foals | Mar-08-2019, |
| #12 | Crushing | Julia Jacklin | Feb-22-2019, Singer-Songwriter |
| #13 | Eve | Rapsody | Aug-23-2019, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #14 | We Are Not Your Kind | Slipknot | Aug-09-2019, Alternative Metal |
| #15 | Saves The World | MUNA | Sep-06-2019, Synthpop |
| #16 | A Bath Full of Ecstasy | Hot Chip | Jun-21-2019, Synthpop |
| #17 | Hoodies All Summer | Kano | Aug-30-2019, UK Hip Hop |
| #18 | KIWANUKA | Michael Kiwanuka | Nov-01-2019, Psychedelic Soul |
| #19 | Lover | Taylor Swift | Aug-23-2019, Synthpop |
| #20 | Hypersonic Missiles | Sam Fender | Sep-13-2019, Heartland Rock |
| #21 | Reward | Cate Le Bon | May-24-2019, Art Pop |
| #22 | When I Get Home | Solange | Mar-01-2019, Alternative R&B |
| #23 | Any Human Friend | Marika Hackman | Aug-09-2019, Indie Rock |
| #24 | Heavy Is The Head | Stormzy | Dec-13-2019, UK Hip Hop |
| #25 | Crush | Floating Points | Oct-18-2019, IDM |
| #26 | Remind Me Tomorrow | Sharon Van Etten | Jan-18-2019, Indie Pop |
| #27 | Jaime | Brittany Howard | Sep-20-2019, Psychedelic Soul |
| #28 | Social Cues | Cage the Elephant | Apr-19-2019, Post-Punk Revival |
| #29 | forevher | Shura | Aug-16-2019, Sophisti-Pop |
| #30 | Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest | Bill Callahan | Jun-14-2019, Singer-Songwriter |
| #31 | MAGDALENE | FKA twigs | Nov-08-2019, Art Pop |
| #32 | Father of the Bride | Vampire Weekend | May-03-2019, Indie Pop |
| #33 | Dogrel | Fontaines D.C. | Apr-12-2019, Post-Punk |
| #34 | SOUND & FURY | Sturgill Simpson | Sep-27-2019, Blues Rock |
| #35 | Pang | Caroline Polachek | Oct-18-2019, Art Pop |
| #36 | AJ Tracey | AJ Tracey | Feb-08-2019, UK Hip Hop |
| #37 | WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? | Billie Eilish | Mar-29-2019, Alt-Pop |
| #38 | On the Line | Jenny Lewis | Mar-22-2019, Soft Rock |
| #39 | U.F.O.F. | Big Thief | May-03-2019, Indie Folk |
| #40 | The Lost Boy | Cordae | Jul-26-2019, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #41 | Twelve Nudes | Ezra Furman | Aug-30-2019, Garage Punk |
| #42 | thank u, next | Ariana Grande | Feb-08-2019, Contemporary R&B |
| #43 | Ignorance is Bliss | Skepta | May-31-2019, UK Hip Hop |
| #44 | Cuz I Love You | Lizzo | Apr-19-2019, Pop Soul |
| #45 | All Mirrors | Angel Olsen | Oct-04-2019, Art Pop |
| #46 | Unholy | Collard | May-10-2019, Contemporary R&B |
| #47 | Lost Girls | Bat for Lashes | Sep-06-2019, Synthpop |
| #48 | "Let's Rock" | The Black Keys | Jun-28-2019, Garage Rock |
| #49 | Miss Universe | Nilüfer Yanya | Mar-22-2019, Indie Pop |
| #50 | No Home Record | Kim Gordon | Oct-11-2019, Post-Industrial |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Designer | Aldous Harding | Album, Apr-26-2019, Contemporary Folk |
| #2 | Norman Fucking Rockwell! | Lana Del Rey | Album, Aug-30-2019, Singer-Songwriter |
| #3 | GREY Area | Little Simz | Album, Mar-01-2019, UK Hip Hop |
| #4 | Western Stars | Bruce Springsteen | Album, Jun-14-2019, Americana |
| #5 | Two Hands | Big Thief | Album, Oct-11-2019, Indie Folk |
| #6 | IGOR | Tyler, The Creator | Album, May-17-2019, Neo-Soul |
| #7 | Ghosteen | Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | Album, Oct-03-2019, Singer-Songwriter |
| #8 | Assume Form | James Blake | Album, Jan-18-2019, Alternative R&B |
| #9 | Titanic Rising | Weyes Blood | Album, Apr-05-2019, Baroque Pop |
| #10 | PSYCHODRAMA | Dave | Album, Mar-08-2019, UK Hip Hop |
| #11 | Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Pt. 1 | Foals | Album, Mar-08-2019, |
| #12 | Crushing | Julia Jacklin | Album, Feb-22-2019, Singer-Songwriter |
| #13 | Eve | Rapsody | Album, Aug-23-2019, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #14 | We Are Not Your Kind | Slipknot | Album, Aug-09-2019, Alternative Metal |
| #15 | Saves The World | MUNA | Album, Sep-06-2019, Synthpop |
| #16 | A Bath Full of Ecstasy | Hot Chip | Album, Jun-21-2019, Synthpop |
| #17 | Hoodies All Summer | Kano | Album, Aug-30-2019, UK Hip Hop |
| #18 | KIWANUKA | Michael Kiwanuka | Album, Nov-01-2019, Psychedelic Soul |
| #19 | Lover | Taylor Swift | Album, Aug-23-2019, Synthpop |
| #20 | Hypersonic Missiles | Sam Fender | Album, Sep-13-2019, Heartland Rock |
| #21 | Reward | Cate Le Bon | Album, May-24-2019, Art Pop |
| #22 | When I Get Home | Solange | Album, Mar-01-2019, Alternative R&B |
| #23 | Any Human Friend | Marika Hackman | Album, Aug-09-2019, Indie Rock |
| #24 | Heavy Is The Head | Stormzy | Album, Dec-13-2019, UK Hip Hop |
| #25 | Crush | Floating Points | Album, Oct-18-2019, IDM |
| #26 | Remind Me Tomorrow | Sharon Van Etten | Album, Jan-18-2019, Indie Pop |
| #27 | Jaime | Brittany Howard | Album, Sep-20-2019, Psychedelic Soul |
| #28 | Social Cues | Cage the Elephant | Album, Apr-19-2019, Post-Punk Revival |
| #29 | forevher | Shura | Album, Aug-16-2019, Sophisti-Pop |
| #30 | Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest | Bill Callahan | Album, Jun-14-2019, Singer-Songwriter |
| #31 | MAGDALENE | FKA twigs | Album, Nov-08-2019, Art Pop |
| #32 | Father of the Bride | Vampire Weekend | Album, May-03-2019, Indie Pop |
| #33 | Dogrel | Fontaines D.C. | Album, Apr-12-2019, Post-Punk |
| #34 | SOUND & FURY | Sturgill Simpson | Album, Sep-27-2019, Blues Rock |
| #35 | Pang | Caroline Polachek | Album, Oct-18-2019, Art Pop |
| #36 | AJ Tracey | AJ Tracey | Album, Feb-08-2019, UK Hip Hop |
| #37 | WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? | Billie Eilish | Album, Mar-29-2019, Alt-Pop |
| #38 | On the Line | Jenny Lewis | Album, Mar-22-2019, Soft Rock |
| #39 | U.F.O.F. | Big Thief | Album, May-03-2019, Indie Folk |
| #40 | The Lost Boy | Cordae | Album, Jul-26-2019, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #41 | Twelve Nudes | Ezra Furman | Album, Aug-30-2019, Garage Punk |
| #42 | thank u, next | Ariana Grande | Album, Feb-08-2019, Contemporary R&B |
| #43 | Ignorance is Bliss | Skepta | Album, May-31-2019, UK Hip Hop |
| #44 | Cuz I Love You | Lizzo | Album, Apr-19-2019, Pop Soul |
| #45 | All Mirrors | Angel Olsen | Album, Oct-04-2019, Art Pop |
| #46 | Unholy | Collard | Album, May-10-2019, Contemporary R&B |
| #47 | Lost Girls | Bat for Lashes | Album, Sep-06-2019, Synthpop |
| #48 | "Let's Rock" | The Black Keys | Album, Jun-28-2019, Garage Rock |
| #49 | Miss Universe | Nilüfer Yanya | Album, Mar-22-2019, Indie Pop |
| #50 | No Home Record | Kim Gordon | Album, Oct-11-2019, Post-Industrial |