Uproxx's 50 Best Albums of 2018

In a packed year of debut artists and returning veterans, here are the best records you absolutely need to hear.

Published: December 03, 2018 13:00 Source

# 1

Astroworld by Travis Scott

Album • Aug 03 / 2018 Trap Pop Rap Southern Hip Hop

# 2

Golden Hour by Kacey Musgraves

Album • Mar 30 / 2018 Country Pop Singer-Songwriter

# 3

Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino by Arctic Monkeys

Album • May 11 / 2018

# 4

Dirty Computer by Janelle Monáe

Album • Apr 27 / 2018 Contemporary R&B Art Pop

# 5

Sweetener by Ariana Grande

Album • Aug 17 / 2018 Contemporary R&B Electropop

# 6

Room 25 by noname

Album • Sep 14 / 2018 Jazz Rap Conscious Hip Hop

# 7

God's Favorite Customer by Father John Misty

Album • Jun 01 / 2018 Singer-Songwriter Chamber Pop

# 8

Invasion of Privacy by Cardi B

Album • Apr 06 / 2018 Trap East Coast Hip Hop

# 9

A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships by The 1975

Album • Nov 30 / 2018 Art Pop

# 10

Some Rap Songs by Earl Sweatshirt

Album • Nov 30 / 2018 Abstract Hip Hop Experimental Hip Hop

# 11

Honey by Robyn

Album • Oct 26 / 2018 Dance-Pop Electropop House

# 12

CARE FOR ME by Saba

Album • Apr 05 / 2018 Conscious Hip Hop Jazz Rap

# 13

7 by Beach House

Album • May 11 / 2018 Dream Pop Neo-Psychedelia

# 14

Clean by Soccer Mommy

Album • Mar 02 / 2018 Singer-Songwriter Indie Pop Indie Rock

# 15

Black Panther The Album by Various Artists

Album • Feb 09 / 2018 Film Soundtrack West Coast Hip Hop

# 16

Bloom by Troye Sivan

Album • Aug 31 / 2018 Electropop Alt-Pop

# 17

DiCaprio 2 by JID

Album • Nov 26 / 2018 Southern Hip Hop

# 18

Bottle It In by Kurt Vile

Album • Oct 12 / 2018 Folk Rock Singer-Songwriter

# 19

DAYTONA by Pusha T

Album • May 25 / 2018 Hardcore Hip Hop Southern Hip Hop

# 20

Camila by Camila Cabello

Album • Jan 12 / 2018 Pop Contemporary R&B

# 21

Victory Lap by Nipsey Hussle

Album • Feb 16 / 2018 West Coast Hip Hop Gangsta Rap

# 22

Knock Knock by DJ Koze

Album • May 04 / 2018 House Deep House

# 23

Boygenius by boygenius

EP • Oct 26 / 2018 Indie Rock Indie Folk Singer-Songwriter

# 24

And Nothing Hurt by Spiritualized

Album • Sep 07 / 2018 Neo-Psychedelia Art Rock

# 25

I Need to Start a Garden by Haley Heynderickx

Album • Mar 02 / 2018 Indie Folk Singer-Songwriter

# 26

Age Of by Oneohtrix Point Never

Album • Jun 01 / 2018 Progressive Electronic

# 27

Singularity by Jon Hopkins

Album • May 04 / 2018 Tech House Microhouse

# 28

Pieces of a Man by Mick Jenkins

Album • Oct 26 / 2018 Conscious Hip Hop Abstract Hip Hop

# 29

Freedom by Amen Dunes

Album • Mar 30 / 2018 Neo-Psychedelia Singer-Songwriter

# 30

Grid of Points by Grouper

Album • Apr 27 / 2018 Singer-Songwriter Ambient Pop

# 31

Wanderer by Cat Power

Album • Oct 05 / 2018 Singer-Songwriter Americana

# 32

C’est La Vie by Phosphorescent

Album • Oct 05 / 2018 Americana

# 33

Lush by Snail Mail

Album • Jun 08 / 2018 Indie Rock Indie Pop

# 34

Good Thing by Leon Bridges

Album • May 04 / 2018 Neo-Soul Smooth Soul

# 35

Yolk in the Fur by Wild Pink

Album • Jul 20 / 2018 Indie Rock

# 36

Everything Is Love by THE CARTERS

Album • Jun 16 / 2018 Pop Rap Contemporary R&B

# 37

Nearer My God by Foxing

Album • Aug 10 / 2018 Art Rock Indie Rock

# 38

so sad so sexy by Lykke Li

Album • Jun 08 / 2018 Alternative R&B Alt-Pop

# 39

Be the Cowboy by Mitski

Album • Aug 17 / 2018 Art Pop Indie Rock

# 40

beerbongs & bentleys by Post Malone

Album • Apr 27 / 2018 Pop Rap Alternative R&B

# 41

Historian by Lucy Dacus

Album • Mar 02 / 2018 Indie Rock Singer-Songwriter

# 42

Voicenotes by Charlie Puth

Album • May 11 / 2018 Contemporary R&B Dance-Pop

# 43

Scorpion by Drake

Album • Jun 29 / 2018 Pop Rap Contemporary R&B

# 44

Marauder by Interpol

Album • Aug 24 / 2018 Post-Punk Revival

# 45

Art of Doubt by Metric

Album • Sep 21 / 2018 Indie Rock

# 46

Heaven and Earth by Kamasi Washington

Album • Jun 22 / 2018 Spiritual Jazz

# 47

Heaven by Dilly Dally

Album • Sep 14 / 2018 Alternative Rock

# 48

Light of Mine by KYLE

Album • May 18 / 2018 Pop Rap Contemporary R&B West Coast Hip Hop

# 49

Devotion by Tirzah

Album • Aug 10 / 2018 Alternative R&B Art Pop

# 50

Swimming by Mac Miller

Album • Aug 03 / 2018 Pop Rap Alternative R&B