Over 100 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Albums Of 2023
From sunny pop tunes to thrashing guitars to beats and bars - here are the best albums of 2023. Of course, it might be hard to compare these genres to each other but what albums do you keep going back to? What albums have made the biggest impact on you this year? Important questions to think about.
Sam Smith's flavor of eccentric pop balladry faces off against Mac DeMarco's easy breezy road trip instrumentals. Ice Spice's drill-pop versus Margo Price's psychedelic indie rock record. Some of the choices on this list may be more controversial than others so make sure to vote up your favorites and make your voice heard.
What are your favorite albums of 2023? Let us know!
Latest additions: Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds), The Record, Red Moon in Venus
Photo: Geffen
1
67 votes
Red Moon in Venus
Best Tracks: “I Wish you Roses”, “Hasta Cuando”, “Moonlight”
After residing in her vibey niche of R&B for the beginning of her career, Kali became a star on the scene with telepatía, ensuring more eyes on her next album than ever before. Red Moon in Venus is a luxurious genre-blending look at love through her lens from honeymoon phase to intoxication to abrupt endings. The sonic backdrop includes bird chirps and wind chimes, transporting listeners to a place where love is always worth the potential heartbreak.
Artist: Kali Uchis
Release Date: March 3
Genres (Music): R&B
Photo: Atlantic
2
68 votes
This Is Why
Best Tracks: “Liar”, “This Is Why” “Running Out of Time”
Even if angsty post-punk isn't your usual cup of tea, it's hard to deny the power of a Paramore chorus. After six years, the wildly popular band makes its return with This Is Why - shifting from the deceptively upbeat After Laughter back into more familiar territory. Hayley Williams's distinctly recognizable voice, front and center, once again crescendos over spiky guitars and feverish drum loops. However, now that the band is all firmly in their thirties, there's a maturity to both the textured instrumentals and thoughtful songwriting that distinguishes it from its predecessors.
Artist: Paramore
Release Date: February 10
Genres (Music): Rock (Post-punk)
Photo: Interscope
3
46 votes
The Record
Best Tracks: “Revolution 0”, “Satanist”, “Not Strong Enough”
The only word to describe Boygenius is “supergroup.” The trio, comprised of Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus, are each indie powerhouses in their own right. Expectations for the trio's debut album were sky-high and they managed to exceed them. Talented and intimate songwriting fills The Record with repeatable phrases about love and friendship, often at the expense of the male ego.
Former Chairlift frontwoman Caroline Polachek seems to have unlocked her potential more and more with each passing year and each solo project. Her newest, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You, is another probing exploration of alternative pop music's many corners. Utilizing her distinct vocals and sharp melodic sensibilities to viscerally convey the overpowering and intoxicating nature of romance, Polachek continues to impress with one of the year's best full length works.
Artist: Caroline Polachek
Release Date: February 14
Genres (Music): Indie Pop (Alt-Pop)
Photo: 10K Projects/Capitol
5
87 votes
Like..?
Best Tracks: “Gangsta Boo” with Lil TJay, "Princess Diana", "Munch (Feelin' U)"
Ice Spice's brand of playfulness mixed with bravado meld over the top of bouncy drill beats courtesy of RIOTUSA. The best part of the Bronx rapper may be how readily she leans into her internet infamy, exemplified by the proclamation that “in the hood [she's] like Princess Diana.”
Artist: Ice Spice
Release Date: January 20
Genres (Music): Hip-Hop/Rap (Drill)
Photo: Human Re Sources/The Orchard
6
52 votes
My 21st Century Blues
Best Tracks: “Escapism” with 070 Shake, “Body Dysmorphia.”, “Flip a Switch.”
Even though this might be the first time many have heard of RAYE, surely they know her work. After writing for the likes of Madison Beer and Little Mix, the 25-year old released her debut album filled with cathartic revelations on her struggles with body dysmorphia, addiction, and assault.
