Honorable Mentions
The Loveliest Time by Carly Rae Jepsen
I love Carly, and I really enjoyed this follow-up to her 2022 album. This is a delightful pop album with great production. Psychedelic Switch is one of my favorite pop songs in a long time.
Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? by McKinley Dixon
I didn’t listen to this album until the very end of the year, but I immediately understood the hype I’d been seeing. This is a tight 30-minute jazz rap album with phenomenal lyricism and excellent live instrument performances.
The Land is Inhospitable, and So Are We by Mitski
The Land is Mitski’s best album to date, and it really exemplifies what makes her great: superb songwriting and beautiful vocal performances.
SCARING THE HOES by JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown
I absolutely love the completely off-the-wall production on this album. It’s unique, in-your-face, and keeps bringing me back for more.
Zach Bryan by Zach Bryan
Zach Bryan’s self-titled album is a great look into where country music is heading in the new generation of “alternative country” artists who reject the bro-country aesthetic that’s been in vogue for years. This album is a heartfelt display of Zach’s tremendous songwriting talent.
the record by boygenius
I’m such a big fan of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker on their own, and this collaboration of theirs made up a big chunk of my listening in 2023. boygenius is a supergroup that really allows each musician to have her own moments and stand out, while embracing their excellent chemistry as a group, especially as vocalists.
And now, for my top 5.
5. In the End It Always Does by the Japanese House
Amber Bain’s 2023 album sets its emotive and introspective lyrics against lush, gorgeous production done largely by The 1975’s George Daniel. This is an excellent follow-up to her also great 2019 album Good at Falling. The vocal performances, pianos, strings, and winds on this album create such a powerful, intimate atmosphere for Amber’s potent lyricism.
Favorite track: Sad to Breathe
4. Desire, I Want To Turn Into You by Caroline Polachek
Desire, I Want To Turn Into You is an eclectic and masterful pop album that embraces Caroline Polachek’s virtuosic vocalist abilities. Somehow, this album jumps from flamenco on Sunset to drum-and-bass and a Dido feature on Fly To You to a bagpipe solo on Blood and Butter and it doesn’t feel disjointed or messy.
Favorite track: Welcome To My Island
3. After the Magic by Parranoul
I had no idea what to expect going into this album from South Korean shoegaze musician Parranoul. I was totally blown away by this album’s balance of total wall-of-sound shoegaze guitar, hooky melodies, and immersive atmosphere. When I put this album on, I feel compelled to listen to it from start to finish.
Favorite track: Insomnia
2. Javelin by Sufjan Stevens
I was late to the Sufjan Stevens train overall, only beginning to listen through his discography in 2023. My timing was somewhat fortuitous, as he released Javelin while I was working through some his classics like Illinois and Carrie and Lowell. I was not prepared for Javelin, though.
This album is at once devastating and hopeful, expansive and intimate. It is personal, contemplative, and heavy. Sufjan Stevens masterfully channels his personal grief and struggle into an unforgettable musical experience.
Favorite track: Will Anybody Ever Love Me?
1. PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
This album just absolutely rips. It’s a high-energy, flawlessly performed thrash metal masterpiece with a consistent and well-executed concept. This is King Gizzard at their best, and for a band that puts out like 7 albums a year, this one stands above the rest.
Favorite track: Motor Spirit
And that marks the end of my list for 2023. I listened to a ton of great music this year, and it’s challenging to narrow it down to a succinct list. I’m looking forward to a great 2024 in music!