Top 30 Albums of 2023 (So Far)

The post Top 30 Albums of 2023 (So Far) appeared first on Consequence.

It’s the mid-point of the year, which means it’s time to check in with the best pop culture has had to offer. Check out our list of the 30 best albums of 2023 so far below, and stay tuned for more rankings throughout the week.

The summer flowers are in bloom, but the usual summer musical consensus is nowhere to be seen. We’re still spoiled with great music, of course; almost too much, certainly more than a casual listener can consume — a constant truth of the streaming age. Once again, artists have produced some truly transcendent art. But usually by this time, public opinion has coalesced around a couple of big name titles, and these mid-year lists attempt to bring attention to the less-heralded of those transcendent albums, even as the juggernauts suck up most of the oxygen. Well, so far in 2023, the juggernauts have failed to materialize. Where have they gone?

It’s a tough question. Part of the answer may have to do with our emaciated media environment, which every month seems to support fewer music journalists. Perhaps it’s hard to reach a consensus among a handful of people screaming into the void. Then, too, June saw a flurry of releases from established icons which are necessarily hard to rank on such short notice. As more people spend time with these records, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them vault up lists like this one. And one more theory, the industry might find itself in a moment of transition, as so many of the greats of five or 10 years ago reach a natural pause while the next generation makes a case for their own greatness. Certainly, 2023 has seen no shortage of electrifying debuts and sophomore scorchers.

We’ll know more in another six months, though it probably doesn’t matter. This year has once again produced more great music than an average person has time to listen to, and it is a privilege to celebrate those records. Please enjoy 30 albums that have brought us joy this year.

— Wren Graves
Features Editor

30. Killer Mike — MICHAEL

This is Killer Mike’s first solo album since 2012’s R.A.P. Music, though as that record was produced by his Run the Jewels partner El-P, you have to go all the way back to 2011’s Pledge to find the last time he was truly on his own. MICHAEL is worth the wait: a soul-baring collection of deeply personal songwriting that nevertheless contains the kind of bars-on-bars rapping that RTJ fans have come to love. Mike has often reflected on the key role that Black women have played in his life, but he reaches a new peak on the standout single, “MOTHERLESS.” — W. Graves

29. Blondshell — Blondshell

Singer/songwriter Sabrina Teitelbaum’s first studio album goes down so smooth for those nostalgic for the heyday of ’90s girl rock. Yet, the artist recording as Blondshell never feels like an imitation. Instead, she’s playing with her own textual landscapes and dreamy instrumental moments, while her deliberately literal lyrics explore relationships, salad, and the hotness of Veronica Mars’ Logan Echolls (Jason Dohring). “Sober Together” in particular stands out for its empathy, as Teitelbaum sings about a friend who’s fallen off the wagon: “I can’t blame you, it’s in the blood/ Part of the disease is giving up.” Sometimes metaphors are nice, but there’s a special sort of power to be found in just saying what you mean. — Liz Shannon Miller

28. Boygenius — the record

Despite its title, the record is not like other records. It’s a fully-formed statement from three songwriters who are tied together beyond mere friendship, a testament to the joys of collaboration, and a masterclass on how to make three part harmonies as compelling as possible. It’s no debate that these three — Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker — make each other better. Bridgers’ “Emily I’m Sorry” is made all the more moving with Dacus and Baker’s ethereal echoes behind her, and Baker’s “$20” is made all the more rousing by the primal screams that detonate in the song’s climax. But together, like on the stunning “Not Strong Enough,” they are indestructible. — Paolo Ragusa

27. Foo Fighters — But Here We Are

There are many ways to look at artistic output after a devastating loss. Many artists retreat, take a few years to collect themselves, and emerge when the fire has died down. Some respond with an immediate dedication, cementing the pangs of that loss in a moment in time. On Foo Fighters’ latest, But Here We Are — their first without longtime drummer Taylor Hawkins — they fall somewhere in the middle. We meet Grohl actively in crisis mode, torn between acceptance and denial, between love and its futility. The resulting album is one of Foo Fighters’ best, and proves a heartwarming fact: In spite of everything, Foo Fighters have a lot of gas left in the tank. — P. Ragusa

26. Water from Your Eyes — Everyone’s Crushed

This buzzy, CoSigned Brooklyn duo is capable of making music sweet as bubblgum but they prefer to add more interest, like a confectioner adding to their chocolate spicy chilis. With stoner jokes, reflections on society, and a dizzying collection of sounds, each song on Everyone’s Crushed is a journey. But what’s more remarkable is how the album builds on these disparate elements, crafting a cohesive whole out of such lovingly deranged parts. Chaos has rarely sounded so fun. — W. Graves

25. Janelle Monáe — The Age of Pleasure

The fourth LP from entertainer Janelle Monáe is bit of a departure from the work that turned her into a star, especially the acclaimed Dirty Computer. Thankfully, the result is an album that feels like a true treat here at the midpoint of the year. The Age of Pleasure, as the name suggests, is indulgent through and through, a feast for the senses that peels away Monáe’s penchant for digital structures for something earthier and more organic. Go in with an open mind and The Age of Pleasure will be gratifying indeed. — Mary Siroky

24. Model/Actriz — Dogsbody

Model/Actriz’s flawless debut album, Dogsbody, gets right to the point. The New-York based outfit create a unique blend of post-punk and dance music, unleashing 10 tracks that are tied together seamlessly. The first three songs, “Donkey Show,” “Mosquito,” and “Crossing Guard,” are characterized by the pulsating noise and evocative lyrics, generating in the listener a visceral reaction.  — Sun Noor

23. Arlo Parks — My Soft Machine

Arlo Parks continues her songwriting journey with My Soft Machine, a gorgeous collection that brings even more brightness and flavor than her 2021 debut, Collapsed in Sunbeams. The British Mercury Prize winner does not shy away from depicting moments of crushing darkness, but on My Soft Machine, there’s a conscious exchange of that numbing chaos for peace — like the skittering summer glow of “Puppy” or the remarkable intimacy of the Phoebe Bridgers-aided “Pegasus.” And once again, Parks finds power in a kind of true, unspoken connection; beauty reveals itself as the dark turns to light, bonds forever cemented with simple phrases. — P. Ragusa

22. Boldy James & Rich Gains — Indiana Jones

Blended Babies producer RichGains laces Boldy James with laidback, psychedelic instrumentals on Indiana Jones that offer a distinct sound from the Detroit rapper’s recent projects. Without missing a step, Boldy adapts his delivery with a deft touch and continues to prove himself as one of the most reliable storytellers in the game. In the wake of his January car accident, his resilient lyrics on songs like “Never Had a Friend” ring especially true. — Eddie Fu

21. Raye — My 21st Century Blues

While the viral hit “Escapism.” might have been the introduction for many to this incredible record from RAYE, My 21st Century Blues is a true wealth of riches from start to finish. There’s a theatricality to the album, one the Brit-pop artist seems keenly aware of, if the introductory track “Oscar Winning Tears.” is any indication. From the personal stories about her years in the industry to soul-baring confessions on “Body Dysmorphia.,” and hopeful bops like “Worth It.,” My 21st Century Blues signals an artist who has been working at their craft and has fully arrived. Don’t miss this moment for RAYE. — M. Siroky 

20. Metallica — 72 Seasons

Quietly, Metallica are in a groove. It never felt like they’d get there after the fratty adrenaline of Load and Reload, which was followed by a couple of occasionally nice, overwrought projects in St. Anger and Death Magnetic. But Hardwired… to Self Destruct found them playing fast and loose —  a return to the raw thrash of the 1980s that built their reputation — and 72 Seasons expands on that throwback with furious glee and some of their liveliest late-period riffs. Like Hardwired it’s probably a bit too long, but the bangers absolutely bang, with “72 Seasons” and “Lux Æterna” standing out for sheer exuberant power, and the closing tracks “Room of Mirrors” and “Inamorata” showing off a few decades of growth from James Hetfield. It’s an album worthy of a Consequence Cover, no doubt. — W. Graves

19. Lana Del Rey — Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd

Lana del Rey is a deeply interesting storyteller. Very few pop artists are willing to soak in melodrama, malaise, and yearning the way del Rey does on …Ocean Blvd. While it’s hard to rise to the level of her 2019 masterwork, Norman Fucking Rockwell, her latest is easily one of her most fascinating collections of music and one of the best listens of the year so far. Even looking beyond the strength of “A&W,” there are some lyrics on “Sweet” and “Kintsugi” that are hard to shake. — M. Siroky

18. Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, & Shahzad Ismaily — Love in Exile

Love in Exile is a meditative and deeply spiritual journey formed from a legendary collaboration between composers Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, and Shahzad Ismaily. The tracks are woven together with minimal instrumentation while highlighting the trio’s range and emotionality, and the subtle elements of bass and synth paired with the striking piano complement Aftab’s delicate vocals. The musicians slowly incorporate the arrangements on the opening track, “To Remain/To Return,” guiding listeners towards the short verse. They reprise the track towards the end of the album for the crescendo with Aftab’s poignant vocals. With the trio having delivered one of the best albums of 2023 so far on their first go, Love in Exile hopefully only marks the start of a unique collaboration that does not end here. — S. Noor

17. Kara Jackson — Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?

On the stunning debut album Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?, poet/singer-songwriter Kara Jackson ponders that exact question. She observes the complexities of love — loss, grief, and self-doubt — with descriptive storytelling and raw, honest lyricism. Jackson sings, “Being loved for my hazard and a will to destruct/ And isn’t that just love,” on “no fun/party,” exploring the thorny parts of love. She grieves the death of a friend through memories on the album’s title track, and she doesn’t shy away from incorporating her sense of humor with tracks such as “dickhead blues.” Co-produced by Jackson alongside fellow Chicago musicians Kaina, Sen Morimoto, and Nnamdï, the album is a reflective body of work, showcasing the musician’s songwriting chops. — S. Noor

16. Agust D (SUGA) — D-Day

The third entry in SUGA’s series of releases under his Agust D alter-ego is simultaneously his first full-length project and the one that feels most conclusive. While the BTS rapper says the door might not be closed on Agust D forever, finality, catharsis, and healing are all woven into D-Day, which starts ablaze and ends in a comfortable simmer. The record demonstrates the range that the artist and producer flexes when working with his bandmates in BTS: “Haegeum” is a brutal, bloody thrill, and “AMYGDALA” is thoughtful and restrained. The thing here that takes SUGA’s work from good to great, though, is the sense of clarity he seems to possess around his gifts as an artist, and the vulnerability he has to share them so fully. — M. Siroky

15. Ruston Kelly — The Weakness

“What if Michael Keaton killed himself in Multiplicity?/ Would that be genocide?” is just one of the questions being asked by Ruston Kelly in his third studio album, filled with guitar-driven tracks that feel destined to underscore a Jason Reitman film. There’s a raw earnestness to both Kelly’s voice as well as his songwriting, as he unpacks divorce, disappointment, and life during COVID across 12 tracks. There’s a slight shift away from his country roots towards a more produced sound on tracks like “Breakdown,” but one which speaks to an intriguing future for the musician. — L.S. Miller

14. Young Fathers — Heavy Heavy

If we truly live in a post-genre era, Young Fathers are one of the notion’s paragons. Heavy Heavy is weighty with different styles: R&B, soul, hyper-pop, punk, hip-hop, avant-garde whatever. And the lyrical concepts carry equal heft: the duality of exultation and nihilism (“Geronimo”), fighting through failures (“Sink of Swim”), poisonous nationalism in global politics (“I Saw”). This three-piece with the grandeur of a multi-member collective, however, is able to keep things light with there exuberance. Every conclusion (when there is one) is “trust and have joy,” and every beat is designed to get you there. — B. Kaye

13. Jessie Ware — That! Feels! Good!

After mining heartbreak and the vagaries of love for her first three albums, Jessie Ware is on a hedonistic tear. Her exuberant 2020 album What’s Your Pleasure? re-charged her love for music, and she’s building on that disco-tinged sound on That! Feels! Good! The 38-year-old Brit-popper weaves together 10 no-skips tracks supported by some of the best singles of her career, especially “Pearls” and the effervescent “Free Yourself.”  The title is more than a mission statement: it’s a promise and a perfect description of the listening experience. — W. Graves

12. JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown — SCARING THE HOES

JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown have joined forces, embracing the joy of “hoe scaring music” with the first part of a collaborative series. The duo pair well together with their penchant for left-field music, being chronically online, and not taking themselves too seriously, which makes for a unique collection of sound. JPEGMAFIA begins his verse in “Lean Beef Patty,” rapping about Twitter Blue behind an abrasive beat, and also interpolates Kelis’ “Milkshake,” on “Fentanyl Tester.” Is it even a JPEGMAFIA album if it doesn’t introduce a classic pop hit into the mix? The entire project is characterized by his production technique, weaving together various different textures that often overpower the vocals, without taking away from the listening experience. — S. Noor

11. 파란노을 (Parannoul) — After the Magic

Despite swarms of buzz from some of the most passionate corners of the internet, we still know next to nothing about 파란노을 – aka Parannoul. But there’s a perk to the shield of anonymity: “This album is not what you expected, but what I always wanted,” the South Korean musician said in a statement ahead of their third LP, After the Magic. If that “magic” was Parannoul’s 2021 breakthrough, then we’re now seeing its effects in shades of midwest-style emo, bedroom electronica, and overblown pop. It’s a maximalist delight that feels as though it was written in the stars. — Abby Jones

10. Poison Ruïn — Härvest

Poison Ruïn combine the chugging rage of classic punk with some of the theatrics of death metal, carving out a unique space in the heavy scene on Härvest. According to singer-guitarist Mac Kennedy, fantasy themes “are often either apolitical or co-opted for incredibly backwards politics. Instead of knights in shining armor and dragons, it’s a peasant revolt.” And when you listen to scorchers like “Pinnacle of Ecstasy” or the title track, it’s not like pretending to be a medieval peasant — it’s more of a reminder that you already are. — W. Graves

09. Kelela — Raven

Kelela’s second full-length record, titled Raven, arrived in February, six years after her debut record. It’s a worthy follow-up: Stating that this album stemmed from her experiences as a Black femme person working in dance music and often feeling alienated, Raven is confident, affirming, and often joyful. The rhythm of the LP extends far beyond the literal beats that make up these 15 tracks; rather, there’s a wave-like sense of movement in the way each story flows from one to the next. — M. Siroky 

08. McKinley Dixon — Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?

McKinley Dixon has outdone himself once again. After the former CoSign’s remarkable breakout LP from 2021, For My Mama and Anyone Who Look Like Her, Dixon returned this year with the similarly expansive Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!. Named after Toni Morrison’s trilogy of the same name, the Virginia rapper moves through thrilling classic band arrangements: saxophones and brass horns swirl around him, drums span from diced up trip-hop grooves to classic break beats, and flourishes from a guitar or piano frequently add character and flair.

All these exciting musical choices lift up Dixon’s introspective bars, creating a holistic, fully evolved sonic experience. As Dixon sheds layer after layer, he arrives at the album’s concluding title track and ends the song with an emotional image: “When I was standing on the edge about to fall off that cliff/ What kept me on was looking up and seeing my hand in your grip.” It perfectly sums up the warmth and care put into this album. — P. Ragusa

07. Joy Oladokun — Proof of Life

Joy Oladokun’s journey from 2016’s Carry to 2021’s quietly acclaimed in defense of my own happiness to this year’s Proof of Life has hardly faltered. Over her three albums, the Arizona-born talent has remained faithful to her self — in craft, in identity, and in, well, joy — showing her to be one of our steadiest modern songwriters.

Proof of Life builds on in defense expansively, with big-name collabs (Noah Kahan on “We’re All Gonna Die,” Chris Stapleton on “Sweet Symphony”) and slicker pop production (“Taking Things for Granted,” “Keeping the Light On”). Yet, it remains comfortingly intimate, as Oladokun baits her hooks with confessionals made universal. We can’t all claim the same lived experience that led to songs like “Somebody Like Me” and “Pride,” but Oladokun’s gospel resonates with any listener. And if that weren’t magic enough, she’s able to feature Manchester Orchestra, Mt. Joy, and Maxo Kreem on the same album and have each track work on their own and in context. — B. Kaye

06. Indigo De Souza — All of This Will End

It’s hard to be a person these days, and while many artists have gleaned inspiration from the more apocalyptic overtones of life in the 21st century, Indigo de Souza dove in headfirst for her 2023 album. Death and destruction are not necessarily new themes for the Asheville-based singer-songwriter, but she’s never looked at them with this much acceptance before; in the 32 minutes it takes to play through this record, “the end” doesn’t feel quite so scary. — M. Siroky 

05. Jason Isbell — Weathervanes

Isbell is perhaps our best and most consistent songwriter since Tom Petty, and Weathervanes, his latest with The 400 Unit, is one of the strongest albums of his storied career. A more ferocious record than 2020’s Reunions, Weathervanes kicks off with an absolutely scorching A-side followed by a B-side that swallows you in self-reflection, memory, and regret. What they have in common is an examination of intuition, especially the misery of ignoring it. “I think a weathervane is a good stand-in for intuition,” Isbell told Consequence for our latest cover story. If your intuition is well-tuned, it may guide you to Weathervanes again and again. W. Graves

04. Caroline Polachek — Desire, I Want to Turn into You

It begins with a siren, a primal cry of desire. It’s the spell that Caroline Polachek casts as she welcomes us to her island — a place with beaming sunshine, volcanic heat, and adventurous wonder. For Desire, I Want to Turn Into You, Caroline Polachek drew on the time spent with a partner near the Mediterranean throughout the pandemic, finding ways to express the beauty of true intimacy with a vocabulary that only Polachek can muster.

But Desire is so much more than a diaristic declaration of love and lust: it’s a patchwork of ideas large and small, nostalgic and current, that serve her avant pop impulses and her shimmering, endlessly flexible voice. It’s the best album of her career, and an enchanting exploration of love as a spiritual, transformative act. — P. Ragusa

03. billy woods & Kenny Segal — Maps

Bar for bar, line by delicious line, no one in hip-hop today is as thrilling as Billy Woods billy woods. One half of world-conquering duo Armand Hammer, woods and partner ELUCID dominated best-of lists in 2021 while eating up beats by The Alchemist on Haram. But woods is a ferocious solo artist in his own right (shoutout 2022’s Aethiopes and Church), and here he slips into the jazzy grooves of Kenny Segal with a conceptual travelogue about touring life post-COVID. woods captures the woozy feeling of drifting between cities as an indie icon on the come-up who still feels like an outsider at, say, a Playboi Carti afterparty (“FaceTime”) or even his own rehearsals (“Soundcheck”). billy woods was already on the map, but Maps cements his status as the reigning underground king.  — W. Graves

02. Wednesday — Rat Saw God

Somewhere in the sonic crosshairs of cozy slacker rock, homespun country, and ear-splitting shoegaze is Rat Saw God, an album that conjures headbangs and mosh pits as much as it does the familiarity of home VHS tapes. Vocalist Karly Hartzman of the CoSigned act Wednesday digs into her North Carolina adolescence in visions of small-town lore and scenes of her own experiences as an outcast trying to make the best of what she’s got — “piss-colored” Fanta, hallucinatory doses of Benadryl, hookups in the back of a beater SUV.

By the way, did you ever hear about the guy who died in the gym parking lot, or the blow the cops found in the drywall of a classmate’s childhood home? The way Hartzman puts it, these aren’t just “you-had-to-be-there” anecdotes – on Rat Saw God, you are there. — A. Jones

01. Yves Tumor — Praise a Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) 

Yves Tumor is on a legendary run and Praise a Lord Who Chews… is a genre-bending dance-rock masterpiece. Their background in experimental and electronic music can be heard in incredible percussion textures, while Tumor’s now-trademark bass lines propel already-catchy melodies to greatness. Tumor uses more ripping guitars than ever before, and as for the lyrics, they span the personal to the eternal, seeking meaning in the grand chaos of existence.

Put it all together, and listening to Praise a Lord Who Chews becomes perfect for almost every occasion: running, driving down the highway at night, feeling thoughtful, getting stoned, or when you just wanna dance. The artist born Sean Bowie has a bit of another Bowie in them, and in a more just world perhaps they’d enjoy an audience as large as David’s. Many of our geniuses deserve more flowers, but Yves Tumor deserves a whole botanical garden. — W. Graves

Top 30 Albums of 2023 (So Far)
Consequence Staff

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