Best Albums of 2023
Another fantastic year in music has come and gone, and it's been a veritable cornucopia of sublime albums, whether you're into rock, indie, pop, hip-hop or something else entirely. Here we've gathered a selection of the albums that critics have voted best of the year + a number of the most acclaimed albums of the year that unfortunately didn't make it to the top of the 'end of the year' lists.
In 2023, we've seen veterans like Depeche Mode, Peter Gabriel, Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters, Blur, PJ Harvey and many others return with phenomenal albums - for many of them some of the best material they've delivered in countless years. Once again, pop and R&B marked itself as genres of a new golden age, with the likes of Caroline Polachek, Olivia Rodrigo, Troye Sivan, Sampha og Taylor Swift impressing critics and fans alike. In addition, there are a lot of amazing indie releases that have received well-deserved love from the critics.
![Cover for Squid · O Monolith (CD) [Digipak] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/051/5056614704051.jpg?squid-2023-o-monolith-cd&class=scaled&v=1679487336)
![Cover for Yeule · Softscars (LP) [White Blue Splatter Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/626/5054429177626.jpg?yeule-2023-softscars-lp&class=scaled&v=1695372371)
![Cover for Yeule · Softscars (LP) [Marble Grey Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/250/5054429174250.jpg?yeule-2023-softscars-lp&class=scaled&v=1695372351)
![Cover for Corinne Bailey Rae · Black Rainbows (LP) [Limited Opaque Red edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/583/0793888876583.jpg?corinne-bailey-rae-2023-black-rainbows-lp&class=scaled&v=1703839024)
![Cover for Durand Jones · Wait Til I Get Over (Blue Jay Vinyl) (LP) [Ltd Blue Jay colored vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/037/0656605158037.jpg?durand-jones-2023-wait-til-i-get-over-blue-jay-vinyl-lp&class=scaled&v=1680746142)
![Cover for Kylie Minogue · Tension (LP) [Limited Transparent Orange edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/900/4050538927900.jpg?kylie-minogue-2023-tension-lp&class=scaled&v=1684843886)
![Cover for Kylie Minogue · Tension (CD) [Deluxe edition] [Casebound Mediabook] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/044/4050538928044.jpg?kylie-minogue-2023-tension-cd&class=scaled&v=1684843932)
![Cover for Julie Byrne · Greater Wings (LP) [Coloured edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/632/0804297841632.jpg?julie-byrne-2023-greater-wings-lp&class=scaled&v=1694859632)
![Cover for Julie Byrne · Greater Wings (LP) [Blood Moon edition] (2022)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/656/0804297841656.jpg?julie-byrne-2022-greater-wings-lp&class=scaled&v=1793977044)
![Cover for Sofia Kourtesis · Madres (CD) [Digipak] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/742/5054429176742.jpg?sofia-kourtesis-2023-madres-cd&class=scaled&v=1695262560)
![Cover for The Clientele · I Am Not There Anymore (Ltd Red Vinyl) (LP) [Peak Red Vinyl Indie Shop edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/703/0673855080703.jpg?the-clientele-2023-i-am-not-there-anymore-ltd-red-vinyl-lp&class=scaled&v=1703839379)
![Cover for Grian Chatten · Chaos For The Fly (LP) [Limited White Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/732/0720841303732.jpg?grian-chatten-2023-chaos-for-the-fly-lp&class=scaled&v=1683902745)
![Cover for King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard · Petrodragonic Apocalypse Or, Dawn of Eternal Night: an Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation (LP) [Lucky Rainbow edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/531/0842812189531.jpg?king-gizzard-the-lizard-wizard-2023-petrodragonic-apocalypse-or-dawn-of-eternal-night-an-annihilation-of-planet-earth-and-the-beginning-of-merciless-damnation-lp&class=scaled&v=1686327842)
![Cover for Romy · Mid Air (LP) [Limited Neon Pink edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/003/0889030032003.jpg?romy-2023-mid-air-lp&class=scaled&v=1688731449)
![Cover for Blur · The Ballad Of Darren (LP) [Limited Blue Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/191/5054197660191.jpg?blur-2023-the-ballad-of-darren-lp&class=scaled&v=1684845401)
![Cover for Ana Frango Eletrico · Me Chama De Gato Que Eu Sou Sua (LP) [Limited Neon Green Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/014/7119691292014.jpg?ana-frango-eletrico-2023-me-chama-de-gato-que-eu-sou-sua-lp&class=scaled&v=1695278195)
![Cover for Lydia Loveless · Nothing's Gonna Stand In My Way Again (LP) [Limited Coloured Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/415/0708857030415.jpg?lydia-loveless-2023-nothing-s-gonna-stand-in-my-way-again-lp&class=scaled&v=1695347026)
![Cover for The Church · Hypnogogue (LP) [Limited edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/834/5060446073834.jpg?the-church-2023-hypnogogue-lp&class=scaled&v=1679683037)
![Cover for Carly Rae Jepsen · Loveliest Time (LP) [White Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/189/0602458162189.jpg?carly-rae-jepsen-2023-loveliest-time-lp&class=scaled&v=1692349732)
![Cover for Sparklehorse · Bird Machine (LP) [Limited Clear Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/141/8714092708141.jpg?sparklehorse-2023-bird-machine-lp&class=scaled&v=1690272733)
![Cover for Kelela · Raven (LP) [Limited Clear Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/538/5056614702538.jpg?kelela-2023-raven-lp&class=scaled&v=1673348297)
![Cover for Paramore · This is Why (LP) [Limited Clear Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/496/0075678635496.jpg?paramore-2023-this-is-why-lp&class=scaled&v=1673362239)
![Cover for Aesop Rock · Integrated Tech Solutions (LP) [Limited White Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/411/0826257037411.jpg?aesop-rock-2023-integrated-tech-solutions-lp&class=scaled&v=1698935220)
![Cover for Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter · Saved! (LP) [Limited Red Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/035/0843563168035.jpg?reverend-kristin-michael-hayter-2023-saved-lp&class=scaled&v=1696254222)
![Cover for Queens Of The Stone Age · In Times New Roman (LP) [Limited Green Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/785/0191401194785.jpg?queens-of-the-stone-age-2023-in-times-new-roman-lp&class=scaled&v=1683811486)
![Cover for Queens Of The Stone Age · In Times New Roman (LP) [Limited Clear Blue Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/709/0191401194709.jpg?queens-of-the-stone-age-2023-in-times-new-roman-lp&class=scaled&v=1683811498)
![Cover for Queens Of The Stone Age · In Times New Roman (LP) [Limited Red Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/730/0191401194730.jpg?queens-of-the-stone-age-2023-in-times-new-roman-lp&class=scaled&v=1683811474)
![Cover for Queens Of The Stone Age · In Times New Roman (LP) [Limited Silver Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/792/0191401194792.jpg?queens-of-the-stone-age-2023-in-times-new-roman-lp&class=scaled&v=1683811493)
![Cover for Queens Of The Stone Age · In Times New Roman (LP) [Black Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/716/0191401194716.jpg?queens-of-the-stone-age-2023-in-times-new-roman-lp&class=scaled&v=1683877649)
![Cover for Geese · 3d Country (LP) [Repress edition] (2026)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/050/5400863090050.jpg?geese-2026-3d-country-lp&class=scaled&v=1681302360)
![Cover for Miley Cyrus · Endless Summer Vacation (LP) [Limited White Vinyl edition] (2023)](https://imusic.b-cdn.net/images/item/original/816/0196587942816.jpg?miley-cyrus-2023-endless-summer-vacation-lp&class=scaled&v=1673956436)