The 2023 End of Year music lists thread

MOJO’s Top 75 Albums of 2023

1. Blur – The Ballad of Darren
2. PJ Harvey – I Inside the Old Year Dying
3. Lankum – False Lankum
4. Robert Forster – The Candle and the Flame
5. Young Fathers – Heavy Heavy
6. Lana Del Rey – Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
7. jaimie branch – Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war))
8. Paul Simon – Seven Psalms
9. Everything But the Girl – Fuse
10. Julie Byrne – The Greater Wings
11. Wilco – Cousin
12. The Coral – Sea Of Mirrors
13. The Necks – Travel
14. Grian Chatten – Chaos For The Fly
15. BC Camplight – The Last Rotation of Earth
16. Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily – Love In Exile
17. boygenius – the record
18. James Holden – Imagine This Is A High Dimensional Space Of All Possibilities
19. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Council Skies
20. Pretenders – Relentless
21. billy woods & Kenny Segal – Maps
22. John Cale – Mercy
23. Teenage Fanclub – Nothing Lasts Forever
24. Lisa O’Neill – All Of This Is Chance
25. Yo La Tengo – This Stupid World
26. ANOHNI and the Johnsons – My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross
27. Mozart Estate – Pop-Up! Ker-ching! and The Possibilities of Modern Shopping
28. Fatoumata Diawara – London Ko
29. Billy Nomates – CACTI
30. Sparks – The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte
31. Sufjan Stevens – Javelin
32. Bill Orcutt – Jump On It
33. Sarabeth Tucek – Joan Of All
34. Corinne Bailey Rae – Black Rainbows
35. Depeche Mode – Memento Mori
36. Shirley Collins – Archangel Hill
37. Sleaford Mods – UK GRIM
38. Gaz Coombes – Turn The Car Around
39. Slowdive – everything is alive
40. The Tubs – Dead Meat
41. Gina Birch – I Play My Bass Loud
42. Lloyd Cole – On Pain
43. Kassa Overall – Animals
44. Ian Hunter – Defiance, Pt. 1
45. Susanne Sundfør – blómi
46. Rickie Lee Jones – Pieces of Treasure
47. Animal Collective – Isn’t It Now?
48. Dexys – The Feminine Divine
49. Osees – Intercepted Message
50. Jana Horn – The Window Is The Dream
51. Rogê – Curyman
52. Hamish Hawk – Angel Numbers
53. King Krule – Space Heavy
54. Blake Mills – Jelly Road
55. Eddie Chacon – Sundown
56. Janelle Monáe – The Age of Pleasure
57. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Weathervanes
58. Lonnie Holley – Oh Me Oh My
59. Róisín Murphy – Hit Parade
60. Iggy Pop – EVERY LOSER
61. Baaba Maal – Being
62. Gabriels – Angels & Queens
63. Mitski – The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
64. The Lemon Twigs – Everything Harmony
65. Public Image Ltd. – End of World
66. Jonathan Wilson – Eat the Worm
67. Cécile McLorin Salvant – Mélusine
68. Billy Valentine – Billy Valentine and The Universal Truth
69. bar italia – Tracey Denim
70. Alogte Oho & His Sounds of Joy – O Yinne!
71. Edgar Jones – Reflections of a Soul Dimension
72. Margo Cilker – Valley Of Heart’s Delight
73. Irreversible Entanglements – Protect Your Light
74. Say She She – Silver
75. Robert Finley – Black Bayou

Earlier and earlier

― Bee OK, Friday, November 11, 2022

but had not checked before today so maybe the 11th is still the date?

Blur have done it again!

Uncut’s Top 75 Albums of 2023

1. Lankum – False Lankum
2. Paul Simon – Seven Psalms
3. Wilco – Cousin
4. PJ Harvey – I Inside the Old Year Dying
5. Yo La Tengo – This Stupid World
6. Lana Del Rey – Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
7. Lonnie Holley – Oh Me Oh My
8. The National – First Two Pages of Frankenstein
9. Julie Byrne – The Greater Wings
10. John Cale – Mercy
11. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Weathervanes
12. Slowdive – everything is alive
13. Blur – The Ballad of Darren
14. Corinne Bailey Rae – Black Rainbows
15. Margo Cilker – Valley Of Heart’s Delight
16. The Clientele – I Am Not There Anymore
17. Lisa O’Neill – All Of This Is Chance
18. The Rolling Stones – Hackney Diamonds
19. The Coral – Sea Of Mirrors
20. Hiss Golden Messenger – Jump For Joy
21. The Necks – Travel
22. Shirley Collins – Archangel Hill
23. Sam Burton – Dear Departed
24. Robert Forster – The Candle and the Flame
25. Kassi Valazza – Kassi Valazza Knows Nothing
26. boygenius – the record
27. Matthew Halsall – An Ever Changing View
28. Sarabeth Tucek – Joan Of All
29. Depeche Mode – Memento Mori
30. Wednesday – Rat Saw God
31. Baaba Maal – Being
32. jaimie branch – Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war))
33. Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily – Love In Exile
34. Sunny War – Anarchist Gospel
35. Teenage Fanclub – Nothing Lasts Forever
36. Billy Valentine – Billy Valentine and The Universal Truth
37. Eddie Chacon – Sundown
38. ANOHNI and the Johnsons – My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross
39. Califone – villagers
40. Israel Nash – Ozarker
41. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – V
42. BC Camplight – The Last Rotation of Earth
43. Blake Mills – Jelly Road
44. Everything But the Girl – Fuse
45. Feist – Multitudes
46. Modern Nature – No Fixed Point In Space
47. Cian Nugent – She Brings Me Back To The Land Of The Living
48. Allison Russell – The Returner
49. Margo Price – Strays
50. Craven Faults – Standers
51. London Brew – London Brew
52. Dexys – The Feminine Divine
53. Tinariwen – Amatssou
54. Ryuichi Sakamoto – 12
55. Pretenders – Relentless
57. Kara Jackson – Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?
58. Mary Lattimore – Goodbye, Hotel Arkada
59. Sparks – The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte
60. Setting – Shone a Rainbow Light On
61. Fatoumata Diawara – London Ko
62. Deer Tick – Emotional Contracts
63. Meg Baird – Furling
64. Osees – Intercepted Message
65. Dot Allison – Consciousology
66. Jim O’Rourke – Hands That Bind (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
67. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You
68. Sleaford Mods – UK GRIM
69. Alabaster DePlume – Come With Fierce Grace
70. Animal Collective – Isn’t It Now?
71. Steve Gunn & David Moore – Let the Moon Be a Planet
72. Sufjan Stevens – Javelin
73. Grian Chatten – Chaos For The Fly
74. Jim Ghedi And Toby Hay – Jim Ghedi and Toby Hay
75. Elijah McLaughlin Ensemble – Elijah McLaughlin Ensemble III

should i be surprised that lankum is getting such love from mainstream uk music mags?

they deserve it all, but still. i feel like they have zero profile in the u.s., didn't realize they were topping best of lists across the pond

mojo having blur at #1 is a 00s rolling stone-level pick

I actually liked that Blur record the one time I listened to it but haven't really gone back to it. Number one though?

Rough Trade UK Albums of the Year

https://blog.roughtrade.com/gb/uk-albums-of-the-year-2023/

Number 1
Nation of Language - Strange Disciple

I guess I should listen to this Blur album, huh?

Rough Trade UK Albums of the Year 2023

summary format of the Top 100

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2102-rough-trade-uks-albums-of-the-year-2023/

Didn't know I needed more Wilco in my life, will give it a chance I guess.

Nice to see a rare appearance from Susanne Sundfør in the Mojo list.

I love Dexys but that new album is shocking and shouldn't be anywhere near any of these lists.

38. Gaz Coombes – Turn The Car Around

That's nothing, he's number one on Radio X's list!

https://www.radiox.co.uk/features/x-lists/best-albums-2023/

These are always the early bird dinner special lists. They like to get it over with so they can relax.

glad to see clientele place

can't help but think rating that aftab/iyer/ismaily is for people who missed vulture prince

before you think to yourself 'ooh I should reevaluate this album by comeback dinosaur x' please consider that most of these lists are written by extremely old and boring people

the blur album is wank

37. Sleaford Mods – UK GRIM
38. Gaz Coombes – Turn The Car Around

lock thread!

beautiful

Decibel's list:

40 Dødheimsgard, Black Medium Current, Peaceville
39 Kommodus, Wreath of Bleeding Snowfall, GoatowaRex
38 Street Tombs, Reclusive Decay, Carbonized
37 Obituary, Dying of Everything, Relapse
36 Fires in the Distance, Air Not Meant for Us, Prosthetic
35 Witching, Incendium, Translation Loss
34 Circle of Ouroborus, Lumi Vaientaa Kysymykset, His Wounds
33 Cattle Decapitation, Terrasite, Metal Blade
32 Final Gasp, Mourning Moon, Relapse
31 Spirit Adrift, Ghost at the Gallows, Century Media
30 Krigsgrav, Fires in the Fall, Wise Blood
29 Will Haven, VII, Minus Head
28 Smoulder, Violent Creed of Vengeance, Cruz del Sur
27 Kruelty, Untopia, Profound Lore
26 Night Demon, Outsider, Century Media
25 Incantation, Unholy Deification, Relapse
24 Filth Is Eternal, Find Out, MNRK
23 Cannibal Corpse, Chaos Horrific, Metal Blade
22 Great Falls, Objects Without Pain, Neurot
21 Krieg, Ruiner, Profound Lore
20 Rid of Me, Access to the Lonely, Knife Hits
19 Mizmor, Prosaic, Profound Lore
18 Autopsy, Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts, Peaceville
17 Cruciamentum, Obsidian Refractions, Profound Lore
16 Tribunal, The Weight of Remembrance, 20 Buck Spin
15 The Night Eternal, Fatale, Ván
14 Enslaved, Heimdal, Nuclear Blast
13 Gel, Only Constant, Convulse
12 Enforced, War Remains, Century Media
11 Blackbraid, Blackbraid II, Self-released
10 The Keening, Little Bird, Relapse
9 Thantifaxath, Hive Mind Narcosis, Dark Descent
8 Frozen Soul, Glacial Domination, Century Media
7 Lamp of Murmuur, Saturnian Bloodstorm, Argento
6 Panopticon, The Rime of Memory, Bindrune
5 Godthrymm, Distrortions, Profound Lore
4 Jesus Piece, …So Unknown, Century Media
3 Wayfarer, American Gothic, Profound Lore
2 Tomb Mold, The Enduring Spirit, 20 Buck Spin
1 Horrendous, Ontological Mysterium, Season of Mist

Fun fact: four of those were on the top 10 list I submitted to The Wire!

Uncut 31. Baaba Maal – Being

Yay

Uproxx just sent out their email to music critics to submit their ballots by November 28. They have a list of included artists but you can write in an act not already on their list

Phillip dot cosores at uproxx dot com is in charge

So glad the Horrendous album won that, it's just so wonderful. I can hear bits of Voivod, Lightning-era Metallica, early Opeth, Yes... to name a few. It's totally unpredictable, little ECM vibe bass tons will just pop in for 20 seconds, little flourishes of mellotron fading in and out. Just hits on so many things i love, I can hear a hundred influences in it but it still sounds totally cohesive. Also maybe the best rhythm sections in heavy music right now? I can hear the Bass on this entire metal record!!(!)!

also doesn't outstay its welcome, 37 minutes and none of it wasted.

PopMatters' Best Metal Albums of 2023 includes one of my releases, Diego Caicedo's Seis Amorfismos!

paste's top 50 albums of the year: https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/best-albums/50-best-albums-of-2023

Bbc6, bleep and glide also released lists

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/lists.php

And here’s the aggregate so far

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/summary/2023/

aoty aggregate

Let’s try that again I think the / breaks it

idk really have much idea what will be the consensus picks this year, it's felt like a pretty light year for big critical consensus albums albums. sufjan (very deservedly) and caroline polachek will end up being way up there. boygenius too i guess. the olivia rodrigo album is good but i expect it will end up overrated in these lists. the uk press seems to really love lankum?

Sufjan seems to be a good bet for a consensus pick. Jessie Ware maybe?

I didn’t even know Sufjan still made music lmfao

I was thinking Lana Del Rey would be high in the consensus but it’s not that high atm

Oh wait it’s at #8 on the aggregate it will surely climb a few places

Spotify Wrapped has dropped in the UK.

BBC Radio 6 Music announces its Albums of the Year
https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2023/6-music-albums-of-the-year

BBC Radio 6 Music announces its Albums of the Year
Over the next five weeks Matt Everitt’s weekly New Album Fix show will be an Albums of the Year special

New Album Fix: Albums of the Year - Episode 1

On BBC Sounds now and broadcast on Friday 1 December, 3am-4am

the record by boygenius (selected by Chris Hawkins)
Ladders by The Loving Paupers (Don Letts)
UK Grim by Sleaford Mods (Iggy Pop)
Gentle Confrontation by Loraine James (Mary Anne Hobbs and SHERELLE)
New Album Fix: Albums of the Year - Episode 2

On BBC Sounds from Monday 4 December and broadcast on Friday 8 December, 3am-4am

The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We by Mitski (selected by Lauren Laverne)
The Last Rotation of Earth by BC Camplight (Marc Riley)
In the End It Always Does by The Japanese House (Nathan Shepherd)
Imagine This Is A High Dimensional Space Of All Possibilities by James Holden (Tom Ravenscroft)
Nails by Benefits (Tom Robinson)
New Album Fix: Albums of the Year - Episode 3

On BBC Sounds from Monday 11 December and broadcast on Friday 15 December, 3am-4am

Slugs of Love by Little Dragon (AFRODEUTSCHE)
Rare Birds: Hour of Song by The Bug Club (Cerys Matthews)
Silver by Say She She (Huey Morgan)
Appaloosa Bones by Gregory Alan Isakov (Mark Radcliffe)
New Album Fix: Albums of the Year - Episode 4

On BBC Sounds from Monday 18 December and broadcast on Friday 22 December, 4am-5am

I've Got Me by Joanna Sternberg (Deb Grant)
All Of This Is Chance by Lisa O'Neill (Gideon Coe)
Bunny by Willie J Healey (Guy Garvey)
Javelin by Sufjan Stevens (Huw Stephens)
Black Classical Music by Yussef Dayes (Jamz Supernova)
New Album Fix: Albums of the Year - Episode 5

On BBC Sounds from Monday 25 December and broadcast on Friday 29 December, 4am-5am

Good Living Is Coming For You by Sweeping Promises (Amy Lamé)
Angels & Queens by Gabriels (Craig Charles)
Protect Your Light by Irreversible Entanglements (Gilles Peterson)
Chaos For The Fly by Grian Chatten (Steve Lamacq)
Sea of Mirrors by The Coral (Stuart Maconie)

popmatters THE 10 BEST GLOBAL MUSIC ALBUMS OF 2023
https://www.popmatters.com/the-10-best-global-music-albums-of-2023

1. WITCH – Zango (Desert Daze Sound)

Jessie Ware maybe?

it was pretty forgettable in the end so i hope not

popmatters - THE 20 BEST POP ALBUMS OF 2023
https://www.popmatters.com/the-20-best-pop-albums-of-2023/2
popmatters - THE 20 BEST POP ALBUMS OF 2023 AOTY Summary
https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2114-popmatters-20-best-pop-albums-of-2023/

Number 1: Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!

the olivia rodrigo album is good but i expect it will end up overrated in these lists.

overrated in comparison to how *you* feel about the album, it should be noted.

Spotify Wrapped 2023: team behind much-anticipated music moment share their story
https://www.thedrum.com/news/2023/11/29/spotify-wrapped-2023-team-behind-much-anticipated-music-moment-share-their-story

Another first for this year is the ‘Sound Town’ feature. “We know that listening habits are shared in really surprising ways across communities around the world,” explains Emily Galloway, head of personalization design at the streaming platform. “To celebrate that, we are bringing you Sound Town, which matches you to a city and is based on your listening and shared artists affinity.” This means that users can go check out a new place that they might not have considered visiting before and meet like-minded people.

Loud And Quiet Albums of the Year 2023
https://www.loudandquiet.com/short/loud-and-quiet-albums-of-the-year-2023/

overrated in comparison to how *you* feel about the album, it should be noted.

it's pretty common these days for pop albums which are merely good, solid, decent, etc. to be received by the critical consensus as instant classics. but at least their standards there are higher than they often still are with indie rock lol

Guts is currently #50 in the aggregate list (1 top 25; 2 other); not looking like much danger of it being "overrated."

it's pretty common these days for pop albums which are merely good, solid, decent, etc. to be received by the critical consensus as instant classics. but at least their standards there are higher than they often still are with indie rock lol

who says Guts is "merely good, solid, decent"?

“It” referring to “gyac as Valued Poster,” not to gyac herself.

Spotify Wrapped 2023: team behind much-anticipated music moment share their story
https://www.thedrum.com/news/2023/11/29/spotify-wrapped-2023-team-behind-much-anticipated-music-moment-share-their-story🕸

Another first for this year is the ‘Sound Town’ feature. “We know that listening habits are shared in really surprising ways across communities around the world,” explains Emily Galloway, head of personalization design at the streaming platform. “To celebrate that, we are bringing you Sound Town, which matches you to a city and is based on your listening and shared artists affinity.” This means that users can go check out a new place that they might not have considered visiting before and meet like-minded people.

Weird, I also got Burlington

turns out if you listen to more than two milwaukee rap mixtapes your sound town becomes milwaukee

Canadian music website Exclaim

Exclaim!'s 50 Best Albums of 2023
https://exclaim.ca/music/article/exclaim_50_best_albums_of_2023

AOTY Summary
https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2120-exclaims-50-best-albums-of-2023/

1. Caroline Polachek
Desire, I Want to Turn Into You

the aggregate is turning out how one would suspect-- Polachek, Sufjan, LDR, boygenius, GUTS, PJ Harvey, Mitski in top 10.

not sure what Lankum is

Huh, I got Burlington too.

Everyone should listen to Lankum. The Loud & Quiet blurb is a good primer:

Although they’ve been around in one form or another for 20 years now, Dublin’s Lankum have been developing their own version of traditional folk music in its current form since their 2017 album, Between The Earth And Sky, when they started to push ancient songs into new places by accentuating the droning elements of the music by adding heavy sounds more synonymous with metal and hardcore. In our end of year cover feature with the group, singer Radie Peat noted how their following album, 2019’s The Livelong Day, perhaps took things too far, making it too bleak for her to listen to. False Lankum has been a recalibration, and the band have rightfully been rewarded for hitting a sweet spot between noise and dread and space and peace. It’s a record that is worlds deep, and if 2023 has had anything going for it, it’s the fact that an album so dense and uncompromising has provided a band like this with their breakout year after two decades of musical exploration. False Lankum looked like being our album of the year as soon as it was released, and it is.

Spotify Wrapped 2023: team behind much-anticipated music moment share their story
https://www.thedrum.com/news/2023/11/29/spotify-wrapped-2023-team-behind-much-anticipated-music-moment-share-their-story🕸

Another first for this year is the ‘Sound Town’ feature. “We know that listening habits are shared in really surprising ways across communities around the world,” explains Emily Galloway, head of personalization design at the streaming platform. “To celebrate that, we are bringing you Sound Town, which matches you to a city and is based on your listening and shared artists affinity.” This means that users can go check out a new place that they might not have considered visiting before and meet like-minded people.

Had never (before or after the wrapped reveal) considered visiting Burlington.
― lethbridge-pfunkboy (hardcore dilettante), Wednesday, November 29, 2023 9:44 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

spotify told me i need to go to vilnius, lithuania

lankum album is v good, as is the loud and quiet listed john francis flynn album on a similar vein

rolling stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-2023-1234879538

I either had forgotten so many of these albums or never knew about them

Welcome new Spotify Burlingtonians!

To avoid other boygenius fans, simply walk the streets of your new paradise, where the most popular bands are still AC/DC and RATT

— Dan Chiasson (@dchiasso) November 30, 2023

xxpost the year was so good we put a 2022 record at #1

gorilla vs bear: https://www.gorillavsbear.net/gorilla-vs-bears-albums-of-2023/

Well "Guts" has jumped up considerably in the aggregrate today

It's cool that the RS list has Blondshell at #11... hope she shows up on more lists.

New Blue Sun at #6

Popmatters - THE 10 BEST AMBIENT ALBUMS OF 2023
https://www.popmatters.com/best-ambient-albums-of-2023

GvB consistently giving the best eoy lists

I know we all have our preferences, but RS putting Ocean Blvd way down at #21 (right beneath the Janelle Monáe album, of all things) is irritating.

oh my god are you okay

what is Ocean Blvd

a place above a tunnel, apparently

If the UK critical consensus is forming around Lankum, then for once I’m delighted. It’s an outstanding album, sonically gorgeous, and easily the most original take I’ve heard on traditional music I’ve heard in years.

Researching all year for the podcast has played havoc with my Unwrapped; I got a video message from Calvin Harris thanking me for my support! (Also, apparently I need to visit Newcastle. At least it’s not far away.)

what is Ocean Blvd

― alpine static, Thursday, November 30, 2023 3:21 PM (forty-six minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

An Eric Clapton album I think

My top artist was Ryuichi Sakamoto. Spotify asked if I wanted to send him a message.

i'm sure they have an AI Ryuichi ready to receive it

I only use Spotify if absolutely necessary for work, so my top artists are mostly shit I hate but have to write about. I got a personal message from right wing country dumbass Creed Fisher.

I listen on Tidal, and only open Spotify when I need to paste a streaming link into an article.

Music fucking sucks now

Agreed. You should leave this messageboard and join us at music sucks now dot com

the only thing i hate more than music is people putting music in a list

not sure what Lankum is

irish folk as played by swans

I got Berkeley instead of Burlington, even though boygenius was in my top 5. Maybe having De La Soul as #1 did that?

(the De La thank-you video is v charming fwiw)

Sounds like you all need to set your GPS units to Ocean Blvd, stat...

not sure what Lankum is

― Beyond Goo and Evol (President Keyes)

https://daily.bandcamp.com/best-folk/the-best-folk-music-on-bandcamp-march-2023
https://daily.bandcamp.com/scene-report/new-dark-folk-uk-ireland-scene-report
https://daily.bandcamp.com/resonance/lankum-between-the-earth-and-sky-essay

Nourished by Time a deserving #1 on the gorilla vs. bear list.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/30/arts/music/best-albums-2023.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

3 NY Times writers top albums

Pareles - has Karol G on his list

Caramanica has Asake

Zoladz has Water From Your Eyes

Really happy with ML Buch at #2 at gorilla vs bear. Great album.

gorilla vs bear is always one of the best lists because their taste aligns decently with mine but they always still have a ton of stuff i haven't heard to dig through

One of the jazzheads, UK leading Jazz music magazine: Jazzwise

Jazzwise Albums of the Year 2023

https://www.jazzwise.com/features/article/jazzwise-albums-of-the-year-2023

Top 20 and further 80 Albums listed that were voted by the critics.

That Popmatters ambient list posted up thread by DJ Martian is nice

gvb list has that wonderful being dead album, and might just share a number 1 with my eventual list

xpost to whoever said this was a "light" year- yep, my spotify wrapped was about 90% catalogue things and stuff from last year i was late on. there was definitely some new music this year that i'm very enthusiastic about. just... man, this year was kinda bunk, wasn't it?

(and a retort to the "favorites"-
sufjan stevens has always been insufferable. time for some good old fashioned racism: the same music by a not white person would be rightfully ignored.
lana del rey is intentional self-parody and, while i live and die by a cynical mind, i can't have that shit spewed back at mr in my pop music. it's just too far. she cain't sang no matter, anydamnway.
jessie ware + beyonce are the perfect type of milquetoast garbage for these and the exact kind of music i hate.)

sza dominating is, i guess, not going to happen. the curse of the late season album release.

Austin, we finally agree on something music-wise— Sufjan sucks and always has

the same music by a not white person would be rightfully ignored.

kinda boggled at how wrong this is

usually annoyed by the ldr love in these lists but this was far and away her best album imo

Manchester's Piccadilly Records

Piccadilly Records EOY Review Top 100 Albums Of The Year.
https://www.piccadillyrecords.com/counter/feature.php?feature=1378

1 - SLOWDIVE
EVERYTHING IS ALIVE
DEAD OCEANS

2 - NABIHAH IQBAL
DREAMER
NINJA TUNE

selective highlights

10.OVERMONO - GOOD LIES
XL

11. NOURISHED BY TIME - EROTIC PROBIOTIC 2
SCENIC ROUTE

15 - CAROLINE POLACHEK
DESIRE, I WANT TO TURN INTO YOU
PERPETUAL NOVICE

21 - YUSSEF DAYES
BLACK CLASSICAL MUSIC
BROWNSWOOD

23 - THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS
FOR THAT BEAUTIFUL FEELING
EMI

26 - SAY SHE SHE
SILVER
KARMA CHIEF RECORDS

27 - JAMES HOLDEN
IMAGINE THIS IS A HIGH DIMENSIONAL SPACE OF ALL POSSIBILITIES
BORDER COMMUNITY

40 - HARP
ALBION
BELLA UNION

42 - MANDY, INDIANA
I'VE SEEN A WAY
FIRE TALK

45 - GOGO PENGUIN
EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OKAY
XXIM

58 - ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER
AGAIN
WARP

71 - LADYTRON
TIME'S ARROW
COOKING VINYL

80 - SOFIA KOURTESIS
MADRES
NINJA TUNE

82 - ALISON GOLDFRAPP
THE LOVE INVENTION
SKINT

91 - FOREST SWORDS
BOLTED
NINJA TUNE

re:

40 - HARP
ALBION
BELLA UNION

Tim Smith (ex-Midlake) tells us how The Cure, Cocteau Twins, The Sundays & more influenced his solo debut as Harp
https://www.brooklynvegan.com/tim-smith-ex-midlake-tells-us-how-the-cure-cocteau-twins-the-sundays-more-influenced-his-solo-debut-as-harp/

usually annoyed by the ldr love in these lists but this was far and away her best album imo

It’s one of the best albums I’ve ever heard! Like the Big Thief album was last year.

I’m not ashamed to stan for my favorites… I’ve never loved music as much as some of the music I’ve loved in the past 10 years, for whatever reason

sufjan stevens has always been insufferable. time for some good old fashioned racism: the same music by a not white person would be rightfully ignored.

everyone's just going to let this go? i am not a sufjan fan but i'm not sure how "people only like him because he's white" is your main criticism (btw the album is dedicated to his dead black life partner)

i thought this year was great but i spent a lot of time working myself out of my comfort zones

going by my lists the meagerest year in recent memory is 2021. prob for obvious rasons

the same music by a not white person would be rightfully ignored

i don't really have anything to defend here. sufjan will continue to do just fine without my attention. i'm being a bit flippant about it, but it's about time for ol' suffy to get a career ending critical beatdown imo. and i'm sorry/not sorry: most of these feelings i have are about white artists. none of them have anything new or worthwhile to say, but continue to thrive because of their milque-y appeal. gross, no thank you.

I think most of the big year end lists agree with you and white guys ike Sufjannaise are basically outliers at this point

THEY’RE gross, huh?

yes and smelly

none of them have anything new or worthwhile to say

i haven't heard his music in like 20 years, but really? "dae think white people music is bland?!" what year is this? embarrassing posts tbh

"All white artists have nothing to say" is an insane thing to say

i have to just assume that illinois being kinda twee made austin incandescent with rage 18 years ago and he still hasn't recovered or heard anything else by sufjan since then

Austin whenever someone writes an intimate concept album about their dead partner

https://i.etsystatic.com/36270455/r/il/c63a90/4152133450/il_fullxfull.4152133450_fqlf.jpg

we're in "that thing white people do..." territory here, right?

i guess i truly have no idea what austin means by milquetoast because he's also mad at beyonce, who didn't even have an album this year. i have no idea how that makes sense as a criticism of her, and i didn't even care for renaissance that much

I'm all for more bands making albums that sound like Espers II but not sure why Lankum is hitting this year. Is everything ok across the pond? This is some pretty glum sounding stuff.

if by glum you mean "fire is raining from the sky and we are all doomed so let's hold each other to remind ourselves that life had meaning," then yes

I guess Sleaford Mods and 2022 ILM AotY winner Real Lies are milquetoast too? Brb - gonna sell those records and delete from my hard drive

I mean... I wouldn't even let Sleaford Mods anywhere near my hard drive in the first place, but I realize I'm in the minority about that. They aren't milquetoast tho, that's true.

John Robb's Louder than War have unveiled the EoY List

Louder The War Top 100 Albums of the Year 2023
https://louderthanwar.com/louder-than-war-albums-of-2023/

the only top 100 that will include all the following: Crime and the City Solution, Hawkwind, The Damned, Mudhoney, Rhoda Dakar, EBTGirl, Gorillaz, Sparks, Therapy, Orbital, Band of Holy Joy, DJ Shadow and Vince Clarke.

plus some right obscure / esoteric / who are they selections / I never knew this band existed.

Louder Than War’s Albums Of 2023 was compiled with votes from John Robb, Wayne Carey, Iain Key, Ged Babey, Nathan Whittle, Gordon Rutherford, Mark Ray, Jazz Hodge, Audrey Golden, Robin Boardman, Nathan Brown, Paul Scott-Bates, Jim Mumby, Ian Corbridge, Paul Clarke, Christopher Lloyd, Adam Brady, Paul Evangelista, Tim Cooper, Phil Newall, Andy Brown, Paul Grace, James Kilkenny, Neil Crud, Nigel Carr, Tiernan Canon, Melanie Smith, Gus Ironside, and Keith Chapman.

Mostly men (of a certain age) voted.

do they have anything new to say?

Probably very little. Louder than War isn't on my wavelength with that list.

I had no idea Gorillaz released an album this year huh

have any of the lists had fire-toolz or katie dey on them? please wake me up when it is so

or hell, is Big Billy Woods making any hay

or hopefully-ILX-champ Tirzah

god these lists are all such fucking trash

billy woods (and armand hammer) made the gorilla vs bear list. tirzah too, i think

all these lists except gvb are all such fucking trash

rolling stone songs list: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-of-2023-1234879541

not great or anything, but i do appreciate rolling stone for being the only mainstream list to give latin artists the time of day

even just keeping it to pop...jim legxacy, katie gately, hannah diamond, l'rain, anjimile, algiers, alice longyu gao, salvia, ly trang, marina herlop, rxk nephew, hemlocke springs, diana starshine...and those are just the ones I like...there is greatness everywhere and these publications couldn't give a shit, it's fucking foul

hemlocke springs is in the rolling stone list haha, but yes, these names are criminally underrepresented. i think gvb is the only one so far to rank jim legxcy

Never heard of most of the music on the Louder Than War list, but this blurb is an all-time say-nothing champion:

Almost 35 years in, Therapy? have produced an album that surely qualifies as one of their best in a while. There have been ups and downs throughout yet Cairns, McKeegan, and Cooper have pulled off a fine example of anthemic tunes that will leave you wanting more.

"surely qualifies as one of their best in a while" should never publish.

also, absolutely embarrassing posts by Austin

not great or anything, but i do appreciate rolling stone for being the only mainstream list to give latin artists the time of day

― is he disgruntled adrian? (voodoo chili), Friday, December 1, 2023 2:55 PM (twenty-two minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

Always more country than most other lists, too. They try their best to capture the zeitgeist, I guess.

I always forget that Therapy? aren’t a numetal band (#millenial)

Out of morbid curiosity I listened to as much of that Therapy? album as I could take — two and a half songs. It's worse than the new Helmet album, which I had to listen to all the way through to review for The Wire.

hmm... are you guys sure you actually love music?

was surprised to see the Jam City place so high on the Gorilla Vs Bear list, but then remembered that i didn’t listen to anything else for a few weeks this summer— perfect record in certain ways

how is anybody supposed to read the GvB list ... fuck the internet tbh

what's the issue supposed to be

gvb list is more interesting cos it's the work of one person who seems to have a fairly wide (and for better or worse sophisticated) taste and who listens to a lot of obscurities. would still probably rather cut to the chase and see ufo's or vc's personal lists. ah well, not long

one person who should absolutely post here, why don't they post here

Esquire and exclaim! Also have songs lists already.

Here’s the aggregate for songs

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/songs/best/2023/ Hope it works if not add / at the end

imago- probs because of people like me. oops.

(you are very otm tho- these lists have become the antithesis of what they're supposed to be for)

also, absolutely embarrassing posts by Austin

― alpine static, Friday, December 1, 2023 1:14 PM

i'm wondering how many fp i got for that one. not my intention, honestly. just venting. don't mean to upset anyone, but also very militant about how trash some music is. i can't even wrap my head around giving sufjan fucking stevens the time of day in 2023. that's far more embarrassing than any opinion some loser on the internet is posting. i do love music, that's why my patience is so short.

and i will say no more on the matter.

always enjoy an austin vent whether i agree or not - fuck the pile on, you keep doing you imo

i'm probably the board's biggest sufjan fan and i don't really give a shit if you dislike him but if you're going to be a hater at least be a hater about something real instead of this 'people only like him because he's white' bullshit

That's my problem as well, it's how it was stated. I do want to now hear it and I haven't heard a song since probably around that state album

continue staying level headed, bro👊🏻

xp it's a tremendous album, his very best in his singer-songwriter mode (but age of adz is still better of course). if you haven't kept up with him you are missing out

Love you Austin, your one of the best

“but it's about time for ol' suffy to get a career ending critical beatdown imo”

Magical thinking here that artist who is learning how to walk again releases album dedicated to recently deceased partner is going to attract critical vultures

this is his first big critical success in 8 years too, it's not like everything he's done has been critically beloved. before this one i was wondering if he was falling off a bit, but he's still got it and is almost better than ever

ROLLING STONE’S 50 BEST SONGS OF 2023

01 Peso Pluma and Eslabon Armado, ‘Ella Baila Sola’
02 PinkPantheress feat. Ice Spice, ‘Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2’
03 Lana Del Rey, ‘A&W’
04 Zach Bryan feat. Kacey Musgraves, ‘I Remember Everything’
05 Shakira and Bizarrap, ‘Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53’
06 NewJeans, ‘Super Shy’
07 Olivia Rodrigo, ‘Get Him Back!’
08 Lil Yachty, ‘Strike (Holster)’
09 Billie Eilish, ‘What Was I Made For?’
10 Victoria Monét, ‘On My Mama’
11 The Beatles, ‘Now and Then’
12 Miley Cyrus, ‘Flowers’
13 Boygenius, ‘Not Strong Enough’
14 Mannequin Pussy, ‘I Got Heaven’
15 Latto feat. Cardi B, ‘Put It on Da Floor Again’
16 SZA feat. Doja Cat, ‘Kill Bill (Remix)’
17 Davido feat. Musa Keys and Latto, ‘Unavailable’
18 Chappell Roan, ‘Red Wine Supernova’
19 Taylor Swift, ‘Is It Over Now?’
20 Kylie Minogue, ‘Padam Padam’
21 Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny, ‘un x100to’
22 Megan Moroney, ‘Sleep on My Side’
23 Sexyy Red, ‘Skeeyee’
24 Paramore, ‘This Is Why’
25 Doja Cat, ‘Paint the Town Red’
26 Carly Rae Jepsen, ‘Shy Boy’
27 MJ Lenderman, ‘Knockin’
28 Karol G and Shakira, ‘TQG’
29 Omar Apollo, ‘3 Boys’
30 Luke Combs, ‘Fast Car’
31 Reneé Rapp feat. Coco Jones, ‘Tummy Hurts (Remix)’
32 Rosalía and Ruaw Alejandro, ‘Vampiros’
33 Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, ‘Cast Iron Skillet’
34 Quavo feat. Takeoff, ‘Patty Cake’
35 Big Thief, ‘Vampire Empire’
36 Dua Lipa, ‘Houdini’
37 Skrillex, Fred again.., and Flowdan, ‘Rumble’
38 Ayra Starr, ‘Sability’
39 Beyoncé, ‘Cuff It (Wetter Remix)’
40 Central Cee and Dave, ‘Sprinter’
41 Indigo De Souza, ‘Smog’
42 Margo Price, ‘County Road’
43 Young Thug feat. Drake, ‘Oh U Went’
44 The Beths, ‘Watching the Credits’
45 Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar, ‘The Hillbillies’
46 Allison Russell, ‘The Returner’
47 Seventeen, ‘Super’
48 BLP Kosher and BabyTron, ‘Mazel Tron’
49 Katie Von Schleicher, ‘Cranked’
50 Stormzy feat. Fredo, ‘Toxic Trait’

GORILLA VS. BEAR’S TOP 55 ALBUMS OF 2023

01. Nourished by Time – Erotic Probiotic 2
02. ML Buch – Suntub
03. billy woods + Kenny Segal – Maps
04. Laura Groves – Radio Red
05. Helena Deland – Goodnight Summerland
06. André 3000 – New Blue Sun
07. Meagre Martin – Gut Punch
08. Jam City – Jam City Presents EFM
09. Sofia Kourtesis – Madres
10. Being Dead – When Horses Would Run
11. JPEGMAFIA x Danny Brown – Scaring The Hoes
12. Olivia Rodrigo – Guts
13. Tirzah – trip9love…???
14. Jessy Lanza – Love Hallucination
15. NewJeans – Get Up
16. Niecy Blues – Exit Simulation
17. bar italia – Tracey Denim & The Twits
18. Lana Del Rey – Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
19. Avalon Emerson – & the Charm
20. Tujiko Noriko – Crépuscule I & II
21. Marina Zispin – Life and Death – The Five Chandeliers of the Funereal Exorcisms
22. Rainy Miller x Space Afrika – A Grisaille Wedding
23. Armand Hammer – We Buy Diabetic Test Strips
24. Laurel Halo – Atlas
25. Jim Legxacy – hnpm
26. Mandaworld – For Emotional Use Only
27. Voice Actor – Fake Sleep
28. Julie Byrne – The Greater Wings
29. King Krule – Space Heavy
30. Jess Williamson – Time Ain’t Accidental
31. Carlene – Looking Out My Window
32. Oliver Coates – Aftersun OST
33. Jouska – Suddenly My Mind is Blank
34. Oneohtrix Point Never – Again
35. Jonnine – Maritz
36. Lisel – Patterns For Auto​-​Tuned Voices And Delay
37. Patten – Mirage FM
38. Joanne Robertson – Blue Car
39. Fever Ray – Radical Romantics
40. Isola – LP1
41. Sun June – Bad Dream Jaguar
42. John Glacier x Surf Gang – JGSG
43. Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
44. Buzzy Lee – Internal Affairs
45. Andrea – Due in Color
46. a.s.o. – a.s.o.
47. Soccer Committee – ❤️ / Lamb
48. Shabazz Palaces – Robed in Rareness
49. Freak Heat Waves – Mondo Tempo
50. Joanna Sternberg – I’ve Got Me
51. Chuquimamani-Condori – DJ E
52. Abbey Blackwell – My Maze
53. Sufjan Stevens – Javelin
54. NOIA – gisela
55 TDJ – SPF INFINI 3

Rolling Stone’s Top 50 Albums of 2023

01. SZA – SOS
02. boygenius – the record
03. Tainy – DATA
04. Lil Yachty – Let’s Start Here.
05. Olivia Rodrigo – GUTS
06. Paramore – This Is Why
07. Mitski – The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
08. billy woods & Kenny Segal – Maps
09. Victoria Monét – JAGUAR II
10. Zach Bryan – Zach Bryan
11. Blondshell – Blondshell
12. Chappell Roan – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
13. Noname – Sundial
14. KAROL G – MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO
15. Sufjan Stevens – Javelin
16. Becky G – ESQUINAS
17. ANOHNI and the Johnsons – My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross
18. Jessie Ware – That! Feels Good!
19. JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown – SCARING THE HOES
20. Janelle Monáe – The Age of Pleasure
21. Lana Del Rey – Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
22. Young Nudy – Gumbo
23. Christine and the Queens – PARANOÏA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE
24. Kesha – Gag Order
25. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Weathervanes
26. Amaarae – Fountain Baby
27. Wednesday – Rat Saw God
28. Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
29. Kali Uchis – Red Moon In Venus
30. Miley Cyrus – Endless Summer Vacation
31. Model/Actriz – Dogsbody
32. Bad Bunny – nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana
33. NewJeans – Get Up
34. Troye Sivan – Something To Give Each Other
35. Drake – For All The Dogs
36. Water From Your Eyes – Everyone’s Crushed
37. Asake – Work Of Art
38. KAYTRAMINÉ – KAYTRAMINÉ
39. Veeze – Ganger
40. Kara Jackson – Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?
41. U.S. Girls – Bless This Mess
42. Samory-I – Strength
43. Megan Moroney – LUCKY
44. Jenny Lewis – Joy’all
45. Kylie Minogue – Tension
46. Everything But the Girl – Fuse
47. L’Rain – I Killed Your Dog
48. Gunna – a Gift & a Curse
49. Yo La Tengo – This Stupid World
50. Dominic Fike – Sunburn

I know all those have been posted before but I wanted to make it a bit easier to see.

Rolling Stone:

65 The Rolling Stones, ‘Hackney Diamonds’

83 The Rolling Stones feat. Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder, ‘Sweet Sounds of Heaven’

actually sort of sad that the album didn't make it higher.

― djmartian rocks

Thanks for keeping us updated!

Yeah going after Sufjan considering the relentlessly tough year he’s had seems like a particularly low and ill-considered blow. You don’t need to like dude’s music, but maybe find some other way to spend your time than needlessly tearing people down online.

lol that was literally the first post i've ever made about him

Not sure how that’s relevant. Why spend any time at all writing that type of post in the first place?

Tu estas oyendo pwso pluma? Bajale poquito me despertastes

Re: Sufjan, I have empathy for his personal circumstances.

But no one is owed niceness or silence around art that they put into the world— perhaps the emphasis could have been on why some of us don’t care for his music rather than off-kilter (and arguably offensive) taunts, but I really want to push back against the idea that art about an artist’s personal tragedy should be cordoned off from criticism. In a similar vein, art about an artist’s personal tragedy isn’t automatically worthy of praise!

I haven’t listened to the new Sufjan and won’t, as I have never liked anything he has ever done and don’t really see that changing. I hope he recovers and is able to find peace through music and whatever means he finds fit. I just don’t want to listen to it.

celebrity boxing match: sufjan v peso FITE

winner gets aoty

actually a mortal kombat style fighting tournament might be the way to finally get rid of these lists and really put the substance of the music properly on the back burner.

"Artist x would not be successful if they weren't white" is an intrinsically unknowable statement, every white artist benefits from white privilege that's how it works, but I think has been a more valid point of discussion regarding white artists working in majorly Afro-American genres. Within a genre like indie I don't think it can mean anything beyond "I don't think this is very good".

the only privilege I'm seeing in these lists is American privilege (with a side-order of British, fine)

lol you can sub in "the history of popular music in the last 100+ years" for "these lists" and that statement would still be true tbh

Many xposts Oh of course it’s legitimate to criticize an album even if its creator suffered tragedies while making it, but none of the people here dunking on Sufjan are engaging with this particular album. You guys just hate his music in general and expect critics to share your hatred.

Record Collector magazine has an unexpected number one and probably the only magazine to have a Hawkwind album on their list.

https://x.com/sparksofficial/status/1730652009144132089?s=46&t=zQbxLGLurMqWqcXnRpq5zA

List doesn’t appear to be on their website.

I don't expect critics to share my hatred, fwiw— I'm just voicing my dissatisfaction with critical consensus, particularly around artists whose output I find largely mediocre pablum.

I mean more broadly, critical consensus (especially around what I would consider a legacy artist like Sufjan) always needs to be called into question.

Which is part of the fun and frustration of these year-end lists. That's all! (I'm posting like a millennial, apologies)

Fester's Lucky 13: 2023 Year-End Summary
https://fastnbulbous.com/lucky-23/

Spotify Mix | 2023 Breakdown: Genre Lists | Reissues | New OldDiscoveries |  Videos | Television | Books | Fester's Favorite Things

1. Large Plants – The Thorn
2. Spirit Adrift – Ghost at the Gallows
3. Graveyard – 6
4. Baroness – Stone
5. Body Type – Expired Candy
6. Blood Ceremony – The Old Ways Remain
7. Queens Of The Stone Age – In Times New Roman . . .
8. Royal Thunder – Rebuilding the Mountain
9. Lucid Sins – Dancing in the Dark
10. Spidergawd – VII
11. The Tubs – Dead Meat
12. Civic – Taken by Force
13. Geese – 3D Country
14. The Fierce & The Dead – News From the Invisible World
15. Protomartyr – Formal Growth in the Desert
16. Hollow Hand – Your Own Adventure
17. The Church – The Hypnogogue
18. Emile – Spirit
19. David Eugene Edwards – Hyacinth
20. Motorpsycho – Yay!
21. Patio – Collection
22. Witch Ripper – The Fight After the Fall
23. Skull Practitioners – Negative Stars
24. Glass Hammer – Arise
25. The Black Waves – Sonic Maze
26. DoctoR Doom – A Shadow Called Danger
27. Squid – O Monolith
28. White Canyon & The 5th Dimension – Gardeners of the Earth
29. Kanaan – Downpour
30. DIIE – The Right Hand of the Devil
31. Black Helium – UM
32. Mansion – Second Death
33. REZN – Solace
34. Rose City Band – Garden Party
35. Sorcerer – Reign of the Reaper
36. Panopticon – The Rime of Memory
37. Dream Wife – Social Lubrication
38. Egyptian Blue – A Living Commodity
39. Druid Fluids – Then, Now, Again & Again
40. Wytch Hazel – IV: Sacrament
41. Legendry – Time Immortal Wept
42. High Spirits – Safe on the Other Side
43. Narrow Head – Moments of Clarity
44. Peter Gabriel – i/o
45. PJ Harvey – I Inside the Old Year Dying
46. Bas Jan – Back to the Swamp
47. Cable Ties – All Her Plans
48. Ghost Woman – Hindsight is 50/50
49. Do Nothing – Snake Sideways
50. Spiritual Cramp – Spiritual Cramp
51. The Heavy Minds – Beyond Gloom
52. Howling Giant – Glass Future
53. Kanaan – Diversions Vol. 2: Enter the Astral Plane
54. Futuropaco – Fortezza di Vetro Vol. 1
55. The Keening – Little Bird
56. Church Of Misery – Born Under A Mad Sign
57. Flyying Colours – You Never Know
58. Frankie and the Witch Fingers – Data Doom
59. Giöbia – Acid Disorder
60. Restless Spirit – Afterimage
61. Eyelids – A Colossal Waste of Light
62. Edena Gardens – Agar
63. Edena Gardens – Dens
64. Haunt – Golden Arm
65. Rival Sons – Darkfighter
66. Green Lung – This Heathen Land
67. Godthrymm – Distortions
68. Witchskull – The Serpent Tide
69. Holy Wave – Five of Cups
70. The Bright Light Social Hour – Emergency Leisure
71. Bush Tetras – They Live in My Head
72. Nemegata – Voces
73. The Coral – Sea of Mirrors
74. Night Beats – Rajan
75. Lamp of the Universe – Kaleidoscope Mind
76. Vanishing Kids – Miracle of Death
77. Tomb Mold – The Enduring Spirit
78. Travo – Astromorph God
79. Raze Regal & White Denim Inc – Raze Regal & White Denim Inc
80. Godflesh – Purge
81. Maggot Heart – Hunger
82. Me And My Kites – A Safe Trail
83. Teke::Teke – Hagata
84. The Murder Capital – Gigi’s Recovery
85. Blood Lightning – Blood Lightning
86. Krypta – Outo laakso
87. Agusa – Prima Materia
88. RVG – Brain Worms
89. Horrendous – Ontological Mysterium
90. Rain Parade – Last Rays of a Dying Sun
91. Demons My Friends – Demons Seem to Gather
92. Harp – Albion
93. Lankum – False Lankum
94. Another Heaven – IV: Heaven Sent
95. The Loving Paupers – Ladders
96. The Routes – Reverberation Addict
97. Amplifier – Hologram
98. Crown Lands – Fearless
99. Dopelord – Songs for Satan
100. Ritual King – The Infinite Mirror

table otm across the board. i harbor no ill will for sufjan.

(and if we're being transparent here: i remember really enjoying seven swans for a while one summer about a decade ago. haven't played it since, but my memories of it are that it's a really nice album and anyone who made it should be proud.)

For me, Seven Swans and Age of Adz are streets ahead of the rest of his stuff.

even I like AOA!

will get around to the new one eventually

the opening track of the new one is very adz-y and there's lots of little adz-y touches throughout the whole album too, but it's nowhere near as full-on except for the opener

Anyway, Sufjan is Greek

You can be Greek and white.

Ik I was just being a dillhole

i have to just assume that illinois being kinda twee made austin incandescent with rage 18 years ago and he still hasn't recovered or heard anything else by sufjan since then

― ufo, Friday, 1 December 2023 18:35 (yesterday) link

Michigan actually but guilty, pretty much. Well, I heard the two songs in Call me by your name but every time I replay the tearful ending scene in my head, I replace the “visions of Gideon/is it a video?” one with ‘Janitor’ by Suburban Lawns.

lol not even close for me... 18 years ago i was living, eating, and breathing the field mice so if anything, he wasn't twee enough for my bitchass.

there are different varieties of twee, tho.

popbuzz Best Albums of 2023

https://www.popbuzz.com/music/features/best-albums-2023/

Maura Johnston approved Chappell Roan takes Album of the Year

1. Chappell Roan - The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess

riyl 80s pop Madonna, Cyndi Lauper.

xxp but you're right that it isn't tweeness exactly that put me off him, more what i perceived as a kind of piety. it's also quite a drafty record (his voice is very breathy, he's good at notating gusts and flurries) and that can be grating as much as it can be alluring.. idk

like the danielson family were pious in a more overtly religious sense than sufjan, whose piety seemed mainly filial... and that's where his "milquetoast whiteness" becomes a problem for me, i think. because hearing a raving lunatic like deliver this kind of stuff comes across very differently to a boy-next-door

the only things there that are really consistent across sufjan's career are that his voice is breathy and he's religious, quite often more overtly than on michigan, but also often weirder about it

Love this Chappell Roan album! My favorite find from the year-end lists so far.

Dan Nigro's been a busy guy this year huh.

Sputnikmusic - Best Albums of 2023
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/topalbums.php

sputnikmusic is a user music ratings database similar to RYM, with a strong focus on Metal and Rock.

Top 200 Albums are ranked for 2023, currently Panopticon are number 1 with the album, The Rime of Memory.

Bandcamp

Panopticon - The Rime of Memory
https://thetruepanopticon.bandcamp.com/album/the-rime-of-memory

atmospheric black metal

Quietus Albums Of The Year 2023
https://thequietus.com/articles/33662-the-quietus-top-100-albums-of-2023-norman-records

The Quietus Albums Of The Year 2023

summary

1: Lankum – False Lankum
2: PJ Harvey – I Inside The Old Year Dying
3: Teeth Of The Sea ­– Hive
4: La Nòvia – La Baracande
5: John Francis Flynn – Look Over The Wall, See The Sky
6: Musta Huone – Valosaasteen sekaan
7: Khanate – To Be Cruel
8: Abstract Concrete – Abstract Concrete
9: Danny Brown – Quaranta
10: Mariam Rezaei – BOWN
11: Shit And Shine – 2222 And Airport
12: The Inward Circles – Before We Lie Down In Darknesse
13: Brìghde Chaimbuel – Carry Them With Us
14: Slauson Malone 1 – Excelsior
15: Rắn Cạp Đuôi Collective – *1
16: PoiL Ueda – PoiL Ueda
17: Bill Orcutt – The Anxiety Of Symmetry
18: La Tène – Ecorcha / Taillée
19: Surgeon – Crash Recoil
20: Babybaby_explores – Food Near Me, Weather Tomorrow
21: Philip Jeck & Chris Watson – Oxmardyke
22: L'Rain – I Killed Your Dog
23: Shirley Collins – Archangel Hill
24: Lost Girls – Selvutsletter
25: Annelies Monseré – Mares
26: Gazelle Twin – Black Dog
27: Moundabout – An Cnor Mór
28: Apostille – Prisoners Of Love And Hate
29: MC Yallah – Yallah Beibe
30: James Ellis Ford – The Hum
31: Lunch Money Life – The God Phone
32: Nabihah Iqbal – Dreamer
33: Lisa O'Neill – All Of This Is Chance
34: UKAEA – Birds Catching Fire In The Sky
35: Hey Colossus – In Blood
36: Alexander Tucker & Keith Collins – Fifth Continent
37: Yaeji – With A Hammer
38: Aho Ssan – Rhizomes
39: Benefits – Nails
40: Nuovo Testamento – Love Lines
41: Kelela – Raven
42: Babau – Flatland Explorations Vol. 2
43: EP/64-63 – EP/64-63
44: ØXN – CYRM
45: Sleaford Mods – UK GRIM
46: JAAW – Supercluster
47: Skull Practitioners – Negative Stars
48: Raphael Rogiński – Tálan
49: Polobi & The Gwo Ka Masters – Abri Cyclonique
50: Enola Gay – Casement
51: Matana Roberts – Coin Coin Chapter Five: In The Garden
52: Bell Witch – Future's Shadow Part 1: The Clandestine Gate
53: Algiers – Shook
54: O Yama O – Galo
55: Ruth Anderson & Annea Lockwood – Tête-à-tête
56: KMRU – Dissolution Grip
57: Mendoza Hoff Revels – Echolocation
58: Fever Ray – Radical Romantics
59: James Holden – Imagine This Is A High Dimensional Space Of All Possibilities
60: Billy Woods & Kenny Segal – Maps
61: Noname – Sundial
62: a.P.A.t.T. – We
63: Natalia Beylis – Mermaids
64: Cassandra Miller – Traveller Song / Thanksong
65: Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – Land Of Sleeper
66: Sourdurent – L'Herbe De Détourne
67: Flesh & The Dream – Choose Mortality
68: TORPOR – Abscission
69: Årabrot – Of Darkness And Light
70: Sparks – The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte
71: Yfory – Yfory
72: Mozart Estate – Pop-Up! Kerching! And The Possibilities Of Modern Shopping
73: Synthfreq – Vol. 1
74: Nihiloxica – Source Of Denial
75: House Of All – House Of All
76: One More Grain – Modern Music
77: Colin Stetson – When We Were That What Wept For The Sea
78: Nicky Wire – Intimism
79: Jellyskin – In Brine
80: Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter – SAVED!
81: Kevin Richard Martin – Black
82: Yossari Baby – Inferiority Complex
83: Zhao Cong – 55355
84: Stephen O'Malley & Anthony Pateras – Sept duos pour guitare acoustique & piano préparé
85: Spirit Possession – Of The Sign…
86: KASAI – J/P/N
87: Godflesh – Purge
88: Anjimile – The King
89: Moussa Tchingou – Tamiditine
90: DeVon Russell Gray / Nathan Hanson / Davu Seru – We Sick
91: MXLX – Saint
92: Maxo – Even God Has A Sense Of Humor
93: Dodo Resurrection II – A Treatise On Ceremonial Magic
94: The Stargazer's Assistant – Fire Worshipper
95: Rezzett – Meant Like This
96: John Zorn – Homenaje A Remedios Varo
97: ANOHNI And The Johnsons – My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross
98: Oozing Wound – We Cater To Cowards
99: Niecy Blues – Exit Simulation
100: Call Super – Eulo Cramps

an unusually normal top 2 for the quietus!

There's some good stuff on that list that won't be on any other list. There's also a whole load of standard Quietus rubbish. But focusing on the positives, it's good to see Anjimile, Kristin Hayter, James Holden, Algiers and above all MXLX (who won't be on any lists save this one and my own) get props

The Quietus are absolute fiends for promoting their house favourites come what may. Maybe that's a nice thing. If I was in Teeth Of The Sea, Arabrot or Shit And Shine I'd certainly think so lol

Must be some mistake though as I can't see 'Gnod' in there. They must have somehow not released anything this year

Also, that House Of All is fucking rancid. Okay enough out of you lad

oh there's plenty of stuff i've never heard of as usual, at least a little of which should be worthwhile. just surprised at the top 2 being critical favourites for once

the Lankum album is almost precision-designed to win the Quietus AOTY tbf, and PJ Harvey is a sort of looming everpresence behind a lot of UK music (which I have to admit even as a non-fan)

if you want an insight into the parlous, awful state of UK art-rock and experimental atm though, surfing through this will give you some idea. we are dying out here

Good to see Oozing Wound on there. Everybody listen to Oozing Wound.

will give 'em a spin! as i say, i'll try a few not-heard-ofs out from that list just in case.

it always occurs to me that i'd probably be a fair candidate for a quietus contributor if i wasn't always so keen to torch all my bridges with them. DORAN. DORAN I WILL WRITE ABOUT CARDIACS WANNABE BANDS FOR YOU AND YOUR SILLY ZINE

Oozing Wound album is good. Thymme from Cheer-accident features on a few tracks!

the James Holden album was… not very interesting! Best records on there are the Surgeon, Gray/Hanson/Seru, and the Stetson.

The Jellyskin is sounding quite promising 2 tracks in

Upgrade that to 'awesome', bloody hell

At first John Francis Flynn's closing track, a cover of "Dirty Old Town" sounded hapless and made me laugh. Then Shane died and it pretty much represented what I felt.

Benefits - Nails includes a couple members of The Chapman Family, who's Burn Your Town (2011) I liked. But man, more of that shouty Sleaford Mods stuff is rough going. I guess some people find catharsis having someone on too much cocaine/alcohol ranting at their face, spittle flying. I prefer death metal. Or old Chicago faves Oozing Wound!

https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-songs-2023/

delighted we are now at the point where "super shy" is top ten. definitely the wrong olivia rodrigo single in the top ten. still don't get what everyone hears in the second half of "a&w". finally another list with jim legxacy! how did they go for "needs" and not any of tinashe's absolutely brilliant tracks this year

NME TOP 50 songs

https://www.nme.com/features/music-features/best-songs-of-2023-3551141

Every eoy best songs lists so far looking very homogenic at the top and the interesting stuff at the low end.

Guardian, pitchfork, nme and rolling stone have almost the exact same songs in the top 20.

"A&W" deserving of the year's top spot, imo

MXLX (who won't be on any lists save this one and my own)

I actually haven't heard the new one yet, but as the one person who has repeatedly voted for Matt's work over the years, this reads verrrrry snobby to me. "Only I, imago, am visionary enough to understand this." Okay, well, just ignore me then!

Yeah like “A&W” but I’m suspicious of liking it now haha

Would love to see any lists that don’t look like they were paid off by the same 100 PR groups. Where do all the amateur music critics of the 00s homegrown blogs broadcast their taste these days?

Here.

I actually haven't heard the new one yet, but as the one person who has repeatedly voted for Matt's work over the years, this reads verrrrry snobby to me. "Only I, imago, am visionary enough to understand this." Okay, well, just ignore me then!

― emil.y, Monday, 4 December 2023 15:43 (twenty-five minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

Oh I know you've been a fan! Just, this album had a totally botched and stupid release and I just assumed basically nobody had heard it because of this, it has 3 RYM ratings total! You should absolutely grab hold of it!

I did ramble on about it quite a lot a month ago to crickets :p

I mean the number of people I've tried to get to listen to his Won't album (about 20) rather exceeds the number who actually have (0), he's a hard sell!

There still some 00s blogs with great eoy selections:

Said the Gramophone, gorilla vs bear, raven sings the blues, aquarium drunkard…

Looking forward to the Boomkat lists

Really enjoying the a.P.A.t.T. album from the Quietus list. It's only taken them 20 years but they've made something that doesn't have me rolling my eyes (much). Full of great tunes even!

Love this Chappell Roan album! My favorite find from the year-end lists so far.

― a man often referred to in the news media as the Duke of Saxony (tipsy mothra), Sunday, December 3, 2023 12:35 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

Dan Nigro's been a busy guy this year huh.

― a man often referred to in the news media as the Duke of Saxony (tipsy mothra), Sunday, December 3, 2023 12:40 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

seconded

this album had a totally botched and stupid release and I just assumed basically nobody had heard it because of this, it has 3 RYM ratings total! You should absolutely grab hold of it!

Aye, okay, that makes a lot more sense. Think I'm being massively oversensitive as well, so fair dos. I will seek it out.

The big question for me is whether all of ilx will hate me if I nominate five+ songs from this year's Eurovision for the EoY poll. It was a good year!

all good xp!

always up for eurovision nominations, think i even voted for one once without knowing it was eurovision (go_a)

Ted Gioia:

https://www.honest-broker.com/p/the-best-recordings-of-2023-honorable

Cabbages (best hip hop albums)

https://www.cabbageshiphop.com/best-hip-hop-rap-albums-2023/

I fucking love Go_A - they played London earlier this year and I told myself I would go but I'm too goddamned tired and brain-fucked these days to do travelling to gigs. Released a couple of tracks this year that I may well nom (but I'm not counting them as Eurovision any more).

xxp

Treblezine top 100 songs

https://www.treblezine.com/the-100-best-songs-of-2023/

Xps cha cha cha will be in my track vote

Benefits - Nails includes a couple members of The Chapman Family, who's Burn Your Town (2011) I liked. But man, more of that shouty Sleaford Mods stuff is rough going. I guess some people find catharsis having someone on too much cocaine/alcohol ranting at their face, spittle flying. I prefer death metal. Or old Chicago faves Oozing Wound!

― Fastnbulbous, Monday, 4 December 2023 14:22 (two hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

this is one of the worst things i have ever heard, ever

i didn't realize A&W was so beloved

you can get veggie burgers there, which is helpful

Revolver - 30 Best Albums of 2023
https://www.revolvermag.com/music/30-best-albums-2023

including albums by Baroness, Blackbraid, Queens of the Stone Age.

a rather disappointing list overall.

Allmusic Year in Review
Top 100 Albums of 2023
https://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review

has started first up its:

100 Highlighted 2023 Albums unranked in A-Z order

I did ramble on about it quite a lot a month ago to crickets

I’m crickets

Consequence 50 Best Albums of 2023
https://consequence.net/2023/12/consequence-50-best-albums-of-2023-list/6/

a different number 1 at Consequence

01. Yves Tumor — Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume

this yves tumor album was a step down, imo

first part of Bandcamp's Best Albums of 2023

bandcamp Best Albums of 2023 A-E
https://daily.bandcamp.com/best-of-2023/the-best-albums-of-2023-a-e

https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-songs-2023

25. Cole Pulice: “If I Don’t See You in the Future, I’ll See You in the Pasture”
For the uninitiated, it may seem like Cole Pulice is simply leaning their forearm on all the white keys of an organ before wailing on a saxophone across this very long song. But what you are actually hearing is all saxophone, including its sound being manipulated through signal processing live in the studio by the Oakland-based electro-acoustic composer’s feet. The auditory illusion fits the mood of the piece: liminal, transitory, extremely trippy. Pulice saves the best for the end, when they repeat a squiggly little pitch-bendy riff over and over: As the production is stripped away, they intimately struggle with their altissimo register, like they’re trying to crawl back into the last 22 minutes of a dream slipping away from memory. –Jeremy D. Larson

I used to babysit this kid. Good for them!

a list from the UK music website, The Line of Best Fit

The Line of Best Fit - Albums of the Year
https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/features/articles/2023-best-albums-ranked

AOTY Summary - The Line of Best Fit - Albums of the Year
https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2131-the-line-of-best-fits-best-albums-of-the-year-2023/

Number 1 Kara Jackson - Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?

Good number 1

Bristol's Crack Magazine presents their albums of the year

essential reading, plenty of interesting leftfield choices on this list to explore further.

Crack Magazine - The Top 50 Albums of the Year

https://crackmagazine.net/article/list-article/best-albums-2023/

number 1 from imago approved:

Jim Legxacy
Homeless N**** Pop Music
(!)

shocked (in a good way) to see vayda up there. fun list, probably my favorite so far

Oh! that Crack list has a lot of albums I loved that I haven’t seen in any other list yet. Yeah probably my fave so far.

Do they also do a songs list? Interested on seeing what they rank there too.

crickets, and fgti saying he was a really diamond bloke and then not listening to the album ;)

Bandcamp list usually has some good stuff on it...

Crack did a top 25 tracks list last year. So we just have to wait.

now that's a worthy #1, plenty of other stuff that looks interesting on that list too

Oh yeah! Looking at Crack’s top tracks for previous years and they have made some great choices in the past. Don’t remember paying attention before but I guess I love Crack.

paste singles: https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/best-songs/100-best-songs-of-2023

pretty high placement for jim legxcy on this one too, which surprised me

Crack list is great. Great to see John Twells and Chal Ravens contributing, they were both mainstays at Fact magazine back when it was worth reading

Cabbages (best hip hop albums)

https://www.cabbageshiphop.com/best-hip-hop-rap-albums-2023/

― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Monday, December 4, 2023 10:37 AM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

cool list but they are griselda pilled sickos, by far conway and westside gunn's worst albums ever place high, and i like estee nack but it wasn't that exceptional. lots of cool stuff though and some i haven't heard of.

Weird to see “Daddy” as the consensus track pick for Nourished by Time. Happy to see them represented at all and I like that one, but it didn’t seem to me like the particular highlight (the fields, rain water promise or soap party are superior imho)

Paste EPs of the year also has some good choices

https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/best-eps/30-best-eps-of-2023

cabbages usually highlights the most boring rap in the game today, but he did include the h31r album which is so so good

when it's too boring for me you got problems pal

i did like h31r a lot

there's a better al divino album (with raheim supreme) that i love which didn't make the list

i found the griseldaxfr reddit this year and honestly it ruined the whole thing for me, a more demented group of weirdos you'll never meet. obsessing about real hip hop then someone says "oh i didn't know cee lo green rapped" and obsessing about $500 t-shirt drops then complaining when the t-shirt stars falling apart right away

One album I'm not seeing on ANY list so far is Hit Parade. Not surprised, but it did land some really positive reviews. Wonder if it will make Pitchfork's list.

oh ha - it made the first one posted here, MOJO, but I can't seem to find it even honorably mentioned on https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/summary/2023/ so that might be the only one?

https://www.npr.org/2023/12/05/1211225533/best-albums-2023

npr list is unranked this year (boo!)

Sort of unranked. The crowns to the left that they gave to some albums is sort of a guide on their actual top 20.

https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-albums-2023/

oh of course sza is the consensus pick given she wasn't quite eligible last year

they're way overrating that yeule album though, 10000 gecs too.

I thought this was a solid year for music, but I'd rank any of my top 3 albums of 2022 (Dragon, Motomami, SOS) ahead of any album I heard in 2023.

Here’s Stereogum

https://www.stereogum.com/2243925/best-albums-2023/lists/year-in-review/2023-in-review/

hey there's a Tubs appearance!

nice to see the Ratboy love too

Even the Wire’s list was pretty boring this year. For what I’ve seen described multiple places as a great year for music there really wasn’t much of interest for me.

Crack list is great. Great to see John Twells and Chal Ravens contributing, they were both mainstays at Fact magazine back when it was worth reading

― blazin' squab (NickB), Monday, December 4, 2023 3:59 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

Chal has a new podcast btw: https://notagspodcast.substack.com/

it feels like there is more consensus than usual, and that i disagree more than usual about which albums deserve to be consensus favorites.

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/summary/2023/

looking at the top 20 in aggregate and maybe 3-4 would be among my 50 favorites of the year? and one of them came out in 2022

the editor of The Wire magazine, Derek Walmsley has recently announced his departure. Does anyone know who the new editor is?

the editor of The Wire magazine, Derek Walmsley has recently announced his departure. Does anyone know who the new editor is?

No one's been hired yet as far as I know.

I submitted an all-metal ballot to The Wire's critics' poll, so none of my choices made the top 50. But all Wire readers (and everyone, really) should check out Spirit Adrift's Ghost at the Gallows and GridLink's Coronet Jupiter, at least, because they're amazing records.

I was actually kinda surprised that the Hawkwind Space Ritual 50th anniversary box set didn't place on The Wire's reissues chart (that was my #1 pick).

So in the end Pitchfork did hop off the “hit parade” train lol

Time Out tracks list probably my least favorite so far, they did pick my favorite Newjeans song off that ep.

https://www.timeout.com/music/the-23-best-songs-of-2023

Any list with “I’m just Ken” feels like shitposting to me.

Kinda funny that Sufjan is #1 on the aggregate list, but with zero first places in polls

And I guess Lankum is out of the top 10 despite 3 first places

i-d magazine is now owned by supermodel Karlie Kloss after Vice media bankruptcy.

i-d magazine 100 best songs of 2023
https://i-d.vice.com/en/article/k7zkjv/the-100-best-songs-of-2023

Number 1
caroline polachek - i believe

xp, Sufjan has 2x as many top 10 rankings though

I'm not questioning the math. It's just interesting that you could have the album of the year without topping any polls.

Seems emblematic of 2023 in a way

Any list with “I’m just Ken” feels like shitposting to me.

And then there's this...

1. ‘Now and Then’ – The Beatles
The best new song of the year is by a peppy beat combo named the Beatles. Despite their silly, punny name, the band – on the strength of this cut – has real potential. What initially sounds like a maudlin plodder soon reveals itself to be a song with flashes of true ingenuity. You’ll find yourself returning to its beguiling charms again and again, thanks to the lead singer’s (one ‘John Lennon’) deceptively clever melody. Does it sound like it’s been arranged and performed by a computer? A bit. But the sound of humanity, an enduring, psycho-spiritual fraternity, calling out from beyond the AI algo-void is perhaps what makes it so affecting. Now can we have a version without the cloying string section?

Wire’s #1 left me absolutely baffled. Only explanation I can think of is that it’s the Keke Rosberg of this year’s albums.

Stereogum goes MS Paint > Hotline TNT > Militarie Gun > Ratboys in the top 10

i appreciate it!

Kinda funny that Sufjan is #1 on the aggregate list, but with zero first places in polls

― Beyond Goo and Evol (President Keyes), Tuesday, December 5, 2023 9:29 AM

when eoy stuff starts behaving like the electoral college, i'm happy staying ignorant and jamming 90s japanese indie til infinity.

Chal has a new podcast btw

Ah thanks Jordan, I didn't know about that at all! She's the best!

Kansas based, Impose magazine

https://www.imposemagazine.com/music/the-top-50-albums-of-2023

Number 1
JPEGMAFIA X DANNY BROWN – SCARING THE HOES

Number 2
DJ SABRINA THE TEENAGE DJ – DESTINY

George Clanton in the Top 10 at 8
Jane Remover 20

probably the most overlap I've seen with RYM's top 50 right now

Cardiff based music website, God is in the TV

"God is in the TV is an online music and culture fanzine founded in Cardiff by the editor Bill Cummings in 2003. GIITTV Bill has developed the site with the aid of a team of sub-editors and writers from across Britain, covering a wide range of music from unsigned and independent artists to major releases."

part 1 100-51 Albums of the year

https://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/2023/12/05/giittv-albums-of-the-year-for-2023-100-50/

Welsh artists such as Overmono and Bethan Lloyd are included.

Haven't seen the actual issue (probably won't for a few months) nor anything "official", but if the list I saw is correct that is indeed an unexpected #1 choice for Wire. An incredibly good album, but would not have predicted that.

whoever engineered and mixed that Hotline TNT album should be thrown in prison

did someone post The Wire list? what is this mysterious #1 you're all referring to?

one artist / album I expected to be doing better on EOY lists, Laura Groves - Radio Red.

Hasn't made an impact with US music websites.

I think this the first time that my #1 was The Wire’s #1!

Rob, if you Google “the wire best albums of 2023” the list will reveal itself to you quickly.

I expected more love for Tinashe but whatever

link

The Wire Top 50 Releases of 2023
https://www.yearendlists.com/2023/wire-top-50-releases-of-2023

thanks djmartian, duckduckgo was failing me

the wire's #1 is yo la tengo's this stupid world

bandcamp albums part 2 F-K

https://daily.bandcamp.com/best-of-2023/the-best-albums-of-2023-f-k

they got that right xp

vultures Best Albums of 2023 (Top 10)

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2143-vultures-best-albums-of-2023/

Number 1. Sampha - Lahai

treble 50 Best Albums of 2023
https://www.treblezine.com/50-best-albums-of-2023/

1. Ratboys – The Window

nice to see Ragana and Meg Baird get some love on that list

whoever engineered and mixed that Hotline TNT album should be thrown in prison

― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 5 December 2023 2:54 PM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

sounds great on my headphones

Time - Best Albums 2023

Article by Maura Johnston

https://time.com/6340131/best-albums-2023/

Number 1. Kali Uchis, Red Moon In Venus

Chappell Roan at 4

if your looking for a brilliantly produced 2023 rock album, check this album out:

Mondo Drag - Through the Looking Glass

https://mondodrag.bandcamp.com/album/through-the-hourglass

released September 15, 2023

John Gamiño - Vocals, Synthesizer, Organ, Piano
Nolan Girard - Synthesizer, Guitar
Jimmy Perez - Drums, Percussion
Conor Riley - Bass, Vocals
Jake Sheley - Guitar

All music written and performed by Mondo Drag
Lyrics written by John Gamiño

Engineered by Phill Becker at El Studio, San Francisco
Additional Recordings by the band at their studio, Oakland
Mastered by Nick Townsend at Townsend Mastering

yardbreaker - The 50 Best Albums of 2023
https://www.yardbarker.com/entertainment/articles/the_50_best_albums_of_2023/s1__39624312

stop the clock, Imago faves

36: Fire-Toolz: "i am upset because I see something that is not there."

a unique
Number 1 Sam Wilkes: "Driving"

xpost - didn't expect to see a Mondo Drag shout out here, nice djmartian. that's a good one.

the yo la tengo album is great but it's way too normal to be the wire's #1

feel like ilm's own raymondcummings had a part in that

one artist / album I expected to be doing better on EOY lists, Laura Groves - Radio Red.

Hasn't made an impact with US music websites.

― djmartian, Tuesday, December 5, 2023 3:00 PM (three hours ago)

Earth to Mars:

Allmusic Year in Review
Top 100 Albums of 2023
https://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review

has started first up its:

100 Highlighted 2023 Albums unranked in A-Z order

― djmartian, Monday, December 4, 2023 2:42 PM

gorilla vs bear had laura groves very high up but it just seemed to get very little critical attention at all for whatever reason

lol

I’m more excited to see the individual Wire lists than usual now

Also, there was an AMM album this year?

AMM'S Rowe, Prevost + Tilbury released Last Calls in honor of Prevost's 80th birthday this year, on Matchless Records. I have not heard it

So Pitchfork’s writers have apparently decided that Latinx music is old news or something, I guess? Am I missing anyone other than Sofia Kourtesis on the albums list?

does kali uchis count?

there's a bunch of in the tracks list, but they didn't bnm any latin pop albums this year, nor did any really seem to get much english-language critical acclaim elsewhere

I love Yo La Tengo's This Stupid World. I don't know about it being #1 on the Wire list, but it transports me back to 1990-2000, where they tempered their psychedelic and noise preferences with their innate pastoral sense - specifically with Fakebook, which is still an astonishing album and my favorite of theirs, but also with all of their other 90s albums, May I Sing With Me, Painful, Electr-O-Pura, I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One , and 2000's And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out

someone I decided to unfollow on blusky bitched about how this was the worst, most pretentious top ten list he'd ever seen. It strikes me as exactly what I'd expect from the New Yorker (lol at sufjan...what do I know, it's probably really good, I should listen to it).

The New Yorker

1. ANOHNI and the Johnsons, “My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross” (Secretly Canadian)
2. Sufjan Stevens, “Javelin” (Asthmatic Kitty Records)
3. Oneohtrix Point Never, “Again” (Warp)
4. Pharoah Sanders, “Pharoah” (Luaka Bop)
5. Lana Del Rey, “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd” (Interscope Records)
6. Noname, “Sundial” (self-released)
7. Peter Garland, “The Basketweave Elegies” (Cold Blue Music)
8. Lonnie Holley, “Oh Me Oh My” (Jagjaguwar)
9. Amaarae, “Fountain Baby” (Interscope Records)
10. PJ Harvey, “I Inside the Old Year Dying” (Partisan Records)
11. Bonnie “Prince” Billy, “Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You” (Drag City)
12. The National, “First Two Pages of Frankenstein” (4AD)

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/2023-in-review/the-best-music-of-2023

i highly encourage everyone (even the haters) to actually give the sufjan album a listen because it rules. at the very least he deserves better haters

that top 12 does indeed bring me out in a rash, but sufjan one of the less objectionable things on it

Yardbarker list has all the peccadillos of a list devised by an individual person who's listened to a lot of music from 2023, and there are a few things I'd certainly check out in it. Yet another for the 'I can't believe he doesn't post to ILX' pile. Unless he, like, does, idk

the yardbarker list is so wildly all over the place it's probably the weirdest list i've seen

Lol I was like “… oh I quite like this list”

Also that Sam Wilkes album is ace

The DPRP Writers Top 10 Albums of 2023
https://weekendprog.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-dprp-writers-top-10-albums-of-2023.html?m=1

"To wrap-up this year, we asked 11 of the prog-scribes at DPRP.net to select their Top 10 albums of the year. This is the list of each reviewer's selections.

Scroll down to see what your favourite reviewers have selected (in alphabetical order), and to see how many of your top albums have made our lists!

Showing the strength-in-depth of the current progressive genre, only four albums made it into the lists of more than two writers'."

progressive rock

always good to be reminded that there is a vast universe of bad music out there. also fucking hell there was an explosions in the sky record in 2023 lol

The Piccadilly Records Vinyl Compilation 2023
https://www.piccadillyrecords.com/counter/feature.php?feature=1390

Tracklisting
Side A:
Slowdive “Kisses”
Catatonic Suns “Failsafe”
Nabihah Iqbal “Dreamer”
Beach Fossils “Don’t Fade Away”
Bar Italia “Nurse!”
John “Service Stationed”
Side B:
Jungle Featuring Erick The Architect “Candle Flame”
Overmono “Good Lies”
Matthew Halsall “Mountains, Trees And Seas”
JIM “Phoenix”
J-Walk “Cool Bright Northern Morning”
Jalen Ngonda “Come Around And Love Me”

always good to be reminded that there is a vast universe of bad music out there. also fucking hell there was a sufjan stevens record in 2023 lol

― imago, Wednesday, December 6, 2023 2:10 AM

ftfy

(don't lose your sense of humor)

well i guess the better haters aren’t showing up anytime soon

whoever engineered and mixed that Hotline TNT album should be thrown in prison

yard barker list is the first (i think) to include that gorgeous hayden pedigo album

Digging yard barker list, it has albums at the top that I don’t think I’ll see anywhere else and even though it’s very eclectic the ones from genres or artists I follow are good selections. I assume the same is true for the genres I don’t follow.

At least with the New Yorker list it clearly comes across as one person's taste (Amanda Petrusich, right?), even if it doesn't jibe w/ my own--I personally prefer those sorts of lists to a consensus/tabulated one

Crack The Top 25 Tracks of the Year
https://crackmagazine.net/article/list-article/best-songs-2023/

"The 25 best songs of 2023, according to Crack Magazine. From viral singles and chart-climbing hits to summer sizzlers, synergistic fusions and club anthems with pop sensibilities, these are the tracks we just couldn’t shake this year."

Number 1
Hudson Mohawke, Nikki Nair, Tayla Parx
Set the Roof
Warp

Rosy Overdrive Top 100 Albums of 2023
https://rosyoverdrive.com/tag/best-of-year/

putting this here bc RO seems to be the last music blog left that seems to actually listen to all submissions and give exposure to bands without publicist/label support. it's pretty indie rock-oriented so not for everyone but at least it's a largely different list from everyone else. (also my band is on the list ;))

also it's named after a Loud Family song (that I listened to earlier today) so I'm instantly well-disposed lol

which band is yours, NA?

#25

yup

Pitchfork Best Rock Albums of 2023
https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-rock-albums-2023/

37 albums listed

"The year in indie rock, punk, singer-songwriter and solo guitar music, shoegaze, metal, and everything in between."

Uncut Magazine

The Best Albums Of 2023 – the Editor’s picks
By
Michael Bonner

https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/blogs/the-best-albums-of-2023-the-editors-picks-144523/

Congrats NA, didn’t know and will listen!

that's awesome NA!

thanks dudes

Billboard Top 50 Albums of 2023
https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-albums-2023/

Number 1
Olivia Rodrigo, Guts

Should Billboard even be publishing a "Best" Albums of 2023 list? Shouldn't their list be 100% sales-based? Or sales plus streaming stats, whatever? They're Billboard; they're not supposed to be about judging artistic quality.

KCRW

broadcasting from the campus of Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California, where the station is licensed. KCRW airs original news and music programming in addition to programming from NPR and other affiliates.

KCRW Best Albums of 2023
https://www.kcrw.com/best-of-2023/best-of-2023/best-albums

23 Albums

Number 1
Say She She - Silver

p4k has a very broad definition of rock this year

part 3

bandcamp Best Albums of 2023 L- R
https://daily.bandcamp.com/best-of-2023/the-best-albums-of-2023-l-r

Pleased to see that the Craven Faults lp is included in the Uncut editor's pick

Who's running the 2023 ILM polls? I'm assuming Moka and?

Going by history it should be close to opening.

seandalai too but that part is a given.

JF is gone so I guess it’s only seandalai and me this year… I’ll start a thread tomorrow, let me check with seandalai if he’s in too!

Oh wait seandalai is the one who usually starts the noms and voting threads… let me get in touch.

You should ask the board for help? It's seems like a lot for one person and there has always been two, or at least since I have been here.

Thanks Moka You're amazing!

If seandalai is in with his ballot hoodoo voodoo magic I think we can run it… I might need some help with the spotify/tidal/whatever playlists as those tend to get massive and take a lot of time to have every nom added… we’ll see…

ilx mailed too, but lmk if i can help

This is what I'm saying. I think one person for tracks and one person for albums is the way to go. Each person has brought their own personality and forksclovetofu are some Big shoes to fill. No offense to what you brought to the table Moka.

Just more please

Textura’s EoY lists (Classical, Jazz and Ambient categories), as ususal there’s zero overlap with anyone else:

https://www.textura.org/archives/articles/2023picks.htm

For the country fans, Holler's Top 25

https://holler.country/lists/hollers-albums-of-the-year-2023

#1 søn of dad - Stephen Wilson Jr.

AOTY summary

The Wire's Releases of the Year 2023
https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2156-the-wires-releases-of-the-year-2023/

It's not Pitchfork, but my album is in this nice Canadian person's best-of blog:

https://musicregular.substack.com/p/issue-332-dec-2023

Also Eddie Chacon, ML Buch (which I've been seeing pop up a lot lately, need to give it a real listen), and some other records that look interesting.

Ty Austin! Seandalai hasn’t wrote back… let me wait with him and I’ll write you to organize how we can work it out!

Sean’s Said the Gramophone”100 best songs of 2023” is out and is great as usual

https://www.saidthegramophone.com/archives/best_songs_of_2023.php

Great #1. Love how that song fits within the album, too.

I haven’t really been following ANOHNI’s career, didn’t expect to hear such a groovy song coming from her.

Did we ever compile the top 50 albums lists? Like is there a spreadsheet or something?

Concrete Islands: https://concreteislands.com/concrete-islands-albums-of-the-year-2023/

^ the first list i've seen with the incredible chief adujah album

thanks moka!!

long running music blog,

mapped by what surrounded them - 2023 Favorite songs
https://mappedbywhatsurroundedthem.blogspot.com/2023/12/2023-favorite-songs.html?m=1

many choices that align with ilm. how many of these 50 will make the ilm top 77.

a Spotify playlist link is included.

includes tracks from:

jesse ware, slowdive, depeche mode, eartheater, kylie, carly rae jepson, tinashe, lloyd cole, blondshell, art school girlfriend, shygirl, alison goldfrapp.

RA 2023 in Review: What's pop got to do with it?
https://ra.co/features/4027

"Love them or hate them, pop edits were present on the dance floor (and the timeline) this year. We round up some of the best."

Pitchfork - Best Electronic Music of 2023
https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-electronic-music-2023/

electronic / dance music

beatportal the 50 best tracks of 2023
https://www.beatportal.com/features/the-50-best-tracks-of-2023/

"With the help of our contributors, we celebrate the 50 best tracks of 2023.
So, how did we compile this list? None of the songs chosen are based on sales. Instead, we reached out to Beatportal contributors from across the world, and they helped our editorial staff pick the 50 best tracks of 2023, which are listed below in no particular order."

music blogger, Absymal Hymns provides many genre top 10s, including this one covering punk

the Top 10 Punk Albums of 2023

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-top-10-punk-albums-of-2023.html?m=1

including Final Gasp who meld metal, hardcore and goth together. The vocalist at times sounds exactly like Jaz Coleman. Highly recommended.

3-Final Gasp- "Mourning Moon"

"This Boston band, falls back into the late 80s when bands like TSOL and Die Kruzen took a darker turn in a more shadow-drenched direction. They are more aggressive than most bands going in this direction and take me back to a place in music that I hold close to my black heart. "

bandcamp:

Final Gasp - Mourning
https://finalgasp.bandcamp.com/album/mourning-moon

Metal Injection Top 20 Albums of 2023

https://metalinjection.net/lists/best-of-2023/metal-injections-top-20-albums-of-2023

UK music website/ magazine DIY

DIY’S ALBUMS OF THE YEAR 2023

https://diymag.com/feature/diy-albums-of-the-year-2023

Number 1

CAROLINE POLACHEK - DESIRE, I WANT TO TURN INTO YOU

^ the first list i've seen with the incredible chief adujah album
― kissinger on my list (voodoo chili), Friday, December 8, 2023 12:24 AM (eleven hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Listening now, very nice, a similar voice and soul to Lonnie Holley, but more energetic.

Creeper's Sanguivore is Metal Hammer's album of the year

https://www.loudersound.com/news/c?utm_content=louder&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com

Metal Hammer's 50 best albums of 2023
1. Creeper - Sanguivore
2. Avenged Sevenfold - Life Is But A Dream...
3. Code Orange - The Above
4. Sleep Token - Take Me Back To Eden
5. Metallica - 72 Seasons
6. Svalbard - The Weight Of The Mask
7. Tesseract - The War Of Being
8. Green Lung - This Heathen Land
9. Baroness - Stone
10. Royal Thunder - Rebuilding The Mountain
11. Myrkur - Spine
12. Cattle Decapitation - Terrasite
13. Urne - A Feast For Sorrow
14. Empire State Bastard - Rivers Of Heresy
15. VV - Neon Noir
16. Godflesh - Purge
17. Wytch Hazel - IV: Sacrament
18. Skindred - Smile
19. Katatonia - Sky Void Of Stars
20. Primordial - How It Ends
21. Vexed - Negative Energy
22. Twin Temple - God Is Dead
23. Obituarty - Dying Of Everything
24. Blood Command - World Domination
25. Dødheimsgard - Black Medium Current
26. Tomb Mold - The Enduring Spirit
27. Enslaved - Heimdal
28. Pupil Slicer - Blossom
29. Periphery - V: Djent Is Not A Genre
30. Grave Pleasures - Plagueboys
31. Oxbow - Love's Holiday
32. Blackbraid - Blackbraid II
33. Ken Mode - Void
34. Within Temptation - Bleed Out
35. Sylosis - A Sign Of Things To Come
36. Maggot Heart - Hunger
37. Voyager - Fearless In Love
38. Zulu - A New Tomorrow
39. Mutoid Man - Mutants
40. Orbit Culture - Descent
41. KK's Priest - The Sinner Rides Again
42. Khanate - To Be Cruel
43. Hellripper - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags
44. Foo Fighters - But Here We Are
45. Spirit Adrift - Ghost At The Gallows
46. Ahab - The Coral Tombs
47. Horrendous - Ontological Mysterium
48. Burner - It All Returns To Nothing
49. Cannibal Corpse - Chaos Horrific
50. Blood Ceremony - The Old Ways Remain

UK music mag, Retro Pop

Retro Pop Magazine - new issue Best of 2023 now on sale
https://x.com/retropopmag/status/1733075764898115847?s=20

Alison Goldfrapp takes album of the year.

Have there really been no lists with Kate NV or Decisive Pink? Been looking and not seen their names anywhere.

'Wow' was in one list, can't remember which

the kate nv album was on the crack list and the slant list

latest section from bandcamp

bandcamp The Best Albums of 2023: S – Z
https://daily.bandcamp.com/best-of-2023/the-best-albums-of-2023-s-z

coming up today
December 8: 2023’s Essential Releases

highly recommended album from the bandcamp review

Temple of Angels - Endless Pursuit

Few albums this year balanced the sweet and sinister quite like Endless Pursuit, Temple of Angels‘s debut album. Melodically, the Austin band resembles a dream pop outfit from the dark side of the moon, reared on Sisters of Mercy’s gothic romance and My Bloody Valentine’s glorious mess. Simultaneously, their spring-tight rhythm section, a byproduct of its members’ hardcore roots, provides the structure and counterbalance necessary to keep those euphoric soundscapes aloft. (Don’t miss the balancing act on “Tangled In Joy.”) Abetted by some of the most in-demand producers and engineers of the moment—Will Yip (Turnstile, Citizen, Title Fight) handled the mix—Temple of Angels have given us radiant guitar music suitable for punks, goths, bloomers, doomers, and everyone in between.

bandcamp link

Temple of Angels - Endless Pursuit
https://templeofangels.bandcamp.com/album/endless-pursuit

Billboard - The 100 Best Songs of 2023: Staff Picks
Our 100 favorite songs from a year where "pop" could mean just about anything.
https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-songs-2023/?curator=MediaREDEF

number 1
SZA, "Kill Bill"

number 41
Kylie Minogue, "Padam Padam"

why was the picked when tension was far superior?

number 77
MUNA, "The One That Got Away"

will this Muna track feature in the top 77 ilm tracks

number 94
The Last Dinner Party, "Nothing Matters"

yesterday they were also announced:

The Last Dinner Party: Who are the BRITs Rising Star 2024 winners?
https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-last-dinner-party-who-are-the-brits-rising-star-2024-winners/

Slant Magazine's 50 Best Albums of 2023
https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2158-slant-magazines-50-best-albums-of-2023/

https://www.slantmagazine.com/lists/the-50-best-albums-of-2023/

1. Lana Del Rey - Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd

10. Kate NV - WOW

45. Susanne Sundfør - blómi

Seconded on Temple of Angels. They sound like a band that might have once gotten rotation on 120 Minutes (in a good way). Great vocalist.

NME's Best Albums of 2023
https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2161-nmes-best-albums-of-2023/

https://www.nme.com/features/music-features/best-albums-2023-3554171

Number 1: 1. boygenius - the record

7. Sofia Kourtesis - Madres

25. Loraine James - Gentle Confrontation

popmatters THE 80 BEST ALBUMS OF 2023
https://www.popmatters.com/the-best-albums-of-2023

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2160-popmatters-80-best-albums-of-2023/

1. Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good!

Glad to see Madres placing

makes a change from 20 years ago when we had that idiot Conor McNicholas in charge of the NME, the bleak landfill years.

That slant list with a rare (and low) placing for Roisin Murphy

why was the picked when tension was far superior?

"padam padam" was the hit though i still don't really understand how or why

Still Listening magazine, new music website, that I was previously unaware of.

UK based formed in 2020
https://twitter.com/MagazineStill

still listening magazine - The Top 50 Albums Of 2023
https://www.stilllisteningmagazine.com/features/the-top-50-albums-of-2023

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2163-still-listenings-top-50-albums-of-2023/

1) JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown - Scaring The Hoes

djmartian, how do you choose your "selected highlights"?

just quick notes, personal faves of mine and/or previous ilm faves or artists that others have mentioned on this thread.

Creeper's Sanguivore is Metal Hammer's album of the year

Huzzah! Definitely in my top 10. It's so ridiculous and grand and committed to the bit. And hooks in every song.

For those who care about the horserace, LDR has slipped to 5 and Boygenius has taken the lead

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/summary/2023/

I was not aware that people thought the boygenius record was all that.

it got very good reviews so that isn't surprising but i still don't quite understand the hype. it's not as strong or interesting as any of their solo work, less than the sum of its parts

The Best Albums of 2023: Essential Releases
https://daily.bandcamp.com/best-of-2023/the-best-albums-of-2023-essential-releases

these were all the albums mentioned in the article:

Chief Adjuah
Bark Out Thunder, Roar Out Lightning

Shana Cleveland
Manzanita

Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru
Jerusalem

Liturgy
93696

Kabeaushé
The Coming of Gaze

KMRU
Dissolution Grip

L’Rain
I Killed Your Dog

MC Yallah
Yallah Beibe

Nourished By Time
Erotic Probiotic 2

Silicone Prairie
Vol. II

upcoming
And next week, our genre columnists weigh in with their picks for the year’s best records.

UK based music website, musicOMH

musicOMH’s Top 50 Albums Of 2023
https://www.musicomh.com/features/lists/musicomhs-top-50-albums-of-2023/

1. Jessie Ware – That! Feels Good!

it got very good reviews so that isn't surprising but i still don't quite understand the hype. it's not as strong or interesting as any of their solo work, less than the sum of its parts

― ufo, Friday, December 8, 2023 9:52 AM (twenty-nine minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

yep

yeah, I thought the consensus was that it was good but not great, which is why it's an odd #1.

I think it's more like "very good" than "good" — I count 8 great songs out of 12, which is a lot of great songs — but also I think people just love the idea of Boygenius. Which I do, too.

another music website, i am not previously familiar with;

optimistic underground (david james)

60 Best Albums of 2023
https://optimisticunderground.com/2023/12/08/60-best-albums-of-2023/

provides links to bandcamp

seems to be on the same wavelength as The Wire magazine.

tipsy mothra otm ... i think it's half great and half good to meh, but those three *and* those three together is just catnip for so many people ... i'm surprised they haven't run away with the aggregate by now. they're a conceptual (not the right word) juggernaut and unless they make an album that really stinks, people - both critics and norms - are going to eat it up.

number 41
Kylie Minogue, "Padam Padam"

why was the picked when tension was far superior?

it's all about the cultural moment Kylie had w/this song, one which i think is vv good, but "Tension" is actually great.

I'm surprised Water From Your Eyes isn't trending; I had thought that would be more of a favorite.

I like Water From Your Eyes, it's 415 on my list currently :)

I tried to get onboard with Creeper's Hollywood goth take on Meatloaf. I like the concept, just wasn't compelled to revisit. It's nice to see Royal thunder, Maggot Heart and Blood Ceremony on another list other than my own. And yes, everyone listen to unpurson's recommendation to check out Spirit Adrift, my #2.

Shindig is the first list to mention my album of the year, Large Plants - The Thorn, as well as my #18, Emile - Spirit. The Beatles-y psych pop of Vanity Mirror and third album from Dentists spinoff The Treasures of Mexico (psych/jangle/power pop) are nice discoveries for me.

The Shindig! Writers' Poll
1. The Lemon Twigs - Everything Harmony
2. Spencer Cullum's Coin Collection - 2
3. The Coral - Sea of Mirrors
4. Say She She - Silver
5. Mapache - Swinging Stars
6. Large Plants - The Thorn
7. The Ironsides - Changing Light
8. Jonathan Wilson - Eat the Worm
9. Belbury Poly - The Path
10. Meg Baird - Furling
11. Teenage Fanclub - Nothing Lasts Forever
12. The Clientele - I Am Not There Anymore
13. Shana Cleveland - Manzanita
14. Thomas Walsh - The Rest is History
15. Julie Byrne - The Greater Wings
16. The Evening Sons - Tracks
17. Emile - Spirit
18. Co-Pilot - Rotate
19. Novelty Island - Wallsend Weekend Television
20. Uni-Boys - Buy This now!
21. Emma Tricca - Aspirin Sun
22. Simon Rowe - Everybody's Thinking
23. Soft Hearted Scientists - Waltz of the Weekend
24. Vanity Mirror - Puff
25. The Treasures of Mexico - Burn the Jets
26. Pete Molinari - Wondrous Afternoon
27. Lael Neale - Star Eaters Delight

Some of my new discoveries in the past week:

1. Upper Wilds – Jupiter (Thrill Jockey)
2. Deeper – Careful! (Sub Pop)
3. Volksempfänger – Attack of Sound (Cardinal Fuzz/Feeding Tube)
4. Death And Vanilla – Flicker (Fire)
5. Catatonic Suns – Catatonic Suns (Agitated)
6. HMLTD – The Worm (Lucky Number)
7. William Tyler & The Impossible Truth – Secret Stratosphere (Merge)
8. Vanity Mirror – Puff (We Are Busy Bodies)
9. The Treasures Of Mexico – Burn the Jets (Spinout Nuggets)
10. En Attendant Ana – Principia (Trouble In Mind)
11. Shredded Sun – Each Dot and Each Line (Shredded Sun)
12. Star 99 – Bitch Unlimited (Lauren3)
13. The Psychotic Monks – Pink Colour Surgery (Vicious Circle3)
14. Coventry – Our Lady of Perpetual Health (Septic Jukebox)
15. Vipertime – Arise (HPBC,)
16. Matt Ulery – Mannerist (Woolgathering)
17. Truth Club – Running From the Chase (Double Double Whammy)
18. Mapache – Swinging Stars (Innovative Leisure)
19. Mos Eisley Spaceport – Further (MES)
20. Soft On Crime – New Suite (Eats It)
21. Musta Huone – Valosaasteen Sekaan (Paa Jotaki)
22. Sun June – Bad Dream Jaguar (Run for Cove)
23. Will Johnson – No Ordinary Crown (Keeled Scales)
24. Holy Tongue – Deliverance And Spiritual Warfare (Amidah)
25. Abstract Concrete – Abstract Concrete (State51 Conspiracy)
26. Sans Merit – Early Grave (Zen 2000)
27. Lorelle Meets The Obsolete – Datura (Sonic Cathedral)
28. Hayden Pedigo – The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored (Mexican Summer)
29. A Certain Ratio – 1982 (Mute)
30. Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society – Dynamic Maximum Tension (Nonesuch)
31. Matthew Halsall – An Ever Changing View (Gondwana)
32. Lost Under Heaven – Something Is Announced by Your Life! (LUH)
33. Thomas Walsh – The Rest is History (Curation)
34. 12 Rods – If We Stayed Alive (American Dreams)
35. Cloth – Secret Measture (Rock Action)

oh thanks for the heads up about the lost under heaven album, i had no clue they'd put out a new one this year

what is Shindig? googling didn't help much...

printed music mag

shindig magazine
https://www.shindig-magazine.com/?page_id=34
Shindig! is full of quality journalism, columns, music and film history; exciting new bands and culture. From the most far-out ’60s sounds through country-rock and folk to soul and electronic experimentation. And more. Brought to you with passion and sincerity every month.

huh. interesting. never heard of it, and it appears to be up my alley (i.e. i am old and like rock music)

by 'i am old' i mean i still like print publications

and thanks DJ! sorry for the three posts that could've been one.

World of Echo have now published their Hindsight 2023 list

Can I just say I absolutely hate the album title 'That! Feels Good!'

It! Sucks Ass!

It's better than "Ooh Rap I Ya" at least

I hate that one too

Shindig is the first list to mention my album of the year, Large Plants - The Thorn, as well as my #18, Emile - Spirit. The Beatles-y psych pop of Vanity Mirror and third album from Dentists spinoff The Treasures of Mexico (psych/jangle/power pop) are nice discoveries for me.

Digging that Large Plants album!

In my review I said those who like Lankum's latest would like Large Plants, as long as they're open to majestic, progressive psychedelic riffs instead of somewhat tedious drones. RIYL Fairport Convention, Trees and Pentangle, and contemporary artists like Lisa O'Neill, Sam Burton, and the more haunting albums by Lucid Sins, David Eugene Edwards and The Keening.

If yer old enough to struggle with reading tiny type on some of the print magazines even with reading glasses, Shindig is also available on Readly which I read on my Kindle Fire. For just $10/mo I get access to that, Classic Rock, MOJO, Uncut, Metal Hammer, Prog. Rolling Stone, Record Collector, Blitzed, Billboard, Guitar World, Wired, Total Film, Guardian Weekly, The Week, New York, etc. Quite a bargain, so much so that I've renewed my print subscriptions for Decibel, Fistful of Metal and Vive Le Rock out of guilt.

Some brief descriptions I wrote for a friend last night of some of the new discoveries:

Upper Wilds – Jupiter | Noise pop with strong hooks from Brooklyn, solid vocals, if Floor were less bottom heavy, plus Parts & Labor. Really liked Mars (2018) and Venus (2021), and can't believe I just last weekend found they had their fourth album out since July.

Deeper – Careful! | Third album from Chicago post-punk band. They vary their sounds and approaches with some arty experiments on some tracks, but I'm a sucker for the Joy Division influenced droney approach too.

Volksempfänger – Attack of Sound | Netherlands shoegaze/noise pop with bits of Detroit pre-punk, Jesus and Mary Chain bubblegum pop and motorik chugs.

Death And Vanilla – Flicker | Swedish psych pop/dream pop/kosmische.

Catatonic Suns – Catatonic Suns | Third album from Allentown, PA band, satisfyingly heavy, noisy shoegaze like early Ride with some Swervedriver.

Shredded Sun – Each Dot and Each Line | Second from indie/garage punk/surf band from Chicago, formerly The Fake Fictions. May sound twee after listening to the likes of Upper Wilds and Catatonic Suns, but it's charms digs it's hooks in.

Star 99 – Bitch Unlimited | Pop punk with an endearingly scrappy sound you don't hear much in that subgenre these days.

Peter Gabriel getting shafted on these lists is wild to me

I made an album dump playlist of everything from the Shindig list I hadn’t heard before (which is probably about 20 of their 25). Put the whole thing on shuffle while I make dinner and having a grand time this evening. No duds so far.

ALBUMISM SELECTS: The 50 Best Albums of 2023
https://albumism.com/lists/best-albums-of-2023-index

#1 | Meshell Ndegeocello | The Omnichord Real Book

UK based poptimist blogger, Lee Bennett presents:

Teases & Dares’ Top 100 Albums of 2023
https://teasesanddares.wordpress.com/2023/12/09/teases-dares-top-100-albums-of-2023/

1. Ricky Wilde X Nina, Scala Hearts
2. Jack River, Endless Summer
3. Lana Del Rey, Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Boulevard
4. Tina Arena, Love Saves
5. Slayyyter, Starfucker
6. Josh Caffe, Poppa Zesque
7. Bunny X, Love Minus 80
8. Tom Rasmussen, Body Building
9. Claire Richards, Euphoria
10. Louis La Roche, Admittedly
11. Cailin Russo, Influx
12. Romy, Mid Air
13. Alison Goldfrapp, The Love Invention
14. Kylie Minogue, Tension
15. PYN, Beat Drama
16. King IV, Psychopomp
17. Maraschino, Hollywood Piano
18. Jenny Lewis, Joy’All
19. Leela James, Thought U Knew
20. PRIZM, Rumours In The Night
21. Julie Byrne, The Greater Wings
22. Jessie Ware, That! Feels Good!
23. U.S. Girls, Bless This Mess
24. Tiga & Hudson Mohawke, L’Ecstasy
25. Jake Shears, Last Man Dancing
26. 79.5, 79.5
27. Samantha Urbani, Showing Up
28. Emm Gryner, Business & Pleasure
29. Molly Burch, Daydreamer
30. SG Lewis, AudioLust & HigherLove
31. Chappell Roan, The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess
32. Tensnake, Stimulate
33. Michael Medrano, LoveSexDrugs
34. Beverley Knight, The Fifth Chapter
35. Nuovo Testamento, Love Lines
36. Olivia Dean, Messy
37. Debby Friday, Good Luck
38. Yota, Room 412
39. Alan Palomo, World Of Hassle
40. L’Avenue, Club Tropez
41. Abracadabra, Shapes & Colours
42. Lucinda Chua, Yian
43. Jayda G, Guy
44. Tennis, Pollen
45. Laura Groves, Radio Red
46. Cub Sport, Jesus At The Gay Bar
47. Nabihah Iqbal, Dreamer
48. Wolfclub, Desert Hearts
49. Dragon Inn 3, Trade Secrets
50. Idina Menzel, Drama Queen
51. Gretta Ray, Positive Spin
52. Jennifer Touch, Midnight Proposals
53. Cannons, Heartbeat Highway
54. Cherry Cinema, Crystal Clear
55. Corine, R
56. Katy Steele, Big Star
57. Moyka, Movies, Cars & Heartbreak
58. Reve, Saturn Return
59. YATTE & Duett, The Minute
60. Leony, Somewhere In Between
61. Drew Sycamore, Superfaith
62. Incognito, Into You
63. SUPER-Hi, Summer Vol. 1
64. AC Soul Symphony, Metamorphosis
65. Metric, Formentera II
66. Sue Clayton, Rookie
67. Jessy Lanza, Love Hallucination
68. Daddy Squad, All Day All Night Automatic
69. Emiliana Torrini & The Colorist Orchestra, Racing The Storm
70. The Paper Kites, At The Roadhouse
71. Snow Strippers, April Mixtape 3
72. Jennifer Vanilla, Castle In The Sky
73. Tonique & Man, Opening Soon
74. Sofia Kourtesis, Madres
75. RAYE, My 21st Century Blues
76. Mayah Camara & SelloRekt/LA Dreams, Emotions
77. Rein, God Is A Woman
78. Bella Boo, DreamySpaceyBlue
79. Heartracer, The Feel
80. MUNYA, Jardin
81. Haiku Hands, Pleasure Beast
82. Moon Boots, Ride Away
83. Poolside, Blame It All On Love
84. Seb Wildblood, Separation Anxiety
85. Gunship, Unicorn
86. Yaeji, With A Hammer
87. Mandy, Indiana – I’ve Seen A Way
88. Foley, Crowd Pleaser
89. Girl Ray, Prestige
90. Strange Ranger, Pure Music
91. Free Love, Inside
92. Le Couleur, Comme dans un penthouse
93. Train To Spain, Nothing To Win
94. Poppy, Zig
95. Avalon Emerson, & The Charm
96. Ladytron, Time’s Arrow
97. Nothing But Thieves, Dead Club City
98. ARXX, Ride Or Die
99. GRETA, Portals
100. Carly Rae Jepsen, The Loveliest Time

also a link is provided to a Spotify playlist that includes 1 track from each album.

Maybe the PG album came out too late

Pitchfork 2023 Readers’ Poll
https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/2023-readers-poll-results/

Top 50 Albums

1.
CAROLINE POLACHEK
Desire, I Want to Turn Into You

Top 50 Singles

1.
LANA DEL REY
“A&W”

FEATURE
You can also see top album voted for each US State.

FEATURE
Filter the top albums to see how readers like you voted

AGE
GENDER
READERSHIP
LOCATION

DIY’S TRACKS OF THE YEAR 2023
https://diymag.com/feature/diy-songs-of-the-year-2023

1. THE LAST DINNER PARTY - NOTHING MATTERS

note

8. HEARTWORMS - RETRIBUTIONS OF AN AWFUL LIFE

great textured track

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thC-C_Bk8H0

14. CREEPER - FURTHER THAN FOREVER

standout track on the album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8mtjGWJ1Ck

There's really no excuse for dropping the ball with the Peter Gabriel album. Every track was released to all platforms between January and November leading up to the official Dec 1 album release. On the other hand I know at least a couple longtime fans who are failing to feel anything when they hear it. I like it, it's in my top 50.

The Abysmal Hymns list is great, happy to see Spiritual Cramp get some love. I've been a fan since their early EPs, saw them live in 2018, and their first official full-length has been a long time coming. Good call on Final Gasp, it was just outside my top 100, but I'm digging it more than ever right now. 1476 is cool along similar deathrock-ish lines. The Dust EP, everything in that list is worth checking out.

Electronic Sound top 10. There’s a top 50 on their site, but it’s subscribers only.

10 Sleaford Mods - UK Grim
9 Vanishing Twin- Afternoon X
8 Free Love - Inside
7 Kosmischer Läufer - The Secret Cosmic Music of the East German Olympic Programme 1972-1983: Volume 5
6 John Cale - Mercy
5 Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy
4 Holy Tongue - Deliverance snd Spiritual Warfare
3 Nabihah Iqbal - Dreamer
2 Vince Clarke - Songs of Silence
1 Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan - The Nation’s Most Central Location

Edgar Wright’s top 50, actually 55, tracks of the year.

https://linktr.ee/edgarwright?utm_source=linktree_admin_share

People really excited about that boygenius album huh

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The tyranny of singer-songwriters continues! The appearance of boygenius on SNL a while back, including their cute cameo in one of the sketches, was a nice boost for their mainstream exposure. I wonder if Foo Fighters will be the last rock band to play the show in the foreseeable future? I wish they would change it up now and then. If not something like Truckfighters or Tomb Mold, how about at least Creeper? That would be fun.

Creeper is the kind of band that an SNL appearance could actually launch to stardom, but sadly only 6 people in the U.S. outside ILX have even heard of them.

Aquarium Drunkard's round-up:
https://aquariumdrunkard.com/2023/12/11/aquarium-drunkard-2023-year-in-review/

RA 2023 in Review: What's pop got to do with it?
https://ra.co/features/4027

"Love them or hate them, pop edits were present on the dance floor (and the timeline) this year. We round up some of the best."

― djmartian, Friday, December 8, 2023 2:23 AM (three days ago) bookmarkflaglink

This is a neat list. Their year-end features are always a highlight for me.

Kerrang - The 50 best albums of 2023

https://www.kerrang.com/the-50-best-albums-of-2023-foo-fighters-creeper-sleep-token-pupil-slicer-avenged-sevenfold-metallica-jesus-piece-hot-milk-green-lung
The Kerrang! verdict on the 50 albums that shaped 2023.

Kerrang! Reveal Their Choices For The ’50 Best Albums Of 2023′
https://www.theprp.com/2023/12/11/news/kerrang-reveal-their-choices-for-the-50-best-albums-of-2023/

Summary

50. Grove Street – “The Path To Righteousness“
49. Pierce The Veil – “The Jaws Of Life“
48. PVRIS – “Evergreen“
47. Waterparks – “Intellectual Property“
46. BABYMETAL – “The Other One“
45. Corey Taylor – “CMF2“
44. Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter – “Saved!“
43. Meet Me @ The Altar – “Past // Present // Future“
42. Within Temptation – “Bleed Out“
41. HEALTH – “RAT WARS“
40. Queens Of The Stone Age – “In Times New Roman…“
39. Poppy – “Zig“
38. URNE – “A Feast On Sorrow“
37. Dream Nails – “Doom Loop“
36. Fucked Up – “One Day“
35. You Me At Six – “Truth Decay“
34. The Armed – “Perfect Saviors“
33. Graphic Nature – “A Mind Waiting To Die“
32. Taking Back Sunday – “152“
31. Wargasm – “Venom“
30. Beartooth – “The Surface“
29. GEL – “Only Constant“
28. The Gaslight Anthem – “History Books“
27. Voice Of Baceprot – “Retas“
26. 100 gecs – “10,000 gecs“
25. Bury Tomorrow – “The Seventh Son“
24. Zulu – “A New Tomorrow“
23. Ville Valo – “Neon Noir“
22. Empire State Bastard – “Rivers Of Heresy“
21. Dying Wish – “Symptoms Of Survival“
20. Code Orange – “The Above“
19. Drain – “Living Proof“
18. Paramore – “This Is Why“
17. Fall Out Boy – “So Much (For) Stardust“
16. Blink-182 – “One More Time…“
15. Militarie Gun – “Live Under The Gun“
14. Skindred – “Smile“
13. Baroness – “Stone“
12. Svalbard – “The Weight Of The Mask“
11. Enter Shikari – “A Kiss For The Whole World“
10. Green Lung – “This Heathen Land“
09. Hot Milk – “A Call To The Void“
08. Jesus Piece – “…So Unknown“
07. Metallica – “72 Seasons“
06. Avenged Sevenfold – “Life Is But A Dream…“
05. Pupil Slicer – “Blossom“
04. Holding Absence – “The Noble Art Of Self Destruction“
03. Sleep Token – “Take Me Back To Eden“
02. Creeper – “Sanguivore“
01. Foo Fighters – “But Here We Are“

Lorraine James Top 40 Albums of 2023
https://x.com/LoJamMusic/status/1733912190871036113?s=20

Number 1: Tirzah - Trip9love...???

Nice

Music website based in Canada, Northern Transmissions

Northern Transmissions Best Albums of 2023
https://northerntransmissions.com/northern-transmissions-best-albums-of-2023/

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2175-northern-transmissions-best-albums-of-2023/

1. Beach Fossils — Bunny

UK based music website set up by ex NME editor Charlotte Gunn

The Forty-Five's Albums of the Year 2023
https://thefortyfive.com/opinion/best-albums-2023/

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2170-the-forty-fives-albums-of-the-year-2023/

Number 1

BOYGENIUS – ‘THE RECORD’

Words: Rhian Daly, Charlotte Gunn, Hannah Mylrea, Arusa Qureshi, Alex Rigotti, Jenessa Williams and Lisa Wright.

https://thefortyfive.com/about/
The Forty-Five is new music publication, created by a collective of female-led music journalists, creatives and photographers, founded by former NME Editor, Charlotte Gunn.
Why The Forty-Five?
With only 14% of music journalists identifying as women, music, for too long has been critiqued from a male perspective. The result? An industry that champions boys in bands and sexualises female artists. We’re here to change that by forging a supportive network of womxn, who tell stories about music.

UK based, Far Out Magazine

Far Out Magazine's 50 Best Albums of 2023
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-50-best-albums-of-2023/

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2174-far-out-magazines-50-best-albums-of-2023/

1. H Hawkline - Milk for Flowers

Stereogum - The 10 Best Hardcore Albums Of 2023
https://www.stereogum.com/2244850/best-hardcore-albums/lists/year-in-review/2023-in-review/
BY TOM BREIHAN

Number 1

Militarie Gun - Life Under The Gun (Loma Vista)

Heavy Music HQ
2023 Best Heavy Metal Albums
https://heavymusichq.com/2023-best-heavy-metal-albums/

1. Katatonia – Sky Full Of Stars (Napalm)

Pitchfork - The 42 Best Rap Songs of 2023
https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-rap-songs-2023/

part 2, from Cardiff based music website, GIITTV
GIITTV: Albums of the Year for 2023, 50-26
https://www.godisinthetvzine.co.uk/2023/12/11/giittv-albums-of-the-year-for-2023-50-26/

The Top 15 Heavy-Prog and Progressive-Metal Albums of 2023 - Something for the Weekend?
https://weekendprog.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-top-15-heavy-prog-and-progressive.html

1. CROWN LANDS - Fearless

Canada's Crown Lands who sound like a cross between Rush and Robert Plant

Treble - The 20 Best Electronic Albums of 2023
https://www.treblezine.com/best-electronic-albums-of-2023/

TAGS
ACTRESS APHEX TWIN AVALON EMERSON BORED LORD DANIEL BACHMAN DEBBY FRIDAY DJ MANNY FEVER RAY JAMES HOLDEN JLIN KATE NV KELELA LORAINE JAMES PANGAEA PURELINK SOFIA KOURTESIS TIM HECKER TZUSING WARRINGTON-RUNCORN NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT PLAN YAEJI

We have an ILX EOY nominations thread: ILM's 2023 End of Year Tracks & Albums Poll / NOMINATIONS THREAD

Have any Foo Fighters albums never been #1 in Kerrang's albums of the Year?

this is the 4th time, but the first this century

kerrang
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerrang!

albums of the year

1982 Scorpions Blackout [70]
1983 Def Leppard Pyromania
1984 Van Halen 1984
1985 Bryan Adams Reckless
1986 David Lee Roth Eat 'Em and Smile
1987 Aerosmith Permanent Vacation
1988 King's X Out of the Silent Planet
1989 Faith No More The Real Thing
1990 Slayer Seasons in the Abyss
1991 Metallica Metallica
1992 Alice In Chains Dirt
1993 Pearl Jam Vs.
1994 Therapy? Troublegum
1995 Foo Fighters Foo Fighters
1996 Screaming Trees Dust
1997 Foo Fighters The Colour and the Shape
1998 Monster Magnet Powertrip
1999 Foo Fighters There is Nothing Left to Lose
2000 Queens of the Stone Age Rated R
2001 Tool Lateralus
2002 Queens of the Stone Age Songs for the Deaf
2003 The Darkness Permission to Land
2004 Mastodon Leviathan
2005 Trivium Ascendancy
2006 Taking Back Sunday Louder Now
2007 Billy Clyro Puzzle
2008 Metallica Death Magnetic
2009 Gallows Grey Britain
2010 Deftones Diamond Eyes
2011 Mastodon The Hunter
2012 Enter Shikari A Flash Flood of Colour
2013 Bring Me the Horizon Sempiternal
2014 Architects Lost Forever // Lost Together
2015 Bring Me the Horizon That's the Spirit
2016 Green Day Revolution Radio
2017 Employed to Serve The Warmth of a Dying Sun
2018 Turnstile Time & Space
2019 Slipknot We Are Not Your Kind
2020 Code Orange Underneath
2021 Every Time I Die Radical [71]
2022 Nova Twins Supernova [72]

Classic Rock Magazine's 50 Best Rock Albums Of 2023
https://www.loudersound.com/news/classic-rock-magazine-best-albums-of-2023

Number 1
The Rolling Stones - Hackney Diamonds

the rest of the list is like is this really 2023?

The Pretenders, Iggy Pop, The Damned, Extreme, Uriah Heep, Def Leppard, The Hives, Jethro Tull, Yes.

Bonus points for including Sparks and Peter Gabriel.

21st century artists of note

20. Wytch Hazel - IV: Sacrament

25. Creeper - Sanguivore

38. Starbenders - Take Back The Night

49. Green Lung - This Heathen Land

NME - 10 best debut albums of 2023
https://www.nme.com/features/music-features/best-debut-albums-2023-radar-3555060?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=best-debut-albums-2023-radar

a few of my favs on the small albums list

https://www.smallalbums.com/best-50-albums

DJ Mag’s top tracks of 2023
https://djmag.com/features/dj-mag-top-tracks-2023

unranked list

"2023 has been a bumper year for bangers. From chart-bothering drum & bass, fusionist club scorchers and playful rave barnstormers, through underground avenues of garage, dubstep and breaks, into amapiano, anthemic house, R&B and experimental electronics, DJ Mag's contributors write about their personal favourite tracks of the year, offering an unranked overview of the sounds that made the past 12 months so memorable for electronic music around the world"

Acid Test’s Best Albums of 2023
https://daily.bandcamp.com/best-of-2023/acid-tests-best-albums-of-2023

bandcamp best 2023 outer limits music

love that mark vernon album

apparently The Tubs are popular with some on ILM, so

The Tubs' Owen Williams tells us about his Top 10 albums of 2023
https://www.brooklynvegan.com/the-tubs-owen-williams-tells-us-about-his-top-10-albums-of-2023/

The Last Mixed Tape Podcast | TLMT’s End of Year Playlist Extravaganza, Song of the Year
https://thelastmixedtape.com/2023/12/10/the-last-mixed-tape-podcast-tlmts-end-of-year-playlist-extravaganza-song-of-the-year-shane-macgowan-tribute/

includes a top 100 Irish tracks of 2023 Spotify playlist

Alternative Press - 50 best albums of 2023
https://www.altpress.com/best-albums-2023/

FILED UNDER:
100 GECS,
ANGEL DUST,
ARLO PARKS,
AVENGED SEVENFOLD,
BABYMETAL,
BAKAR,
BLINK 182,
BLONDE REDHEAD,
BLONDSHELL,
BOYGENIUS,
BULLY,
CARLIE HANSON,
CHAPPELL ROAN,
CITIZEN,
CODE ORANGE,
DOMINIC FIKE,
DRAIN,
FALL OUT BOY,
FEEBLE LITTLE HORSE,
FOO FIGHTERS,
GEL,
GENESIS OWUSU,
GRANDSON,
HEALTH,
JENNY LEWIS,
JESUS PIECE,
KEVIN ABSTRACT,
KOYO,
LANA DEL REY,
LRAIN,
MEET ME AT THE ALTAR,
MILITARIE GUN,
MSPAINT,
NARROW HEAD,
OBJECT OF AFFECTION,
OLIVIA RODRIGO,
PARAMORE,
PARIS TEXAS,
PIERCE THE VEIL,
POPPY,
SCOWL,
SLEEP TOKEN,
SPIRITUAL CRAMP,
THE ARMED,
WATER FROM YOUR EYES,
WATERPARKS,
WEDNESDAY,
YEEK,
YVES TUMOR
ZULU,

Fader - The 50 best albums of 2023
https://www.thefader.com/2023/12/12/best-albums-of-2023

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2180-the-faders-50-best-albums-of-2023/

1. a.s.o. - a.s.o.

Bandcamp - The Best Experimental Music of 2023
https://daily.bandcamp.com/best-of-2023/the-best-experimental-music-of-2023

By Marc Masters

Bandcamp - The Best Metal Albums of 2023
https://daily.bandcamp.com/best-of-2023/the-best-metal-albums-of-2023

Stereogum’s 50 Favorite Songs Of 2023
https://www.stereogum.com/2245293/best-songs-of-2023/lists/year-in-review/2023-in-review/

10 selections each by 5 writers

Mapped By What Surrounded Them - 2023 Favorite Albums
https://mappedbywhatsurroundedthem.blogspot.com/2023/12/2023-favorite-albums.html?spref=tw

50 albums ranked

1. Model/Actriz - Dogsbody

Australian radio station, Double J

Double J - The 50 best albums of 2023
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/doublej/music-reads/features/50-best-albums-of-2023/103191268

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/list/2181-double-js-50-best-albums-of-2023/

1. Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want To Turn Into You

EOY lists are really overwhelming aren't they. Usually I would check the ones that are somehow aligned with my taste in search of discoveries, but the next year I can't remember which they were, and then it seems everyone and their grandmother have a list, or even two or three: overall list, reader's lists, individual lists, genre lists, lists with a theme, radio lists, song lists, and I can't know if it is a good or bad sign when an album appears on several. Not that I depended on them, it was always rather the pleasure of looking for confirmation bias, but this lack of authority / authoritativeness is deeply disturbing.

It's wild to think there was a time in like 2000 where SPIN would drop a list of 20 album and I would go "Man, I gotta check out that Quasimoto album" and now there's like 20 billion sites all doing Top 100 lists and nobody cares about any of it

One thing that's really fascinating to me is how these sites def are trying to court younger audiences by contending with, say, K-pop and drill and Latin trap and 100 Gecs but really refuse to deviate from the Boomer brain of "media outlets," the Gen X brain of "internet articles" and the Millennial brain of "listicles."

The Vice lists of years past always blew my mind because I’d never heard of anyone on them, even in passing.

Stereogum’s 50 Favorite Songs Of 2023

FYI I have been writing one of Stereogum's most popular monthly columns for seven years now and have never been asked to vote in their album or song polls. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

idk digging through eoy lists is great, i always find some gems i hadn't heard previously

NPR songs (123)

https://www.npr.org/2023/12/12/1215355752/best-songs-2023

As always, just as list fatigue starts setting in, Raven Sings the Blues shows how it's done right.

https://www.ravensingstheblues.com/2023-favorites/

Reissues

https://www.ravensingstheblues.com/2023-favorite-reissues/

the Financial Times best pop albums of the year (unranked)

The Chemical Brothers: For That Beautiful Feeling
Lana Del Rey: Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
Jonny Greenwood and Dudu Tassa: Jarak Qaribak
Kelela: Raven
Lankum: False Lankum
Nation of Language: Strange Disciple
Ryuichi Sakamoto: 12
Sampha: Lahai
Paul Simon: Seven Psalms
Kali Uchis: Red Moon in Venus

https://www.ft.com/content/56529cee-c132-4da7-9501-5fcdaa6fad99

lol, pvmic

since when did the ft start doing unranked indexes

aquarium drunkard, RA and NPR lists are ususally good listens

will check out the p4k rap list too

but yeah, it is pretty overwhelming

safe to say more music is released and written abt every year?

idk digging through eoy lists is great, i always find some gems i hadn't heard previously
― ufo, Tuesday, December 12, 2023 11:02 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

That would mean opening and working through the lists and it sounds like that would take a lot of time and create some sort of Stockholm syndrome

DJ Mag’s top albums of 2023
https://djmag.com/features/dj-mags-top-albums-2023

In 2023, electronic music artists around the world used long-form works to showcase both range and specialism. DJs and producers best known for club-ready works explored personal themes through dream-pop, jazz and ambient, while others returned to the dancefloor with renewed vitality. Among fusions of hip-hop, amapiano, dub, dancehall and R&B we had dialled-in demonstrations of jungle, techno and deep house at their purest. Here, DJ Mag contributors select their personal favourite albums of the year, offering an unranked overview of the sounds that made the past 12 months so memorable for electronic music in all its forms

I think this is where the ILM EOY playlists are helpful.

The Best Pop Music of 2023
https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-pop-music-2023/

Opulent disco-pop, R&B hook-up jams, raging hot-mess anthems: These are the songs and albums that defined the year in pop music

TAGS
BEST OF 2023
100 GECS
AMAARAE
ASAKE
OLAMIDE
AVALON EMERSON
CARLY RAE JEPSEN
CAROLINE POLACHEK
CHAPPELL ROAN
CHARLI XCX
CHRISTINE AND THE QUEENS
EASYFUN
FEVER RAY
JESSIE WARE
KALI UCHIS
KELELA
KYLIE MINOGUE
LANA DEL REY
LIV.E
MARÍA JOSÉ LLERGO
MURA MASA
ELECTRONIC
POP/R&B
EXPERIMENTAL

DAZED The 20 best tracks of 2023
https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/61561/1/the-20-best-tracks-of-2023-pinkpanthress-icespice-eartheater

Spotify playlist
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4r7smCV42VU8KABfz5tzJh

recommended listening:

totally blissed out brilliance riyl insides, laika, one dove

14. JAMES K & HOODIE, “SCORPIO”

There’s something very special about “Scorpio” that I can’t really pinpoint. The track, a collaboration between New York artist James K and Hoodie, is a sleepy trip-hop ballad that stays with you in a way that cradles you at your core. In a dream but still wide awake, drifting into digital fragments and buried deep in a memory somewhere. James K’s ethereal vocals are otherworldly and puts me in the kind of wistful mood that you find yourself in when travelling to distant places, led by the beautiful refrain: “So let it go, don’t be a cell to yourself.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX6QWmGxCiE

Listening to new music does indeed take time. While many here are up to the task, I can understand that some don't want to spend the time populating a playlist, looking at the artist's Bandcamp and RYM pages, circling back to reviews, etc. Of all my network of personal friends who are lifelong music geeks, I only know of a couple who bother. I do it so they don't have to, and in my year-end summary I include separate lists with clusters of subgenres to help those looking for certain sounds and styles.

Currently I'm working through the RSTB, as nearly half are new to me. The last two are both Chicago based projects on Drag City that I slept on, the experimental ambient folk of BCMC (Cooper Crain and Bill MacKay) and Axis: Sova. This blurb had my attention: "The fuzz that surrounded the band in the past is burned away with an acid splash of neon glow and chrome glare. Sova brought a vision of Devo, Wire, and Toni Visconti to Segall’s studio door, but the band have also burrowed deep into the android heart of Tubeway Army’s sound, scratching deep into their cauterized soul. Further into the caustic creep of the album, the band slides a few slices of Magazine, Soft Boys, Twinkeyz, and Simply Saucer into the synapses as well."

Abysmal Hymns - the Top 10 Hardcore Albums of 2023
http://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-top-10-hardcore-albums-of-2023.html

highly recommended

3- Svalbard - "The Weight of the Mask"

track from the album

SVALBARD - How To Swim Down (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd5hh2BfsMM

expansive euphoric ethereal

James K song was also on Crack’s list. Great song very trip hop revival.

happy to see the sam goku record on a list (dj mag) (i discovered it from tim f's list)

Listening to new music does indeed take time. While many here are up to the task, I can understand that some don't want to spend the time populating a playlist, looking at the artist's Bandcamp and RYM pages, circling back to reviews, etc. Of all my network of personal friends who are lifelong music geeks, I only know of a couple who bother. I do it so they don't have to, and in my year-end summary I include separate lists with clusters of subgenres to help those looking for certain sounds and styles.

― Fastnbulbous, Wednesday, December 13, 2023 7:54 AM (two hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I'm guessing a lot of us here play this role in our social circles