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100 Favorite Albums of 2025: 100-76

Another year, another onslaught of albums I listened to once and feebly attempted to put into an order in early December. If you’ve stumbled on this page, or are even a fan of this blog I suppose, I’ve tried to give a little extra weight to some lesser-known artists here. This list is not devoid of superstars – PinkPantheress, Rosalia and Bad Bunny are undeniable locks – but I listened to so, so many albums from smaller artists here that I decided to bump acts like Pulp and The Weeknd, whose great albums both hovered around the #100 cusp. I don’t write for people who want their opinions vindicated, I write for people who are always hungry for new ones. 

I’ve also made a decision this year to combine multiple releases from an artist into one entry, because it happened so many times. There was a litany of follow-up EP’s and surprise second LP’s and what not, I didn’t want to cram the list with repeated artists. That said, let’s dig into it! 

#100. Greentea Peng – TELL DEM IT’S SUNNY

Every list has to start somewhere. Truthfully, I knocked a few higher-ranking ones off to favor Peng, a new discovery for me this year. Peng is a British singer who does a version of neo-soul that doesn’t so much check every box as it does write new ones to check. Kind of R&B, kind of indie, kind of rap, she’s a difficult one to pin down. The only thing that’s really consistent on the album is the level of fun, as she weaves through traditional soul and more experimental tunes. It’s sunny indeed.

#99. Geese – Getting Killed

I’m still not fully onboard the Geese train but I think I get it. If you told me one indie band was going to break out in 2025 and had me guess 100 bands, I would not have guessed Geese. The band does an extremely loose, jangly kind of indie that, when coupled with Cameron Winter’s abrasive and Dylanesque vocals, results in something supremely unpredictable and off-kilter. These songs range from melodic to fully insane, in a similar vein to black midi but less dense. I still don’t like “Taxes,” but some of the other tracks here did surprise me in a positive way. One of the most unique bands – and even if I’m not their biggest supporter, I’m so glad they blew up. People demand original music, and that’s what this is. 

#98. Horsegirl – Phonetics On and On

The pushback against sanitized music has been in full force in 2025, with a rebound in hardcore and punk on the center stage. But we’re getting a lot more jangly, unconventional indie as well. Horsegirl’s sophomore album is actually more varied than their debut, roping in some traditional, well-produced indie songs as well as offbeat, noodly ones. “Switch Over” was the lead single and best cut, and it sounds ripped from a Pavement album. Although I think I slightly preferred their debut, this is a nice advancement of their songwriting, and it’s unpredictable in the best ways. If you got into Geese this year, save space for a fellow barnyard band. 

#97. Julien Baker/TORRES – Send A Prayer My Way

This is match made in my personal heaven. I’m not a big fan of Baker’s solo music, even though I recognize she’s an insanely talented musician, but collaborations often bring out the best in her. I am a huge fan of TORRES, so my base level interest was high. I expected gay country, I got gay country. This is a soft, fun, low-stakes y’allternative album. The pair deliver exactly what you expect, and thankfully, it seems to have served as an elevated platform for the perpetually-underrated TORRES. Yeehaw! (Shehaw?) 

#96. Amaarae – BLACK STAR

When it comes to genres I don’t listen to as much like R&B, I tend to latch on to individual artists that really stick out to me. Amaarae is one of those, I’ve been a fan for a few years now. She doesn’t really have a base-level genre; her previous, R&B-heavy album Fountain Baby is what drew me to her initially. But this album is much more dance and pop inspired, and it’s chock full of bangers. It’s a very fun album, Amaarae lets her identity shine in a collection of big, bouncing tunes. Sometimes, it’s good to just start grooving on the subway. 

#95. Mizmor/Hell – Alluvion

Rifffffffs. I first discovered Mizmor through the collaborative album he did with Thou, Myopia, in 2022. Now, subsequently, I’ve used him to discover Hell (the artist). The Mizmor albums I’ve listened to have been marked by abject dread; punishingly slow riffs and dark ambient music that signify a black world of anguish far scarier than any black metal could produce. Hell provides some screaming to, you know, really set the mood. It isn’t actually the darkest area that this can be, because there’s a focus on real writing too. But still – four songs, 40 minutes, and one of the songs is only 4 minutes long. You do the math. 

#94. Viagra Boys – viagr aboys

Surprisingly, I’ve often struggled to click with Viagra Boys. Their post-punk aggression mixed with their spoken, humorous lyrics seem like something made for me. I mean, I’m a huge IDLES fan, and what are they besides a funnier IDLES? But this was the first album of theirs I really connected with; it’s loud, boisterous, funny as hell and still feels urgent. The theme here is the importance of comedy amidst rage. It helps that there’s more bangers here than previous albums, which is the band’s strong suit. There’s just a lot of crunchy guitar and genuinely funny lyrics here. 

#93. baan – neumann

Later on you’ll see some examples of bands who are taking the traditional shoegaze formula and messing around with it. This, by contrast, is just some really heavy shoegaze. They also don’t really stick to the formula, as their music approaches doom metal through its sludge and riffs, but it’s the inverse of bands warping shoegaze through indie. This is really gnarly stuff, and basically every song hits a higher high than I was expecting it to. Kill your ears. 

#92. Laveda – Love, Darla

This one took me by surprise! I was introduced to Laveda in the summer when I saw them open for Sunflower Bean, and I wasn’t super impressed by the live show. Each member had a different energy and the music felt ho-hum. In the studio though, they kick ass. This is one of the closest things to traditional ‘grunge’ that we have today (no, I don’t like using the G word). These are feedback-heavy songs of youthful angst. It maybe doesn’t have the manic energy of Hole, but I still think that’s the closest comparison. This was consistently better and gnarlier than I expected. The dream of the 90’s is still alive. 

#91. Orcutt Shelley Miller – Orcutt Shelley Miller

The band name and album title pull no punches. This is the debut record from the trio of Bill Orcutt (from Hairy Pussy), Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) and Ethan Miller (Comets On Fire). While I’m not familiar with Miller’s work, and not very familiar with Orcutt’s, I am a lifelong Sonic Youth fan. This is less noise-influenced and more free jazz, meaning that it is still difficult music but not as abrasive. It’s thrilling far more often than not, and each song hits a bigger climax than you may expect. These are three experimental veterans who are just completely locked in. 

#90. Poliça – Dreams Go

This is not a band that I’m super knowledgeable on, but I’ve been a fan for a few years after stumbling onto their set at Riot Fest when I had time to kill. They were an odd booking, as their general indie-pop sound doesn’t mesh perfectly with the festival’s more punk namesakes. Their seventh album doesn’t take any grand swings, opting for a collection of electronica-pop songs that are just fun and well-produced. These songs are catchy, but still have their feet planted firmly in art pop. There is a lot of depth to these songs and they’re much better to get absorbed in as opposed to them getting stuck in your head. It’s pretty music, and most songs work very well. 

#89. Orbit Culture – Death Above Life

I’ve written about Orbit Culture in past years and I’ll say the exact same thing here: I love offbeat, experimental metal, but I think that in order to appreciate music like that, you need to understand the more conventional music that those bands launch off of. Orbit Culture are about as conventional as they come, a radio standard death metal band. While I’m ultimately ambivalent about a lot of death metal, something about these guys just sticks out to me. Their fifth album brings riffs, screams, and some blast beats added in for a touch. It’s nothing a metal fan hasn’t heard before, but it’s about as good as it comes. This album is missing that one big song, but it’s still consistent enough to make the list. 

#88. Pacing – songs

It’s a great title for one of the most unassuming musicians out there. Pacing, aka Katie McTigue, bounces between true bedroom pop and short, louder pop songs in the vein of Guided By Voices. songs finds marriage between both, but is more the latter. It’s a short album of short songs, some quick ideas on everyday things. The tracks are like little gumdrops, all very sweet and small. The first two songs here are “expired yogurt song” and “parking ticket song.” These are slices of life, small inspirations into normal frustrations. 

#87. Japanese Breakfast – For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)

Former list-topper Japanese Breakfast are still on a global victory tour after a prolonged mainstream breakthrough. It follows in the footsteps of 2021’s Jubilee, a collection of indie-pop songs that are just absolutely pleasant. These songs aren’t necessarily joyous, but they all have an infectious energy that is never plastic or plastered. The vibes are natural. This is a bit of a step-down from Jubilee, but, again, that album topped this list. Jbrekkie can do no wrong, and this is just another omelette in one of the most digestible catalogs in all of indie. 

#86. Saba/No ID – From the Private Collection of Saba and No ID

Saba is low-key one of the best rappers in America right now, and even a more low-key collaborative album can prove it. Private Collection mimics the title, as this album never feels like a grandiose statement and more like two guys just locking in and grooving. It’s a jazzy album, and Saba’s flow remains impeccable throughout. Saba isn’t exactly unknown, but he should be much bigger than he is. 

#85. yeule – Evangelic Girl Is A Gun

Every year sees a lot of new discoveries for me, and even after two listens I still don’t really know much about yeule. I haven’t heard yeule’s previous three albums, but the internet tells me they are more glitch and dream-pop oriented, and that Gun represents a new direction. This is a collection of artsy pop songs, each one following a traditional pop songwriting structure while always threatening to diverge into something more chaotic. It’s fun, even if the songs are about personal struggles. It’s an abstract work, while maintaining graspable rhythms. It’s unsurprising to learn that they’re also a painter – listening to this feels like watching someone paint.

#84. Hannah Francis – Nestled in Tangles

Chalk this one up to word of mouth. I saw multiple writers and publications hype this one up, and I’m glad I saved space for it. This is a pretty brilliant little folk album, with a lot of creativity and patience in its songwriting. These are mostly longer, more drawn-out songs, with great vocals and a lot of brass accompaniment. A handful of these songs have horns, but not so many that it feels like a gimmick. Tangles is easy on the ears, a soft but not minimalist collection that is easy on the ears and sounds just like the twisting trees displayed on the cover. 

#83. Wooll – Thistle

I go back to day one with Wooll. I was lucky enough to premiere their debut album, as well as their sophomore record Thistle. Lovely people and lovely musicians, this is an indie dreamscape. Where Unwind was very dreamy in a fun way, this shows a few cracks into more of a nightmare. I would still count this as something close to dream-pop, but it’s denser and darker than Unwind, working as a nice complement. I can sum it up like this: it’s just really nice music to listen to. It’s pleasant on the ears, and the songs are catchy without being saccharine. They’re original while sounding familiar, and it’s something to go back to many times. 

#82. Kevin Abstract – Blush

There may not be a more fitting moniker for any artist out there than Kevin Abstract. The rapper, who made his name in the prolific and experimental group Brockhampton, has always been one to push the boundaries of hip-hop. While “experimental hip-hop” is usually mostly synonymous with “abrasive,” Abstract always weaves in artistic elements. It’s always some combination of graceful, profound, R&B, alternative, hard rock, etc. On Blush, he instead curates a selection of songs. Almost every track here contains a litany of guests – and the ones that don’t are mostly credited to other artists. Danny Brown, Dominic Fike and Quadeca get their own individual songs, among others. It’s not dissimilar to what Brockhampton did, except that that was a group with about 100 guys in it. For a solo album, it is conceptually, well, abstract. And it works, it’s a constant change of pace with a million different tones, all working together as one. 

#81. Sunset Rollercoaster – QUIT QUIETLY

Sometimes band names make sense. Like a lot of acts on this list, Taiwan’s Sunset Rollercoaster were an entirely new discovery to me this year, and it’s just delightful. I normally don’t necessarily like “happy” music, as I often find it either hollow or forced. I think pigeonholing this as “happy music” is also rudimentary, but this is really feel-good stuff. Jazzy, poppy indie that’s always interesting and just unique enough to be both familiar and new. It’s a breezy, clever work. If a lot of albums on this list are poison, this is antidote. 

#80. Miya Folick – Erotica Veronica

There were a handful of albums on this list that I really liked immediately, only for them to fade from memory (and a few fell off the list completely). Folk singer Miya Folick’s third album had the opposite effect. I listened to it on a morning commute, thought it was great but not on par with her previous effort, and then just…kept thinking about it. It’s a deceivingly great folk-rock album, with a lot of subtle beauty and outwardly great rhythms. It is humble music, yet grabs your attention for the whole runtime. Folick is still getting grounded and already has a lot of buzz – watch for her almost-inevitable elevation.

#79. Suzie True – How I Learned to Love What’s Gone

Chalk this one up to “it’s just me music.” I love Suzie True, and I loved their new album! The band’s squeaky clean but fiercely energetic power-pop scratches an itch that I get frequently. The band is in the same league as Beach Bunny, writing taut, power chord-driven ditties that maybe don’t qualify as “punk music” but sound real damn close. They definitely slow things down more on this go-around, opting for a broader spectrum, but it all works. A short, fun little pop-rock album.

#78. Disiniblud – Disiniblud

On a similar note to Sunset Rollercoaster, this is one of the more intriguing and lighter albums on the list. Disiniblud is a new group, a collaboration between Rachika Nayar and Nina Keith, two experimental artists that I was unfamiliar with individually. I don’t check out a lot of experimental music, but this was an absolute pleasure. It finds the border between melodic and ambient, with a lot of mid-song gear-switching. The songs are all unique, warm and cared-for. There are familiar melodies and sonic deviations, resulting in a wholly unpredictable album that never gets grating in the way that some experimental works do. This won’t have a wide audience necessarily, but it’s extremely satisfying.

#77. Panchiko – Ginkgo

Call it a comeback. One of the wilder stories in music history, Panchiko released one demo and crashed out in obscurity in 2001. 15 years later, some random person with clout got that demo trending, and now they’re global stars. Their second album is a beautiful collection of dream pop and slowcore, music I am not usually attracted to. Each song is unique, though, and each one is treated with explicit care. This is maybe the most tender album I listened to this year, like a warm hug. It never retreads ideas, yet is one complete whole. I really expected a collection of repetition, but I ended up wowed on every track.

#76. Jeff Tweedy – Twilight Override

There’s two kinds of people out there – people who recognize that Jeff Tweedy is one of the all-time great American songwriters, and people who haven’t awakened yet. Even in 2025 there isn’t nearly enough respect put on his name. Tweedy has been cruising since 1990, as the frontman for Uncle Tupelo (1990-1994) and Wilco (1994-present), but his solo career has been lowkey and quiet. This album is full of songs that are hushed folk-rock tunes, and I mean full of them – it’s 3 discs, 111 minutes and 30 songs long. In criticism, plenty of the songs on discs 2 and 3 feel inconsequential. But Tweedy’s whole concept is about the importance of creativity, so why not include everything? Besides, it’s always pleasant to hear him strum away. This one might only be for the Tweedy heads, but I urge everyone to cherry pick some tunes out of this. 

Part 1 is done! I hope you found some gems, there’s some real nuggets in this section. Join me tomorrow for part 2, where you’ll see a behemoth of a project from a Boston indie group, some industrial metal, one of the biggest pop albums of the year, multiple hardcore releases and possibly the best emo reunion album ever made.

Here’s five albums that just missed the cut but still want to shout out: Die Spitz – Something to Consume | Jane Remover – revengeseekerz | Anika – Abyss | Lorna Shore – I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me | Tunde Adebimpe – Thee Black Boltz

100 Best Albums of 2023: 50-26

Tired of this yet? I am! For previous coverage, check out: Songs | 100-76 | 75-51 | 25-1

We continue on with my expertly planned-out, lab-tested top 100 albums of 2023. No reason to say any more here, so let’s dig in.

#50. Olivia Rodrigo – GUTS

Gatekeepers be damned, this kid rocks. Rodrigo has an obvious affinity for rock and alternative bands of years passed, and incorporates them into her pop music in ways that her peers haven’t even attempted to do. I mean, she’s got the Breeders opening for her next year. The Breeders! Anyways, this album is full of appropriately youthful energy, full of high school tales and music that is both digestible, bouncy pop and punchy rock elements. She also corrects the one flaw I had in her debut – too many slow tunes. This album is a more consistent collection, a rare sophomore album that stays in the same lane as a debut while improving on it steadily.

RIYL: Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, i mean chances are you know this one already

#49. Susanne Sundfør – Blómi 

Easily, and I mean easily, one of my favorite artists, the Norwegian singer-songwriter is constantly reimagining things. Her first two solo albums are ho-hum singer-songwriter stuff, but every album since then has had a unique, fascinating identity. Her newest is in some ways a continuation of the sparse, acoustic guitar-vocals-piano of her last record Music For People in Trouble, but where that album had a creeping ominous aura, this one feels warm and nostalgic. That may be due in part to fewer songs in English, as well as a “back to basics” feel that feels refreshing after a journey through a bunch of other influences. Her music is often complex and difficult, but this record is still very approachable. That she isn’t on the radar of Americans is criminal.

RIYL: Marissa Nadler, Angel Olsen, pulling the covers back over your head

#48. Everything But the Girl – Fuse

I went into this one as an outsider. The softer side of new wave (i.e. Tears for Fears) is something I have only very recently learned to appreciate, so I didn’t have the highest hopes for this. It’s their first album in 24 years! Instead, I absolutely ate it up. This is a collection of dance songs for a sophisticated audience, a reminder for professional adults to go out and have some damn fun. It is difficult to make dance music that doesn’t sound at least a bit plastic, but these songs are emotional and raw, not to mention immaculately produced. With mixes of electronic and acoustic, it is a diverse set, all brought together by earnestness, crisp mastering and raw vocals. 

RIYL: Tears For Fears, Massive Attack, stretching before you dance

#47. Frankie and the Witch Fingers – Data Doom

Many of the artists on this list I have a deep knowledge on. This is not one of those artists. I know practically nothing about this group, but I saw them mentioned alongside plenty of bands I love. It’s easy to say that this band is name-brand Oh Sees. But, Dwyer & gang are one of my favorite bands, and their sole release this year was super underwhelming, so there was a hole to be filled. This is incredibly fun psych-rock, designed purely to stimulate and clear the seats of butts. When I say “psych-rock,” don’t think prolonged, meandering Jerry Garcia jams. These are brief songs jampacked with energy, rawness and a million little ideas. A pure blast.

RIYL: Thee Oh Sees, early Tame Impala, two hits of acid

#46. Billy Woods/Kenny Segal – Maps

Billy Woods was one of my favorite finds of 2022, releasing two albums I adored, and he keeps the train rolling here. His sole album is a travelog, chronicling the intense touring schedule he underwent “post”-COVID. Segal provides production across the album, and both men keep things simple and serene. Woods is a natural raconteur, and the stories he weaves across the album are so innately interesting and revealing. Woods might be one of the most undersung talents in the rap scene, hopefully this one proves to be the breakthrough. 

RIYL: Ghais Guevara, R.A.P. Ferreira, telling your friends you were listening to the hot new artist five years ago

#45. Lana Del Rabies – Strega Beata

Yeah yeah, the name is a throwaway pun, but it lets you into the music too. LDR – this LDR, the primary one is coming later – is a harsh noise artist, chunneling in the exact opposite of Lana Del Rey in every possible way. This specific album, though, is a much lighter approach, incorporating hefty amounts of ambient. The fishhook divide between harsh noise and ambient is one that has been explored countless times, but rarely as effectively as here. This is sheer catharsis, at the hands of both extreme noise and the absence of. Very limited audience on this one, but those that stumble on it should appreciate it.

RIYL: Pharmakon, Uboa, that one particular Deafheaven album where they pissed people off by doing ambient music

#44. Paris Texas – MID AIR

Just some good ass rap. When you name yourselves after one of the most notoriously despondent films, you’re already setting yourself apart from your peers. Paris Texas makes very thrilling and bombastic music, avoiding both the cliches of conventional hip-hop and the noisiness of experimental rap. Their debut album sees a hefty load of songs that are occasionally difficult, but always fun. For bonus points, check out the tongue-in-cheek late addition “Lana Del Rey,” named as such because Lana put a song on her album called “Paris Texas.”

RIYL: OutKast, Injury Reserve, your car’s speakers

#43. Slowdive – everything is alive

There are a hundred million different timelines where we aren’t getting new Slowdive albums, so we should take anything from the shoegaze legends as a blessing. The fact that their reunion albums are this good, especially when the shoegaze reunion albums are usually awful? Unbelievable. Everything about this release is soft, even for them. Even the title is lowercase. This album is a gentle touch, a spring breeze, a bunny hopping through a field. Some songs have rhythm and percussion, some are just aura, but all are full, affirming and warm. It’s a nice antidote to much of the hostility on this list.

RIYL: Cocteau Twins, Mazzy Twins, opening the windows for some spring air

#42. James Blake – Playing Robots Into Heaven

After a solid debut and a sophomore album I adored, the English alt-electronic artist James Blake went on a run of albums that were at worst total duds and at best decent but forgettable. Luckily, that streak is over, as his newest recaptures the energy that made his early music so palpable. This album is all over the place – cohesion is the biggest drawback – but Blake is clearly playing with competing aspirations. Nearly everything works, from the moodier, slower songs that we’ve become used to, to the wall-to-wall electro-bangers of years past. If you’re into dance music, then rest assured: James Blake is back. 

RIYL: Hot Chip, Jamie XX, crying in da club

#41. Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean – Obsession Destruction

From my home city and named after a Thou song, this band already had points in their favor for me. But the album is that good, too. I’m not a big doom metal guy, but I appreciate good doom when I hear it, and this is some of the best of the year. With titles like “Ten Thousand Years of Unending Failure” you know you’re going to get some sludgy, heavy and morose stuff. The riffs are incredible, the songs are extended without ever growing tedious, and there’s just enough non-doom influence to spice up every song. If doom is your thing, you may have missed this one – rectify that.

RIYL: Sleep, Thou, the misery of continued existence

#40. Arlo Parks – My Soft Machine

I had lofty expectations for the Arlo Parks sophomore album. Her debut Collapsed in Sunbeams was arguably my favorite album of 2021. This one doesn’t quiiiite live up, but it’s still remarkable. Parks somewhat trades in the jazzy and loose elements of her debut in favor of more standard pop instrumentation and songwriting, to no diminished effect. There’s still plenty to pull apart here, mostly surrounding her consistently heartfelt and earnest lyrics. Her voice is as strong as ever. Her music remains an enigmatic mix of alternative and R&B that sounds totally natural. This one goes down real smooth.

RIYL: Sudan Archives, SAULT, morning snuggles

#39. Yaeji – With A Hammer

Yaeji first popped up on my radar way back in 2018 with an introductory single, but I didn’t keep much of a tab on her until she rocketed back into the limelight with her debut album. The title and accompanying image make a grand statement, that the multi-genre pop singer isn’t here to play. Like many of the best pop singers out there now, she’s reinterpreting the genre to be diverse tunes that aren’t factory-assembled chintzy radio bangers. These are songs with incredible amounts of depth, influence and unpredictability. It isn’t really hyperpop, but more along the lines of a very mature and patient type of pop like we’ve seen out of Rina Sawayama. It’s super unique stuff.

RIYL: Rina Sawayama, Toro Y Moi, hooks upon hooks upon hooks

#38. Lifeguard – Dressed in Trenches

Another one that snuck past debatability! I normally do not include EP’s but there were too many excellent ones this year. Unlike some headier entries on this list, this is just 18 minutes of rippage. These kids (yes, children) know how to write a damn good rock song, or five. “Alarm” features one of the simplest but most effective riffs you’ll hear all year, coupled with one of the catchiest choruses. The other four songs mostly follow this path, with some slower deviations. This group has the energy of literal teenagers with the confidence of musicians much older. 

RIYL: Superchunk, Sleater-Kinney, moshing in dry heat at a festival

#37. Pacing – Real poetry is always about plants and birds and trees and the animals and milk and honey breathing in the pink but real life is behind a screen

I don’t know anything about this artist. I don’t know how they ended up on my listen-to queue, whether it was a recommendation from someone or they’re friends with a friend, or what. What I do know is that it caught me completely off-guard. I’m hit and miss on lo-fi bedroom stuff, but this was a collection of songs that were mostly fun, occasionally dramatic, and 100% earnest. These quick ditties are full of earworm melodies, jokes, honest reflections, and uncomfortable truths. Every song wins. Genuinely loved this.

RIYL: Kimya Dawson, claire rousay, still spinning the Juno soundtrack

#36. Ada Rook – Rookie’s Bustle

Alright so I listened to this one early in the year and I don’t remember it fondly, but it’s a great Ada Rook so I can tell how it goes anyways – a blend of particularly forceful and strained screamo mixed with synths and a healthy touch of pop music. Rook is part of Black Dresses, hyperpop extraordinaires, and their solo music pushes the intense elements even further. Rook is my favorite screamer in music right now, and this mini-album is chock full of it. Heavy and emotional stuff.

RIYL: Uboa, Pharmakon, the hottest and most deranged goth girl you’ve ever seen

#35. Burner – It All Returns to Nothing

I’ve mentioned it elsewhere on this list, but there is a current trend in making the most abrasive and dense music possible. Burner might have cracked the code completely. This album, which exists on the fringes of noise and metal, is 34 minutes of relentless chaos designed to shun away even the most ardent noise fan. It is a pure spectacle, and the fact that these are well-constructed songs takes a backseat. But they are, as otherwise this would be a pointless exercise in noise. I’m rambling. Check this out if you like the heaviest of heavy.

RIYL: Nails, Full of Hell, folk horror

#34. Lana Del Rey – Did you know that there’s a tunnel under ocean boulevard

I’m an unabashed Lana fan, but I always take her new releases with a grain of salt. Her catalog has been so inconsistent over the years; thankfully, this is a top 3 Lana album. Despite the daunting length, every song feels important. We also get Lana at her most diverse – we have trap on A&M, we get Jon Batiste, we get a Father John Misty collab that’s the most 50’s song either artist has ever done. It’s a winding collection of inspired tunes. It’s not quite the best album Lana has done, but it’s easily the best album Lana has done. But surely you’ve already got an opinion on this one.

RIYL: Adele, Ethel Cain, being a housewife in the 1950’s

#33. Sightless Pit – Lockstep Bloodwar

The band/album names may insinuate something heavy. The members of Sightless Pit – Dylan Walker of Full of Hell and Lee Buford of the Body – insinuate something disgustingly heavy. And for the most part, it is. Members of two of the heaviest and most unpredictable bands in all of music come together for their second official collaboration. Two kings of sheer noise bring a natural melding of their music. But they bring other influences too – across this album, there’s all sorts of trap, jazz and ambient influences mixed into the normal abrasive chaos. Everyone from melodic ambient upstart claire rousay to rap legend Gangsta Boo make appearances. The album brings everything you’d expect, and everything you wouldn’t, from the men involved.

RIYL: Lingua Ignota, Nothing, just any kind of music you don’t hear on the radio

#32. Foo Fighters – But Here We Are

I’m not much of a big Foo guy. I think they’ve got a pair of great albums, and a career of weak ones that have 2-4 great songs. On the whole, low batting average. But sometimes a tragedy can bring out the best in a group, even when it’s the biggest rock band in the world. The Fighters haven’t sounded this energized in decades, and haven’t sounded this despondent ever. It’s obvious the band looked inward, trashed their template and wrote from the heart. These songs are earnest, difficult and affirming, declarations from a band that is choosing to soldier on without Taylor Hawkins. These songs also, of course, rip total ass. 

RIYL: Queens of the Stone Age, the Smashing Pumpkins, did you really need to read this one?

#31. Portrayal of Guilt – Devil Music

Upstarts Portrayal of Guilt had already established themselves as one of the most ambitious and unique bands in modern metal before this album, which boasts one of the most intriguing concepts of the year. Side A of this album is five standard POG songs, aka short and abrasive noise jams that stray away from anything melodic or familiar and thrust the listener into a world of unknown. Side B consists of the same songs, performed with a string section instead of the normal band. The whole album is only 31 minutes, and frankly both sides could’ve had more juice. The concept just flat out works and provides for one of the single most unique releases of the year.

RIYL: Full of Hell, the Body, dreams that start out scary but get weirdly normal

#30. GEL: Only Constant

There is a new (?) blend of punk out there, with bands pushing the ‘hardcore’ label to the extreme levels and producing something that sounds like thrash metal’s dirtbag cousin. The divide between hardcore punk and noise music has never been more blurry, and GEL is just one of a few examples of it on this list. This album – all 16 minutes of it – is blistering, bruising hardcore specifically designed to pummel your senses in a convention hall basement. This band seems to have rockets strapped to their backs, so if you see their names crop up on a festival bill or as an opening act, get there in time. 

RIYL: Mannequin Pussy, Knocked Loose, music venues that are fire hazards

#29. Yves Tumor – Praise A Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)

The multi-genre music athlete Yves Tumor follows the trend he hinted at in his previous LP, ditching the abrasive and complex synths in favor of sultry guitar tracks. There is a lot of uncharted territory here for Sean to explore, and they touch most of it. A whiplash of tracks sends the listener through indie, experimental and hard rock tunes, all wrapped together in seductive production and appropriately religious lyrics. Fans of their older work will eat this one up, even with a general change-up in instrumentation. The one drawback of this album, it seems to be lacking in staying power; it was hotly discussed upon its release in March and is barely registering a blip these days. Still, it’s a powerful release.

RIYL: Lenny Kravitz, Miguel, fornicating

#28. The Men – New York City

No reason to spend a lot of time on this one – it’s just some exceptional garage rock. The Men sometimes like to drift off into other territories, so it’s refreshing to hear them pivot back to their punky, noisy roots. This album is super back-to-basics, even in its title; a simple declaration from one of the premier NYC bands. Rock on.

RIYL: Cloud Nothings, Ty Segall, getting the band back together

#27. Perennial – The Leaves of Autumn Symmetry

This EP doesn’t even crack 8 minutes but it’s some of the most fun you’ll have with headphones on. I’m pals with them so of course I had to include them. The five songs here show the band at their most chaotic, quick little fireballs of dance-punk. You don’t need more than 8 minutes here because you’ll be out of breath by the end.

RIYL: The Hives, The Fratellis, adderall

#26. Yo La Tengo – This Stupid World

I’ll hold my hands up and say I went into this album knowing little about YLT. There’s a handful of legacy indie bands – YLT, GBV, New Pornographers, Belle & Sebastian, etc – who have lengthy catalogs that I’ve just never tackled. Well I’m halfway through theirs now, because I loved this album. Patient, mature, and still refreshingly energetic, this album represents a legacy band still at their highest ambitions. I’ve listened to a number of YLT albums now, and I still think the opening track here (“Sinatra Drive Breakdown”) is my favorite. Yo La Tengo has the confidence to be ambitious, and the experience to know where to stop. Legacy bands aren’t supposed to be this good.

RIYL: Wilco, Belle & Sebastian, taking your son to the music festival

Before we jump into the final section, I should point out that there are so many albums from 2023 I still haven’t gotten to. Nicki Minaj and DJ Shadow dropped albums late in the year I didn’t have time for. Drake, Kim Petras, Metric, Sofia Kourtesis and Blackbraid all released albums I simply haven’t gotten to. I haven’t finished the Andre flute album yet. I missed new ones from Marnie Stern and Radiator Hospital until it was too late. Bell Witch, the Drums, Chris Stapleton, and who can forget Smokey Robinson’s “GASMS”? My apologies to the artists and their 99 albums still on my listen-to list. I won’t adjust this list, but if your favorite is missing – it’s possible I simply haven’t gotten to it yet!

Check back tomorrow for the big finale! You can expect: a metal band turned grunge, hyperpop, a death metal demo, a raucous rap collab album, multiple indie debuts, hardcore legends, and something that I normally disqualify from a best of list – a live album.