Our favourite 57 albums of 2019
It feels like it was a long, long year - how on earth was Sharon Van Etten's record released this year?
Whatever happens though there's always lots of good music. So much than we've got a bumper edition this year - a nice, round number of 57 of our favourite albums.
Here they are in some sort of order - it changes all the time so y'know, whatever.
We put it all together in this Spotify playlist.
Enjoy!
***Quick note*** Here's some albums it seems we forgot when putting this together that should be in there somewhere:
Floating Points - Crush
Stormzy - Heavy Is the Head
57. Nilüfer Yanya - Miss Universe
A very exciting talent to emerge from 2019.
56. Stealing Sheep - Big Wows
Big wows at their Clwb gig.
55. PARCS - I'm Not Having a Nice Time
Our favourite south Wales trip-hop team.
54. Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars
Maybe the production is ever-so-slightly too slick for our tastes, but the songwriter is still the boss.
53. Craig Finn - I Need a New War
The lead singer from the Hold Steady knows how to tell a cracking story in a song.
52. Y La Bamba - Mujeres
Y La Bamba had two albums this year. Both are good, this one is very rhythmic and explorative. Great cover too.
51. Stella Donnelly - Beware of the Dogs
Aussie-Welsh with catchy hooks for days.
50. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
She's a big deal.
49. These New Puritans - Inside the Rose
There New Puritans create a dark and delicious sound.
48. Arthur Russell - Iowa Dream
An album of off-cuts from a hero.
47. Jamilia Woods - LEGACY! LEGACY!
Sumptuous R&B.
46. BROCKHAMPTON - GINGER
Another album of bops from the prolific boys.
45. Y La Bamba - Entre Los Dos
Second entry for Luz Elena Mendoza. She's a unique musician and the world is a better place because of her vibrant music.
44. Silent Forum - Everything Solved at Once
Superb post-rock about office work. One of the best live shows around too.
43. Barker - Utility
EDM that's perfect for jogging.
42. Vanishing Twin - The Age Of Immunology
The smooth groove you deserve.
41. Kero Kero Bonito - Civilisation I
Stonking little EP.
40. CHAI - PUNK
Wonderful pop-punk from Japan. Play for fun times.
39. Burna Boy - African Giant
Political and pumpin' Afro-fusion.
38. Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated
A whole bunch of pop gems.
37. Baroness - Gold & Grey
A welcome addition to their ongoing colours records.
36. Bennie Maupin - The Jewel in The Lotus
You have reached the jazz section.
35. Sampa the Great - The Return
Come this way for absolute hip-hop belters.
34. Tyler The Creator - IGOR
Refinement of the Tyler sound and lots of soul.
33. 5K HD - High Performer
Buckets of cool and fun ideas.
32. Caroline Shaw - Orange
Caroline Shaw has produced for Kanye and The National, and here she drops a beautiful classical album with the Attacca Quartet.
31. Cass McCombs - Tip of the Sphere
Cassy gets a bit rocky.
30. Thom Yorke - Anima
Thom gonna Thom.
29. Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising
Gloriously cinematic ballads.
28. Clairo - Immunity
We were the oldest folks in the crowd at her gig and the kids aren't wrong. This is a sumptuous album and Clairo is wonderful and expressive musician.
27. Angel Olsen - All Mirrors
An album that oozes the class of an indie star at the height of her powers.
26. Jenny Hval - The Practice of Love
Tip-top art-pop. She makes it feel so light and effortless.
25. slowthai - Nothing Great About Britain
No one waves around a severed prime ministerial head quite like him.
24. Cate Le Bon - Reward
We lover the Cate's wonky pop.
23. Solange - When I Get Home
A little revolution in R&B going on.
22. Aldous Harding - Designer
Showing off her catchy folk licks.
21. Holly Herndon - Proto
I read that algorithms were used to make this album. The results are astonishing. Computer magic.
20. Hot Chip - A Bath Full of Ecstacy
Another delightful Hot Chip record. Big beats, big feels.
19. The Comet is Coming - Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
Forget everything you think you know about saxophones and 'Jazz'.
18. Danny Brown - uknowhatimsayin¿
So so so inventive and maybe more accessible on this album than ever before.
17. Bill Callahan - Sleeping in a sheepskin vest
Snug warm folk, just sheep's wool.
16. Charli XCX - Charli
Full pop power.
15. Lizzo - Cuz I Love You
Blew everyone away this year with probs the best bangers of the year.
14. Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!
One of the best song writers around, no doubts about it.
13. Flying Lotus - Flamagra
Four sides of the most inventive sounds you'll hear this year.
12. Big Thief - U.F.O.F.
A very exciting band, making very exciting music all the time.
11. Big Thief - Two Hands
Alright Big Thief, we get it, you're good. 'Not' makes a push for year of the song too.
10. Sunn O))) - Life Metal
Sometimes all you need is a really really really good drone.
9. FKA twigs - MAGDALENE
Production that's as breathtaking as ever with a bit of extra introspection.
8. Helado Negro - This is how you smile
Blissful, chilled out and deep album.
7. Kate Tempest - The Book of Traps and Lessons
Went to see her at Tramshed and had a little cry, it was that good.
6. Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains
A masterful record from an artist who will be much missed.
5. Little Simz - Grey Area
Best flow in the game, not a single filler track on there.
4. Richard Dawson - 2020
His last album was a Medieval village pressed into vinyl. This one brings us right to moment of the start of the new decade and all the time's anxieties and worries.
3. Anderson .Paak - Ventura
Funky and sexy as hell. YES LAWD
2. Michael Kiwanuka - KIWANUKA
Such a confident record with all the grooves.
1. Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow
Deep enough to swim in and strong and powerful, and with a bazilion more synths. Everything we wanted from one of favourite singer-songwriters.