2019 in Review

Compared to some of the other years in the decade, 2019 was a bit underwhelming. There were some good, creative albums out there like Tyler, The Creator’s genre-bending Igor and Thom Yorke’s electronic record, but a lot of releases from prominent acclaimed acts –  The National, Vampire Weekend, Tool, Bon Iver – weren’t nearly as strong as fans would have hoped.

It was, however, a pretty great year for pop music. In the traditional, radio sense, Lizzo’s breakout hit “Juice” early in the year led to fans discovering her older singles like “Truth Hurts” and “Good As Hell” while enjoying her new album. Billie Eilish then took the stage in March when “Bad Guy” was released right ahead of her debut record. Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift   also had a year full of hit singles, while Lil Nas X, Dua Lipa, Roddy Ricch and Megan Thee Stallion also got their first taste of the pop charts. 

Indie art pop and R&B, too, had a moment, with FKA Twigs, Sharon Van Etten, Lana Del Rey, Cate le Bon, Weyes Blood and Angel Olsen all contributing critically acclaimed albums. 

The two recent trends in rock music continued to grow in 2019. First, female-led bands and singer-songwriters continued to corner much of the indie market, with acts like Stella Donnelly, Phoebe Bridgers, Jay Som and Mannequin Pussy spanning indie rock, emo, folk and indie pop. Post punk also continued to gain its footing with releases by FONTAINES D.C., The Twilight Sad, The Murder Capital and black midi buildingin off of 2018’s success. 

It was a big year for hip-hop collectives, too. Groups and labels put members together to support one-another even more so than before. Griselda, Dreamville, Beast Coast and JACKBOYS all put out records that used their most prominent members to spotlight some lesser-known talent in a really effective way.

Songs of the year

2019 Albums

AlbumArtistStarsScoreGenre
IGORTyler The Creator★★★★84Hip-HopAlternative Hip-HopNeo-Soul
MagdaleneFKA Twigs★★★★84ElectronicArt PopElectronic R&B
GREY AreaLittle Simz★★★★82Hip-HopBritish Hip-Hop
DogrelFONTAINES D.C.★★★★80RockAlternative RockPost Punk
Remind Me TomorrowSharon Van Etten★★★★80PopIndie Pop
PatienceMannequin Pussy★★★½75RockPunk RockEmo
Anak KoJay Som★★★½74RockIndie PopDream Pop
thank u, nextAriana Grande★★★½74PopR&B
ZUUDenzel Cury★★★½74Hip-Hop
GhosteenNick Cave & The Bad Seeds★★★½73RockArt Rock
Beware of the DogsStella Donnelly★★★½73RockIndie PopIndie Rock
CrushFloating Points★★★½73Electronic
Legacy! Legacy!Jamila Woods★★★½71Hip-HopR&B
AnimaThom Yorke★★★½71ElectronicAlternative RockElectronic Rock
Sound and FurySturgill Simpson★★★½71CountryCountry RockAlternative Country
All MirrorsAngel Olsen★★★½71RockIndie PopIndie Rock
The Practice of LoveJenny Hval★★★½70ElectronicElectropop
Assume FormJames Blake★★★½70Hip-HopR&BElectronic R&B
BandanaFreddie Gibbs★★★½70Hip-Hop
Why Hasn’t Everything Already DisapearedDeerhunter★★★68RockPsychedelic RockIndie Rock
Cuz I Love YouLizzo★★★68Hip-HopPop Hip-Hop
All My Heros Are CornballsJPEGMAFIA★★★67Hip-HopAlternative Hip-Hop
Please Excuse Me for Being AntisocialRoddy Ricch★★★66Hip-HopPop Hip-Hop
It Won/T Be Like This All The TimeThe Twilight Sad★★★66RockShoegazePost Punk
I Am Easy To FindThe National★★★66RockArt RockChamber Pop
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?Billie Eilish★★★65PopElectropop
PonyOrville Peck★★★64CountryCountry RockAlternative Country
Better Oblivion Community CenterBetter Oblivion Community Center★★★63RockAlternative RockIndie Rock
Titanic RisingWeyes Blood★★★63PopArt PopDream Pop
The Book of Traps and LessonsKate Tempest★★★63Hip-HopBritsh Hip-Hop
Rap or Go To The League2 Chainz★★★63Hip-Hop
When I Have FearsThe Murder Capital★★★63RockPunk RockPost Punk
Schlagenheimblack midi★★★61RockPunk RockMath Rock
Norman Fucking Rockwell!Lana Del Rey★★★61PopIndie Pop
FeverMegan Thee Stallion★★★60Hip-Hop
Escape from New yorkBeast Coast★★★60Hip-Hop
CrasH TalkScHoolboy Q★★★60Hip-Hop
The BalanceCatfish and the Bottlemen★★½59RockAlternative Rock
Thrashing Thru The PassionThe Hold Steady★★½59RockAlternative Rock
When I Get HomeSolange★★½59Hip-HopR&B
U.F.O.F.Big Thief★★½57RockAlternative Rock
Nothing Great About Britainslowthai★★½57Hip-HopBritish Hip-Hop
American FootballAmerican Football★★½56RockAlternative RockEmo
Social CuesCage the Elephant★★½56RockAlternative Rock
PangCaroline Polachek★★½56PopIndie Pop#REF!
Father of the BrideVampire Weekend★★½55RockAlternative RockIndie Rock
uknowhatimsayin?Danny Brown★★½55Hip-Hop
Purple MountainPurple Mountain★★½54RockAlternative Rock
We Are Not Your KindSlipknot★★½54RockAlternative RockAlternative Metal
Fear InoculumTool★★½54RockMetal
DeceiverDIIV★★½54RockAlternative RockPost Punk
In The Morse Code of Brake LightsThe New Pornographers★★½54RockIndie PopIndie Rock
VenturaAnderson.Paak★★½54Hip-HopR&BNeo-Soul
FlamagraFlying Lotus★★½54ElectronicAlternative Hip-HopJazz Rap
SurvivingJimmy Eat World★★½52RockPop Rock
Dior DepositsGuapdad 4000★★½51Hip-Hop
PROTOHolly Herndon★★½51Electronic
Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1Foals★★½50RockAlternative Rock
RewardCate le Bon★★½50PopArt Pop
i,iBon Iver★★46RockAlternative RockIndie Folk
Side EffectsWhite Denim★★47RockPsychedelic RockIndie Rock
Arizona BabyKevin Abstract★★45Hip-Hop
A Bath Full of EcstasyHot Chip★★44ElectronicIndie PopAlternative Dance
LegendaryTyga★★43Hip-HopPop Hip-Hop
Everyday LifeColdplay★★40RockPop Rock
HyperspaceBeck★½37RockAlternative RockSynthpop
BuoysPanda Bear★½35ElectronicPsychedelic RockExperimenal
Port of Miami 2Rick Ross★½34Hip-Hop
Jesus Is KingKanye West★25Hip-HopSoul

50 Best Songs

  1. Light Years – The National
  2. Dawn Chorus – Thom Yorke
  3. cellophane – FKA twigs
  4. Juice – Lizzo
  5. Seventeen – Sharon Van Etten
  6. Crime Pays – Freddie Gibbs, Madlib
  7. Dior – Pop Smoke
  8. EARFQUAKE – Tyler, The Creator
  9. Drink II – Mannequin Pussy
  10. Dead of Night – Orville Peck
  11. fallen alien – FKA twigs
  12. NEW MAGIC WAND – Tyler, The Creator
  13. bad guy – Billie Eilish
  14. Quiet Light – The National
  15. Harmony Hall – Vampire Weekend
  16. Superbike – Jay Som
  17. Sweat (SOPHIE Remix) – SONIKKU, LIZ, SOPHIE
  18. Mile High – James Blake, Travis Scott, Metro Boomin
  19. Don’t Start Now – Dua Lipa
  20. I Am Easy To Find – The National
  21. DR BIRDS – Griselda
  22. Venom – Little Simz
  23. Boys in the Better Land – Fontaines D.C.
  24. BIRDZ – Denzel Curry, Rick Ross
  25. ORANGE SODA – Baby Keem
  26. Song 31 – Noname, Phoelix
  27. Who You Are – Mannequin Pussy
  28. The Box – Roddy Ricch
  29. Die – Stella Donnelly
  30. In My Room – Frank Ocean
  31. CrasH – ScHoolboy Q
  32. needy – Ariana Grande
  33. Down Bad – Dreamville, JID, Bas, J. Cole, EARTHGANG, Young Nudy
  34. Left Hand – Beast Coast, Joey Bada$$, Flatbush Zombies, The Underachievers, Kirk Knight, Nyck Caution, CJ Fly
  35. Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You) – Bombay Bicycle Club
  36. All My Heroes Are Cornballs – JPEGMAFIA
  37. Not – Big Thief
  38. Dancing With A Stranger – Sam Smith, Normani
  39. Roy’s Tune – Fontaines D.C.
  40. No One’s Easy to Love – Sharon Van Etten
  41. imagine – Ariana Grande
  42. Hey, Ma – Bon Iver
  43. holy terrain – FKA twigs, Future
  44. Jailbreak the Tesla – Injury Reserve, Amine
  45. Red Right Hand – PJ Harvey
  46. GATTI – JACKBOYS, Pop Smoke, Travis Scott
  47. To the Door – HMLTD
  48. Broke As Fuck – Cordae
  49. In Love Again – Mannequin Pussy
  50. MIDDLE CHILD – J. Cole

Genre Highlights

Rock

Hip-Hop

Pop