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
MagdaleneFKA Twigs★★★★½86ElectronicArt PopElectronic R&B
IGORTyler, The Creator★★★★84Hip-HopAlternative Hip-HopSoul
Remind Me TomorrowSharon Van Etten★★★★79PopIndie Pop
GREY AreaLittle Simz★★★★77Hip-HopBritish Hip-Hop
DogrelFONTAINES D.C.★★★★76RockAlternative RockPost Punk
thank u, nextAriana Grande★★★★75PopR&B
PatienceMannequin Pussy★★★★75RockPunk RockEmo
Anak KoJay Som★★★½74RockIndie PopDream Pop
GhosteenNick Cave & The Bad Seeds★★★½74RockArt Rock
Beware of the DogsStella Donnelly★★★½73RockAlternative RockIndie Rock
The Practice of LoveJenny Hval★★★½72ElectronicElectropop
Sound and FurySturgill Simpson★★★½71CountryCountry RockAlternative Country
AnimaThom Yorke★★★½71ElectronicAlternative RockElectronic Rock
ZUUDenzel Cury★★★½71Hip-Hop
Legacy! Legacy!Jamila Woods★★★½71Hip-HopR&B
All MirrorsAngel Olsen★★★½70RockAlternative RockIndie Rock
Assume FormJames Blake★★★½69Hip-HopR&BElectronic R&B
Why Hasn’t Everything Already DisapearedDeerhunter★★★½68RockPsychadelic RockIndie Rock
BandanaFreddie Gibbs★★★½68Hip-Hop
Please Excuse Me for Being AntisocialRoddy Ricch★★★½67Hip-Hop
It Won/T Be Like This All The TimeThe Twilight Sad★★★½67RockShoegazePost Punk
Cuz I Love YouLizzo★★★½67Hip-HopPop Hip-Hop
All My Heros Are CornballsJPEGMAFIA★★★½65Hip-HopAlternative Hip-Hop
PonyOrville Peck★★★½65CountryCountry RockAlternative Country
I Am Easy To FindThe National★★★64RockArt Rock
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?Billie Eilish★★★63PopElectropop
The Book of Traps and LessonsKate Tempest★★★63Hip-HopBritsh Hip-Hop
Rap or Go To The League2 Chainz★★★63Hip-Hop
Better Oblivion Community CenterBetter Oblivion Community Center★★★63RockAlternative RockIndie Rock
Titanic RisingWeyes Blood★★★63RockArt PopChamber Pop
When I Have FearsThe Murder Capital★★★62RockPunk RockPost Punk
Escape from New yorkBeast Coast★★★60Hip-Hop
Norman Fucking Rockwell!Lana Del Rey★★★60PopIndie Pop
FeverMegan Thee Stallion★★★60Hip-Hop
Schlagenheimblack midi★★★60RockAlternative RockPost Punk
The BalanceCatfish and the Bottlemen★★★59RockAlternative Rock
When I Get HomeSolange★★★59Hip-HopR&B
Thrashing Thru The PassionThe Hold Steady★★★59RockAlternative Rock
U.F.O.F.Big Thief★★★57RockAlternative Rock
CrasH TalkScHoolboy Q★★★57Hip-Hop
American FootballAmerican Football★★★56RockAlternative RockEmo
Social CuesCage the Elephant★★★56RockAlternative Rock
Purple MountainPurple Mountain★★★55RockAlternative Rock
We Are Not Your KindSlipknot★★★55RockAlternative RockAlternative Metal
Nothing Great About Britainslowthai★★★55Hip-HopBritish Hip-Hop
Fear InoculumTool★★★55RockMetal
uknowhatimsayin?Danny Brown★★½54Hip-Hop
FlamagraFlying Lotus★★½54ElectronicAlternative Hip-HopJazz Rap
Father of the BrideVampire Weekend★★½54RockAlternative RockIndie Rock
VenturaAnderson.Paak★★½54Hip-HopR&B
DeceiverDIIV★★½54RockAlternative RockPost Punk
In The Morse Code of Brake LightsThe New Pornographers★★½54RockIndie PopIndie Rock
SurvivingJimmy Eat World★★½52RockPop Rock
Dior DepositsGuapdad 4000★★½51Hip-Hop
PROTOHolly Herndon★★½51Electronic
RewardCate le Bon★★½50PopArt Pop
Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1Foals★★½50RockAlternative Rock
i,iBon Iver★★½49RockAlternative RockIndie Folk
Side EffectsWhite Denim★★½47RockPsychadelic RockIndie Rock
Arizona BabyKevin Abstract★★½46Hip-Hop
A Bath Full of EcstasyHot Chip★★44ElectronicIndie PopAlternative Dance
LegendaryTyga★★43Hip-HopPop Hip-Hop
HyperspaceBeck★★42RockAlternative RockSynthpop
Everyday LifeColdplay★★40RockPop Rock
BuoysPanda Bear★★39ElectronicPsychadelic RockExperimenal
Port of Miami 2Rick Ross★★35Hip-Hop

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

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