The Genius Community’s 50 Best Albums of 2019

Following his 2017 effort, Pretty Girls Like Trap Music, 2 Chainz’s fifth studio album Rap Or Go To The League chronicles the Georgia native’s experiences from aspiring basketball player to street hustler to rapper. Executive produced by NBA superstar LeBron James, this project serves as Chainz’s most conscious record yet—the album’s title carries the misconception that “the only way out of the inner city is either to become a rapper or a ball player,” which ties into the lyrical content, too.

The opener, “Forgiven,” is a street tale that examines Chainz’s hoop dreams and fall from grace, while “NCAA” touches on the exploitation of college athletes. Yet, the album still manages to be buoyant, as heard on the Kendrick Lamar-assisted “Momma I Hit A Lick,” or “Rule The World,” featuring songstress Ariana Grande. With Rap Or Go To The League, 2 Chainz proves that he’s an All-Star of 2019. —MERL⅄N

French duo PNL opened their third studio album, Deux frères with the bars, “Don’t give a fuck about the Himalayas, I’m not aiming for the top anymore.” After a three-year hiatus, the group returned with the lead single “Au DD”. Similar to how Beyoncé and Jay Z privatized the Louvre Museum for their “Apeshit” music video, PNL did the same at the Eiffel Tower to display to the world they’re effectively on top of the French musical scene. Discussing various topics such as wealth, family, street violence, sexuality, and religion, the duo switched flows and beats from trap to disco. Pushing the classic rap boundaries, PNL continued to assert their authority as one of the most influential duos in France. —@noufi, Gauthier Chombart

Summer Walker’s 2019 is a study in a timing. Following a high-profile Drake collaboration to start off the year, the Georgia R&B singer capitalized perfectly on her buzz with the release of Over It. Her debut notched the most successful sales week for a female R&B album since Beyoncé’s Lemonade. It traded on some classic R&B cachet—most notably enlisting Usher for a new take on “You Make Me Wanna…” and flipping 702’s “Get It Together” on “Body”—while also offering fans a deep look into Walker’s psyche. 2019 saw Walker struggling to reconcile her social anxiety with her newfound fame, and Over It lays out her insecurities and self-doubt in stark detail. Whether she’s shouldering the blame for a failed relationship on “Just Might” or airing out her jealousy on “I’ll Kill You,” Summer Walker isn’t afraid to show us who she really is, even when it’s messy and complicated. —Chris Mench

Some people choose not to reveal every detail about themselves, and musicians are no different. On his first 10-track album, ZICO reveals more of his thoughts from an everyday perspective as Woo Ji-Ho, while also giving a celebrity perspective as ZICO. [According to ZICO (https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2019/11/18/zico-returns-with-new-reflective-album-thinking.html), he became more vulnerable for the first time in his career on this album. ZICO explores genres like hip-hop, pop, and R&B by rapping and singing, and switches between the two effectively. While the main focus is to show how celebrities are just as human as everyone else, ZICO goes on “another level” and explains how, even after becoming a CEO, he still aspires to go even higher.—@InfiresARMY__, Mary C.

Caroline Polachek’s debut solo album Pang is cheeky and personal, winking at listeners. Formerly a member of synth pop group Chairlift, Polachek brings a wealth of bravado to the project. She isn’t afraid to experiment—metallic chimes and clicks get pitch-shifted and warped while bells and whistles are cleverly syncopated. Above the rich instrumentation soars Polachek’s otherworldly voice, which at times is fraught with despair and other times sweetly flirtatious.

Lyrically, Pang is honest and often humorous as she puts a spin on classic stories of attraction and romance on songs like “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings,” “Go As A Dream,” and “Caroline, Shut Up.” What is a pang anyway? It’s a sudden course of emotion. With Polachek’s record, it’s certainly one to feel again and again. —@sereinik, Maxwell Zhang

Hoodies All Summer is a powerful record where veteran rapper Kano weaves together tales of heartbreak, racism, knife crime and injustice across beats that jump from hip-hop and dancehall to grime and garage. Even after 15 years on the scene, he’s just as lyrical as the best of them, whether it’s the percussion-less intro “Free Years Later” or straight up grime on “Class of Deja.” But what takes precedent on HAS is the soulful and bluesy sounds reflecting the pain Kano feels seeing the racial injustice in modern Britain, as he shows on the tracks “Trouble” and “Teardrops.” On the closer “SYM,” while calling on racists to “suck your mother and die,” he captures the feeling of hope when everything feels lost. A fitting end to an album that faces pain without fear. —@Zeniths

Rich Brian has been beating the odds for most of his life, like when he became the first artist of Asian descent to top the iTunes hip-hop charts with his debut album Amen. In 2019, Rich Brian returned with The Sailor, an album purely about adventure that traverses many different sounds and styles.

On the title track “The Sailor,” Brian speaks about the negative side of being famous at such a young age. On the next track “Rapapapa,” he has a more braggadocious outlook on the subject, and is joined by Wu-Tang Clan co-founder RZA, who details the importance of Rich Brian to the culture. The album also showcases Rich Brian’s ability to be vulnerable, like on the guitar and string-induced “Drive Safe,” where Brian details a long distance relationship, or on the Joji-assisted track “Where Does the Time Go,” where they discuss the limited time they have with love interests. At only 19, Rich Brian has proven why he deserves a spot in this genre through his maturity and creativity. —@hamperedoutkast, Dillon Shanks

nobigdyl.’s LOWERCASE TAPE. might have actually made the Tennessee-rapper a big deal. After parting ways with with the label powerhouse Capitol Records, LOWERCASE TAPE. is a story of independence, faith, and community. On the Parris Chariz-assisted cut “FAITH AND PATIENCE” he raps: “Only Master that I have was risen and ascended/That’s why I got my masters back, I do this independent.”

Songs like “STIX” and “CATCH UP” are short trap-infused bangers that are filled with pop culture references and showcase Dyllie’s stellar lyricism and wordplay. “TWO WEEKS NOTICE” continues the theme of breaking free, depicting the internal process of him leaving Capitol, both from the point of view of him and Capitol’s A&R. Altogether, LOWERCASE TAPE. is a fun, complete listen top-to-bottom, proving that even if things didn’t work out, Capitol was right to see the promise of nobigdyl’s talent. —@CalebMac116, Caleb McKinion

Bad Bunny’s debut album X 100PRE (meaning “por siempre” or “forever”) takes us on a genre-bending adventure. With assistance from reggaeton veteran producer Tainy—who co-produced 12 of the 15 tracks on the album—the project manages to capture feelings of nostalgia, love, and bliss all at once.

Throughout the album, Bad Bunny nods to Puerto Rican culture; referencing santeria, alluding to Puerto Rican artists like Miky Woodz and early reggaeton duo RKM & Ken-Y. Standout tracks like “La Romana” open with a bachata beat and tease us with a flute sound before switching to dembow. His Drake collab “MÍA”—where the Toronto rapper sings in Spanish—may be Bunny’s biggest solo US hit to date, but he’s confident enough to that he just tacks it on the end of the album. X 100 PRE indicated a shift towards a more inclusive and fluid music market, and positioned el genero urbano as a critical part of the American pop landscape. —Stacy Aguilar

Railing against the state of poverty in the UK, ​slowthai doesn’t shy away from the unpleasant, both internal and external, on Nothing Great About Britain. He snaps between lyrics about mental health on “Missing” to difficulties of his upbringing on “Grow Up,“ all mixed in with references to classic elements of British culture. Moving from the punk-infused “Doorman” to garage-like “Toaster,” Slowthai also happily plays around with classic British music, coming together in a cohesive yet twisted record.

It’s an album special enough to make a buzz across the pond, securing collaborations with Tyler, the Creator, Brockhampton, and Flume, as well as earning him a nomination for the coveted Mercury Prize. During the awards show, his controversial performance secured his position as leader of the next wave of British anti-establishment music. —@Zeniths, Dominic Salzedo

Fever showcases Megan Thee Stallion’s infectious flows and a pen game better than most. The Houston, Texas rapper used this project to capitalize on the buzz she built through viral freestyles and her dance-challenge-ready song “Big Ole Freak”—proving she was worth the hype.

On “Cash Shit,” Megan and DaBaby boast about their sex lives and power over a minimalistic instrumental. “I ain’t gotta worry ‘bout shit, money good,” Megan spits on the chorus of “Money Good,” a song that features the catchiest lines from the project. Megan Thee Stallion’s Fever is filled with raw talent, and provides a solid foundation for her to grow her already impressive rap skills. —@ninetyninedreams

A deeply personal album, The Search finds NF at his most honest. NF confirmed that he had been in therapy in 2018 in an Instagram live-stream stating: “After I toured the first leg of Perception I was the most depressed I had ever been and so I had to check myself into therapy.” The Search is the next step in NF’s journey and features a different sound than his previous three albums. This album sees a much calmer artist who has come to terms with his past and has moved on in search of hope. NF touches on topics such as self-hatred, loneliness, and regrets. The Search finds NF overcoming the anger that consumed him in the past.—@BenRodz

With Titanic Rising, Weyes Blood created an album that sounds exactly as the album cover looks: a lush and dreamy soundscape formed on the basis of ’70s baroque pop coupled with folk and psychedelic-pop sprinkled in. Fittingly, the album deals with the uncertainties of maturing and failed relationships in dark times.

This struggle with change is best exemplified by the album’s opener and cornerstone, “A Lot’s Gonna Change." Escapism, though seemingly the easiest solution to modern day struggles, won’t work, as she points out in “Movies” while she acknowledges the struggle to fill one’s void inside and find a meaning in life again on “Something to Believe” and “Mirror Forever." Titanic Rising is easily the best album about the struggles of modernity in 2019.—@timep1ace

We’ve been waiting since 2016 to hear a new LP from James Blake. The British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist came back in force with his fourth studio album Assume Form. On this 12-track project, Blake is on a journey to find himself, heavily inspired by personal experiences and his relationship with Jameela Jamil. Without ever derogating from his experimental style and signature vocals, Blake takes a step on a mission to self-fulfillment. Unlike his previous cover art, the art for Assume Form is the first to show him clearly, without any distortion or illustration. The symbolism is clear: James Blake now sees himself clearly, in his final assumed form.—@noufi, Gauthier Chombart

After solidifying his position as a grime heavyweight with his 2016 album Konnichiwa, Skepta set his eyes on the UK rap scene with his album Ignorance is Bliss. The album begins with “Bullet from a Gun,” following the theme of introspective intros that Skepta features in his albums. The album then shoots into “Greaze Mode,” marking his first collaboration with Nafe Smallz, before sliding into more collaborations with UK artists, with “What Do You Mean?” featuring J Hus, and “Gangsta” bringing back memories of Skepta’s past with Boy Better Know. Ignorance is Bliss largely differs from Skepta’s past discography, showing that even as a music scene mainstay for the last decade, he’s still got it. —@jetski_wavez

It’s hard to talk about Revenge of the Dreamers III without the numbers: the 343 invitations, the 35 artists, the 27 producers, the 142 songs made, the 18 that made the album, and the 10 days it took to make all of it. By those numbers, Revenge should’ve been a mess, instead it emerged one of the biggest statements of 2019.

Having all ends of the hip-hop universe under one roof has its benefits. Revenge made way for silky smooth pairings (Ari Lennox and Ty Dolla $ign on “Got Me”) and let newcomers rap alongside greats (DaBaby on “Under the Sun”). It showed the breadth of today’s rap game, from boom bap to trap, and showcased the young guns from Dreamville like J.I.D and EARTHGANG who can hop on anything and sound like it’s their specialty. But the highlight of Revenge is J. Cole, who acts as the curator. It’s hard to imagine the guy who wrote “Intro to the Fall Off” would have a project with Ski Mask the Slump God and Smokepurpp just a year later. But when a new wave comes, you don’t shut it out, you invite it.—@topherritz, Chris Ritter

clipping.’s latest fare refines their formula. The album is an intricate homage to a musical reference point, delivered via quick-witted lyrics over noisey beats. There Existed an Addiction to Blood is full of eerie, slasher flick soundscapes that thrived in the mid-’90s underground hip-hop scene, but intensified and sharpened to make them fit into the universe of clipping.’s distinct sound.

“Run For Your Life” is the best example of this—for the first half the core beat of the song can only be heard in vignettes through the sound systems of passing cars, until it thunders into the foreground just before Tennessee’s horrorcore queen La Chat bursts through. Culminating in an 18 minute recording of a literal piano burning, the album is a futurized period piece that flourishes under Daveed Digg’s careful pen and William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes' voracious appetite for pushing the limitations of noise rap.—Colby Handy

Perhaps the most important thing to know about Jamila Woods’ meditative Legacy! Legacy! is that the album’s liner notes include a bibliography of her research. Each track on Legacy! Legacy! is named after one of her heroes; artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Frida Kahlo, musicians like Miles Davis and Eartha Kitt, and poets like Nikki Giovanni and Sonia Sanchez. She explained to Pitchfork that the album was also inspired by, “Watching interviews with artists of color, where the interviewer is usually a white man asking the dumbest questions, and then seeing how they dealt with it.”

Woods is not just a singer whose worked with the likes of Chance the Rapper, she’s also a renowned poet and the Associate Artistic Director of Young Chicago Authors—which explains why her music is more complex than your typical fare. The album deals with all types of legacies; the legacy of racism, of appropriation, but most importantly, the legacy of people of color who strived to overcome those forces. As she sings on “BASQUIAT,” “You can’t police my joy, no.” —Insanul Ahmed

Meet Teejayx6, Detroit rapper and the face of newly crystallized genre, Scam Rap. Online fraud has become part of life in the digital age, opening the door to the rise of Scam Rap, which Teejayx6 is leading. Under Pressure features plenty of anecdotes of Teejayx6’s experiences in the world of credit card fraud and scamming, like on the viral “Dark Web,” where he flexes his knowledge about VPNs and BIN accounts.

What resonates most with Teejayx6 fans is his signature rap style, which is built upon a rapid, low-effort flow that emphasizes the last word of each bar. From scamming Blac Chyna to offering “Free Sauce,” Teejayx6 balances sharing his hilarious scamming stories and dropping advice about how be a scammer yourself. Cluttering as many outlandish scam lyrics as possible over eerie production primarily handled by K’Den Ju (who’s responsible for the standout “Swipe Story”), The Detroit rapper is leading the Scam Rap wave that we’re sure to see more of in the coming years.—@izeezus, Isaiah Chauhan

Few artists in the 2010s have reinvented themselves so constantly, and with such high expectations, as indie giant Bon Iver. With i,i, the Justin Vernon-led outfit have rounded out the decade with another record wildly different from their last, and done so with dazzling results. The best moments of i,i sound stitched together, like the fizzling “iMi,” which was constructed over a period of five years and boasts a list of over 20 collaborators: ranging from James Blake to violist Rob Moose to frequent Young Thug-collaborator Wheezy. The result feels as good as the sum of many shimmering parts, leaving focus just to make way for another gem to shine through. While 22, A Million thrived on wide soundscapes, i,i owes its brilliance to its smaller pieces.—@topherritz, Chris Ritter

Inspired by both folk and dance music, Maggie Rogers’ debut album Heard It In A Past Life feels physical as much as it is auditory. Past Life is a cathartic and yet present listen, cuing both spiritual separation from the physical body via reflective contemplation and eventually coming back into it with movement. This bodily effect is made possible by Rogers’ placing of calming vocals and deeply vulnerable lyrics at center stage, re-imagining pop music as something that can be incredibly intimate even in the face of electronic production. With Past Life, Rogers establishes herself as a pioneer in the electro-folk genre and a bonafide pop star—one whose starpower comes from a down-to-earth authenticity. Standout tracks “Say It,” “Fallingwater,” “Retrograde,” and career-making “Alaska” are good precisely because they depict a woman humbled by her own existence, and unafraid to dance despite it. —@sereinik, Maxwell Zhang

South-Korean collective BTS released their sixth EP, MAP OF THE SOUL: PERSONA, after the conclusion of their Love Yourself trilogy. The prior projects discussed love, but this time the band was out to find themselves. The 2019 Billboard “Best Group” winners took a risky inspiration from Carl Jung, a psychologist who studied the fundamental archetypes of human character. Their Halsey-assisted lead single “Boy With Luv” broke the record for the most viewed video in 24 hours on Youtube, racking up 74.6 millions plays. The band went on to perform as a homage to The Beatles on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. With Persona, the well-established BTS-Mania leaves a question: are we currently living another unique history-marking band success story? —@noufi, Gauthier Chombart

Released only five months after Anderson .Paak’s last full-length, Ventura is the neo-soul singer’s second sequential project with Dr. Dre as executive producer. Even more soulful and lush than its predecessor, Ventura blends the funk and psychedelia of 2016’s Malibu with the gritty, conscious attitudes of Oxnard.

Beautiful, compassionate instrumentation inside and out, Ventura is a lovely, water-tight collection of R&B bangers. .Paak’s carefully chosen roster of features serves to accentuate his charm. From the twinkly intro “Come Home” featuring André 3000, to the delicate outro “What Can We Do?” with posthumous vocals from Nate Dogg, the album is a front to back triumph of Cheeky Andy’s talents, in rapping, singing, and production. Ventura solidifies .Paak’s spot in the upper-echelon of neo-soul. —Bismvth

Psychodrama is a project that showcases Dave’s ability to wade through various themes with intelligent lyricism and gripping storytelling. The album was conceptualized as a therapy session, inspired by the ones his brother receives in prison. The first track explores the struggles and difficulties of depression and mental illness. “Black” is a song about what it means to be black. “Purple Heart” and “Location” give us a more upbeat vibe discussing love and romance. “Lesley” sees Dave spit for a hefty 11-minutes about an abusive and hurtful relationship a family member experienced. Taken altogether, Psychodrama will be remembered as a seminal moment not just in Dave’s career, but in UK hip-hop as a whole. —@Madbrad200

Following the very chaotic and scattered release of their fourth studio album iridescence, BROCKHAMPTON returned with GINGER, their most mature sound to date. They open the album by detailing their imperfections on “NO HALO,” the statement, “I don’t know where I’m going,” echoing throughout. Themes of soul searching and self-reflection are prevalent throughout the record, whether it be Dom McLennon’s ferocious verse about Ameer Vann’s departure from the group on “DEARLY DEPARTED,” or the band’s blend of profound lyrics over a very playful instrumental on “BOY BYE,” the group experiments with new sounds. After displaying all their insecurities, the group ends the album with reaffirmation for their fans on “VICTOR ROBERTS,” where Kevin Abstract repeatedly exclaims, “Thank God for me.” With production handled by group members Romil Hemnani, Jabari Manwa and Kiko Merley, BROCKHAMPTON exercise their demons as they continue to evolve. —@hamperedoutkast, Dillon Shanks

Chicago drill was one of the most important hip-hop sounds to emerge this decade. Even though the scene isn’t what it once was, the seeds planted in its heyday are starting to blossom with a new generation of Chicago artists like Polo G. The “Pop Out” rapper cites the likes of G Herbo as inspiration, even though Polo’s style is much more melodic than his predecessors. However, like some of his idols, a dark cloud often hangs over his songs.

On “Finer Things” he declares, “It wasn’t no heroes, so we looked up to the villains.” On “Deep Wounds” he laments, “My friends got killed on the same block where we used to play.” There’s plenty of lines about packing guns, sporting icy watches, and dripping like a fountain, but what separates Polo from his contemporaries is a sense of longing for a better life and a determination to get there on his own terms. As he says “Through The Storm,” “Everybody go through something, it’s all about perseverance.” —Insanul Ahmed

After three masterfully chaotic albums—XXX, Old, and Atrocity Exhibition—Detroit native Danny Brown finally manages to calm down a bit with uknowwhatimsayin¿. With production from former A Tribe Called Quest leader Q-Tip, uknowwhatimsayin¿ follows a more soulful, serene approach, as showcased on songs such as “Best Life” and “Shine.” Danny’s clever wordplay and humorous tone shine through each and every song, showcasing his undying enthusiasm for his profession. Overall, uknowwhatimsayin¿ is one of Danny’s most enjoyable albums, where he upgrades from an alt-rap extremist, to rap’s true everyman. —Anonymous

In 2012, Charli XCX appeared on Icona’s “I Love It.” In 2014, she was featured on Iggy Azalea’s hit song “Fancy.” Charli XCX could’ve become one of the biggest pop stars in the world—but she refused to do that. Instead, she released two groundbreaking mixtapes in 2017, and finally her self-titled third studio album this year.

Charli is a boundary-pushing record that finds the perfect balance between songs with a traditional pop structure and more avant-garde songs. The album has simple, but catchy hits like “1999” and “Blame It on Your Love” featuring Troye Sivan and Lizzo respectively, but also includes songs like the quirky and noisy ‘deconstructed club’ “Click” and the chaotic “Shake It” which finds an unlikely matching of Pabllo Vittar and ​cupcakKe work brilliantly. Charli is the perfect closer to the decade. From the “Next Level Charli” on the opening all the way to the futuristic closer “2099,” this album will make you excited to see the direction pop music goes in the 2020s. —@tomsarram

Dreamville duo Earthgang stepped fully into the spotlight this year with the release of their debut album, Mirrorland, arriving just months after their starring turn on Dreamville’s Revenge of the Dreamers III compilation. The project is inspired by The Wiz—the all-black adaptation of The Wizard of Oz—and attempts to showcase the multiplicity of modern Atlanta. In doing so, the rappers hop frenetically from trap to funk to soul. While it can teeter on feeling unhinged, Olu and WowGr8 stitch the project together with a distinct style and perspective, balancing machine gun raps and cartoonish voice inflections with a lot to say about their hometown and its place at the center of black American culture. —Chris Mench

Cuz I Love You is both Lizzo’s declaration of female empowerment and a crystallization of her raw talent. It’s all about spreading positivity through Lizzo’s radiation of self-appreciation and self-actualization. She gifts herself with love on “Soulmate,” casts out naysayers on lead single “Juice,” and juxtaposes herself with a myriad of conventional images of society on “Like a Girl” and “Better in Color.”

Lizzo gleams with booming, powerful vocals all over these tracks, while features from Missy Elliott and Gucci Mane shine too, expertly supplementing her commentary throughout their performances with empowering statements of their own. On Cuz I Love You, Lizzo breaks down barriers and stereotypes with huge instrumentals and infectious turns of phrase, emphasizing the importance of loving yourself as a means to achieving happiness. —@Pessoa

From start to finish, i am > i was puts on a spectacle of range, excellent production, and form-fitting features. With standout tracks like “a lot” and “ball w/o you” making lasting impressions on the broader hip-hop audience and deeper cuts like “gun smoke” and “1.5” satiating the hunger of trap fiends for different takes of the current sound, it’s obvious how much 21’s style has developed since his 2016 breakout Savage Mode. 21 integrates his own stories and emotional strife into some of the hardest, mood-setting beats from some of hip-hop’s brightest production talents (Wheezy, Kid Hazel, Metro Boomin), supported by a large collection of featured talent, old (Project Pat) and new (Young Nudy). This album, more than before, proves 21’s longevity is a foregone conclusion if he continues to grow. —Zachary Mahabir

If TA13OO was a stark, internalized journey through Denzel Curry’s mind, then ZUU is an external album inspired by the the environments Denzel grew up in. Lead single “RICKY” shows Denzel’s appreciation for the advice he got from his father, whom the song is named after. Elsewhere, he expresses his feelings about the death of his friend XXXTentacion (“SPEEDBOAT”), touches on the dangers of the street lifestyle (“BIRDZ”), and shows love to his hometown of Carol City, Florida (“CAROLMART”). Denzel’s rhymes are astonishingly advanced compared to most modern-day rappers, as he flows over trap-infused beats. ZUU is Curry’s big step forward, an album full of confidence and conviction, a swagger that’s no doubt a byproduct of his hometown pride. —Anonymous

An ode to Solange’s Houston, Texas roots, When I Get Home is a free-ranging, ambient exploration of the most left-field corners of music. Across 19 songs (only five of which are more than three minutes), Solange paints a diverse portrait of life in H-Town. There are short, sample-heavy interludes (“Can I Hold the Mic”) showing Solange’s aspirations to focus on others as the subjects of her creativity, but also soulful, dreamy exercises (“Things I Imagined” and “Dreams”). Perhaps most impressive of all is “Almeda,” a collaboration with Playboi Carti and The-Dream that is reminiscent of the chopped-and-screwed movement, another trademark of Houston. Holistically, When I Get Home is a risk—one that pays off beautifully. —Anonymous

On the eve of her 21st birthday, Clairo dropped her debut LP Immunity. Throughout the album Clairo touches on mental health issues, bisexuality and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, serving as a sonic scrapbook of her adolescence. The track’s title carries a double meaning, referring not only to her autoimmune disease but also dealing with negative influences. In addition to producing almost every song alongside Rostam, Clairo’s storytelling shines on each track. Despite the different genres explored within the album, the piece remains fairly cohesive. With the stripped-back “Alewife,” Sisters With Voices inspired “Softly,” indie rock “North” and half ballad/half R&B track “I Wouldn’t Ask You,” Immunity has a song for every listener. —@tirelessmess

JPEGMAFIA is hip-hop anomaly. The Air Force veteran blew up in the underground with his 2018 debut album Veteran, which featured grainy, lo-fi audio and samples from many musical genres. However, he returned in 2019 with an even more eccentric album, All My Heroes Are Cornballs, filled with oddities that make it stand out against the current hip-hop scene. On “Jesus Forgive Me, I Am A Thot,” Peggy switches from a gritty, aggressive flow within the verses to singing on the chorus, all while the instrumental follows the same pattern. Tracks like “Beta Male Strategies” and “Post Verified Lifestyle” see Peggy returning to internet themes seen all over Veteran, but with updated instrumental and vocal components that he explores on this record. He even covered the TLC classic “No Scrubs,” with “BasicBitchTearGas,” furthering the feminine-masculine dichotomy he presents all over the record. Peggy is a one of a kind artist, and this is a refreshing listen in the current landscape of hip-hop. —@ibmac26

Rapsody created a powerful celebration of women on her newest project, Eve. The theme shines from the poignant Nina Simone sample on the opening cut (“Nina”) to the moving Afeni Shakur tribute that closes the LP (“Afeni”). Throughout these 16 songs, the Grammy nominated MC lived up to her reputation as a gifted wordsmith through clever punchlines, vivid imagery, thoughtful concepts, and intricate rhyme patterns. Eve also allowed Rapsody to explore different sides of her artistry. She experimented with new flows and went from familiar bar-fest territory (“Cleo”) to smooth dance party vibes (“Michelle”). Collaborators like J. Cole, D’Angelo, and Queen Latifah added to the album’s versatility. Meanwhile, producers like Nottz, 9th Wonder, Eric G, and Khrysis made cohesive sounds to match the LP’s explorations. This album is a thoughtful homage to the past as well as a refreshing nod towards Rapsody’s future. —Andrés Tardio

Post Malone was a household name heading into 2019, but he solidified his position as one of the most dominant artists out today with his third studio album Hollywood’s Bleeding. This album addresses the complaint that there was little variety in his previous album head-on. Post includes a song for nearly everybody, whether it be a braggadocious rap song in “Saint-Tropez,” a straight-up pop song with “Circles,” or a rock song in “Take What You Want,” which features an unusual—but successful—pairing of Ozzy Osbourne and Travis Scott. In spite of the sonic diversity, Post managed to keep the theme consistent: life in Hollywood is not as glamorous as many believe. Post has always been successful when it comes to streaming numbers, but this album proves he’s a chameleon when it comes to genre. —Austin Rotter

Vampire Weekend redefined the sound of indie throughout this decade, and managed to endure in an age where rock-adjacent bands have mostly not. Six years since their last album dropped, they’ve clearly adapted, opting to include features, pop producers, and the longest tracklist of their career. The album has traditional Vampire Weekend-isms—catchy guitar riffs, Koenig’s traditionally sharp wit, and even interpolations from ILOVEMAKONNEN—but Father of the Bride still marks a shift in the Vampire Weekend canon. Their first album was “youthful,” their second and third overtly realist. But here, the band doesn’t challenge the world, they simply celebrate it for what it is—complex and difficult at times, but lovely nonetheless. —Babu Chatterjee

Inspired by a line from his 2018 track “Broken Bottles”—"I heard they sick about me rapping ‘bout the drugs I stretch/I’ma write a whole album ‘bout the plugs I met"—Benny the Butcher’s 8th project finds him at his lyrical best. Overlooked for years and only now starting to get recognition, the 35-year-old Benny is eager to prove he’s cut from a classic cloth of MC as he goes bar for bar with revered wordsmiths like Black Thought,, Jadakiss, and Pusha T.

Despite the big names, the most show-stealing verse comes courtesy of the largely unknown 38 Spesh, who hops on “Sunday School” and utters the unforgettable line, “They want gunplay, cool/But they don’t really wan' go there, it’s like Sunday school.” Not to be outdone, Benny himself offers plenty of lines that would have once graced the pages of The Source quotables, like on “Crowns For Kings” when he raps, “You play this game, you better play it hard/The judge’ll give you life and later that day, he gon' be playin' golf.” Beyond just proving Benny is top-notch lyricist, The Plugs I Met is the exact thing Griselda needed to solidify its still-growing movement.
—@UnderstandingRap

Little Simz kicks off her third album with a poignant, unforgiving, and empowering statement, “I said it with my chest, and I don’t care who I offend.” The British rapper broke onto the scene in 2014 with four EPs, for which she was crowned Breakthrough Artist of the Year at BBC’s 2015 Worldwide Awards, but it wasn’t until Grey Area that she really found her footing. She captivated listeners with her socially conscious, yet unapologetically raw lyricism and songwriting. The album received universal acclaim from critics and fans alike, netting the young artist a Mercury Prize nomination.

On Grey Area, Little Simz collaborates with Little Dragon, Michael Kiwanuka, and Chronixx, effortlessly morphing her style to multiple genres. An articulate, feminist, personal and political album, Grey Area touches on corruption, gender politics, gun violence, and wealth disparity. The album acts as a call to action for her listeners and generation to rise against the oppressive and exploitative governments and cultures that “profit just off of depriving youth” (“Pressure”). Simz shows that not only can she can rap with the best, but she can also compose a fantastic, captivating, and varied body of work. Grey Area solidifies her as one of the most exciting, and slept-on, artists in hip-hop. —Scott Dougherty

Hip-hop had seemingly infinite new faces in 2019, but YBN Cordae quickly became one of the most exciting. Though he still bears the name of the collective that gave him his start, Cordae’s The Lost Boy solidified him as a singular voice in rap. Whether he’s puffing his chest on “Broke as Fuck” or laying back over the effortlessly resolved “Been Around,” Cordae sounds right at home.

He sounds just as comfortable as his bigger name collaborators, too. Chance the Rapper’s appearance on “Bad Idea” sounds like a visit from an older brother, as Cordae’s venture into gospel rap fits right alongside the guy who made “Blessings.” Similarly, it’s hard to remember anyone outshining Anderson .Paak on a song in the past few years, but Cordae comes as close as anyone has on “RNP,” as the two trade verses like they’re shooting the shit in the backyard. In a way, The Lost Boy feels like an exhibition of rap’s best sounds of recent years. But its uniqueness lies in the delivery: it’s a sampler platter, but Cordae is handing out without breaking a sweat. —Chris Ritter

Baby on Baby is one of the essential hip-hop albums of 2019 from one of rap’s biggest breakout stars. DaBaby brings high-energy to tracks like “Pony” and “Suge.” He has caught some flak for having a repetitive style, but his rough and tumble attitude and unflappable confidence mixed with JetsonMade’s production is a winning formula. Throughout the album, he kills ‘em with consistency. More than anything, the album sets out to prove that DaBaby is a rapper’s rapper, albeit one with real street cred and miles of charisma, who’s willing to clown around for promotion but get straight to the point on the mic. —@Lilflexy

The first studio album under her new label Universal Music Group, Taylor Swift’s Lover is sonically dominated by ’80s pop-rock and a light-hearted feel. Unlike the darker reputation, we find an unencumbered Swift who slides into songs like “I Forgot That You Existed,” a coda to her past troubles. Other standout tracks include “Cruel Summer,” a story about a desperate summer love, and “False God,” where she utilizes religious imagery as a metaphor for sex. Taylor also dives into political waters on songs like “The Man” and “Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince,” the latter portraying her view on the American political landscape. Overall, Lover represents Swift at her best as an artist and as a person. —@KennyTogs

Ariana Grande has had a decade filled with extreme highs and extreme lows—from platinum plaques and being the highest streamed female artist of the 2010s to public breakups and a tragic terrorist attack at one of her concerts.

But Grande knows the best way to cope with the past: she allowed herself to feel, learn, and then moved on. Made just five months after her previous album, Sweetener, the speed of her new album’s creation enables her to give listeners a true peek into her mind. From admitting she isn’t OK (which is ok!), reminiscing over a past love, or accepting someone isn’t who she thought they were, Grande shows how she processes things with maturity by saying “thank you” and accepting that life goes on. —Babu Chatterjee

“When we were working on the album, somebody told me and my brother Finneas, my co-writer, that there was no hit on the album…that fool was wrong” said Billie Eilish, who has received six Grammy nominations this year. All 14 tracks on her album were produced by her brother Finneas in a tiny bedroom at their family house, one of the things that makes this album wonderfully unconventional.

Eilish’s album deals with topics like drug addiction, unrequited love, climate change, and mental health as well as lucid dreams and night terrors, which inspired the album’s title. At some points in the album, Eilish finds herself singing about serious topics and at other times finds herself giggling or making jokes. Eilish’s unique style of whispering while singing has led people to compare her to Lorde or Ellie Goulding. However, Eilish proved with her debut album that she just might be a one of one. —@glitzy

Easily the best trap album this year, So Much Fun sees prime time Young Thug perfecting unique flows and cementing his status as godfather of the booming Atlanta music scene. He continues to display his versatility as an artist, a seemingly impossible feat for someone who helped found Country-Rap and is already considered one of the most influential hip-hop artists of all time. Thug’s solo records on So Much Fun are the epitome of his evolution, and assists from artists he mentored, signed, or influenced, like Lil Uzi Vert, Gunna, Juice WRLD, Lil Baby, and Lil Keed, affirm his stranglehold on the rap game at large. —@UnderstandingRap

FKA twigs returned after four years to create MAGDALENE, an intimate exploration of what it means to be “woman” and coming to terms of acceptance with personal flaws. Following a public breakup and the development of fibroid tumors, twigs took a step back to find her then-lost confidence and reaffirm her value as an individual.

MAGDALENE served as a release for twigs, as its creation helped her find peace within herself. Throughout the project, Twigs channels an archetype that embraces both “the virgin and the whore” of biblical figure Mary Magdalene. The song of the same name is, in twigs’ words, her “most complex song ever,” and MAGDALENE finds twigs at the peak of her song curating abilities. She’s dancing between soulful, unconventional songwriting in “cellophane” and ambitious, ethereal production in “home with you.” Nicolas Jaar, Skrillex and benny blanco help complement the soundscapes that she lays down, but twigs is at the helm of all production.

From learning to cope with loneliness to ultimately realizing her self-worth via sonic catharsis, MAGDALENE is twigs’ world at its core. As she continues to find comfort in herself, she transcends the art pop genre. —@Izeezus, Isaiah Chauhan

From being viewed as an odd an unlikely pairing to delivering their 2014 cult classic Pinata to cementing their status as a dynamic duo, Freddie Gibbs & Madlib returned with one of the most cohesive rap records of the year, Bandana. Contrasted with the smooth polish of their previous project, Madlib utilizes a more gritty aesthetic in production and sound, matching Freddie’s dark lyricism while combining stank-face inducing beat switches with savage punchlines on tracks such as “Half Manne Half Cocaine,” “Flat Tummy Tea,” and “Fake Names.”

This album is an exhibition of the highly skilled artistic lane Freddie has carved for himself. It’s packed with amazing features from Anderson .Paak on “Giannis,” potent street pictures painted by Pusha T on “Palmolive,” and a mesmerizing lyrical sparring between Freddie, Yasiin Bey, and Black Thought on “Education.”

Lyrically, Gibbs is as top-notch as ever, reflecting on his past and present struggles like witnessing his uncle stab a man at age 7 to presently juggling baby mama drama to revealing his spiritual battles while incarcerated under false accusations. Despite the turmoil, he ends the LP as a man getting his “Soul Right,” proclaiming, “I can’t hold no grudges, my hands is too busy catching blessings.” —@BIGBABYGOAT_HGA

On the cover of Lana Del Rey’s sixth studio album, there are California wildfires burning behind a ship with the American flag. Painted above everything, an artificial sky. Lana holds an apathetic and unconcerned man as she melancholically reaches out for help with yearning. “Norman Fucking Rockwell!” she says, with sorrow on her face.

On the emotionally powerful NFR!, Lana completely reinvents herself and finally unlocks her full potential. She effortlessly sings of love, heartbreak, and freedom with poignant and bittersweet lyrics. Her lush and warm vocals tie everything together perfectly. It’s all done over beautiful, stripped down instrumentals, featuring ethereal pianos, guitars, violins and light drumming, pulling influences from dream pop, soft rock, and more. This release feel just as elegant as it is timeless. It comes together beautifully on her 9-minute psychedelic opus, “Venice Bitch,” which showcases what one of the world’s greatest modern singer/songwriters is able to accomplish at her artistic peak. —@tomsarram

Tyler, The Creator is constantly changing. As a musician he is almost unrecognizable from his early days, moving from the shock-rap of BASTARD in 2009 through to the swirling, intricate album that is IGOR. It’s a release where every instrument, every chord sequence, and every lyric is exactly where it should be, taking the listener deep into his tale of falling in and out of love.

His genre-jumping production moves from pop on “EARFQUAKE” to a more familiar aggressive rap style on “WHAT’S GOOD.” And yet, at no point does IGOR feel disjointed. Entirely produced and arranged by Tyler, what makes this album truly special is not only its amazing array of features perfectly blended into the tracks or the catchy hooks mixed with intimate lyrics. It’s that every single noise that enters your eardrums, from the synths on “IGOR’S THEME” to the stunning choral layers on “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?,” is part of a singular glorious musical vision. Years ago Tyler showed us he’s much more than just a rapper, but now he’s showing us he’s a fully developed artist in total control. —@Zeniths