Table of Contents
In this post, I’ll republish my thoughts on my top twenty Albums Of The Year, which I originally shared on Mastodon in late December.
I’ll be listing the albums, a mini review of each, and my three favourite songs (in no order) to listen to as tasters of each album.
The list exclusively features female vocalists, leans heavily towards pop, and, of course, is just my personal opinion.
I’ll post a list of just the names of the albums and artists at the end.
20: The Loveliest Time - Carly Rae Jepsen
Genre: Pop, Dance
A B-Sides album of cuts that didn’t make The Loneliest Time, but there are still some good bops here. Most songs have a funky, synthy or power-pop feel to them, and you may enjoy it a lot.
Top three tracks:
- Shy Boy
- Kamikaze
- Psychedelic Switch
19: Diamonds & Dancefloors - Ava Max
Genre: Pop, Dance
I thought this album was a significant improvement from her debut album, and really enjoyed this more complete piece of work. There are still a couple of tracks I skip, but the high points of the album make it worth checking out if you’re into pop music. I’m looking forward to her next album!
Top three tracks:
- Dancing’s Done
- Get Outta My Heart
- Diamonds & Dancefloors
18: Problématique - Kim Petras
Genre: Pop, Dance
A “lost” album that dropped randomly on a Tuesday night, this was supposed to be Kim’s debut, but scrapped in favour of Feed The Beast. I personally significantly prefer this album with its inspirations of house and disco. Though this isn’t the most groundbreaking album, it’s pretty cohesive, fun, and worth checking out for pop fans.
Top three tracks:
- Problématique
- Confession
- Love Ya Leave Ya
17: Endless Summer - Jack River
Genre: Alt-Pop
I stumbled on this randomly, but have really enjoyed this solid no-skip album of pop that reminds me of the late 90s and early 00s at times with synthy guitars and light airy vocal delivery. A really fun record I think people would like.
Top three tracks:
- Lie To You
- Lie In The Sun
- Nothing Has Changed
16: The Good Witch - Maisie Peters
Genre: Pop
A really strong lyrically driven album which paints so many stories with her great vocal delivery. It’s admittedly not an album I massively connect to, but I can’t deny how good it is, and I think pop fans should give it a listen.
Top three tracks:
- BSC
- Run
- Coming Of Age
15: Zig - Poppy
Genre: Alt-Pop, Rock, Industrial
Probably my most anticipated album of the year, having loved all the singles, it sadly did not live up to my excitement, which may be more of a me problem than an issue with the album. Not saying all the album tracks aren’t as good as the singles, but I loved the dark pop, hints of industrial/metal and electronic approach of the singles, and wished more album tracks packed the same punch. Still recommend trying out as there are some gems here.
Top three tracks:
- Church Outfit
- Motorbike
- The Attic
14: Black Rainbows - Corrine Bailey Rae
Genre: Experimental, Jazz, Electronic, Rock
I got round to listening to this album late, and while it took me a couple of listens to warm up to it, the record grew on me. As always with Corrine, her vocals are gorgeous, but by experimenting with electronic and rock, raw emotion is heard on the higher tempo tracks, and gives more dimension to her music. It’s a really interesting album, and I hope she continues in this direction.
Top three tracks:
- A Spell, A Prayer
- Red Horse
- Put It Down
13: The Age of Pleasure - Janelle Monáe
Genre: Funk, Reggae
It’s actually a bit hard to pick three favourite songs from this album as the songs are mixed into one another, so it’s best listened to as one complete piece of work, rather than as an album with individual tracks on it. I think this is why this is my favourite Janelle album, I really love how it feels like a musical experience, with great reggae and funky vibes connecting everything together, making it really enjoyable to listen to.
Top three tracks:
- Float
- Water Slide
- Paid In Pleasure
12: Nowhere Near The Sky - The Jordan
Genre: Alt-Pop, Electronic
Another album I stumbled across randomly, and was instantly taken in, with its production invoking both darkness and dreaminess, emotive vocals, and the general sense of pop done in a more mature way. I really love this album, and it would be higher if it weren’t for other albums muscling their way in as I later listened to them!
Top three tracks:
- The Room
- Naked In The Sun
- Mmm
11: Desire, I Want To Turn Into You - Caroline Polachek
Genre: Alt-Pop, Electronic
I liked a few tracks from Caroline’s last album Pang, but I find this to be more accessible with no-skips, though still showcasing off her eclectic and experimental styles, as well as her beautifully crystal clear vocals that shine in every song. Many music critics rated this as one of the best albums of the year, and I would recommend this even to those who aren’t fans of pop music.
Top three tracks:
- Welcome To My Island
- Sunset
- Smoke
10: Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd - Lana Del Rey
Genre: Americana
Another critically acclaimed album, Lana’s newest album features some incredible highs, though I find myself skipping a couple of tracks, and prefer her Norman Fucking Rockwell album. However, because the highs are so high, it’s placed above other albums on my list, with its lush production, gorgeous vocals, and lyrics which paint such vivid imagery.
Top three tracks:
- A&W
- Paris, Texas
- Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
09: GUTS - Olivia Rodrigo
Genre: Pop-Rock
As someone who only liked a couple of tracks from Olivia’s first album, and didn’t really get all the hype, I found myself completely gripped by this album. I think it’s a fantastic throwback to the pop-rock music I grew up listening to in the early 00s, with a great sense of fun on the upbeat tracks. I also enjoy the more emotionally driven songs too, with vampire up there as one of my favourite tracks of the year.
Top three tracks:
- all-american bitch
- bad idea right?
- vampire
08: The Record - boygenius
Genre: Alt-Rock
Yet another popular pick by music critics this year, it surprisingly took me a while to get to listening this, considering how I’m a fan of the three artists’ individual solo work. But when I did finally listen, I was instantly drawn in by the lyricism, which painted such vivid stories, among with the gorgeous production which carries me away while I listen. I’m glad this is getting acclaimed, and hope this leads to their solo efforts getting more popular too, as they’re all so talented.
Top three tracks:
- True Blue
- We’re In Love
- Satanist
07: Silence Between Songs - Madison Beer
Genre: Alt-Pop
I enjoyed much of Madison’s last album, but see she’s become significantly more mature on this record, creating a sound as if combining Lana Del Rey and Billie Eilish together, with stunning production, powerfully emotional vocals, and really relatable lyrics. It features two of my favourite songs of the year, in Spinnin and Envy The Leaves, with the latter quite possibly my absolute favourite. Highly recommend, and would be ranked higher if not for a couple of skips.
Top three tracks:
- Spinnin
- Envy The Leaves
- Showed Me (How I Fell In Love With You)
06: blómi - Susanne Sundfør
Genre: Folk
I’ve long been a fan of Susanne, though my favourite album of hers is the one-off synth pop masterpiece Ten Love Songs. Although this album sounds completely different, her exceptional vocals and lyricism remains, with alyosha competing with Envy The Leaves as my favourite song of the year, though the vast majority of the album is beautiful and compelling. I say the vast majority as there are a couple of songs I admittedly skip, but this is worth checking out as there are some incredible gems here.
Top three tracks:
- alyosha
- leikara ljóð
- blómi
05: The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess - Chappell Roan
Genre: Pop
I wasn’t too excited when first listened to this album, and didn’t put it down on my draft list. Then one song, Pink Pony Club, became stuck in my head, and as I went go revisit it, the album as a whole slowly grew on me, resulting in it rising up this list. We’re lucky we’re at the end of the list as this would keep getting higher if given a few more days!
Similarly to Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS, I really love how much fun there is on the upbeat tracks, but how incredibly emotional others can be, all tied together with amazing storytelling and strong vocals. I hope Chappell becomes more popular as this really is a brilliant album and I cannot believe it isn’t as popular as GUTS, as I think this is superior.
Top three tracks:
- Red Wine Supernova
- Pink Pony Club
- My Kink Is Karma
04: That! Feels Good! - Jessie Ware
Genre: Pop, Dance, Disco
I thought Jessie’s previous album, What’s Your Pleasure?, was one of the best releases of its year, and wasn’t sure how she could follow up such an incredible album. Amazingly, she managed to do it with this fun and sultry no-skip dancey funky record, feeling brighter and more confident than her last album.
It also provides another contender for song of the year, with the last two/two and a half minutes of Begin Again being absolute perfection. Highly recommend, even for those who don’t usually listen to pop music.
Top three tracks:
- Begin Again
- These Lips
- Freak Me Now
03: Main Character - Glüme
Genre: Electronic, Pop
An album I stumbled across, but instantly hooked from the very beginning. This is a sort of concept album about when Glüme growing up as a child actress, and it does such a great job at that storytelling, at bringing you in. I also love the music in the album, it feels unsettling at times with melodies that stop and start, dramatic insertions of seemingly random sounds, and her emotional vocal delivery.
Despite this, it is very cohesive as a whole, because, like The Age of Pleasure, it is one of those albums that ought to be listened to as one continuous piece, rather than focusing on individual tracks. Overall, the sound is electronic mixed with aspects of dark pop, though one of my favourite songs off the record, Wedding Cake Shop, reminds me a lot of vapourwave/mallsoft. Well worth a listen for something a bit different.
Top three tracks:
- Child Actor
- Do Me A Favor
- Wedding Cake Shop
02: The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We - Mitski
Genre: Americana, Country, Folk
Been a fan of Mitski for a while now, though often picking out select favourite songs off an album, and never enjoying a whole record cohesively, but I absolutely love this entire album. The folksy country approach carries throughout, being a perfect sound to complement her lyrics and voice, both of which I felt were so strong and powerful, full of emotion.
Critically acclaimed, with a streaming hit of My Love Mine All Mine, I can see why this has been a popular album of the year pick online, and I’m glad Mitski seems to be getting more mainstream recognition. It’s the album I would recommend to family to listen to if asked about my album of the year, I can’t see too many people hating it.
Top three tracks:
- When Memories Snow
- Star
- The Deal
01: STARFUCKER - Slayyyter
Genre: Pop, Dance
For my actual favourite album of the year, I am, on the one hand, surprised not to see it on a single list anywhere mentioning good albums of the year. This is because I think this is a significant improvement from this artist’s previous work, with higher production values, and a clearer direction over image and sound.
Not having heard any singles, I went into this album more so I could just know I gave it a try before moving on, but I completely bought into its narrative immediately, which is funny as I’m not sure there is not a single line in the whole album I relate to or resonates with me. But that is why it’s so good, it’s such a bold and confident album, I’m utterly sold on what it’s doing, with this easily being my most played albums of the year, being a go-to record I’ve turned to day-after-day. The first pick in the top three tracks is probably my most played of the year, and an absolute all-time favourite now.
It’s also doing something I don’t hear much of in today’s music. It doesn’t take itself seriously, it’s fun, over-dramatic and incredibly camp, and while I can think of a couple of names doing similar sort of projects, this is the most successful attempt I’ve heard.
So, on the one hand, surprised it’s not mentioned anywhere, but on the other hand, I think I do know why it’s been ignored. Probably because publications, even those specialising in pop, are being too snobbish about it.
Top three tracks:
- Miss Belladonna
- Purrr
- Out of Time
Full List
- STARFUCKER - Slayyyter
- The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We - Mitski
- Main Character - Glüme
- That! Feels Good! - Jessie Ware
- The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess - Chappell Roan
- blómi - Susanne Sundfør
- Silence Between Songs - Madison Beer
- The Record - boygenius
- GUTS - Olivia Rodrigo
- Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd? - Lana Del Rey
- Desire, I Want To Turn Into You - Caroline Polachek
- Nowhere Near The Sky - The Jordan
- Age of Pleasure - Janelle Monáe
- Black Rainbows - Corinne Bailey Rae
- Zig - Poppy
- The Good Witch - Maisie Peters
- Endless Summer - Jack River
- Problematique - Kim Petras
- Diamonds & Dancefloors - Ava Max
- The Loveliest Time - Carly Rae Jespen
Tags: Music