Historically, albums represent the pinnacle of artistic achievement. Throughout the "album era" from the mid-1960s to 2000s, LPs (full-length albums) were the chief means by which artists communicated to their fans. Album art, hidden tracks, and concept albums changed the dynamic of the music industry and encouraged album production that was听free of filler tracks and less dependent on hit singles. This seismic industry shift in the '60s was inspired by albums such as听The Beatles' "," which came out in the U.S. in 1965 without any singles being released.
听and inspire听artists to set musical structures and cohesive messaging that can add to the potency of听musical releases. That doesn't mean they haven't struggled, particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic: , followed by an announcement from Amazon March 17 that听it would halt听incoming shipments of vinyl and CDs from music suppliers in the U.S. in order to prioritize essentials.听
Streaming platforms such as听听and curated playlists rather than entire albums. People spent the last decade predicting听the death of the album, but the format continues to be an integral, relevant, and celebrated component of musical creation and artistry. To that end,听爆料TV took a closer look at the best albums of the last decade by mining听. The resulting gallery was听garnered from the top-rated critical reviews of albums from the decade. To be considered, albums had to have been released between Jan. 1, 2010, and Dec. 31, 2019, and had to have 15 or more reviews in Metacritic's database. Reissued albums, EPs (extended-play recordings with more tracks than singles but not enough to constitute albums), multi-artist soundracks, compilations, live albums, and holiday albums were not considered. The songs were ranked by Metascore, with only one tie.
The question of what makes a great album is ultimately subjective, but throughout this gallery critical review centers around certain music themes such as听narrative, lyrics, production, and musicality.
Many of the albums on this list deal with serious topics like race relations, the loss of a loved one, and living as a woman in a patriarchal society. Several deviate from a musician's previous output, or showcase arrangements, lyricism, and overall songwriting that denote growth, freedom, and sophistication as an artist. In addition to musicianship and storytelling, these albums also reflect an increasingly diverse field of听contributors that includes the LGBTQ+ community, women, and people of color.
Read on to learn why some of the world's top critics chose these 50 albums as the decade's finest creations in music.
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- Metascore: 88
鈥淟onerism鈥� received positive听reviews from critics and fans in part due to its reminiscence of '60s and '70s psychedelic rock. The record makes nods to听hallucinatory sounds of decades past with听the band鈥檚听. Others have compared the timbre of guitars and layering of harmony in parts of the album to听听鈥淟onerism鈥� garnered positive feedback from mainstream music outfits such as Rolling Stone, NME, and Spin, and received听, among others.
- Metascore: 88
鈥淯ndun,鈥� featuring vocal contributions from Bilal, Dice Raw, and Big K.R.I.T., marks The Roots鈥� debut concept album. (inspired by Sufjan Stevens鈥� track 鈥淩edford鈥�), a young black man who resorts to selling drugs to escape a life of poverty. Stevens also took part in composing and producing the record. The story maintains narrative cohesion even as it unfolds in reverse chronological order. Los Angeles Times music critic Ernest Hardy wrote that the album brings , including (or especially) the borough of contemporary hip-hop.鈥�
- Metascore: 88
FKA twigs' sophomore effort tailed her first release by five years. The British songwriter , in biblical teachings and pop culture, to zoom in on FKA twigs' sexuality and public perception. While working on the album, the artist's听then-relationship with "Twilight" star Robert Pattinson was under heavy public criticism and she was recuperating from the removal of uterine fibroids.
- Metascore: 88
"Designer" is Aldous Harding鈥檚 folk-infused third record. Multiple music critics commented on the听听including the line, 鈥淭he wave of love is a transient hut/The water鈥檚 the shell and we are the nut.鈥� John Parish, who helmed the production of Harding鈥檚 previous record, returned to produce 鈥淒esigner.鈥� Harding鈥檚 trademark quirkiness comes through in the music video for 鈥淭he Barrel,鈥� in which she stares directly into the camera for much of the time.
- Metascore: 88
A follow-up to "Run the Jewels 2," the third album from duo Killer Mike and El-P includes guest performances from several hip-hop/R&B vets, such as Danny Brown, Joi, and saxophonist Kamasi Washington. A critic for the Chicago Tribune described "RTJ3" as , even as it celebrates the almost telepathic collaboration between two of the era's most gifted MC's." The hands that appear in each album's cover art represent different things; for "RTJ3," the duo said that the gold hands, represented without the bandages or chain from other album art,听signifies 听The album art for "RTJ3" in January 2018 won for 听in the Best Art Vinyl Awards.
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- Metascore: 88
Barnett鈥檚 debut full-length album received serious acclaim from the big-name music magazines, with many calling it very listenable and a great first record. To that end, Everett True of The Guardian said听 and others to Lou Reed and Nirvana.
- Metascore: 88
The fifth studio album by St. Vincent (aka Annie Clark) , clocked in at , and garnered frequent mentions in 2017 best-of lists. Produced by Clark and Jack Antonoff, 鈥淢asseduction鈥� features multiple musical guests, such as Doveman on piano, Kamasi Washington on saxophone, and Jenny Lewis on vocals. voice memos, and bits of melodies that Clark happened upon while traveling.
- Metascore: 88
Radiohead鈥檚 first studio album since 2011 features strings and choir sections performed by the London Contemporary Orchestra. Thematically, , notably how one maintains听humanity in an ambivalent, cold world.听Some critics believe that of over 20 years, Rachel Owen, while other more apparent themes include 听and the perils of groupthink. Stylistically, the record boasts several genres, including
- Metascore: 88
鈥淏ad as Me鈥� was Waits鈥� first album听听to be听composed听entirely of new songs. A long list of musical stars lent their talents to the album, including Keith Richards, Marc Ribot, Flea, and Les Claypool. Critics greeted the album with open arms. Waits鈥� wife, Kathleen Brennan, co-produced the record with him.
- Metascore: 88
Julia Holter's musical works are steeped in symbolism and inspiration, but the subject听matter听of "Loud City Song" deviates from Holter's two previous albums.听听by Euripides, and听. "Loud City Song"听听and takes a hard look at society's听.听
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- Metascore: 88
Regarding 鈥淒ivers,鈥� Newsom said in an interview that because she wanted each song to change dramatically in instrumental flavor. On this highly collaborative album, members of the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra played on the album. Noah Georgeson, who has worked with Devandra Banhart and The Strokes, took part in producing, and Nico Muhly was one of many arrangers.听
- Metascore: 88
This southern rock band鈥檚 11th studio album is laden with political commentary, unsurprising considering the state of politics in the year of its release. The collection of songs began inciting arguments before the record was even released. To single out a couple, the song 鈥淪urrender Under Protest鈥� , and 鈥淲hat It Means鈥� centers on the shootings of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown.
- Metascore: 88
Experimental rock band Swans鈥� 13th collection of songs features multiple musical contributors, including Cold Specks, St. Vincent, and Little Annie on vocals, and current King Crimson drummer Bill Rieflin. Amid glowing reviews from critics, many compared the record to the group鈥檚 previous album 鈥淭he Seer.鈥� All of the record鈥檚 tracks exceed seven minutes听in length, the longest being 鈥淏ring the Sun/Toussaint L鈥橭uverture鈥� at just over 34 minutes.
- Metascore: 89
Fiona Apple brought her trademark eccentricity and eloquent lyric-writing to 鈥淭he Idler Wheel鈥�,鈥� the name of which, like 鈥淲hen the Pawn鈥�,鈥� is a snippet of a poem that听she wrote. leading up to its release.
- Metascore: 89
"" rides on a variety of musical styles, including R&B and jazz. The album also features a chopped hip-hop mixing method that originated in Houston hip-hop culture in the 1990s. It also , Solange Knowles' childhood neighborhood. Several collaborators joined Knowles in the production, including John Key, the group Standing on the Corner, and Pharrell. Many musicians contributed vocals, like Playboi Carti, Panda Bear, The-Dream, and Dev Hynes, among others.听
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- Metascore: 89
The precursor to 鈥淲hen I Get Home,鈥� Knowles鈥� third album "A Seat at the Table" is the product of songwriting that started as early as 2008. The album includes听,听such as Lil Wayne, Q-Tip, Kelly Rowland, The-Dream, and Kelela. Raphael Saadiq and Troy Johnson also took part in its production.听, and their associated protests, for the record鈥檚 opening track 鈥淩ise.鈥澨�
- Metascore: 89
Musgraves said that part of the inspiration for 鈥淕olden Hour鈥� came from the solar eclipse that happened in the summer of 2017. The record scored multiple Album of the Year and Grammy awards, placed on dozens of year-end lists, and was highly lauded by critics.
- Metascore: 89
This second musical oeuvre by French songwriter H茅lo茂se Letissier, aka Christine and the Queens, now shortened to Chris, exists in both English and French language versions. Letissier鈥檚 2014 record 鈥淟a Chaleur Humaine鈥� dealt with motifs ranging from queer identity to depression; since then, the singer started becoming a different version of herself with a new look and outward eroticism. In an interview with Pitchfork, she discussed the song 鈥淒oesn鈥檛 Matter,鈥� one of her more exposed tracks, as pulling back the curtain on the song鈥檚 fictional character, the sun stealer. In my mind, he was male, and it鈥檚 unclear if I want to become that person, or love that person, or be a brother to that person.鈥�
- Metascore: 89
Like many great albums, 鈥淏ig Fish Theory鈥� is the product of several collaborations and guest appearances. It features vocals from Kendrick Lamar, Kilo Kish, and Dolla Sign. Producers include duo Christian Rich, SOPHIE, Justin Vernon, and Flume. Musically, , a style most prominently linked to the Belleville Three, who incorporated elements of sci-fi and Afrofuturism into their music.听
- Metascore: 89
Prior to recording this mixtape, Chance the Rapper delved back into religion upon learning that . Many critics raved about the use of gospel choirs melding with hip-hop and rap on the record, which also features Jamila Woods, Lil Yachty, 2 Chainz, and a host of other musicians.
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- Metascore: 89
Olsen鈥檚 fourth full-length album features diverse instrumentation, including a small string orchestra, vibraphone, trumpet, trombone, and flugelhorn, with arrangements by Ben Babbitt and Jherek Bischoff听and production by John Congleton. The album received beautiful reviews from most critics听and peaked at #52 on the U.S. Billboard 200.听
- Metascore: 89
When working on the track 鈥淣andi,鈥� the first piece that would be part of 鈥淏lack Origami,鈥� producer Jlin noted听听In making the title track, Jlin again tapped into something she had never made before and kept going until the sound she was achieving resonated with her. Musically, the album is amelodic, built on abrupt changes in rhythm and atmosphere. The album is percussive with some aggressively looped vocals, and its stylistic听.听
- Metascore: 89
The 15th record by British grindcore band Napalm Death was recorded in piecemeal in order听to accomplish according to singer Mark Greenway. The video clip that corresponds with the song , while elsewhere the band takes aim on social injustices such as human exploitation.听
- Metascore: 89
In the first month听Kiwanuka鈥檚 third record was available, it听placed on U.S., European, and Australian music charts. The album clocking in at . Pitchfork described the record as seemingly 听
- Metascore: 89
Robyn's eighth full-length record boasts collaborations with Joseph Mount (Metronomy), Adam Bainbridge (Kindness), longtime collaborator Klas Ahlund, and others. Robyn started working on songs for the album in 2015听. The record delves into multiple styles, including what The New York Times referred to as听听as well as "playful '90s house."
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- Metascore: 89
The second record by hip-hop outfit Run the Jewels received serious accolades from critics, many of whom thought it outshone听its predecessor. The album scored praise for its layered production, Killer Mike and El-P鈥檚 stellar lyric-writing, and its long list of guests, including Gangsta Boo, Despot, Diane Coffee, and Boots. The duo released a free parody remix of the record comprised of beats consisting of cat sounds, called
- Metascore: 89
Although this metalcore band wrote 18 songs for their ninth studio record, only 13 made the cut due to the fact that its members failed to agree on which songs were their best. The songs that didn鈥檛 make the album were published on the 2018 EP 鈥淏eautiful Ruin.鈥� Critics generally听liked the record, which was named in several lists of the best metal and generally听best albums of 2017.听
- Metascore: 89
Songwriter and poet Woods鈥� second album was released to widespread applause. Every track on the record pays听: all people who helped shape Woods as a creator and activist. Such names include Nikki Giovanni, Zora Neal Hurston, James Baldwin, and Muddy Waters. In contrast to some of the big names who contributed their voices to her previous record, Woods collaborated with up-and-comers Saba, Nitty Scott, and Nico Segal. Elizabeth Woronzoff of Pop Matters said of the record, calling for an empowered self-identity despite marginalizing and oppressing conditions.鈥�
- Metascore: 89
Clark described her fourth record as听听While 鈥淪trange Mercy,鈥� her 2011 release,听听this 2014 self-titled record is 鈥渕ore confident... very extroverted.鈥� Homer Steinweiss of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings contributed his drumming chops to the record, as did McKenzie Smith of the folk-rock band Midlake.
- Metascore: 90
Frahm used multiple recording techniques to make "Spaces," . He strove to channel the specific vibes of the different venues in which he recorded the tracks on "Spaces."听
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- Metascore: 90
Big Boi鈥檚 first solo album outside of his work with Outkast features multiple guest rappers and producers, including his former hip-hop partner Andre 3000, Organized Noize, T.I., Janelle Mon谩e, and Jamie Foxx. In this release, Big Boi successfully reached his goal to weave听" into the record. Musically, 鈥淪ir Lucious Left Foot鈥� hits on a large range of genres, including听听and听.
- Metascore: 90
Following almost 10 years away from making music as Sleater-Kinney, with Fred Armisen and Tucker鈥檚 husband, Lance Bangs. Armisen and Bangs were very encouraging when Tucker outwardly wondered if they would play another show as Sleater-Kinney. The thematic backbone of the record鈥檚 songs .听
- Metascore: 90
In contrast to Stevens鈥� previous album, 鈥淭he Age of Adz,鈥� the songs on 鈥淐arrie & Lowell鈥� are rooted in folk music and comprised of relatively scant instrumentation compared to his tendencies toward lush orchestral arrangements and various electronica. who struggled with substance abuse and depression and who abandoned Stevens when he was a baby.听
- Metascore: 91
"We Got It From Here..."听 followed Tribe's breakup, with bandmembers听Tribe member Phife Dawg died the same year the record came out. Kendrick Lamar, Andr茅 3000, Elton John, Talib Kweli, and Kanye West were among several vocal and instrumental contributors to the album. "We Got It From Here..." topped听the Billboard 200 chart and .
- Metascore: 91
"The ArchAndroid," Mon谩e's first full album, marks the second and third installments of her Metropolis concept series, which started with the EP "Metropolis: The Chase Suite." The series is partially inspired by the 1920s film "Metropolis." "The ArchAndroid" , liberating the androids of Metropolis from a secret society that uses time travel to revoke the Metropolites of their freedom. Rooted in Afrofuturism, Mon谩e up to that point had been听.
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- Metascore: 91
Lamar made this second studio album along with contributing rappers Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z, and Drake. Album producers include Pharrell Williams and Dr. Dre, who doubled as a producer and vocalist. Lamar said that through this record.听Critics compared the style of the album to and
- Metascore: 91
Lorde鈥檚 electropop-driven second record, departs from her minimalist approach in 鈥淧ure Heroine.鈥� Lorde and Jack Antonoff produced the album and sought creative advice from Flume, Frank Dukes, Joel Little, and S1. Critics commended Lorde for her emotive vocal performance on the record, which she said was听. While 鈥淢elodrama鈥� deals with the struggle of being alone after a breakup, 鈥�...there鈥檚 that moment where a great song comes on, and you鈥檙e ecstatic, and then there鈥檚 the moment later on where you鈥檙e alone in the bathroom, looking in the mirror, you don鈥檛 think you look good, and you start feeling horrible.鈥�
- Metascore: 91
The fourth record by Pennsylvania-born songwriter Weyes Blood, aka Natalie Laura Mering, is听. Stylistically, Mering鈥檚 songwriting on this record was influenced by and chamber pop, as evidenced by the use of strings.听
- Metascore: 92
On 鈥淐hannel Orange,鈥� Frank听Ocean freely jumps from one genre to another, from make up part of the narrative content of the record鈥檚 songs. When critics started outwardly discussing Ocean鈥檚 material on the record as an indication of his sexual orientation, he published a letter via Tumblr in which he described his experiences of falling for another man. Ocean collaborated with songwriter and producer Malay to make the record. To tap into specific moods while creating the album, and others from that era.
- Metascore: 92
Released just 19 days before Cohen's passing in 2016, the songwriter's last work hangs on themes of mortality and religion. In the years before writing the album,听听and other physical ailments.听听when his producer Patrick Leonard ran into personal issues. Some of the musicians who played and sang on the record include Alison Krauss, Bill Bottrell (Madonna, Electric Light Orchestra), Brian Macleod, the Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue Choir, and others. Among accolades and analyses from critics, an NPR critic said that "You Want it Darker" is largely rooted in听
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- Metascore: 92
The second album by metal duo George Clarke and Kerry McCoy, joined by drummer Dan Tracy, is comprised of layered distorted guitars, frequent use of a whammy bar to create a sort of听light-headed effect, as well as close-micing of drums for upbeat sections in order听to achieve a production than on their first record. The album contains four full-length songs and three interludes, one of which features one of Clarke鈥檚 favorite books. Before the album hit digital and physical shelves, it was named in lists of the best albums of 2013 by likes of Rolling Stone, Spin, Absolute Punk, and others.
- Metascore: 92
鈥淟emonade鈥� was Beyonc茅鈥檚 second visual album and her sixth studio album. The 65-minute film that accompanies the album incorporates poetry and prose by Somali poet Warsan Shire, as well as appearances by Afro-French Cuban musical duo Ibeyi, actress Amandla Stenberg, and Serena Williams. The听. A slew of musical contributors graced the album with their voices, including Jack White, Kendrick Lamar, James Blake, and The Weeknd. Among the multiple awards and widespread kudos the album received, The Chicago Tribune described 鈥淟emonade鈥� as It鈥檚 the work of an artist who is trying to get to know herself better, for better or worse, and letting the listeners/viewers in on the sometimes brutal self-interrogation.鈥�
- Metascore: 93
Noname鈥檚 debut record following her mixtape 鈥淭elefone鈥� documents her move from Chicago to L.A., and her first sexual experiences. The rapper, whose given name is Fatimah Warner, referred to her mixtape as听听which contains overt expressions of her sexuality.听Produced by Phoelix, the record boasts live instrumentation, including keys, bass, drums, and strings,听听Critics had great things to say about the record; the A.V. Club called it 鈥溙�
In spite of her success, following the release of her upcoming album, "Factory Baby."听
- Metascore: 93
Phil Elverum is the man behind Mount Eerie, whose eighth record chronicles the loss of his wife, musician, and artist Genevi猫ve Castr茅e, who died of pancreatic cancer. Elverum drew inspiration in part from 听The record is a veritable diary in its听. The Atlantic described the record as Elverum wrote and recorded the record himself
- Metascore: 94
West worked on this fifth record in the wake of public controversy surrounding his outburst in 2009 at the MTV Video Music Awards when he interrupted Taylor Swift's award of Best Female Video by proclaiming Beyonc茅 should have won instead. An arsenal of big-name musicians can be heard on the record, including Jay-Z, Pusha T, Kid Cudi, Nicki Minaj, Common, and a bundle of others. Numerous critics commented on the , and others dubbed it grandiose and Narratively, motifs of pervade the record, as well as a collage of musical samples and
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- Metascore: 95
A follow-up to the band鈥檚 2013 record 鈥淧ush the Sky,鈥� this 16th record saw production from Nick Cave, Nick Launay, and Warren Ellis. Among many attributes, critics noted that the songs on the album are much more than the group鈥檚 past projects. Lyrically, the songs are rooted in motifs of death and loss, though the previous year. Many critics described the record as beautiful, grief-stricken, and vulnerable, lauding Cave鈥檚 adeptness at in the words of one Rolling Stone journalist.
- Metascore: 95
D鈥橝ngelo made 鈥淏lack Messiah鈥� after a 14-year musical hiatus and disappearance from the public eye. A barrage of occurrences gave way to this retreat, including , and . Following some guest appearances and solitary production work, D鈥橝ngelo started to solidify songs for the new album in collaboration with Questlove, Pino Palladino, and James Gadson. Questlove described the record as He also commented on D鈥橝ngelo鈥檚 innovative use of music patches on the record, especially on the track 鈥淭he Charade,鈥� which included a trombone patch that D鈥橝ngelo
- Metascore: 95
Kendrick Lamar鈥檚 fourth song compilation rides on elements of听听as well as听听In making the song 鈥淒NA鈥� with Mike Will Made It (Michael Len Williams II), one of a slew of producorial collaborators, Lamar rapped over half the song to an existing beat and then started rapping the rest a cappella.听听In addition to听鈥淒AMN.鈥� garnering multiple awards and mentions in year-end lists, critics gushed about it, one of whom said that what catapults Lamar鈥檚 poetry on 鈥淒AMN.鈥� to a higher level听
- Metascore: 96
Before releasing this follow-up to 鈥淕ood Kid, M.A.A.D. City,鈥� Lamar spent time in South Africa, where he paid a visit to Nelson Mandela鈥檚 jail cell on Robben Island, among other important historical places. Having abandoned a couple of albums鈥� worth of songs,听听and started listening to musicians such as Miles Davis and Sly Stone, weaving some of those styles into his record. As a whole, the album fosters a conversation about the systemic problems faced by the African American community. To that effect,听, in part after a group of people started singing its chorus at one such protest in Cleveland in 2015. Critics widely praised the record, calling it extremely politically timely, and singling out Lamar鈥檚 lyrics and听
- Metascore: 97
This double album is the third installment of a three-part album series consisting of 2013's "Push the Sky Away" and 2016's "Skeleton Tree." Via a blog series called The Red Hand Files in which Cave answered questions from fans, he stated that the songs on the first of the two parts听听In writing the lyrics of the album, which he worked on after his teenage son's passing in 2015, Cave changed up his routine and compiled听听in his Brighton home. He explained his philosophy:听听Elizabeth Aubrey of NME said that "Ghosteen"听
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