As the old adage goes: “music is food for the soul.” Whether it was hip-hop, soul, R&B and like, this year definitely satisfied everyone’s appetite for a good song or two. With 2024 on the horizon, let’s take a look back at the 10 Best Albums of 2023.
The past 12 months has given us powerful debuts from artists such as Victoria Monét, who made a longstanding statement with Jaguar II, and Amaarae’s Heaven Knows, which the perfect blend of our favorite genres. Janelle Monáe made this era one of liberation with her Grammy-nominated The Age of Pleasure, and Killer Mike waited over a decade to release MICHAEL, something that was well worth the wait.
Although SZA dominated nearly everything in 2023, her album came out in 2022, so that’s why you won’t see it on this year’s list, unfortunately. With all the new artists with award-worthy records to the seasoned veterans who get better with time, the future of the music industry looks brighter than ever.
Lil Yachty had one of the most surprising projects of the year, to say the least. In what was an extreme departure from albums past, Let’s Start Here was heavily influenced by psychedelic rock—and it really worked. Even while experimenting with this new sound, Yachty maintains his lyrical integrity by touching on emotive themes such as love and intimacy. In an era where most musicians are afraid to push the envelope, this Atlanta-based rapper tested the bounds of his own creativity, and ended up recording the best project of his career.
The last time Kelela released an album was in 2017, and due to the potency of Raven, the long hiatus was definitely for good reason. Her second studio effort is beautiful because of its vulnerability, and its celebration of life and love. The project’s club tunes and upbeat production is a call to action for anyone willing to let go and let the music take control. With the resurgence of the dance genre in recent years, Raven fits in perfectly while still standing all on its own.
Many people feel that the best art takes time, and that’s something that Killer Mike understood loud and clear. In his first solo album in more than a decade, the Atlanta-based emcee touched on several themes such as poverty and masculinity, along with paying homage to his Southern roots. Containing powerful features from 6LACK, Eryn Allen Kane, André 3000, CeeLo Green, and more, this is the most complete body of work that you’ll find from a rapper in any year. The masses are familiar with Killer Mike, but MICHAEL brought you into the life and times of the man as well as the artist.
After a breakout guest feature on Shy Glizzy’s “Crew” record in 2016, and releasing Sonder Son and Wasteland in 2017 and 2022, respectively, Brent Faiyaz has risen to one of the most sought after musicians around. In October, he gifted fans and critics alike with a surprise mixtape that brings listeners back to an amazing era of R&B, the late 90s. At only 36 minutes, Larger Than Life included some phenomenal rap features, a beautiful duet with Coco Jones, and appearance from music icon Missy Elliott on “Last One Left.” If this is the type of performance Faiyaz delivers for his mixtapes, then his next album will surely be a moment to remember.
This 22-year-old songstress released a monster of a debut last month. Titled Heaven Knows, it showed immense growth for the artist since her previous effort, 2021’s To Hell With It. The project combined elements of R&B, Afrobeats, pop, and electronic, providing a sound that became the perfect suitor for whomever came to listen. The standout track, “Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2” featuring Ice Spice, became a viral sensation, and introduced PinkPantheress to the global stage. While many feel the song was Grammy-worthy, that still isn’t stopping the British singer’s path to success.
On Sundial, Noname’s first album in five years, we hear the Chicago artist pointing a mirror towards this country, but also herself—a true sign of growth. Topics such as politics, Black plight, and hypocrisy are all discussed on this album, and Noname does so with the poise and high-level lyricism that she’s come to be known for. With features including Common, Jay Electronica, Eryn Allen Kane and more, Sundial may have been released in 2023, but it will remain relevant for years to come.
In terms of visibility, no artist was as talked about as Doja Cat. From the antics on social media and attention-grabbing outfits, none of which were as loud as her talent—something that Scarlet served as a testament to. It was her first project in almost a decade that contained no features, it also reminded the world just how good Doja is as a lyricist. The album’s stellar production and versatility were praised by masses, and it’s lead single “Paint the Town Red” marked her first solo #1 single on the charts. Regardless of what she does outside of music, when it comes to the recording booth, she always produces.
In what has become a dynamic shift from earlier records, Monáe has blended together the genres of Afrobeats, pop, R&B, reggae and soul to create an anthem for liberation, sexuality, and self-love with The Age of Pleasure. It is perhaps the Grammy-nominated artist’s most gratifying release to date. Experimenting with new sounds, along with reaching higher levels of transparency in both her life and career, Monáe has forever changed the narrative of who they are, and how they want to be known as a musician.
The Ghanaian-American singer Amaarae blended a multitude of genres on Fountain Baby. From Afropop-inspired songs such as “Angels in Tibet,” “Princess Going Digital,” and “Big Steppa,” to harmonizing over the Clipse sample on “Counterfeit,” this genre-mixing artist showed that she is wise beyond her years on what is only her second studio release. This, along with receiving her first ever Grammy nomination for her appearance on Janelle Monáe’s “The Rush,” serves as a testament that 2024 will be a bigger year than the last.
Although Victoria Monét has been a force in the music industry for more than a decade, she rose to prominence in August of this year with the release of Jaguar II. Throughout it’s 11 tracks, Monét brings listeners into a world of sonic progression, experimental sounds, and live instrumentation. It features artists such as Lucky Daye, Buju Banton, Earth, Wind & Fire, and her daughter, Hazel. The album’s most recent single, “On My Mama,” received two nominations at the upcoming Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year. After writing dozens of hit singles since 2010, Monét has now established herself as a power player, letting the world know that she’s here to stay.
