My 13 Favorite Albums of 2013!

2013 was another wonderful year for music! I've had the chance to discover a number of new artists this year. While I've spent a significant amount of time listening to music and attending concerts, it would have been impossible to review every release. I call this list my favorites because I'm certain that I haven't had the pleasure to hear some of the best albums of the year. I'm not a critic nor do I claim to be any sort of expert on taste. Music is a personal experience and to rank a particular record as better than something else is completely subjective.

I think it's interesting to see what people have enjoyed the most through their end of the year compilations; but when everyone's list starts looking the same, you have to question its authenticity. When I'm compiling my list, I allow my mind to go for the music that left a lasting impression on me in one way or another. There's usually a handful or two each year that are definite "best-of" material; then, it comes down to choosing between 50 or so other great albums to pick my final selections. It was a rather arduous task this year. I'm sure this list is full of oversights but here is my favorites...


13. Darkside, Psychic.
Released: October 2013
Best Tracks:
3) Heart
4) Paper Trails

12. Atlas Genius, When It Was Now.
Released: February 2013
Best Tracks:
4) Trojans
5) Through The Glass
11) Symptoms

11. Wampire, Curiosity.
Released: May 2013
Best Tracks:
2) Orchards
7) Trains
9) Magic Light

10. Arcade Fire, Reflektor.
Released: October 2013
Best Tracks:
1) Reflektor
1) Here Comes The Night Time II
3) It's Never Over (Hey Orpheus)
5) Afterlife

9. Volcano Choir, Repave.
Released: August 2013
Best Tracks:
4) Byegone
5) Alaskans

8. Foxygen, We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic.
Released: January 2013
Best Tracks:
2) No Destruction
3) On Blue Mountain
6) Shuggie

7. Polica, Shulamith.
Released: October 2013
Best Tracks:
2) Smug
4) Warrior Lord
8) Tiff

6. A$AP Rocky, Long.Live.A$AP.
Released: January 2013
Best Tracks:
5) Hell
7) Fuckin' Problems
10) Fashion Killa
16) I Come Apart (ft. Florence Welch)

5. Portugal. The Man, Evil Friends.
Released: June 2013
Best Tracks:
1) Plastic Soldiers
4) Modern Jesus
11) Purple Yellow Red and Blue
12) Smile

4. Lorde, Pure Heroine.
Released: September 2013
Best Tracks:
3) Royals
4) Ribs
6) Team

3. The National, Trouble Will Find Me.
Released: May 2013
Best Tracks:
1) I Should Live In Salt
3) Don't Swallow the Cap
7) This Is The Last Time
12) Pink Rabbits

2. Rhye, Woman.
Released: March 2013
Best Tracks:
1) Open
2) The Fall
6) 3 Days

1. Woodkid, The Golden Age.
Released: March 2013
Best Tracks:
1) The Golden Age
4) Boat Song
5) I Love You
7) Ghost Lights
10) Conquest of Spaces

Honorable Mentions:

• Valerie June, Pushin' Against A Stone
• Arctic Monkeys, AM
• Devendra Banhart, Mala
• Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires of the City
• Daughn Gibson, Me Moan
• James Blake, Overgrown
• Mazzy Star, Seasons of Your Day
• Kodaline, In a Perfect World
• Drake, Nothing Was the Same
• King Krule, 6 Feet Beneath the Moon
• Kurt Vile, Wakin On A Pretty Daze
• Cage the Elephant, Melophobia
• Jim James, Regions of Light and Sound of God