The Top 10 Albums of 2019
Take a look at some of the best albums of the past year, hand-picked by the Afterglow Editorial Staff.
Written by Afterglow Editorial Staff
Illustrated by Mark Yoder
2019 was one of the most diverse and groundbreaking years music has ever seen. Reflect on the albums that made this year so monumental down below.
10. Anger Management — Rico Nasty
Image courtesy of Sugar Trap
Anger Management is the firecracker collaborative project between Rico Nasty and long-time collaborator and producer Kenny Beats. Arriving just a little under a year after her breakthrough mixtape Nasty, Anger Management is a continuation of Rico’s upward trajectory into stardom. Everything about this project hits hard, from the production to Rico’s clever and biting wordplay. Standout tracks include “Big Titties (ft. Baauer and EARTHGANG)” and “Cheat Code (ft. Baauer).” Rico Nasty’s music is not something to miss out on. In the words of Erica Dixon, this s--- really is in different areas. — Lauren Cook
9. Pang — Caroline Polachek
Image courtesy of Sony Music
Pang, Polachek’s official debut as a solo artist since her band Chairlift announced its breakup, is technically outstanding and emotionally captivating. Pairing her operatic vocals with augmenting autotune, she delivers a performance beyond almost human limits. A heart-wrenching breakup album, Pang bares all as Polachek wails and gasps her way through the record’s two-part narrative of love and loss. But through the intense emotional throes, Polacheck injects moments of levity, like the tongue-in-cheek chanting of “Show me your banana” under the vocal bridge on the album’s standout single “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings,” providing relief from the jolting highs and lows. Regardless of the number of listens, Pang always packs a punch, just like the adrenaline rush it was named for. — Kasey Clarke
8. Titanic Rising — Weyes Blood
Image courtesy of Sub Pop Records
On Titanic Rising, the fourth studio album from Weyes Blood (Natalie Mering), Mering transforms into a celestial higher power, juggling the weight of both impending nihilism and naive hope. The album is rooted in nostalgia — both sonically and thematically — as heard through the psychedelic, folk-rock twang of the album’s lead single “Andromeda” and the oscillating synth of “Movies” that could be pulled from the “Tron” Soundtrack itself. Even the album’s most playful track “Everyday” still finds its critique of today’s culture in the pain and insincerity of modern dating among its bouncing keys. Mering simultaneously becomes a guiding voice for her generation, as heard on the wise ballad “A Lot’s Gonna Change,” and a questioning speck who’s just going through the motions, embodied by the pleading track “Something to Believe.” It’s this duality that makes Rising such an honest work, one defined entirely by millennial experience. — Laiken Neumann
7. Fever — Megan Thee Stallion
Image courtesy of 300 Entertainment
Fever, Megan Thee Stallion’s debut mixtape, cemented the Houston-based rapper’s status as one of the hottest new artists of 2019. Her work revolutionizes the sexual politics of hip-hop with prowess, pimpin’, and a Texas flair that the genre has never seen before. Megan Thee Stallion infected everyone with her “hot girl summer” persona — everyone, ranging from little kids to even God-loving grannies, couldn’t help but bop their heads to the addictive trap beats of tracks such as “Cash S---” and “Sex Talk” all year long. We can only wait with eager ears for what bangers the H-Town Hottie brings to 2020. — Tiana Woodard
6. IGOR — Tyler, the Creator
Image courtesy of Columbia Records and A Boy is a Gun
IGOR is Tyler, the Creator at his most vulnerable, his most flawed, and his best. Following 2017’s commercially successful and Grammy-nominated Flower Boy, Tyler dons a new persona: Igor. This character provides a canvas for Tyler to paint his story of being an outsider who finds himself playing second fiddle to the person he loves. The finished product is a beautiful, emotional mess and one of the most captivating and unique takes on a breakup album to come out of this decade. The production on IGOR masterfully balances the retro synth layers Tyler incorporated on much of Flower Boy with a lo-fi mixing that one might find on a typical indie pop record. Standouts from the tracklist include bangers such as “NEW MAGIC WAND” and “WHAT’S GOOD,” as well as “EARFQUAKE” and “GONE GONE / THANK YOU.” Tyler has come a long way since his days as the leader of the rap collective Odd Future, and IGOR is a full display of Tyler’s impressively diverse sound. — Lauren Cook
5. Charli — Charli XCX
Image courtesy of Asylum and Atlantic Records UK
Charli, the latest album from pop star Charli XCX, is not only fun and energetic, but also deeply personal. Charli collaborates with an impressive number of new and old pop acts on the album, including Sky Ferreira, Troye Sivan, Clairo, and Lizzo. The addictively upbeat “Next Level Charli” incorporates fast vocals, catchy synths, and deep bass, while songs like “I Don’t Wanna Know” express Charli’s emotional range in longing for a lost love. Overall, Charli showcases the talent of not only Charli herself, but also the talent of many artists of different genders, ages, and races, with the pop icon once again demonstrating what the future of music can and should look like. — Gabriela Ruiz
4. Ventura — Anderson .Paak
Image courtesy of 12 Tone Music and Aftermath Entertainment
Ventura, the follow-up album to the bouncier and more rap-oriented Oxnard, sees Anderson .Paak in his most natural form: crooning over funk and soul-inspired melodies. He starts the album off strong with “Come Home,” featuring his recognizable drum backing and André 3000, who raps a verse that lets the listener know they’re in for a ride. From there, .Paak recruits the likes of legendary motown singer Smokey Robinson, R&B star Brandy, and the late, great Nate Dogg to compliment his smoky voice. Although his features are impressive, .Paak isn’t overshadowed. He delivers an album that soothes as well as it energizes, begging to be listened to again and again. — Dylan Keesee
3. Cuz I Love You — Lizzo
Image courtesy of Nice Life and Atlantic Records
For Lizzo, Cuz I Love You is a testament to a highly successful year. Not only did she top the charts with her smash single “Truth Hurts,” released two years ago, but she captivated audiences around the world with her various messages of self-love. But Cuz I Love You proves that the singer has more in her wheelhouse than self-acceptance. On her third album, Lizzo tackles finally finding love, losing it, and, of course, showing it to yourself. If this album is a sign of what’s next, we’ll be feeling “Good as Hell” for years to come. — Delaney Davis
2. Norman F-cking Rockwell! — Lana Del Rey
Image courtesy of Polydor and Interscope Records
There’s an innately nihilistic demeanor to Norman F*cking Rockwell!, but through Lana Del Rey’s mourning for her beloved country, she writes a great American classic. Against achingly subdued production, a disillusioned Del Rey commands honesty (from herself, a panicked political climate, and a “g-ddamn man-child”) with her most complex lyrics to date. Gone is the urge to romanticize the chaos of yesterday — Del Rey has evolved beyond the glossy sheen of her past persona in order to properly display the turbulence of the present. Each song is an ode to the disenchanted, and Del Rey captures this moment of frustration with such careful urgency. From the reminiscing of fallen heroes to a mockery of ego-driven lovers, Del Rey should have every reason to surrender to the noise — but hope, she reminds us, is its own powerful agent. — Zoe Judilla
1. When I Get Home — Solange
Image courtesy of Columbia Records
Solange saw things she imagined and created the best album of the year. In many ways, calling When I Get Home an album is an understatement; rather, it is an anthology of beautifully interwoven mini-performances that reveal something new with each listen — the brief transitions on the album are songs in their own right. Solange pays tribute to her native Houston while exploring blackness and female empowerment with elegance and ease. Each jazz and hip-hop infused track reminds Houstonians of the beauty of home, while making those of us not from the city wish we were. — Delaney Davis
Honorable Mentions: thank u, next — Ariana Grande, Immunity — Clairo, Grey Area — Little Simz
So here’s to 2019 and all the amazing music it gave us. We can’t wait to see what the new decade has in store (Rihanna, please).