Firebird’s Top Albums of 2023: Staff Picks.
collage by Joseph Mooney.
Throughout December 2023, Firebird conducted its third annual Album of the Year poll. Staff members drafted their personal top 10 albums of the year, and then ranked them on a ballot. Results were then tabulated using a points-based system that assigned ten points to each voter’s first choice, nine points to their second choice, and so on. Because of the nature of the voting, the general results are inherently a popularity contest, so Firebird has given its members the opportunity to feature their individual lists in this article.
One of the beautiful things about Firebird is that no two of our staff members share the exact same taste in music, and no two people will agree on everything. Of course, there are some throughlines: heavy-hitters like Lana Del Rey, Caroline Polachek, and Olivia Rodrigo show up frequently here, as reflected in their placement on our official Top 20 Albums of 2023 list. But at the same time, some people here have albums in their top three that others wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole, and some have ranked albums that many of us have never even heard, which has made sharing and debating our favorite music of the year so exciting. The 28 writers and editors that volunteered to share their own rankings for this article come from a myriad of places and backgrounds, and the resulting diversity of these lists means that you’re bound to find some of your favorite music here. If you see someone with a list here that has a few of your favorites from 2023, chances are you might also discover some new music on their list to take with you into 2024!
— Joseph Mooney, Editor-in-Chief
Joseph Mooney, Editor-in-Chief
Taylor Swift — 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
Kylie Minogue — Tension
Miley Cyrus — Endless Summer Vacation
Ava Max — Diamonds & Dancefloors
Olivia Rodrigo — GUTS
Gracie Abrams — Good Riddance
Holly Humberstone — Paint My Bedroom Black
Kelela — Raven
Caroline Polachek — Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
Taylor Swift — Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
Alia Smith, Managing Editor
Caroline Polachek — Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
Wednesday — Rat Saw God
Amaarae — Fountain Baby
Sufjan Stevens — Javelin
Model/Actriz — Dogsbody
ML Buch — Suntub
Black Country, New Road — Live at Bush Hall
Mitski — The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We
Slowdive — everything is alive
bar italia — Tracey Denim
Kristen Wallace, Copy Editor
Sampha — Lahai
Daniel Caesar — NEVER ENOUGH
Zach Bryan — Zach Bryan
Travis Scott — UTOPIA
McKinley Dixon — Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?
Jessie Ware — That! Feels Good!
Mick Jenkins — The Patience
Terrace Martin & Alex Isley — I Left My Heart in Landera
RAYE — My 21st Century Blues
6lack — Since I Have A Lover
“On Sampha’s Lahai—a release six years in the making—the UK singer-songwriter ruminates on lost time, relationships, and family. The results should inspire you. Lahai is growth and self-discovery. It is taking a long, peaceful walk through nature when you’re alone with your thoughts. If Sampha’s debut album Process depicted him feeling isolated from the world in grief, this sophomore effort shows him making an active effort to re-establish and nurture relationships with those closest to him. And yes, this record comes six long years after Process, but I’m still blown away by Lahai’s ambition, and by its diverse instrumental palette that elevates Sampha’s uniquely tender falsetto. This alt-R&B maven will continue to “dream with open eyes,” but he now understands that “the fam beside [him] is what [he] needed most.” Welcome back, Sampha. We missed you.”
David Hall, Copy Editor
KNOWER — Knower Forever
Hannah Diamond — Perfect Picture
Róisín Murphy — Hit Parade
Sofia Kourtesis — Madres
Paramore — This Is Why
RAYE — My 21st Century Blues
underscores — Wallsocket
Kesha — Gag Order
Lankum — False Lankum
Ana Frango Elétrico — Me Chama De Gato Que Eu Sou Sua
“KNOWER has always been a kitschy jazz-funk-pop-whatever-the-fuck-they-want duo; however, on this album, I feel that they have really come into their own on a professional level. With Knower Forever, they also carved out their own niche in the music-sphere, whereas before, they were much more lighthearted in their approach to making music. Yes—a lot of this new album has the very silly lyricism and musicianship that I would expect from KNOWER. At the same time though, Knower Forever functions as a complete body of work that highlights these quirks as an element that builds their reputation, rather than detracting from it. At points, the album comes incredibly close to veering into the Jacob Collier brand of ‘too good for you’ theory-driven self-indulgence, but the duo always finds a way to satirize that sound. This not only steers the metaphorical car in a new direction entirely, but also adds a new element of humor on top of what we already get from the album. KNOWER just knows what they're doing, and they do all parts of it well!”
Eric Harwood, Treasurer
Sampha — Lahai
billy woods & Kenny Segal — Maps
Maria BC — Spike Field
HEALTH — RAT WARS
Sprain — The Lamb as Effigy
Kelela — Raven
Sufjan Stevens — Javelin
yeule — softscars
Lil Yachty — Let's Start Here.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit — Weathervanes
“Walking on water has never sounded so easy.”
Sally North, Social Media Director
Sampha — Lahai
Hozier — Unreal Unearth
Jim Legxacy — homeless n***a pop music
Lana Del Rey — Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
Parannoul — After the Magic
Jessie Ware — That! Feels Good!
billy woods & Kenny Segal — Maps
Caroline Polachek — Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
CMAT — Crazymad, For Me
Olivia Rodrigo — GUTS
“See what Kristen wrote—he covered it.”
Alexander Malm, Editor
Sufjan Stevens — Javelin
Carly Rae Jepsen — The Loveliest Time
Caroline Polachek — Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
Jeff Rosenstock — HELLMODE
McKinley Dixon — Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?
Olivia Rodrigo — GUTS
Cicada — Seeking the Sources of Streams
DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ — Destiny
Zach Bryan — Zach Bryan
Genesis Owusu — STRUGGLER
“Sufjan Stevens makes great music. And Javelin is quintessential Sufjan. It’s catchy, lush, and devotional, and even though it’s easy to trace these qualities through his earlier work, this album is unique in what it represents. It’s a tribute to his deceased partner, a fact revealed in a post to his social media on the day of the album's release. Thusly, the themes of loss and grief can be found reflected in the lyrics and melodies, but at the same time, the album certainly is not without hope. In comparison to Sufjan's previous work, especially on Carrie and Lowell, Javelin places significant emphasis on the uplifting ability of Sufjan's faith and more importantly, of his love. In a year full of what has seemed from an outsider's very limited perspective to be endless trial and tribulation in Sufjan's life, he still found space to share a piece of his impossible soul. On both a sonic and lyrical level, Javelin is devastatingly beautiful. There's no other word that can fittingly describe it, in all of its glory. Javelin is an immaculate album.”
Alyssa Manthi, Editor
Chappell Roan — The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Olivia Rodrigo — GUTS
Taylor Swift — 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
Troye Sivan — Something To Give Each Other
Gracie Abrams — Good Riddance
The Japanese House — In The End It Always Does
Lana Del Rey — Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
Jessie Ware — That! Feels Good!
Paramore — This Is Why
PinkPantheress — Heaven knows
“Honestly, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess just barely made it to number one on my album of the year list, but for a debut album, Chappell Roan smashed it out of the goddamn park. There’s not a single skip on this project. Chappell Roan’s sound is unique, her messages are important, and she is the pop girlie we always needed.”
Anthony Avram, Writer
Lil Uzi Vert — Pink Tape
JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown — SCARING THE HOES
Ken Carson — A Great Chaos
Young Nudy — Gumbo
Travis Scott — UTOPIA
Danny Brown — Quaranta
Lancey Foux — BACK2DATRAP
Don Toliver — Love Sick
Yeat — Afterlyfe
Destroy Lonely — If Looks Could Kill
“Pink Tape is an eclectic mishmash of metal, rage, and dance sounds that makes it Uzi's most creative effort yet. Their artistry and creativity reaches new heights in an album that beautifully reflects both chaos and healing in the world of 2023.”
Camille Cypher, Writer
Boygenius — the record
Mitski — The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We
Chappell Roan — The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Hozier — Unreal Unearth
Indigo De Souza — All of This Will End
Searows — End of the World
Infinity Song — Metamorphosis
Leith Ross — To Learn
Troye Sivan — Something To Give Each Other
Hemlocke Springs — going…going…GONE!
Charlotte Littlefield, Art & Layout
Wednesday — Rat Saw God
Mandy, Indiana — I've Seen a Way
Hamish Hawk — Angel Numbers
Various Artists — Barbie The Album
Palehound — Eye on the Bat
Hozier — Unreal Unearth
Olivia Rodrigo — GUTS
Nourished by Time — Erotic Probiotic 2
Maneskin — RUSH!
Black Pumas — Chronicles of a Diamond
“Rat Saw God is a people watcher’s dream—Wednesday’s Heartland stories span from the odd neighbor on his porch all the way to the bed of frontwoman Karly Hartzman. It is a scrapbook of a small rural town: sex, drugs, and Jesus Christ. While Rat Saw God is grounded in the past, it finds new ways of moving forward. “Chosen to Deserve” shows us how to grow up from teenage revelry, and “Formula One” explores the quiet joys of domestic life with the one you love. Rat Saw God hits all the marks of the perfect shoegaze album, but it never fails to remind us to look up from our Converse and find the beauty, and sometimes sorrow, in the world around us.”
David Lara, Writer
Metro Boomin — SPIDER MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (SOUNDTRACK)
Olivia Rodrigo — GUTS
Dave and Central Cee — Split Decision
Noname — Sundial
Bad Bunny — Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana
Tainy — DATA
Brent Faiyaz — Larger Than Life
KAYTRAMINÉ — KAYTRAMINÉ
Jordan Ward — Forward
Post Malone — AUSTIN
“Metro Boomin’s evocative production, alongside a supporting cast of artists that give every track fresh individuality, makes this soundtrack an excellent compliment to the chaotic fun of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The tracks are catchy and each capture a mood, often best paired with a long drive at night. While it may not be the best album of 2023, it served as my on-repeat soundtrack to the summer and for that, it deserves a nod as my favorite album this year.”
Eliana Schiller, Writer & Art
Kali Uchis — Red Moon in Venus
Amaarae — Fountain Baby
Adekunle Gold — Tequila Ever After
Caroline Polachek — Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
Kaycyy — TW2052
Sufjan Stevens — Javelin
PinkPantheress — Heaven knows
KAYTRAMINÉ — KAYTRAMINÉ
Victoria Monét — Jaguar II
Raf Saperra — Ruff Around The Edges
“Red Moon In Venus is one of Kali Uchis’ best projects—one with no skips. The album provides the lush, rich vocals that Uchis is known for, which pair perfectly with the romantic and woozy atmosphere that spills out of each song. It is an album that epitomizes Uchis’ sound, yet it manages to break the mold of her previous projects, particularly through the astonishing variety of emotions Uchis conveys. She is angry, yet poised; she is obsessive, portraying a heart ablaze with youthful love; she is feminine, spiritual, universal. She owns her womanhood, her emotions, and her passion. Yet somehow, Uchis keeps everything under the same sonic umbrella, one that emulates her previous work, and rings true to who she is.”
Evgenia Anastasakos, Writer
Home is Where — the whaler
Indigo De Souza — All of This Will End
Sufjan Stevens — Javelin
Girl with Fish — Feeble Little Horse
Swans — The Beggar
Yo La Tengo — This Stupid World
Wednesday — Rat Saw God
saturdays at your place — always cloudy
Protomartyr — Formal Growth in the Desert
Xiu Xiu — Ignore Grief
Henry Baldwin, Writer
Hozier — Unreal Unearth
Janelle Monáe — The Age of Pleasure
Chappell Roan — The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Boygenius — the record
Yves Tumor — Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
Victoria Monét — Jaguar II
Karol G — Manana Sera Bonito (Bichota Season)
Carly Rae Jepsen — The Loveliest Time
NewJeans — Get Up EP
Paramore — This Is Why
“After disappearing for four years, Hozier is back with dirt in his teeth and blood on his mind. Unreal Unearth is perhaps one of the most cathartic musical journeys through the human spirit in recent memory. His mythological lyrics, sometimes complex and sometimes biting, weave themselves over music inspired by his Irish roots, by Gospel/folk/rock, and all sounds in between. The result is something euphoric and, frankly—unreal.”
Joyce Zhang, Editor
Olivia Rodrigo — GUTS
Reneé Rapp — Snow Angel
New Jeans — Get Up EP
Taeyang — Down to Earth - EP
Jungkook — GOLDEN
Ariana Grande — Yours Truly (Tenth Anniversary Edition)
Jimin — FACE - EP
Post Malone — AUSTIN
Nessa Barrett — hell is a teenage girl
Taylor Swift — 1989 (Taylor's Version)
“Despite the pressure she faced coming off her career-launching debut album, Olivia Rodrigo punches everyone who doubted her right in the guts, returning with the quintessential angsty teenager pop-punk record. Perfectly capturing all the chaotic trials and tribulations of a young girl’s life, I feel myself getting whisked into a world where everything I do is tragic and every guy I like is gay, toxic, or already taken (nevermind…that’s just reality). For this, GUTS is easily my album of the year.”
Leo Sun, Writer
Boygenius — the record
Yo La Tengo — This Stupid World
Lana Del Rey — Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
Hiromi, Sonicwonder — Sonicwonderland
Mad Honey — Satellite Aphrodite
Maruja — Knocknarea - EP
George Clanton — Ooh Rap I Ya
Fever Ray — Radical Romantics
100 gecs — 10,000 gecs
揺らぎ (Yuragi) — Here I Stand
“Boygenius' 2023 album the record is a masterful blend of emotion, artistry, and intimate storytelling. Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus create a tapestry of songs that actualize and capture unspeakable sorrow, resonating deeply with listeners. Their singular bond and shared experiences give birth to an album that is not just music, but a profound narrative of relationships and resilience. The record stands out as a defining musical experience of 2023, offering a unique and deeply personal journey.”
Maatkara Wilson, Art & Layout
Kara Jackson — Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?
Caroline Polachek — Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
Troye Sivan — Something To Give Each Other
Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist — VOIR DIRE
Sampha — Lahai
Caroline Rose — The Art of Forgetting
Ok Cool — fawn
New Jeans — Get Up EP
Lana Del Rey — Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
@ — Mind Palace Music
“Kara Jackson understands what it means to be a feminine Black being and shares it through a feather-like folk production, alongside other fantastic Chicago musicians, making her album feel intensely intimate. Jackson's poetry bursts with string swells and lo-fi banjo intermissions that add a kind of dissonant humor to the yearning of songs like 'no fun/party' and 'dickhead blues.' Jackson is an incisive and inviting storyteller in 'rat' and deftly swims in ambient sounds that further dramatize the narrative spun out of pondering, Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?”
Madi Kim, Writer
Lana Del Rey — Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
100 gecs — 10,000 gecs
Slowdive — everything is alive
Boygenius — the record
KAYTRAMINÉ — KAYTRAMINÉ
Wednesday — Rat Saw God
Slow Pulp — Yard
“Aging finely like the cracked tiles beneath the real Ocean Blvd, the newly matured Lana Del Rey recounts a melancholic memoir of all she’s learned from life on her ninth studio album, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd. The idea of the 38-year-old singer-songwriter being the God of her own religion has never rung more true than on this LP filled with biblical references and maternal warnings, as Del Rey intimately whines melodies of hopefulness and nostalgia amidst dramatic piano riffs and resonant violins. Concluding the album with a trap remix of Norman Fucking Rockwell’s ‘Venice Bitch’ is Lana’s way of begging us to recognize the importance of looking to the future with fuel from the past. She is the tunnel weighed down by graying memories, held together by an arch of beliefs, and we better not forget her.”
Mark Kamulegeya, Writer
Caroline Polachek — Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
Olivia Rodrigo — GUTS
PinkPantheress — Heaven knows
Lana Del Rey — Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
Tinashe — BB/ANG3L
Paramore — This Is Why
Kesha — Gag Order
Victoria Monét — JAGUAR II
Troye Sivan — Something To Give Each Other
Carly Rae Jepsen — The Loveliest Time
“Whenever I revisit this album, I’m in awe of my ability to find something new, fresh, and engaging with every listen. I adore how this album plays like a concerto, with leitmotifs showing up as later songs reference, sample, and interpolate earlier tracks. Desire, I Want to Turn Into You is a concept album that actually follows through—there is no track that feels like a filler, and every decision Polachek makes is intentional. The lyrics paint pictures to match the sonics, and overall, this album challenges Western art music and sells its ‘scorny’ aesthetic.”
Nic Restivo, Writer
Black Country, New Road — Live at Bush Hall
Sluice — Radial Gate
MJ Lenderman — And the Wind (Live and Loose!)
Yo La Tengo — The Bunker Sessions - EP
Greg Mendez — Greg Mendez
shame — Food for Worms
King Krule — Space Heavy
Sprain — The Lamb as Effigy
bar italia — The Twits
bl4ck m4rcket c4rt — Today I Laid Down - EP
“Almost completely different from prior releases with Isaac Wood, Live at Bush Hall paints the group in a new light, something many thought would not be possible without the voice of frontman Wood. However, I truly believe their new project is beautiful in its own right, and when viewed as a separate entity from their past work, it really is amazing.”
Noah Crutchfield, Writer
Tyler, The Creator — CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST: The Estate Sale
JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown — SCARING THE HOES
Travis Scott — UTOPIA
KAYTRAMINÉ — KAYTRAMINÉ
Larry June & The Alchemist — The Great Escape
Lil Yachty — Let’s Start Here.
Danny Brown — Quaranta
PinkPantheress — Heaven knows
Lil Uzi Vert — Pink Tape
Don Toliver — Love Sick
“Tyler, The Creator delivered a wonderful expansion to CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST with The Estate Sale. Each song is a meaningful addition to the project, complementing his original album with the addition of new songs that reflect the changes Tyler has experienced within the past two years. Highlights include ‘SORRY NOT SORRY,’ a striking declaration against expectations demanded upon Tyler accompanied by a masterful music video, and ‘DOGTOOTH,’ a song that arose as an anthem for many. CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST: The Estate Sale proves to be one of Tyler, The Creator’s strongest projects and the best album of 2023.”
Obi Ukomadu, Writer
Lana Del Rey — Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown — SCARING THE HOES
Jeff Rosenstock — HELLMODE
Caroline Polachek — Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
Sufjan Stevens — Javelin
billy woods & Kenny Segal — Maps
Paramore — This is Why
Travis Scott — UTOPIA
Jessie Ware — That! Feels Good!
Olivia Rodrigo — GUTS
“Ocean Blvd is just such a beautiful album. I used to not like Lana Del Rey’s music, but over the past few years, I feel like her vocals and songwriting have improved immensely. She’s also found a good style to go along with the talents in the skeletal ballads she’s been doing.”
Samuel Cody, Writer
IVE — I've IVE
AESPA — MY WORLD
Zach Bryan — Zach Bryan
NCT 127 — Ay-Yo
Red Velvet — Chill Kill
Laufey — Bewitched
EXO — EXIST
tripleS — +(KR)ystal Eyes <AESTHETIC>
Q — Soul,Present
New Jeans — Get Up EP
“I've IVE reminds me why I love K-pop. The album explores so many different sounds, and the stellar vocal/rap performance of IVE’s members throughout the project has made me fall in love with this album. No two songs sound the same, and every time I come back to the project, I find more to love within it.”
Taylor Pate, Art & Photography
Little Dragon — Slugs of Love
Eartheater — Powders
Dorian Electra — Fanfare
JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown — SCARING THE HOES
Yves Tumor — Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
Frost Children — Hearth Room
Ha Vay — Avalanches and Unfamiliar Ways to Die
Tinashe — BB/ANG3L
Cleo Sol — Heaven
100 gecs — 10,000 gecs
“Slugs of Love is an absolutely beautifully produced album—as expected by Little Dragon. Every year they release an album, they get the top spot from me (i.e., the past three years). Each project always possesses a beautiful story, great musicality, and stunning vocals. Special shout out to ‘Lily’s Call’—such a phenomenal song.”
Toby Chan, Writer, Layout, & Photography
Chappell Roan — The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Slaughter Beach, Dog — Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling
Sufjan Stevens — Javelin
Stephen Sanchez — Angel Face
The Chairs — The Great Escape Of Our Time
Yuzhou Wang, Writer
betcover!! — 馬(Uma)
Griffo — 本体(Ontology)
大象體操(Elephant Gym) — 世界(World)
Deerhoof — Miracle-Level
Sufjan Stevens — Javelin
Parannoul — After the Magic
Arch Echo — Final Pitch
TDK — Nemesta
Lamp — 一夜のペーソス (Dusk to Dawn)
NewJeans — Get Up EP
“Uma masterfully merges versatile prog-rock composition and raw lo-fi production in an epic Showa atmosphere with a modern twist, all within a concise 29-minute runtime.”
Sha Frasier, Former Editor-in-Chief
billy woods & Kenny Segal — Maps
Caroline Polachek — Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
Lana Del Rey — Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
Amaarae — Fountain Baby
Wednesday — Rat Saw God
Sufjan Stevens — Javelin
yeule — softscars
Jim Legxacy — homeless n***a pop music
Parannoul — After the Magic
Sofia Kourtesis — Madres
“Listening to this album feels like being in rapid transit across the entire world. Fragments of resplendent imagery, a treasury of profound yet approachable one-liners, and a cornucopia of samples as rich in color as they are in heritage rush past, providing endless points of fixation. Every listen is a different odyssey.
The kicker, though, is that it also feels like you've snuck onboard without a ticket-none of these scenes exist without an insidious undercurrent propelling them. A dinner party at a white neighbor's renovated brownstone, replete with brown butter anol capers, ends in suicide. The sweetness of re‹urning home becomes a foreboding dread tanged by survivors guilt and the unmistakable taste of New York's tap water. What's it like coming home when your city crushes you? The joy of watching your kid on the playground turns into wondering how much longer you've got to live.
There's hardly a day that goes by where l'm not reminded of this project. Each dense, commanding verse bridges decades, borders, and cultures. It's the best rap album of the decade so far.”
edited by Joseph Mooney, Editor-in-Chief.
collage by Joseph Mooney.
album artwork believed to belong to either the publisher of the work or the artist.
