Firebird’s Top 20 Albums of 2023.

The top 20 albums of 2023, as voted by Firebird’s staff.

Throughout December 2023, Firebird conducted its third annual Album of the Year poll. As we’ve done in years past, 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 a separate article—this is filled with many other releases worth checking out.

2023 was truly an unprecedented year for music, especially with the world’s two biggest stars, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, embarking on their record-demolishing, Earth-shattering stadium tours. Aside from Tayoncé though, 2023 marked an extravagant year for women in pop all across the board. Indie music nerds rejoiced on Valentine’s Day with the release of Lana Del Rey’s bold and brashy “A&W” and Caroline Polachek’s eclectically beautiful Desire, I Want To Turn Into You (dropped hours apart from one another). The “Barbenheimer” phenomenon was also inescapable, which led to a glimmering, Mattel-sponsored, hot pink summer, thanks to the assistance of Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, and Charli XCX on the Barbie soundtrack. Even outside the spotlight of billion-dollar movies, projects like Amaarae’s Fountain Baby, Kelela’s Raven, and Jessie Ware’s That! Feels Good! showcased a brilliant mosaic of cross-genre pop infusions, embracing an assortment of Afrobeats, R&B, and disco, respectively.

Although 2023 was, undoubtedly, a big year for pop, it goes without saying that countless musicians found commercial, critical, and artistic success in a number of other genres. Wednesday’s Rat Saw God was an obvious 2023 gem in the alternative music world, instantly cementing itself as the perfect concoction of indie rock, alt-country, and shoegaze. Sampha’s long-awaited second studio album, Lahai, was also an undeniable standout of the year. On Lahai, Sampha takes an introspective approach to self-growth, championing the people he holds close to heart while simultaneously offering listeners a first-class alt-R&B record. 2023 even marked the year of long-awaited, high profile hip hop comebacks, with Travis Scott and Nicki Minaj returning to the scene with UTOPIA and Pink Friday 2 (five years after the release of their 2018 studio albums). With the ubiquitous emergence of stars like Ice Spice and Noah Kahan, 2023 will forever be remembered as the year of exhilarating creative breakthroughs, life-changing electric concerts, and masterful artistic prowess.

Upon finalizing Firebird’s top projects of 2023, I came to realize just how fascinating the concept of “album of the year” truly is. After all, there’s something oddly empowering about a project that has the ability to define and soundtrack an individual’s entire year. Although I’ve only been on this planet for two decades or so, every year in recent memory could be summarized by the records I learned, played, and loved. 2018’s Golden Hour was an early-high school gem characterized by a blissful, optimistic view of my future; 2020’s folklore marked a transition to inward looking and self improvement, especially within the context of a global pandemic; 2022’s RENAISSANCE signaled a powerful embrace of queerness in my own life, integrated with my own adjustment to free independent college-living. Although my testimonies only offer a small, microscopic glimpse at the power and impact of music, I encourage you all to stop thinking of life as a cluster of seventy-odd rotations around the Sun, but rather, a collection of the albums that defined each year-long chapter of our lives. If listening to perfectly curated, life-transforming records plays an important part of your life too, I hope Firebird’s Top 20 Albums of 2023 offers you a glimpse into the life-chapters of UChicago’s exceptional assemblage of music connoisseurs.

— Joseph Mooney, Editor-in-Chief

20. Victoria Monét – Jaguar II

There are few artists that I think get “it” nowadays. For an artist to have “it,” they have to have a clear sense of identity, sheer multifaceted talent, and obvious respect for the craft. When listening to their discography, the artistry has to shine through. With the release of Jaguar II, I can confidently say that Victoria Monét gets “it.” With a healthy blend of classic R&B tributes like “Hollywood” or “How Does It Make You Feel”; party tracks like “Party Girls” and “Smoke”; and more fun tracks like “Stop (Askin’ Me 4Shyt)” and “On My Mama,” Monét explores her sound on Jaguar II and flexes her pen. For years, Monét has been known in the industry for creating for others, and with the second installment of the Jaguar project, Monét has made it clear that she’s now more selfish with her sound.

— Sydney Cook, Editor

19. PinkPantheress – Heaven knows

In a time where everyone is reminiscing about Y2K, PinkPantheress charms us with Heaven knows, an album with 13 tracks that are all fighting for spots on our MySpace pages. The UK-raised bedroom pop artist explores crushes and heartbreaks while growing into adulthood, along with the general excitement and confusion that comes while growing up. PinkPantheress makes her lyrical infatuations into songs that can’t help but infatuate me as well, whether it be on the lovesick single “Nice to meet you” or yearning on the track “Feel complete.” Heaven knows shows us how effortlessly Pinkpantheress can blend genres in order to turn out bedroom bops.

— Dawn Heatherly, Writer

18. Jeff Rosenstock – HELLMODE

HELLMODE was my first exposure to Jeff Rosenstock, and I’m so glad that I gave it a try because I can safely say that I’ve become a fan. The album features a great balance of electrifying punk songs, more gentle acoustic tracks, and plenty of in-between. It’s not only this variety that makes this album so exciting, but also the thoughtful lyrics. This album explores feelings of hopelessness about the state of the world, while also telling us that it’s okay to let go of these unhealthy thoughts and take concern for our well-being. An important message made all the better when set to some incredible music.

— Obi Ukomadu, Writer

17. Mitski – The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We

***americana, country, orchestral pop***

At an ex-girlfriend’s recommendation, I first listened to Mitski right after the release of Laurel Hell. I’ve consequently felt like I’ve been learning Mitski’s music backward until The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We. This album felt like a return to Be the Cowboy or Puberty 2 in the way in which Mitski builds an atmosphere around the listener. There’s no artist that makes me feel as if I’m alone in a room with her quite like Mitski. Even the dogs barking in “I’m Your Man” feel distant, the choir in “Bug Like an Angel” an intrusion on a private moment. Some people only see Mitski’s music as sad—and it is—but I listen to The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We when I don’t want to feel alone in my melancholy.

— Camille Cypher, Writer

16. Zach Bryan – Zach Bryan

Zach Bryan’s self-titled album brings a level of raw authenticity that acts like an oasis in the desert to a genre that wants to go bigger when sometimes, the best option is to get back down to its roots. The introspection and storytelling that Bryan conveys are masterful, examining love, addiction, and other events that have impacted his personal life. The acoustic tracks, in particular, create a sense of nostalgia throughout the record. That nostalgic feeling embedded within the album is what makes Zach Bryan so unique—in the end, it seems more like a retrospective album written after the events of Bryan’s life, rather than a project written to portray his current state of mind.

— Samuel Cody, Writer

15. Travis Scott – UTOPIA

***southern hip hop, experimental hip hop, trap***

UTOPIA is a masterful exhibition of Travis Scott’s musical genius and lyrical prowess. Rarely are we gifted with such a well-produced, sonically innovative hip-hop project. One of the most anticipated albums of the year, UTOPIA managed to live up to expectations set by Scott’s 2018 magnum opus ASTROWORLD. Its tracks are representative of Scott’s artistic evolution over the past five years, a transformation that has seen him embrace a darker, more chaotic persona. The album is easily one of the strongest projects of 2023 and is an elite addition to Scott’s already legendary discography.

— Noah Crutchfield, Writer

14. Amaarae – Fountain Baby

Fountain Baby is, in a word, irresistible. Listening to this record is like experiencing full-body musical synesthesia—the hypnotic clangs of its percussive rhythms and vibrancy of its lush sonic palette draw you into their world with a magnetic pull. Equally enticing are the bold, sensual lyrics and lively delivery that add a sense of playfulness to the lavish atmosphere. Drawing upon a blend of influences from Afrobeats, rock, and Brazilian Funk, Amaarae proves herself a master at crafting deliciously contagious pop music that still feels inventive and fresh.

— Alia Smith, Managing Editor

13. Sampha – Lahai

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.

— Kristen Wallace, Copy Editor

12. Chappell Roan – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess

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.

— Alyssa Manthi, Editor

11. billy woods & Kenny Segal – Maps

Is the alt-rap wunderkind finally content? Of course not, but you’d be excused for thinking so. After 2019’s apocalyptic Hiding Places, rapper Billy Woods and producer Kenny Segal reunite for a project that’s considerably lighter in tone. Touted as a “post-pandemic” album, Maps is riddled with all the anxieties that come with re-entering the world as a touring musician. The writing is more vivid than ever; scenes unfold without ever quite resolving, faces and places drifting by as Woods struggles to adjust. But he never loses his bite, especially when motivated by his peers—Quelle Chris, Danny Brown, and Aesop Rock to name a few—who come through for verses. It’s all anchored by Segal’s textured soundscapes, which are as diverse as Woods’ vocabulary, flitting between airy and industrial. They’re the ideal backdrop for Woods’ dance between negative capability and barring out.

— Isaac Zinoman, Writer

10. Troye Sivan – Something to Give Each Other

At once a love letter for lost lingerings, found friendship, and bold-type fiending, the Australian-born YouTube persona turned pop sensation served with open arms in his newest project, Something to Give Each Other. Troye Sivan pitches a tight, 10-track ebullient house/pop fusion at us, crooning delicately one moment before inviting us to the dance floor to get sexy and “Silly.” I’m an obsessive listener of femme folk singer-songwriters, so I was immediately stung by Jessica Pratt’s 2015 hit “Back, Baby” showing up and out in “Can’t Go Back, Baby”—literally had me crying at the club, and I wish I was exaggerating. Guess you could say I felt the “Rush” because this album fueled pre-games, club outings, and shower sobs clean through Halloween, cementing itself a position in my top albums of the year.

— Maatkara Wilson, Art

9. Wednesday – Rat Saw God

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.

— Charlotte Littlefield, Art & Layout

8. Boygenius – the record

The record is a masterpiece of lyricism, production, and composition, and it places on display the greatest virtues of collaboration. In their work as a group, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker achieve an unparalleled feat of making each of their individualized sounds heard and noticeable, while also distinguishing themselves as a group. The record feels like moving through the phases of life—through devastations and strife and moments of unrelenting glee, through the chaotic and anarchic to deepest remorse and regret. To me it has always been reminiscent of the feeling of driving with windows down in the late summer, the air both a whipping wind and a cool, soothing breeze, the sun streaming onto the dash warm and green and gold, and life is drifting away, slipping through fingers dancing in the air—melancholy and the deepest form of contentment.

— Meghan Howson, Writer

7. Sufjan Stevens – Javelin

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.

— Alexander Malm, Editor

6. Taylor Swift – 1989 (Taylor’s Version)

1989 was the first CD I ever bought—I remember my aunt putting the album on my iPod shuffle and listening to its pop bangers throughout childhood. 1989 was also the first album I ever listened to fully, and Taylor Swift was the first artist I cared enough to do so for! Listening to 1989 (Taylor’s Version) was such a surreal feeling, especially hearing my favorite songs again with Taylor owning them. Although there were some changes to some of the tracks that caught me by surprise, I believe that the success of 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is a testament to Swift’s longevity and talent as an artist.

— Dana Herrera, Writer

5. JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown – SCARING THE HOES

***alternative hip hop, industrial rap***

It’s fitting that, in a year where hip-hop lost some of its footing in pop culture, one of the genre’s biggest triumphs was a subversive industrial rap album. Made apparent by the title, SCARING THE HOES doesn’t aim to please, instead standing out amongst the pack as a maximalist extravaganza of clashing noise and crate-dug samples. Danny Brown’s adaptability over oddball production, when combined with JPEGMAFIA’s confident, seamless flows, makes for one of the most robust collaborative efforts in recent years.

— Kevin McDermott, Writer

4. Hozier – Unreal Unearth

***alternative, indie, singer-songwriter***

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.

— Henry Baldwin, Writer

3. Olivia Rodrigo – GUTS

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.

— Joyce Zhang, Editor

2. Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want to Turn Into You

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.

— Mark Kamulegeya, Writer

1. Lana Del Rey – Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd

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.

— Madi Kim, Writer

edited by Joseph Mooney, Editor-in-Chief.

cover art by Taylor Pate.

album artwork believed to belong to either the publisher of the work or the artist.