50 best albums of 2023
2023 graced us with a plethora of powerful alternative albums worth writing home about. Early on, we could tell this year would bode well: In February, after a four-year hiatus, Paramore released a funky, complex new project that’s lit a fire under their avid fanbase; Foo Fighters produced a nearly flawless rock ’n’ roll album that both gracefully, and gutturally, taps into their very real pain and loss; GEL gave us a debut album that does their mission statement of making “hardcore for freaks” serious justice. Then, in the back half of the year, there’s blink-182’s reunion album, Kevin Abstract’s left turn, and HEALTH’s apocalyptic rock. From post-hardcore to pop, alt-rap to grunge, the definition of alternative is as wide and inclusive as ever for us at AP. That being said, it was a struggle to fit our favorites into a list of 50, but we’ve managed.
Below are the best albums from another whirlwind year.
The best albums of 2023
was eagerly awaited by critics and fans alike. Pushing their artistic boundaries on Psychic Dance Routine, the band dropped an undeniably fun and well-produced record — a delectable blend of hardcore punk and alt-rock that fans could devour whether they were head-banging in a basement or crowd surfing at Coachella.