Entering the month of October means we are seventy-five percent of the way through the year, and with only three months left to go in 2023, it is officially time to begin Album of the Year discussions.

Taylor Swift has already cemented herself as the year’s big winner with the monumental success of her Eras Tour, but her only actual full-length release this year was Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), a re-recorded version of the original 2010 album Speak Now. While it is a perfectly fine record, it would be earning its Album of the Year honors based on the strength of Taylor’s tour alone, and that just feels a little cheap.

On the other end of the superstar spectrum is Travis Scott, who finally released his latest record, UTOPIA, after years of anticipation. While it was certainly one of the biggest hip-hop records of the year and contained multiple smash hits, it missed the mark a bit on substance and artistic ambition.

One record that you certainly can’t fault for lack of artistic ambition is Lil Yachty’s Let’s Start Here. As its title suggests, this album symbolized a fresh start for Yachty, who was wandering in the desert of rap mediocrity since his debut mixtape Lil Boat in 2016. On the back of his 2022 smash hit “Poland,” which found success in its simple trap beat, saw-wave synths, and artificial-vibrato vocals, Yachty unexpectedly dropped his magnum opus: a cinematic alt-rock record more akin to a Pink Floyd album than anything he had previously released. Let’s Start Here took critics by surprise, not only in the change of direction it symbolized, but also in its quality. It was a little rough around the edges, with Yachty’s vocals in particular needing some work, but for his first attempt at alternative rock it was extremely impressive.

2023 was a big year for women in popular music. Aside from Taylor Swift’s monster year, several prominent female voices rose to the forefront this year. Lana Del Rey made headlines when she took up work as a Waffle House waitress and performed in scarcely-visited southern cities like Brandon, Mississippi and Franklin, Tennessee to promote her newest record, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd. Ocean Blvd is a beautiful, tragic, self-reflective triumph, arguably Del Rey’s best since 2019’s Norman F****** Rockwell! Additionally, indie supergroup boygenius released their first full-length album, The Record, this year to much acclaim. Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker are each brilliant artists in their own right, but on The Record they combine their powers to create one of the year’s most emotionally moving offerings. Bridgers, Dacus, and Baker compliment some of their best writing with beautifully layered vocals and simple acoustic production. Simply put, The Record is a must-listen.

One of 2023’s most notable musical trends was the decline of hip-hop’s commercial success. Aside from the aforementioned UTOPIA and a new Gunna record, there was a serious lack of full-length releases from the big names in hip-hop this year, and what releases there were failed to really make an impact. This isn’t to say that 2023 was completely devoid of good rap albums, however. Alternative rap saw the step back that commercial hip-hop took this year and happily filled the gap. In March, rapper-producer JPEGMAFIA teamed up with alt-rap legend Danny Brown for Scaring the H***, a dynamic, abrasive record with a notably hilarious and internet-savvy tracklist – “Lean Beef Patty,” “Fentanyl Tester,” and “Jack Harlow Combo Meal” are just a few of the song titles that adorn it. Brown’s brilliant verses sound right at home next to Peggy’s eclectic samples and aggressive raps. Less-established rock-rap duo Paris Texas also released a standout alt-rap record this year in the form of their debut album Mid Air. Effortlessly blending elements of punk rock, electronica, and trap, Paris Texas lays devilishly clever bars over production that strikes the perfect balance between crunchy and clean. Though they don’t have the name recognition as Travis Scott or Lana Del Rey, Paris Texas is in the mix with those artists for Album of the Year honors.

Of course, this topic is as subjective as it is subject to change. Zach Bryan and Daniel Caesar both put out exceptional records this year, and some big artists are set to drop in the last three months of the year, including Drake, who reportedly has a record coming later this month. Already, though, 2023 has given us plenty of incredible contenders for Album of the Year.

Photo Credits from: Republic Records, Cactus Jack and Epic Records, Motown Records and Quality Control Music, Interscope, AWAL, Paris Texas LLC, Belting Bronco and Warner

Photo created in Photoshop