The 20 Best Albums of 2023 So Far

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – July 6, 2023

Which albums impressed critics during the first half of the year? In the gallery on this page we rank the highest-scoring LPs released between January 1, 2023 and June 30, 2023. Albums are ranked by their Metascores as of July 3, 2023 and must have at least 7 reviews from professional critics to be eligible. Resissues, EPs, live albums, and compilations are excluded.

18 of 21 photo by Interscope

90the record by boygenius

(#3) The indie-rock trio of accomplished solo artists Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus previously released an EP (2018's Boygenius) and performed live together, but it's this debut full-length that really puts the "super" in supergroup. The Record is a hit with reviewers and listeners alike and topped a number of sales charts around the world following its March release.

“A collaborative winner delightfully devoid of ego or pretense. Here, each voice works to create something greater than the sum of its parts, which is rare for supergroups.” —Spin

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