The Freshman 15: 2019's Best Debut Albums

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – December 10, 2019

Later this month, we'll release our final list of 2019's overall best albums. But our best of 2019 coverage continues right now with a look at the year's top newcomers in music.

Above is our list of the 15 best-reviewed debut albums of 2019, ranked by Metascore. Note that albums must have at least 7 reviews—and be a full LP, rather than an EP—to be eligible for inclusion. Albums are ranked by Metascore prior to rounding (based on scores as of December 7, 2019).

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▣The Return by Sampa the Great

(#8) Born in Zambia but now residing in Australia, rapper Sampa Tembo indeed proved to be pretty great on her first album, which earned praise for its breadth and power.

“Musically, it is an often breathtaking listen as she straddles various genres with consummate ease. It serves as a dazzling celebration of her cultural and musical heritage that will resonate for years to come.” —PopMatters

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