The 25 Best Albums of 2018 So Far

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – July 3, 2018

Which albums impressed critics during the first half of the year? Find our ranking of 2018's highest-scoring studio albums (so far) in the gallery above. The list includes releases through June 30, 2018 that have received at least 15 reviews from professional critics as of July 2nd. (Re-releases, EPs, and compilations are also excluded, and note that even though you'll see rounded Metascores, the albums are ranked prior to rounding.)

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84 #22: Sparkle Hard by Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks

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Sparkle Hard is the highest-scoring album to date for indie rock legend Stephen Malkmus since leaving Pavement. If you haven't kept up with his solo work over the past two decades, this would be an excellent place to start.

“Sparkle Hard is at once his most sonically adventurous and structurally tight set of music in over a decade and easily stands among his most rewarding work with the Jicks.” —Consequence of Sound

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