Best-rated albums of 2023 – from The Rolling Stones to Kylie Minogue

From veteran rockers and comeback Britpop icons to fresh jaw-dropping R&B talent plus pop princesses setting new standards, it has been a stellar year for music. Here are 23 albums that should have been the soundtrack to your 2023. But if not, there is still plenty of time to catch up on the adventure…

Hozier

Unreal Unearth
Don’t let the daft song titles here put you off – even Abstract (Psychopomp) is a revelation. Hozier’s odyssey shines with joyous pop one minute and stirring ballads on grief (Unknown/Nth) the next. There’s even a dash of Irish funk churned into the bluesy, ancient folk melting pot and just the right amount of pretention. Unreal quality.

The Rolling Stones – Hackney Diamonds

Forget about the 18-year wait – this is the Stones’ first great record in 35 years. The reason is simple: they sound like they want to be the Stones again with just enough contemporary nouse. The ballads are elegant and rockers like punky Bite My Head Off – featuring Sir Paul McCartney on bass – see Sir Mick Jagger somehow still sound scuzzy and hacked off. On this form, there’s still no one to touch them.

Black Pumas – Chronicles Of A Diamond

Purveyors of modern rock and soul, this sophomore effort is oozing with authenticity and quality. More Than A Love Song sets the neo/retro soul tone coming on like peak Bobby Womack backed by The Isley Brothers. Mrs Postman delivers jazzier vibes, while Hello gets trippy in a Gnarls Barkley way. A diamond classic.

Sampha – Lahai

In six years since winning the Mercury Prize, Sampha has worked with Travis Scott and Stormzy. Mysterious and beautiful, Lahai (Sampha’s middle name) muses on parenthood and loss and mixes multiple genres, but the power and soul in his high vocals holds it together. Despite musical complexity, the results are simple and moving. Well worth the long wait.

Olivia Rodrigo – Guts

It takes guts to try to out-do global debut success, but the American singer and actress has hit the bull’s-eye twice. Whether it’s epic piano ballads (Teenage Dream), hilarious revenge rockers (Get Him Back), or earworm punk-pop anthems (Love Is Embarrassing), there’s an irresistible pop song for everyone on here.

Corinne Bailey Rae – Black Rainbows

Best known for her soulful intensity, Corinne dips into punk, metal and inventive jazz, while Red Horse is a reminder she can still conjure up the silky ballads. Guitar freakout Erasure and The Invisible God, where Corinne sounds like she’s communing with Prince, are Corinne reaching for the stars.

J Hus – Beautiful And Brutal Yard

An absence of three years has mellowed the Londoner’s music, but lyrically he’s as fierce as ever. Jazzy hooks and R&B licks set summery vibes and the likes of Drake and Jorja Smith provide feel-good vibes. Hus finds inspiration in fry-ups and even Steve Irwin along the way and Popcaan livens things up on stand-out Killy.

Blur – The Ballad Of Darren

For all his other projects Damon Albarn has never sounded more at home than on Blur’s comeback. The riotous St Charles Square aside, it’s mostly a warm embrace with stand-out song Far Away Island harking back to classic ballads like To The End. The album is obviously more mature, yet there’s too much mischief in Damon’s vocals and Graham Coxon’s guitars to call it safe.t

Kylie Minogue – Tension

A musical release of endorphins, this is her best album in 20 years. Whether it’s on 80s throwback You Still Get Me High or the ultra-modern R&B of Hands, Kylie is in padam fine form on an album showcasing everything she’s learned about pop. Like her best music, it’s an effortless all-out party. As Kylie sings on Green Light: “I can do it forever.” Too right.

Mahalia – IRL

In possession of the UK’s finest R&B voice, Mahalia’s second album showcases her full range. She has the attitude to match too, pulling no punches on Cheat then spreading joy all over your ears during Wassap. Even Stormzy is made to sound borderline romantic on her acoustic jam November. Mahalia is ready to explode.

Olivia Dean – Messy

Big emotions with laid-back charm, Olivia’s debut is diverse rather than messy.
It’s easy to hear why Elton John adores her soulful tone when pop sounds as romantic as I Could Be A Florist, with the anthemic acoustic title track already a timeless classic. A hot mess.

Gabriels – Angels And Queens

A mesmerising debut from a trio whose singer Jacob Lusk guested with Sir Elton John at Glastonbury. These dramatic songs are worthy of Lusk’s show-stopping voice, which evokes the spirit of a classic 60s soul, backed by modern atmospherics and R&B touches. It’s both instantly familiar and like nothing else around.

Doja Cat – Scarlet

Slinking out of the pop cat flap, Doja plants her paws firmly in the hip hop litter tray and sounds all the better for it. It’s forward-thinking stuff, offset by Doja’s cutesy tone and occasionally loony delivery on FTG. Echoes of rap’s jazzy past, blended with a militant futuristic attitude suggest this is an important moment for her and the genre.

Queens of the Stone Age- In Times New Roman

Josh Homme always had a penchant for demonic rock, creating beauty out of heaviness. This time the real beauty comes from the lyrics as Josh finds acceptance after a difficult few years personally. By comparison, the riffs are at their dirtiest, ranging from vintage 60s rock (Carnavoyeur) to a dose of boogie (What The Peephole Say). Type it in bold: A GREAT RECORD.

Boygenius – The Record

The Avengers of singer/songwriting, Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus assemble to create something far more dynamic than their celebrated solo work. The result ranges from full-tilt rock (Satanist), grunge ($20) and lashings of heavenly sun-kissed guitar pop. These girls are genius.

Jessie Ware – That! Feels Good!

Celebrating the many shades of disco, Jessie sounds as good as she feels. The sensual strains of the title track
recall Bacara’s. Yes Sir I Can Boogie and from then on Jessie makes nods to Odyssey (Beautiful People), Barry White (Hello Love) and
even Sylvester on the synthesised Free Yourself. The album is all done with authenticity, class – and fabulousness.

Foo Fighters – But Here We Are

Dedicated to late drummer Taylor Hawkins, the lyrics to this emotional collection are strewn in imagery of loss and confusion, yet the music is nearly always uplifting. Semi-acoustic ballad The Glass perhaps speaks most directly of Grohl’s mourning, while 10-minute epic The Teacher is Foo’s twisted version of Wings’ Band On The Run. Previous albums dabbled with more styles, but this one is pure Foo Fighters and you feel like Taylor would have loved these songs.

Sleaford Mods – UK Grim

There has been a lot to get angry about lately for the Nottingham lads who unleash their collective fury with biting wit and electronic playfulness. This is poetic, groovy, anarchic and intense, yet Jason Williamson’s delivery sounds anaesthetised, no doubt reflecting the societal inertia they are rallying against.

Depeche Mode- Memento Mori

Basildon’s finest serve signature brooding atmospherics and nagging pop hooks in style. Wagging Tongue and People Are Good echo both Kraftwerk and their own back catalogue, and at the heart of it all are oddly nostalgic, beautiful simple melodies littered with satisfying synthesised detail. Martin Gore’s solo Soul With Me is easily one of his finest.

SZA -SOS

Setting a new benchmark for futuristic R&B, SZA proves she can do it all. Her sweet delivery can lure you onto the dance floor during the groovy Forgiveness, while Nobody Gets Me is the best soul-rock cut since Janet Jackson’s Black Cat. But her forte is delicious ballads that will remedy any emotional emergency.

Lana Del Rey – Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd

Sometimes this feels like an 80-minute exercise for Lana to perfect her free-wheeling, slo-mo ballads. Mood-wise there are familiar themes of doomed romance, but with more self-worth and irony. Metamorphic epic A&W is a welcome beat-heavy departure, as is Peppers’ groove.

Ava Max – Diamonds And Dancefloors

Consider investing in a oxygen mask because Ava doesn’t allow you to come up for air over these 40 sparkling minutes. An A-grade pupil of Abba’s sad-songs-you-can-dance-to academy, Ava’s uplifting anthems come with bonus adrenalin shots. Only during the chaotic finale of Dancing Done can you pop your hips back in their sockets.

Raye – My 21st Century Blues

Proving her former major label bosses wrong, Raye delivers a powerful debut that outshines any hits she writes for other artists. Armed with a fresh pop vibe that straddles hip-hop, she eloquently tackles subjects of body dysmorphia and sexual abuse. The deeper you go, the better it gets, culminating in a joyous finale of Worth It and Buss It Down.

For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here.

Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk