Wales Arts Review’s critics have come together, argued, scrapped, cried, and hugged, to bring you our rundown of the best 50 albums of what we’ve been listening to in 2018. We always have a lot of fun putting this together, and we hope there’s some music on here that is new to you. And you can now check out the albums on our exclusive Wales Arts Review playlist below.
50. Future Me Hates Me – The Beths
49. Cry – Caroline Rose
48. Hive Mind – The Internet
47. Lush – Snail Mail
46. Blood Crush – Ensign Broderick
45. Dream Wife – Dream Wife
44. Speakers Corner – Nick Ellis
43. Melyn – Adwaith
42. Hope Downs – Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
41. Music Is – Bill Frisell
40. Echo the Red – Accü
39. Make Way for Love – Marlon Williams
38. Insecure Men – Insecure Men
37. Twerp Verse – Speedy Ortiz
36. Songs of Praise – Shame
35. Still Dreaming – Joshua Redman
34. All Nerve – The Breeders
33. Cocoa Sugar – Young Fathers
32. Kudu – Anteloper
31. Isolation – Kelly Uchis
30. What Are You – Underground System
29. Singularity – John Hopkins
28. Now! (In a Minute) – Audiobooks
27. 1,2, Kung Fu! – Boy Azooga
26. Tell Me How You Really Feel – Courtney Barnett
25. Delivery – Mikaela Davis
24. …Sings Olivia Newton John – Juliana Hatfield
23. Ledroba – Andrew Cyrille, Wadada Leo Smith, Bill Frisell
22. What a Time to Be Alive – Superchunk
21. Benjamim e Edinho – Ben Lamar Gay
20. Aviary – Julia Holter
19. Babelsberg – Gruff Rhys
18. Sistahs – Big Joanie
17. Bon Voyage – Melody’s Echo Chamber
16. je suis une ile – Halo Maud
15. Heaven and Earth – Kamasi Washington
14. Origami Harvest – Ambrose Akinmusire
13. Lamp Lit Prose – Dirty Projectors
12. Be the Cowboy – Mitski
11. Humble Pi – Homeboy Sandman and Edan
10. Freedom – Amen Dunes
09. Le Kov – Gwenno
08. Double Negative – Low
07. New Hymn to Freedom – Szun Waves
06. Joy as an Act of Resistance – IDLES
05. Chris – Christine and the Queens
04. Negro Swan – Blood Orange
03. Blood – Rhye
02. Wide Awake! – Parquet Courts
01. Dirty Computer – Janelle Monae
