Wales Arts Review’s critics have come together, argued, scrapped, cried, and hugged, to bring you our rundown of our best 50 albums of what we’ve been listening to in 2019. 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, nearly four hours of the best music of the year.
50. Stonechild – Jesca Hoop
49. When We Are All Inhuman – Bonnie “Prince” Billy
48. Midnight – Stef Chura
47. Love + Fear – Marina
46. i,i – Bon Iver
45. Me and the Ghost of Charlemagne – Amy Speace
44. Spirit – Rhye
43. Designer – Aldous Harding
42. Curve of the Earth – Ohtis
41. Buxton Palace Hotel – Studio Electrophonique
40. Father of the Bride – Vampire Weekend
39. The Centre Won’t Hold – Sleater-Kinney
38. Cows on Hourglass Pond – Avey Tare
37. Timebends – Deerhunter
36. Satis Factory – Mattiel
35. Burn – Wretch 32
34. Tower of Glass – Ladytron
33. Town Centre – Squid
32. Street Worms – Viagra Boys
31. Schlagenheim – black midi
30. All Mirrors – Angel Olsen
29. Anna Painting – Four Tet
28. Remind Me Tomorrow – Sharon Van Etten
27. Tip of the Sphere – Cass McCombs
26. When I Get Home – Solange
25. Encore – The Specials
24. Western Stars – Bruce Springsteen
23. Lux Prima – Karen O & Dangermouse
22. Reward – Cate le Bon
21. U.F.O.F. – Big Thief
20. Groove Denied – Stephen Malkmus
19. Eve – Rapsody
18. One of the Best Yet – Gang Starr
17. Polymer – Plaid
16. Dusty – Homeboy Sandman
15. Two Hands – Big Thief
14. Ancestral Recall – Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah
13. Norman Fucking Rockwell – Lana Del Rey
12. Kiwanuka – Michael Kiwanuka
11. When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? – Billy Eilish
10. Buoys – Panda Bear
9. Magdalene – FKA Twigs
8. Ghosteen – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
7. Titanic Rising – Weyes Blood
6. Nothing Great About Britain – slowthai
5. Father Unknown – Harriet Tubman
4. Dogrel – Fontaines DC
3. Crushing – Julia Jacklin
2. ‘Cuz I love You – Lizzo
1. GREY Area – Little Simz
