[Jupiterknight]

It's the time of year for this kind of rankings.
 
I have created a list based on five different internet sources.  "Rolling Stones Magazine, Pitchfork, popmatters, Stereogum, and TimeOut"
 
I used the top 15 albums from all of these more or less "popular" sources and gave each album points from 15-1. Meaning a # 1 ranking received 15 points and a #15 ranking received 1 point. Very simple..
 
I only took albums into consideration that had been ranked more than once so a "strong" bias of a single source somehow could be eliminated.. Not perfect but it is what it is and my choice.. Sorry to Paul McCartney and David Bowie...you each made it to a top four but did not appear on any of the other top 15 rankings.
 
In a perfect world I would have used the top 50 of each of these five sources, even used more sources but that would be too time consuming for me at least!
 
So here it goes!
 
13. Savages - Silence Yourself  8 p.
 
11. The National -Trouble Will Find Me 12 p.*
 
11.  Darkside -  Psychic. 12 p.*
 
10.  Parquet Courts - Light Upgold. 14 p.
 
9.   HAIM -Days Are Gone. 15 p.
 
8.   Artic Monkeys - AM   21 p.
 
7.   Deafhaven - Sunbather 23 p.
 
6.   Daft Punk - RAM  37 p.
 
5.   My Bloody Valentine - mbv  40 p.
 
4.  Arcade Fire - Reflektor 44.p.
 
3.  Disclosure - Settle 54 p.
 
2.  Kanya West - Yeesuz 56 p.
 
1.  Vampire Weekend - 57 p.
 
So is anyone surprised?  Remember this list is not my subjective opinion or a spin of by my imagination, just based on a non significant calculation,  so please don't blame or yell at me if anyone is missing 

 
 
* There is no #12 since the National and Darkside received the same amount of points

 

[StratocasterMan]

I'm glad you finally started the topic, because we were long overdue. 

 
You may want to add SPIN Magazine to your calculations:
 
http://www.spin.com/articles/best-albums-2013/
 
I see four albums on the list so far that I enjoyed during the year:
 
11. The National
11. Darkside
10. Parquet Courts
8. Arctic Monkeys
 
I'm surprised Queens Of The Stone Age don't appear.
 
A bunch of the stuff on the list is absolutely horrible in my opinion, but that's par for the course.
 
The really good stuff never gets captured:
 
Dale Watson & His Lonestars - El Rancho Azul
Little Wings - Last
Wheeler Brothers - Gold Boots Glitter
Camper Van Beethoven - La Costa Perdida
Foxygen - We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors Of Peace & Magic
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Push The Sky Away
Rhye - Woman
Billy Bragg - Tooth & Nail
Boards Of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest
Daniel Romano - Come Cry With Me
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - The Speed Of Things
Eels - Wonderful, Glorious
The Haxan Cloak - Excavation
Jason Isbell - Southeastern
The Knife - Shaking The Habitual
Phosphorescent - Muchacho
 
Etc. Etc. And in no particular order with plenty missing...

 

[Jupiterknight]

I will later add in SPIN later. I was actually going to do so but had some issues with their website etc. 
 
I can't say that it won't change much, switching around a few positions, adding a few. Well, actually K. West would end at #1! (although I will say that have not heard this album myself!) I guess that I will have to!
 
The Knife would come in..
 
Unfortunately The Queens Of The Stone Age and Jason Isbell, both suffered the same fate as D.Bowie/P. McCartney, only placed once in top 15...
 
It is all an average, a calculated take and I will add in a few more sources when they come up but I will stick with a top 15-20. 
 
It could actually be much worse.. It is not a completely mainstream ranking, so Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga etc. most likely won't appear!

 

[Davey]

  I will later add in SPIN later. I was actually going to do so but had some issues with their website etc.

 
 
You probably know already, but http://www.metacritic.com/feature/critics-pick-top-ten-albums-of-2013 does much the same thing, except from more sources, but with similar results to yours. My take's a little different, but I also didn't hear that much new stuff this year ...
 
Been loving the Mutual Benefit Love’s Crushing Diamond. This one came out of nowhere for me, saw it described as boroque folk music which had me intrigued, along with a super high score in the 90s at metacritic, then saw a few recent reviews apparently triggered by a great Pitchfork review and putting it in their best new music section. Lots to like. Kind of gentle, and very charming, much like the first Bon Iver record For Emma, Forever Ago in some ways, maybe a little Grizzly Bear or Arcade Fire in the mix. Also reminds me a little of that Tracker Polk record from early in the 2000s that I love, but more strings on this one. Both cinematic, and a little hypnotic too. Pretty nice sounding too, and at under 32 minutes, usually warrants a repeat. I'm listening to the 24-bit download. Fun to read about this type of success story, I guess this is the first bandcamp released record that has been named to Pitchfork's best new music list. And now all the reviewers that ignored the earlier emails and other attempts to be heard are jumping on the wagon. The guy from Paste makes no attempt to hide that, in fact he opens the review explaining how he missed this one until the PF review ... http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2013/12/mutual-benefit-loves-crushing-diamond.html

The Califone Stitches hits most of the right spots for me too, but no surprise since I've been a big fan way back to the Red Red Meat days. I've listened to this one a lot. Pretty good sounding, and a fun listen too with all those layers of sound, little noises move in and out of the scenes, almost go unnoticed at times, but still seem to play important roles in building the landscape for the songs, which makes for interesting music. I think when those horns first come in during "We Are A Payphone" may be one of my favorite moments, really brilliant touch, and somewhat unexpected. Just the right amount of everything on this one, at least for me, at least for now.

I've also spent a lot of time with CocoRosie Tales of a GrassWidow. I'd heard of CocoRosie before this year, but never listened to any of their music. Not even sure why I did this time, the album cover is striking and may in hindsight offer some clue to the music, but nothing straightforward. I probably read some little blurb that had a catchall line like "experimental freak-folk", or something to that effect. Who even knows what something like that means anymore? But it must've meant enough to me, because I did listen, and I did fall in love with Bianca's child-like sing-song-raps, and Sierra's beautiful background vocals, the otherwordly beats and rhythms, fragmented dream-like lyrics, woven of a timeless and feminist social consciousness that seems to embody most of their music. Antony Hegarty (Antony and the Johnsons) lends support and his amazing vocal talents on a couple songs, and they are among my favorites.

I'm a pretty big Ed Harcourt fan from back in the Here Be Monsters days, what a great debut, and the new one Back Into The Woods is really good, pretty much just Ed and a nice piano (and sometimes a guitar) live in the studio. In this case, the one on Abbey Road. Very nice sound, good dynamics. Probably more a treat for fans than a grab for new ones. I like it a lot, but wouldn't be something I'd recommend to just anyone, since it could take a while before you realize how good it is, and I'm not sure most people give a record that kinda time anymore.

And some other big favorites this year from ...
Hiss Golden Messenger
Julia Holter
Kurt Vile
Vampire Weekend
Yo La Tengo
My Bloody Valentine
Patty Griffin

 

[tattoou2]

Favorites of this year:
 
Bill Callahan's Dream River
Bombino Nomad
Buika La Noche Mas Larga
Phosphorescent Muchacho
Daniel Avery Drone Logic
DJ Koze Amygdala

 

[tattoou2]

I heard the Phosphorescent album, Pride, in the past and thought it was just so-so; however, Muchacho is an excellent album and Houck's voice has seemingly matured and become even more distinctive.  Really one of my favorites of 2013.

 

[Jupiterknight]

Plenty of albums have already been posted, beyond above, below or where ever compared to the superficial list that I created/calculated/manipulated, all just to get a kick start.. 
 
I think that I have heard most of the stuff posted so far, except a few, like the Ed Harcourt, Daniel Avery, Dale Watson, Mutual Benefit, Little Wings albums being mentioned and in near future I will want to check these out..
 
What you guys have posted up so far are pretty much 80% of my own personal preferences from 2013. Bill Callahan, Bombino, Phosph..,Yo La Tengo, Hiss Golden..., Foxygen, Rhye, Nick Cave, Kurt Vile, Jason Isbell, The Knife, Boards Of Canada, Julie Holter... I will add my own stuff later, but all these and others very much covers what I believe is at least on par (subjectively speaking) with my more or less official ranking..
 
Thanks @Davey I was aware of the metacritic calculations although I must admit that I actually haven't looked at it. I just had some kind of fun, calculating and presenting my own list Turns out that my calculation was fairly similar which means they got it right? 

 
 
Anyway to get back to the kick start...  This is all what this thread is about.. At least I think this is that is what I intended it to be.. 
 
A chance to pick up some albums from 2013 that we may have missed out on.. or not... Appreciate that others did take a chance and ,maybe, hereby introduced us to an album we didn't know existed or even would have given any kind of afterthought.  We enlightened each other or we don't.. that's the game
 
When I see someone posting, let's say, 5-10 albums and I really liked 7-8 of the albums on this HF member's list and I haven't heard or being introduced to the remaining two or three albums. Then I most certainly would want to experience those albums..  why not.. and then give them my accordingly embrace or not

 

[TJ Elite]

It has always gone against my common sense that people start compiling these kind of lists before the year is even over. That being said I did take a look at my iTunes library and compiled a list of albums released in 2013 that have managed to impress me and I feel I have a special connection with. There are still plenty of albums from 2013 that I have yet to hear and ones that might grow on me as the years go by so this list is by no means definitive in any sense of the word.

 

Of the albums listed in the first post I have heard Trouble Will Find Me, m b v and Yeezus. Psychic and Random Access Memories I've also tried streaming on Spotify, but the former only in small snippets which didn't do anything for me, and the latter despite having a couple of decent songs on it I never made it much further than the halfway mark on on my two separate listening attempts. Trouble Will Find Me is a pretty good album but not as good as the group's previous three efforts IMO. m b v is also decent but I was never a My Bloody Valentine fan to begin with and this isn't on the same level as Loveless which I do enjoy listening on occasion. Yeezus is definitely an album worth hearing but it isn't the masterpiece that its predecessor My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was. I like the album but shall not name it one of my absolute favorites from 2013 at least at this point in time. I still need time to digest it.

 

But here you go, my current list of favorites from this year:

 

Aesthesys - Ascendere (https://aesthesys.bandcamp.com/album/ascendere) [Free download. CD release is also available. I recommend getting it if you like what you hear.]

Azurium - Untold (https://azurium.bandcamp.com/album/untold) [Free download.]

Burzum - Sôl austan, Mâni vestan

Clean Tears - Reverberations (iTunes Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/reverberations/id688751742)

Cult of Luna - Vertikal

Danimal Cannon & Zef - Parallel Processing (https://danimalcannon.bandcamp.com/album/parallel-processing)

Dataline - Under Waveform (https://dataline.bandcamp.com/album/under-waveform)

Deafheaven - Sunbather (http://deafheavens.bandcamp.com/album/sunbather) [If you have a turntable, I strongly recommend getting the 45rpm double vinyl. Whereas I find the digital release pretty much unlistenable, the LP sounds beautiful.]

Exist Strategy - Dreamcatcher (https://existstrategy.bandcamp.com/album/dreamcatcher) [Free download.]

EXLIUM - EXLIUM (Beatport: http://www.beatport.com/release/exlium/1089661, iTunes Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/exlium/id645866452)

Ishome - Confession (http://fuselab.bandcamp.com/album/confession)

Kyson - Water's Way (https://fofmusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-waters-way)

Sea Hive - Lunar Grain (https://seahive.bandcamp.com/album/lunar-grain)

SizzleBird - One World (https://sizzlebird1.bandcamp.com/album/one-world)

Tim Hecker - Virgins

 

There are some EPs I would have really liked to include as well, but as the title of this thread states "best albums" I refrained from doing so.

 

Edit: I've added Virgins to the list. I wasn't sure if it was special enough for me when I was originally compiling this list, but after listening to it again just now I must say that it more than deserves its place on the list. I really should get the vinyl…

 

Edit 2: I just finished listening to Sea Hive's debut album Lunar Grain and I must say it must be one of the best albums I've heard all year. VERY impressive. Added to the list, naturally.

 

Edit 3: Young 1996-born Moldovan producer Azurium just impressed me with his debut album Untold. Its haunting and ethereal beauty that lies beneath the surface captivates me beyond words.

 

[TexasBuck]

My 2013 List: (Still a work in progress - The top 3 are really close)
 
1) Arcade Fire - Reflektor
2) The National - Trouble Will Find Me
3) Arctic Monkeys - AM
4) Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork
5) Savages - Silence Yourself
6) Smith Westerns - Soft Will
7) Yeah Yeah Yeah's - Mosquito
8) Beach Fossils - Clash the Truth
9) CHVRCHES - The Bones of What You Believe
10) Kings of Leon - Mechanical Bull
11) Suede - Blood Sports
12) Strokes - Comedown Machine
13) Pearl Jam - Lightening Bolt
14) Foxygen - We are the 21st Ambassadors of Love and Magic
15) Franz Ferdinad - Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action
16) Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks
17) David Bowie - The Next Day

 

[Davey]

Originally Posted by Davey /img/forum/go_quote.gif
And some other big favorites this year from ...
Hiss Golden Messenger
Julia Holter
Kurt Vile
Vampire Weekend
Yo La Tengo
My Bloody Valentine
Patty Griffin

 
Forgot to mention the Mazzy Star and Medicine reunion records. While I haven't had a chance to listen enough to the new Mazzy Star yet (it will surely get a lot of listens in the new year), the Medicine To The Happy Few is great. Quite a year for the dream pop reunions, with nice new records from MBV, Mazzy Star and Medicine, all pretty much unexpected, at least by me.

 

[StratocasterMan]

   
Forgot to mention the Mazzy Star and Medicine reunion records. While I haven't had a chance to listen enough to the new Mazzy Star yet (it will surely get a lot of listens in the new year), the Medicine To The Happy Few is great. Quite a year for the dream pop reunions, with nice new records from MBV, Mazzy Star and Medicine, all pretty much unexpected, at least by me.

 
I was quite disappointed in the new Mazzy Star. I really wanted to like it and was hoping it would be good, but unfortunately, it's not. It sounds like the singer met a new boyfriend who claimed he could play guitar and so she tried to help him by singing, but he can't play... It's not good.

 

[Davey]

   
I was quite disappointed in the new Mazzy Star. I really wanted to like it and was hoping it would be good, but unfortunately, it's not. It sounds like the singer met a new boyfriend who claimed he could play guitar and so she tried to help him by singing, but he can't play... It's not good.

Hmm, I'm not disappointed in it, just don't know yet how much I like it. But I'm a huge fan, their debut is one of the 90s best for me, and love Hope, so they get a lot of slack ...
 
 
 
 

 

[metalsonata]

Here's my personal top 50 list, subject to change:
 
50. M.I.A.: Matangi
49. Pharmakon: Abandon
48. Atoms for Peace: Amok
47. Nails: Abandon All Life
46. Altar of Plagues: Teethed Glory & Injury
45. Nine Inch Nails: Hesitation Marks
44. Dean Blunt: Stone Island
43. Subrosa: More Constant Than the Gods
42. Ulcerate: Vermis
41. Arcade Fire: Reflektor
40. Colin Stetson: New History Warfare Vol. 3
39. Grouper: The Man Who Died In His Boat
38. Iceage: You’re Nothing
37. **** Buttons: Slow Focus
36. Melt-Banana: Fetch
35. The Flaming Lips: The Terror
34. Darkside: Psychic
33. Savages: Silence Yourself
32. Sigur Ros: Kveikur
31. Blood Ceremony: The Eldritch Dark
30. Autechre: Exai
29. Oneohtrix Point Never: R Plus Seven
28. Bill Callahan: Dream River
27. Kurt Vile: Wakin on a Pretty Daze
26. James Blake: Overgrown
25. Kvelertak: Meir
24. Jon Hopkins: Immunity
23. The Haxan Cloak: Excavation
22. Daft Punk: Random Access Memories
21. Danny Brown: Old
20. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: Push the Sky Away
19. The National: Trouble Will Find Me
18. Chelsea Wolfe: Pain is Beauty
17. Chance the Rapper: Acid Rap
16. Kanye West: Yeezus
15. The Knife: Shaking the Habitual
14. Vampire Weekend: Modern Vampires of the City
13. Julia Holter: Loud City Song
12. Haken: The Mountain
11. Run the Jewels: Run the Jewels
10. Janelle Monae: The Electric Lady
9. Ulver: Messe I.X-VI.X
8. Boards of Canada: Tomorrow’s Harvest
7. Touche Amore: Is Survived By
6. My Bloody Valentine: m b v
5. Tim Hecker: Virgins
4. Burial: Rival Dealer
3. Gorguts: Colored Sands
2. Deafheaven: Sunbather
1. Kayo Dot: Hubardo

 

[Jupiterknight]

  Here's my personal top 50 list, subject to change:
 
 
25. Kvelertak: Meir
 

Impressive list 

 Picked up one album ^^^ from your list that I hadn't heard or even beforehand consider that I in any way would appreciate.
 
I have to say that this album completely surprised me in a very positive way. I can even understand the lyrics...
 
You have a very versatile taste of music and I can most certainly recognize and relate to the quality you seek/appreciate across different genre's of "rock" music/decades..

 

[metalsonata]

  Impressive list 

 Picked up one album ^^^ from your list that I hadn't heard or even beforehand consider that I in any way would appreciate.
 
I have to say that this album completely surprised me in a very positive way. I can even understand the lyrics...
 
You have a very versatile taste of music and I can most certainly recognize and relate to the quality you seek/appreciate across different genre's of "rock" music/decades..

 
Glad you enjoyed it! Despite the black metal and hardcore punk influences, I think anyone who just appreciates good old-fashioned hard rock will probably really enjoy Meir--it's just got so much character! Thanks for the compliments!