(Billboard) – From ultra-ambitious musical comebacks to hype-surviving debuts to a certain unexpected album released right before the end-of-year buzzer sounded, 2013 contained a beautifully diverse array of full-length statements. After many, many repeated listens, the Billboard staff voted for their favourites in the annual ‘critics’ picks’ list.
15 – ‘Acid Rap’ by Chance The Rapper: ‘Acid Rap’ improves on Chance’s ‘10 Day’ mix tape in nearly every way, blasting soul music to the forefront and showcasing the rapper’s more outlandish instincts.
14 – Lady Gaga’s ‘ARTPOP’: ‘ARTPOP’ is the statement of a singer-songwriter who wants to be more than a pop artist, and although the extravagant details surrounding the album cemented Gaga’s status as a provocateur, she hasn’t lost her touch for creating otherworldly hooks.
13 – CHVRCHES’ ‘The Bones of What You Believe’: ‘The Bones of What You Believe’ makes good on the promise of early singles “Recover” and “The Mother We Share” by giving singer Lauren Mayberry more of the full-bodied synth-pop music that works so well underneath her nimble voice.
12 – Vampire Weekend’s ‘Modern Vampires of the City’: ‘Modern Vampires of the City’ explores themes of love and loss in a manner that’s serious without being joyless. Vampire Weekend’s first two albums are great listens, but ‘Modern Vampires of the City’ is the group’s first effort that sounds essential.
11 – Justin Timberlake’s ‘The 20/20 Experience’: Timberlake captivated and charmed listeners from the beginning of his ‘20/20’ promotional run, with award show performances, TV appearances, buzzing singles (“Suit & Tie,” “Mirrors”) and a collaborative tour with Jay Z. In the end, however, the most memorable aspect of JT’s return was the sound of his voice dripping with emotion and inner peace.
10 – Kacey Musgraves’ ‘Same Trailer Different Park’: ‘Same Trailer Different Park’ transcended country music fandom and crossed over into the hearts of pop fans, indie rock diehards and beyond. It’s twangy and catchy, sure, but what really made Musgraves’ arrow hit the bull’s eye was her ability to move the listener with her lyrics, which spun tales of dead-end towns, working-class waitresses and friends-with-benefits relationships.
9 – Arcade Fire’s ‘Reflektor’: How great is ‘Reflektor’? Great enough to (maybe) make one want to abide by the band’s friendly request to wear formal attire to their upcoming shows.
8 – Rhye’s ‘Woman’: The 10 songs of ‘Woman’ are beautifully drawn and everlasting, making for one of 2013’s most pleasant surprises.
7 – is Daft Punk’s ‘Random Access Memories’: With Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers riding shotgun on the album’s most danceable songs (“Lose Yourself to Dance” and “Get Lucky”) and 2013 all-star contributor Pharrell Williams peddling his falsetto, Daft Punk duo Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter showed that, under their robot helmets, they’re still a pair of groove-seeking fellas.
6 – HAIM’s ‘Days Are Gone’: ‘Days Are Gone’ distributed the immediate hooks of early tracks like “Don’t Save Me” and “Forever” across a brightly colored album, with producer Ariel Rechtshaid tightening the screws on the ferociously fun rock song “The Wire” as well as “Honey & I,” which sounds like the best song Fleetwood Mac never recorded.
5 – Drake’s ‘Nothing Was The Same’: Really, what genre does this album even fall into? There’s the upward mobility banger “Started From the Bottom,” mucking things up with hostility. A few tracks later, the tender “Hold On, We’re Goin’ Home” (just a few BPMs shy of being a true ballad) comes in for a hug. Connecting those sentiments requires quality threading. Drake and the set’s producer Noah “40” Shebib clearly are excellent tailors.
4 – Lorde’s ‘Pure Heroine’: Pure Heroine” extends the limits of pop music thanks to Lorde’s penchant for smart, sticky refrains placed atop hazy beats. Look beyond “Royals,” and prepare to be dazzled.
3 – ‘Settle’ by Disclosure: On one end, ‘Settle’ is a soundtrack for all the highs and lows of a night out in the city, and on a more serious note, it’s probably the trend British dance music will be following for some time.
2 – Kanye West’s ‘Yeezus’: ‘Yeezus’ is not only Kanye West’s most radical album by a long shot, but one of the sharpest left turns by a major musical artists ever recorded. ‘Yeezus’ transports the listener into the mind of the passionate, polarizing being that is Kanye West, who refuses to conform to expectations at a time in which most artists would rest on their laurels, or muse upon the comfort of a new relationship and impending fatherhood.
1 – Beyoncé’s ‘Beyoncé’: Swept away in the hype? Maybe. But really, who isn’t crazy in love with Beyoncé right now? It’s been less than a week since her fifth solo album parachuted, without warning, into the iTunes store in the dead of night, leaving fans and critics alike in awe of the sheer ballsiness of the move—a superstar releasing their product with zero promotion. Wow, right? That could have been one hell of a failure. It was not.
Sure, a decent amount of time is needed to see past the fog of excitement. We had six days. Not much of a chance to live with it sans rollout (or lack thereof) reverence. But let’s try to take a step back and talk music. “Beyoncé” is stellar, standing tall amongst the albums it leapfrogged to land at No. 1 here—accessible enough to appeal to pop ears (“XO”), bizarre and transformative enough with winds and ghostly warbles (“Haunted,” “Mine”) to qualify as a gorgeous art project. None of the other albums on the list cover as many bases as she does here at as high a performance quality.
Her voice both soars and rumbles about familiar subjects: female empowerment and love. But especially regarding the latter, she delves deeper than ever before—shoveling beneath surface level ditties. That’s the key switch-up. Once slightly ajar, Beyoncé knocks the door into her personal life off the hinges on this appropriately self-titled set.
Want to know about additional strength her king provides his queen with an embrace? Conversely, how about the vivid worries she’s had about splitting with him? It’s all there on “Beyoncé,” set to warm, well-curated production from a who’s who of hit-makers. This is an album made by a fearless, grown-ass woman—somehow self-assured, stoic, fragile and thoughtful all at once. And for those reasons, she wears the crown.
