Uncut: Album of the Year, 1950-2025

Uncut: Albums of the Year (1950-2025)

Uncut is a London-based magazine focused primarily on music. It was first published in May 1997. Each year they have published a “best albums of the year” list. The listings for albums 1997 to present are taken from those lists. Prior to 1997, the album of the year was determined by the highest-rated album that appeared in a Dave’s Music Database aggregate of 11 Uncut lists which have been published over the years. Check out other album of the year awards here. 2025: Pulp More 2024: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Wild God 2023: Lankum False Lankum 2022: The Smile A Light for Attracting Attention 2021: The Weather Station Ignorance 2020: Bob Dylan Rough and Rowdy Ways 2019: Weyes Blood Titanic Rising 2018: Low Double Negative 2017: LCD Soundsystem American Dream 2016: David Bowie Blackstar 2015: Julia Holter Have You in My Wilderness 2014: The War on Drugs Lost in the Dream 2013: My Bloody Valentine MBV 2012: Leonard Cohen Old Ideas 2011: PJ Harvey Let England Shake 2010: Joanna Newsom Have One on Me 2009: Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion 2008: Portishead Third 2007: LCD Soundsystem Sound of Silver 2006: Bob Dylan Modern Times 2005: Arcade Fire Funeral 2004: Brian Wilson Smile 2003: Warren Zevon The Wind 2002: The Flaming Lips Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots 2001: Ryan Adams Gold 2000: Lambchop Nixon 1999: The Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin 1998: Mercury Rev Deserter’s Songs 1997: Bob Dylan Time Out of Mind 1996: Stereolab Emperor Tomato Ketchup 1995: GZA/Genius Liquid Swords 1994: Jeff Buckley Grace 1993: PJ Harvey Rid of Me 1992: Aphex Twin Selected Ambient Works 85-92 1991: My Bloody Valentine Loveless 1990: Cocteau Twins Heaven or Las Vegas 1989: The Stone Roses The Stone Roses 1988: Sonic Youth Daydream Nation 1987: Prince Sign ‘O’ the Times 1986: The Smiths The Queen Is Dead 1985: The Fall This Nation’s Saving Grace 1984: Prince & the Revolution Purple Rain soundtrack 1983: R.E.M. Murmur 1982: Donald Fagen The Nightfly 1981: The Human League Dare! 1980: AC/DC Back in Black 1979: The Clash London Calling 1978: Blondie Parallel Lines 1977: Television Marquee Moon 1976: Joni Mitchell Hejira 1975: Bob Dylan Blood on the Tracks 1974: Neil Young On the Beach 1973: Steely Dan Countdown to Ecstasy 1972: The Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street 1971: Marvin Gaye What’s Going On 1970: The Stooges Fun House 1969: Neil Young Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere 1968: Van Morrison Astral Weeks 1967: Love Forever Changes 1966: The Beach Boys Pet Sounds 1965: Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited 1964: The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night 1963: Bob Dylan The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan 1962: James Brown Live at the Apollo 1961: Jimmy Giuffre The Jimmy Giuffre Three 1960: Miles Davis & Gil Evans Sketches of Spain 1959: Miles Davis Kind of Blue 1958: Duke Ellington & Mahalia Jackson Black, Brown, and Beige 1957: Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps 1956: Frank Sinatra Songs for Swingin’ Lovers! 1955: Frank Sinatra In the Wee Small Hours 1954: Chet Baker Chet Baker Sings 1953: Maya Deren Voices of Haiti 1952: Hank Williams Moanin’ the Blues 1951: Thelonious Monk Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1 1950: Juilliard Percussion Orchestra with the New York Wind Ensemble, Frederic Waldman, & Rene Le Roy Complete Works of Edgard Varese Volume 1 Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Year-End Album Awards” Dave’s Music Database: “Uncut’s Top 100 Albums of All Time” Uncut.co.uk (official website) First posted 8/22/2026.

 

Spin: Albums of the Year, 1965-2022

Spin Magazine: Albums of the Year, 1965-2022

From 1990 to the present, Spin magazine has named an album of the year. Because they’ve also done multiple best-of-all-time lists, I have extended the album-of-the-year selections back to 1965 based on those lists. Check out other album of the year awards here. 2022: Weyes Blood And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow 2021: Turnstile Glow On 2020: Fiona Apple Fetch the Bolt Cutters 2019: Big Thief Two Hands 2018: The 1975 A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships 2017: Kendrick Lamar Damn. 2016: Mitski Puberty 2 2015: Kendrick Lamar To Pimp a Butterfly 2014: The War on Drugs Lost in the Dream 2013: Kanye West Yeezus 2012: Frank Ocean Channel Orange 2011: Fucked Up David Comes to Life 2010: Janelle Monáe The ArchAndroid 2009: Animal Collective Merriweather Post Pavilion 2008: TV on the Radio Dear Science 2007: Against Me! New Wave 2006: TV on the Radio Return to Cookie Mountain 2005: Kanye West Late Registration 2004: Kanye West The College Dropout 2003: The White Stripes Elephant 2002: The White Stripes White Blood Cells 2001: System of a Down Toxicity 2000: Radiohead Kid A 1999: Nine Inch Nails The Fragile 1998: Lauryn Hill The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 1997: Cornershop When I Was Born for the 7th Time 1996: Beck Odelay 1995: Moby Everything Is Wrong 1994: Hole Live Through This 1993: Liz Phair Exile in Guyville 1992: Pavement Slanted and Enchanted 1991: Teenage Fanclub Bandwagonesque 1990: Ice Cube AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted 1989: N.W.A. Straight Outta Compton 1988: Public Enemy It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back 1987: Prince Sign ‘O’ the Times 1986: The Smiths The Queen Is Dead 1985: New Order Low-Life 1984: Run-D.M.C. Run-D.M.C. 1983: Tom Waits Swordfishtrombones 1982: Richard & Linda Thompson Shoot Out the Lights 1981: Black Flag Damaged 1980: Pretenders Pretenders 1979: Joy Division Unknown Pleasures 1978: Elvis Costello & The Attractions This Year’s Model 1977: Television Marquee Moon 1976: Ramones Ramones 1975: Patti Smith Horses 1974: Kraftwerk Autobahn 1973: Sly & the Family Stone Fresh 1972: Big Star #1 Record 1971: Marvin Gaye What’s Going On 1970: The Stooges Fun House 1969: Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II 1968: Aretha Franklin Lady Soul 1967: The Velvet Underground & Nico Velvet Underground & Nico 1966: Bob Dylan Blonde on Blonde 1965: Sun Ra Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Vol. 1 Resources and Related Links: Spin “Lists – End of Year” (1990-2020) Dave’s Music Database: “Spin’s Top 100 Albums of All Time” Dave’s Music Database: “Other Year-End Album Awards” First posted 12/10/2022; last updated 12/22/2022.