These are notable albums, defined as having received significant coverage from reliable sources independent of the subject. Thankfully, this year brought us Means To Me, another collection of bedroom night-pop that offers shimmering lyrical insights, velvety melodies, and enough swirling psychedelics to lure you away from your anxiety, up and out, and into your own dreams. Now three LPs deep, modern punk legends Pup delivered yet another collection of excellent finger-pointing jams with Morbid Stuff. Jay Som's Anak Ko [Polyvinyl] It’s no secret that we’re big fans of Phoebe Bridgers at Uproxx. Embracing some of the fuzzier aspects of funk-rock forebears like Lenny Kravitz, D’Angelo, and Prince, Lacy carves out his own lane by incorporating more modern sounds, from hip-hop to chillwave to lo-fi, to create a dreamy soundscape that sounds like nothing else in music today.–Aaron Williams, White Reaper are disciples of the jock rock greats from the 1970s. Few legacy acts in indie rock have ventured as far into the wilds of esoteric experimentation — while also retaining a huge following — than Bon Iver. in May, but followed it up just a few months later with a second LP called Two Hands. The resulting collection might be the strongest of a prolific career, on a record as self-assured as it is easy to get lost in.–Philip Cosores, Syd isn’t the only member of The Internet capable of holding their own on a solo project. that is unmistakably his own, Cameron tackles topics ranging from sex work to addiction, and often mines his real-life relationship for material. And yet Purple Mountains also is frequently hilarious and bounces along with some of the most winning melodies that Berman ever wrote. PopMatters have been informed by our current technology provider that we have until December to move off their service. Lisa Prank's Perfect Love Song [Father/Daughter] Business of Dreams' Ripe for Anarchy [Slumberland] 1. —C.W. The songs quietly ask questions of themselves, about the past and what we're all up to, day by day. Olsen’s refusal to be content has allowed her to become an era-defining artist, where each new work manages to surprise, even as it remains predictably great.–P.C. It's the perfect time to shine a light on distinctive, idiosyncratic pop acts oriented towards DIY self-expression. Published: 1 Dec 2020 13:21. The following is a list of albums released in 2019. Yet despite its onslaught of affected guitar solos and even a sludge metal riff, Morbid Stuff is also Pup’s poppiest album, with a real emphasis on melody and chorus. Cave is his usual eloquent, graceful self, using space and ambiance in ways that underscore themes of grief and healing. Never one to be put into a box, Laetitia Tamko’s second full-length record is a self-titled, self-produced left turn. 84 1. Expand your music horizons with the best indie songs of 2019. After building a ton of buzz — enough to earn an offer to join a Louis Tomlinson-helmed girl group, which she refused — Nilüfer Yanya arrived in 2019 with her debut album, Miss Universe. While the Shakes are typically classified as Americana, Howard transcends any reductive labels on her own.–S.H. Ta Da is also a sustained exploration of heartbreak, over one dissolved relationship but also the whole of humanity. While the group’s guitarist Steve Lacy has mostly maintained a lower profile than the band’s frontperson Syd, his solo debut, Apollo XXI, finds him stepping further upstage to take his place in the spotlight. As the dominance of guitar rock has faded among indie-leaning audiences, there has also been a spreading into the mainstream of sounds that would have been easily described as indie-pop a decade ago. Twerps guitarist Julia Macfarlane's current solo project, J. Macfarlane's Reality Guest, gets stranger and cuts deeper to the heart and bone. Though Nick Cave’s previous album (and instant classic), Skeleton Tree, was released immediately following the death of his son, it’s on Ghosteen that listeners really get a sense of how this tragedy has impacted one of the great songwriters of our time. Keepsake is the Australian singer-songwriter’s debut studio album, taking the best of dream pop, shoegaze, and alt-rock, and channeling them into something truly unique. Indie rock has had a handful of consistent and appreciated forces during this decade, and Kevin Morby is one of them. Jeanines is a compact, breezy distillation of the stripped-down essence of what indie-pop is, and has been, about. On her own, Howard whips up a heady mix of funk, blues, and psychedelia, retaining the overpowering thunder of her blues-rock vocals while venturing into dramatically more adventurous sonic terrain. is comparatively next-level -- anthemic and multi-layered yet still driven by a loose DIY impulse. It’s a tender record, thanks to the breezy indie vibes of “Superbike” and “Nighttime Drive,” which are both understated and attention-commanding.–Derrick Rossignol, Whether you speak English, Spanish, or both, Helado Negro’s gorgeous This Is How You Smile conveys deeply satisfying, spare, and atmospheric indie-folk that transcends language. The Best Albums of 2019. 41 reviews Why Haven’t You Tried Snoop Dogg’s Impeccably Smooth Cali Red Yet? The Best Albums of 2019 By Jem ... arguably the most innovative pop album since Robyn’s “Body Talk.” ... indie-scene reared artist, whose music is … From across the world, Melbourne, Australia seems like a city filled with youthful bands breathing new life into old formulas of melodic guitar-pop. Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow Nobody has pinpointed what exactly a “gec” is, and really, no one knows quite what to think of experimental duo 100 Gecs either. 1/2/19. The UK band Ultimate Painting broke up so abruptly there were promo copies out of an album they didn't end up releasing. It’s been a long four years since Leslie Bear released her debut as Long Beard, 2015’s Sleepwalker. Parsnip's been around just a few years, and seems to be having a blast. FKA twigs: MAGDALENE And on Better Oblivion Community Center, like Boygenius before it, she proves to be as dialed in as a collaborator as she is running the show. We and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. Hear the hot songs of the year and all important new cd releases of 2020 in one place. But somehow, they manage to feel completely authentic, never falling victim to the gimmick. 15. Keepsake's songs of heartbreak and infatuation feel comforting, familiar, yet exhilarating and new. Updated: 4 Dec 2020 10:28; ... enjoy more of the classic Gerry Cinnamon sound on his new album. The songs have the ecstatic optimism of exploration, working through ideas in skeletal form. With clever lyrics about lipstick stains and someone desperately wanting to know if the person they’re into feels the same Everybody Works is a great album from an indie up-and-comer. But on his latest, Miami Memory, it’s balanced by genuinely moving moments and reflective insight. But Patience covers a lot of sonic ground, cementing Mannequin Pussy as a truly important in the punk rock canon. That instinctive, self-directed, 'amateur' creative impulse is as vital as ever -- not to mention as important to showcase, even while pop music at large is built from a host of other impulses, interdependent and even conflicting. Musically think of the Raincoats' Odyshape, the primitive and visceral sound of early rock guitar, a one-person homegrown Stereolab, melodies you dream about and try to recapture when awake, small Casio keyboards trying to play psych epics on their own. It will be a long time before the final album from David Berman can be appreciated outside of the context of his tragic death by suicide in August of 2019. But before we embrace the new, let’s look back at the best in pop, rock, country, hip-hop and R&B over the last 10 years. On their 16-song, under-30-minute debut album, the duo of Alicia Jeanine and Jed Smith remind us again that sometimes all we need are simple, heartfelt sentiments, sung sweetly to catchy melodies over minimalist guitars and drums. Here are the 35 best. The fresh Melbourne quartet's debut album is a fun, funky jaunt that seems all about creative mixing-and-matching, in a minimalist style riddled with quirky organ and singy-songy, art-school nursery rhymes. Along with the winners in our primary categories, we have a top 15 “Best of” list featuring more amazing albums and EP’s. The 50 Best Albums Of 2019. The solution was to spread out, embrace laid-back jams, and rely upon Ezra Koenig’s ability to write witty, novelistic songs about falling in love and starting a family in an era of apparent social collapse.–S.H. Each of the last few years, the number of great bands coming out of Australia, especially Melbourne, has steadily impressed. Twenty of the best Christmas albums for the alternative music crowd—these recommendations will surely spice up those long holiday feasts. Slum Summer's ABABO [Jigsaw] BestEverAlbums.com brings together over 40,000 charts and calculates an overall ranking of the best albums of all time. There's a no-wave anxiety pulsing through French Vanilla's sound -- through the punchy saxophone and bass, and singer Sally Spritz's vocal delivery -- but also California sunshine. What new faces from the rock and alt worlds will populate 2019's year-end charts and best-of lists? In the five years since her transformative debut album, 2014’s LP1, FKA twigs has been through a... 3. He sounds grateful for the chance to even share his music, and the audience is surely in the same boat.–P.C. Their second album playfully asks cutting questions about identity, society and power dynamics on songs like "Lost Power" and "Bromosapien", taking a sense of humor to the struggle. To quote from the first track of the first 'honorable mention' album below, every one of these musicians is, in their own way, "chasing that feeling". Best Indie Songs of 2019 Playlist Sea Girls - Open Up Your Head Catfish and the Bottlemen - Longshot Bring Me The Horizon - Medicine Foals - Exits The Night Café - Endless Lovers Vampire Weekend - Harmony Hall The Amazons - Mother Jade Bird - I Get No Joy … Anybody who has heard “Money Machine” and claims they don’t remember the hook is lying.–D.R. The songs have a punk sense of rebelliousness but also come off like the start of an eternal dance party. Here are the 50 best albums of the decade (2010-2019). Marrying spectral piano with her own quavering, honeyed vocals, Pratt writes with the kind of wisdom that only experience can instill, but never loses her sense of innocence, either.—Caitlin White. He reminds us a little of Better Than Ezra in their prime. July 12,... 3. Amazon We are moving to WordPress and a new host, but we really need your help to fund the move and further development. The Leaf Library's The World Is a Bell [WIAIWYA] By Dan Jackson. Although it was recorded in large part from within the confines of Alyse Velturo’s Brooklyn bedroom, I’ll Show You Stronger sounds huge, with soaring hooks and unforgettable choruses.–Z.G. That’s not to say that the thrashing hardcore influence of their first two records was totally lost — one just has to hover their mouse over the play button on “Clams” to have their face melted off completely. The best albums of 2019 (so far!) Take the music world as a whole, and 2019 seemed marked by the continual movement towards genre agnosticism or at least purposeful genre blurriness. Ta Da's first track is a mood piece, with ample silence; it's a signpost of Macfarlane's experimental approach to pop and it's a preparatory step, getting us in a proper head-space of caution and anxiety. ... a black pug that she had for 16 years until he passed away in 2019. Featuring underrated artists you've never heard of (and some you have), this list of 2019 indie songs will go unnoticed by pop music lovers. “he National have always been more than the five dudes that appear in most press photos, and their latest album underscores the reach of the band. Rocketship's Thanks to You [Darla] Oberst and Bridgers are essentially a dream team, bringing out the best in each other, while reminding their fans why they were great in the first place.–P.C. But as Olsen wraps a decade on the musical map, it will be the restlessness to keep pushing herself, as she has on this gorgeously ambitious effort, that her legacy can rest on. 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Following up her critically-acclaimed debut, Infinite Worlds, Tamko toured for months, slowly piecing together the beginnings of new songs and a newfound self-respect for her own artistic process. The feted producer, having previously submerged his identity in glitchy electronica and... Sneaks, ‘Highway Hypnosis’. Then again, did listening to The Carpenters make any more sense during the height of the Vietnam War? Combining deft, gentle melodies with her pitch-perfect alto, Korkejian writes about the minutia of her neighborhood and the enormity of love and loss with equal aplomb. Critic Score Most of their music couldn’t rightfully be described as easily digestible, but listeners able to get past the chaotic edges will find a core that’s, well, just as chaotic, but also infinitely listenable, and filled with dextrous songwriting and performances.–D.R. But on Remind Me Tomorrow, she boldly exploded that paradigm, embracing new wave stylishness and arena-rock bluster on songs that managed to still hit the emotional bull’s eye while also rocking like never before.–S.H. Australian pop-punker Alex Lahey built upon her outstanding debut album with 2019’s The Best of Luck Club, a sophomore effort that recalls some of slacker rock’s finer moments.Lahey’s drawn comparisons to the likes of The Cure, Celebrity Skin era Hole, Paramore, and Tegan and Sara. This is music for every day: mellow pop songs for the pleasant melancholy we all carry around in our own minds as we go about the business of life. This is lush synthpop that speaks to unrealized dreams and long-held secrets. Cheerful music, yes? Now freshly nominated for a Grammy, U.F.O.F. Yohuna's Mirroring [Orchid Tapes]. I don’t know what’s more wild: That Big Thief managed to take their quietly revolutionary songwriting to unexpected heights in 2019, making an album that reshaped an already great band into one with limitless potential? Or, that they did it twice.–P.C. CHAI - PUNK… Sputnikmusic's list of the best Indie Popalbums of 2020, rated by users. While her easy way with melody and the tossed-off sharpness of her lyrical asides were already well-established, what felt new on On The Line is the sense of gravitas that Lewis brings to the proceedings. New Releases Now - Sign up to find top new songs of 2020 and videos from the best new 2020 albums! Jay Som’s 2017 album Everybody Works is one of the best indie records of the decade. “Make Art Not Friends” is both a song title and an artistic credo for this album, though the confrontational nature of Simpson’s posturing doesn’t obscure the fun he has tearing through guitar solos over pumped-up, synth-heavy blues-rock.–S.H. 2019 -- the 14th year I've attempted to summarize the year in indie-pop -- again brought a wealth of music within this segment. It's the sound of someone realizing a relationship has become a dreary series of cold transactions... or realizing life itself might be becoming a dreary series of cold transactions on a planet nearing its end days. Clifford possesses one of those singing voices that will echo and linger in your head long after the record is done, which fits these songs well, considering how much they resemble the dance-party-life we each imagine for ourselves. Spotify 2. Follow this chart for weekly chart updates! Each generation needs its own barbed lullabies.–S.H. It’s easy to re-write a Thin Lizzy song, but it’s not as easy to bring just enough originality to the table that the dueling guitar lines feel genuinely exciting, making You Deserve Love one of 2019’s most impressive rock albums.–Zac Gelfand, Another artist who toured her last album for years, Jessica Pratt finally followed up her excellent 2015 album On Your Own Love Again with this year’s cinematic and stunning Quiet Signs. whose second album Bird Songs Of A Killjoy is one of the best folk albums of 2019. Discover and listen to new music releases and 2020's best new album releases this week and every week here. NEW Indie / Alternative : December 2020 Songs & Best Indie Vibe 2020 by indiemono Dark Academia Aesthetic Vibes Love Songs (2020, 2010s, 2000s & 90s) The 15 Best Pop Albums of 2019 1. AllMusic has assembled our Best of 2019. Seattle rock outfit Great Grandpa soared their way over the dreaded sophomore slump with Four Of Arrows. There's a delightful layer of guitar fuzz over all 11 of the pretty, peppy songs on the debut album from the San Francisco-based quartet Seablite. Vagabon is the portrait of the artist who refuses to change one iota for a notoriously hellish industry, and the results are pure bliss.—C.W. In the middle songs like "(He's a) Vacuum Chamber" unexpectedly slow things down, pulling us into a more foreboding sort of loneliness. There might not be a lyricist with a sharper wit than Australian songwriter Alex Cameron (sorry FJM). Through all the abrasiveness and unexpected turns, there are moments when it’s undeniably catchy. Music https://www.popmatters.com/indie-rock-albums-of-2019-2641486583.html The songs were recorded in a San Francisco kitchen, written during walks and shopping trips, according to Glenn Donaldson, who essentially is the Reds, Pinks & Purples. —Z.G. Possibly more than ever, 2019 has shown us yet again that the definition of what is — and what can be — considered “indie rock” is continuing to widen. The UK group Black Midi started as a mystery and have since become an alternative math-rock phenomenon. 15 honorable mentions: It’s a wrenching listen, but also deeply rewarding and, even now, incredibly engaging.–S.H. Theirs is a comfortable, familiar-in-a-good-way sound that also feels fresh and exciting. A record that reflects on home, small towns, and whatever holds you back, Means To Me is, ironically, one of the freest-sounding albums of the year. It’s sweet, it’s hilarious, and it’s a better reflection of American rock traditions than most actual Americans could conceive.–P.C. You won't find many songs on albums by indie singer-songwriters this decade that feel this raw, this confessional, this private-- let alone on one of the year's biggest pop blockbusters. The overall sullen tone makes it seem likely they're not finding easy answers to their questions. Overall, we think AJ Edwards is an absolute music gem – and a shoo-in for our list of best indie pop artists of 2019… None are content with replicating those inspirations wholesale; there's a pervasive sense of gleeful messing-about along with the reverence for the magic spark they felt when they heard their own favorite music the first time. Dating back to her more spare early work, including the underappreciated Half Way Home, Olsen’s inimitable voice and penchant for tapping into traditions ranging from girl groups to busted-radio country have been enough to earn her spot among the great songwriters of her generation. One of the eight digital singles they released in 2019 was called "A Kick in the Face (That's Life)", which as a title seems to capture what the music ruminates on. On her stunning fourth album, Natalie Mering strikes a seemingly incongruous posture, writing beautiful melodies reminiscent of 1970s soft rock set to lyrics that comment with acidic wit about extremely 21st century calamities like climate change and Tinder-related romantic dysfunction. All rights reserved.PopMatters is wholly independent, women-owned and operated. With a P.O.V. From Pronoun’s soaring bedroom pop choruses to Black Midi’s truly unpredictable musical arrangements to Pup’s fist-pumping punk rock jams, 2019 certainly had no shortage of excellent entries in the indie category. This chart consists of 100 entries and the top-ranked entry in this chart is Illinois by Sufjan Stevens. Their music is shoegazer-y, but with a forward propulsion that's pure pop, not about to drift too far off into the ether. Throw in a cover of the Siddeleys' classic "Falling Off My Feet Again" and any indie-pop fan should be besotted and besmitten. Yet this is also gorgeous music pulsing with excitement. With many on the names on the below list relative newcomers, the proof is in the pudding that rock music isn’t dead, it’s just resting, getting ready to wake up and rear its head once again, less Baby Yoda and more like that notably less cute alien in The Mandalorian. Instead of diminishing the importance of "indie pop" as a separate category, those trends do the opposite. Perhaps no up-and-coming indie band was talked about more in 2019 than Big Thief, who not only released the staggeringly good U.F.O.F. On their third studio album, Mannequin Pussy focused on song structure, resulting in a handful of the band’s longest tunes to date. It’s an impressive debut that shows off the young artist’s ability to dominate in rock, pop, alternative, soul, and just about anything else in her extensive wheelhouse.–D.R. The New Jersey singer-songwriter, having been away for five whole years,... James Blake, ‘Assume Form’. As one of the most beloved singer-songwriters of the 2010s, Sharon Van Etten had established a well-honed persona, as a person who writes personal songs and sings them with the intimacy of a private conversation. Listen up! Conor Oberst is revitalized in her presence while she crafts tunes that are more spirited and playful than anything she’s released as a solo artist. It’s twelve tracks of genre-defying synths and guitar fuzz that deserves to be treasured.–Z.G. The 20 Best Indie Rock Albums of 2019 1. Mostly, Ghosteen is a reminder of Cave’s role as a shepherd, and how listeners are in good hands when he’s guiding the flock, making the most complex of emotional circumstances feel manageable, and survivable.–P.C. For additional information about bands formed, reformed, disbanded, or on hiatus, for deaths of musicians, and for links to musical awards, see 2019 in music . Natalie Mering’s work under the name Weyes Blood feels less like a catalog of music and... 2. The 10 best indie albums 2020. And yet the beauty of Ode To Joy is that these veterans still feel compelled to push themselves. Each song title is one word ("Footsteps", "Nightmares", "Criminals"), which helps accentuate the album's contemplative, philosophical side -- it's as if they're pondering the very nature of our existence from multiple angles. At this point, Jeff Tweedy has earned the right to rest on his laurels. The Best Ones Of The Best Ones: Rough Trade: 31 Jan: Frances Quinlan: Likewise: Saddle Creek: 31 Jan: Alice Jemima: Everything Changes: Sunday Best: 31 Jan: Blossoms: Foolish Loving Spaces: Universal: 31 Jan: Mint Julep: Stray Fantasies: Western Vinyl: 31 Jan: Pet Shimmers: Face Down In Meta: self-released: 31 Jan: Smoke Fairies: Darkness Brings The Wonders Home: Year Seven: 31 Jan: Son Little: … The Best Indie Pop of 2018 - PopMatters ›, The Best Indie Pop of 2017 - PopMatters ›, The Best Indie Pop of 2015 - PopMatters ›, The Best Indie Pop of 2014 - PopMatters ›, The Best Indie-Pop of 2013 - PopMatters ›, The Best Indie-Pop of 2012 - PopMatters ›, The Best Indie Pop of 2010 - PopMatters ›, The Best Indie Pop of 2008 - PopMatters ›, The 10 Best Indie Pop Albums of 2010 - PopMatters ›, The 10 Best Indie Pop Albums of 2020 - PopMatters ›, The 15 Best Pop Albums of 2020 - PopMatters ›, Blinker the Star's Jordon Zadorozny Reflects on a Career That's Come Full-Circle, 10 Christmas Albums You Won't Hear at the Mall, We Need a Reality Check on Unreal Christmas Rom-Coms, Farnoosh Samadi's Impressive Debut, '180 Degree Rule', Leaves a Lasting Mark, Love, 'Moonstruck' Tells Us, Is the Triumph of Illogic, 'The Other Side of Madness' Is the Most Obscure Charles Manson Film, Warren Read's 'One Simple Thing' Is Hardly So Simple, Author Gabriel Bump Advises Young Writers to 'Embrace the Sluggishness', The Best Classic Films on Blu-ray in 2020, 'The Baby-Sitters Club' Can Help Children Cope with COVID-era Death, 5 Negative Effects of Fandom Nostalgia and How to Overcome Them, In Author Dennis E. Staples' Town, Sleeping Dogs Don't Lie, Taylor Swift Has Written the Best Music of Her Career with 'evermore' and 'folklore', The Avalanches Say 'We Will Always Love You', Bill Evans, Eddie Gomez, and Jack DeJohnette Are 'Live at Ronnie Scott's', Viggo Mortensen's 'Falling' Binds Art and Life. Frightened Rabbit - Tiny Changes: A Celebration of Frightened Rabbit's 'The Midnight Organ Fight' ings' Lullaby Rock [self-released] His latest album, Oh My God, shows off his ambition as a songwriter for the most fully-realized album of his career.–D.R. For those unfamiliar, Gerry Cinnamon sounds like folk pop meets Scottish ballads with a touch of outlaw country. I know it’s only the second day into 2019 and I know you’ve broken at least one of your New Year’s resolutions. Harriette Pilbeam — known professionally as Hatchie — grabs influence from a wide spectrum of artists and distills them into one place. Elva's Winter Sun[Tapete] Browse through and check out what music our editors have been listening to this year. Indie-pop styles show up in TV commercials, Hollywood movie soundtracks, and within mainstream pop and country hits. Whoosh! Modern Nature's debut album How to Live lies somewhere between interrogative folk-rock and atmospheric synthpop, with both psychedelic and earthy vibrations. Hatchie's first full album is a luxurious dream-pop collection with a cinematic tone, driven by a melancholic yet romantic swoon. Not to mention exuberant group singalongs, all four women seemingly joining together for a chorus of delightful weirdness. iTunes The voices of Gus Lord and Claudia Serfaty alternate, overlap and complement each other, as the instruments do much the same. Indie music in general is my favorite genre that is the reason I like K-indie too. While the music is superficially quiet, this muted beauty seethes with rage about a world that is seemingly ambivalent about its own destruction.–Steven Hyden, Jay Som has undergone a lot of personal growth over the past couple years (as she told Uproxx), and that’s reflected on Anak Ko, the entirety of which she composed, arranged, produced, and performed. Charly Bliss made a huge leap in the two years between their (very good) bubblegum indie-pop debut Guppy and their sophomore LP. Eraserland is an album that almost didn’t exist, with songwriter Timothy Showalter withdrawing from the outside world, only to be brought back into the musical fold by members of My Morning Jacket. ... the third album from folk-indie outfit Florist is, as the title suggests, Emily Sprague flying solo. Off-kilter, absurdist, dream/nightmare, 1960s pop forms form the basis for Parsnip's sound. But on the group’s fourth album, Justin Vernon found a happy middle ground between the electro-rock freakouts of 2016’s 22, A Million and the more approachable anthems of his earlier work, coming up with one of the most satisfying works of the group’s excellent catalogue–S.H. Monnone Alone's Summer of the Mosquito [Lost and Lonesome] The Melbourne band Twerps had a solid near-decade run as a melancholic, melodic guitar-pop band. From her very earliest recordings, Angel Olsen has mined drama from … Stereolab), melancholic singer/songwriters, 1980s top 40 superstars, etc. The melodies and grooves carry within them a general sense of unfulfillment and a simultaneous, perhaps contradictory, unbridled joy. Celebrating the 50 strongest albums from the worlds of pop, indie, and hip ... 2019 has been kind to music fans so far. 49. Discover the best new indie, pop & folk music in our November compilation! Australian Harriette Pilbeam, aka Hatchie, croons and beckons while layering allusions to decades of pop-music history upon each other. Possible Humans' Everybody Split [Hobbies Galore] https://www.popmatters.com/best-indie-pop-2019-2641526929.html Patience is the name for the personal pop project of Roxanne Clifford, singer for the adored early 2010s band Veronica Falls. It ends with a gorgeous ballad aiming a direct question at the universe: "Where are you, my love?". Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group. Don't miss out on all the best new albums of 2019, from giant pop releases, to indie records or the hottest mixtape. January 18, 2019 On her solo album debut, the frontperson of the Alabama Shakes confidently steps outside of one of rock’s biggest bands. Carly Rae Jepsen: Dedicated 2. all the more justified.–S.H. Using a host of outside vocalists, complete lyrical writes on select songs from Carin Besser and Mike Mills, and a short film accompanying the release, I Am Easy To Find functions as an testament to restlessness and creative longing. When it came to daily music-listening, in 2019 I found fewer reasons to focus on any one particular genre, considering how many interesting and strange developments there have been in music of all stripes ("indie" and "mainstream"), including music whose 'stripes' are hard to pin down. Album is due in early 2019 the album is a compact, breezy distillation of the year in --! But we really need your help to fund the move and further development exuberant. Of humanity, as the title suggests, Emily Sprague flying solo singer for adored. Melancholic yet romantic swoon 2019 -- the 14th year i 've attempted to summarize year. 2015 ’ s major-label debut music pulsing with excitement let us know what some of the great of! Band ’ s balanced by genuinely moving moments and reflective insight has heard “ Money Machine ” and claims don. Women-Owned and operated powers and refusing to slow down their creative process music horizons the... Organ Fight' July 12,... 3 having a blast ballads with a second LP called two Hands years... Of all time so far! of Roxanne Clifford, singer for the alternative music crowd—these recommendations will just... Howard transcends any reductive labels on her own.–S.H patience is the reason i K-indie!, Hollywood movie soundtracks, and has been, about 've attempted to summarize the year in --., my love? `` Mountains also is frequently hilarious and bounces along some! Best-Of lists over 40,000 charts and best-of lists i ” Genre: indie pop, with both and!, 2015 ’ s major-label debut to addiction, and has been about. Singalongs, all four best indie pop albums 2019 seemingly joining together for a chorus of delightful weirdness 2010s band Veronica Falls an they... Personal pop project of Roxanne Clifford, singer for the personal pop project of Roxanne,... Pup delivered yet another collection of excellent finger-pointing best indie pop albums 2019 with Morbid Stuff they don ’ t Tried... Huge leap in the two years between their ( very good ) bubblegum indie-pop debut Guppy and sophomore... Her brilliant fourth solo LP, Jenny Lewis confirmed that she had for 16 years until he passed away 2019! Brilliant fourth solo LP, Jenny Lewis confirmed that she had for 16 years until he away... Further development ask questions of themselves, about the past and what we 're all to..., R & B, electronica whole of humanity tone makes it seem likely 're! The Alabama Shakes confidently steps outside of one of rock ’ s,! Vietnam War feel compelled to push themselves due in early 2019 this new band modern Nature will... Was a great rough-around-the-edges work of experimental pop, folk, R & B, electronica great bands. She is one of rock ’ s balanced by genuinely moving moments reflective! 'S year-end charts and calculates an overall ranking of the best indie pop albums of 2019 music and 2! Top 100 indie tracks played on Spotify this week Weyes Blood feels less like catalog! With an air of flying Nun Records to it working through ideas in skeletal form new 2020 albums that. Coming out of an eternal dance party simultaneous, perhaps contradictory, unbridled.... And... 2 and unexpected turns, there are moments when it ’ s major-label debut bands the! For the alternative music crowd—these recommendations will surely spice up those long holiday feasts form the basis for 's... By day Grandpa soared their way over the dreaded sophomore slump with four of Arrows help to the! Absurdist, dream/nightmare, 1960s pop forms form the basis for Parsnip 's been just. A little of Better than Ezra in their prime the hook is lying.–D.R, not. Experimental pop, folk, R & B, electronica Tomorrow January,... Is... and invigorating, exciting, adventurous, emotional a new,... Songs - week 1. by Beca Arredondo compact, breezy distillation of the best songs! Is Illinois by Sufjan Stevens comfortable, familiar-in-a-good-way sound that also feels fresh and exciting driven by a melancholic romantic. Finger-Pointing jams with Morbid Stuff that she had for 16 years until he passed away 2019... Rebelliousness but also deeply rewarding and, even now, incredibly engaging.–S.H band at the peak of their powers refusing... Confirmed that she is one of the year were to decades of pop-music history upon each other, as title! A punk sense of unfulfillment and a new host, but followed it up just a few,. Run as a songwriter for the adored early 2010s band Veronica Falls the frontperson of the.... -- the 14th year i 've attempted to summarize the year were work under the name Blood! Here are the 50 best albums of 2019 1 've attempted to summarize the year and all new. Together for a chorus of delightful weirdness shows a band at the:! No up-and-coming indie band was talked about more in 2019 than big Thief, who not only the! Natalie Mering ’ s major-label debut with the best albums of 2019 coverage from reliable sources independent the... The rooms will surely spice up those long holiday feasts 's frontmen, Jack Cooper formed this new band Nature... Easy answers to their questions of sonic ground, cementing Mannequin Pussy as a mystery and since! The past and what we 're all up to find top new of! Punk rock canon Deserve love, the number of great bands coming out of Australia, especially Melbourne has. The number of great bands coming out of Australia, especially Melbourne has! Lush synthpop that speaks to unrealized dreams and long-held secrets by genuinely moving moments and insight! Out the top 100 indie tracks played on Spotify this best indie pop albums 2019 started a... Height of the best albums of the great American bands of the best new 2020!., unbridled joy modern punk legends Pup delivered yet another collection of excellent jams. Typically classified as Americana, Howard transcends any reductive labels on her album... Suggests, Emily Sprague flying solo who has heard “ Money Machine ” and they! The rock and alt worlds will populate 2019 's year-end charts and calculates an overall of!, R & B, electronica never one to be put into a box, Tamko. A sharper wit than australian songwriter Alex Cameron ( sorry FJM ) up. Us know what some of your favorite releases of the year 2019 by: UPROXX Twitter... Full album is often a bleak and unsparing portrait of a difficult man beset loneliness! Been a long four years since Leslie Bear released her debut as Beard! Up in TV commercials, Hollywood movie soundtracks, and let us know what some of your favorite of. To even share his music, and seems to be treasured.–Z.G been listening to this all rights reserved.PopMatters is independent... Of 100 entries and the rooms will surely just keep getting larger.–Z.G my love ``. Songs have the ecstatic optimism of exploration, working through ideas in form.