So to start things off with this list, I would just like to further specify that these also include EPs and that they are not perhaps the definitive 10 worst albums of this year, but just the 10 worst I HAVE personally heard, because I definitely didn’t listen to even half of some of the awful albums that came out this year. But with that out of the way, let’s kick this list off with…
10. The National – First Two Pages of Frankenstein (strong 3/10)
Yeah it really hurts to put this here but there is just no other way – this album is like biting into a piece of cardboard. And that’s coming from a pretty big The National fan honestly – but there is just little to no substance on this. And I also just don’t get how you manage to fumble the bag SO BAD with features like SUFJAN STEVENS and TAYLOR SWIFT. Like seriously, what went wrong here? Because the album they release after this one later this year „Laugh Track“ is actually once again pretty good, so I just don’t get what happened here – either way it’s a disappointing release to say the least.
9. Sleep Token – Take Me Back To Eden (decent 3/10)
I just don’t get this one. Some of the ideas are pretty great honestly, BUT… The blend between metal and pop on this project has to be one of the most awkward and forced things I’ve EVER heard. Like don’t get me wrong, as I already mentioned, some of the metal passages are like seriously great, it’s just that whenever something starts sounding just somewhat decent, the really ear-grading vocals come in or some random out-of-nowhere pop/trap/R&B switch-up comes in and completely butchers anything that could have possibly been going on. This could have been at least okay but no, the majority of ideas on here are just so processed, so sloppy and just soo non-human.
8. NF – HOPE (light 3/10)
Look, there are 1 or 2 songs on this that I quite enjoy – the rest of the album though is either just fast-rapping and at the same time saying nothing braggadocious garbage or some poppy lovey-dovey nothing burgers of songs and together it makes for what I think is so far easily NF’s worst project. I don’t remember a single key from this, nor a single bar, it’s once again just a void of super melo-dramatic synematic avengers type beat production with little-to-no substance in the lyrics department. NF really needs to switch things up at this point, because this one was especially emberrassing.
7. Lewis Capaldi – Broken by Desire to Be Heavenly Sent (strong 2/10)
I mean the title just says it all… Pretentious paino ballad garbage songs all about the same thing with the literal worst voice that’s ever hit the mainstream pop music. This album is really competing with the Sleep Token album for which one can make the singer sound more annoying, but at least the Sleep Token had some intresting instrumental moments here and there, this album has NOTHING. Okay well I mean the first song kinds slaps, but after that it’s just a total pain to sit through. I hate this guy’s music with a passion, seriously devoid of any actual emotion.
6. Slipknot – Adderall EP (decent 2/10??) (profanity warning ahead)
I mean what the hell even is this. I’m more putting it here just to make a point… That point being to RETIRE ALREADY. Like holy shit, if you say you’re gonna retire then do it, stop feeding us shit like this. Like what even is this??? There are 6 „tracks“ total, 2 of which are the literal most low-effort garbage interludes ever made and the rest of the songs are just different versions OF THE SAME FUCKING SONG and NONE of them add anything new. This literally has no right to exist, the song upon which is this album based around is mid to begin with but WOW there is just nothing here. Just RETIRE.
5. Lil Pump – Lil Pump 2 (light 2/10)
uhhh.. The first songs is kinda fire? No yeah, this has no right to exist either, I tried to enter the same mindset of stupid fun songs I had with his previous projects and just enjoy myself but I just couldn’t do that here… These songs just absolutely suck so hard, I’m sorry but like this is just pathetic at this point. You’re not reviving your career with this, I’ll tell you that much and as someone who semi-defended some of Lil Pump’s music when it was first huge, yeah this just ain’t it.
4. Roger Waters – The Dark Side of the Moon Redux (strong 1 – light 2/10)
What the hell is this. No seriously, this has to be one of the worst ruinings of an album’s legacy since Green Day dropped „The Father Of All…“. Like WHAT are you doing Roger Waters, you’re ruining your own album! The instrumentals are just slower and worse and less exciting and almost devoid of anything and Roger Waters is just having his schizo rant abour life and stuff and I’m sorry but I’m not gonna listen to that for over an hour – I literally haven’t even heard half of this in full, but from the little snipets I went through yeah, this doesn’t change at all. Wow what a waste of time this was.
3. 30 Seconds To Mars – It’s the End of the World but It’s a Beautiful Day (strong 1)
I’m SO glad to finally be able to put this on here because seriously I can’t stand everything this „band“ is and represents. This new offering from Jared Leto and the gang is probably their worst yet, which after 2018’s „America“ is one hell of an achievment. Besides the opening song being kinda catchy, this album actualy has no redeeming qualities – Jared Leto is so disconnected from reality that he makes music for Walmarts and clothing stores. This is just sad to hear, please just go back to making listenable music or just give up on this project, because next time you release an album like this, I’m honestly just not gonna give you any streams.
2. 6ix9ine – Leyenda Viva (light 1/10)
The only reason this isn’t a 0 is because some of the production sounds okay. That’s lliterally it. This is the worst thing 6ix9ine EVER made and that’s saying a lot. I honestly just don’t wanna give this guy any more attention than he so obviously wants, so let’s just move on to…
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Skrillex – Don’t Get Too Close
Waterparks – Intellectual Property
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (Drumless Edition)
AJR – The Maybe Man (it’s the best AJR album though!)
anything DA BABY released this year (haven’t even heard anything, just saw some of the bars and heard little snippets… More than enough if I’m being honest)
+ probably more
1. Dream – To Whoever Want To Hear (strong 0 – light 1)
This is the musical embodiment of being chronically on-line and out of touch with the real world. WOOOW this is bad, like you can’t even imagine how uninspired a person’s music can be. There is kinda nothing to write about here, because this is literal wallpaper music. Young Gravy is the best part about this album. YOUNG GRAVY. I sincerely hope Dream either just give music up all together or just starts actually putting something listenable out.
So there you have it, this year I hated myself even more and made this list on top of the best 10 albums. Hope you enjoyed and if you have your own list, or you just have an album you think should have been on here (which I am aware there are many), let me know in the comments bellow!