Albums you'll
still play.

Critic score 84. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 80. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Gorillaz have a 25 year run of acclaimed albums and a Grammy win to their name.

It debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 with 53,000 equivalent units and at No. 1 on the UK Official Albums Chart.

Critic score 85. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 77. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

RAYE's debut album won her a record six BRIT Awards, and this is her second full album.

It debuted at No. 1 on the UK Official Albums Chart, her first UK No. 1 album.

Critic score 87. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 78. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Eighth album. Home and Renewal both won Grammys.

Too early and too few reviews to call. We'll check chart runs and year-end lists.

Critic score 85. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 79. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Their previous album Romance has sold 345,759 copies in the UK and is Rough Trade's best-selling record ever.

XL set up 374 listening parties in 38 countries, and Rough Trade's first-week pre-orders were about four times what Romance did.

Critic score 86. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 80. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Third album. Her debut, Take Me Apart, made Pitchfork's and The Guardian's best of 2017 lists.

A 27-date tour runs into November. No run on the main UK or US album charts that we could confirm.

Critic score 82. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 81. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Scottish duo people have argued about for 25 years, and this is their first record in 13 years.

Reached number 3 on the UK albums chart, number 29 on the Billboard 200 and number 1 on US dance albums.

Critic score 85. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 81. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Seventh album, from the artist behind Summertime '06 and Big Fish Theory.

Critics are calling it among his best, but we couldn't confirm a chart run yet.

Critic score 85. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 77. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

From the songwriter behind Be the Cowboy and The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We.

Among the best-reviewed albums of the year, but listeners rate it well below critics.

Critic score 89. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 83. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

underscores is early in her career, with U following two well liked independent albums.

It peaked at No. 41 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart, with no Billboard 200 entry found.

Critic score 83. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 81. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

His first two albums both won the ARIA for Album of the Year, and he has seven ARIA Awards in total.

It debuted at number 3 on the ARIA Albums Chart and number 1 on the Australian Albums and Vinyl charts, his highest peak so far.

Critic score 86. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 78. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Converge have been one of the most respected bands in heavy music for decades, with Jane Doe often named a genre landmark.

It reached No. 57 on the UK Official Albums Sales Chart and No. 40 on Billboard's Top Album Sales.

Critic score 84. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 72. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Robyn has made widely admired pop records for decades, with Body Talk and Honey both earning Grammy nominations.

It debuted at No. 10 on the UK Albums Chart, her first UK top 10 album.

Critic score 86. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 76. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Seventeenth album, from the band behind Nixon, Uncut's album of the year in 2000.

Touring the US and Europe this fall, but no chart run we could confirm and a small audience so far.

Critic score 86. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 76. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

The Twilight Sad are a well regarded Scottish band with a steady run of albums since 2007.

It peaked at No. 42 on the UK Official Albums Chart and No. 3 on the Scottish Albums Chart.

Critic score 80. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 71. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Charli xcx has been praised across several albums and won multiple Grammys for Brat.

It debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with 78,000 equivalent units and at No. 1 on the UK Official Albums Chart.

Critic score 83. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 78. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Eighth album. Their debut, Turn On the Bright Lights, was Pitchfork's album of 2002 and went Gold in the US and UK.

Entered the UK Albums Chart at 33 and they're on tour through the end of the year. Too early to call.

Critic score 77. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 79. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Madonna made it as a sequel to Confessions on a Dance Floor from 2005.

It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 134,000 units and at No. 1 in the UK, and topped charts in 17 countries.

Critic score 85. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 78. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

It's a charity compilation from War Child Records with many artists on it, so there is no single act's history to judge.

It made the 12-album Mercury Prize 2026 shortlist next to Dave, RAYE and Olivia Dean.

Critic score 83. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 82. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Her 2014 debut Aquarius peaked at No. 17, and none of her six albums after it got higher than No. 58.

It debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 with 35,500 units, 22,000 of them sales, and became her first top 10 album.

Critic score 80. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 73. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

She has won 8 Grammys, including Album of the Year for Golden Hour.

It debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 with 100,000 units, the biggest first week of her career.

Critic score 81. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 73. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Sixty years of records with the Beatles, Wings and on his own, and reviewers treat this as a real late entry.

Debuted at number 1 on the Official UK Albums Chart, his 24th number one album.

Critic score 87. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 78. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

This is Gilla Band's fourth album, and their last one, Most Normal in 2022, peaked at number 30 in Ireland.

It entered the UK Independent Albums chart at number 15 and the Irish Albums chart at number 34 in its first week.

Critic score 83. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 74. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

This is her fifth album, following Warm Chris, and her fourth made with producer John Parish.

It reached No. 4 in New Zealand and No. 17 on the UK Albums Sales chart, and Pitchfork gave it Best New Music.

Critic score 82. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 82. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

This is Chat Pile's third album, following Cool World in 2024 and a 2025 joint album with Hayden Pedigo.

It reached number 6 on the UK Rock & Metal Albums chart and number 15 on Billboard's US Top Album Sales.

Critic score 85. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 79. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

The Detroit band formed in 2010 and this is its seventh album, the fourth on Domino.

It spent one week on the UK charts, peaking at No. 48 on the sales chart and No. 22 on the independent chart.

Critic score 84. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 78. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

It's Cameron Picton's first album since black midi, where he played bass and sang, went on hiatus in 2024.

It peaked at No. 15 on the UK Albums Sales chart and No. 10 on UK Independent Albums, and NME called it a masterpiece.

Critic score 85. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 78. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

The duo had little profile before a KEXP session in February went viral.

It debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart after their KEXP video drew nearly 10 million YouTube views.

Critic score 68. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 80. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

J. Cole has a long run of chart-topping albums and a Grammy win, though critics have been more mixed on him than fans.

It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 280,000 equivalent units, his seventh No. 1 album.

Critic score 78. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 79. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Blake has been a steady critics' favorite since his debut, and this is his first record on his own label.

It debuted at No. 3 in the UK, his highest album debut there, and hit No. 1 on the UK independent chart.

Critic score 84. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 77. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

The band formed in 2023 and this is their first album, after two EPs and a win in Glastonbury's Emerging Talent Competition in 2025.

The debut reached number 5 on the UK albums chart on Island Records.

Critic score 84. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 73. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

This is the band's second album, after I've Seen a Way in 2023.

It topped the UK Dance Albums chart and reached No. 37 on UK Albums Sales, and The Guardian gave it five stars.

Critic score 82. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 78. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

This is the second solo album from Radiohead's guitarist.

It reached number 4 on the UK vinyl chart but only number 73 on the main albums chart, where it stayed one week.

Critic score 83. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 75. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

The Copenhagen band formed in 2008 and this is its sixth album, after three in a row on Matador.

It spent one week on the UK charts, peaking at No. 83 on the sales chart and No. 28 on the independent chart.

Critic score 81. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 73. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Belfast trio with one prior album and a film, and the attention around them is as much political as musical.

Debuted at number 1 on the Official Irish Albums Chart and number 2 in the UK.

Critic score 75. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 77. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

Ware has kept critics on her side for years, and this one landed higher in the UK than anything she'd put out before.

It debuted at No. 2 in the UK with 18,582 units, her highest UK chart placing.

Critic score 75. A 70 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 40 points.

Audience score 76. A 60 earns nothing and a 98 earns all 20 points.

His debut album The Sun's Tirade peaked at number 17 on the Billboard 200, and this is his first album since The House Is Burning in 2021.

It debuted at number 18 on the Billboard 200 and number 7 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.