Out this Friday · Nov 13
Coming this Friday
Early reviews of albums due this Friday. Scores move as more critics weigh in, and the Early reviews tag comes off at eight.
Dropkick Murphys20th Century Paddy – The Songs of Shane MacGowan80 B-100% approvalEarly reviews · 1 critic
Also due Friday, waiting on reviews: Waylon Jennings, Diamonds. Each gets a card here as soon as its first review lands.
Top albums this week
Released in the last seven days, ranked by Breakdown.
Read all the latest Breakdowns →
Latest A-Sides
The critics’ top tier: a Breakdown of 90+, from 5+ reviews, with 75%+ approval. 308 albums so far.
Coming up
Out this week. Some have early reviews already; most Breakdowns start arriving a day or two after release.
Fri Nov 13U2, Carnaval de Luz81 B- · 13 critics- Fri Nov 13Kittie, Oracle XXV
Fri Nov 13Aesop Rock, Trouble Mountain
Fri Nov 13Randy Travis, Same Old Way- Fri Nov 13Dropkick Murphys, 20th Century Paddy – The Songs of Shane MacGowan80 early, 1 review
Fri Nov 13Jake Bugg, Alamo80 early, 1 review
Fri Nov 13Waylon Jennings, Diamonds
Fri Nov 13Royal Blood, Dead Company80 B- · 4 critics
Did you know
See By the Numbers →Perfect scores11 albums have a Breakdown of 100: every critic on them gave top marks, with at least 5 reviews each.See it →
Most reviewed28 critics weighed in on Fontaines D.C., Dopamine Chamber, more than any other album here.See it →
No arguments10 critics reviewed Sonic Youth, Daydream Nation and landed within a few points of each other, for a Breakdown of 100.See it →
Best year on record1969 has the highest average Breakdown of any year here: 85.2 across 32 albums.See it →
Best decade1960s albums average the highest Breakdown of any decade here: 86.2 across 89 albums.
Critics’ favorite genreJazz albums average a Breakdown of 76.9 across 60 albums, the highest of any genre here.See it →
Most consistent acclaimThe Kinks has the highest average Breakdown of any artist with five or more albums here: 90.2 across 5 albums.See it →
Most A-Sides7 A-Sides belong to Bob Dylan, more than any other artist. An A-Side is the critics’ top tier: 90 or higher.See it →
Deepest cut1959 is the year Miles Davis, Kind of Blue came out, the oldest album here with a full Breakdown.See it →
Top marks4,418 reviews here give an album a perfect score: 5.8% of them.
Most outlets, one critic9 different outlets have run reviews by Sheldon Pearce here, more than any other critic.See it →
Named critics5,844 critics have a byline on at least one review here, each with a page of their own.See it →
Easiest to win over: Entertainment Weekly95.2% of its reviews score the album 75 or higher, the highest share of any outlet.See it →
Hardest to win over: Slant25.9% of its reviews score the album 75 or higher, the lowest share of any outlet.See it →
Closest to the crowd: Northern Transmissions7.5 points, on average, from the other critics’ average for the same album (167 albums).See it →
Its own ears: Entertainment Weekly16.2 points, on average, from the other critics’ average for the same album, the widest gap of any outlet (3,397 albums).See it →
Full range: Select21.3 points: how far a typical review lands from its own average score, the widest swing of any outlet.See it →
Steadiest hand: Entertainment Weekly6.5 points: how far a typical review lands from its own average score, the tightest of any outlet.See it →
Quickest to give a 100: Chicago Sun-Times30.5% of its reviews give the album a perfect score (43 albums), the highest rate of any outlet.See it →
Vintage ears: MusicHound Rock80.8% of its reviews here are of albums released before 1990, more than any other outlet.See it →
New music first: Rolling Stone Australia41.2% of its reviews here are of albums from 2025 or 2026, more than any other outlet.See it →
First on the scene: Spill Magazine90.9% of its dated reviews came out in the album’s release week (220 reviews with dates).See it →
A-Side regular: AllMusic283 A-Sides reviewed, more than any other outlet. A-Sides are the albums the critics rate highest.See it →
Biggest bench: Pitchfork482 different critics with a byline on its reviews here, more than any other outlet.See it →
Second albums1.7 points below debuts on average: 74.2 for second albums, 75.8 for debuts, among artists with four or more studio albums.
Career peak1st albums score highest of any spot in a discography: an average Breakdown of 75.8 across 567 albums.
Most alike5.1 points apart, on average: Entertainment Weekly and The A.V. Club across 521 albums both reviewed, the closest of any two outlets.See it →
Least alike24.9 points apart, on average: Kerrang! and The Rolling Stone Album Guide across 68 albums both reviewed, the widest gap of any two outlets.See it →
Top albums of 2026
Released this year, with at least five reviews.
- 1
An Undying Love for a Burning WorldNeurosis
90 A- - 2
Lost WeekendPhoebe Bridgers89 B+ - 3
Krushers of the WorldKreator87 B+ - 4
Hippies, Thugs and HeroesRichard Thompson87 B+ - 5
From the DarkTony Iommi86 B - 6
SanctuaryEvanescence85 B - 7
All Set the BoneGreg Freeman85 B - 8
Love Is Not Enough (Converge album)Converge84 B - 9
You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in LoveOlivia Rodrigo84 B - 10
The Ghost of a Future DeadAt the Gates83 B
Most divisive of 2026
Where critics split hardest this year. Divided or Contentious, at least five reviews.
- 1
UNWANTEDthrownContentious - 2
This Music May Contain Hope.RayeDivided - 3
ArirangBTSDivided - 4
The Wow! SignalMuseDivided - 5
How’s It Goin’Bryan AdamsDivided - 6
Until the Sun ExplodesSublimeDivided - 7
IcemanDrakeDivided - 8
Do Not Dare to DreamTeenage FanclubDivided - 9
O My BelovedKings of LeonDivided - 10
InfernoBoards of CanadaDivided
Browse by genre
Every genre’s average Breakdown, how often critics like its albums, and its top album of all time.
Jazz77average Breakdown57%of albums likedNumber one: Miles Davis, Kind of Blue
Folk, Country & Americana76average Breakdown61%of albums likedNumber one: Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks
Metal & Punk75average Breakdown60%of albums likedNumber one: Patti Smith, Horses
Indie & Alternative75average Breakdown57%of albums likedNumber one: Sonic Youth, Daydream Nation
Electronic74average Breakdown53%of albums likedNumber one: Kraftwerk, Trans-Europe Express
Rock73average Breakdown49%of albums likedNumber one: The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground & Nico
R&B & Soul73average Breakdown43%of albums likedNumber one: Stevie Wonder, Innervisions
Hip-Hop & Rap72average Breakdown44%of albums likedNumber one: Public Enemy, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
Pop70average Breakdown35%of albums likedNumber one: The Beach Boys, Pet SoundsThe best albums of 2026, ranked · Best albums of every year · Browse every artist, A to Z
Breakdown Every critic’s score on a 0–100 scale, averaged. Green is 75 or higher.
Approval The share of critics who scored it 75 or higher.
Divisiveness How far apart the critics’ scores sit, from Unanimous to Contentious.
A-Side The critics’ top tier: 90+, from 5+ reviews, 75%+ approval.