Albums of 1998
The records from 1998 that made our lists.
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1Moon SafariAir
Moon Safari
A lush, retro-futurist downtempo landmark of warm synths. Dreamy and beloved. A chill-out classic.
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2Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black StarBlack Star
Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star
A warm, lyrical conscious-rap landmark of chemistry and craft. Soulful and beloved. A genre touchstone.
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3Music Has the Right to ChildrenBoards of Canada
Music Has the Right to Children
Hazy, nostalgic electronica of half-remembered childhood, woozy synths and found voices. Warm, eerie and beloved. A modern ambient touchstone.
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4Moon PixCat Power
Moon Pix
A haunted, intimate indie-folk peak of fragile beauty. Singular and acclaimed. Her finest.
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5It's Dark and Hell Is HotDMX
It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
A raw, intense debut of gravel-voiced fury and vulnerability. Powerful and huge. A late-90s landmark.
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6The Sound of PerseveranceDeath
The Sound of Perseverance
A technical, progressive death-metal peak and final album. Sharp and acclaimed. A high point.
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7You've Come a Long Way, BabyFatboy Slim
You've Come a Long Way, Baby
Big-beat at its most fun and accessible, built from cheeky samples and huge hooks. Inescapable in its moment. A party staple.
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8Moment of TruthGang Starr
Moment of Truth
A peak of boom-bap craft, Guru's calm flow over Premier's perfect beats. Tight and beloved. Their finest.
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9Vol. 2... Hard Knock LifeJay-Z
Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life
A commercial peak of crossover hits and street craft. Polished and huge. A breakthrough.
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10Follow the LeaderKorn
Follow the Leader
A blockbuster nu-metal peak, home to 'Freak on a Leash'. Heavy and huge. Their commercial high.
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11The Miseducation of Lauryn HillLauryn Hill
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
A genre-blurring masterpiece of hip-hop, soul and reggae, deeply personal and beautifully sung and rapped. It swept the Grammys and still feels singular. One of the great solo debuts.
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12Car Wheels on a Gravel RoadLucinda Williams
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
A weathered Americana masterpiece of vivid Southern detail and hard-won emotion. Beautifully written. Her defining record.
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13Ray of LightMadonna
Ray of Light
A reinvention via electronica and introspection, lush and forward-looking. Widely seen as her artistic peak. Glossy, spiritual and assured.
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14Mechanical AnimalsMarilyn Manson
Mechanical Animals
A glam-rock concept pivot of melodic ambition. Bold and acclaimed. A creative high.
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15MezzanineMassive Attack
Mezzanine
Dark, paranoid trip-hop that traded the warmth of their early work for dread and dub bass, anchored by 'Teardrop' and 'Angel'. Immersive and cinematic. A late-90s landmark.
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16Deserter's SongsMercury Rev
Deserter's Songs
A lush, orchestral comeback of symphonic indie beauty. Bold and acclaimed. A revival record.
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17In the Aeroplane Over the SeaNeutral Milk Hotel
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
A raw, surreal folk-rock album of fuzzy horns and oblique imagery that became a cult phenomenon. Intense and beloved. Utterly singular.
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18My Arms, Your HearseOpeth
My Arms, Your Hearse
A conceptual, progressive death-metal peak. Bold and beloved. A high point.
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19AqueminiOutKast
Aquemini
The duo's creative high point, fusing live instrumentation, funk and forward-thinking rap into a cohesive whole. Adventurous and soulful throughout. Frequently cited as their best.
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20This Is HardcorePulp
This Is Hardcore
A dark, cinematic comedown from Britpop fame, seedy and ambitious. Bold and acclaimed. A brave follow-up to Different Class.
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21System of a DownSystem of a Down
System of a Down
A frantic, political nu-metal debut of unhinged invention. Heavy and influential. A breakthrough.
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22Wide Open SpacesThe Chicks
Wide Open Spaces
A bright, harmony-rich blockbuster that revived mainstream country. Tuneful and huge. A breakthrough.
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23AdoreThe Smashing Pumpkins
Adore
A hushed, electronic-leaning turn after Mellon Collie. Reflective and underrated. A brave pivot.