The Best, Worst, and Most Surprising Albums of 2023

Following his recent Sunday Review, longtime contributor Grayson Haver Currin talks to Reviews Director Jeremy D. Larson about the story behind legendary producer Brian Eno’s 1978 touchstone Ambient 1: Music for Airports, the most influential ambient album ever made.Read Grayson’s Sunday Review of Music for Airports. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The Wilco frontman and author talks to Associate Editor Sam Sodomsky about the pitfalls of music snobbery, what he doesn’t like about rock criticism, Wilco’s recent album Cousins, and his latest book World Within a Song, in which he writes about 50 tracks that rearranged his brain. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The Pitchfork Review is off this week so we're sharing an episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour featuring Dolly Parton talking about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and her one-of-a-kind career. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

An encore presentation of Editor-in-Chief Puja Patel’s interview with boygenius’ Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus, which was recorded around the release of their debut album last spring. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Jeremy D. Larson, Puja Patel, and Cat Zhang talk about the trends, scandals, gossip, technological moves, and industry changes that shaped the musical landscape of 2023. Plus: Alvvays’ Molly Rankin reveals the song she wishes she wrote. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Puja Patel, Jeremy D. Larson, and Anna Gaca talk about some of their personal faves from Pitchfork’s 50 Best Albums of 2023 list, including records by Amaarae, ANOHNI, Sofia Kourtesis, Kara Jackson, and SZA. They also lament some of the year’s biggest disappointments, like Lil Yachty’s psych-rock experiment and Doja Cat’s rap misfire. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Jeremy D. Larson, Puja Patel, and Ryan Dombal delve into the sordid history of beloved Minneapolis rock band The Replacements and explain why the new reissue of their classic 1985 LP Tim is such a revelation. Plus, Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson stops by to talk about an album he considers to be a perfect 10. Read Jeremy’s review of Tim (Let It Bleed Edition) here. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The Pitchfork Review is off this week, so we're sharing an episode from our friends at The Run-Through with Vogue, where editors Chioma Nnadi and Chloe Malle talk to the legend Erykah Badu. You can also watch Badu give her Over/Under on aliens, Porky Pig and more here. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Ryan Dombal, Isabelia Herrera, and Julianne Escobedo Shepherd talk about Bad Bunny’s remarkable rise to superstardom and how his latest record, nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana, doesn’t quite live up to his own high bar. Also, we highlight a few new queer femme artists from Puerto Rico who are taking the island’s music to exciting new places. Read Isabelia's review here, and her feature story here. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Puja Patel, Jeremy D. Larson, and Ryan Dombal battle it out over some of their favorite songs of the year in various genres. Matchups include Troye Sivan’s “Rush” vs. NewJeans’ “Super Shy,” Wednesday’s “Chosen to Deserve” vs. Big Thief’s “Vampire Empire,” and Tinashe’s “Needs” vs. Victoria Monét’s “On My Mama.” Plus singer-songwriter Devendra Banhart stops by to talk about his dream collaboration. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices