Every year, our staffers vote in seven genre categories, and their votes are tabulated using the Billboard system (10 points for #1, 9 for #2, and so on). The same system is used for our overall Top 20. Richard Allen also offers a series of personal lists, including The Happiest Music of the Year and Best Winter Music, while David and Chris team up for The Year’s Best Videogame Soundtracks. Over the years, we’ve also compiled some decade and all-time lists. This page collects them all!
The Year in Review: 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Top 20 Albums: 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Top Ten Ambient: 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Top Ten Drone: 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Top Ten Electronic: 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Top Ten Experimental: 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Top Ten Field Recording & Soundscape: 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Top Ten Modern Composition: 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Top Ten Rock, Post-Rock, Folk and Jazz: 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
The Year’s Best Labels/Label of the Year: 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
The Year’s Best Album Covers: 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
The Year’s Best Packaging: 2013 2014 (none in 2015) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 (none in 2022-3) 2024
The Year’s Best Winter Music: 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
The Happiest Music of the Year: 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
The Year’s Best Film Scores: 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 (no list in 2020) 2021 2022 2023 2024
The Year’s Best Videogame Soundtracks: 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
The Year’s 10 Best Music Videos: 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Music for Synagogues & Cathedrals: 2012 ~ becomes Music for Stained Glass 2024
The Year’s Best Ukrainian Music: 2023 2024
Best Albums of the Decade: 2010-2019
Best Ambient Albums of the Decade: 2010-2019
Best Drone Albums of the Decade: 2010-2019
Best Electronic Albums of the Decade: 2010-2019
Best Experimental Albums of the Decade: 2010-2019
Best Field Recording & Soundscape Albums of the Decade: 2010-2019
Best Modern Composition Albums of the Decade: 2010-2019
Best Rock, Post-Rock, Folk & Jazz Albums of the Decade: 2010-2019
The 25 Best Winter Albums of All Time: 2015
The 40 Best Winter Albums of All Time: 2022 (updated from the above)
The 25 Best Spring Albums of All Time: 2023
The 25 Best Summer Albums of All Time 2022
A Closer Listen’s Favorite Fall Albums 2024
Music for Haunted Houses: 2014 (an all-time list) 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Music for Nurseries: 20 Albums for New Parents: 2017 (one time only)
The Best Film & TV Soundtracks of All Time (2023) Part One Part Two
The 40 Best Books on Music (2022) Part One Part Two
Best Children’s Books on Music 2022
Best Art Books on Music 2022
The Year in 10 Tracks: 2013 (one time only)
Top Ten Singles: 2014 (replaced former list, one time only)
Pandemic Playlist: 2020 2021 (two years only ~ we hope!)
a closer listen 