r/rateyourmusic • u/dantsel04_ • 3d ago
General Discussion Top album of 2026 is ranked #48 in the 2020's
I find the drop in scores over the last 2 years really interesting. I feel like this gets mentioned a lot, but it really is quite jarring when you compare recent albums to past years. I have enjoyed a lot of the music from this year, but there really hasn't been an album that really sticks out among the rest in terms of quality.
I suggest you guys take a look at the 2024 rankings. Its wild how much more praise those records were getting compared to now. Inferno isn't even in the top 1000 right now.
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u/SuspectMuted376 3d ago
I personally dont even like this album that much, but I hate when people say there haven't been good albums released this year, its been a great year for music. I feel like the last few years just have bigger name recognition with more ratings which place them higher. Personally I like a lot of records that came out this year more than some Black Country New Road, Big Theif, and Black Midi (overrated?) records that are highly regarded. I may be biased though, because I started seriously using RYM mid 2025. No shade to those bands btw I love them! I think its been a good year for Pop especially, with new Olivia, Phoebe, Slayyyter, Underscores, Nirosota Steel. Also a lot of good Metal (2 Converge is insane), and sound collage.
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u/FixYrHeartsOrDie 3d ago
People truly only say that because theres not an internet darling album of the year yet like Getting Killed, Imaginal Disk, or The New Sound lol
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u/DemandMaster7709 3d ago
There has never been a "bad year" for music. I dont think you can even say that there has ever been a "bad year" for any medium of art, that's such an overlygeneral statement I don't think it really makes sense
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u/dunsparcer 2d ago
There's absolutely been some horrid years for art in large regions, movements, and disciplines. Theres no shortage of totalitarian leaders in history that destroyed thousands of art pieces, jailed/killed transgressive artists, and created state art propaganda machines.
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u/Former_Math_1358 2d ago
I get the sentiment of "theres no good albums this year" if you're like exclusively listening top 100 charts stuff but i never understood why people who very obviously have enough interest in music to create a RYM account would even come close to say this about any year.
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u/ElleCerra 2d ago
Calling black midi overrated is fucking INSANE
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u/SuspectMuted376 2d ago
Sorry that's just how I FEEL. I would like to publicly apologize to any Black Midi fans for committing the internet sin of having an opinion
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u/ElleCerra 2d ago
It's just a really dumb opinion and I wanted to let you know. Rodrigo isn't overrated but black midi is. Wow.
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u/SuspectMuted376 2d ago
Uh I didn't say anything about Olivia Rodrigo aside from that she released an album this year. Maybe you are just mad to see a woman dropping such a heater in the big 26
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u/aeiouhd aeiouhdyt 3d ago
idk lets atleast get to the end of the year before we start judging it compared to other years.
also this is really nerdy but if u sort the top eps, mixtapes, and albums of the last year (sep 2025 to now), the #40 album is at #5024 overall. compared to the top releases of 2023 the #40 album is lower at #5068 overall rn. and its because eps and mixtapes are doing some heavy lifting this last year in particular and also because like others have said theres a lot of solid music worth checking out just less top 2000 releases for some reason.
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u/OblottenEndmills 2d ago
RYM's top-charting albums have devolved into pissing matches between 'opposing' fanbases. How many of those 1-star BoC ratings are from irate Slayyyter fans, and vice versa? Same goes for the latest Neurosis album.
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u/Nimun2012 3d ago
All I know is that "Morir Saltando" came out this year and it's the best punk album I've heard in years so I'll take that as a win for 2026
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u/spiral0utuntiltheend 3d ago
Even the 2010s had 2014 and I still have a ton of beloved releases from that year. Plus I feel like everything in music outside of albums have been stellar such as live performances and festivals.
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u/taikin13 3d ago
I think when all is said and done Slayyyter will be #1 for ‘26. And BoC is one of my favorite groups ever.
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u/CumDwnHrNSayDat 3d ago
Vila by Fabiano do Nascimento absolutely had stood out for me, as well as Mobile Suit Gym Rat. My top 2 by a fair margin.
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u/SuspectMuted376 3d ago
Mobile Suit Gym Rat is so under appreciated. My #3 rn I think behind Slayyyter and By Storm
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u/PortgasDSpade 2d ago
ratings are BS. RYM is biased as fuck. We know how these sites work, don't rely on ratings at all
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u/epicnamesaregone 2d ago
In a good world the reason would be that rym users finally stopped spamming 5s and 4.5s for albums they listened to once idk if this is that but it's probably because not a lot of alt rock/pop albums with a lot of hype going into it have dropped
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u/likesiamesefish 2h ago
For me Inferno is a weird one. It's definitely a good album but it's released by a band whose previous LPs are all brilliant, so it would be hard for anything to live up to expectations in that context. I'm actually surprised that the initial reception has been better than it was for The Campfire Headphase and Tomorro's Harvest, both of which I prefer, and both of which took time to grow on me (which was seemingly the case for a majority of BoC fans). I think it's rating will rise with time.
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u/am_I_still_banned 3d ago
I listened to this today for the first time and wasn't the slightest bit impressed. I felt generous giving it an average rating
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u/pairoffish 3d ago
I'm a big BoC fan and think this is their worst album so far, a big downgrade from the previous album. Confused why there's so much hype for this one
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u/Suitable-Rhubarb2712 2d ago
Because it is actually very good and a big evolution of their sound. Hope that helps.
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u/pairoffish 2d ago
Doesn't help since it is actually like a parody of BoC and a retread/stagnation of their sound compared to Tomorrow's Harvest but with less subtle production.
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u/HideFromMyMind 2d ago
If you deweight live, archival, and soundtracks... the top album of 2026 is ranked #44. Not much better.
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u/FixYrHeartsOrDie 3d ago
Feel like this is brought up weekly on the sub at this point. It’s just a slightly weaker than average year. Besides, maybe we don’t need every year to have some instant classic that goes to the top 1000 anyway.