Old Music Tuesdays: Top Fifteen Albums of 2013

This last year has been a pretty good year for music. I started making a “top ten” list but I realized that I was leaving out a few excellent records. In no particular order, here are my favorite albums of 2013. I have an eclectic taste, so you’ll find a mix of prog, metal, hip hop, pop, industrial, punk, emo, and indie rock. Click on the album cover to buy it or hear samples.
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- Palms s/t: The rhythms of Isis blended with the soothing vocals of Chino Moreno.
- The Dillinger Escape Plan One of Us is the Killer: New Jersey math metal.
- Coheed and Cambria The Afterman: Descension: The superior follow up to last year’s excellent Ascension.
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- Tomahawk “Oddfellows”: Mike Patton’s offerings are always interesting.
- Russian Circles Memorial: Instrumental post rock at its best.
- Deltron 3030 Event 2: The long-awaited hip hop collaboration follow-up doesn’t disappoint.
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- Killswitch Engage Disarm the Descent: The triumphant return of Jesse Leach!
- Queens of the Stone Age …Like Clockwork: Very underrated album. Easily their best since Songs for the Deaf.
- Vampire Weekend Modern Vampires of the City: On many “best of 2013” lists, and for good reason.
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- Norma Jean Wrongdoers: Norma Jean has lost all their original members but one, but they still manage to bring the metalcore.
- The Appleseed Cast Illumination Ritual: The Kansas emo group never disappoints.
- Pelican Forever Becoming: The Chicago instrumental group improves with every release. They really find their voice with this album.
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- Living Sacrifice Ghost Thief: A sadly underrated metal band, probably because of the “Christian” label. One of the heaviest of the year.
- How to Destroy Angels Welcome Oblivion: I was conflicted on whether to include this one or the new NIN… I find myself listening to this one more.
- Grouplove Spreading Rumors: Very catchy indie pop songs. You will hum along.
There you have it, my favorite records of 2013. Do you agree? Disagree? What did I miss? What doesn’t belong? Let me know in the comments.
More Music on This Site
Top Albums of the Year
- Best Albums of 2012
- Best Albums of 2013
- Best Albums of 2014
- Best Albums of 2015
- Best Albums of 2016
- Best Albums of 2017
- Best Albums of 2018
Old Music Tuesdays
Click here for my past Old Music Tuesdays posts. There are too many to list!
Concert Reviews
- Tomahawk (feat. Retox)
- Coheed and Cambria (feat. BTBAM & Russian Circles)
- Palms
- Black Sabbath (feat. Andrew WK)
- Vampire Weekend (feat. Beirut)
- Fit for a King & For Today
- ††† (Crosses) (feat. Omniflux & Spirit in the Room)
- Soundgarden & NIN 2014
- Dr. Octagon (feat. Avalon, Gap Dream & No Parents)
- Faith No More (feat. The Urinals)
- Mastodon & Clutch (feat. Graveyard)
- Coheed and Cambria (feat. Seahaven)
- The Appleseed Cast (feat. Adjy & Coaster)
- The Smashing Pumpkins & Marilyn Manson
- Danzig (feat. Cancer Bats & Saviours)
- Imagine Dragons (feat. Halsey & Metric)
- Between the Buried and Me & Animals As Leaders (feat. The Contortionist)
- Deftones & Incubus (feat. Death from Above 1979)
- 2015 Summer Rankings
- Blindside (feat. Hearts Like Lions)
- Puscifer (feat. Luchafer)
- The Black Queen (feat. Drab Majesty)
- Joe Satriani
- Coheed and Cambria (feat. Glassjaw, I the Mighty, Silver Snakes)
- Killswitch Engage (feat. Memphis May Fire, 36 Crazyfists, and Toothgrinder)
- Andrew Bird (feat. John Grant)
- Lamb of God (feat. Clutch and Corrosion of Conformity)
- At the Drive-In (feat. Le Butcherettes)
- The Dillinger Escape Plan (feat. Author & Punisher)
- Guns N’ Roses (feat. The Cult)
- Animal Collective (feat. Stuart Copeland)
- Alice in Chains (feat. The New Regime)
- Temple of the Dog (feat. Fantastic Negrito)
Giraffe Tongue Orchestra (cancelled)- Metallica
- 2016 Concert Rankings
- August Burns Red (feat. Protest the Hero, In Hearts Wake, ’68)
- Norma Jean (feat. He Is Legend, Capsize, Comrades)
- Red (feat. Wolves at the Gate, Message from Sylvia, Death Therapy) (coming soon)
- Mastodon (feat. Eagles of Death Metal, Russian Circles) (coming soon)
- Pixies (coming soon)
- Tool (feat. Clutch, Fantomas, Primus, Melvins, Crystal Method) (coming soon)
- Rise Against (feat. Deftones, Thrice) (coming soon)
Green Day- Dead Cross (feat. Neil Hamburger, Ho99o9) (coming soon)
- Banks (coming soon)
- Between the Buried and Me (feat. The Contortionist, Poluphia, Toothgrinder) (coming soon)
- The Offspring (feat. Well Hung Heart) (coming soon)
- Russian Circles (feat. MGR) (coming soon)
- Our Lady Peace (feat. Smashing Hearts) (coming soon)
- Animals As Leaders (feat. Periphery and Astronoid) (coming soon)
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Mike Patton stuff on this website
- Mike Patton’s Guest Spots
- Faith No More concert review
- Old Music Tuesdays: Faith No More
- Faith No More Stripsearch
- Old Music Tuesdays: Mr. Bungle
- Tomahawk concert review
- Tomahawk Red Fox
Chino Moreno stuff on this website
- Chino’s Harder Guest Spots
- Chino’s Softer Guest Spots
- Chino’s Mainstream Work
- Palms concert
- (†††) Crosses concert
- Old Music Tuesday: (†††) Crosses
- Deftones & Incubus (feat. Death from Above 1979)
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