The best albums of 2019 so far + some ranting.

Hey guys, just thought I'd bust out my annual mid-year albums list. Not gonna be too eloquent about it. I have other music things to bicker about here.

MY TOP 5 (or 13) FAVORITE ALBUMS OF 2019 (so far)

#5 Sunn O))) Life Metal

#4 Ariana Grande thank u, next
Big Thief  U.F.O.F.
Bill Callahan Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest
Sharon Van Etten Remind Me Tomorrow

#3 Denzel Curry ZUU
Mannequin Pussy Patience
slowthai Nothing Great About Britain
Tyler, the Creator IGOR
Xiu Xiu Girl with Basket Of Fruit

#2 black midi Schlagenheim
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib Bandana

#1 Weyes Blood Titanic Rising

Okay, now that that's out of the way, let's talk about another one of my list-making crises...
I plan on releasing a big fat "end-of-decade" albums list in December. The more I think about it, it's brought me to a couple ruts. My music taste changes year-after-year! This list has of stuff my 22yr-old self loved in 2013 mixed in with what my 27yr-old self loved in 2018. It's a freaking mess! If I was 22 and went forward into the music world, would I like the same stuff? If I was 27 and went back in time, would I be cringing at my favorites? Is the guy who gave Vampire Weekend the best album of 2013 the same guy who gave SOPHIE the best album of 2018? I don't know man. Actual dilemma.
Oh yeah, and also: Rap. Rap has changed a lot over the decade. My opinions on rap have kinda changed. Everything changed. How to critique rap with this kinda hindsight? Examples...
The popularization of trap music is the undying story of the decade. So does this mean we need to laud early albums from the likes of Future, Young Thug, and Cheef Keef? Is that Big Boi album from 2010 officially overshadowed by that 2010 album by Wakka Flocka Flame? I mean, Big Boi really went all out with the classy production on Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty. But Flocka's Flockaveli is stupidly simplistic and is now seen as one of the most influential rap albums in recent years. How much does Kanye West's releases matter? Is Drake underrated by music snobs?
Anyways, 2019 hasn't exactly been my favorite year for new music at this point. Hopefully releases improve from hereon out. Hopefully I stop caring so much about this stuff and start making more music of my own.