2020 Year End Lists Chapter 7: The Top 100 Albums Of 2020

Musically

the album is king. While singles top charts and generate radio play it's the album that fans stay up all night waiting for and constantly ask for online. Everything about these collections of songs seems just as innocuous as well, a collection of songs. But what they mean to us and what they meant to us specifically in 2020 is immeasurable. I listened to just over 250 albums this year and reviewed almost 200 of them and as usual there were tons of records I just didn't have time to get to. As much as I wish I could have listened to absolutely everything, this list is the best of everything I actually could listen to this year. These records range from solid and slightly inconsistent experiments to some of the best and most groundbreaking music of the year, and is neatly arranged into a 100-1 list as best as I could do, enjoy.

100. Freezepop - Fantasizer

One of the premiere synth pop bands of the 2000's returned in 2020 with Fantasizer. While it came completely out of nowhere and far too few people heard it the record did manage to revitalise the bands sound. They don't pretend to be contemporary instead choosing to execute exactly what has always made them so infectious and loveable and doing so consistently across 13 refreshing synth pop tracks. 

Listen To: Ghost Rejoins The Living, Fantasizer

99. Kelly Lee Owens - Inner Song

On her second studio album Kelly made some major improvements to her icy electronic sound. The minimalism of her atmospheres and the chilling vocals that populate them often made for some boring songs her first time around but she delivers some incredibly memorable moments on Inner Song. Whether she is pushing into near ambience or tying a song together with a pseudo house beat she does so with more poise and technique than ever before. She is certainly a voice to look out for going forward into a potentially great 3rd record. 

Listen To: Night, Re-Wild

98. King Krule - Man Alive

On King Krule's best record to date he finally channeled his smoky unmistakable voice and knack for dark instrumentation into genuinely good songwriting. The tracks here are murky and often emotionally despondent but deliver pretty consistently on the promise of blending indie, jazz and hints of electronica to craft a sound palette embodying the King Krule project's concept. It's a rewarding get right record from an artist I had failed to connect with for years.

Listen To: Theme For The Cross, Alone Omen 3

97. Future Islands - As Long As You Are

As Long As You Are feels like the same old story with Future Islands. A number of fantastic singles and some rewarding deep cuts with some other more underwhelming deep cuts mixed it. With how distinct the bands sound is and how formulaic it can become after years and years of releases you'd be right to wonder if they have a ceiling. But this record at least manages to achieve the same level of individual success that their best albums have in the past. 

Listen To: For Sure, Born In A War

96. Open Mike Eagle - Amine, Trauma And Divorce

Mike Eagle is a relentlessly creative artist and when he is delivering bars as personal as what shows up on this record you can never really count him out. Even with some of the instrumentals and hooks on the record falling short in ways his music typically doesn't Mike's unique lyricism and animated performances are more than enough to make the record worth hearing for just about any hip hop fans. 

Listen To: The Edge Of New Clothes, Death Parade

95. Jehnny Beth - To Love Is To Live

Jehnny Beth first established herself as the frontwoman of hard-hitting post-punk band Savages and the hype for her solo debut was high among indie fans. While her band makes post-punk music she alone wanders into all kinds of different genres interpolating noise rock and power electronics to help her brash female empowerment anthems have as much kick as possible. The record is not for the feint of heart and her uncompromising attitude is absolutely infectious throughout. 

Listen To: I'm The Man, Flower

94. Lil Uzi Vert - Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World 2

While Uzi's first album of the year was a pretty major disappointment with the bloated and uninspired Eternal Atake he may have released the best project of his career this far with the slim and feature heavy LUV 2. With one simple smooth trap banger after another Uzi shows off effective trap songwriting Uzi shows off how his spacey sound can be used in much more effective ways. With solid feature and beat selection he surrounds himself with enough talent to make a pretty decent record,

Listen To: Yessirskiii, Strawberry Peels

93. Mark Kozelek, Ben Boye & Jim White - Mark Kozelek With Ben Boye And Jim White 2

I'm well aware that Mark made a lot more headlines this year for his actions rather than his music and trust me, we will talk about it later on the list. For now I'll say that my enjoyment of his music early on this year made it obvious that he should land on this list and I felt uncomfortable leaving him off in any capacity. This 2nd collaboration with a pair of talented musicians spawned more great storytelling, instant quotables and meta information into the Mark Kozelek universe. 

Listen To: Walkin In Auckland, My Brother Loves Seagulls

92. Flo Milli - Ho, Why Is You Here?

This year Flo Milli showed up with viral, fan cam ready hits. But unlike to many others she managed to actually back it up with a decent debut record full or equivalent bops. It's short and to the point but finds success in that format and leaves behind a number of rewarding potential spiking bangers. 

Listen To: May I, Beef FloMix

91. 21 Savage & Metro Boomin - Savage Mode II

This was one of my most anticipated records of the year from the moment it was first announced through a delay or two. 21 Savage provided a number of killer features this year and Metro Boomin has been a consistent prescence in hip hop over the past few years but this collaboration turned out to be just okay. The poise and veteran talent of the pair is enough for them to maintain course and pump out a number of solid tracks but the record tends to lack anything with a real special pizzazz. For 40 minutes or so of decent trap bangers though, this record more than has you covered. 

Listen To: Steppin, Runnin

90. IDLES - Ultra Mono

IDLES made their name as a hard-hitting politically charged post-punk band who weren't afraid of anyone or anything. On Ultra Mono they strip it back to basics for a set of fist pumping arena rock ragers that flirt with 2000's rock corniness, while also dealing in some political slinging. While it may not be what the band does best they do prove to do it pretty well and spawn a number of memorable additions to their catalog in the process.

Listen To: Model Village, War

89. Black Thought - Streams Of Thought, Vol.3: Cane And Abel

This year Black Thought of The Roots fame upgraded his Streams Of Thought series from EP's in the first two outings, to a full length album on the third. Vol. 3 here gets straight to the point and when Black Thought is focusing tightly on a lyrical subject and delivering sharp hard-hitting bars there isn't much better. The record can hold itself back sometimes with gimmicky tracks or awkward features but for the most part it shows off the veteran rap talent that Black Thought has proven to have in spades throughout his entire career. 

Listen To: Good Morning, Thought vs, Everybody

88. Kali Uchis - Sin Miedo (Del Amor Y Otros Demonios)

Kali made a bit of an artistic transition this year pushing her sound into the latin music direction with her first fully Spanish album. The results turned out to be pretty great with blends of her old sounds pushed in new directions and some entirely new sounds. The result was a sweet little record that helped advance Kali artistically while proving she can still match anyone vocally. 

Listen To: telepatia, aqui yo mando

87. Juice WRLD - Legends Never Die

Posthumous records can be all over the place. Sometimes they are fascinating glances into the psyche of truly great artists and sometimes they are the tattered leftovers of a popular artist that clearly were never meant to see the light of day. Juice WRLD wasn't disrespected by any means when his estate approved of the release of this posthumous record, which is his best collection of songs ever. These tracks are sharply written and full of his trademark emotional performances. The biggest tragedy of all is not getting to see him build on his talents and continue improving his sound even further.

Listen To: Man Of The Year, Wishing Well

86. Sightless Pit - Grave Of A Dog

Sightless Pit saw Lingua Ignota teaming up with The Body and Full Of Hell for an industrial metal rager whose core experiment is that it features no guitars.The result is a profoundly interesting record that has more than enough harsh electronics and vocals to carry the weight. It's dark, brutal and uncompromising making for one of the better records in the realm of extreme music that I heard this year,

Listen To: Kingscorpse, The Ocean Of Mercy

 85. Thundercat - It is What It Is

Thundercat's funky basslines and fragile vocal harmonies have become a trademark of his records over the last decade at It Is What It Is continues that trend while also introducing more collaborators and sounds to the mix. While it isn't perfect it is continued improvement for an artist who has boatloads of potential to one day release a truly transcendent record. 

Listen To: Black Qualls, Dragonball Durag

84. Morrissey - I Am Not A Dog On A Chain

By this point in his career former Smiths frontman Morrissey doesn't have much to prove as a songwriter or provocateur. Yet he spent the year doing just that on a new record full of winding songs full of his snarky attitude and anti-establishment ideology. While it's hard to defend or even forgive his politics he spends most of the record playing it on the sly side and making statements that can be tough to discredit. The real highlights on the record have nothing to do with his ideology however as the songwriting across the record keeps dense tracks sounding smooth. While the record doesn't rewrite the book on Morrissey it does remind me of why that very book was written in the first place.

Listen To: I Am Not A Dog On A Chain, Bobby Don't You Think They Know

83. Sewerslvt - Draining Love Story

Coming out of nowhere in early 2020 and making waves in the underground electronica scene Sewerslvt's new record blended synthetic electronic music with dark thematic content. The result often leads to all or nothing tracks that either brilliantly blend vocal samples with fascinating instrumentals, or come off as strange muddled messes. The album ultimately has too many fascinating high points to be left off the list and I think such a unique project is one definitely worth watching going forward.

Listen To: Lexapro Delirium, Mr. Kill Myself

82. Salem - Fires In Heaven

Legendary witch house pioneers Salem returned in 2020 after a 10 year studio album absence with the long awaited sequel to their influential debut King Night. The singles didn't sound great on their own but once the full record dropped context proved to add quite a bit to the songs. It's a short, strange collection of hip hop parallel experiments that sound exciting one after another. Fires definitely isn't for everyone but the icy minimalism and willingness to be both bold and quiet depending on the track makes for a refreshing and enjoyable listening experience. 

Listen To: Not Much Of A Life, Red River

81. PartyNextDoor - PARTYMOBILE

PND has lost a lot of stamina since PND2 turned so many heads all those years ago. While I didn't go into Partymobile expecting to be blown away I was just hoping PND was pushing back towards a more enjoyable sound and thankfully that turned out to be true. Despite being bloated there are plenty of songs on this album that I really enjoyed and a couple that I think are among his best of all time. While his days of dropping classics may be behind him this record proved rewarding throughout the year. 

Listen To: PGT, Split Decision

80. Autechre - Signs

After dropping some absolutely massive projects in recent years IDM legends Autechre finally returned this year with their first proper studio record in years. While it's still over an hour of music the band has an angle and some focus this time around where the band flexes their veteran poise. With a mix of abstract EDM odysseys and hard-hitting synth led bangers this is an indulgent but overall rewarding return to form for some legends of their genre. 

Listen To: M4 Lema, F7

79. City Girls - City On Lock

On the first studio album from the Miami collaborative hip hop duo City Girls, JT and Yung Miami craft a series of direct and infectious trap bangers. Not only do they repeatedly pen catchy hooks and intoxicating song topics but surround it with personality filled bars and fiery performances. Not every song is a home run but the record flashes immense potential and became an absolutely essential part to the soundtrack of Summer 2020. 

Listen To: Pussy Talk, Come Outside

78. Natalia Lafourcade - Un canto por México Vol. 1

Natalia had an acclaimed decade in the 2010's with her revitalization of Mexican folk music hitting all the right notes time and time again. While this may not be my favorite collection from her to date it does do absolutely all the same things right that she has been doing for years. With excellent vocals and a captivating array of instrumentation the record is impossible to look away from in the best way. 

Listen To: Mi Religion, Una Vida

77. Brian Eno & Roger Eno - Mixing Colours

The Eno brothers team up for what is unbelievably the first time on a bold pseudo ambient record Mixing Colours. If you're wondering how an ambient record can be bold give the album a try and you'll see pretty quickly that they aren't afraid to interpret louder and more present sounds than you may be expecting. While it is beautiful enough to never quite break that serenity there is enough going on here that it doesn't feel like either artist is covering old ground. 

Listen To: Iris, Celeste

76. Armand Hammer - Shrines

On their 4th collaborative album Billy Woods and Elucid once again team up for a set of high-impact experimental rap songs. With an impressive feature list and no thematic reluctance whatsoever the quality of the record is incredibly consistent. The pair aren't doing anything drastically new on this record but if this kind of hip hop is your thing you'll definitely want to hear Shrines, and you probably already have.

Listen To: Dead Cars, Ramesses II

75. AJJ - Good Luck Everybody

On their newest folk-punk rager released back in January AJJ predicted the brash nihilism that would come to define 2020 with a hilariously pessimistic set of tracks. With simple, stripped back instrumentation the band crafted a series of straightforward cautionary tales that felt more and more predictive as the year went on. 2020 was a great year to release an album about the dangers of the present and future and AJJ did it before just about anyone else. 

Listen To: Normalization Blues, Psychic Warfare

74. Four Tet - Sixteen Oceans

On Sixteen Oceans Four Tet returns to his fragile naturalistic microhouse styling with pretty good success. While the tracklist here is slightly bloated most of the major statements the record makes are big hits. Blending the sounds of pulsating electronica with beautiful soundscapes is a thin line to walk successfully but Four Tet pulls it off pretty well here for a very unique album length statement. 

Listen To: Baby, Insect Near Piha Beach

73. Lady Gaga - Chromatica

On her return to the dancefloor caliber electro pop that she began her career releasing Lady Gaga found a home with one slick synthetic banger after another. Aside from a dud ballad or two she maintains course with simplistic, straight to the point single worthy tunes. Her ability to write catchy songs has never been in question but she proved an acute ability to translate that into a sonically and thematically consistent album on Chromatica. 

Listen To: Alice, Rain On Me

72. The 1975 - Notes On A Conditional Form

This year The 1975 broadened their musical horizons and every single experiment they tried got left on Notes. Somewhere in this album is a fantastic record but getting to it requires sitting through a few statements that probably should have been left behind. Despite its bloated tracklist there is quite a bit to like here as the band continues to stay interesting year after year. 

Listen To: If You're Too Shy, People

71. Car Seat Headrest - Making A Door Less Open

Despite being indie darlings over the last few years Car Seat Headrest is committed to making the kind of music they want to and on Making that manifests itself in a number of different interesting ways. From confessionary electronic jams to fist pumping anti-hollywood duds there is quite a lot of range on the record but thankfully Will Toldeo's impeccable knack for good songwriting shines through frequently and makes for a number of worthy highlights. 

Listen To: There Must Be More Than Blood, Can't Cool Me Down

70. Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts V: Together

Nine Inch Nails have always been known for taking their music in bold ambitions directions which sometimes means stripping it all back to a quiet core. The soundtrack masters in recent years lend that knack for beautiful sounds to a wonderful ambient record that shows just how indulgent and winding the genre can be at its best. It is a touch on the long side but almost all of the records major statements are major successes.

Listen To: Apart, With Faith

69. Taylor Swift - folklore

I don't think anybody expected Taylor to recruit The National's Aaron Dessner and Bon Iver to cosplay indie and make her best record to date in 2020, I certainly didn't. The change of sound isn't the only improvement here either as the songwriting gets a major boost from your average Taylor record and her vocals shine on the records most intimate moments. All these helped elevate folklore to the best collection of songs Taylor has released thus far.

Listen To: betty, cardigan

68. Anna Von Hausswolff - All Thoughts Fly

With All Thoughts Fly Anna proved that as creative and dynamic as her previous albums have been she can make something just as captivating with only instrumentals. These organ arrangements are dense, passionate and completely enveloping musically and I couldn't get enough of its high points. From winding dark passages bursting into impassioned highs to grand crescendos touchingly fading into soft murmurs the record is unafraid to be compositionally bold and the result keeps me on my toes throughout.

Listen To: Sacro Bosco, All Thoughts Fly

67. Bob Dylan - Rough And Rowdy Ways

Bob Dylan's first proper studio album in 8 years turned out to be quite the treat that saw him dialing it back to his winding narrative heavy folk songs. With creative lyricism and thematically tight songs there is quite a lot to love about the record even if not every song is a home run. For Dylan at his age to be writing and performing with such an intoxicating luster is an achievement on its own but the record itself has been continually rewarding all year.

Listen To: Key West, False Prophet

66. Sufjan Stevens - The Ascension

Much like The 1975 record we just talked about there is a great record somewhere in the tracklist of The Ascension. The only reason it isn't higher on the list is the filler that shows up all over the album, extending tracks far beyond their welcome and making bad ideas last even longer. Thankfully most of the record is made up of Sufjan's great touching indie-tronica songwriting and some of the best thematic track he's released in years.

Listen To: America, Ativan

65. A.G. Cook - 7G

After years of working behind the scenes as one of hyper pop's key influences through his PC Music label Cook finally emerged and dropped his first two studio albums this year. The first of which proved to be much better despite its daunting length. With 7 discs focusing on 7 different instruments the record is an experimental electro pop sonderland that proves how unique Cook's sound still is after all these years. 

Listen To: Triptych Demon, Beetlebum

64. YG - My Life 4Hunnid

YG came back this year with a return to his Bompton west coast hip hop sound and it sounded as great as ever. The only thing holding this record back is YG's insistence on recruiting some contemporary trap artists for subpar features on the records worst tracks. But when he's throwing it back to the 90's on most of this record he is basically unstoppable. 

Listen To: Out On Bail, Blood Walk

63. Arca - Kick I

Arca has been a progressive, genre bending experimental music artist for years but has never done it with the personality that she serves up on Kick I. While it may not be the most instrumentally excellent album I've ever heard from Arca her confident and imposing personality is completely infectious. On what felt like a coming out album for Arca as an artist she held absolutely nothing back and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Listen To: KLK, Nonbinary

62. Dorian Electra - My Agenda

It's pretty bold to make you second album a genreless concept album about an internet incel character transforming into a sexually ambiguous power bottom like character. Even to this day wrapping my head around the ins and outs of My Agenda can be difficult because there is a lot going on thematically and even more going on instrumentally. It's a whirlwind that may test even the boldest of hyper pop fans but the result is surprisingly awesome. 

Listen To: Edgelord, My Agenda

61. Benny The Butcher - Burden Of Proof

The most technically proficient member of the Griselda records crew put his talents on display on Burden Of Proof a record with one straight to the point conscious hip hop track after another. With lowkey beats and high impact delivery he pens one lyrical gem after another showing off his lyrical and technical ability with impressive poise of a veteran beyond his years. 

Listen To: One Way Flight, War Paint

60. Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated Side B

Carly is good. How good is Carly? So good that even her B-Sides are a highlight of the pop music world. She upgraded from B-Side EP to full length B-Side album and further proved that nearly everything she touches turns to gold. The Dedicated leftovers are a set of punchy bright pop songs that never really stray from her usual wheelhouse but also don't need to. As a creator of pristine catchy pop music she is nearly unrivaled. 

Listen To: Lets Sort The Whole Thing Out, Window

59. Playboi Carti - Whole Lotta Red

I know this pick is going to illicit some eyerolls given that the record just came out a week ago and has received mixed reviews from fans and critics alike, including me. But in the time I've spent with the record recently I went from skeptical to slowly enjoying more and more of Carti's brash experiments and exquisite charm and I have a feeling the longer I spend with the record the more I'll enjoy it. For now it landed at this point on the list because it absolutely has some songwriting and mixing mistakes in the tracklist. It's a record I'll be wrestling with for a long time I'm sure but as of right now it lands here.

Listen To: No Sl33p, ILoveUIHateU

58. The Soft Pink Truth - Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase

This side project of Matmos' Drew Daniel turned heads earlier this year with Shall We Go On Sinning a versatile and slightly conceptual piece of genre fluid electronica. The record covers quite a few bases during its runtime and approaches this versatility with incredible consistency. While we certainly weren't short on Matmos music this year, Shall turned out to be a pleasant surprise I wasn't expecting but was happy we got. 

Listen To: We, On

57. Backxwash - God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It

As far as head turning genre fusions went in 2020 there was nothing that had me quite as curious as this new Backxwash project. The record sought out to blend extremely personal rap with hard rock and metal music fitting of its dark themes and mostly succeeds. While the record is on the shorter side and the tracklist isn't perfect the record has more than enough successes to work as a perfect proof of concept and has me incredibly excited for what Backxwash does next.

Listen To: Black Sheep, Black Magic

56. Protomartyr - Ultimate Success Today

While this record may not be as loud as some of the post-punk bands previous work it brings a lyrical grit that is befitting of the bands legacy. With thematically pointed tracks and and winding impactful songwriting this is a patient record but one that is sure to reward you big time for unraveling its tracklist. If you passed on the record earlier this year I think it is more than worth a revisit if your interest in post-punk goes anywhere beyond roaring guitar riffs.

Listen To: Michigan Hammers, Day Without End

55. Eartheater - Phoenix: Flames Are Dew Upon My Skin

The Eartheater project just continues to get more and more interesting as the ambition behind its experiments becomes more and more grand while the songwriting gets more focused and calculated. These tracks feel like chaos perfectly contained as a series of compelling thematic diatribes blending together expertly. While it feels like Eartheater is overdue for her breakout underground hit record I think she is an artist to look out for going forward. 

Listen To: Below The Clavicle, How To Fight

54. Autechre - Plus

If I knew that Autechre was going to drop two records this year I would have bet you that the first of the two was probably going to be a better, more definitive set of songs from the band. I would have ESPECIALLY said that if you told me that the 2nd record was going to be the quieter and more reserved of the two and yet on Plus the band not only met the mark they set on Signs but exceeded it. It accomplishes this with wonderful atmospheres, shimmering synth lines and excellent pacing that makes its 60 minute runtime a wonderful breeze of an experience. Autechre didn't need to release anything special this year to establish themselves as electronica legends, but they did anyway. 

Listen To: ecol4, 7FM ic

53. Westside Gunn - Pray For Paris

2020 was a breakout year for Buffalo rap label Griselda records and their 3 big artists who each added at least one new record to their already busy mixtape catalogs. The best of the bunch turned out to be Westside Gun's personality filled Pray For Paris. He is unafraid to be himself as an MC and push the envelope of contemporary hip hop as a songwriter and collaborator. Everything about the record is strikingly unique and that's what kept me coming back to it over and over despite lyrical themes you can find in just about any rap records these days.

Listen To: 327, George Bondo

52. Touche Amore - Lament

Touche Amore's unique blend of screamo with post-hardcore had nothing to prove after their landmark 4th record yet they came out with the raw and explosive but emotionally intimate Lament. These songs aren't quite narratively indulgent in the way their last record was but deal in the direct emotions of the bands frontman. From hooky hard-hitting singles to personal deep cuts the record showed off immense versatility, excellent production and passionate emotion at almost every turn.

Listen To: Reminders, I'll Be Your Host

51. Oneohtrix Point Never - Magic Oneohtrix Point Never

Like many OPN records Magic is a highly conceptual outing trying to mimic the sounds of scanning through FM radio. And like many OPN records the album as a whole is much greater than the combined strength of its individual tracks. While not every moment of the record is perfect the concept is absolutely intoxicating and masterfully realized as a final product. It may not be the most groundbreaking or incredible record of OPN's career but after one of his weaker outings its a return to fantastic album length material from Daniel.

Listen To: The Weather Channel, Long Road Home

50. Alanis Morissette - Such Pretty Forks In The Road

Alanis has never been one to shy away from personal topics in her music, but on Such Pretty Forks In The Road she assembles songs that in no way compromise to the whims of contemporary rock and pop. These are passionate off kilter ballads that see her succeeding on her own time and the result is the Alanis record I've been waiting years for. She delivers sharp songwriting and strikingly unique vocals that results in a fun, bold new record from a veteran artist. 

Listen To: Reasons I Drink, Smiling

49. Ariana Grande - positions

Nobody in pop music has been on a hotter streak recently than Ariana and while positions may be the weakest of her trilogy of records over the last 3 years that's only because the other two were so great. positions is Ariana's horniest album to date embodying the blissful sensations of months quarantining with somebody you love on songs sensually detailed foreplay or comically referencing 69ing. The instrumentals vary from punchy trap parallel bangers to silky smooth R&B style grooves mirroring her songwriting perfectly. With the talent at her disposal and the array of people working with her Ariana has proven to be a creator of fantastic pop music time and time again. 

Listen To: 34+35, My Hair

48. Lianne La Havas - Lianne La Havas

After 5 years of studio album silence Lianne proved she absolutely didn't miss a beat with the wonderful songwriting, warm vocals and beautifully arranged instrumentation all over this record. What the record lacks in instant impact it more than makes up for in maturity as Lianne starts to sound like an R&B veteran well beyond her years. With the often personal songwriting approach she crafts one slick groovy song after another for a record I couldn't get enough of this year. 

Listen To: Read My Mind, Weird Fishes

47. Braids - Shadow Offering

I had no idea that Braids were gearing up to release their first record in 5 years and first since their big breakout record Deep In The Iris, but I'm glad I didn't miss it because the record is a treat. While the band is as creative as ever with their synth heavy instrumentals its the narrative song topics particularly on the records excellent second half that make the record so memorable. The songs beam with personality from top to bottom and result in a meticulously detailed record that covers an impressive amount of ground. 

Listen To: Snow Angel, Young Buck

46. Margo Price - That's How Rumors Get Started

Not many contemporary country records make it onto this list each year given that it's the genre that most rewards weak songwriting and even weaker performances. But every once in a while a real stunner emerges. In previous years its been Chris Stapleton and Sturgill Simpson but this time around its yet another solid record from Margo Price. Across this record she is unafraid to stick it to the meek, dated trends and ideology of country music while instrumentally fueling her tracks with classic rock staples. The result is a catchy, punchy country fusion record that I enjoyed way more than I anticipated this year.

Listen To: Twinkle Twinkle, What Happened To Our Love?

45. Moses Sumney - Græ

This is a record that I wrestled with a lot. The high points on the album of which there are many, are about as high as any record I heard this year with Moses displaying immense vocal talent and consistently versatile performance and songwriting. The big issue I have with the record is its very strange pacing that sucks the momentum out of so many of these tracks that could have otherwise worked so well together. Despite some rough decisions in the way the record is put together its best tracks still help to overcome it. 

Listen To: Me In 20 Years, Virile

44. Childish Gambino - 3.15.20

This is a record that certainly started plenty of conversations. As Donald Glover continues to use the Gambino moniker to explore a wide variety of genres some fans viewing his music with a more narrow lense didn't get what they wanted. But I think that big picture the creativity and versatility on display across the album make up for some of its fake woke mistakes. The album feels like a career retrospective for Donald who explored rap, funk and even some indie and electronic sounds across the tracklist with ease. While the record isn't the masterpiece Donald's cult of personality may make it out to be it also isn't come kind of career ending disaster and I continue to get joy out of so many of its tracks 9 months later. 

Listen To: 12.38, 19.10

43. HAIM - Women In Music Pt. 3

Talking of genre blending records it didn't get any more versatile than the 3rd outing from the HAIM sisters where they pursued just about any idea they could think of across this record. From a songwriting perspective they certainly cover quite a bit of ground but the musicality is even more versatile embodying the indie rock of old and dipping their toes into who knows how many other new directions. The sisters are exciting as a band and as individuals as their personalities leak into these songs over and over again elevating them well above the indie standard. 

Listen To: The Steps, 3am

42. Jesu - Terminus

Justin Broadrick got the 2020's off to a hot start with his Jesu project not only releasing a pretty solid EP earlier in the year but following it up with Terminus a loud and imposing collection detailed songs written with a pop flare. The songs are much more vulnerable and accessible than we are used to hearing from Broadrick yet with intense rushes of instrumentation and shoegaze like texture and detail it should please both old fans and make new ones.

Listen To: Terminus, When I Was Small

41. Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia

Dua Lipa joined the ranks of artists bringing back the sounds of 80's pop music this year which was a bold choice given it was only her second album and well, her first record was quite the mess. Thankfully she quickly developed some impressive swagger and delivered on one hard-hitting pop anthem after another. She never faltered in her nostalgia because everything she did felt so Dua it was impossible to pin on anything else. The instrumentals are slicked and polished and Dua's performances are dynamic and charming resulting in a perfect execution of her futuristic nostalgia concept.

Listen To: Break My Heart, Future Nostalgia

40. Lana Del Rey - Violet Bent Backward Over The Grass

Lana switched pace this year delivering a spoken word poetry album rather than any kind of Norman Fucking Rockwell follow-up. With indulgent metaphors and no hooks Lana paints immaculate metaphors over quiet Jack Antonoff instrumentals. Without the burden of contemporary pop songwriting Lana' frees herself with impressive results penning impressive lyricism throughout the record. While many saw this as nothing more than a novelty diatribe Lana put some serious wongwriting on display. 

Listen To: SportCruiser, LA Who Am I To Love You

39. Grimes - Miss Anthropocene

Grimes long awaited follow up to her 2015 classic Art Angels took the form of a dystopian pop and electronica record with industrial themes and infectious songwriting. While it makes a few mistakes that hold it back of being great the record still manages to pull off all kinds of different successes. From summery acoustic ballads to chilling synth pop anthems Grimes flexes her versatility and consistency on the record making all these songs feel like they belong together despite their difference in sound. 

Listen To: 4am, Violence

38. Pinegrove - Marigold

DIY indie darlings Pinegrove returned this year with the proper album that so many expected a few years ago to be a big breakout hit. While the band may not have caught fire it isn't for lack of quality because the record adopts the formula of the bands debut and expands on the sound and lyricism making for a bolder and more personal experience. The album is a stripped back musically raw experience with the impassioned vocals and lyricism to match which made for an early 2020 highlight that stuck with me all year. 

Listen To: Moment, Dotted Line

37. Nicolas Jaar - Cenizas

Jaar had quite the productive year releasing a handful of projects under his various pseudonyms. The most experimental and boundary pushing of the bunch turned out to be Cenizas a warped challenging dive into dark ambient music that I came away from in awe. Jaar flexes his conceptual creativity crafting songs that thrive in their minimalism one after another without the record ever sounding samey or losing its flow. In a genre that can be very hit or miss in terms of connecting to a listener base Jaar delivers one hit after another on Cenizas.

Listen To: Cenizas, Mud

36. The Microphones - Microphones In 2020

Phil Elverum has spent the better part of the last two decades dazzling with his poetic folk project Mount Eerie. This year he made a return to his classic The Microphones moniker for a 1 track, 45 minute album diving into his own personal and musical history in detail. Elverum takes his classic stylings of simple acoustic guitar led instrumentation and naturalistic lyricism and pens an impressively engaging listening experience. Die hard fans are certain to get more out of the experience than casual listeners given how much Phil references his musical past, but I think there is a lot about the album that almost anyone can enjoy. 

Listen To: Microphones In 2020

35. Ka - Descendents Of Cain

Mysterious New York rapper Ka is known most for his strikingly conceptual hip hop odysseys using classical storytelling arcs to manifest his poetic statements on modern day issues. On Cain he is delivering that formula with Christian theology serving as its backbone and it hits in a more personal way than many of his other releases. With the ideology at the core of his writing he turns his metaphor game up to 100 and delivers one impressive lyrical display after another making for one of his most well rounded projects to date. 

Listen To: Pray, My Brothers Keeper

34. Poppy - I Disagree

Poppy's completed transition into nu metal music only happened back in January but it feels like years ago. Part of that is certainly a credit to how much of a veteran she feels like within the genre on the records hardest hitting songs. Bangers aren't even the only thing the record has to offer though as she dives into synth pop and even shoegaze style tracks in between. Her credentials as an artist have more than proven to apply to almost any genre she reaches to and what's left is just a bunch of great songs. 

Listen To: Sit/Stay, BLOODMONEY

33. The Killers - Imploding The Mirage

For their 6th studio album The Killers recruited Foxygen's Jonathan Rado on production and pulled features from Weyes Blood and k.d.lang. The result is an immaculate and wonderfully detailed set of heartland rock anthems with one anthemic rise after another throughout its tracklist. The songs are epic 70's rock inspired tales that features Brandon Flowers classic bravado on display and add up to one of the bands best full statements ever. 

Listen To: Caution, My Own Souls Warning

32. Jay Electronica - A Written Testimony

Jay Electronica surprise released his long awaited debut album earlier this year which secretly featured collaborations from Jay-Z on almost every song. The pair go toe to toe on family, hip hop and most predominately, faith. They dish out slick bars one after another and trade verses on a variety of different types of songs. From a crushing closer that sees them both detailing friends they've lost to an explosive banger that sees them hyping up their own achievements the record is two veterans doing their thing effectively. While A Written Testimony may be collaboration heavy on what many expected to be a proper debut album, the final result we got is still excellent. 

Listen To:Ghost Of Soulja Slim, The Neverending Story

31. Torres - Silver Tongue

On her last record Torres scared some meek listeners away with her bold additions to the standard singer-songwriter sound. Rather than turning back she dove even further into it this year with excellent results the show off what makes her such a great artist and songwriter. With blistering guitar riffs backing her intimate occasionally sensual ballads she commands an active listening experience and never ruins the personal nature of her sound with the loud instrumentation. She walks such a remarkably fine line on the record and does it with the poise of a veteran that I think she's capable of building even further upon going forward. 

Listen To: Last Forrest, Two Of Everything

30. Liturgy - Origin Of The Alimonies

The star of transcendental black metal Hunter-Hunt Hendrix emerged once again in 2020 with a creative and completely unique record. Origin blends her black metal sound with electronics, improved instrumentation and as always a complicated philosophy to tell a thematic narrative through this extreme music. The sounds are crushing highlights one after another with a diverse blend of instrumentation and thought provoking ideological progression between a pair of characters. It is something truly unique to Liturgy that I still don't think I completely understand but I'm happy to keep revisiting it. 

Listen To: SIHEYMAN's Lament, The Armistice

29. Wolf Parade - Thin Mind

Spencer Krug and company returned in 2020 with a record that fully rekindled indie fans love affair with one of the 2000's most essential indie bands. Krug's charming and often hilarious storytelling edge has never left but this time around the band matches it with detailed instrumentation across an array of tracks that show off all their capable of. With one great song after another the band dials it back to a time in indie music defined by rich rustic instrumentation and unmistakable vocals and evoke a strong wave of nostalgia for those times. 

Listen To: Out Of Control, Julia Take Your Man Home

28. Laura Marling - Song For Out Daughter

Song isn't winning any awards for being one of the most progressive or groundbreaking records you'll hear this year with a pretty standard instrumental palette and singer-songwriter formula. What she succeeds in doing however is writing one great song after another working rewarding high points into each one and assembling them together into a refreshing series of great songs. There are no frills to the tracklist or to any of the individual songs and the result is an efficient and incredibly compelling record.

Listen To: Held Down, Strange Girl

27. Matmos - The Consuming Flame: Open Exercises In Group Form

The longest record on this years list comes to us courtesy of Matmos, of course it does. The group crafts an incredibly long 3 disc odyssey with over 100 musical collaborators that may be the boldest thing I've seen any group do all year. I very nearly skipped this project assuming it was a novelty side project but wow am I glad I gave it a shot. Some of the most impressive and experimental music I've ever heard from the group turns up here and it isn't always coming from the records most high profile features. If Matmos hadn't already won you over with their unique brand of experimental and conceptual electronica music this record is surely to change your mind, for better or for worse is up to you.

Listen To: Warm Opening, Nice Men In Stable Relationships

26. Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher

The indie darling of 2020 lands just outside my top 25 as Phoebe expands her singer-songwriter mentality into all kinds of bold new directions on the quiet but impactful Punisher. Phoebe preaches millennial sadness with an edge of dark humor on one ballad after another briefly interspersed with up-tempo tracks featuring just as sad lyrics. Not only does she deliver relatable personality across the album but backs it up with excellent songwriting and an impressive array of collaborators making for a slam dunk modern day indie hit. 

Listen To: Halloween, I Know The End

25. R.A.P Ferreira - Purple Moonlight Pages

Rory Allen Phillip Ferreira transitioned away from his Milo moniker into R.A.P Ferreira seamlessly with what may be the best record of his entire career on Purple Moonlight Pages. The album bursts with charming and kooky off kilter flows as Ferreira doesn't take himself too seriously but knows exactly when to play it straight. It's ambitious but ultimately relaxed and a refreshing mixture of personality and talent that is rarely executed so well in experimental hip hop and I can't get enough of it. 

Listen To: Absolutes, Pinball

24. Destroyer - Have We Met

One of the earlier great records I heard this year proved to hold up well in a way that some others may not have. Destroyer's mature and sophisticated indie pop prowess shines through on his sonically darkest record to date. He delivers song after song with a meditative swagger and veteran poise making this one of the most personal but also indulgent Destroyer records yet. With captivating nocturnal instrumentals and charming vocalizing from Dan Beyar indie pop rarely gets any better than this. 

Listen To: It Just Doesn't Happen, Cue Synthesizer

23. Bright Eyes - Down In The Weeds, Where The World Once Was

Bright Eyes returning was one of my most anticipated events of 2020 given how much of a fan I've been of Conor Oberst throughout his career. My expectations were high but Weeds lived up to them with touching indie folk that refuses to rely on tropes of old. While there are certainly tracks here that are reminiscent of earlier work the band also pushes into new directions throughout the album and it mostly works. Oberst's great emo tinged performance style holds up incredibly well on one passionate indie folk song after another making for one of the better records from the indie realm I heard in 2020.

Listen To: Forced Convalescence, Dance And Sing

22. Caribou - Suddenly

Dan Snaith has spent his entire career innovating and that is no different on this new Caribou project. His blend of hard-hitting electronica with soft intimate vocals is just as beautiful now as its ever been and with hip hop style percussion being added to the mix we get one of the most human albums made from synthetic components I've ever heard. I know that's a pretentious sounding mouthful but this track explodes with life despite the electronica at its core and hits bright and meaningful high points one after another. It may be a while before we hear from the moniker again but Dan has given u more than enough to chew on for years to come. 

Listen To: New Jade, Home

21. William Basinski - Lamentations

Tape God William Basinski shows up every few years to drop something pretty impactful and this time around he really outdid himself with Lamentations. This record is part sample, part tape delay and part pure ambience doing it all in a way that makes every second feel captivating and impactful. The album never really settles on a sound and includes a number of tracks that sonically connect to each other often separated in the tracklist making each repeat visit to the album a treat. Indulging with these compositions is just as enjoyable after 30 listens than it was the very first time and that's a remarkable credit to Basinski's veteran creativity and execution on the record.

Listen To: All These Too I I Love, Tear Vial

20. Hum - Inlet

After 20 years of silence we finally heard from noise rock and shoegaze band Hum again in 2020 and they wasted no time with pleasantries. Inlet is a fiery and impassioned return to their sound that interpolates even more compositional complexity on tracks that reward with both their sound and their occasionally daunting lengths one after another. With walls of roaring guitars, booming anthemic production and soaring lead vocals the album is a massive statement that makes up for all the lost time and then some. 

Listen To: Desert Rambler, Waves

19. Mark Kozelek - All The Best Isaac Hayes

I had a decision to make regarding Mark Kozelek, one of my favorite singers and songwriters of all time and the man behind Red House Painters and Sun Kil Moon, when he was accused of an incident of sexual misconduct earlier this year. I'm still not sure if I will cover new material going forward but I had already reviewed Isaac Hayes before those allegations came out and leaving it off my year end lists would be an obvious, glaring and dishonest omotion. Mark's spoken word tour across Canada, through the eastern US and back to his home in California is full of great stories from his decades long career that added some even more meta elements into the remarkable canon he's built for his indulgent spoken word music. While it's obviously worth reading about Mark and establishing an opinion on him as an individual separately from him as an artist, I would also be lying if I said this record was anything other than one of my favorite of the year. 

Listen To: Ottawa, Los Angeles

18. Jeff Rosenstock - No Dream

Aside from keeping the entire world of modern punk music on their toes for when he may randomly surprise drop his new record, he also left so many of his contemporaries in the dust with yet another great record. No Dream dabbles in plenty of Rosenstock favorites but does so louder and more aggressively than ever before. Jeff sounds despondent but entirely nihilistic in his pointed critiques of society during the COVID pandemic with one punk rock rager after another. He sounds more observational and critical than ever before which is exactly what we needed to hear from him in 2020, and I wonder if it wouldn't be cathartic to hear Jeff raging against the machine at least once every year. Here's hoping.

Listen To: Ohio Tpke, Scram!

17. Charli XCX - how I'm feeling now

A lot of artists made "quarantine records" in 2020 given that most of the world was stuck inside for a pretty significant period. Charli took that to another level making an album that embodied the quarantine concept from top to bottom with jagged DIY sounding production and a variety of tracks addressing feelings of isolation, love and missing the world outside. It's a great testament to Charli as an artist to turn around after one of the grandest statements pop music has heard in years and very quickly release a smaller more conceptual record that may genuinely be just as good. From the hard-hitting hyper pop ragers to the gorgeous synthetic ballads Charli continues to sound like the future of pop music. 

Listen To: Claws, Anthems

16. Amine - Limbo

As far as versatile artists within the hip hop realm go, Amine made a pretty great case in 2020 for being among the best. Limbo shows off Amine at his most serious and his most fun-loving with verses that are strikingly contemporary alongside major trap artists as well as old head flashes with lyrical powerhouses. All of this is done with an impressive list of producers but the true highlight of the record is fittingly Amine himself who never breaks stride across this wonderfully detailed set of songs. If you weren't already on board with Amine get used to hearing his name because he's a diverse talent who isn't going anywhere anytime soon. 

Listen To: Fetus, Burden

15. Fleet Foxes - Shore

On their 4th record Fleet Foxes abandoned he winding compositions and dark instrumentation of Crack-Up in favor of a sound much more analogous to their debut. There's simple, bright, catchy tunes all over this album done with Robin Pecknold's unmistakable writing style and the bands pen for well rounded instrumentals. All of the great songwriting and performances we've come to expect from the band show up here just in a format we haven't heard from them in a while, politely soaring over their contemporaries with one excellent track after another. 

Listen To: Sunblind, Maestranza

14. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist - Alfredo

Last year Freddie Gibbs teamed up with Madlib for my favorite hip hop record of 2019. This time around Freddie joined another one of rap music's most legendary beat crafters for an entirely different kind of record on Alfredo. Alchemists beats are a unique style all their own separate from Freddie' normal output but the pair adjust perfectly to craft a set of summery and incredibly smooth rap songs. either artist necessarily had anything to prove going into the year but they decided to flex their respective talents regardless and the results are obviously excellent. 

Listen To: Babies & Fools, Scottie Beam

13. The Weeknd - After Hours

After once again releasing a number of great singles Abel finally delivered on the album I had been hoping for with After Hours. Channeling the slick neon overstimulation of 80's pop music into a number of great tracks with remarkable consistency and variety The Weekend assembles his best project since his breakout 2011 mixtape days. From dark emotional R&B tracks to shimmering synth pop high points there is a ton of variety across the album but Abel almost never breaks stride. From the impressive set of collaborators behind the scenes to Abel's unwavering charm as a performer everything about the record is commercial music near perfection and After Hours is sure to be used as a quality standard for years to come. 

Listen To:After Hours, Heartless

12. Perfume Genius - Set My Heart On Fire Immediately

On his new record Mike once again teams up with Blake Mills for another beautifully arranged and performed series of songs with impeccable variety throughout. With a gripping and almost impressively stark opening track to an 80's dance inspire dlead single they do everything to perfection and as a pair they are basically unrivaled. With increasingly bold decision making and interpolations of more and more genres the horizons continue to expand for Perfume Genius and Heart is yet another step in one of the best and most versatile discographies in all of modern music. 

Listen To: On The Floor, Jason

11. Rina Sawayama - Sawayama

Just outside the top 10 is my favorite debut album of the year with the long awaited introduction of Rina Sawayama to the rest of the world. After her debut EP was lauded by Clarence Clarity stans like myself for years she finally properly introduced herself with a self-titled debut EP that sees her wearing her heart on her sleeve as a songwriter and performer throughout. Even though it was so trendy this year to remember the 80's Rina goes straight up Spice Girls with her 2000's revivalism but never shies away from bold songwriting and experimental production choices. This blend of old and new made for a wonderfully unique record that stood out from all its contemporaries in the pop music realm and established Rina as a premiere popstar to look out for going forward. 

Listen To: XS, Chosen Family

10. Gorillaz - Song Machine Season One: Strange Timez

Kicking off the top 10 is a record I didn't expect to like nearly as much as I did. That was of course before Gorillaz dropped one killer single after another after another all year in the lead up to its release. Not only does Damon craft great instrumentals and his ever-charming 2-D performances, but also manages to evoke one killer feature after another from nearly every guest involved in the project. The record trades out Gorillaz usual conceptual nature for a straightforward set of songs that are rewarding over and over again and make for the bands best collection of tunes in a decade. If there is a Season 2 and beyond of Song Machine it will certainly be something to look out for given how surprisingly great Season 1 turned out to be. 

Listen To: Aries, The Valley Of The Paganz

9. Tame Impala - The Slow Rush

One of the more controversial releases of the year was Tame Impala's The Slow Rush which continued down a path of blissful psychedelic indie pop and almost completely abandoned the 60's guitar rock of the bands first two records. While many were upset with the change if you can manage to look part it you'll find that the songwriting and soundplay that made those records great shows up in spades here. From compositionally rich tunes to textured shimmering instrumentals the detail of these songs is immaculate and makes for one great highlight after another. With Kevin bringing his trademark vocals and a slightly nostalgic sense of lyricism these songs craft a dreamy sonic haze of crashing drums and pitch perfect melodies that work as an encapsulating final product. 

Listen To: One More Hour, Breathe Deeper

8. Blu & Exile - Miles

With one legendary collaboration already under their belt Blu & Exile had absolutely nothing to prove as a pair. Yet they came back after a long absence with over 90 minutes of jazz worshipping conscious hip hop that rivals anything I've ever heard in this specific genre niche. Blu delivers remarkable thematic focus on track after track as his unwavering bars manage to stay on point with incredible efficiency. Exile on the other hand conjures up all kinds of different instrumental work working the rich history of Miles Davis and jazz music into both hard-hitting and relaxed hip hop beats all across the album. For a record so long to maintain its poise and consistency is an achievement on its own but so many of these songs work as wonderful highlights for rap music this year, making the record an absolute must listen to any rap fans who take the genre and its history serious. 

Listen To: Miles Davis, Requiem Of Blue

7. Against All Logic - 2017-2019

In 2018 Nicolas Jaar came out of nowhere with a secret moniker that made lo-fi house music and it proved to be one of the best electronic music albums of the entire decade.  I don't think anyone expected to hear from the project again so quickly but it helped kick off a prolific year for Jaar with a sonic transition that sees the project going more industrial without ever missing a step. What it loses in catchiness it makes up for in relentless hard-hitting passages on one track after another. The music here is technically house but it would take a bold group of dancers to go along with these explosive, indulgent and ultimately fascinating tunes.

Listen To: Deeeeeeefers, Fantasy

6. Run The Jewels - RTJ4

Killer Mike and EL-P linked up for a 4th collaboration full of hard-hitting politically charged hip hop that arrived at the absolute perfect time this year. The only thing more impactful than the duos social commentary is their uncompromising delivery as even the records most personal moments still feel incredibly impactful. Once again finding gold in maximalism the pair are as in your face as ever with fiery bars and lights out production from EL-P from front to back. While the record follows in the footsteps of previous entries there is no denying that the artists and features who worked on this record live up to their status. 

Listen To: Walking In The Snow, A Few Words For The Firing Squad

5. Jessie Ware - What's Your Pleasure?

Jessie Ware took pop music to a new high this year with her pristine veteran swagger and pitch perfect songwriting. All across this record she is channeling nostalgic sounds but not getting lost for a second in reminiscing. Each of the songs here pop with detail making for a record that hits its mark time and time again with rich production and flawless songwriting. Blending catchy hooks with tangible progressions and one hard-hitting crescendo after another Jessie is making pop music at its most patient and ultimately rewarding. Given how long the mature pop label has been used as a drag against her music seeing her not only embrace it, but also perfect it, was wonderful.

Listen To: Remember Where You Are, Spotlight

4. Fiona Apple - Fetch The Bolt Cutters

On what may be the single most acclaimed album of the year Fiona Apple channels her raw emotions into gritty and personal songwriting across one of her best records yet. Matching that energy with raw instrumental aesthetics and creative songwriting she manifests her personal feelings with unmatched quality. She puts on display her talent as a vocalist, songwriter and sort of a creative director as the record is full of completely separate and unique experiments that work excellently together. Given the caliber of each of the pieces involved an the records lack of any true duds it is comfortably among the best things I've heard this year. 

Listen To: Shameika, Relay

3. The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You

Right at the end of 2020 The Avalanches snuck in a landmark 3rd record that had me completely blindsided. Luckily the record showed up just in time to not only make this list but nearly dominate it with a rich variety of incredible tracks. The Avalanches manages to work in original recordings, an array of samples and all kinds of different features into an album that feels so genuinely connected in its exploration of galactic themes of life and death. With sonic and thematic consistency maintained throughout the album on tracks that sound so different from each other but maintain an incredibly high quality standard. The record is a remarkable achievement I'll be grappling with for numerous months into 2021 at least and yet another excellent addition to the bands all time great discography.

Listen To: The Divine Chord, Gold Sky

2. The Strokes - The New Abnormal

It's not often that the most anticipated record of the year exceeds expectations, but when it does happen it usually makes for a legendary treat and The New Abnormal is just that. The record sees The Strokes teaming up with Rick Rubin for their first record in 7 years and doing so in a more unhinged and creative way than ever before. With absolutely nothing tying them to the radio rock of their old days they continue to push forward with a grander sound palette and more experimental songwriting that never breaks stride across the records impressively tight tracklist. Julian Casablancas is delivering a wide variety of impactful performance flexing his versatility as a vocalist more than ever before laying down a full range of emotion across the album without ever feeling out of his element. What the band achieved on this record is something that can only happen when you've been great enough, or bad enough for so long that nobody knows what to expect and The Strokes delivered a career renaissance for the ages on one of their best records ever and a defining jolt for rock music in the coming 2020's. 

Listen To: At The Door, Ode To The Mets

1. Clipping - Visions Of Bodies Being Burned

There are very few artists to whom I've dished out more acclaim in my years writing for this blog than Clipping, yet they continue to impress me in ways I couldn't have even imagined just a few years ago. The trio followed up last years experiment in horror rap with yet another indulgent set of songs inspired by classic horror movies of old yet this time they did it with even more ambition and poise. Nowhere in rap music this year did I hear anything as consistently creative, boundary pushing and yet instantly accessible as Visions. Clipping simultaneously provides vocal and instrumental experiments that far exceed the ambition of almost anyone else in the genre but are good enough to turn around and craft a song like Say The Name that's so catchy with such tight flows that even a casual appreciator of hip hop could fall in love. It says so much about the creativity of the group to deliver a set of songs this good that fully run the gambit from routine to completely insane and never falter for a minute. This record is entirely the sound of Clipping being Clipping, one of the most strikingly unique projects in all of modern music doing exactly what they came here to do, dazzle and amaze. As they continue to improve on their core concepts, experiment with and adapt to new sounds, and maintain their excellent songwriting ability and instrumental ambition they appear to have no ceiling. Clipping has made great records in the past and will go on to make great records in the future, but for now Visions Of Bodies Being Burned was the best album I heard in all of 2020/

Listen To: Say The Name, Check The Lock

Thanks for reading!

This is the last of the big year end lists but don't go anywhere because we'll be right back to reviewing new albums in just a couple of days. Follow the blog if you want notifications about new pieces or follow the Instagram to hear about all the best new records, lists or features. 

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