The Top Albums of 2020
106 Albums That Got Me Through This Uniquely Challenging Year
In 2020, I listened to over 300 newly released albums, and actually I lost track —hmm, I must have been tired this year—and the final count was almost certainly closer to 400. That means that I listened to even more new music than last year, which is to say: far too much, again. So again, like last year, I will now recommit to spending more time on old favorites. (Maybe I can cut it down to 250 new albums? Sounds even sillier when I put it that way.)
In the tradition of one of my very favorite writers, Hanif Abdurraqib, I have let my feelings lead the length of this one rather than limit it to a round number like 50 or 100. That being said, I’ve only included the albums that made some kind of palpable positive mark on me. It turns out there are 106 of them. Also, for the pedants out there, this does include EPs. Oh and also also, If I wrote or tweeted about the album, I included a link to that here as well.
106. Orion Sun — Hold Space for Me
105. SG Goodman — Old Time Feeling
I wrote about the album’s title track and how much I missed the South this year for The Wild Honey Pie.
104. Nation of Language — Introduction, Presence
103. Wilder Maker — Ambien Jukebox
102. Jónsi — Shiver
I wrote about the track “Exhale” and gushed about Jónsi for The Wild Honey Pie.
101. Charli XCX — how i’m feeling now
100. Sam Lynch — Little Disappearance
99. The Strokes — The New Abnormal
98. Carly Rae Jepsen — Dedicated Side B
97. Freddie Gibbs + Alchemist — Alfredo
96. Deep Sea Diver — Impossible Weight
I wrote about how the track “Lights Out” awakened ghosts of 2000s indie rock in my heart, for The Wild Honey Pie.
95. Burna Boy — Twice as Tall
94. Flo Milli — Ho, why is you here?
93. Arca — KiCK i
92. Nick Hakim — Will This Make Me Good
91. Teyana Taylor — The Album
90. Cartalk — Pass Like Pollen
89. Moses Sumney — græ
88. Lauren Auder — two caves in (EP)
I wrote about the track “June 14th” and the urgent importance of feelings for The Wild Honey Pie. Especially proud of this one.
87. Tkay Maidza — Last Year Was Weird, Vol 2 (EP)
86. Westerman — Your Hero Is Not Dead
85. Rina Sawayama — Sawayama
84. Yelle — L’Ère du Verseau
83. Wolf Parade — Thin Mind
82. Megan Thee Stallion — Suga (EP)
81. Ratboys — Printer’s Devil
80. Love Mansuy — món-swee (side A) (EP)
79. Xavier Omär — if You Feel
78. Miloe — Greenhouse (EP)
77. Sufjan Stevens — The Ascension
I wrote about the track “Video Game” and nerded out about electro-Sufjan for The Wild Honey Pie. I also tweeted when the new album was announced.
76. Aminé — Limbo
75. Taylor Swift — folklore
74. Whitney — Candid
73. Khruangbin — Mordechai
72. Girlhood — Girlhood
71. Lady Gaga — Chromatica
70. Future — High Off Life
69. BENEE — Hey u x
68. My Morning Jacket — The Waterfall II
67. Rolling B.C.F — Sideways to New Italy
66. Bad Bunny — Las Que No Iban a Salir
65. Fiona Apple — Fetch the Bolt Cutters
64. Johanna Warren — Chaotic Good
63. TSHA — Flowers (EP)
62. J Balvin — Colores
61. Mick Jenkins — The Circus
I included a short writeup on the album in my First Quarter Review.
60. Porches — Ricky Music
I wrote about the track “Rangerover” in my first ever writeup for The Wild Honey Pie.
59. Princess Nokia — Everything Is Beautiful / Everything Sucks
I wrote about the track “Green Eggs & Ham” (fuck the cops) for The Wild Honey Pie.
58. Sam Amidon — Sam Amidon
57. Thundercat — It Is What It Is
56. Sports Team — Deep Down Happy
55. Bright Eyes — Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was
I wrote about the track “Persona Non Grata” and Conor Oberst’s magic power for The Wild Honey Pie.
54. BERWYN — DEMOTAPE/VEGA
I wrote about the track “GLORY” for The Wild Honey Pie. Especially proud of this one.
53. Ariana Grande — Positions
52. Bongeziwe Mabandla — iimini
51. Kurt Vile — Speed, Sound, Lonely KV (EP)
50. Told Slant — Point the Flashlight and Walk
49. Tomberlin — Projections (EP)
48. Kacey Johansing — No Better Time
47. Frances Quinlan — Likewise
I had the privilege of interviewing Frances, who is also the lead singer of Hop Along, for FRONTRUNNER Magazine. We talked about art, Joni Mitchell, and adolescence.
46. Dan Croll — Grand Plan
45. Helena Deland — Someone New
44. Little Simz — Drop 6 (EP)
I wrote about the track “Might Bang, Might Not” (and confirmed that it does) for The Wild Honey Pie.
43. Soccer Mommy — color theory
I wrote about the track “yellow is the color of her eyes” and grief for The Wild Honey Pie.
42. Poliça — When We Stay Alive
I included a short writeup in my First Quarter Review.
41. DaBaby — My Brother’s Keeper (EP)
40. Caribou — Suddenly
I wrote about the track “Magpie” for The Wild Honey Pie. I also included a short writeup on the album in my First Quarter Review, and tweeted this when I saw a picture of young Caribou with young Four Tet.
39. Empress Of — I’m Your Empress Of
I reviewed the album in my Second Quarter Review. I also wrote about the track “Not The One” and awkward hookups for The Wild Honey Pie.
38. Widowspeak — Plum
37. Perfume Genius — Set My Heart On Fire Immediately
36. Christian Lee Hutson — Beginners
35. Denzel Curry — 13LOOD 1N 13LOOD OUT (EP)
34. Ambar Lucid — Garden of Lucid
33. Tame Impala — The Slow Rush
I included a short writeup in my First Quarter Review.
32. Lord Apex / Bushi Vibes — darkskies
I included a short writeup in my First Quarter Review.
31. Run The Jewels — RTJ4
30. Kevin Morby — Sundowner
29. Jessie Ware — What’s Your Pleasure?
28. Juni Habel — All Ears
27. Trace Mountains — Lost in the Country
26. Joey Bada$$ — The Light Pack (EP)
25. Becca Mancari — The Greatest Part
24. Bad Bunny — El Último Tour del Mundo
23. Half Waif — The Caretaker
I included a short writeup in my First Quarter Review.
22. Lido Pimienta — Miss Colombia
I reviewed the album in my Second Quarter Review. I also wrote about the track “Nada” and hot air balloons for The Wild Honey Pie.
21. Nilüfer Yanya — Feeling Lucky? (EP)
I interviewed Nilüfer for FRONTRUNNER Magazine, and we talked about her last album, and it was great.
20. Troye Sivan — In a Dream (EP)
19. Car Seat Headrest — Making a Door Less Open
18. Samia — The Baby
17. Fireboy DML — APOLLO
16. Kelly Lee Owens — Inner Song
15. Ray Lamontagne — Monovision
14. Adrianne Lenker — songs
13. Laura Marling — Song For Our Daughter
I reviewed the album in my Second Quarter Review. I also wrote about the track “Held Down” and the magic of backup singers for The Wild Honey Pie.
12. Ela Minus — acts of rebellion
11. Grimes — Miss Anthropocene
I included a short writeup in my First Quarter Review.
10. Fleet Foxes — Shore
9. Fenne Lily — BREACH
8. Bad Bunny — YHLQMDLG
I included a short writeup in my First Quarter Review.
7. HAIM — Women in Music Pt. III
I reviewed the album in my Second Quarter Review. I also wrote about the track “I Know Alone” and catharsis for The Wild Honey Pie.
6. Anjimile — Giver Taker
5. Christine & The Queens — La vita nuova (EP)
I wrote about why the track “People, I’ve been sad” is one of my favorite songs of the year for The Wild Honey Pie. Very proud of this one.
4. Phoebe Bridgers — Punisher
I reviewed the album in my Second Quarter Review. I also wrote about the track “Kyoto” and Phoebe’s emotional palette for The Wild Honey Pie.
3. Andy Shauf — The Neon Skyline
I included a short writeup in my First Quarter Review.
2. Sylvan Esso — Free Love
1. Waxahatchee — Saint Cloud
I included a short writeup in my First Quarter Review.
