The Best Records of 2020

Joshua Peinado (@joshuapeinado)

10 albums to remember from this year

In the absolute cacophony of terrible things that is 2020, there was one thing that continually kept the world going- music. From country to indie to hip hop, music had a great year. While it is impossible to give recognition to all the music that made this year great, this is our attempt. 

10. What’s Your Pleasure - Jessie Ware

9/10

Fav Tracks: Spotlight, What's Your Pleasure, Save a Kiss, In Your Eyes, Step Into My Life, Remember Where You Are

Disco made a comeback in 2020 thanks to Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia, and it's more sophisticated sister- What's Your Pleasure. Jessie Ware invites us into a wonderfully nostalgic disco party, full of equally sensual and melancholy vibes. The balance is found in Ware's nostalgic and longful lyricism sung over groovy and infectious disco dance tracks. Ware has crafted a daring album that invites both the casual and the more intent listener to a great time. 

9. Little Dominique’s Nosebleed - The Koreatown Oddity

9/10

Fav Tracks: Little Dominique's Nosebleed Part 1 and 2, Koreatown Oddity, Chase the Spirit, Weed in LA, Attention Challenge

One of the most promising experimental hip hop records of the year, LDNB starts off strong, with the first half of the album being nearly perfect. Dominique Purdy blends clever lyrics with unconventional sounds and great production to create an almost MF DOOM sounding record. The Koreatown Oddity tells a compelling story of Purdy’s childhood without means and how it has impacted his life’s journey. With some of the boldest production and samples of 2020, this narrative album continues to astound upon each revisit.

8. Starting Over - Chris Stapleton

9/10

Far Tracks: Starting Over, Cold, Joy of My Life, Maggie's Song, Watch You Burn, Old Friends, Nashville TN

Martin has crafted a stirring and sparse country record that can pull in even those who don't typically take to country sounds. It's a warm and friendly sound to lose yourself in on a long drive or an evening by the fireside, with enough emotional punch to keep you coming back. Crafting both emotionally rich and powerful narratives, Martin’s creativity and heart shines through. From wishing revenge upon the executor of the mass shooting at a country music concert in Las vegas on ‘Watch You Burn’ to reminiscing about his dead dog on ‘Maggie’s Song’ , Martin remains one of the most inspiring and relevant voices in country. 

7. Microphones In 2020 - The Microphones

9/10

Fav Tracks: N/A

Phil Elverum has managed to create a wholly unique experience when listening to his latest record. Rather than a traditional album, this is made up of one 44 minute song that details the musical journey that Elverum has been on. A narrative piece unlike anything I’ve heard before, equally ambitious in its goals and in its execution. More similar to a poem than a traditional song, it is a musical experience that one should take time to listen to and read along with if possible. 

6. Alfredo - Freddie Gibbs, The Alchemist 

9/10

Fav Tracks:1985, God is Perfect, Something to Rap About, Babies and Fools

Clearly taking inspiration from the Godfather, and other mafia based media, Alfredo is a classy, smooth, and vibrant record that puts thoughtful lyricism on the forefront with some great samples and production. Thanks to a generous list of features the album never grows dull, instead switching directions while retaining the same vibe in an impressive display of self control and execution. Gibbs’ flow is incredible and The Alchemist provides some of the best production on any hip hop record of 2020. 

5. Sawayama - Rina Sawayama 

9/10

Fav Tracks: STFU, Comme De Garcons, Akasaka Sad, Love Me 4 Me, Bad Friend, Tokyo Love Hotel

Rina Sawayama has managed to create one of the best art pop records in recent memory. She delivers bop after bop, each stacked with memorable production, lyrics, and genre bending antics. Not content to fit in any one box, Sawayama is full of rock influences that make for the optimal head banging effect. Equally abrasive and intoxicating, Sawyama has created a unique soundscape that invites listeners to party, but leaves enough lyrical room for a thoughtful listen to fit any mood. 

4. RTJ4 - Run the Jewels

8/10

Fav tracks: Yankee and the Brave, Ooh La La, JU$T, A Few Words for the Firing Squad

Killer Mike and LP’s latest effort has culminated in one of, if not their best record yet. The duo had outdone themselves in creating banger after banger after banger. From the opening ‘Yankee and the Brave’ to what is the second best closer of the year ‘A Few Words for the Firing Squad’, Run The Jewels has packed this album with all the hype, politics, and saxophone one could wish for with features that not only compliment- but elevate their work. 

3. Grae - Moses Sumney

9/10

Fav Tracks: Me in 20 Years, Polly, Colours, Insula, Cut Me, Bless Me, Before You Go, Two Dogs

Since his rise to fame in 2017 following his debut album, Aromanticism, Sumney has capitalized on his unique sound to create a wholly immersive and shockingly ambitious sophomore effort. Sumney crafts an immersive and haunting atmosphere in Grae. Delving into themes of isolation, existentialism, and the in between space, the record remains both intimate and larger than life. Genreless, whimsical, and haunting- Sumney proves himself as a force to be reckoned with. It is one of the most thoughtful records of 2020, that dives deep into its subject matter. Its dual closing tracks ‘Bless me/before you go’ contend with others on the list for some of the best closers of the year. 

2. Song For Our Daughter - Laura Marling

10/10

Fav Tracks: For You, Held Down, Letter to Our Daughter, Only the Strong, Strange Girl, Alexandra, Blow by Blow

Based in part on Maya Angelou's book, A Letter to my Daughter, where Angelou writes to the young women of the world, Marling writes a record for her fictional daughter. An intimate and sparse record that records lessons, musings, and emotional moments from a parent to her child, one could swear that these were real letters Marling had written to her daughter. Such a degree of emotional authenticity and rawness regarding womanhood, parenting, and love can be rare so it is to be celebrated that Marling pulls it off with grace and poise.

Honorable Mentions

El Último Tour Del Mundo

Limbo

Future Nostalgia

After Hours

Circles

Untitled (Black Is)

Fetch the Bolt Cutters

Spilligion

Saint Cloud

Folklore

1. Punisher - Phoebe Bridgers

10/10
Fav Tracks: DVD Menu, Kyoto, Punisher, Halloween, Chinese Satellite, I Know the End

Punisher is nothing short of impressive. The sophomore album of Phoebe Bridgers, it shows clear growth from her first record, Stranger in the Alps, and solidifies her place as one of the best indie artists making music today. Her first cut, DVD Menu, is an instrumental. It’s equally ethereal and mysterious, compelling the listener to continue on to more. A lone string plays a haunting melody and one might just pick up on a human voice humming along. Intriguing and enveloping, DVD Menu welcomes us into the world of Punisher with poise and maturity. The record continues to deliver amazing tracks. Highlights include Kyoto, which sees Bridger jump into an almost alt-rock sound that matches her mood perfectly. With blaring horns and haunting lyrics, the track sticks with the listener long after its runtime comes to a close. Halloween and Chinese Satellite continue the trend of ethereal and intimate tracks that are easy to sing along to driving your car at night and even easier to cry to. The strings and Bridger’s haunting voice do most of the heavy lifting as one considers the genius that is Punisher. To finish the record, Bridgers delivers the best closing track of 2020. I Know The End begins in familiar territory, with Bridger recounting a lost love over ethereal instrumentals. However, halfway through the track it morphs into an indie-rock anthem as Bridger’s screams echo over a blaring horns section and choral arrangement. To call Punisher anything short of a masterpiece would be underselling the unique power and emotion that Bridger’s lyrics and voice lend to the record. It’s a familiar yet unique sound in today’s indie landscape that sets itself apart and above the competition thanks to an authentic yearning to share the artist's uncompromised experience with the listener.