Let’s just get this out of the way: in general, I think we can all agree that 2020 was a pretty terrible year, for a lot of reasons. But there were a few bright spots — and music was definitely one too. In fact, there was a ton of great music produced this year. Whether that happened in spite of the pandemic and all the stress, anxiety, and uncertainty humanity faced this year, or because of it, I’m not sure…but nevertheless, it’s hard to deny that some great art came out of this very dark time.
It was definitely easy to lean into nostalgia this year, and I definitely found myself going back and listening to older music from years ago as a source of comfort. But I read this Pitchfork article published during the dark days of early April, which made the case for why listening to new music was more essential than ever in times like these, and it made an impact on me. So I decided to recommit myself to intentionally seeking out and listening to new music this year…and not surprisingly found some gems.
Below are my picks for the albums and songs I appreciated most this year. Hopefully music (new or old!) was a source of comfort, inspiration, and healing for you this year as well!
- My Top 10 Albums of 2020 Playlist on Spotify
- My Top 25 Songs of 2020 Playlist on Spotify
- 2020 Jams (a longer playlist of songs I got stuck in my head throughout the year)
10. Ceremony – Phantogram (Spotify)
Phantogram have been one of my favorite artists for a few years now, and their fourth studio album didn’t disappoint. Though musically it was definitely a poppier departure from their earlier albums (and overall wasn’t nearly as compelling or consistent as 2016’s Three), it still definitely had that same unmistakeable, uncategorizable Phantogram quality and plenty of highlights. They tried a bunch of new stuff on this album, and even if it didn’t always work, I think the hits made up for the misses. “Into Happiness” and “Pedestal” are probably the best pop songs they’ve ever written. Still, Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter are at their best when they get weird. The spaghetti Western guitar riff over the skittering electronic samples and hip-hop beat make “In A Spiral” a banger. The distorted, computerized vocals and siren-like synths that function as the chorus (?) on “Mister Impossible” are downright bizarre…and also probably one of the most interesting and memorable songs on the album.
Standout tracks: “In A Spiral”, “Into Happiness”, “Pedestal”, “Mister Impossible”, “Glowing”
9. Jump Rope Gazers – The Beths (Spotify)
Definitely one of my best new artist finds of the year, this New Zealand indie pop band’s sophomore release is filled with sunny harmonies, big, dreamy guitar hooks, and tons of positive vibes. Elizabeth Stokes’ understated vocals at first come off as almost nonchalant, but also manage to convey a distinct sense of urgency. On the surface, this is a perfect summer album, but there’s also a sneaky depth and seriousness to the songwriting and lyrical themes that reveals itself after a few listens. It has one of the most killer opening tracks I’ve heard recently (“I’m Not Getting Excited”). “You Are A Beam Of Light” is a gorgeous, heartbreaking anthem for 2020.
Standout tracks: “I’m Not Getting Excited”, “Dying To Believe”, “Jump Rope Gazers”, “Out of Sight”, “Don’t Go Away”, “You Are A Beam of Light”
8. Brave Faces Everyone – Spanish Love Songs (Spotify)
Something about this album really hit home this year. This LA-based 5-piece indie pop punk outfit’s third studio album is a searing, unfiltered, anthemic catalog of bitterness, hopelessness, and misery faced by millions of 20-30-something Americans today. “It won’t be this bleak forever…yeah right,” sings frontman Dylan Slocum wryly on the chorus of “Self-Destruction (As a Sensible Career Choice)”, a lyric and title that pretty much sum this album up. While the album explores relentlessly dark themes — broken homes, drug abuse, dead end jobs, poverty — it does so with a tone that’s also undeniably cathartic. Yes, the world is awful, things suck, and there’s not too much we can do about it, they’re saying…but that’s okay. On the closing title track, Slocum makes his position clear: “And if nothing gets better / It’s as bad as it seems / Why can’t we say, “Fuck it”? \ You know it’s not what we need” … “We were never broken, life’s just very long / Brave faces, everyone”
Standout tracks: “Routine Pain”, “Self-Destruction (As a Sensible Career Choice)”, “Beach Front Property”, “Optimism (As a Radical Life Choice)”, “Losers 2”, “Brave Faces, Everyone”
7. Was It Not – Marian Hill (Spotify)
It’s rare for an EP to make my top 10, but these six tracks from alt-pop Philly duo Marian Hill absolutely deserved to make this list. I had tickets to see them live in DC in May 2020, just a few months after this EP dropped — a show that, like thousands of others this year, was unfortunately cancelled. The sparse opening track is an entrancing, evocative dream sequence perfectly encapsulated by Samantha Gongol’s whimsical vocals. The transition to “Take a number” — a swaggering, brash cut with huge distorted synth bass and a rap interlude from Dounia — makes for a jarring contrast, but shows the range of what this duo is capable of. Jeremy Lloyd’s trap-infused production is as solid and crisp as ever, and the return of saxophonist Steve Davit (one of the highlights of 2018’s Unusual) on the brilliant “eat u alive” is a welcome addition.
Standout tracks: “was it not”, “eat u alive”, “no one knows”
6. SUPERBLOOM – MisterWives (Spotify)
One of the most epic breakup albums I’ve heard in a long time, MisterWives’ third studio album is a revelation. It’s still full of that danceable, high-energy sound fans have come to love, and Mandy Lee’s distinctive, cutting vocals shine throughout. But to really appreciate this album, you need a little backstory: the album’s content was fueled by the ending of vocalist Mandy Lee’s 8-year relationship with drummer Etienne Bowler. Even more dramatic is that the two decided to stay in the band and do this album together after the breakup (!) so…as you can imagine, there was a lot of material to work with. The result of all that is a 19-track, 61-minute opus that chronicles a breakup in almost narrative form: the heartbreak, loneliness, sadness, anger, and — ultimately — the catharsis of moving on, stronger and wiser, in the latter half of the album (“coming up for air”, “decide to be happy”, “muse”, and especially the absolutely brilliant closing title track). It’s by far the band’s best and most cohesive album to date.
Standout tracks: “whywhywhy”, “find my way home”, “rock bottom”, “coming up for air”, “oxygen”, “running in place”, “muse”, “SUPERBLOOM”
5. Imploding The Mirage – The Killers (Spotify)
The Killers get back to their roots with this one, forsaking the experimental pop turn of 2017’s Wonderful Wonderful and returning to the Springsteen-inspired narratives and expansive desert rock sound that they do best. Brandon Flowers’ vocals sounds better than ever, and the band overall just sounds more comfortable, like they’ve found their sweet spot with this record. It’s an album that overflows with sincerity, nostalgia, memorable imagery, and huge choruses, and I felt myself going back to it over and over this year. It may be a bit overly bombastic and overwrought at times (I’m still not entirely sure what “Imploding the Mirage” actually means?)…but isn’t that also sort of why we love these guys?
Standout tracks: “My Own Soul’s Warning”, “Blowback”, “Dying Breed”, “Caution”, “My God”
4. WOMB – Purity Ring (Spotify)
This album is a mood. Canadian duo Purity Ring took a sharp turn with their third album, which surprisingly has much more in common with the dark, moody electronic art-pop of their 2012 debut Shrines than with the big, glittering pop hooks of their last album (2015’s Another Eternity). But vocalist Megan James and producer Corin Roddick are very much in their element here — it’s essentially a synthesis of the best parts of each of their prior albums. Some songs lean more heavily towards one or another (“stardew” and “peacefall” would sound at home on Another Eternity; “femia” and “almanac” are pure Shrines), but this album truly shines when they strike just the right balance between the two (“pink lightning”, “silkspun”, “sinew”). Lyrically this album is dominated by the same cryptic, mystical phrasing as their previous efforts, which can be fun to try and parse…or not, because honestly it sounds so gorgeous that you don’t really care. Lots of artists try to do things similar to what Purity Ring does — but James and Roddick are in a league of their own, and they’re at the top of their game here.
Standout tracks: “pink lightning”, “peacefall”, “sinew”, “vehemence”, “silkspun”, “stardew”
3. Notes on a Conditional Form – The 1975 (Spotify)
Definitely one of the biggest album releases this year, by one of (if not the) biggest band in the world right now, and NOACF lived up to the hype. It is in some ways the inevitable culmination of The 1975’s evolution: a wild, fragmented, jarring, exhilarating whirlwind crammed with an insane menagerie of the lyrical and musical madness/genius inside Matty Healy and drummer/producer George Daniel’s heads. It seems like this time around, Healy and company just decided to take all the guardrails and filters off. Clocking in at 22 tracks and a ridiculous 80+ minute run time, perhaps the biggest criticism of this album might be that it could have done with a bit of editing…if anyone thought they could edit Healy at this point. The jarring dissonance of first three tracks are a good microcosm: NOACF begins with a 5-and-a-half-minute clip of a speech by teenage climate activist Greta Thunburg (just ’cause), before launching into the screams of the abrasive, blistering post-punk protest anthem “People”, before doing a complete 180 and switching to the stunningly gorgeous orchestral string arrangements of “The End (Music for Cars)”. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. This album is genre-defying in the most absurd sense, jumping through 90s alt-rock, folk, house, dancehall, hip-hop, R&B, soul, and more — and yet almost invariably sounding incredible regardless. “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)” is perhaps the most quintessentially 1975 track on here, and it is undeniably a great single…but it isn’t even the most fun you’ll have listening to this album. That comes from the sheer jaw-dropping audacity of them repeatedly pulling off every ridiculous trick they attempt.
Standout tracks: “The End (Music for Cars)”, “Frail State of Mind”, “The Birthday Party”, “Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America”, “Me & You Together Song”, “I Think There’s Something You Should Know”, “Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy)”, “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)”, “What Should I Say”, “Guys”
2. folklore / evermore – Taylor Swift (Spotify / Spotify)
“But wait!” you’re saying. “That’s 2 albums! Is this some kind of a tie? Isn’t that cheating??” First, this is my list, so I make the rules, and second, the fact that Taylor produced two albums this good in the same year should be a testament to just how impressive the achievement is. I consider folklore and evermore to be essentially a two-part album…and they both definitely deserve to be on here. Taylor’s surprise release of both of these albums — produced with collaborators Aaron Dessner of The National and Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) — were two of the highlights of this year. Even more incredibly, all the songs were written and recorded in secrecy after the start of the pandemic. With them, Swift has firmly established herself as the greatest songwriter of our generation (I’ll stand by this). Sonically it could not be more different than her previous albums (certainly from the pastel bubblegum-pop of “Lover”), and the dramatic shift to an acoustic-driven, mellower indie pop sound on these albums has certainly been polarizing for fans. I can see how it wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea. But even if the production isn’t your style (and it is definitely mine), you have to tip your hat to the impressive display of songwriting prowess that Taylor achieved here. She has certainly come a long way from her country origins, but country music’s strongest asset — vivid narratives and memorable storytelling — is the one thing she seems to have taken with her, and she has showcased it in a pretty amazing way. Taylor spins entire worlds into existence with these songs, and this year especially it has been a relief to get lost in them for a while. Also just need to give a shout out to “evermore”, the closing track, which might be the song that best encapsulates 2020.
Standout tracks: “the 1”, “cardigan”, “the last great american dynasty”, “exile”, “my tears ricochet”, “august”, “epiphany”, “hoax”, “champagne problems”, “gold rush”, “’tis the damn season”, “no body, no crime”, “coney island”, “ivy”, “evermore”
1. Everything Changes In The End – Vistas (Spotify)
Sometimes, an album is perfect not because it has the best songwriting, or pioneers some innovative, groundbreaking new sound. It’s perfect because it’s exactly what you need to hear, at exactly the moment you need to hear it. For me, Vistas’ Everything Changes in The End was that album this year. The debut album from this young Scottish indie rock trio was released on May 29th, and it was a ray of sunshine during a very dark summer. I think in June I listened to this album all the way through on repeat almost every single day for over two weeks straight. Why is it so great? On the surface, it’s a lot of fun, but not particularly remarkable — it’s full of big guitar hooks, major chords, infectious gang vocals, lots of positive, upbeat energy…basically, a lot of the things you’d expect from an album in this genre. But somehow, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Not only are these guys really, really great at what they do, but this album positively shimmers with optimism, hope, and and an unwavering belief that the future is bright. Everything may change, but it’ll turn out okay. Times get tough, but your friends and loved ones will be there for you. It just makes you smile. And that’s something we need a lot more of these days.
Standout tracks: “Teenage Blues”, “15 Years”, “Summer”, “Tigerblood”, “Shout”, “Sentimental”, “Retrospect” [bonus: check out their amazing cover of Harry Styles’ “Adore You”…so, so good.]
Honorable Mention
- Moral Panic – Nothing But Thieves – These guys can rock.
- Punisher – Phoebe Bridgers – The reigning queen of indie pop shows why she deserves all the acclaim.
- Fetch The Bolt Cutters – Fiona Apple – It’s not necessarily up my alley musically, but I appreciate the genius here. She’s just insanely, insanely talented.
- Possession – Joywave – A little uneven, but there are some incredible songs on here.
- Plastic Hearts – Miley Cyrus – I finally gave in and listened to this after multiple recommendations…and I have to admit, the classic rock vibe works for her.
- A Little Rhythm and a Wicked Feeling – Magdalena Bay – A great pop album.
- Recover – The Naked And Famous – Not as good as their previous stuff — the band’s just not the same as a duo after two founding members departed in 2018 — but it’s still worthwhile.
Top 25 Songs of 2020 (Spotify playlist)
- If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know) – The 1975
- Bury Us – The Naked And Famous
- SUPERBLOOM – MisterWives
- Ferris Wheel – Sylvan Esso
- 15 Years – Vistas
- Pedestal – Phantogram
- Me & You Together Song – The 1975
- What A Man Gotta Do – Jonas Brothers
- The Moment – Audiostrobelight
- Outdoor Sports – Lights, MYTH
- F.E.A.R. – Joywave
- Real Love Song – Nothing But Thieves
- I’m Not Getting Excited – The Beths
- I Want You To Love Me – Fiona Apple
- august – Taylor Swift
- Routine Pain – Spanish Love Songs
- Figure Eight – Trophy Eyes
- was it not – marian hill
- stardew – Purity Ring
- Killshot – Magdalena Bay
- Tigerblood – Vistas
- evermore (feat. Bon Iver) – Taylor Swift
- Dying Breed – The Killers
- ICU – Phoebe Bridgers
- anything – Adrienne Lenker
Alex's Top Albums 