My Fifteen Favorite Albums of 2020

Well, for obvious reasons, 2020 was definitely the worst music listening year of my adult life (you know, because the White Sox were actually good and also I got addicted to a stupid baseball simulation game. Okay yes the pandemic too). It turns out my commute is a huge way I process music, and also when I am living through a slow-motion disaster causing horrific levels of death and suffering I tend to grasp for comfort albums versus new music. Plus, I went to a grand total of four concerts this year so there were minimal opportunities to discover a cool opening act or experience an album live  (I miss going to shows so much and never again will I complain about paying $15 for a beer at the Aragon). So, I feel like I have mediocre qualifications to make this post this year, but I am going to try anyway!* Here is the music I connected with during this phenomenally shitty year.** As always, scroll to the bottom to find a playlist of my favorite 2020 songs.

*But I am only doing a top 15 instead of the usual top 20.
**Well okay, remember when Trump got Covid? That was good.

Honorable Mentions
Ratboys- Printer's Devil

Dehd- Flower of Devotion
Bartees Strange- Live Forever

Soccer Mommy- Color Theory

Yves Tumor- Heaven to a Tortured Mind

Jeff Rosenstock- NO DREAM

Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist- Alfredo

Top Fifteen

15. illuminati hotties- FREE I.H: This Is Not the One You've Been Waiting For

Really the band name alone qualifies this album for the list. Super fun, often hilarious indie rock album that zips by in 23 minutes. 

14. Lianne La Havas- Lianne La Havas

I discovered this album thanks to her absolutely phenomenal cover of Radiohead's "Weird Fishes" but the rest is similarly wonderful. La Havas is an extremely talented singer, guitarist, and songwriter and definitely near the top of my list of musicians I would like to see live post-Covid.

13. Run the Jewels- RTJ4

When RTJ3 came out in 2017 I described it as "Another satisfying album of impeccably produced music by the best duo in rap" and...ditto for RTJ4. They have a pretty standard formula at this point and yet each new Run the Jewels album manages to stay fresh and exciting.

12. Taylor Swift- folklore and evermore

I have never been a huge Taylor Swift fan but predictably, my interest was piqued when I learned she was collaborating with Aaron Dessner from The National. And it turns out folklore and its less-good-but-still-pretty-good companion album evermore are more memorable than anything Dessner's band has put out in the last several years. Perfect for quarantine listening, these folk-pop albums are exceedingly pleasant and at times quite beautiful—particularly on the superb Bon Iver collaborations "exile" and "evermore."

11. The Microphones- Microphones in 2020

After a 17-year hiatus, Phil Elverum resurrected the Microphones name. Rather than returning to writing catchy lo-fi folk like "I Want Wind to Blow," Elverum instead created a 45-minute autobiographical song detailing memories from childhood to present and explaining why he reverted back to recording as The Microphones. The music is entrancing, with Elverum sustaining a single guitar chord for minutes at a time. Because of the freeform nature of the album, I notice something new every time I listen. If you are looking for an album to rock out to... this is not your album! But if you want to zone out as you are enveloped in melancholy, give it a spin.

10. Haim- Women in Music Pt. III

A fun album that got screwed by the pandemic (literally, in that its release was delayed two months but also in that its breezy sound would have been the perfect summer party soundtrack). After a memorable debut, Haim fell prey to the sophomore slump before rebounding big time with Women in Music Pt. III. There are so many good hooks on this album, and the band showcases their obvious influences (Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell, etc.) without sounding stale. Here's hoping these songs get their deserved treatment on the summer festival circuit in the next year or two.

9. Fleet Foxes- Shore

After 2017's complex, moody Crack-Up, Fleet Foxes leader Robin Pecknold went in a decidedly more optimistic (and accessible) direction with Shore. Brimming with dazzling folk melodies, the album provided a needed contrast to 2020's perpetual gloom. The emotional center of the album is "Sunblind," a beautifully earnest and somehow not at all corny tribute to Pecknold's departed music influences (people such as Silver Jews' David Berman, Judee Sill, Arthur Russell, and Elliott Smith). The whole album is strong, however, and is a deserving addition to one of the more consistently rewarding discographies in music over the last decade-plus.

8. Jessie Ware- What's Your Pleasure?

Listening to this wonderful disco-indebted album was almost cruel in a year where there was no chance of hearing any of these songs on a dancefloor. Still, for my sanity I could not spend all year wallowing in sadness and this bright, energetic album really lifted my mood whenever I put it on; perhaps it will do the same for you.

7. Sault- Untitled (Rise)

Sault are a semi-anonymous group from the UK who have put out four albums since 2019, with Untitled (Rise) their best yet. Blending soul, disco, and Afrobeat, Sault's music is consistently thrilling. The percussion in particular stands out—these songs groove. Several of the songs also include pointed commentary on issues such as police brutality, providing a continuation of themes explored on its 2020 companion album Untitled (Black Is) released during the George Floyd uprisings. Sault's powerful music provided a perfect accompaniment to a historically turbulent year.

6. Perfume Genius- Set My Heart on Fire Immediately

Mike Hadreas, the artist behind Perfume Genius, has released a series of increasingly expansive and ambitious art pop albums over the past decade. Set My Heart on Fire Immediately feels like the culmination of everything he has been working toward—with a sonically diverse group of songs ranging from quiet orchestral ballads (Leave), to a funky dancefloor banger (On the Floor), and a song that would have been at home on The Cure's Disintegration (Your Body Changes Everything). 

5. Andy Shauf- The Neon Skyline

When I reflect back on the weeks before Covid hit, this is the album I am always going to think about. The subject matter of this concept album feels quaint now: guy nestles up to the bar at his local dive and discovers a past flame has returned to town. Pre-Covid, I appreciated Shauf's warm folk-rock sound, charming use of clarinet, and his immersive storytelling skills. Ten months later, listening to The Neon Skyline feels wistful—especially since I would give anything to safely go to a dive bar again. Further accentuating that feeling is the fact that the last concert I attended was seeing Shauf perform this album at Thalia Hall. Until I am able to go to a bar and see live music again, living inside these songs will have to do.

4. Adrianne Lenker- songs/instrumentals

Lenker has quickly become one of my favorite songwriters over the past half-decade via her work with Big Thief. With apologies to Taylor Swift, songs and instrumentals are the best of the many so-called "quarantine albums" released this year. After Big Thief's tour was canceled, Lenker holed up in a cabin in Western Massachusetts and made these beautiful albums. songs is a spare collection of guitar-and-voice compositions; not exactly a new formula, but Lenker's music has a special quality that is hard to put into words. Though so far she has operated at her best in the context of a full band, songs proves that her music is plenty alluring on its own. instrumentals, on the other hand, showcases her outstanding guitar playing across two soothing long-form pieces. Paired together, these albums were a needed calming presence in my life this year amidst all the dreary background noise.

3. Waxahatchee- Saint Cloud

Waxahatchee's Katie Crutchfield has been churning out reliable indie rock albums for years. Fitting for a project named after a creek in Alabama, Saint Cloud finds her delving full-on into rootsy Americana. The results are spectacular, with Crutchfield's sharp lyrics and powerful vocals combining with exquisite country-rock production to create a memorable, emotionally affecting set of tunes. The album is endlessly replayable, with its stunning second track "Can't Do Much" being my most-listened-to song of the year (lol, apparently Obama or whoever shows him trendy music is also a fan). In a year that demanded we seek refuge wherever we could find it, Saint Cloud was a rare 2020 release that felt instantly familiar and comforting.

2. Phoebe Bridgers- Punisher

One of 2020's few breakout stars, Bridgers this year fully realized the promise shown on her 2017 debut album and subsequent collaborations with Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, and Conor Oberst. Punisher was written and recorded before Covid-19 and yet the album's primary themes—anxiety, dread, and self-doubt—match up perfectly with what most of us have experienced this year. Bridgers' clever, self-deprecating lyrics are the star of the show here, with more memorable lines than I can count (one example: "We hate Tears in Heaven/But it's sad that his baby died"). Musically, the album ranges from quiet folk (such as on album highlight "Graceland Too"), to the zippy "Kyoto," as well as epic closer "I Know the End" which culminates in an ear-piercing scream that I cannot wait to experience live. Punisher might not have provided emotional escapism, but it resonated more than almost any album I heard this year.

1. Fiona Apple- Fetch the Bolt Cutters

Fiona Apple is not exactly prolific, so when she announced Fetch the Bolt Cutters at the start of the pandemic it was a much-needed dose of good news. Apple is still best known for her 1996 hit "Criminal" and the accompanying Tidal, but since that time she has released a slow drip of incredible (albeit less radio-friendly) music; Fetch the Bolt Cutters is just her fifth album in 24 years. The album begins with Apple's signature piano driving the gorgeous ballad "I Want You to Love Me" and the propulsive ode to grade school words of encouragement "Shameika" (the story behind the latter song is worth your time). From there, however, percussion becomes the musical focus—with Apple and her bandmates seemingly using every available household object to create a mesmerizing complement to her passionate vocals. Apple has never been afraid to take risks or offend people ("Kick me under the table all you want, I won't shut up" she sings on "Under the Table"). Particularly on the album's back half, she flirts with abrasion while keeping her music highly compelling. This is not background music; Apple's forceful, unguarded lyrics and fierce originality demand your full attention. Though not quite my favorite Fiona Apple record (depending on the day you ask me, that would be When the Pawn... or The Idler Wheel...), Fetch the Bolt Cutters is another masterwork to add to her small but brilliant catalogue. In a trying, often claustrophobic year, it was inspiring to listen to Apple fetch the proverbial bolt cutters, break free of expectations, and create such a unique, adventurous album; nothing else in 2020 was on her level.

Best of 2020 Playlist

Here are 83 of my favorite songs of the year, sequenced for maximal musical enjoyment (or just put it on shuffle, whatever).

My Twenty Favorite Albums of 2019, Plus a Bonus End-of-Decade Playlist

Gonna get right to the point here: I listened to a lot of albums in 2019. Twenty of them were particularly good. Here's a list of them, with brief commentary (I spent a lot less time writing this up this year! You'll be able to tell!) There are also two playlists at the bottom- one with my favorite songs of the year, and another (very long!) playlist of my favorites from the past decade.

Honorable Mentions

Madlib and Freddie Gibbs- Bandana

Bon Iver- i, i

Aldous Harding- Designer

Jenny Hval- The Practice of Love

Top Twenty

20. Solange- When I Get Home
Seems slight in comparison to A Seat at the Table but there are some really cool sounds/grooves on this album.

19. (Sandy) Alex G- House of Sugar
This album is half weird lo-fi studio experiments and half extremely catchy earworms. His best album, I'd say.

18. Stella Donnelly- Beware of the Dogs
Nice debut album from an Australian singer-songwriter. Good variety of songs on this one, I have a feeling she has even better albums ahead of her.

17. Sharon Van Etten- Remind Me Tomorrow
Sharon is happy and in love! Which is nice to see after her emotionally brutal prior album. But turns out happy people can still make excellent albums, and she might have written the best song of her career with Seventeen.

16. Danny Brown- uknowhatimsayin¿
One of the most consistently interesting artists of the last decade delivers another great rap album.

15. Carly Rae Jepsen- Dedicated
I am incredibly embarrassed that I didn't put Emotion near the top of my 2015 Favorite Albums list. But I am rectifying that mistake by putting its not-quite-as-good but still delightful and highly entertaining follow-up on this list. Her concert at the Chicago Theatre was one of the more joyful concert experiences I had in 2019.

14. Vampire Weekend- Father of the Bride
Vampire Weekend have settled into a jam band kind of thing with this collection of fun, breezy tunes.

13. PUP- Morbid Things
If you are reading this list looking for a new album to rock out to, this is the one. Think my body is still recovering from their show at Metro I saw earlier this year, these guys know how to make a room full of people go absolutely insane. They also make fantastic music videos.

12. Tyler, The Creator- Igor
Tyler has turned into an incredible producer. This a very well-constructed album that makes great use of synths. And Tyler sings a lot on it (and does so well!).

11. Nilüfer Yanya- Miss Universe
A lot of people slept on this album, but it's great. A highly original debut from a songwriter with a lot of range. Heavyweight Champion of the World has been stuck in my head basically all year.

10. Julia Jacklin- Crushing
After a solid debut a few years back Julia Jacklin took a huge step forward with Crushing, an endlessly replayable album about moving forward (and all the self-doubt and anxiety that comes with it) after the end of a relationship. As one would expect given the subject matter, there are some rather emotional moments but Jacklin throws in some catchy rockers (albeit with less than optimistic lyrics) for good measure.

9. Big Thief- UFOF
The first of two excellent albums Big Thief put out this year, UFOF is a strange, alluring collection of songs. Frontwoman and chief songwriter Adrienne Lenker's vocals are not for everyone but if you can get used to her singing style there is much to appreciate in the band's music. By the end of the decade they have taken the mantle from The National as indie music's biggest "grower" band- you won't necessarily love them immediately but keep listening and they could become one of your favorite bands, as they have for me.

8. Purple Mountains- Purple Mountains
A new project by longtime Silver Jews leader David Berman following a decade-long hiatus. Few albums outside of Jason Molina's catalog capture the feeling of someone in the throes of depression like Purple Mountains. It is impossible to listen to this album removed from its tragic context: weeks after its release, Berman died by suicide. I am grateful he left us a beautiful parting gift.

7. Angel Olsen- All Mirrors
One of my favorite musicians of the decade, Olsen's sound has grown in a way fans who have been following her since her early self-recordings (humblebrag, myself) would have never anticipated. Olsen really went for it on All Mirrors, employing lush orchestral production that increases the power of her songwriting.

6. Big Thief- Two Hands
My favorite of Big Thief's two albums this year, Two Hands finds the band adopting a raw, live-in-studio approach which suits them well. The album also includes my favorite song of the year, the absolutely immense Not.

5. Weyes Blood- Titanic Rising
The flat out prettiest album you'll hear this year, the 70s-indebted Titanic Rising already sounds timeless. Show it to your parents, they'll like it!

4. FKA Twigs- Magdalene 
Magdalene feels like an extension of the weirdo art pop artists like Kate Bush were making in the 70s and 80s. FKA Twigs's vocals are incredible throughout, especially on the gorgeous ballad Cellophane. Also, I guess I like Skrillex now because he helped write and produce two of the songs on the album (Sad Day and Holy Terrain).

3. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds- Ghosteen
The first album Cave wrote entirely after the death of his son, Ghosteen finds him figuring out how to move on with his life. A beautiful and deeply moving album of piano and synth ballads that invites repeated listens.

2. Lana Del Rey- Norman Fucking Rockwell!
I'd never been compelled to listen to Lana Del Rey until this year but Norman Fucking Rockwell! won me over initially with its title (I'm a sucker for an amusing album title) and then with the music, which is impeccably produced (how did the guy from fun. get so good at this?) and performed. These songs really tug at your heartstrings, which I guess I knew was Del Rey's schtick, but she delivers these songs genuinely. She convincingly shows she's a true talent and not a gimmicky music industry plant which was my previous ill-informed impression of her. Moreover, somehow a 70-minute album made up almost entirely of piano ballads isn't a slog at all- the songwriting is that good here (plus, there's a Sublime cover thrown in for good measure). If you are like me and had dismissed Del Rey previously I strongly encourage you to check out this album, it will likely change your mind about her.

1. Jamila Woods- Legacy! Legacy!

Clearly I have a strong Chicago bias because a local artist has now topped my list three out of the last four years (though lol at me ranking Chance's Coloring Book over Frank Ocean's Blonde in 2016). But Legacy! Legacy! was the album I most frequently returned to this year. Each song is inspired by a different Black and Brown luminary from the past century- people like Zora Neale Hurston, Frida Kahlo, Jean-Michel Basquiat, James Baldwin, and Octavia Butler. Back in November, I saw Woods perform the album in a VH1 Storytellers-type setting where she spoke about each song on the album along with audio clips and visuals by the various song inspirations. It was breathtaking hearing her explain in detail how she melded these inspirations into a cohesive album. The album works quite well on a purely musical level (there are many wonderful grooves throughout), but taking the time to dig into the lyrics and the musicians, writers, and artists who inspired them makes for an even more rewarding listen. Woods is a poet by trade, so its no surprise that the wordplay is outstanding. Woods's memorable lyrics are accented by a killer band that deftly incorporates elements of R&B, jazz, rock, hip hop, and house music into a consistently exciting listen. With Legacy! Legacy!, Woods has put herself on a path towards perhaps one day being mentioned beside the legends who inspired the album. Regardless of what Woods's own legacy will be, no album gave me more joy to listen to in 2019.

Best of 2019 Playlist

Here are some of my favorite songs of the year. Per usual, I spent some time sequencing it so I will be VERY offended if you listen to it on shuffle.

Best of the 2010s Playlist
Look, sometimes you get bored and you make a nearly 16 hour, 210 song playlist. Totally normal. But I think this is a pretty fun listen. And definitely do listen to this one on shuffle.