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
Ratboys- Printer's Devil
Dehd- Flower of Devotion
Bartees Strange- Live Forever
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).
