I’ve compiled my list of favorite albums below and some of the best tracks of the year above. It’s 40+ albums in total and 251 songs that soundtracked 2020.
Check out all my favorite songs here.
Without any more preamble, here is the best music in 2020…
…for fucking shit up.
Sharptooth – Transitional Forms
…that sounds nothing like their bands names.
…representing Chicago.
Mike Dunn – Defected Presents House Masters
Knox Fortune – Stock Child Wonder
…for long drives on country roads with blue skies.
Sturgill Simpson – Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit – Reunions
Tyler Childers – Long Violent History
Tom Petty – Wildflowers & All the Rest
Colter Wall – Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs
Chris Stapleton – Starting Over
…to never forget how amazing Sharon Jones was.
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings – Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Rendition is In)
…for smoking some weed and doing whatever happens next.
Black Thought – Streams of Thought Vol. 3
Khruangbin – Mordechai & Texas Sun
Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes – What Kinda Music
…for dancing away the rave plague.
Love Regenerator – 1-3, Moving EPs
…for chilling and contemplating.
Kyle Forester – Hearts in Gardens
Flock of Dimes – Like So Much Desire
…for remembering what concerts feel like.
The Postal Service – Everything Will Change
Here’s the full list:
Top 9
- Sturgill Simpson – Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1
- Widowspeak – Plum
- Khruangbin – Mordechai & Texas Sun
- Tom Misch – What Kinda Music
- Run the Jewels – RTJ4
- Fleet Foxes – Shore
- Franc Moody – Dream in Color
- Bibio – Sleep on the Wing
- Om Records – 25 Years
Everything else
- Colter Wall – Western Swing & Waltzes & Other Punchy Songs
- Dinner Party – Dinner Party
- The Postal Service – Everything Will Change
- The War on Drugs – Live Drugs
- Chris Stapleton – Starting Over
- Mike Dunn – Defected Presents House Masters (Chicago)
- Kaki King – Modern Yesterdays
- North Americans – Roped In
- Kevin Morby – Sundowner
- Tom Petty – Wildflowers & All the Rest
- Disclosure – Energy
- Blue in Green – Gravity
- Skullcrusher – Skullcrusher
- Dirty Projectors – 5EPS
- Flock of Dimes – Like So Much Desire
- Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher
- Dogleg – Melee
- Love Regenerator – EPs 1-3, Moving
- Destroyer – Have We Met
Honorable Mentions
- The Lil Smokies – Tornillo
- Thundercat – It is What it Is
- Kyle Forester – Hearts in Gardens
- Tame Impala – Slow Rush
- Steve Gunn – Eyes on the Lines
- Real Estate – The Main Thing
- Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit – Reunions
- Tyler Childers – Long Violent History
- Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings – Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Rendition is In)
- Goth Babe – North Coast
- Black Thought – Streams of Thought Vol. 3
- Slow Pulp – Moveys
- Dehd – Flower of Devotion
- Sharptooth – Transitional Forms
- Knox Fortune – Stock Child Wonder