Year-End Lists

Robert Christgau: Dean's List 2020

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2012]

1. Hanging Tree Guitars
   various artists
2. RTJ4
   Run the Jewels
3. Dakhla Sahara Session
   Cheveu & Group Doueh
4. Fetch the Bolt Cutters
   Fiona Apple
5. Good Souls Better Angels
   Lucinda Williams
6. Deviancy
   Backxwash
7. Billy Nomates
   Billy Nomates
8. Color TV
   Dramarama
9. The Balladeer
   Lori McKenna
10. Ghosts
    Wussy
11. Streams of Thought, Vol. 2
    Black Thought
12. Demo '84
    Peter Stampfel And The Bottle Caps
13. Day of the Tiles
    The Human Hearts
14. Thoughts Lined Up
    Martin Creed
15. Southside
    Sam Hunt
16. Rough and Rowdy Ways
    Bob Dylan
17. Herstory in the Making
    Young M.A
18. Nirvana
    Bktherula
19. What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down?
    Public Enemy
20. Evermore
    Taylor Swift
21. Haunted Painting
    Sad13
22. Set Sela
    Guiss Guiss Bou Bess
23. Never Will
    Ashley McBryde
24. Perfect Game
    McCarthy Trenching
25. Live at Tubby's
    75 Dollar Bill Little Big Band
26. Mama's Biscuits
    Kirby Heard
27. Streams of Thought, Vol. 3: Cane & Able
    Black Thought
28. Music to Be Murdered By
    Eminem
29. The Prettiest Curse
    Hinds
30. Amazones Power
    Les Amazones d’Afrique
31. Twix and Dive
    Yonic South
32. Gaslighter
    The Chicks
33. Streams of Thought, Vol. 1
    Black Thought
34. Aftermath
    Elizabeth Cook
35. Saint Cloud
    Waxahatchee
36. Alphabetland
    X
37. With Greg from Deerhoof
    Serengeti
38. Women in Music Pt. III
    Haim
39. Your Life Is a Record
    Brandy Clark
40. Everything is Beautiful
    Princess Nokia
41. On The Road: A Tribute To John Hartford
    various artists
42. It Was Good Until It Wasn't
    Kehlani
43. If We Make It Through December
    Phoebe Bridgers
44. Generations
    Will Butler
45. Recorded Live at the Machine Shop Recording Studio
    Sunny Sweeney
46. New Orleans Mambo
    various artists
47. So When You Gonna...
    Dream Wife
48. The Pandemic Songs
    Hamell On Trial
49. Private Lives
    Low Cut Connie
50. In the Wake of Memories
    Mukdad Rothenberg Lankow
51. City on Lock
    City Girls
52. Forever Just Beyond
    Clem Snide
53. Flyover Country
    Chicago Farmer
54. Pretty Free
    Justin Farren
55. Munson​-​Hicks Party Supplies
    Munson​-​Hicks Party Supplies
56. A Hero's Death
    Fontaines D.C.
57. Descendants of Cain
    Ka
58. Got to Be Tough
    Toots and the Maytals
59. Anime, Trauma and Divorce
    Open Mike Eagle
60. The Unraveling
    Drive-By Truckers
61. Goons Be Gone
    No Age
62. Funeral
    Lil Wayne
63. No. 1
    Etran de L'Aïr
64. Pray for Paris
    Westside Gunn
65. Alone Together Sessions
    Hayes Carll
66. 2020 Revision
    Dawn Oberg
67. Ajai
    Serengeti and Kenny Segal
68. Here To Stay
    Grrrl Gang
69. United Earth League of Quarantine Aerobics
    Chad Matheny
70. Tombouctou
    Al Bilali Soudan
71. Patience
    Mannequin Pussy

Under the Radar: Top 100 Albums of 2020

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2011]

1. Punisher
   Phoebe Bridgers
2. Græ
   Moses Sumney
3. Women in Music Pt. III
   Haim
4. Warnings
   I Break Horses
5. What's Your Pleasure?
   Jessie Ware
6. Saint Cloud
   Waxahatchee
7. Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
   Perfume Genius
8. Shore
   Fleet Foxes
9. RTJ4
   Run the Jewels
10. color theory
    Soccer Mommy
11. Fetch the Bolt Cutters
    Fiona Apple
12. The Universal Want
    Doves
13. The Ascension
    Sufjan Stevens
14. Jump Rope Gazers
    The Beths
15. Live Forever
    Bartees Strange
16. Beyond the Pale
    Jarv Is
17. As Long as You Are
    Future Islands
18. Song for Our Daughter
    Laura Marling
19. Heaven to a Tortured Mind
    Yves Tumor
20. Have We Met
    Destroyer
21. The Slow Rush
    Tame Impala
22. Suddenly
    Caribou
23. Your Hero Is Not Dead
    Westerman
24. Shadow Offering
    Braids
25. The View From Halfway Down
    Andy Bell
26. Inner Song
    Kelly Lee Owens
27. The Neon Skyline
    Andy Shauf
28. Impossible Weight
    Deep Sea Diver
29. The Waterfall II
    My Morning Jacket
30. Someone New
    Helena Deland
31. Muzz
    Muzz
32. songs
    Adrianne Lenker
33. Lovers Rock
    The Dears
34. Sideways to New Italy
    Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
35. 925
    Sorry
36. Don't Shy Away
    LOMA
37. Rough and Rowdy Ways
    Bob Dylan
38. SUGAREGG
    Bully
39. Whole New Mess
    Angel Olsen
40. Re-Animator
    Everything Everything
41. Mordechai
    Khruangbin
42. Every Bad
    Porridge Radio
43. Making a Door Less Open
    Car Seat Headrest
44. Sorceress
    Jess Williamson
45. Folklore
    Taylor Swift
46. Fake It Flowers
    Beabadoobee
47. American Head
    The Flaming Lips
48. Things I Never Said
    Oceanator
49. The Main Thing
    Real Estate
50. Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was
    Bright Eyes
51. Ultimate Success Today
    Protomartyr
52. Getting Into Knives
    The Mountain Goats
53. pure luxury
    NZCA Lines
54. Microphones in 2020
    The Microphones
55. Heavy Light
    U.S. Girls
56. A Hero's Death
    Fontaines D.C.
57. If You're Dreaming
    Anna Burch
58. Notes on a Conditional Form
    The 1975
59. Alfredo
    Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
60. Dreamland
    Glass Animals
61. Off Off On
    This Is the Kit
62. Kitchen Sink
    Nadine Shah
63. Sucker's Lunch
    Madeline Kenney
64. Hannah
    Lomelda
65. Mutable Set
    Blake Mills
66. Magic Oneohtrix Point Never
    Oneohtrix Point Never
67. Serpentine Prison
    Matt Berninger
68. Kompromat
    I Like Trains
69. Fear of Death
    Tim Heidecker
70. Working Men's Club
    Working Men's Club
71. No Dream
    Jeff Rosenstock
72. The Prettiest Curse
    Hinds
73. Dead Club
    Tunng
74. Sawayama
    Rina Sawayama
75. The Night Chancers
    Baxter Dury
76. Gold Record
    Bill Callahan
77. Disco Volador
    The Orielles
78. Making a New World
    Field Music
79. Either Light
    Vundabar
80. Truth or Consequences
    Yumi Zouma
81. Petals for Armor
    Hayley Williams
82. Uneasy Laughter
    Moaning
83. I Love the New Sky
    Tim Burgess
84. Find The Sun
    Deradoorian
85. Temple
    Thao & the Get Down Stay Down
86. Ultra Mono
    Idles
87. Shamir
    Shamir
88. born again
    Ellis
89. 10 Songs
    Travis
90. how I'm feeling now
    Charli XCX
91. Introduction, Presence
    Nation of Language
92. Haunted Painting
    Sad13
93. Fad
    Silverbacks
94. It Is What It Is
    Thundercat
95. To Love Is to Live
    Jehnny Beth
96. The Loves of Your Life
    Hamilton Leithauser
97. Lianne La Havas
    Lianne La Havas
98. We Will Always Love You
    The Avalanches
99. acts of rebellion
    ela minus
100. New Me, Same Us
     Little Dragon

Jordan Cronk: The Top 30 Albums of 2020 as posted to Patreon

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016]

1. Saint Cloud
   Waxahatchee
2. Punisher
   Phoebe Bridgers
3. Microphones in 2020
   The Microphones
4. Marigold
   Pinegrove
5. Lament
   Touché Amoré
6. Women in Music Pt. III
   Haim
7. Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
   Perfume Genius
8. Miss Anthropocene
   Grimes
9. Welcome to Conceptual Beach
   Young Jesus
10. Notes on a Conditional Form
    The 1975
11. Because of a Flower
    Ana Roxanne
12. What's Tonight To Eternity
    Cindy Lee
13. 7G
    A.G. Cook
13. Apple
    A.G. Cook
14. Every Bad
    Porridge Radio
15. Viewing
    Stay Inside
16. Lost in the Country
    Trace Mountains
17. Have We Met
    Destroyer
18. The Passion Of
    Special Interest
19. Youth Pastoral
    Ben Seretan
20. Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase?
    The Soft Pink Truth
21. Inlet
    Hum
22. Both
    Bill Nace
23. Suddenly
    Caribou
24. Sign
    Autechre
24. Plus
    Autechre
25. We Will Always Love You
    The Avalanches
26. Workaround
    Beatrice Dillon
27. Peel
    KMRU
28. Empty Country
    Empty Country
29. Fountain
    Lyra Pramuk
30. Ultimate Success Today
    Protomartyr

Brooklyn Vegan: Top 55 Albums of 2020

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016]

1. Fetch the Bolt Cutters
   Fiona Apple
2. Alfredo
   Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
3. Punisher
   Phoebe Bridgers
4. RTJ4
   Run the Jewels
5. Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
   Perfume Genius
6. Græ
   Moses Sumney
7. Untitled (Black Is)
   Sault
7. Untitled (Rise)
   Sault
8. Inlet
   Hum
9. Róisín Machine
   Róisín Murphy
10. No Dream
    Jeff Rosenstock
11. songs
    Adrianne Lenker
11. instrumentals
    Adrianne Lenker
12. Heaven to a Tortured Mind
    Yves Tumor
13. Reunions
    Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit
14. Pray for Paris
    Westside Gunn
15. Bonny Light Horseman
    Bonny Light Horseman
16. From King to a God
    Conway the Machine
17. Every Bad
    Porridge Radio
18. The Price of Tea in China
    Boldy James & The Alchemist
18. Manger on McNichols
    Boldy James / Sterling Toles
19. Live Forever
    Bartees Strange
20. Teenage Halloween
    Teenage Halloween
21. Burden of Proof
    Benny the Butcher
22. Ohms
    Deftones
23. Good News
    Megan Thee Stallion
24. Saint Cloud
    Waxahatchee
25. Beyond the Pale
    Jarv Is
26. Meet the Woo 2
    Pop Smoke
27. Rough and Rowdy Ways
    Bob Dylan
28. Beneath
    Infant Island
29. Shrines
    Armand Hammer
30. Viewing
    Stay Inside
31. Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism
    Napalm Death
32. Shore
    Fleet Foxes
33. Impenetrable Cerebral Fortress
    Gulch
34. Microphones in 2020
    The Microphones
35. Petals for Armor
    Hayley Williams
36. Notes on a Conditional Form
    The 1975
37. Suddenly
    Caribou
38. I Owe You Nothing
    Record Setter
39. Inner Song
    Kelly Lee Owens
40. Miss Colombia
    Lido Pimienta
41. SOURCE
    Nubya Garcia
42. Have We Met
    Destroyer
43. Lament
    Touché Amoré
44. When I Die, Will I Get Better?
    Svalbard
45. Mestarin kynsi
    Oranssi Pazuzu
46. Underneath
    Code Orange
46. Under the Skin
    Code Orange
47. Silver Ladders
    Mary Lattimore
48. The Eternal Resonance
    Sweven
49. Future Nostalgia
    Dua Lipa
50. Stare Into Death And Be Still
    Ulcerate
51. Ho, Why Is You Here?
    Flo Milli
52. In Search Of Lost Time
    Protoje
53. Billy Nomates
    Billy Nomates
54. Transmissions: The Music of Beverly Glenn-Copeland
    Beverly Glenn-Copeland
55. Dark Matter
    Moses Boyd

British Vogue: These Are the 12 Best Albums of 2020

• Fountain
  Lyra Pramuk
• Djesse Vol. 3
  Jacob Collier
• Act II: The Patents of Nobility (The Turn)
  Jay Electronica
• Untitled (Rise)
  Sault
• Untitled (Black Is)
  Sault
• Send Them to Coventry
  Pa Salieu
• Black is King
  Beyoncé
• Thank You for Using GTL
  Drakeo the Ruler
• Græ
  Moses Sumney
• Fetch the Bolt Cutters
  Fiona Apple
• What We Drew
  yaeji
• Made in Lagos
  Wizkid

No Depression: Favorite Roots Music Albums of 2020

[see also 2019 • 2018 • 2017]

1. Bonny Light Horseman
   Bonny Light Horseman
2. Spider Tales
   Jake Blount
3. Punisher
   Phoebe Bridgers
4. Reunions
   Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit
5. CHICKABOOM!
   Tami Neilson
6. Rough and Rowdy Ways
   Bob Dylan
7. Folklore
   Taylor Swift
8. World On The Ground
   Sarah Jarosz
9. Good Souls Better Angels
   Lucinda Williams
10. Walking Proof
    Lilly Hiatt
11. Total Freedom
    Kathleen Edwards
12. Old Time Feeling
    S.G. Goodman
13. Lamentations
    American Aquarium
14. Saint Cloud
    Waxahatchee
15. Expectations
    Katie Pruitt
16. My Love Is A Hurricane
    David Ramirez
17. Cuttin’ Grass - Vol​.​1 (The Butcher Shoppe Sessions)
    Sturgill Simpson
18. Aftermath
    Elizabeth Cook
19. Fetch the Bolt Cutters
    Fiona Apple
20. Forever Just Beyond
    Clem Snide

Hip Hop Golden Age: The Best Hip Hop Albums of 2020, posted with an extensive list of honorable mentions and EPs

1. RTJ4
   Run the Jewels
2. Spirit World Field Guide
   Aesop Rock
3. Marlowe 2
   Marlowe (L'Orange & Solemn Brigham)
4. As God Intended
   Apollo Brown & Che' Noir
5. Descendants of Cain
   Ka
6. The Sharecropper's Daughter
   Sa-Roc
7. Miles
   Blu & Exile
8. Seven Times Down Eight Times Up
   Elzhi
9. Jorun PMC
   Jorun Bombay & Phill Most Chill
10. BRASS
    Moor Mother & billy woods
11. All My Heroes Are Dead
    R.A. the Rugged Man
12. Alfredo
    Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
13. Don't Fight Your Demons
    Arrested Development
14. Shrines
    Armand Hammer
15. Rocket to Nebula
    Killah Priest
16. Mt. Marci
    Roc Marciano
17. The Price of Tea in China
    Boldy James & The Alchemist
18. The Third Eye in Technicolor
    Killah Priest & Jordan River Banks
19. Visions of Bodies Being Burned
    clipping.
20. Innocent Country 2
    Quelle Chris & Chris Keys
21. Baby (Being a black youth)
    One Be Lo
22. Passion of the Poets
    Third Root
23. From King to a God
    Conway the Machine
24. Manger on McNichols
    Boldy James / Sterling Toles
25. LSD: Lunar Solar Duality
    Cambatta
26. The Allegory
    Royce da 5'9"
27. Walking With Lions
    Jamo Gang
28. Between Da Protests
    KRS-ONE
29. With Greg from Deerhoof
    Serengeti
30. Don't Feed The Monster
    Homeboy Sandman
31. Spilligion
    Spillage Village
32. ShrapKnel
    ShrapKnel
33. Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God
    Busta Rhymes
34. What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down?
    Public Enemy
35. What Beetlez?
    Cut Beetlez
36. Eastern Medicine, Western Illness
    Preservation
37. Recognition
    Recognize Ali
38. purple moonlight pages
    R.A.P. Ferreira
39. Felt 4 U
    Felt
40. The Face of Jason
    ANKHLEJOHN
41. Little Dominiques Nosebleed
    The Koreatown Oddity
42. Burden of Proof
    Benny the Butcher
43. LSD
    The Leonard Simpson Duo (Guilty Simpson x Leonard Charles)
44. II - The Next Wave
    Quakers
45. Reasonable Drought
    Stove God Cooks & Roc Marciano
46. Forward Future
    Jahi & Configa
47. Nocturnal Instinct
    The Four Owls
48. Jazzy Vibes
    Kid Abstrakt & Emapea
49. Don't Play It Straight
    Small Bills (E L U C I D & The Lasso)
50. King's Disease
    Nas
51. The Beauty Of It
    ETO
52. Black Habits
    D Smoke
53. RUDEBWOY
    CJ Fly
54. As Above So Below
    Vinnie Paz
55. As Above So Below
    ANKHLEJOHN
56. Safe Space Invader
    Paris
57. Anime, Trauma and Divorce
    Open Mike Eagle
58. Pray for Paris
    Westside Gunn
59. A Beautiful Revolution (Pt 1)
    Common
60. A Written Testimony
    Jay Electronica

Tony Fantano: 50 Best Albums of 2020, as aired on The Needle Drop

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017]

1. What's Your Pleasure?
   Jessie Ware
2. Visions of Bodies Being Burned
   clipping.
3. Peaceful as Hell
   Black Dresses
4. Miles
   Blu & Exile
5. Windswept Adan
   Ichiko Aoba
6. Song for Our Daughter
   Laura Marling
7. True Opera
   Moor Jewelry
8. The Consuming Flame: Open Exercises in Group Form
   Matmos
9. Un Canto por México, Vol. 1
   Natalia Lafourcade
10. Underneath
    Code Orange
11. Little Dominiques Nosebleed
    The Koreatown Oddity
12. Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez
    Gorillaz
13. Starting Over
    Chris Stapleton
14. Circles
    Mac Miller
15. God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It
    Backxwash
16. Shabrang
    Sevdaliza
17. American Head
    The Flaming Lips
18. how I'm feeling now
    Charli XCX
19. Lianne La Havas
    Lianne La Havas
20. purple moonlight pages
    R.A.P. Ferreira
21. Miss Colombia
    Lido Pimienta
22. West of Eden
    HMLTD
23. Alphaville
    Imperial Triumphant
24. RTJ4
    Run the Jewels
25. Sawayama
    Rina Sawayama
26. 2017 - 2019
    Against All Logic
27. Cumbia Siglo XXI
    Meridian Brothers
28. Punisher
    Phoebe Bridgers
29. NO
    Boris
30. Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
    Perfume Genius
31. Innocent Country 2
    Quelle Chris & Chris Keys
32. No Dream
    Jeff Rosenstock
33. songs
    Adrianne Lenker
34. Origin of the Alimonies
    Liturgy
35. The New Abnormal
    The Strokes
36. From King to a God
    Conway the Machine
37. My Agenda
    Dorian Electra
38. Ultra Mono
    Idles
39. Alfredo
    Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
40. Women in Music Pt. III
    Haim
41. Lesions Of A Different Kind
    Undeath
42. I Disagree
    Poppy
43. The Common Task
    Horse Lords
44. Future Teenage Cave Artists
    Deerhoof
45. Ungodly Hour
    Chloe x Halle
46. Mystic Familiar
    Dan Deacon
47. Manger on McNichols
    Boldy James / Sterling Toles
48. Man Alive!
    King Krule
49. Unlocked
    Denzel Curry & Kenny Beats
50. Home Body
    Dope Body

Northern Transmissions: Top 30 Albums of 2020

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017]

1. Punisher
   Phoebe Bridgers
2. Fetch the Bolt Cutters
   Fiona Apple
3. songs
   Adrianne Lenker
4. RTJ4
   Run the Jewels
5. Rough and Rowdy Ways
   Bob Dylan
6. Muzz
   Muzz
7. Saint Cloud
   Waxahatchee
8. The Great Dismal
   Nothing
9. Live Forever
   Bartees Strange
10. Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
    Perfume Genius
11. Untitled (Black Is)
    Sault
12. Sawayama
    Rina Sawayama
13. Atlas Vending
    Metz
14. Alfredo
    Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
15. Shore
    Fleet Foxes
16. The Ascension
    Sufjan Stevens
17. Every Bad
    Porridge Radio
18. Inlet
    Hum
19. The Neon Skyline
    Andy Shauf
20. Speed, Sound, Lonely KV
    Kurt Vile
21. The New Abnormal
    The Strokes
22. Women in Music Pt. III
    Haim
23. Folklore
    Taylor Swift
24. color theory
    Soccer Mommy
25. Græ
    Moses Sumney
26. Little Dominiques Nosebleed
    The Koreatown Oddity
27. Heaven to a Tortured Mind
    Yves Tumor
28. Have We Met
    Destroyer
29. A Hero's Death
    Fontaines D.C.
30. Ultra Mono
    Idles

Steve Erickson: The Best in 2020 Music, as published by Gay City News

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2019]

• Seguridad
  Gaika
• Sawayama
  Rina Sawayama
• Folklore
  Taylor Swift
• Never Will
  Ashley McBryde
• The Goat
  Polo G
• Fetch the Bolt Cutters
  Fiona Apple
• God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It
  Backxwash
• Impazamo
  Menzi
• On the Tender Spot of Every Calloused Moment
  Ambrose Akinmusire
• Heaven to a Tortured Mind
  Yves Tumor

Runners-up

• Healing Is a Miracle
  Julianna Barwick
• Peaceful as Hell
  Black Dresses
• Life Goes On
  Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard, and Steve Swallow
• Dark Matter
  Moses Boyd
• Punisher
  Phoebe Bridgers
• Copycat Killer
  Phoebe Bridgers
• skins n slime
  Oliver Coates
• 13lood 1n + 13lood Out
  Denzel Curry
• No era sólida
  Lucrecia Dalt
• Force Majeure
  Dezron Douglas & Brandee Younger
• The Unraveling
  Drive-By Truckers
• Ravening Iron
  Eternal Champion
• No Dawn For Men
  Feminazgul
• Un Kuza Runhu
  Scúru Fitchádu
• SOURCE
  Nubya Garcia
• Alphaville
  Imperial Triumphant
• Legends Never Die
  Juice WRLD
• It Was Good Until It Wasn't
  Kehlani
• Imploding the Mirage
  The Killers
• Don't Shy Away
  LOMA
• Zona II
  Paul Marmota
• Chicago Waves
  Carlos Niño & Miguel Atwood-Ferguson
• Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
  Perfume Genius
• UWA
  Pongo
• I Disagree
  Poppy
• RTJ4
  Run the Jewels
• Send Them to Coventry
  Pa Salieu
• Live Forever
  Bartees Strange
• Heavy Light
  U.S. Girls