Year-End Lists

Patrick Ryan: The 10 Best Albums of 2020, as published by USA Today

[see also 2021]

1. Folklore
   Taylor Swift
1. Evermore
   Taylor Swift
2. Sawayama
   Rina Sawayama
3. What's Your Pleasure?
   Jessie Ware
4. Positions
   Ariana Grande
5. Supervision
   La Roux
6. Swimmer
   Tennis
7. Shore
   Fleet Foxes
8. Punisher
   Phoebe Bridgers
9. Ungodly Hour
   Chloe x Halle
10. Zeros
    Declan McKenna

DIY Magazine: Albums of 2020

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2016 • 2011]

1. Punisher
   Phoebe Bridgers
2. Future Nostalgia
   Dua Lipa
3. Fetch the Bolt Cutters
   Fiona Apple
4. Women in Music Pt. III
   Haim
5. 925
   Sorry
6. Petals for Armor
   Hayley Williams
7. Folklore
   Taylor Swift
8. Sawayama
   Rina Sawayama
9. Heaven to a Tortured Mind
   Yves Tumor
10. Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was
    Bright Eyes
11. Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
    Perfume Genius
12. A Hero's Death
    Fontaines D.C.
13. Pain Olympics
    Crack Cloud
14. Chromatica
    Lady Gaga
15. Every Bad
    Porridge Radio
16. Inner Song
    Kelly Lee Owens
17. The New Abnormal
    The Strokes
18. Græ
    Moses Sumney
19. Twin Heavy
    Willie J Healey
20. Return
    Katy J Pearson

The A.V. Club: The 20 Best Albums of 2020

[see also 2021 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Fetch the Bolt Cutters
   Fiona Apple
2. Punisher
   Phoebe Bridgers
3. RTJ4
   Run the Jewels
4. color theory
   Soccer Mommy
5. Ungodly Hour
   Chloe x Halle
6. Folklore
   Taylor Swift
7. Sawayama
   Rina Sawayama
8. Future Nostalgia
   Dua Lipa
9. Græ
   Moses Sumney
10. It Is What It Is
    Thundercat
11. A Written Testimony
    Jay Electronica
12. Lianne La Havas
    Lianne La Havas
13. how I'm feeling now
    Charli XCX
14. Miss Anthropocene
    Grimes
15. No Dream
    Jeff Rosenstock
16. Magic Oneohtrix Point Never
    Oneohtrix Point Never
17. Melee
    Dogleg
18. Petals for Armor
    Hayley Williams
19. Saint Cloud
    Waxahatchee
20. Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
    Perfume Genius

Clash Magazine: Albums of the Year 2020

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Ungodly Hour
   Chloe x Halle
2. Big Conspiracy
   J Hus
3. Punisher
   Phoebe Bridgers
4. Untitled (Black Is)
   Sault
5. Sawayama
   Rina Sawayama
6. Future Nostalgia
   Dua Lipa
7. Burden of Proof
   Benny the Butcher
8. Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
   Perfume Genius
9. What's Your Pleasure?
   Jessie Ware
10. Edna
    Headie One
11. Send Them to Coventry
    Pa Salieu
12. A Hero's Death
    Fontaines D.C.
13. Folklore
    Taylor Swift
14. It Is What It Is
    Thundercat
15. Chromatica
    Lady Gaga
16. Fetch the Bolt Cutters
    Fiona Apple
17. Heaven to a Tortured Mind
    Yves Tumor
18. Song for Our Daughter
    Laura Marling
19. how I'm feeling now
    Charli XCX
20. The Album
    Teyana Taylor
21. The Angel You Don't Know
    Amaarae
22. Anime, Trauma and Divorce
    Open Mike Eagle
23. Fake It Flowers
    Beabadoobee
24. Græ
    Moses Sumney
25. RTJ4
    Run the Jewels
26. All the Time
    Jessy Lanza
27. Róisín Machine
    Róisín Murphy
28. Good News
    Megan Thee Stallion
29. Crabs in a Bucket
    Nines
30. Women in Music Pt. III
    Haim
31. Karma & Desire
    Actress
32. The Slow Rush
    Tame Impala
33. Saint Cloud
    Waxahatchee
34. Shore
    Fleet Foxes
35. Every Bad
    Porridge Radio
36. Made in Lagos
    Wizkid
37. What Kinda Music
    Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes
38. Working Men's Club
    Working Men's Club
39. Forever, Ya Girl
    KeiyaA
40. Ohms
    Deftones
41. Dark Matter
    Moses Boyd
42. The New Abnormal
    The Strokes
43. Circles
    Mac Miller
44. Rose in the Dark
    Cleo Sol
45. Indigo Dream
    E.M.M.A.
46. The Mosaic Of Transformation
    Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
47. Rise Above Hate
    Unknown T
48. B4 I Breakdown
    Ojerime
49. Positions
    Ariana Grande
50. SOURCE
    Nubya Garcia

Vinyl Me, Please: The 50 Best Albums of 2020

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

• On the Tender Spot of Every Calloused Moment
  Ambrose Akinmusire
• The Angel You Don't Know
  Amaarae
• Giver Taker
  Anjimile
• Fetch the Bolt Cutters
  Fiona Apple
• Hair of the Dog
  Arthur
• Breland
  Breland
• Rage & Sorrow
  Breland
• Punisher
  Phoebe Bridgers
• how I'm feeling now
  Charli XCX
• Gaslighter
  The Chicks
• Someone New
  Helena Deland
• Collector
  Disq
• Future Nostalgia
  Dua Lipa
• Shore
  Fleet Foxes
• Agüita
  Gabriel Garzón-Montano
• Another Place to Need
  A.O. Gerber
• Alfredo
  Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
• Six Songs for Invisible Gardens
  Green-House
• A Rock
  Hardy
• Southside
  Sam Hunt
• The Price of Tea in China
  Boldy James & The Alchemist
• Act II: The Patents of Nobility (The Turn)
  Jay Electronica
• Forever, Ya Girl
  KeiyaA
• Man Alive!
  King Krule
• songs
  Adrianne Lenker
• Eternal Atake
  Lil Uzi Vert
• Couldn't Wait To Tell You...
  (Liv).e
• The Greatest Part
  Becca Mancari
• Die Midwestern
  Arlo Mckinley
• Startisha
  Naeem
• Magic Oneohtrix Point Never
  Oneohtrix Point Never
• Inner Song
  Kelly Lee Owens
• Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
  Perfume Genius
• Superstar
  Caroline Rose
• Untitled (Black Is)
  Sault
• Untitled (Rise)
  Sault
• Sawayama
  Rina Sawayama
• We Are Sent Here by History
  Shabaka and the Ancestors
• The World Only Ends When You Die
  Skyway Man
• Moveys
  Slow Pulp
• Starting Over
  Chris Stapleton
• Græ
  Moses Sumney
• WITH
  Sylvan Esso
• 34Corine
  TiaCorine
• Glad You Made It
  Joshua Ray Walker
• Western Swing & Waltzes and other Punchy Songs
  Colter Wall
• What's Your Pleasure?
  Jessie Ware
• Watchmen (Music from the HBO Series)
  Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
• Omega
  Immanuel Wilkins
• What We Drew
  yaeji
• Heaven to a Tortured Mind
  Yves Tumor

AllMusic: Best Albums of 2020

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

• Power Up
  AC/DC
• There Is No Year
  Algiers
• Whole New Mess
  Angel Olsen
• Cha Cha Palace
  Angelica Garcia
• Howells: Missa Sabrinensis
  Bach Choir, David Hill, and BBC Concert Orchestra
• YHLQMDLG
  Bad Bunny
• Shortly After Takeoff
  BC Camplight
• Workaround
  Beatrice Dillon
• Rough and Rowdy Ways
  Bob Dylan
• Blue Hearts
  Bob Mould
• Manger on McNichols
  Boldy James / Sterling Toles
• B7
  Brandy
• Your Life Is a Record
  Brandy Clark
• Skeletons
  Brothers Osborne
• Mahler 4
  Carolyn Sampson, Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vanska
• 3.15.20
  Childish Gambino
• Ungodly Hour
  Chloe x Halle
• Be Water
  Christian Sands
• Rose in the Dark
  Cleo Sol
• England Is a Garden
  Cornershop
• Sex, Death & the Infinite Void
  Creeper
• Ohms
  Deftones
• Future Nostalgia
  Dua Lipa
• Schubert: Symphonies, Vol. 2 – Nos. 2 & 6 & Overtures in the Italian Style
  Edward Gardner and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
• Alive in the Wilderness
  Endless Field
• When Love Speaks: Choral Music by Owain Park
  The Epiphoni Consort and Tim Reader
• Fetch the Bolt Cutters
  Fiona Apple
• Shore
  Fleet Foxes
• Dialogues On Race, Vol. 1
  Gregg August
• Women in Music Pt. III
  Haim
• Petals for Armor
  Hayley Williams
• Edna
  Headie One
• Warnings
  I Break Horses
• Who Sent You?
  Irreversible Entanglements
• Big Conspiracy
  J Hus
• Reunions
  Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit
• A Written Testimony
  Jay Electronica
• What's Your Pleasure?
  Jessie Ware
• Who Are You?
  Joel Ross
• Years
  John Anderson
• Healing Is a Miracle
  Julianna Barwick
• Descendants of Cain
  Ka
• Loom
  Katie Gately
• Mordechai
  Khruangbin
• Kidbug
  Kidbug
• Splid
  Kvelertak
• DISCO
  Kylie Minogue
• Chromatica
  Lady Gaga
• Song for Our Daughter
  Laura Marling
• Lianne La Havas
  Lianne La Havas
• Miss Colombia
  Lido Pimienta
• Walking Proof
  Lilly Hiatt
• Don't Shy Away
  LOMA
• Private Lives
  Low Cut Connie
• 2020
  Magik Markers
• That's How Rumors Get Started
  Margo Price
• Sibelius Symphonies No 4 & 6
  Hallé & Sir Mark Elder
• Silver Ladders
  Mary Lattimore
• Un Canto por México, Vol. 1
  Natalia Lafourcade
• Motherhood
  No Joy
• SOURCE
  Nubya Garcia
• Magic Oneohtrix Point Never
  Oneohtrix Point Never
• Tallis: Spem in Alium; MacMillan: The Forty Part Motet: Vidi Aquam
  ORA Singers
• Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
  Perfume Genius
• Punisher
  Phoebe Bridgers
• I Disagree
  Poppy
• Alter Ego
  Prince Royce
• Jancevskis: Aeternum
  The Mixed Choir of Riga Cathedral Choir School and Jurģis Cābulis
• Sawayama
  Rina Sawayama
• RTJ4
  Run the Jewels
• Feral
  RVG
• Róisín Machine
  Róisín Murphy
• Untitled (Rise)
  Sault
• Shabrang
  Sevdaliza
• We Are Sent Here by History
  Shabaka and the Ancestors
• Heart's Ease
  Shirley Collins
• color theory
  Soccer Mommy
• Ash Wednesday
  Andrew Nethsingha and The Choir of St. John's Cambridge
• Traditional Techniques
  Stephen Malkmus
• Wild Wild East
  Sunny Jain
• SODO Pop
  Supercrush
• The Slow Rush
  Tame Impala
• Folklore
  Taylor Swift
• The Album
  Teyana Taylor
• Imploding the Mirage
  The Killers
• Little Dominiques Nosebleed
  The Koreatown Oddity
• Microphones in 2020
  The Microphones
• Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase?
  The Soft Pink Truth
• The New Abnormal
  The Strokes
• After Hours
  The Weeknd
• Aranjuez
  Thibaut Garcia
• It Is What It Is
  Thundercat
• Rakka
  Vladislav Delay
• Blue Eyes, The Harlot, The Queer, The Pusher & Me
  Waylon Payne
• Endless Space (Between You & I)
  Winter
• Mind Hive
  Wire
• if You Feel
  Xavier Omär
• L'Ère du Verseau
  Yelle
• Heaven to a Tortured Mind
  Yves Tumor
• Listening To The Music
  Zephaniah OHora

American Songwriter: Top Albums of 2020 in no particular order

[see also 2023 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

• Fetch the Bolt Cutters
  Fiona Apple
• By the Fire
  Thurston Moore
• Never Will
  Ashley McBryde
• Letter to You
  Bruce Springsteen
• Nowhere Near Done
  Ray Scott
• What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down?
  Public Enemy
• Leave What's Lost Behind
  Colony House
• Songs to Break Up To
  Wild Rivers
• Folklore
  Taylor Swift
• Saint Cloud
  Waxahatchee
• Amends
  Grey Daze
• Bridges
  Mickey Guyton
• Colores
  J Balvin
• Highway Angels... Full Moon Rain
  Jimmy LaFave
• Arm in Arm
  Steep Canyon Rangers
• Wild World
  Kip Moore
• iimini
  Bongeziwe Mabandla
• Starting Over
  Chris Stapleton
• Gaslighter
  The Chicks
• Wake Up, Sunshine
  All Time Low
• RTJ4
  Run the Jewels

The Los Angeles Times: The 10 Best Albums of 2020

1. Folklore
   Taylor Swift
2. Fetch the Bolt Cutters
   Fiona Apple
3. Gaslighter
   The Chicks
4. It Is What It Is
   Thundercat
5. Rough and Rowdy Ways
   Bob Dylan
6. Positions
   Ariana Grande
7. Græ
   Moses Sumney
8. The New Abnormal
   The Strokes
9. Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)
   Kali Uchis
10. Good News
    Megan Thee Stallion

Plus 10 more not to be missed

• Women in Music Pt. III
  Haim
• Punisher
  Phoebe Bridgers
• Changes
  Justin Bieber
• 3.15.20
  Childish Gambino
• After Hours
  The Weeknd
• Starting Over
  Chris Stapleton
• Honeymoon
  Beach Bunny
• The Slow Rush
  Tame Impala
• Club Future Nostalgia
  Dua Lipa and The Blessed Madonna
• Notes on a Conditional Form
  The 1975

Jim DeRogatis: The Best Albums of 2020 as aired on Sound Opinions

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Uncivil War
   Shemekia Copeland
2. Just Look At That Sky
   Ganser
3. Cha Cha Palace
   Angelica Garcia
4. Reunions
   Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit
5. RTJ4
   Run the Jewels
6. Good Souls Better Angels
   Lucinda Williams
7. The Unraveling
   Drive-By Truckers
8. That's How Rumors Get Started
   Margo Price
9. Daughter
   Lydia Loveless
10. Untitled (Black Is)
    Sault
10. Untitled (Rise)
    Sault
11. Ultra Mono
    Idles
12. Blue Hearts
    Bob Mould
13. color theory
    Soccer Mommy
14. Ghosts of West Virginia
    Steve Earle & The Dukes
15. PITH
    Melkbelly
16. Future Nostalgia
    Dua Lipa
17. Mind Hive
    Wire
18. Heavy Light
    U.S. Girls
19. The Don Of Diamond Dreams
    Shabazz Palaces
20. The Good, The Bad and the Bette
    Bette Smith

Greg Kot: The Best Albums of 2020 as aired on Sound Opinions

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Untitled (Black Is)
   Sault
1. Untitled (Rise)
   Sault
2. RTJ4
   Run the Jewels
3. PITH
   Melkbelly
4. Cha Cha Palace
   Angelica Garcia
5. Fetch the Bolt Cutters
   Fiona Apple
6. Live Forever
   Bartees Strange
7. Coriky
   Coriky
8. Ultra Mono
   Idles
9. Every Bad
   Porridge Radio
10. Mama, You Can Bet!
    Jyoti
11. Daughter
    Lydia Loveless
12. Just Look At That Sky
    Ganser
13. Rough and Rowdy Ways
    Bob Dylan
14. SOURCE
    Nubya Garcia
15. A Written Testimony
    Jay Electronica
16. Reunions
    Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit
17. Honeymoon
    Beach Bunny
18. Eternal Atake
    Lil Uzi Vert
19. That's How Rumors Get Started
    Margo Price
20. England Is a Garden
    Cornershop