Year-End Lists

Angelica Jade Bastién: The Best Movies of 2020, as published by New York Magazine’s Vulture

[see also 2021]

1. Small Axe: Lovers Rock
   Steve McQueen
2. The Nest
   Sean Durkin
3. Black Bear
   Lawrence Michael Levine
4. Possessor Uncut
   Brandon Cronenberg
5. Another Round
   Thomas Vinterberg
6. Shirley
   Josephine Decker
7. Kindred
   Joe Marcantonio
8. I'm Your Woman
   Julia Hart
9. Miss Juneteenth
   Channing Godfrey Peoples
10. Console Wars
    Jonah Tulis and Blake J. Harris

Bilge Ebiri: The Best Movies of 2020, as published by New York Magazine’s Vulture

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2019 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2012]

1. Martin Eden
   Pietro Marcello
2. Time
   Garrett Bradley
3. Da 5 Bloods
   Spike Lee
4. Beanpole
   Kantemir Balagov
5. Collective
   Alexander Nanau
6. Never Rarely Sometimes Always
   Eliza Hittman
7. Tenet
   Christopher Nolan
8. Eurovision
   David Dobkin
9. The Old Guard
   Gina Prince-Bythewood
10. Mayor
    David Osit
11. Another Round
    Thomas Vinterberg
12. News of the World
    Paul Greengrass
13. Kajillionaire
    Miranda July
14. Mank
    David Fincher
15. Small Axe: Lovers Rock
    Steve McQueen
15. Small Axe: Mangrove
    Steve McQueen
16. She Dies Tomorrow
    Amy Seimetz
17. The Sharks
    Lucía Garibaldi
18. Dick Johnson Is Dead
    Kirsten Johnson
19. His House
    Remi Weekes
20. Bacurau
    Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles

This list contributes to:

• Village Voice Film Poll: Top 50 Films of 2020

Alison Willmore: The Best Movies of 2020, as published by New York Magazine’s Vulture plus some runners-up, in no particular order

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

1. Bacurau
   Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles
2. Small Axe: Lovers Rock
   Steve McQueen
3. Time
   Garrett Bradley
4. Dick Johnson Is Dead
   Kirsten Johnson
5. The Assistant
   Kitty Green
6. Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets
   Bill Ross IV and Turner Ross
7. Beanpole
   Kantemir Balagov
8. Martin Eden
   Pietro Marcello
9. Another Round
   Thomas Vinterberg
10. Relic
    Natalie Erika James

some runners-up, in no particular order

• The Father
  Florian Zeller
• First Cow
  Kelly Reichardt
• La Llorona
  Jayro Bustamante
• Minari
  Lee Isaac Chung
• Never Rarely Sometimes Always
  Eliza Hittman
• The Nest
  Sean Durkin
• Nomadland
  Chloé Zhao
• The Painter and the Thief
  Benjamin Ree
• The Vast of Night
  Andrew Patterson
• Wolfwalkers
  Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart

This list contributes to:

• Village Voice Film Poll: Top 50 Films of 2020

The Wire: Top 50 Albums of 2020

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

1. Workaround
   Beatrice Dillon
2. Circuit City
   Moor Mother
3. The Cycle
   Mourning [A] BLKstar
4. Rough and Rowdy Ways
   Bob Dylan
5. Duma
   Duma
6. Suite for Max Brown
   Jeff Parker
7. Fast Edit
   Still House Plants
8. A Late Anthology of Early Music Vol. 1: Ancient to Renaissance
   Jennifer Walshe
9. BAKUNAWA
   White Boy Scream
10. Stolen Car
    Carl Stone
11. God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It
    Backxwash
12. Shrines
    Armand Hammer
13. Cantus, Descant
    Sarah Davachi
14. BLQLYTE
    zeroh
15. Both
    Bill Nace
16. Lamentations
    William Basinski
17. Re Imaginos
    Albert Bouchard
18. Telyn Rawn
    Rhodri Davies
19. Innocent Country 2
    Quelle Chris & Chris Keys
20. The Passion Of
    Special Interest
21. Who Sent You?
    Irreversible Entanglements
22. Figures
    Aksak Maboul
23. Couldn't Wait To Tell You...
    (Liv).e
24. Harbors
    Ellen Fullman & Theresa Wong
25. Red Summer
    ONO
26. Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase?
    The Soft Pink Truth
27. Swirling
    Sun Ra Arkestra
28. Fetch the Bolt Cutters
    Fiona Apple
29. Sign
    Autechre
30. oviparity
    gogoj a.k.a Sheng Jie
31. Artlessly Falling
    Mary Halvorson's Code Girl
32. A Written Testimony
    Jay Electronica
33. Live In Sharjah
    Praed Orchestra!
34. LIVE
    Angel Bat Dawid & Tha Brothahood
35. Tara Clerkin Trio
    Tara Clerkin Trio
36. Illusory Expansion
    Crazy Doberman
37. skins n slime
    Oliver Coates
38. Visions of Bodies Being Burned
    clipping.
39. Silver Ladders
    Mary Lattimore
40. NEGRO
    Pink Siifu
41. Recognition
    Sara Serpa
42. It Is What It Is
    Thundercat
43. All Thoughts Fly
    Anna von Hausswolff
44. Éons
    Neptunian Maximalism
45. GANG
    Headie One x Fred again..
46. Low and Beyond
    Neil Charles
47. Auto
    Wendy Eisenberg
48. Dialectic Soul
    Asher Gamedze
49. Fall to Pieces
    Tricky
50. Tree Time
    Sylvia Hallett

Flood Magazine: The Best Albums of 2020

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

1. RTJ4
   Run the Jewels
2. Fetch the Bolt Cutters
   Fiona Apple
3. Græ
   Moses Sumney
4. Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
   Perfume Genius
5. Punisher
   Phoebe Bridgers
6. color theory
   Soccer Mommy
7. Magic Oneohtrix Point Never
   Oneohtrix Point Never
8. Saint Cloud
   Waxahatchee
9. After Hours
   The Weeknd
10. Ungodly Hour
    Chloe x Halle
11. Women in Music Pt. III
    Haim
12. Visions of Bodies Being Burned
    clipping.
13. Sawayama
    Rina Sawayama
14. What's Your Pleasure?
    Jessie Ware
15. Alfredo
    Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
16. My Agenda
    Dorian Electra
17. Live Forever
    Bartees Strange
18. Phoenix: Flames Are Dew Upon My Skin
    Eartheater
19. Shrines
    Armand Hammer
20. That's How Rumors Get Started
    Margo Price
21. It Is What It Is
    Thundercat
22. American Head
    The Flaming Lips
23. Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)
    Kali Uchis
24. Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez
    Gorillaz
25. Moveys
    Slow Pulp

Pitchfork: The 50 Best Albums of 2020

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Fetch the Bolt Cutters
   Fiona Apple
2. Saint Cloud
   Waxahatchee
3. Græ
   Moses Sumney
4. Punisher
   Phoebe Bridgers
5. Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
   Perfume Genius
6. Rough and Rowdy Ways
   Bob Dylan
7. Heaven to a Tortured Mind
   Yves Tumor
8. Women in Music Pt. III
   Haim
9. What's Your Pleasure?
   Jessie Ware
10. YHLQMDLG
    Bad Bunny
11. songs
    Adrianne Lenker
11. instrumentals
    Adrianne Lenker
12. Eternal Atake
    Lil Uzi Vert
13. Microphones in 2020
    The Microphones
14. Act II: The Patents of Nobility (The Turn)
    Jay Electronica
15. Heavy Light
    U.S. Girls
16. RTJ4
    Run the Jewels
17. Róisín Machine
    Róisín Murphy
18. Have We Met
    Destroyer
19. The Angel You Don't Know
    Amaarae
20. Shore
    Fleet Foxes
21. Future Nostalgia
    Dua Lipa
22. Forever, Ya Girl
    KeiyaA
23. Every Bad
    Porridge Radio
24. Miss Anthropocene
    Grimes
25. SOURCE
    Nubya Garcia
26. color theory
    Soccer Mommy
27. Inner Song
    Kelly Lee Owens
28. Ungodly Hour
    Chloe x Halle
29. Folklore
    Taylor Swift
30. Live Forever
    Bartees Strange
31. Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase?
    The Soft Pink Truth
32. Thank You for Using GTL
    Drakeo the Ruler
33. Workaround
    Beatrice Dillon
34. Melee
    Dogleg
35. Descendants of Cain
    Ka
36. The Passion Of
    Special Interest
37. Hannah
    Lomelda
38. Help
    Duval Timothy
39. Flower of Devotion
    Dehd
40. KiCk i
    Arca
41. Sawayama
    Rina Sawayama
42. Room for the Moon
    Kate NV
43. Good News
    Megan Thee Stallion
44. Alfredo
    Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
45. Fountain
    Lyra Pramuk
46. Twice as Tall
    Burna Boy
47. My Turn
    Lil Baby
48. how I'm feeling now
    Charli XCX
49. What We Drew
    yaeji
50. Silver Ladders
    Mary Lattimore

Ann Hornaday: Best Movies of 2020, as published by The Washington Post

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015]

1. Small Axe
   Steve McQueen
2. Nomadland
   Chloé Zhao
3. First Cow
   Kelly Reichardt
4. Miss Juneteenth
   Channing Godfrey Peoples
5. The Personal History of David Copperfield
   Armando Iannucci
6. Palm Springs
   Max Barbakow
7. The Assistant
   Kitty Green
8. The Half of It
   Alice Wu
9. The Trip to Greece
   Michael Winterbottom
10. Host
    Rob Savage

The year's five best documentaries

1. The Painter and the Thief
   Benjamin Ree
2. The Fight
   Eli Despres, Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg
3. 76 days
   Hao Wu, Weixi Chen and Anonymous
4. Coup 53
   Taghi Amirani
5. Dick Johnson Is Dead
   Kirsten Johnson

Literary Hub: Our 65 Favorite Books of 2020

[see also Our 38 Favorite Books of 2022 • Our 48 Favorite Books of 2021 • The 20 Best Novels of the 2010s • The 20 Best Works of Nonfiction of the 2010s • Favorite Books of 2018]

• Suppose a Sentence
  Brian Dillon
• Postcolonial Love Poem
  Natalie Diaz
• How to Make a Slave and Other Essays
  Jerald Walker
• The Historians
  Eavan Boland
• Follow Me To Ground
  Sue Rainsford
• Three Rings

  A Tale of Exile, Narrative, and Fate
  Daniel Mendelsohn
• Theory of the Gimmick

  Aesthetic Judgment and Capitalist Form
  Sianne Ngai
• Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick

  Stories from the Harlem Renaissance
  Zora Neale Hurston
• Red Comet

  The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath
  Heather Clark
• A Children's Bible
  Lydia Millet
• Leave the World Behind
  Rumaan Alam
• Out of Mesopotamia
  Salar Abdoh
• Vesper Flights
  Helen Macdonald
• Mill Town

  Reckoning with What Remains
  Kerri Arsenault
• We Ride Upon Sticks
  Quan Barry
• The Book of Unconformities

  Speculations on Lost Time
  Hugh Raffles
• The Lightness
  Emily Temple
• Hamnet
  Maggie O'Farrell
• Luster
  Raven Leilani
• How Yiddish Changed America and How America Changed Yiddish
  Ilan Stavans and Josh Lambert, editors
• Notes on a Silencing
  Lacy Crawford
• The Dead Are Arising

  The Life of Malcolm X
  Les Payne and Tamara Payne
• Hurricane Season
  Fernanda Melchor
• Trouble the Saints
  Alaya Dawn Johnson
• My Autobiography of Carson McCullers
  Jenn Shapland
• Animal Spirit
  Francesca Marciano
• Parakeet
  Marie-Helene Bertino
• In Memory Of

  Designing Contemporary Memorials
  Spencer Bailey
• Barn 8
  Deb Olin Unferth
• Wilmington's Lie

  The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy
  David Zucchino
• The Constant Rabbit
  Jasper Fforde
• African American Poetry

  250 Years of Struggle & Song
  Kevin Young (editor)
• When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through
  Joy Harjo (editor)
• I Hold a Wolf by the Ears
  Laura van den Berg
• Everyone on the Moon is Essential Personnel
  Julian K. Jarboe
• The Nature of Desert Nature

  Meditations on the Nature of Deserts
  Gary Paul Nabhan (editor)
• The Cactus League
  Emily Nemens
• Death in Mud Lick

  A Coal Country Fight against the Drug Companies That Delivered the Opioid Epidemic
  Eric Eyre
• These Women
  Ivy Pochoda
• What Happens at Night
  Peter Cameron
• She Come By It Natural

  Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs
  Sarah Smarsh
• Deacon King Kong
  James McBride
• The Vanishing Half
  Brit Bennett
• A Burning
  Megha Majumdar
• A Certain Clarity
  Lawrence Joseph
• Weather
  Jenny Offill
• The Unseen
  Roy Jacobsen
• The Ministry for the Future
  Kim Stanley Robinson
• The Law of Lines
  Hye-young Pyun
• The Nancy Reagan Collection
  Maxe Crandall
• The Harpy
  Megan Hunter
• You Will Never Be Forgotten
  Mary South
• How Much of These Hills Is Gold
  C Pam Zhang
• When No One Is Watching
  Alyssa Cole
• How the West Stole Democracy from the Arabs

  The Syrian Congress of 1920 and the Destruction of its Historic Liberal-Islamic Alliance
  Elizabeth F. Thompson
• The Death of Vivek Oji
  Akwaeke Emezi
• The Park
  John Freeman
• What Can a Body Do?

  How We Meet the Built World
  Sara Hendren
• Quotients
  Tracy O'Neill
• These Violent Delights
  Micah Nemerever
• Crystal Clear

  Reflections on Extraordinary Talismans for Everyday Life
  Jaya Saxena
• Cleanness
  Garth Greenwell
• World of Wonders

  In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments
  Aimee Nezhukumatathil
• Earthlings
  Sayaka Murata
• Tales of Two Planets

  Stories of Climate Change and Inequality in a Divided World
  John Freeman (editor)

Robert Lloyd: The 10 Best TV Shows of 2020, as published by The Los Angeles Times

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2019 • 2018]

• Betty
• The Midnight Gospel
• Ted Lasso
• Earth to Ned
• The Great
• Belgravia
• Briarpatch
• Saved by the Bell
• City So Real
• The Queen's Gambit
• Gentefied
• Close Enough

Lorraine Ali: The 10 best TV shows of 2020, as published by The Los Angeles Times

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2019 • 2018]

• Never Have I Ever
• Little America
• I May Destroy You
• Upload
• Ramy
• Dead to Me
• McMillions
• The Vow
• The Boys
• The Good Place
• Sarah Cooper