Shit. I dunno what to say about this year that hasn't been said.
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The only positive thing that was relatively consistent in 2020 was the release of great tunes. In fact, I probably absorbed more music this year than I have in a long time. It might seem trivial to worry about this stuff in historically bad times like these, but I tend to think there is no better time to soak yourself in the evidence that humans still can do good things. Art will always reflect society, and music in particular has a special calling in its ability to landmark our cultural moments.
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All the same, a lot of the albums that history will undoubtedly look back on as being the staples of this tumultuous era didn't really do much for me. Oh well. I had plenty to keep my soul happy anyway.
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The only positive thing that was relatively consistent in 2020 was the release of great tunes. In fact, I probably absorbed more music this year than I have in a long time. It might seem trivial to worry about this stuff in historically bad times like these, but I tend to think there is no better time to soak yourself in the evidence that humans still can do good things. Art will always reflect society, and music in particular has a special calling in its ability to landmark our cultural moments.
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All the same, a lot of the albums that history will undoubtedly look back on as being the staples of this tumultuous era didn't really do much for me. Oh well. I had plenty to keep my soul happy anyway.
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There was so much goodness, I had to do 50. In fact, this is technically a few more than 50 as a few artists released multiple albums that rocked my socks this year, and I just decided to lump them together. Keep in mind that I think every one of these albums are worthy. Some I'm still digesting, and there was plenty of goodness I left off. Lists like these change faster than I can put them together. But that's ok. For now, this is a screen shot of the stuff that hit me hardest as we say goodbye to quite a terrible calendar year.
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You may notice a trend amongst this group: A LOT of ambient/instrumental and contemporary classical. Sometimes words were just too much this year. I think we can all probably agree.
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I didn't bother with write-ups this time (again, words and all). I don't think most of you will care. But I'd be happy to nerd out about any one of these with you.
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I didn't bother with write-ups this time (again, words and all). I don't think most of you will care. But I'd be happy to nerd out about any one of these with you.
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HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order):
Shore by Fleet Foxes
Invisible People by Chicano Batman
Shore by Fleet Foxes
Invisible People by Chicano Batman
Ghosts V by Nine Inch Nails
Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism by Napalm Death
WE ARE CHAOS by Marilyn Manson
Host by Cults
Existential Reckoning by Puscifer
Untitled (Rise) & Untitled (Black Is) by Sault
Woman in Music Pt. III by HAIM
KiCK i by Arca
Untitled (Rise) & Untitled (Black Is) by Sault
Woman in Music Pt. III by HAIM
KiCK i by Arca
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CLICK LINKS FOR A TASTE OF THE GLORY. SEE WHAT IT TASTES LIKE.
50 \\ Gather Swans \\ by Choir Boy
dream pop/new wave
49 \\ songs & instrumentals \\ by Adrianne Lenker
acoustic /instrumental
48 \\ Cyr \\ by Smashing Pumpkins
alt/synth rock/ "dad rock" now I guess?
47 \\ Welcome to Bobby's Motel \\ by Pottery
post-punk revival revival
46 \\ Imploding the Mirage \\ by The Killers
Springsteenian jams/ The Killers
45 \\ Empty \\ by Nils Frahm
piano/contemporary classical
44 \\ Capricorn \\ by Trevor Powers
experimental instrumental/ambient
43 \\ The Slow Rush \\ by Tame Impala
Aussie alt pop
42 \\ Purple Moon \\ by Washed Out
beach tunes/chill wave (look at the cover)
40 \\ Workaround \\ by Beatrice Dillon
also spastic electronic, but less dancey
39 \\ Healing Is a Miracle \\ by Julianna Barwick
ambient/new age/instrumental
38 \\ Feel Feelings \\ by Soko
low-key indie goodness
37 \\ Virga I \\ by Eluvium
ambient
36 \\ Motherhood \\ by No Joy
shoegaze pop? I dunno
35 \\ Cult Survivor\\ by Sofie
DIY bedroom dream pop
34 \\ Mordechai \\ by Khruangbin
funky/Latin/psychedelic/"krung-bin"
33 \\ Because of a Flower\\ by Ana Roxanne
ambient instrumental lullaby
32 \\ Memory Tracer & ~ \\ by AURAGRAPH
vapor wave & ambient instrumental
31 \\ Ampersands \\ by Mei Ehara
J-rock/pop
electonic/instrumental/ambient
29 \\ RTH4 \\ by Run the Jewels
social commentary rap that melts your face
28 \\ I Feel Alive \\ by TOPS
indie pop
ambient/instrumental/electronic
and dance jams
and dance jams
24 \\ The Ascension \\ by Sufjan Stevens
electronic Suf songs about life and the shitty state of things
23 \\ Saint Cloud \\ by Waxahatchee
melodic indie rock
22 \\ Yes \\ by Shinichi Atobe
techno/house/sounds like 90's video game music
21 \\ Suddenly \\ by Caribou
electronic pop
20 \\ Somewhere \\ by Gum Country
90's sounding college radio guitar shreds
19 \\ What's Your Pleasure? \\ by Jessie Ware
disco fever
18 \\ The Great Dismal \\ by Nothing
alt rock/shoegaze/geetars
17 \\ I Disagree \\ by Poppy
bonkers J-pop inspired pop metal etc. etc.
16 \\ Ungodly Hour \\ by Chloe x Halle
straight up sassy R&B gold
15 \\ The New Abnormal \\ by The Strokes
indie rock/they still got it
14 \\ Set My Heart on Fire Immediately \\ by Perfume Genius
experimental pop
13 \\ Rejoice \\ by Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela
Afrobeat/Jazz instrumental/one of my favorite drummers (RIP to both of them)
12 \\ SAWAYAMA \\ by Rina Sawayama
90's inspired pop fusion/she really likes Utada Hikaru and Korn
11 \\ Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez \\ Gorillaz
cartoon hip hop/pop/rock/genre mash extravaganza
10 \\ Aporia \\ by Sufjan Stevens & Lowell Brams
ambient/instrumental by Suf and his step dad
9 \\ No Era Sólida \\ by Lucrecia Dalt
experiemental ambient/electronic/ it's spooky
8 \\ Sex, Death & the Infinite Void \\ by Creeper
Roy Orbison meets My Chemical Romance
7 \\ Silver Ladders \\ by Mary Lattimore
harp instrumental/ambient
6 \\ Sister \\ by Ultraísta
synth pop/drum n bass
5 \\ Swimmer \\ by Tennis
husband & wife pop rock bliss
4 \\ Inlet \\ by Hum
90's alt rock revival
3 \\ Monovision \\ by Ray LaMontagne
Underrated John Denver, CCR, James Taylor inspired folk soul goodness
(best Ray album ever??)
(best Ray album ever??)
2 \\ some kind of peace \\ by Ólafur Arnalds
contemporary classical/ambient/a perfect escape from 2020
