Though this year has been a quiet one for this blog (mainly because I’ve been writing in other places) I thought it would be nice to sign 2020 off with a classic AOTY list. Besides, I’ve posted one for the past two years – and I also just really like writing lists.
Despite how hellish much of 2020 has been, it also gave us a lot of good music. And, surprisingly, quite a lot of it came from artists that weren’t really on my radar at the start of the year. Hardly any of the albums I was anticipating this year ended up in the top 25, which just goes to show you can’t predict what you’re going to connect with most.
A lot of the albums on here are ones you’re going to see on most of the other year-end lists floating around, but hopefully you’ll find one or two new things to enjoy.
Anyhoo – here’s the list.
25. Caroline Rose – Superstar
24. TORRES – Silver Tongue
23. Jessie Ware – What’s Your Pleasure?
22. Laura Marling – A Song For Our Daughter
21. Rina Sawayama – SAWAYAMA
20. Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher
19. Yves Tumor – Heaven To A Tortured Mind
18. Katy J. Pearson – Return
17. The Strokes – The New Abnormal
16. Dana Gavinski – Yesterday Is Gone
15. Sylvan Esso – Free Love
14. HAIM – Women In Music Pt. III
13. Nadine Shah – Kitchen Sink
12. Bartees Strange – Live Forever
11. Caribou – Suddenly
10. bdrmm – Bedroom
Shoegaze is one of those genres I don’t really know a lot about; I don’t know what good shoegaze is to me, other than I know it when I hear it. And, well, this it – a beautifully moody album that’s easy to get lost in.
9. Hachiku – I’ll Probably Be Asleep
If there’s one genre of music that was destined to flourish throughout lockdown, it’s bedroom pop. I’ll Probably Be Asleep provides compelling evidence for this. It’s an album that succeeds in conjuring up a singular world; its eight tracks a collection of dreamy and mysterious landscapes. (Read my review for LTW.)
8. Adrianne Lenker – Songs and Instrumentals
Between Big Thief and her solo releases, Adrianne Lenker can truly do no wrong. Her two 2020 albums are intimate and homespun, with sparse yet intricate instrumentals. I dare you to find a prettier song released this year than ‘Anything’.
7. Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death
While I wasn’t overly fussed about Fontaine D.C.’s first album – last year’s Dogrel – A Hero’s Death feels like a huge step up. Leaning heavily on post-punk influences, it’s a darker, denser album filled with risks.
6. Perfume Genius – Set My Heart On Fire Immediately
Perfume Genius has yet to put out a bad album – or, really, anything less than fantastic. It’s difficult to say whether Set My Heart On Fire Immediately is his best yet, but songs like ‘On The Floor’ and ‘Describe’ make a very strong argument.
5. Tenci – My Heart Is An Open Field
Some albums are designed to be listened to at night and this is one of them. Short and sweet, Tenci’s debut album just sweeps you away to somewhere else entirely, existing in that midway point between being awake and in a dream.
4. Fiona Apple – Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Fetch The Bolt Cutters is a remarkable album that couldn’t feel any more timely. It’s the call-to-action that many of us need right now and proves that, almost 25 years since the release of her first album, Fiona Apple remains as essential as she’s ever been. (Read my review for LTW.)
3. Kate NV – Room For The Moon
For some albums, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly why you fall for them so hard. Throughout the year, I’ve found myself coming back to Room For The Moon time and time again. It’s a strange, inviting album and begs to be picked away at.
2. Andy Shauf – The Neon Skyline
Concept albums are difficult to pull off, but Andy Shauf’s latest does it without a hitch. The Neon Skyline almost plays out like a short story – each song holding a chunk of the narrative – making it sound more rewarding each time you come back to it.
1. Porridge Radio – Every Bad
I mean, this one had to be number one, right? Trading off the lo-fi aesthetic of Porridge Radio’s earlier releases for a richer sound, Every Bad feels like the band’s most definitive statement yet. It’s thrilling, expressive, and full of anthems that are ready to set fire to the hearts of a new legion of fans. (Read my review for LTW.)
Oh, and for ease, here’s a playlist as well:
Sound Mind 