Best of 2020

It’s New Music Friday and it’s finally here – My Best of 2020! I chose a Top 20 and you should know as in years past, there is no particular order and certainly no number one. I’m happy that after browsing through so much music, my picks are a wide range of styles and emotions – It really was a great year in music.

For the Spotify playlist, I chose two songs from each album, so...Without further ado, I give you my Best of 2020 Mixtape.

- Run The Jewels – RTJ4 – Killer Mike and El-P put out maybe the most relevant release this year. Anger, frustration and sadness pour through the album. A ferocious mix of old school hip-hop and Rage Against the Machine. It’s as close to a number one album I’ve ever selected.

- Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters – A wild and unruly masterpiece. Apple is at her best in this, her most experimental release. Songs touch on complex relationships, bullying and sexual assault and Apple has never sounded stronger.

- Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher – After last year’s collaboration for Better Oblivion Community Center and previously, the wonderful boygenius, Bridgers solo release is brutally honest through melodic, heartbreaking tracks.

- Jonah Mutono – Fans of Frank Ocean should get to know Mutono. His songs are personal, but he has a goal of connecting people regardless of their background. His rich, deep voice is the most soulful I heard this year and he wrote maybe the best love song of the year, “1949”.

- Lianne La Havas – Lianne La Havas – Breakup albums are always fun to listen to and La Havas delivers a delicate sounding release through her beautiful lyrics amid minimal instrumentation. It’s her voice that carries the album. Soak it in.

- Taylor Swift – The first of two releases from Taylor this year. An “indie” album that I feel Swift has been building towards her whole career. It’s mature, sad, sweet and some of the best songwriting by Swift (and for any release this year).

- beabadoobee – Fake It Flowers – With big pop hooks, the Gen-Z singer delivers a strong compilation of songs that fits nicely with Bully, Liz Phair and Paramore.

- Waxahatchee – Saint Cloud – Katie Crutchfield’s latest brings together the folk music from her past releases with simple blues and her love of country music from her childhood. Nothing is fancy, but the songs are deep and meaningful. She’s telling stories you want to hear, time and time again.

- Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia – The pop music release of the year. It’s fun, funky disco-fresh sound is refreshing in 2020. Brittan’s biggest pop star is poised to take over the States. Now let’s groove!

- Anjimile – Giver Taker – A warm, beautiful album of many styles written mostly while in treatment for alcoholism and while coming to terms with their identity as a trans and nonbinary person. I hear influences from Sufjan Stevens to Roberta Flack.

- Beach Bunny – Honeymoon – Following in the footsteps of one of my favorites (Best Coast), Beach Bunny delivers hard edged power-pop with youthful exuberance while also showing growth from their previous release.

- Haim – Women in Music Pt. III – Finally delivering on previously strong releases, Haim has produced their best album ever. California focused, multidimensional, darker songwriting is the focus of their latest. Personal trauma is something many songwriters use to inspire their music and this release is no exception.

- Margo Price – That’s How Rumors Get Started – A more polished country/classic rock sound for Price than what we heard on her previous releases. The influences of Loretta Lynn are not forgotten, just pushed a bit aside by Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty.

- Bartees Strange – Live Forever – Don’t try to pin a style or genre on Bartees Strange. That’s where the fun begins. The Washington DC-based musician creates music that finds inspiration from his upbringing and his life within tracks that range from sonic rock to spoken word performances. Dive into it, it’ll be worth it.

- The Chicks – Gaslighter – What were we to expect from The Chicks after 14 years of no new music? It’s a powerful statement from three strong women who have a lot to say. Full of socially conscious and relationship kiss-off tunes, it’s a very welcome comeback.

- Mandy Moore – Silver Landings – The dark horse of my top 20, Moore’s comeback shines of California coastal sounds while showing depth in her lyrics about starting over and finding oneself.

- Sault – Untitled (Rise) – Described as a pseudonymous music collective that make a mixture of rhythm and blues, house and disco, it’s a safe bet that there’s something on this album that will surprise you, but also please you. A musical Banksy.

- Fantastic Negrito – Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? – The Bay Area singer-songwriter lets it fly on his latest. A genre-bending funk/soul/blues release that pay homage to Prince and the Delta Blues.

- Chris Stapleton – Starting Over – Stapleton’s latest is a great batch of new songs that relies on his beautiful lyrics next to a country/rock/blues mix. His latest continues his trend in kicking country music in the teeth by combining classic sounds with modern ideas and lyrics

- Jyoti – Mama, You Can Bet! – Georgia Anne Muldrow’s third release as a solo jazz project navigates what being black in America was like in 2020. With a free-form style that part jazz, part hip-hop and trip-hop. It’s a cool-ass way of ending my best of list this year.

So what were some of your favorites? Are they on this list? If not, comment and tell me - I'm always excited to discover new music!