My Top 50 Albums of 2020
Before I get into anything, I want to first just mention how incredibly much of a privilege it has been to know that there have been so much amazing new music, despite all of the circumstances that have befallen 2020, which ironically have hit music artists the hardest. So I want to say, from the bottom of my heart, a huge thanks to all musicians and artists out there; every single one of you. It has honestly been music that has mainly kept me pushing on through what felt like a pretty bleak year.
I remember at the beginning with 2020, with red-hot hope in my heart, that I would make it my mission to absolutely smash my current record of album reviews per year. And with 2019 accounting for just over 70 projects, the reviews I have written for 2020 have far exceeded the 100 mark, and possibly might even be scraping the 150 mark. But this, unfortunately, also meant that it would be close to impossible to take the same approach as last year, in which I ranked all of the records I had reviewed from least favourite to most favourite.
Before we move on any further, why don’t we recap on last year’s reigning champion;
The Comet Is Coming — Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery (my favourite album of 2019)
With one whole year having passed since I made this album my number one pick, I would still say that, yep, it still stands as my favourite album of that year. The Comet Is Coming simply brought a level of musical excitement that I had never experienced before. I genuinely never thought that an instrumental album could be as engaging and as empowering as this, but Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery’s appeal has not dimmed in the slightest. If anything, I only love the album even more now.
Now with my gushing over that album out of the way, we can take things back to the here and now; the end of 2020. The fact that I went from a year where I was able to place all of the records I’ve reviewed together in one article, to a year where even picking 50 good albums was no easy task, should speak volumes of how much I’ve grown as a writer, as well as how much of a phenomenal year (at least musically) it has been.
To save this article from being one that swamps the reader, I hope to address the albums in more and more detail as I progress.
I should also mention some disclaimers;
. I have only allowed one record per artist. But if an artist is on a collaborative project alongside another, it can still be permitted
. I decided to allow both albums and mixtapes that I’ve reviewed (If you want to take a look at my favourite EPs, you can do so here)
. Some albums from my Last Minute Reviews Week article have been included
. There are a few December releases that didn’t make it in time to be considered (namely Kid Cudi’s newest album)
.There is one album on the list that I had reviewed via Indie Top 39 and not Medium
.While I would’ve most certainly considered Backxwash’s God Has Nothing To Do With This Please Leave Him Out Of It, the album has since been taken down from various platforms, so I wasn’t sure if it would be right to have include it on the list.
. I obviously haven’t reviewed every single album that’s been released this year, so there is a chance that I might’ve missed a favourite of yours
You might be predicting how this list will play out based on the scores I have given albums in my 2020 reviews. but it is not as black and white as just that. While me scoring those albums was more based on the ratio of enjoyable tracks, my ranking will be more based on the sentimentality that has been built towards each album over the course of the year, and how well they represent the year as a whole.
And now that, as far as I believe, everything has been covered, we can dive in to my 50 favourite albums of 2020!
#50 — Big Sean — Detroit 2
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There have been many artist (especially in the realms of Hip-Hop & R&B) who have been going the extra mile to add a generous amount of tracks to their new projects, to create a full experience. Big Sean comes through as one of these artists, with his new album Detroit 2. This album carries a great deal of tracks and featured artists, and the majority of the tracks were bangers.
#49— Grimes — Miss Anthropocene
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My introduction to Grimes came in the form of the single “We Appreciate Power”, which did pretty well to reflect the experimental nature of the artist. However, Miss Anthropocene really takes this experimentation a step further, on a project which oozes with futuristic and cosmic vibes. There is so much depth and versatility to be found on this expertly-crafted album.
#48 — Dorian Electra — My Agenda
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Following my last-minute listen of Dorian Electra’s 2019 debut album Flamboyant, I was excited to listen to the sophomore project upon its release. Dorian Electra takes a lot more creative liberties on My Agenda, and while not as consistent as the debut, the music, along with the different character portrayals, made it extremely fun to listen to.
#47 — I Break Horses — Warnings
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An album which I discovered as a result of searching for new music in the midst of a dry spot in may, Warnings does a brilliant job of fusing both dark and somber undertones with bright and colourful synth melodies.It felt like both an atmospheric yet grounded experience which represented the month of May pretty well in my opinion.
#46— Ho99o9 — Blurr Mixtape
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With the formula that Ho99o9 (horror) has been championing for so many years admittedly becoming a bit predictable at this point, their newest mixtape does a pretty good job of mixing their formula up a bit more. This made Blurr a much more exciting project to go through, and I definitely appreciated the increased sense of versatility that this mixtape has.
#45 — Ty Dolla $ign — Featuring Ty Dolla $ign
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Ty Dolla $igns vocals truly feel like the kind that I can’t get enough of. Therefore, it was brilliant to find that Featuring Ty Dolla $ign carries a very generous amount of material. Much like Detroit 2, this album carries an exciting cast of featured artists, and has a very consistent luminosity in its mood throughout. A perfect example of a vibesy album.
#44 — Dan Deacon — Mystic Familiar
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Even though I shelved it to a last minute review, I was easily able to get a sense that Dan Deacon’s Mystic Familiar felt like a pretty special album. My rough opinion of it was completely validated upon listening to it properly, and I really admire the sense of experimentation and depth in both its sound and its structure of tracks.
#43 — grandson — Death Of An Optimist
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After a handful of EPs to precede it, grandson’s debut album feels like the resulting piece of all of the musical and stylistic development he has been chipping away at for a number of years, and was everything I had hoped it would be. Gritty, dark, moody, raw, and above all dynamic, grandson masterfully embodies the frustrations of a generation through this album.
#42 — Gus Dapperton — Orca
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There was something about the atmosphere and mood that Gus Dapperton’s sophomore album creates, that really built a strongly sentimental quality very fast. Simultaneously moody and soulful, Orca was an album that really gives off that kind of bittersweet feeling that makes an album like this one so beautiful, and I found myself feeling every moment of it.
#41 — clipping. — Visions of Bodies Being Burned
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After a brilliantly haunting and unnerving musical halloween representative that came in the form of 2019’s There Existed an Addiction To Blood, clipping. have come through a year later with this new album. Visions of Bodies Being Burned has the same dark effect, but arguably does so in a more engaging fashion. I definitely felt drawn in to the disturbing brilliance of this album.
#40 — Busta Rhymes — Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath Of God
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Busta Rhymes has been a name that has been engraved in the hip-hop hall of fame, and that is something that no-one can argue with. But it was a great experience to go through a full Busta Rhymes album for the first time. With the original 1998 Extinction Level Event album showing the rapper swift climb up the hill. Busta reminds us that he is now king of said hill in this long-awaited, and musically generous sequel.
#39 — Aesop Rock — Spirit World Field Guide
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I was eager to see what Aesop Rock would sound like away from his collaboration with TOBACCO that was Malibu Ken. I was thrilled to find that that level of acidic quirkiness feel elevated in his newest solo album. With its colourful and whimsical tunes, all of which do very well to keep to the psychedelic theme of the spirit world, made Spirit World Field Guide a very engaging and fun album to listen to.
#38 — Eyedress — Let’s Skip To The Wedding
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It was early August, and the hottest days of the year were on the horizon. I can’t quite recall how I discovered the newest album from Eyedress, but I sure as hell am glad that I did. Everything about the albums stylistic aesthetic, and its consistently soothing and bright atmosphere, went hand-in-hand with the warm days of summer, and is one of the biggest representatives of that season looking back on it.
#37 — Tame Impala — The Slow Rush
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While this may not be the favourite album from long-time fans of the one-man indie band that is Tame Impala, which I can understand, I was somebody who still appreciated the more accessible approach that The Slow Rush has taken. I feel like it succeeds more in being a more engaging record this way, while hardly sacrificing that much of that signature Tame Impala feel. The upbeat nature of The Slow Rush was something that I could easily get behind.
#36— Disclosure — ENERGY
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After the sheer impact that came with Disclosure’s debut album Settle, I was almost certain that the Alternative EDM duo would never be able to replicate that sense of innovation in another record. However, ENERGY at least comes far closer to that than the sophomore album that was Caracal. This new album, much like Settle, is a versatile and colourful showcase of Disclosure really standing out from other EDM artists
#35 — Lady Gaga — Chromatica
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Lady Gaga is well and truly back. And when I say this, I’m not just writing about the fact that she has released her follow-up to her previous record Joanne, but I mean that the unique, quirky, and empowering Gaga has made a comeback, for the first time since her 2013 album ARTPOP. Chromatica sees a return to a more electro punk-pop kind of aesthetic, which really gives listeners a vivid feel of the freeing musical world she has created this year.
#34 — Asher Roth — Flowers on the Weekend
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With the end of April marking the return of the warmer days, Asher Roth definitely succeeded at releasing an album like Flowers on the Weekend at the perfect time. As well as being my introduction to the hip-hop artist, it was a perfect example of an album that really helped to set me up with the summer spirit that it had admittedly taken a bit longer for me to equip this year. But with a vibrant range of great tunes, I was completely sorted for the Summer.
#33 — BENEE — Hey u x
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Admittedly, the initial hype that burned inside me towards BENEE’s debut album has cooled off a little bit more now, but Hey u x is still an incredibly atmospheric and enjoyable album, with many different moods to be enjoyed throughout. The most admirable thing about Hey u x is still its consistency in quality, as it remains enjoyable throughout. But the colourful nature of the album really shines through each of its tracks as well.
#32 — The Weeknd — After Hours
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With the singles “Heartless” and “Blinding Lights” setting the bar incredibly high for a new album at the end of last year, it came as no surprise that After Hours became another killer project from The Weeknd. With arguably an even more cosmic feel that Starboy (ironically enough), After Hours also feels a lot more personal as an album that highlights The Weeknd’s post-breakup feelings, while being musically engaging for the vast majority of it.
#31 — Marc Almond — Chaos and a Dancing Star
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Even with the losses that people have faced worldwide this year, Marc Almond is thankfully still with us. However, I haven’t felt this way towards an album and its theme since David Bowie’s Blackstar. Chaos and a Dancing Star reeked with a sense of finality. And if not Almond’s final album, it has served as an important reminder of our mortality. But most importantly, it is another case of Almond’s phenomenal songwriting.
#30 — Teyana Taylor — The Album
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Three words; what a voice! I was completely spoiled with the sheer amount of amazing tracks to be found on this 23 track project. The vast majority of those tunes felt incredibly nostalgic, and pack enough beauty to truly fill the soul of the listener. Teyana Taylor doesn’t refrain from being a little adventurous with her sound on this album either, with a good range of moods thrown into the R&B formula. With a vocal style that feels equal to The Weeknd, more people should be listening to this stunning album.
#29— Dua Lipa — Future Nostalgia
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If Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia has taught me anything, it is that you should never let a poor-quality radio dull down your idea of how an artist sounds. While there were a handful of songs on this album that I had recognised via numerous radio plays, I discovered that there was so much more musical depth to them when I properly paid all of my attention to it, with the help of some very good headphones. This album is truly more of a deep and atmospheric project than some people, like my past self, may think.
#28 — Perfume Genius — Set My Heart On Fire Immediately
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There are just those albums that you get every once in a blue moon, whose intricacy gives it a true sense of importance. Set My Heart On Fire Immediately is one of those albums. I am confident that Perfume genius knew exactly what he wanted, as this album strides a bit further away from accessibility, and towards complexity and depth. This allows Set My Heart On Fire Immediately to be the kind of album that works best as an experience that’s enjoyed from beginning to end.
#27 — Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes — What Kinda Music
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What I like to call the 2020 equivalent to Jordan Rakei’s Origin, What Kinda Music has been one of the most glaring examples of an album that has grown on me throughout the year. While I still saw it as a solid album when it came out, I have fully come to appreciate and love the atmospheric qualities of its best tracks. It truly feels like something that defies genre as the title suggests, without being too out there for listeners to quickly get into. What Kinda Music is a brilliant showcase of the musical genius that these two artists share.
#26 — Run The Jewels — RTJ4
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I don’t think I’ve ever believed in fate as much as when this album came to drop. In the sudden surge of the Black Lives Matter movement, RTJ4 became an instant and prime musical advocate to power the movement forward. But even when you take its genuine relevance to the goings on in 2020, RTJ4 is still an outstanding improvement upon the slight staleness of 2016's RTJ3. Run The Jewels have managed to once inject inject their personality and chemistry into this album, which is radical in every respect.
#25 — Charli XCX — how i’m feeling now
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Even after the success of her previous album CHARLI last year, Charli XCX has managed to create an album that felt like no other before it. And the main difference lies in how it was created. how i’m feeling now is an album that was essentially Charli’s brainchild following the COVID-19 lockdown, in which she collaborated with fans over six weeks to create the finished piece. But the resulting piece came out to be extremely experimental, and in the best way possible. For what is essentially lockdown; the album, it was very enjoyable.
#24 — Stone Hand — Carcosa
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Stone Hand’s Carcosa kinds of wins its own unique award, as it is the earliest album on this list. But aside from that, I don’t think any album had captured the pure and raw essense of the hardcore aesthetic quite like it. Pairing my listens of this album with the fact that I got to witness the band play the entire album live at the beginning of the year, Carcosa effortlessly reflects the heavier side of the live and local music scene. With crushing banger, after crushing banger on this record, you can find your hardcore fix right here.
#23 — Ivan Ave — Double Goodbyes
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When I was writing about Asher Roth’s Flowers on the Weekend being an album whose vibe was perfectly fitting for the end of April, I of course wasn’t lying when I said that, but I feel that there was one album that arguably did that even better. Double Goodbyes’ more lo-fi approach to its production just made it seem so much more charming and colourful. But most importantly, its sound was oh-so-warm. This is the kind of album that reminds me of so many good pre-summer memories, so it’s fair to say it’s become a sentimental piece.
#22 — Blu & Exile — Miles
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We’ve previously covered the kinds of albums that somehow managed to be both generous with its tracks, but also have those tracks be carefully composed. And when it comes to those kinds of albums, Blu & Exiles Miles is the undisputed cream of the crop. Throughout the album’s staggering runtime of over an hour and a half, this MC/producer duo perfectly hone in on an insanely strong blues rap aesthetic, with some phenomenally retro jazz-inspired beats to boot. Miles is an impactful and greatly immersive listen.
#21 — Fleet Foxes — Shore
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A surprise release from indie-folk extraordinaires Fleet Foxes, it was nice for Shore to be a completely fresh experience for all listeners. But more so than that, it is insanely beautiful. I spent the best chunk of 2020 longing for an album that gave me the same kind of grandiose as Beirut’s Gallipoli did last year, and I was confident that I had finally found it through Shore. This album carries the kind of atmosphere that washes over you completely, and it is remarkably gorgeous and emotional to behold.
#20 — Seeva — We Need To Talk
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As somebody who had listened to the music of singer/songwriter Tarun Shah, before they even donned the alias of Seeva, I am absolutely bursting with pride and joy to not only say that the long-awaited debut album has finally arrived, but that it also stands as one of the finest projects of the year. With Seeva deeply reflecting upon himself and his journey towards self-love as a shy queer boy from London, there are plenty of powerful anthems to be found on We Need To Talk, including both upbeat and slow-burning variants. For an independent artist, this album is of an elite standard in all respects.
#19 — Juniore — Un, Deux, Trois
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If it’s a spellbinding and whimsical musical experience that you’ve been longing for, then look no further that Juniore’s Un, Deux, Trois. The sophomore album from the French indie outfit is sung entirely in the native language, which only contributed more to its incredibly mystifying feel. Furthermore, Un, Deux, Trois gave me a sense of avant-garde unlike any other indie project I had heard in recent memory, while also carrying a sense of intimacy that one might affiliate with the feel of a live performance. It truly felt like a one-of-a-kind album of 2020.
#18 — Joji — Nectar
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With the track “Sanctuary” being released roughly a year and a half ago, it is fair to say that Joji’s second studio album has been highly anticipated by many. Nectar most certainly validates those high expectations, by delivering a generous portion of tracks that were bewitchingly infectious, and felt like something that could’ve only been the product of Joji. There’s such an emotive force to this project, which gives Nectar a life of its own. This project totally led me away from George Miller’s comedic YouTube past, and allowed me to completely take him seriously as an incredible song artist.
#17 — Denzel Curry & Kenny Beats — UNLOCKED
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I’m normally wary of projects that are made to feel like unreleased demos, but the amount of effort and creativity that went into this collaboration between hip-hop artist Denzel Curry and producer Kenny Beats is absolutely gold standard. With a music video that virtually accompanies the entirety of the album, UNLOCKED arrived as a full-media package, that effortlessly transported me into the colourful world that these two artists had created. With some marvellously engaging tunes being the best part of the whole experience, UNLOCKED is a remarkable project to look back on.
#16 — Mac Miller — Circles
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Posthumous projects always have a natural impact on listeners, but the fact still stands they could either come off as a blatant cash-grab, or they could be genuine labours of love and respect. Circles is one of the finest examples of the latter. With record producer and close friend Jon Brion picking up the musical pieces left behind by Mac Miller’s passing in 2018, he made it his mission to get what was meant to be the successor to 2018’s Swimming (the last album of Miller’s lifetime) completed. With tear-jerking moments at every corner, Circles had me reflecting like no other album this year.
#15 — Bring Me The Horizon — POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR
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Most people would have to admit that Bring Me The Horizon have never been the kind of band to fit comfortably into one specific sub-genre or aesthetic. Especially after the conflicting sounds on their 2019 album amo, this felt more apparent than ever. But with their newest project (which I am personally labelling as an album and not an EP), I would argue that this is the most the Sheffield band have been in their absolute element, and they have seemingly found that perfect brand of heaviness. The style on this project is something that I would beg for BMTH to pursue.
#14 — YUNGBLUD — weird!
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For an album as recently released as YUNGBLUD’s weird! to make it this far up the list may seem unusual. However, it is both the teaser tracks that have been released throughout 2020, along with YUNGBLUD as a person which really makes this album feel as special as it is. Effortlessly and genuinely standing as a spokesperson for an extraordinary yet underappreciated generation, YUNGBLUD perfectly conveys a journey towards self love, and embracing your many different personas. This was a message that myself, and many other people, could closely relate to and get behind.
#13 — Yves Tumor — Heaven To A Tortured Mind
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Another example of a high-climber, I had already perceived Yves Tumor’s Heaven To A Tortured Mind as a very solid album, and a vast improvement upon Yves Tumor’s previous album, 2018’s Safe In The Hands of Love. But as the year progressed, I became increasingly aware of just how experimental, innovative, and unique this album was, and the highlights of the tracklist became notable staples of my 2020 soundtrack. There’s such an alien feel to the album’s vibe which oddly empowered me through it steamy sense of allure. Yves Tumor seems completely in their element on this album.
#12 — Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist — Alfredo
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After finding Freddie Gibbs’ 2019 collaboration with producer Madlib that was Bandana, a somewhat decent musical experience, I was curious as to how his collaboration with The Alchemist might differ. I was far more impressed with the versatility behind the various beats found on Alfredo, most of them really playing in to the whole summer vibe. Much like RTJ2, this is another album that I affiliate with the surge of the Black Lives Matter movement, while never pointing to that connection too blatantly. The talents of both artists fully slapped me in the face, with this masterful collaboration.
#11 — Gorillaz — Song Machine, Season 1: Strange Timez
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It is fair to say that virtual band Gorillaz have had a bit of a bumpy ride through the 2010’s following their phenomenal third album Plastic Beach. After the extensive hiatus, the next few albums displayed that Gorillaz were struggling to find their feet again. But one of the biggest reliefs this year, is knowing that they have finally bounced-back with this new project, which is labelled as a “song series”. The way that Strange Timez was teased monthly, from the earlier part of 2020 not only screams classic Gorillaz, but allows this album to be one of the biggest musical representatives of 2020 out there.
#10 — IDLES — Ultra Mono
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If you thought that IDLES were an unapologetic band before, Ultra Mono is likely to be the last strike of the hammer to fully lodge that nail of certainty in. While the Bristol-based alternative punk band take a more straightforward, accessible, and all-round approach to the subject matter in Ultra Mono, compared to the wittier lyrics in previous albums, it feels apparent that IDLES seem to be at their most genuine in this album, and it really shows through the sheer amount of raw, dynamic and anthemic punk bangers. I would argue that this project has best captured the essence of what IDLES are all about. And as a result, Ultra Mono is an undeniably fun experience.
#9 — VUKOVI — Fall Better
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VUKOVI seemed to have no trouble at all when it came to completely wowing me with their debut, self-titled album, which had arrived in 2017. The debut was so enjoyable, in-fact, that it still sits amongst my favourite albums of the 2010’s. With much fewer members in the year of 2020, I was intrigued, but also anxious to see how VUKOVI’s sophomore album Fall Better would turn out. It was an absolute thrill to find that, despite all odds, Fall Better easily trumps their debut, and somehow managed to bring us a marginally deeper sound with fewer members. Fall Better definitely shows the insane level of growth that VUKOVI has achieved, towards an even more impactful album.
#8 — Thundercat — It Is What It Is
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It should come as a surprise to no one, that Thundercat had already cemented himself and an extraordinarily unique artist, with his 2017 masterpiece Drunk. However, he once again shows us that he hasn’t lost a shred of that uniqueness through his latest instalment. With the warmer days coming into effect, the bright, colourful, and chill aesthetic of It Is What It Is was the perfect accompaniment, whilst also carrying some deeper, more emotive moments too. Its time of release also made the album the one that I affiliate most with my birthday. But timing aside, there is a scarce amount of dull moments to be found on this exciting and cosmic ride of an album.
#7 — Ocean Grove — Flip Phone Fantasy
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Ocean Grove’s Flip Phone Fantasy is quite the unique case, amongst other entries on this list. My first instance of discovering the Melbourne hard rock band, also happened to be the very last gig I went to before the UK lockdown came into full effect. Playing a supporting set for Crossfaith’s headline show, both e and a friend of mine fell in love with the band’s insanely nostalgic and engaging sound right away. This all took place a week or so before the release of this album, which completely made it clear that this band is special. The heavier types of music that I grew up listening to were all represented beautifully on this flawlessly anthemic record.
#6 — Rina Sawayama — SAWAYAMA
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To this day, it still baffles me that a debut studio album carries as much instant star-power as SAWAYAMA. This album packs it all, from versatility, to musical depth, to its incredibly strong narrative. Telling a compelling story about getting to know yourself, leaving the nest, thinking outside the box, and finding your chosen family, I felt myself relating to SAWAYAMA deeply. Along with this, Rina Sawayama seems to explore all possibilities for the moods she had implemented onto this record, from unapologetically heavy and gritty, to luminous and sentimental, and of course the glamorous anthems that teased this album. SAWAYAMA is an absolute goldmine of musical empowerment.
#5 — Gengahr — Sanctuary
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The kind of sentimentality I had built towards Gengahr’s Sanctuary is a strange one, but I feel that I need to note it down somehow. Rewind back to early February, and following a pretty trying first month, this album became one of the first projects to get me really motivated for the year. But even with what ultimately occured, that sense of motivation never really seemed to fizzle out, thanks to Sanctuary’s lasting effect. That being said, you could say that this album represents my resilience throughout 2020. But personal reasons aside, Sanctuary is a phenomenal indie album, full of versatility, and effortlessly emotive in its sound. This was indeed an album that I really felt.
#4 — Fiona Apple — Fetch The Bolt Cutters
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Impactful doesn’t even begin to underline Fiona Apple’s Fetch The Bolt Cutters. I would bet that if you were to take a look at another music journalist’s top 2020 albums, this would most likely be their number one, and for good reason. I only listened to this album fully very recently, and it has somehow managed to skyrocket to number 4. Fetch The Bolt Cutters feels like an album whose appeal increases every time one of its tracks plays, and the gripping narrative behind the album held every shred of my attention. Uniquely mixing unnerving and empowering themes together, both musically, and in a narrative sense, there’s no other album quite like it, save one…
#3 — BC Camplight — Shortly After Takeoff
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At least in the sense of its songwriting and its level of impact, I felt quite a relatively similar way towards BC Camplights Shortly After Takeoff as Fetch The Bolt Cutters. However, the biggest advantage this album has, is simply that I have had far more time to build up a sense of sentimentality with this project, not to mention that is is far more underrated. The themes of poor mental health that Shortly After Takeoff covers effectively bent my own emotions to its will. I also found this album to be more versatile in its sound, which ingeniously included some tracks that were made to feel ironically upbeat. In my mind, BC Camplight is easily the biggest unsung hero of 2020.
#2 — Code Orange — Underneath
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For a very long time, I was certain that Code Oranges Underneath was going to be my album of the year. It is most certainly the most unique, experimental, and engaging projects that Code Orange have put out so far, and really feels like the climactic moment that the Pittsburgh hardcore/metalcore group has been building up towards over the timespan of their career. It feels clear that they wanted to go above and beyond to implement as much of a surreal feel to their base formula as possible, and it ultimately makes for a ingeniously nightmarish musical experience. 2020 seems to have seen a more radical change within myself, and Underneath may have been its biggest contributor.
#1 — Protomartyr — Ultimate Success Today
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From the moment that I completed my first listen of Protomartyr’s Ultimate Success Today, I knew that it was a special project.
Even on the surface, Ultimate Success Today feels like an incredibly charming project in its sound, which fuses a primarily post-punk sound with subtle jazz elements. But then I dived deeper into the concept of this album, which artfully and effectively highlights the toxicity of modernity, police brutality, and, in theory, the white-collar worker. And while the strongest statement that this album makes is sort of in the eye of the beholder, it makes Ultimate Success Today no less impactful.
And while the album pointing to the negative effects of a corporate-dominated world is my personal take, my theory, accidentally or otherwise, allowed this album to become the most relevant and year defining record of 2020. Throughout a year where many people (myself included) has had their jobs and livelihoods severely affected by the pandemic, and perhaps the careless greed of corporate leaders as well, Ultimate Success Today somehow feels like a project that effectively channels the frustrations that come as a result, and is a reminder for us to be wary of the rat race.
In addition, there is also the time in which this album released, which was easily one of the most memorable highlights of the year. Once again, it was just coincidence really, but the fact that this album helps me to look back on one of the few joyful moments in a pretty bleak year, is definitely worthy of mentioning.
In conclusion, Ultimate Success Today, in my opinion was the most ultimate of successes, when it comes to albums in 2020.
And that concludes my top 50 albums of the year. I hope you enjoyed the read, and were perhaps made aware of a few projects that you might’ve missed.
And while this is conventionally one of the most prominent articles of list week, it is far from the last. We still have the best tracks, and other musical tidbits of 2020 to cover, so stay tuned for all of that good stuff.
