This is an unranked, but loosely ordered list of the music around the world that resonated with me in 2020.
Check out the Spotify playlist below for a taste of the musical genius flooding this big-ass list, and remember to buy albums via bandcamp when sufficiently inspired and financially capable.
https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/4VSbDrJmmJBuytsN2Ki4Ly
Nnamdi – Brat (Alt Pop/Alt R&B/Alt Rock/Alt Rap/Alt Prog)
HAIM – Women In Music III (Instant classic rock/pop)
Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters (Alt folk/alt pop)
Deftones – Ohms (Alt Metal)
Clipping. – Visions of Bodies Being Burned (Experimental Rap/IDM)
CocoRosie – Put the Shine On (Experimental Pop)
Obuxum – Re-Birth (Electronic/R&B)
Backxwash – God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It (Industrial Alt Rap)
Moses Sumney – grae (Progressive R&B)
Sufjan Stevens – The Ascension (Prog Pop/Alt Folk)
William Ryan Fritch – Soldida (Contemporary Composition/Ambient)
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith – Expanding Electricity (Experimental Electronic/Ambient)
Laura Marling – Songs For Our Daughter (Folk Rock)
Sevdaliza – Shebrang (Alt Pop/Trip Hop)
Witch Prophet – DNA Activation (Trip Hop)
Zilla With Her Eyes Shut – S/T (Alt/Experimental Pop)
TOBi – Elements Vol 1 (R&B)
Shabazz Palaces – The Don of Diamond Dreams (Psychedelic Rap)
Ora Cogan – Bells in the Ruins (Alt Folk Rock)
Gorillaz – Song Machine Reader (Alt Pop/Rap)
Pantayo – Pantayo (Experimental Folk Pop)
Jimmy Chamberlin Complex – Honor (alt prog jazz)
Thundercat – It Is What It Is (Smooth Wank)
John Frusciante – Maya (Aphex Twin tribute album)
Mac Miller – Circles (Pop/Rap)
Jonsi – Shiver (Icelandic Pop Magic)
Open Mike Eagle – Anime, Trauma and Divorce (Alt Rap)
Lianne La Havas (R&B/Groove Rock)
Nick Storing – My Magic Dreams Have Lost Their Spell (Contemporary Composition)
The Elwins – IV (Alt Pop/Rock)
Denzel Curry, Kenny Beats – UNLOCKED (Alt Rap)
Owen Pallet – Island (Experimental Folk/Composition)
Baths – Pop Music/False B-Sides II (Alt Pop/Electronic)
Zen Bamboo – Glu (Alt Rock)
Dirty Projects – 5EPs (Alt Folk/Pop)
Anachnid – Dreamweaver (Trip Hop)
Sarah Harmer – (Folk Rock)
Amon Tobin, Figurosa – The World As We Know It (Alt Folk/Electronic)
Laurel Halo – Possessed (Electronic Composition/Ambient/Experimental)
Deerhoof – Future Teenage Cave Artists (Jank Pop/Punk/Experimental)
Braids (Alt Pop/Electronic/Rock)
Loma – Don’t Shy Away (Alt Folk)
Mr. Gnome – The Day You Flew Away (Alt Rock)
Caribou – Suddenly (Electronic)
Leisure Palace (Experimental Alt Pop)
Vieo Abiungo – Balkanize (Experimental Folk)
Ilya – Other Ways to Vent (Pop/R&B)
Oh Sees – Metamorphosed (Psych Rock)
The Smashing Pumkins – CYR (New Wave)
Run the Jewels – 4 (Rap)
KRS-One – Between Da Protests (Rap)
Phantogram – Ceremony (Alt Pop)
Little Simz – Drop 6 (Rap)
Skeletons – If the Cat Come Back (Experimental Folk)
Plants and Animals – The Jungle (Rock)
https://annesulikowski.bandcamp.com/album/bedroom-drone (Ambient/Drone)
Ian William Craig – Red Sun Through Smoke
https://claraengel.bandcamp.com/album/hatching-under-the-stars
Grimes – Miss Anthropocene
U.S. Girls (70s Pop/Rock)
Shmu – Pure Bliss (Psych/Alt Rock)
Metz – Atlas Vending (Rock)
Reptoid – Worship False Gods (Noise Rock/Math Punk)
The Flaming Lips – American Head
https://buildingsandfood.bandcamp.com/album/up-down-strange-charm
