1. Fiona Apple Fetch The Bolt Cutters

This was the perfect project to dissect during the quarantine. Experimental and improvisational, like a modern-day jazz record, the album is built around percussion, paired with her brutal honesty. Entertainment Weekly describes it as “melodic and chaotic”, which sums it up perfectly.

2. Jessie Ware What’s Your Pleasure?

We so needed to dance this year and this music perfectly fits the bill. Hints of Teena Marie, Prince, Sade, and Robyn, mixed with old-time disco, constitute the perfect pandemic solo dance party.

3. The Dears Lovers Rock

The Canadian indie rock band’s combination of melodic rock, shoegaze, and goth, features dark guitar riffs, keyboards, strings, and saxophone solos, all with an underlying urgency. Songs with grim titles like “Instant Nightmare!”, “The Worst In Us”, “I Know What You’re Thinking And It’s Awful” and “We’ll Go Into Hiding” felt very relevant, and could be interpreted as a commentary on the year 2020.

4. Alanis Morissette Such Pretty Forks In the Road

Alanis is in fine form here on her best album since Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie. Issues include addiction, depression, and abuse, but there is a silver lining as the strength she finds outweigh the seemingly depressive qualities. The light is all around us.

5. The Weeknd After Hours

Inspired by a variety of artists including The Cocteau Twins, Roxy Music and Kraftwerk, to name just a few, it’s the perfect blend of R&B and pop, glossed over with an 80s new wave sheen.

6. Taylor Swift Folklore

2020 brought many surprises, and me becoming a T. Swift fan was definitely one of them. While I respected her and her message, you wouldn’t exactly call me a “Swiftie”. That all changed with this set of stripped-down, introspective songs. The ethereal production shines bright with the help of Aaron Dessner (The National) and Jack Antonoff, but it’s the songwriting and her soothing voice that take center stage here.

7. Taylor Swift Evermore

The companion piece to Folklore, Evermore came out just a month ago, and I fell in love with it immediately. Once again, Swift trades in her pop sound to explore her folksy side, with guests like Bon Iver and The National. Infectious hooks and vivid storytelling allow you to get lost in your own little world. The hardest part was picking which Taylor record was my favorite, as they were indistinguishable at times.

8. Sault Untitled (Rise)

There is little information about this British collective, but they managed to release two albums this year, and like Taylor, they both made the list. This was the later one and deals with timely issues following the George Floyd protests. It feels more celebratory musically, but lyrically, it’s a reminder that we need to be fearless in the fight for equality.

9. Waxahatchee Saint Cloud

Saint Cloud was written after Katie Crutchfield (aka Waxahatchee) got sober. She has described the main themes as “addiction and codependency”. Despite the bleak themes, the album has a warmth about it that feels like a cozy blanket on a chilly night.

10. Sault Untitled (Black Is)

This is an assortment of funk, soul, and spoken-word narrating the Black experience in a world divided. It feels like the soundtrack to the start of a revolution, one that can hopefully bring about real change.

11. Run The Jewels RTJ4

Like many records this year, RTJ ditched their release date and dropped this when they thought the people needed it. Turns out, we did as this protest album deals with classism, racism, and other social issues. Cameos from musicians/activists Pharrell Williams, Zack de la Rocha, and Mavis Staples make a meaningful impact.

12. Phoebe Bridgers Punisher

This was her breakout year as she’s nominated for four Grammys®. There are a subtleness and quietness to her music, but if you listen closely, she packs a punch.

13. Perfume Genius Set My Heart On Fire Immediately

Mike Hadreas continues to impress me. He creates such a personal space with his songs, that you feel like you are living out the scenarios. The song “Jason” is a perfect example of this.

14. Miley Cyrus Plastic Hearts

Billy Idol, Joan Jett, and Stevie Nicks all make appearances as Miley continues to broaden her horizons and get her “rock” on. Pop-rock songs like “WTF Do I Know” will grab your attention first, but soaring ballads like “Angels Like You” and “High” showcase an artist who wants to be taken seriously.

15. Dua Lipa Future Nostalgia

Disco made a comeback this year, and this is one of the many artists who benefited from it. Like the divas of dance music that came before her, she taps into a familiar genre that could easily be cliché but manages to deliver a fresh take.

16. Haim Women In Music Pt III

The sister act from LA was like a shining light that we needed this year. Highlighting their three-part vocal harmonies, the music is easy-breezy, pop-rock that assists you in finding your sunny place, despite a dreary year.

17. Destroyer Have We Met

Another Canadian group, who draw on a variety of musical influences. This release combines folk, soft rock, dream pop, and a little new wave. I was able to see the band perform before the lockdown, and their live performance truly elevated the record.

18. Kathleen Edwards Total Freedom

After Voyageur in 2012, Edwards, suffering from depression, quit the music business and opened a coffee shop. Thankfully, she’s back with her sturdy blend of country rock and confessional lyrics, and it’s a welcome return.

19. Lucinda Williams Good Souls Better Angels

On her 15th album, Lucinda amps up the intensity, both musically and lyrically, in her assessment of the current state of affairs. On “Bad News Blues”, she sings “Who’s gonna believe liars and lunatics? Fools and thieves and clowns and hypocrites? Gluttony and greed, and that ain’t the worst of it.” Sound familiar?

20. Chloe x Halle Ungodly Hour

The singer-songwriting sisters were discovered on YouTube by Beyoncé, who became their mentor and later signed them to her label. On their second album, they display confidence and maturity beyond their years, signaling that they are here to stay.

Honorable Mentions

Bob Dylan Rough & Rowdy Ways

EoB Earth

Shopping All Or Nothing

Soccer Mommy Color Theory

Moses Sumney græ

Overlooked Album Of 2019

Black Pumas Black Pumas

Top 10 Live Shows of 2020 (Somehow, I actually managed to see 13 shows this year!)

1. New Order / 1-15-20 / The Fillmore - Miami, FL

2. Rosanne Cash / 2-17-20 / Guthrie Theater - Minneapolis, MN

3. Michael Kiwanuka / 2-3-20 / Palace Theatre - St. Paul, MN