Music. List. Favorite Albums of 2020.

I don’t have to tell you: 2020 was a weird year.

The music that hit me the hardest in 2020 could most certainly be mapped to the extremes of a COVID lifestyle; much of it was abrasive, claustrophobic, clawing at the walls kind of stuff, while just as much was a quiet, insular whisper that seemed to escape its way to spotify only by mistake. There was righteous anger; there were copious tears. 2020 was a lot, and its musical standouts reflect exactly that.

Before we jump in, shoutouts to the honorable mentions, albums that it all but physically pained me to leave off this list:

• Poppy: I Disagree
• Squarepusher: Be Up a Hello
• Nathaniel Rateliff: And It’s Still Alright
• Moses Sumney: græ
• Pearl Jam: Gigaton
• Childish Gambino: 3.15.20
• Little Dragon: New Me, Same Us
• Ital Tek: Outland
• Death Bells: New Signs of Life
• Mr. Bungle: The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo
• Sufjan Stevens: The Ascension

…a lot of good stuff came out this year, and whittling this down to ten was tough enough. That said, If I try to make this a 50-album list, I’ll never finish it, and it will live in my Google Docs graveyard forever. You get ten. And so, without further ado…