Top 100 Music Albums of 2020
by 
meccalecca 
- Chart updated: 06/22/2024 16:45
- (Created: 01/19/2020 16:36).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
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During this deeply traumatic time in our lives, there may not be a musician more equipped to express the grief and rage brewing inside of us all. For decades, Fiona Apple has been able. to package a deep well of raw emotions within music that is a pure joy to listen to.
Taking her time between releases, each of Apple’s five albums have been iconic statements while showcasing enormous artistic growth. Her 2012 album, The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Rope…, was a richly detailed, emotionally nuanced masterpiece that continues to reward with each repeat listen.
Returning eight years later with Fetch The Bolt Cutters, Apple’s energy is even more manic. Musically, vocally, lyrically, everything is poetic, yet also direct. The urgency of punk rock is combined with the expressive nuance of experimental jazz and the melodic delight of pop music.
While the album may not be about the current worldwide pandemic crisis, Fetch The Bolt Cutters reflects the complex web of emotions that many are currently attempting to navigate through. It is her “this world is bullshit” VMA speech fleshed out into a brilliant cohesive album. [First added to this chart: 04/28/2020]
Taking her time between releases, each of Apple’s five albums have been iconic statements while showcasing enormous artistic growth. Her 2012 album, The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Rope…, was a richly detailed, emotionally nuanced masterpiece that continues to reward with each repeat listen.
Returning eight years later with Fetch The Bolt Cutters, Apple’s energy is even more manic. Musically, vocally, lyrically, everything is poetic, yet also direct. The urgency of punk rock is combined with the expressive nuance of experimental jazz and the melodic delight of pop music.
While the album may not be about the current worldwide pandemic crisis, Fetch The Bolt Cutters reflects the complex web of emotions that many are currently attempting to navigate through. It is her “this world is bullshit” VMA speech fleshed out into a brilliant cohesive album. [First added to this chart: 04/28/2020]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,406
Rank in 2020:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
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It took me decades to hear The Innocence Mission for the first time. Though they’ve been around since the late ’80s, it wasn’t until Sun on the Square was released in 2018 that I encountered their magic. I felt as though the world had long failed me by hiding this treasure of a duo from my ears. Since finally entering their enchanting world, I’ve been completely enthralled by their discography. Reminiscent of a combination of Vashti Bunyan’s ethereal folk and The Sundays’ radiant dream pop, the music of The Innocence Mission possesses incredible mystical intimacy. With three decades of exceptional releases, they’re deserving of much wider recognition. See You Tomorrow further adds to the duo’s exceptional legacy. It’s every bit as precious and inviting as fans would hope for.
Favorite tracks: “On Your Side” “We Don’t Know How To Say Why” “St. Francis and the Future” [First added to this chart: 01/24/2020]
Favorite tracks: “On Your Side” “We Don’t Know How To Say Why” “St. Francis and the Future” [First added to this chart: 01/24/2020]
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Combining delicate piano, decaying lo-fi tape loops and ghostly vocals, Ian William Craig’s latest release is a hauntingly beautiful ambient record aptly suited to soundtrack this painfully somber period in time.
[First added to this chart: 04/22/2020]
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On his past couple of albums, Michael Hadreas pushed Perfume Genius towards a more boldly confident place. On Too Bright and No Shape there was a feeling that Hadreas was confronting his challenges and then overcoming them with glorious celebration. This time around, the mood is more of the aching introspection of his earliest work, but the confidence remains. It's a beautiful, atmospheric record, and during a time in which there is so much pain and grief, Set My Heart On Fire Immediately is an album that appears to empathize with those feelings.
[First added to this chart: 06/25/2020]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,224
Rank in 2020:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
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For their second release of 2020, experimental rock quartet Deerhoof has unleashed the wildest medley of covers ever recorded. Working more like a DJ set than a simple collection of songs, the band weaves together everything from Ornette Coleman to Eddie Grant to Morricone to Kraftwerk into 5 seamless mind blowing suites that never cease to amaze. Love-Lore not only showcases Deerhoof's wide range of influences, but also highlights the band's ability to shift between diverse, complex styles with expert precision. Love-Lore may very well be the most enjoyable record released in 2020.
[First added to this chart: 10/04/2020]
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Like many others, The Party was my introduction to Shauf. At first, I was left underwhelmed, but something kept drawing me back . Before I knew it, Shauf’s breakout album had become a listening obsession. His unique ability to lyrically paint a scene is captivating, and his sonic palette is pretty immaculate. The Foxwarren album that Shauf released with his old band further proved Shauf to be something special. I’ve had pretty high expectations for The Neon Skyline, leading up to its release. All of the elements that made Foxwarren and The Party a couple of my favorite records of the past decade are there, yet I’m not quite as enchanted so far. That isn’t to say there’s not quite a lot to enjoy. “Try Again” is quickly emerging as one of my favorite tracks Shauf has produced, and with each listen I’ve found more to enjoy. It’s hard to imagine fans not enjoying The Neon Skyline.
[First added to this chart: 01/27/2020]
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During a time of disarming panic and sadness, Porches' latest album just beautifully provides a soothing melancholy soundtrack to accompany listeners through this difficult time period. It's not a cure for sadness, but it's important to be reminded that you're not alone.
[First added to this chart: 03/29/2020]
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Perfectly timed with an October release, the second part of clipping.'s horror rap diptych picks up where There Existed an Addiction to Blood left off. From start to finish, clipping. produces an aura of doom via deep heavy bass thumps and industrial electronic dissonance. The atmosphere is perfectly in line with the classic scores of Carpenter and Argento thrillers. Daveed Diggs spins tales of Vampires and murder, frequently accelerating the pace to rapid fire to heighten the tension. clipping. continues to prove to be one of the most innovative groups around by challenging the conventions of the genres they're connected with.
[First added to this chart: 12/19/2020]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
817
Rank in 2020:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
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Seeing Moses Sumney perform these songs live a month back, I was convinced that his sophomore double album græ would ascend the young artist to grand new heights. As good as Aromanticism was, Sumney was clearly ready to make a massive artistic leap. Fortunately, Part 1 of the double album lives up to the high expectations that I set for the release. While some may try to pigeonhole what Sumney is doing as art pop or R&B, there’s so much more to græ. Tracks like “Virile” and “Conveyor” present sounds in line with industrial rock while his acrobatic vocals convey something more tender and fragile. At other times, he mixes atmospheric electronics with emotive vocal jazz. græ: Part 1 ambitiously shoots for the moon, attempting to mix such a wide range of styles into one package. Amazingly, it all sounds really cohesive. While I can imagine critics ultimately playing the game of imagining an abbreviated version of græ, just as they’ve done with so many other double albums, having the two halves released separately allows for each to be more easily digestible upon initial listen. Moses Sumney is only just getting started, and should be a thrilling artist to follow closely for a long time.
[First added to this chart: 03/02/2020]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
566
Rank in 2020:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Just a year after releasing the sprawling masterpiece, Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest, Bill Callahan has released another album that could go down as the best of his 30 year career. Since his earlier days recording as Smog, Callahan’s contemplative folk songs have embraced dry subtlety. Treated more as a set of singles than some of his past albums, the songs on Gold Record aren’t catchy pop songs by any means but they’re probably the closest he’ll ever get to such a thing. They’re also some of his least melancholy tunes. His storytelling and wordplay are exquisite, and he and his band make the most out of minimal compositions.
[First added to this chart: 09/29/2020]
Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10
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Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 composition
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
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| The Heliocentrics | 2 | 2% | |
| Son Lux | 2 | 2% | |
| Deerhoof | 2 | 2% | |
| Sault | 2 | 2% | |
| Negativland | 1 | 1% | |
| Califone | 1 | 1% | |
| En Attendant Ana | 1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| |
63 | 63% | |
 |
15 | 15% | |
 |
6 | 6% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 chart changes
| Biggest climbers |
|---|
| Up 32 from 72nd to 40thWhen A Man Loves An Omen by Judson Claiborne |
| Up 10 from 16th to 6thThe Neon Skyline by Andy Shauf |
| Up 3 from 22nd to 19thMagic Oneohtrix Point Never by Oneohtrix Point Never |
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 5 from 11th to 16thHeavy Light by U.S. Girls |
| Down 5 from 17th to 22ndRTJ4 by Run The Jewels |
| Down 1 from 6th to 7thRicky Music by Porches |
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Other year charts by meccalecca
(from the 2020s) meccalecca has shared 74 more 2020 year charts with the community. Browse them all here.| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 30 Music Albums of 2025 | meccalecca | 2025 year chart | 2025 | |
| Top 79 Music Albums of 2024 | meccalecca | 2024 year chart | 2025 | |
Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.
N.B. The average rating for this chart will not be reliable as it has been rated very few times.
Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 8 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 12/17/2020 10:39 |  Arthurknight | 382 | 89/100 |
| ! | 12/07/2020 21:56 |  scwrlw | 65 | 88/100 |
| ! | 08/25/2020 09:09 |  Patman360 | 73 | 100/100 |
| ! | 08/25/2020 07:37 |  ledaero | 4 | 91/100 |
| ! | 07/11/2020 19:27 |  LedZep | 1,105 | 84/100 |
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Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 comments
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Repo 02/04/2020 15:10 | #247488
Repo 02/04/2020 15:10 | #247488
Great reviews, brother!!!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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| Best Ever Artists | |
|---|---|
| 1. The Beatles | |
| 2. Radiohead | |
| 3. Pink Floyd | |
| 4. David Bowie | |
| 5. Bob Dylan | |
| 6. Led Zeppelin | |
| 7. The Rolling Stones | |
| 8. Arcade Fire | |
| 9. Nirvana | |
| 10. Neil Young | |
| 11. The Velvet Underground | |
| 12. Kendrick Lamar | |
| 13. Miles Davis | |
| 14. The Smiths | |
| 15. The Beach Boys | |
| 16. R.E.M. | |
| 17. Kanye West | |
| 18. Bruce Springsteen | |
| 19. Pixies | |
| 20. Jimi Hendrix |
