Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 by JamesMowbray 
Might be interesting to sort this one by least charts/ratings. Not sure anyone needs me to tell them that Fiona Apple had a good album out this year.
- Chart updated: 08/20/2021 16:15
- (Created: 02/04/2020 16:26).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
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I feel like the main draw of music that's sad or that covers difficult subjects is that it gets across a feeling of not being alone but I'm not sure that it does a lot to make anyone feel better. In fact, some of Black Dresses' own music can have the opposite effect on me. Something like 'Hell is Real' might make me feel a bit more miserable but it's also cathartic, the emotional honesty feels important. 'Peaceful as Hell' does something different. It gives a sense of resolution and being able to cope with difficulties without making up some fairytale story where everything works out in the end. There was a sketch of this approach on 2019's 'Love and Affection for Stupid Little Bitches' where a track as harsh as static talks about never having felt more alive without undercutting the tone of the track. These types of themes are more affective here. "There's a part of me that wants to keep destroying me" is repeated over and over on 'Damage Suppressor' but it's followed up with "I'll keep coming back together again". The album celebrates the slow progress and small victories without looking for some sort of unattainable complete recovery, it celebrates the bravery we show when we try to get better. The outro to their 2019 track 'Death/ Bad Girl' has Rook say "I'm glad we're in the struggle but I wish we didn't have to define ourselves by the struggle at all", 'Peaceful as Hell' reverses this statement and speaks it louder than ever.
[First added to this chart: 05/10/2020]
3
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This is how you use percussion. Across every track here there's something brilliant going on with the drums, hand claps or dog barks. Tracks like 'Newspaper' probably make this most obvious, where the drums dictate the pace and tone across the whole song. There 's this really harsh and overbearing drumbeat all through the first portion of the track, giving things a massive feeling of weight, even though the drums and the vocals are the only things here. As things progress the drums get faster with each vocal change but it's done so smoothly that you barely notice. This builds tension throughout the track until, right at the end, they start to fade completely, so that only a faint guitar is left. It's such an eerie effect.
You get such a different effect in something like the opening track. It starts off with a very regular set of handclaps and light drumming for a few seconds, but it's when this simple arrangement stops that you see its effect. It brings such as tightness to the first few seconds, that when it gives way it lets the piano that takes over completely soar. No more percussion appears until late in the track but at this point it doesn't dampen the freer feel of this track. Instead, the drum rolls, along with the strings, give a massive sense of presence by reinforcing Fiona's voice. The drums feel like a natural reaction to the vocals, not a steady rhythm that pens them in. Finally, when things go haywire right at the end, the drums and vocals fall apart together letting the piano take control. What an opener.
The most ambitious effects take place on 'For Her'. When the lyrics first hit, there's no percussion at all which, along with the sweeter sounding vocals, gives off a misleading, lighter mood. On the surface this gives off the same free feel that 'I Want You To Love Me' had. Of course, the lyrics are giving off a completely different vibe. The clashing of these two moods give off a really disturbing effect. This builds when the drum do kick in. It brings us back to these harsher rhythms that seem to actively compete with the vocal harmonies. Soon after, the drums pick up a more playful and sped up style, only adding to the confusion. There's incredible skill in not making this sound like an absolute mess. Things really take a turn the moment you hear the lyric "Good morning, good morning". The drums slow and reach their heaviest, just as you hear the line "You raped me in the same bed your daughter was born in". It's one of the most disturbing and succinct lines about evil you'll ever hear but it's not just the lyric itself that carries this weight, the track has been building from the start to make this line hit as hard as possible.
You can hear these incredible techniques across every track of 'Fetch the Bolt Cutters'. With this level of lyricism, songwriting and album structure it might seem crazy to only talk a bit about the percussion, but for an album this dense, you can only get across how good this album is by talking about each part in detail. There is already plenty to read on all those aspects and there'll be plenty more to come. It's just so refreshing to see a record use percussion this successfully, when it is so often used in such basic ways, even on great albums. It also says a lot about the quality of Fiona Apple's discography, that I kind say for sure this is her best album. [First added to this chart: 04/21/2020]
You get such a different effect in something like the opening track. It starts off with a very regular set of handclaps and light drumming for a few seconds, but it's when this simple arrangement stops that you see its effect. It brings such as tightness to the first few seconds, that when it gives way it lets the piano that takes over completely soar. No more percussion appears until late in the track but at this point it doesn't dampen the freer feel of this track. Instead, the drum rolls, along with the strings, give a massive sense of presence by reinforcing Fiona's voice. The drums feel like a natural reaction to the vocals, not a steady rhythm that pens them in. Finally, when things go haywire right at the end, the drums and vocals fall apart together letting the piano take control. What an opener.
The most ambitious effects take place on 'For Her'. When the lyrics first hit, there's no percussion at all which, along with the sweeter sounding vocals, gives off a misleading, lighter mood. On the surface this gives off the same free feel that 'I Want You To Love Me' had. Of course, the lyrics are giving off a completely different vibe. The clashing of these two moods give off a really disturbing effect. This builds when the drum do kick in. It brings us back to these harsher rhythms that seem to actively compete with the vocal harmonies. Soon after, the drums pick up a more playful and sped up style, only adding to the confusion. There's incredible skill in not making this sound like an absolute mess. Things really take a turn the moment you hear the lyric "Good morning, good morning". The drums slow and reach their heaviest, just as you hear the line "You raped me in the same bed your daughter was born in". It's one of the most disturbing and succinct lines about evil you'll ever hear but it's not just the lyric itself that carries this weight, the track has been building from the start to make this line hit as hard as possible.
You can hear these incredible techniques across every track of 'Fetch the Bolt Cutters'. With this level of lyricism, songwriting and album structure it might seem crazy to only talk a bit about the percussion, but for an album this dense, you can only get across how good this album is by talking about each part in detail. There is already plenty to read on all those aspects and there'll be plenty more to come. It's just so refreshing to see a record use percussion this successfully, when it is so often used in such basic ways, even on great albums. It also says a lot about the quality of Fiona Apple's discography, that I kind say for sure this is her best album. [First added to this chart: 04/21/2020]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,041
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Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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When I first heard 'Crap Shit' I respected it as an album but thought I'd barely listen to it again because of it's almost unrelenting negativity. A few weeks later I was listening to it almost non stop. I don't think this was just because it managed to capture the general state of things, but also that the tracks here are so unique. Almost every track has some kind of menace to it, with tracks like 'Hellraiser 2' featuring all kinds of distorted synths and vocal tricks, or the off kilter 'Melty Future' which has these electronic horn effects that just control the track. Things go more off the rails later in the record, peaking with 'Elevator to the Catacombs' and its monologue which really tears into the worst sorts of music fans. The gentler moments don't really offer much respite. 'In 2 the Sewer' is a really beautiful track but has a tragic tone to it and closing track 'Curse' is overwhelmingly sad but brings home the progression of the album. Sometimes negative stuff doesn't really go away but approaching it with empathy and clarity has to be better than the alternative.
[First added to this chart: 09/05/2020]
4. (=)
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An incredible clash of genres and the most forward thinking and out there metal album I've heard for a long time. I can't claim to understand the theological ideas behind the record particularly well, definitely not well enough to sum them up here, but I find that the music really speaks for itself. The ebb and flow of the instrumentals that appear early in the album give a pay off every time and feel kind of cinematic, I'm really looking forward to seeing what the visual accompaniment to this. Amongst these instrumentals are the two singles off the album, which feel like the most significant tracks. 'Lonely OLOLON' feels like a track that pushes the music of H.A.Q.Q. a few steps further, more restlessly changing pace and style. 'SIHEYMN's Lament' goes even further. It's intro draws on jazz, classical and trap and the way it works is too hard for me to describe, you really just have to listen to it. You can think you've got the measure of the track when the guitars do come in but things really just get more chaotic from that point with all kind of elements being brought in and tossed out. The long instrumental track that follows still has a great sound but struggles to keep up with the highs of the earlier parts of the record. I get that this more settled track is probably integral to the underlying narrative of the album but it almost feels like the breaks have been hit. It still leads into a brilliant closer which sticks with the album's tradition of being amazingly forward thinking.
(I've seen a few folks online complain that this album is trying too hard to be experimental. You don't have to love the album but I find it a weird point to make. The great albums through history don't just end up like that, it's always been important that musicians try to be experimental, whether it works or not.) [First added to this chart: 11/25/2020]
(I've seen a few folks online complain that this album is trying too hard to be experimental. You don't have to love the album but I find it a weird point to make. The great albums through history don't just end up like that, it's always been important that musicians try to be experimental, whether it works or not.) [First added to this chart: 11/25/2020]
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There's something so familiar about Microphones in 2020 even though so much of it diverges from previous Microphones releases. The lyrics are far more direct than any previous work. 2003's Mount Eerie was a concept album featuring the universe and death as characters, this follow up (sort of) is an autobiographical discussion of the origins behind the group and Phil's changes along the way. The choruses of voices you'd hear on previous Microphones albums are also left out here. However, this is still unmistakably a Microphones album with its largely acoustic sounds being interrupted by waves of distortion and drums. The record opens with the same repeated guitar chords for a good few minutes and somehow holds your attention through all of them, it's sort of reminiscent of their earlier track 'The Pull' which was also happy to take its time over a fairly straightforward set of chords. This very basic backbone of the track allows so many of the different instrumental elements of the track to take centre stage and really helps to weave together the narrative and the instruments. The lyrics are the key draw to Microphones in 2020 though. Phil puts together a long, autobiographical narrative that goes way beyond just some listing of events by using really vivid imagery and having a meaningful, emotional conclusion. The progression of the narrative really stood out to me, especially after I'd listened to Bob Dylan's 'Murder Most Foul' which I think struggled to really build to a similar pay off. It's well worth watching the accompanying video on youtube for the full experience of the album. It's a wonderfully put together slideshow of images to accompany the music.
[First added to this chart: 09/10/2020]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
725
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Average Rating:
Comments:
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Magic Fire Brain might not hold together its diverse styles as well as Devi and Katie's previous record Some New Form of Life, but its best moments are just as compelling. Opener 'Plant Matter' is a one of a kind explosion of sound that lets all kinds of distorted sounds swell over the piano and wonderfully strange vocals. The next few tracks compliment the really abstract lyrics across the project and set up the tone that lets the humanity in the lyrics shine through. It's an effect that's reminiscent of Devi's project 4 under the name Mom. Later tracks are a bit more straightforward sounding (this might just be because they follow up some especially out there tracks) adding a real clarity to the lyrics. The emotions across the tracks can genuinely get a bit overpowering at this point. This all ends up being disrupted by the noisy closer 'Milk' which refuses to offer any easy answers as a closing track, again reminding of 'Spirit Find a Way' off of 4.
[First added to this chart: 09/19/2020]
7. (=)
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A really eerie electronic album that makes amazing use of repetition and vocal samples. Most of the tracks here are really intense. 'Newlove' is a highlight, starting off pretty moody and getting more and more frantic with some tones of Burial throughout but overall giving off a much more menacing vibe than Burial's usual gloomy atmosphere. Quite a few other tracks follow a similar progression but each is uniquely energetic and downbeat with 'Ecifircas' being a particular standout. The way that the long monologue is weaved into the beats gives a pretty disturbing effect where it sounds deranged and relatable at the same time. The record's more washed out songs are just as effective with 'This Fleeting Feeling' doing just as good a job of accompanying a sample. It gives a break from the manic energy of the rest of the record but keeps up, or even strengthens, the really dark atmosphere.
[First added to this chart: 02/08/2020]
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With an artist like King Krule I think it's always tricky to know where to go next. He's made some amazing music with his unique voice and eerie guitar alongside some louder elements but does this mean his music always has to take that approach? 'Man Alive' does well to keep Archy's momentum going, and sidestep this problem, after an album as great as 'The Ooz'. The early parts of the album take the louder and discordant parts of that record even further and the later parts have a great run of quieter downbeat tracks. The lyrics are brilliant across the project, with the most abstract lyrics doing enough to add to the overall mood of the harsher tracks and the more direct lyrics often being genuinely sad. 'Alone Omen 3' is a real highlight which manages to bring a ray of positivity whilst feeling as genuine as the tracks either side of it. It'll be really interesting to see what's next, whether it's a bigger departure from his previous work like 2015's 'A New Place 2 Drown', or a bit more tinkering around the edges.
[First added to this chart: 02/23/2020]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
209
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Overall Rank:
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I've seen a few people call this Carti's Yeezus and even though I don't really agree with this, both projects do start as a shout and end as a whimper. The opening tracks off of Whole Lotta Red are unlike much I've heard in trap. They're the toughest going songs here but I find them really exhilarating, the vocals go just as off the chain as the baby voice that appeared in the many leaks leading up to the project. I wonder if a lot of hate for this record comes from the abrasiveness of these early tracks because the later tracks should be uncontroversially brilliant to anyone who's got an interest in this genre. The beats here are cohesive enough to flow from track to track but each one has enough to stand out. Carti's tracks with Pierre have always been great but I really like that there are a few different producers creating this effect. The sometimes introspective lyrics here are a real surprise that do a lot to build a sort of dejected atmosphere, especially on tracks like 'Punk Monk'. This tone gives a very different edge to the more run of the mill trap lyrics across the later tracks, they feel more like an escape from reality than the regular brag rap. There's no tracks here that hit as instantly as anything like 'Location' or 'Lean for Real' but this feels like his best album, I find that even though I play Die Lit a fair bit I don't normally listen to it all the way through. Bring on the deluxe edition!
[First added to this chart: 12/28/2020]
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My favourite of this year's set of 80s style throwback albums. The modern twist on 80s disco aesthetics is so intoxicating, especially on some of the longer cuts on the regular album and the extended versions on the deluxe edition. The vocals are mixed in pretty much perfectly to flow with the repetitive instrumentals and the vocals almost always match the mood of the track, whether it's the more abstract lyrics on 'Simulation' or the more personal ones on 'Murphy's law'. The basslines here really hit, making for addictive tracks that I feel like I could listen to forever, I think this makes me lean towards the extended takes on the deluxe version of the album which do away with some of the weaker tracks and give the best ones the full space to breath. The album really goes out with a bang. The mix of the strings and bass at the start of 'Narcissus' are so exhilarating and become more so when the multi tracked vocals enter but it's one upped by closer 'Jealousy' which features my favourite vocals across the project along with a killer guitar line.
[First added to this chart: 10/07/2020]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
311
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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 Microphones | 1 | 1% | |
| Mark Lanegan | 1 | 1% | |
| The Soft Pink Truth | 1 | 1% | |
| India Jordan | 1 | 1% | |
| Princess | 1 | 1% | |
| Keleketla! | 1 | 1% | |
| The Avalanches | 1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
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50 | 50% | |
| |
22 | 22% | |
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9 | 9% | |
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5 | 5% | |
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5 | 5% | |
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2 | 2% | |
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2 | 2% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 chart changes
| New entries |
|---|
 Græby Moses Sumney |
Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 similarity to your chart(s)
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Other year charts (from the 2020s) by JamesMowbray
Top 83 Music Albums of 2024 by JamesMowbray (2024)Top 100 Music Albums of 2023 by JamesMowbray (2024)
Top 100 Music Albums of 2022 by JamesMowbray (2023)
Top 100 Music Albums of 2021 by JamesMowbray (2021)
Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 ratings
89/100 (from 6 votes)
where:
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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 6 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
100/100  | 09/10/2021 17:32 | VanillaBean | | 97/100 |
 90/100 | 11/17/2020 08:48 |  Purplepash | | 88/100 |
| 100/100 | 11/10/2020 11:35 |  desh79 | | 93/100 |
| 80/100 | 07/24/2020 02:55 |  mickilennial | | 77/100 |
| 90/100 | 04/14/2020 18:07 | weston | | 87/100 |
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100/100
From VanillaBean 09/10/2021 17:32
This chart rules.
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