Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 by DommeDamian

There are 0 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 has an average rating of 87 out of 100 (from 1 vote). Please log in or register to leave a comment or assign a rating.

View the complete list of 53,000 charts on BestEverAlbums.com from The Charts page.

Share this chart
Share | |
Collector's summaryLog in or register to discover the great albums that are missing from your music collection!
Sort by
1. (=)
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
85/100

Rock music is dead, so let it rest. But sub-cultures and the spirit lives on. That you can catch in the punk album of the decade, Less Life by Died. This is actually a "rock" album worth writing home about. Very truly punk revivalism at its absolute finest. A complete standout from the crowd, yet there's no deconstructing of genres as much as a tightly written and passionately played song after song after song. When I listen, I find it extremely difficult, perhaps impossible, to find flaws or disadvantages. The more you float away from the norms of capitalism and the music industry's BS, the more this album will speak to you on a visceral level, without being challenging to listen to. That, is a feet in and of itself.
[First added to this chart: 07/13/2021]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
62
Rank in 2020:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
85/100

Phil Elverum philosophizing over his life and musical career for 44 minutes, surprisingly intimate and mature, yet reminiscing of the childlike playfulness that made it all so worth it.

"Elverum resurrected the moniker Microphones for the 45-minute long song of Microphones in 2020 (2020), a profound and introspective analysis of his own life, accompanied only by his acoustic guitar. The song takes forever to begin, repeating the same chords for several minutes, as if to create a state of trance. After 13 minutes, the drums kick in, and after 16 the electric guitar unleashes a spasmodic glissando, and after 22 it emits a tidal fuzz; but the song continues, with the same calm and austere melody. When the vocals finally stop, a sea of tinkling keyboards takes over, perhaps signaling a pause of nostalgic recollections that cannot be expressed with words. Then Elverum resumes the same guitar chords and continues his story, with more interruptions but stubbornly anchored to his melody, until the last whisper." - Scaruffi, 7/10; apparently one scale higher than The Glow Pt 2.
[First added to this chart: 07/13/2021]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
725
Rank in 2020:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
80/100

Shawn broke the cycle. In two ways. For one, he broke the cycle of either making completely fiery bangers or disgraceful hellish pop music, by having at least a few "average-good" songs here. And two, he broke the "white-guy-with-acoustic-guitar" archetype by trying to compose a bit more of an artistic record with Wonder. Now it isn't too artistic may I say, but I need to state that by October 2021, I have been listening to this album at least once a week in all of 2021. At least 60 times in total; it's my go-to album at the moment. And I actually don't have an idea to why. But I'll get into the songs now.

Intro - atmospheric beginning with an extraordinary piano-reverb and Shawn singing pretty. When the synthesizer comes on, it's hard not to think of it as misplaced in sound, but just as hard not to get eerie feels.

Wonder - some people might call this song cheesy, but I reject that as something negative. The concerns Mendes wonders about is very humane, and he delivers the verses with them conversationally smooth. As the chorus comes on (WONDER what it's LIKE to be loved by YOU), it's the opposite of over-produced; the instruments that could have done that, are swimming through the ocean of the choir. After the second chorus, the instrumentation feels like jumping from star to star.

Higher - ooooooouuuggghhhhh MAAAAAAN. Higher. F*****g Higher. This song. Yeah. This song here is special. Look, I do not care if I am the only person in the entire universe with this opinion (perhaps I am) but Shawn Mendes' Higher is perfect to me. Throughout 2021 when I listened to his Wonder album, this song ended up reshaping my view of what music perfection is, all over again. Every tiny little detail about the song I absolutely cannot put into words as how much I loove it; it's like Christ himself gave this song to me as a personal gift. The rhythm is super hard hitting and I have vibed to this song in public countless times shamelessly. The lines has a flirtatious yet observing romantic quality to them that I find relatable on so many levels. The subject matter is like finding contemporary but true love while being high as a kite (that's my interpretation of it) and it's super simple but it's super duper effective. Mendes' voice has never sounded more extraordinary; the vocal balance he has on this song is otherworldly to say the least (like the way the confident falsetto is harmonized with a tender vibrato in the chorus is audio magic), as well as his agilities are all coming with the exact right notes the exact right time. Also his vocal range, I strive for that. Even for a pop song, the structure is very straightforward but very rarely has it been as purposeful, and I also wish more artists would recognize switching up the second verse from the first is always a win-move (this song proves it to, in my opinion, maximum euphoric effect). Just like with his voice, the organization of each melody (the synth tone, the bass line and Shawn's words) are varied yet completely in sync; they compliment each other fully. Where many other musicians (not just in pop but in all genres) fail is to stick a satisfying landing on a song (meaning a great way to end it in a non-lazy way), Higher shows how it's done. Almost the same thing with song lengths, this song has everything I ever could ask for in 2:40 (just like how Tim Buckley have 5-10 times more artistry and quality in a 35-40 minute album than most artists can dream of having in a 70-80 minute one). The groove rivals any groove from.... any of my favorites, even Michael Jackson. When I travel to the 5th dimension, this percussion is what my spirit will hear. I also am a big fan of how the production turns out to be (direct but never overpowering). After experiencing everything about this song I've re-ranked 85% of my listened music, and 80% of my perfect scores (100/100s) are gone. I've heard this song at least 50 times a month since the album dropped.
Song of the decade (alongside Gorillaz' Desole), and one of my favorite songs of all time.

24 Hours - took me a while to like, but now I think it's one of his better ballads. I just really dig the lyrical portrait of marriage.

Teach Me How To Love - a little lighthearted attempt at being sexy in a sugary way, but some elements of the song (like the staccato guitar or the "teach me teach me teach me how to looove" refrain) are unskippable. Also, instead of saying "Effing me up" he should say "messing me up", maybe that's too much a detail but I always think of it when I hear it.

Call My Friends - this song reminds me of some of the best tunes of M83's Hurry Up We're Dreaming, in terms of relationship, wall of synth, and 80s aesthetic. I really like it.

Dream - this is atmospheric dream pop at its most sophisticated. The flow of the instrumentation is top freaking notch. The misty introduction and the synth in the chorus actually fits greater than in the intro track. And those drums are something else, especially with the emotional solo on top of it at the end, right before the otherworldly finger-picked guitar that closes out this ear-blesser.

Song For No One - now this is somewhat lackluster. The songwriting is a little unfocused, the musicianship isn't fleshed out, melodiousness is virtually drowning itself, and the sleigh bells in the supposed "gun punch" of the song, reeeallly undersells it. The third verse as well as the relatable "Ten missed calls, a couple texts / None of them are who I'm lookin' for" [albeit, it's a very bad idea to check your phone once you wake up, or just before going to sleep], saves it from utter embarrassment and being adverse, but this is filler. Shouldn't have been on here.

Monster - I can totally see why Spectrum Pulse consider this the absolute worst song here, both in terms of musicality and the marketing behind it. However those lyrical merits, and the catchy hook, and Bieber shockingly not being underwhelming on his feature, does enough for me.

305 - this was my first favorite song on the album. And I still love it very much, especially the soothing background choir in the chorus is magical. Mendes, being in his lower range, both brings the songwriting an authentic, and the overall joint (in contrast to the remaining of Wonder) an outstanding longevity.

Always Been You - the one big disaster on Wonder. None of the lines are memorable, Shawn undersells the performance, the hook is weak, and worst of all, that unlistenable synth that is both completely unnecessary, very try-hard, and on of top of that, mixed too loud. I have deleted that song off my iTunes/iPod.

Piece of You - this song also took me a while to get into, but I find the concise rhythm in the groove and Mendes' verses too well-written to unlove.

Look Up At The Stars - a mixture of a sweet lullaby, a top-class pop ballad and a potent song expressing a majestic state of mind. It's indie folk bracing, until the rest of the musicianship comes in and it's just as wholesome (normally when the remaining instruments kick in, it will damage the vibe, but no no no not this time at all). "Somehow you always seem to understand / So let me spend the night in wonderland with you" is obviously referring to his tour with fans, but I also look at it as meeting a potential significant other and having the best night of your lives together, any possible way. It simultaneously contains one of the greatest melodic turns in Mendes' catalog, which is really saying something.

Can't Imagine - a pleasant ender to the album. It's aiming at Beatles' Blackbird and it doesn't touch it at all, as well as the repeated lyrics makes it seem a little lost, but I still prefer listening to this lullaby than most singer songwriter stuff of these years.

Great album! I hope the concert in March will be too.
[First added to this chart: 07/14/2021]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
16
Rank in 2020:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
80/100

Gorillaz are back, baby!
[First added to this chart: 07/13/2021]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
891
Rank in 2020:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
5. (=)
333 
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
80/100

"Coming from a person who's had The Fool as one of his most spinned 2021 albums (if not the most), this still hasn't grown on me yet. Well that's not true, it has risen from terrible to mediocre. There are a few decent songs here like the closing cut or Mean Girls, but the Bladee that is all about swagger, child-like observing and ear-candy trips (like I adore on The Fool and find interesting on Red Light) is absent on 333. The cover art dope tho."

That was the previous comment. This album went from 15 to 40 and stayed there (including when I wrote it). And now recently it silently got up to 50 and then quickly to 65....and a 75 to now a solid 80. Maybe it's because I've heard Red Light a lot this year but it is refreshing that he made an album this varied. Though sonically and "psychedelically" speaking, this album is definitely not as polarizing as Gluee's ???, Eversince's icestorm-vibe, Exeter's muffin-acid trip, The Fool's airy winds, or even his latest Crest with Ecco2K. Yet it does contain some of my favorite Bladee songs like aforementioned Swan Lake (mellow Bladee at his best), Noblest Strive, Wings In
Motion, Keys To The City and Reality Surf.
Bladee also follow a good new rule I have made for a lot of music his kind which is not to overdue the songs in length; every song on this album clocks in under 3 minutes and the 16-song album is under forty.
[First added to this chart: 11/21/2021]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
25
Rank in 2020:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
80/100

Ride a horse in the moon of your dreams.
This reminds me a bit of Rise of The Guardians movie, dream sweet dreams.
[First added to this chart: 07/14/2021]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
787
Rank in 2020:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
80/100

Despite the fact that RYM's genres are laughably bad, this album embodies what can be described as "comfy synth". This is like ice cream or candy floss hitting your taste buds, set to synth-filled new age music.
"An ethereally lush album start to finish. Put it on and you will be overcome with warm, nostalgic feelings of an idyllic rustic childhood, regardless of whether or not you had one. Like a warm hug in winter. Highly, highly recommend."
A cozy 25-minute little album, lightened up with sugary melodiousness, that is like a time-capture to an alternate reality where you're chilling in the living room or kitchen as grandma's lovely crib. At absolute best, this feels like you're being cured from a disease you've had for years. I'm so comfy rn.
[First added to this chart: 02/26/2023]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
15
Rank in 2020:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
80/100

This is modern Danish pop music. Really not something alongside my cup of tea. But here, it actually works for one time's sake. First time I heard a song from Aksglæde was during summer 2021, when me and some of my high school friends went to cross the island to a cottage of ours, and while we were waiting for a danish equivalent to local-train (if that makes sense) we decided to get some snacks in a mini-marketplace. And while we were in looking, there was this song (this ridiculous, laughably corny song) playing all across the place, a guy singing about he isn't any man, with a pitchy call back/adlib. That song turned out to be Jeg Er Ikke Nogen Mand [translation: I Am Not A Man] from Aksglæde. All of us went out of shop, thinking 'what the heck was that'.
Many days later, I searched for the song just to have a laugh, and found out who Aksglæde was. I had seen his name and image before somewhere. I quickly gave him a negative score and moved on.
September 2021, my university was having its annual wave with concerts and everything. And on the showplan, it said that Aksglæde would perform. In some way, I just went up to see him perform and I just really enjoyed his presence of optimism on stage. Stage presence wasn't there, but it didn't matter. I was hoping he would perform that Jeg Er Ikke Nogen Mand song for fun, he didn't though. (When the remaining artists that were booked - all wack artists by the way - was performing at their time of evening, I was around some other spot alone.) Not long after, I checked up on his full length album Ting Ændrer Sing [translation: Things Change], and heard it. Actually not bad, I thought. And not many days later, I started digging it even more (even Jeg Er Ikke Nogen Mand - right now I have a hard time not humming the words along in random situations [update: I fully love this song now, and I'm blown away that I did a 180 on it]).
This is the sort of ice cream music you can dance to, read into (in Danish he is a pretty good lyricist) and enjoy. Again, not my music at all (in fact all of the mainstream music of that caliber I despise), but Aksglæde just has a personality, a knack for neat rhythms, and a mindset all about making great music instead of business moves, that I won't really deny. And that's why I like his album. Still, frankly half of the songs need to grow on me a lot before I consider loving it, but who knows when/if they do.
Simply another record that is very time-typical (though heavily inspired by 80s-synth music) but has those small details/nuances that make it rise above all its contemporaries. I hope I can work with him somewhere in the future, 'cause he seems really dang cool and musically intellectual; this album illustrates it.
[First added to this chart: 09/26/2021]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
11
Rank in 2020:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
80/100

Neat aquatic stuff, surreal to meditate to at times.
[First added to this chart: 07/14/2021]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
449
Rank in 2020:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
10. (11) Up1
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
80/100

Fairytale, this marked the beginning of Bladee's optimistic spiritual form of being, converting to religion and away from the materialism that seemed to hang over the predecessors.
[First added to this chart: 11/09/2022]
Year of Release:
2020
Appears in:
Rank Score:
19
Rank in 2020:
Rank in 2020s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10

Don't agree with this chart? Create your own from the My Charts page!

Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 composition

Country Albums %


United States 62 62%
United Kingdom 12 12%
Canada 6 6%
France 3 3%
Mixed Nationality 3 3%
Australia 3 3%
Sweden 3 3%
Show all

Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 chart changes

Biggest climbers
Climber Up 1 from 26th to 25th
Circles
by Mac Miller
Climber Up 1 from 25th to 24th
Chilombo
by Jhené Aiko
Climber Up 1 from 24th to 23rd
The Waterfall II
by My Morning Jacket
Biggest fallers
Faller Down 6 from 10th to 16th
Music To Be Murdered By Side B
by Eminem
Faller Down 5 from 21st to 26th
Music To Be Murdered By
by Eminem

Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 similarity to your chart(s)


Not a member? Registering is quick, easy and FREE!


Why register?


Register now - it only takes a moment!

Top 15 Music Albums of 2024 by DommeDamian (2024)
Top 100 Music Albums of 2023 by DommeDamian (2024)
Top 100 Music Albums of 2022 by DommeDamian (2024)
Top 100 Music Albums of 2021 by DommeDamian (2024)

Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 ratings

Average Rating: 
87/100 (from 1 vote)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
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 all 1 ratings for this chart.

Sort ratings
RatingDate updatedMemberChart ratingsAvg. chart rating
  
100/100
 Report rating
10/10/2021 21:58 Rhyner  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 1,38299/100

Please log in or register if you want to be able to leave a rating

Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 favourites

Please log in or register if you want to be able to add a favourite

Top 100 Music Albums of 2020 comments

Be the first to add a comment for this Chart - add your comment!

Please log in or register if you want to be able to add a comment

Your feedback for Top 100 Music Albums of 2020

Anonymous
Let us know what you think of this chart by adding a comment or assigning a rating below!
Log in or register to assign a rating or leave a comment for this chart.
Best Ever Albums
1. OK Computer by Radiohead
2. The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd
3. Abbey Road by The Beatles
4. Revolver by The Beatles
5. Kid A by Radiohead
6. In Rainbows by Radiohead
7. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles
8. Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
9. The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars by David Bowie
10. The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico
11. Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys
12. Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) by Led Zeppelin
13. The Beatles (The White Album) by The Beatles
14. Nevermind by Nirvana
15. Funeral by Arcade Fire
16. In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel
17. The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths
18. Doolittle by Pixies
19. To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
20. London Calling by The Clash
Back to Top