Top 100 Music Albums of the 2020s by JamesMowbray

• Chart updated: 12/20/2021 20:45
• (Created: 12/20/2021 20:21).
• Chart size: 100 albums.

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1.

Peaceful As Hell 

 Black Dresses

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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.

Year of Release:

2020

Appears in:

35 charts

Rank Score:

254

Rank in 2020:

62

Rank in 2020s:

211

Overall Rank:

5,255

Average Rating:

 75 (52 votes)

Comments:

3

2.

Pluperfect Mind 

 Dear Laika

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In a year with so many great records Pluperfect Mind stands out as my favourite, it has to be the most exciting album I've heard in any years. This stands out in the first few seconds of the opener, 'Lilac Moon, Reflected Sun' where a burst of violins(?) create a sound like nothing I've heard. It reminds me of the first couple of seconds of Julia Holter's aviary which also kicks off with the loudest moments you'll hear on the whole album. Just a few minutes later I was astonished again when the backing instrumental, starting as a minimalist piano explodes into life in the time it takes Isabelle Thorn to sing one note. As incredible as a track like this is, it's some of the tracks that (comparatively) calm things down that stand out as some of my favourites. 'Guinefort's Grave' is one of the most stunning track I've heard and works in a similar way to it's louder predecessor by paying really close attention to the backing instruments that accompany the stunning vocals. This becomes a running theme through the album and creates a restlessness amongst every track here as the sound can go from tiny to huge at a moment's notice. It makes every moment wonderfully unpredictable without thing coming even close to going off the rails. To pull all this off and still hold on to an emotional core is remarkable. While I can barely make out what's being said most of the time there's so many moments here that manage to move me, with the sense of peace on 'Black Moon, Lilith' really standing out on this point. I really hope that this album gets the attention it deserves in time and I can't wait to get through the rest of the Dear Laika discography.

Year of Release:

2021

Appears in:

7 charts

Rank Score:

132

Rank in 2021:

118

Rank in 2020s:

415

Overall Rank:

9,081

Average Rating:

 71 (8 votes)

Comments:

1

3.

We Had Good Times Together, Don't Forget That 

 Sewerslvt

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Year of Release:

2021

Appears in:

8 charts

Rank Score:

145

Rank in 2021:

106

Rank in 2020s:

371

Overall Rank:

8,419

Average Rating:

 73 (7 votes)

Comments:

2

4.

Fetch The Bolt Cutters 

 Fiona Apple

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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.

Year of Release:

2020

Appears in:

568 charts

Rank Score:

3,041

Rank in 2020:

2

Rank in 2020s:

3

Overall Rank:

580

Average Rating:

 81 (659 votes)

Comments:

55

5.

Crap Shit 

 Girls Rituals

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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.

Year of Release:

2020

Appears in:

3 charts

Rank Score:

15

Rank in 2020:

878

Rank in 2020s:

3,071

Overall Rank:

43,828

Average Rating:

 73 (3 votes)

Comments:

0

6.

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Origin Of The Alimonies 

 Liturgy

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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.

Year of Release:

2020

Appears in:

17 charts

Rank Score:

53

Rank in 2020:

331

Rank in 2020s:

1,171

Overall Rank:

19,522

Average Rating:

 71 (16 votes)

Comments:

2

7.

Home Video 

 Lucy Dacus

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After enjoying Historian I was still surprised by how much I got on with follow up Home Video. I've struggled with a lot of Lucy Dacus' contemporaries like Phoebe Bridgers, Snail Mail and Julien Baker and have had to accept that while I don't hate their music I don't really get it either. I think what works so well for me on Home Video is just how well it's constructed as an album with each track having it's own clear narrative but also having each of these tracks make up an important part of the record as a whole. I really appreciate how regret is approached constructively with a track like 'VBS' not just looking back and telling a story but bringing a greater understanding to the past events it describes to inform Dacus' present. It gets across the idea that even if we're formed by our pasts we can still influence how our past shapes us to try and be better for it. The varying sounds between the tracks also help individual songs to stand out and match the varying tones and emotions across the tracks. 'Triple Dog Dare' is a perfect closer, creating a queer, childlike fantasy to escape the problems of an unjust world. It has such a bittersweet feel by creating a beautiful solution that the listener knows is impossible.

Year of Release:

2021

Appears in:

124 charts

Rank Score:

331

Rank in 2021:

44

Rank in 2020s:

154

Overall Rank:

4,263

Average Rating:

 74 (92 votes)

Comments:

4

8.

Forever In Your Heart 

 Black Dresses

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Forever in Your Heart sees Black Dresses continue to make emotionally resonant music in their own unique way. The first few tracks here are heavy, even by their standards, and show a real evolution in the duo's vocals, especially for Rook who incorporates some of the vocals she'd worked with in Crisis Sigil into a track like 'Concrete Bubble'. These early tracks give way to a softening in sound that makes up the middle section of the record. As good as the tracks here are, some do feel less essential than others and make me think that Forever in Your Heart doesn't justify it's longer tracklist in the same way that last year's Peaceful As Hell Did. That doesn't take away how good some of these tracks are though. 'Tiny Ball' starts from nothing to build into one of the most soaring ends to a track here and 'Waiting42moro' is one of the duo's best tracks. I also really appreciate the message of 'Understanding' which makes the point that it's less important to try and understand painful events than it is to try and understand people as they are. It's a really valuable attitude in general but particularly relates to how listeners can best approach art that tackles the difficult subject matters that this record does.

The final 4 tracks make up the strongest portion of the album, kicking off with the nightmarish 'Perfect Teeth'. It's a track that really resonates with me because of the idea of being bitten down on by 'Perfect Teeth', I've always found myself in the most danger from the kinds of powerful people that are looked up to in society, whether that's politicians who could make my life impossible or medical professionals who have complete control over my medical gender transition. Black Dresses have a habit of ending records with more reflective tracks and '(Can't) Keep it Together' is the best of these closers. It builds tremendously through its four minutes and like Injury Reserve's 'Bye Storm' manages to end in a slightly more upbeat way without betraying the themes of the record. All pretty good work for a band that I think is still considered broken up.

Year of Release:

2021

Appears in:

24 charts

Rank Score:

171

Rank in 2021:

90

Rank in 2020s:

314

Overall Rank:

7,345

Average Rating:

 68 (44 votes)

Comments:

1

9.

Sinner Get Ready 

 Lingua Ignota

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When I first heard Sinner Get Ready I was a bit disappointed in the shift away from the extreme vocals that had dominated her previous releases. Uboa would probably be the only artist I've heard who could match Kristen's performances for sheer intensity. However, as time's gone on I've come to appreciate the shift in style. Sinner Get Ready can still manage to build oppressive atmospheres in tracks like 'I Who Bend the Tall Grasses' but the gentlest tracks here consistently stand out, building a narrative of at least partially healing from traumatic past experiences. It's not an upbeat record by any means but the change in tone not only makes it stand out in Kristen's discography but also sees it continue and develop on her previous work. I also think that the religious elements work better on this album than on any other Lingua Ignota project, going beyond a sense of divine vengeance. Two tracks where this works particularly well are 'Many Hands' and 'The Solitary Brethren of Ephrata'. The former creates an image of a judgemental God which is complicated by a sense of remorse over judgement that needs to be carried out with the line "I wish things could be different he wept". The closer creates a sense of almost total peace that had been building through the record, it's a peace I hope Kristen finds after all she's been through.

Year of Release:

2021

Appears in:

156 charts

Rank Score:

853

Rank in 2021:

14

Rank in 2020s:

45

Overall Rank:

1,957

Average Rating:

 77 (156 votes)

Comments:

13

10.

For The First Time 

 Black Country, New Road

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Probably my favourite post-punk album in a good year for the genre, For the First Time manages to mix a really tight sound from their drum, guitar and bass, with a massive sound from the jazzier elements of the band. This is used to amazing record across the whole record, with tracks like 'Sunglasses' and 'Instrumental' feeling like they've been completely blown open when the climax of each track comes in. Isaac Wood's vocals can really add to the chaos across the tracks here and aside from the opener, it feels like every track is built around his contribution. This also works well on the more tender 'Track X'. While the lyrics can sometimes be a bit indecipherable there's always enough to cling on to and some of the albums best moments come when the instrumental matches the intent of a lyric without the exact meaning of the lyric being obvious (leave Kanye out of this?). It's great to hear a band with such a complex sound get things right straight away and I'm really interested in seeing where they go next.

Year of Release:

2021

Appears in:

433 charts

Rank Score:

2,760

Rank in 2021:

2

Rank in 2020s:

6

Overall Rank:

649

Average Rating:

 81 (497 votes)

Comments:

43

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Top 100 Music Albums of the 2020s composition

Year	Albums	%
2020	47	47%
2021	53	53%
2022	0	0%
2023	0	0%
2024	0	0%

Artist	Albums	%
Arca	4	4%
Sewerslvt	3	3%
Black Dresses	2	2%
Dltzk	2	2%
DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ	2	2%
Black Midi	1	1%
Kanye West	1	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%
	46	46%
	24	24%
	10	10%
	7	7%
	6	6%
	4	4%
	1	1%
Show all

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