My Favorite Albums (#20-1), 2020
The one where everyone gets mad at me
We’ve made it to the end. I know you’ve all been hanging on the edge of your seat in anticipation for the top albums in the list, so I won’t keep you waiting any longer.
Below is a playlist with one standout track from each project on my favorite albums list.
Catch up on previous lists!
My Favorite Albums (#40-21), 2020
My Favorite Albums (#60-41), 2020
My Favorite Albums (#80-61), 2020
My Favorite Albums (#100-81), 2020
20. Surf by BLACKSTARKIDS
Released: February 28th, 2020
Genres: Hip-Hop, R&B, Alternative, New Wave, Garage
Recommended For Fans Of: N*E*R*D*, The Internet, All-American Trash era Brockhampton
I wrote about this genre fluid project in What I’ve Been Listening To, 8/11/20. When I first found this album around July, I think I listened to it once through every day for about a month straight.
Standout track: TOO DEPRESSED 4 SEX
19. Good News by Megan Thee Stallion
Released: November 20th, 2020
Features: DaBaby, City Girls, Lil Durk, SZA, Popcaan, Mustard, Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Beyoncé, Young Thug
Producers: Buddha Bless, Cool & Dre, Rickstarr Did It, D.A Got That Dope, LilJuMadeDaBeat, Helluca, Tay Keith, Juicy J, Avedon, Cody Tarpley, Z3N, J.R. Rotem, Benjamin Lasnier, Pooyandeh, VYNK, J. White Did It, Scott Storch, IllaDaProducer
Genres: Hip-Hop/Rap
Recommended For Fans Of: Cardi B, City Girls
Finally, some good news. Technically billed as a debut album (Fever? Tina Snow??) and coming at easily the peak popularity of Megan’s career so far, there was a lot of pressure and anticipation for this project. Instead of overthinking, Megan sticks with what she does best: raunchy bars on trap/club beats, this time enlisting her biggest roster of features and producers so far. The results are everything you could want out of a Megan Thee Stallion album. Real hot girl shit.
Standout track: Shots Fired
18. Modus Vivendi by 070 Shake
Released: January 17th, 2020
Features: The Ebonys
Producers: Juan Brito, Dave Hamelin, Mike Dean, Clyde Ellison, Harry Mejias, Sean Solymar, Sarah Schachner, Myles William, Leon Huff, Kenneth Gamble, dom$olo, Francis and the Lights, Jimmy Shaw
Genres: Alternative, R&B
Recommended For Fans Of: Kid Cudi, Travis Scott
It’s been a long wait since the buzzing New Jersey artist burst onto the scene when she appeared on Kanye West’s 2018 album Ye. After some delays, and lots of recording, she finally has a full length project of her own. Shake told Pigeons & Planes “All my life I grew up listening to Kanye West and Kid Cudi. I've cried to their music. They've definitely changed my life, and saved me from a lot of stuff.” The influences are apparent, but Shake has a clear distinct voice of their own. Modus Vivendi feels like a passing of the torch, with 070 Shake making the life changing music now.
Standout track: Guilty Conscience
17. Manger on McNichols by Boldy James & Sterling Toles
Released: July 22nd, 2020
Features: First Lady Deja ;) (now known as Dej Loaf), Louie P Newton
Producers: Sterling Toles
Genres: Hip-Hop/Rap
Recommended For Fans Of: Griselda, Freddie Gibbs
The story behind this album is incredible. I encourage everyone to read the full letter Sterling Toles wrote to accompany the album on Bandcamp, but I’ll summarize here. Toles and James first met back in 2000, Toles was producing and engineering out of his mom’s basement. The vocals for this album get recorded between 2007-2010 over some soul sampled boom bap beats. Life gets in the way of the release. The block Toles lived on becomes a war zone, and James’ career starts to take off a little bit. Toles becomes ingrained in a community of Detroit jazz musicians and takes the next eight years to remove all the original beats and create new ones around James’ already recorded vocals. In 2018 Toles brings James the newly finished album, and James asks to record a few new verses to finish the project. 2020 comes and we finally see the albums release. 13 years after the first vocals were laid down, and years into a successful underground rap career, Manger on McNichols takes us back to the beginning. The vocals paint a dark and vivid picture of what life was like for Boldy in Detroit before getting any notoriety, all over Toles’ audible care and dedication to the project.
Standout track: B.B. Butcher
16. Ungodly Hour by Chloe x Halle
Released: June 12th, 2020
Features: Swae Lee, Mike WiLL Made-It
Producers: Chloe Bailey, Sounwave, Jake One, Scott Storch, Disclosure, Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman, Royal Z, Pluss, Mike WiLL Made-It, Halle Bailey, Jahaan Sweet, Boi-1da
Genres: Pop, Electronic, R&B
Recommended For Fans Of: Beyoncé, Normani, Tinashe
2017’s The Two of Us and 2018’s The Kids Are Alright felt like introductions for Chloe x Halle. Ungodly Hour feels like a coming out party. If you had any lingering doubts on long term success for the once Youtube sensations, that should all be erased with this confident and focused project, as well as their exceptional music videos and live performances to accompany. The duo has utilized Beyoncé’s support (and funding) to create a project that fully realizes their potential and creative vision.
Standout track: Ungodly Hour
15. Forever, Ya Girl by KeiyaA
Released: March 27th, 2020
Producers: keiyaA, dj blackpower, dj cowriiie
Genres: R&B, Experimental, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Neo-Soul
Recommended For Fans Of: Earl Sweatshirt, Liv.e
Forever, Ya Girl is the debut album for New York via Chicago artist KeiyaA. It’s a creative feat, requiring you to spend time with and absorb everything she’s trying to say. But it only takes one listen to notice the obvious care, attention to detail, and love that was laid down here. KeiyaA pours her heart into this project.
Standout track: A Mile, A Way
14. Pixel Bath by Jean Dawson
Released: October 23rd, 2020
Features: A$AP Rocky
Producers: Hoskins, George Flint, Henry Flint, Zach Fogarty, Jean Dawson, Lecx Stacy, Jim-E Stack, Blake Slatkin
Genres: Alternative
Recommended For Fans Of: KennyHoopla, Bakar
Probably my roommate Arshum’s most listened to artist of the year. Jean Dawson is making alternative music like no one else right now. The production is pushed forward (likely with a limiter, but not in a way that crushes the mix) so everything feels loud and in your face at the same time. But instead of feeling overwhelming, it feels beautiful. Pixel Bath is an album that finds beauty in the chaos, and is a damn fun listen at the same time.
Standout track: Pegasus
13. Ho, why is you here ? by Flo Milli
Released: July 24th, 2020
Producers: J. White Did It, Ethereal, WhoisMike, Lil Evo, RaeSam, Yung Glizzy, XaviBeatz, Shane Parker, Versatile, WizzerOnDaBeat, J-Bo, FATBOI
Genres: Hip-Hop/Rap
Recommended For Fans Of: DaBaby, Rico Nasty, Megan Thee Stallion
So many bars on here that perfectly capture Flo Milli’s essence. “Acting like we got beef, I didn’t know that you exist.” “Flexing on you is my duty, I’m the big dog my nickname is Scooby.” “I walk in the room they get low self esteem.” Flo Milli raps with a confidence and bravado that most can only dream of. Front and center vocals over hard hitting bass with Lil Wayne-esque punchlines/brags. Put this album on for an immediate confidence boost. Flo Milli shit.
Standout track: Like That Bitch
12. Alfredo by Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
Released: May 29th, 2020
Features: Rick Ross, Benny the Butcher, Tyler the Creator, Conway the Machine
Producers: The Alchemist
Genres: Hip-Hop/Rap
Recommended For Fans Of: Griselda, Curren$y
What better way to follow up your second collab album with one of hip-hop’s most legendary producers in Madlib than a collab album with a just as notorious producer in The Alchemist? Gibbs has proved time and time again that he will get his bars off and sound excellent doing so with any producer, and The Alchemist rises to the occasion creating a classic and decadently lush soundscape for Gibbs to shine over.
Standout track: Scottie Beam
11. Fake It Flowers by beabadoobee
Released: October 16th, 2020
Producers: Pete Robertson, Joseph Rodgers,
Genres: Rock, Alternative, Indie
Recommended For Fans Of: girl in red, Samia, Declan McKenna
90s revival is coming in a big way. Case in point being beabadoobee’s superb debut album Fake It Flowers. Interesting that bea would have such an interest in the 90s when she wasn’t even born until 2000. Nonetheless, it’s clear she’s very in tune with the era’s sonic characteristics. Even more impressive is this album comes just three years after she first started playing guitar, in case anyone reading this needed reason to feel like a failure today.
Standout track: Worth It
10. Every Bad by Porridge Radio
Released: March 13th, 2020
Producers: Jennifer Decilveo
Genres: Alternative
Recommended For Fans Of: Sorry, Bartees Strange
A lot of the songs on here start out pretty straight forward and then slowly descend into chaos. There’s also tracks that experiment with repetition and how the way you say certain lyrics can change or emphasize their meaning. I touched on the most extreme example of that, Born Confused, in my favorite songs list, but it’s a theme throughout the project. Doesn’t take long to realize the experiment was a massive success.
Standout track: Lilac
9. Circles by Mac Miller
Released: January 17th, 2020
Producers: Mac Miller, Jon Brion, Guy Lawrence, Shea Taylor, Eric Dan, David x Eli
Genres: Alternative
Recommended For Fans Of: The Beatles
Unlike all his prior albums, this has more in common with adult contemporary than with hip-hop. The production is never too intricate, overbearing, or in the way, allowing Mac’s gentle vocals to be the center of attention. There was a lot of posthumous care on Jon Brion’s part that shows this is not a cash grab, just a realization of the work Miller had already done. It sounds nothing like any album he’s put out before, and that makes it the perfect sendoff album. Like the music, he was always evolving, always growing, until the very end. R.I.P Mac.
Standout track: Good News
8. The New Abnormal by The Strokes
Released: April 10th, 2020
Producers: Rick Rubin
Genres: Rock, Alternative
Recommended For Fans Of: The Vaccines, Franz Ferdinand
Who’d have thought The Strokes could still be making music this good two decades into their career? The band took their time following up 2013’s Comedown Machine, and the results were worth the wait. The garage rock that they were built on is present, but there’s a lot of electronic and disco influence as well (you can tell Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas enjoyed his moments working with Daft Punk). The Apple Music Editors’ Notes on this album start with “You don’t go see Rick Rubin at Shangri-La if you’re just going to fuck around.” They sure didn’t fuck around with this one.
Standout track: The Adults Are Talking
7. Fetch the Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple
Released: April 17th, 2020
Producers: Fiona Apple, Amy Aileen Wood, Sebastian Steinberg, Davíd Garza
Genres: Alternative, Singer-Songwriter
Recommended For Fans Of: Tori Amos, St. Vincent, Weyes Blood
This is an album to immerse yourself with and live within. Complete with sounds from life (dogs barking, chains clanking, etc.) this is a world to take comfort in, but also give you strength to break yourself free. The lyrics are very literal and sprawling, like you’re being tapped directly into her train of thought by listening. There’s not a lot that hasn’t been said already, as the reception was immediate upon release (Pitchfork gave this album it's first perfect 10 out of 10 in a decade, an accomplishment Apple surely cared very little about). If you still haven’t spent time with this one, you’re doing yourself a disservice.
Standout track: Fetch The Bolt Cutters
6. After Hours by The Weeknd
Released: March 20th, 2020
Producers: Illangelo, The Weeknd, DaHeala, Frank Dukes, Ricky Reed, Nate Mercereau, Max Martin, Oscar Holter, Metro Boomin, Dre Moon, Kevin Parker, Oneohtrix Point Never, Mario Winans, Prince 85, Notinbed,
Genres: R&B, Pop
Recommended For Fans Of: PARTYNEXTDOOR, The-Dream
The biggest album of the year got snubbed from the Grammys, but won’t be left off my list. A dark atmosphere of sadness surrounds the radio friendly pop hits on this album. To me this feels like the perfect balance between popstar Weeknd (BBTM, Starboy) and the original sad drugged out Weeknd we were introduced to on the Trilogy and Kissland. He is able to balance the sounds and identities in a way that feels complete and cohesive, while still progressing his sound forward.
Standout track: After Hours
5. Set My Heart On Fire Immediately by Perfume Genius
Released: May 15th, 2020
Producers: Blake Mills
Genres: Alternative, Indie
Recommended For Fans Of: Sharon Van Etten, Grizzly Bear
I went broad with my genre descriptors, but Wikipedia cites this album as having elements of baroque pop, art pop, synthpop, funk, alt-pop, shoegaze, ambient, psychedelic, R&B, acoustic pop, disco, swamp rock, chamber, doo-wop, industrial, and heartland rock. So if you can’t find at least one song you like on this album, you must have a pretty narrow taste. Perfume Genius follows up his 2017 best album to date No Shape with another stellar project that might take that title away.
Standout track: Describe
4. color theory by Soccer Mommy
Released: February 28th, 2020
Producers: Gabe Wax
Genres: Indie Rock, Alternative
Recommended For Fans Of: Snail Mail, Big Thief
Another 90s revival album, but not as heavy as what beabadoobee was going for. Here’s the Color Theory broken down briefly: the album is divided into three different colors and moods. The first section is blue, representing depression and isolation. The middle section is yellow, for anxiety, illness, and brightness. The final section is gray, a void of death and loss. These colors and moods are used to reflect Soccer Mommy’s Sophie Allison coping with her newfound success and her mother’s terminal illness.
Standout track: royal screw up
3. Heaven To A Tortured Mind by Yves Tumor
Released: April 3rd, 2020
Producers: Justin Raisen, Mahssa Taghinia, Yves Tumor
Genres: Alternative, Rock, Funk
Recommended For Fans Of: Prince
Yves Tumor has always been a talented producer and musician, but with Heaven To a Tortured Mind, they transform into a fully fledged rockstar. My first impression walking away from this album in April was that this is the closest thing to a modern day Prince album we’ll ever get. It’s a shame we haven’t gotten to see any kind of tour yet because the music promises a larger than life performance.
Standout track: Kerosene!
2. how i’m feeling now by Charli XCX
Released: May 15th, 2020
Producers: A. G. Cook, BJ Burton, Danny L Harle, Dijon, Dylan Brady, Palmistry
Genres: Pop, Electronic, Hyperpop
Recommended For Fans Of: Brittney Spears, 100 Gecs
I didn’t have a huge amount of confidence in a project made entirely during the first three months of quarantine, coming so fast off the heels of her 2019 album Charli. Very quickly into the album’s opener Pink Diamond, I realized I had nothing to worry about. Charli was notably a great blend of her left leaning experimental pop with traditional pop, but this album pushes more towards the experimental sound that garnered her acclaim on her mixtapes Number 1 Angel and Pop 2. It’s a true testament to her talents as a performer and songwriter that she was able to throw together in 2-3 months a project better than many other artists could make with years.
Standout track: enemy
1. 3.15.20 by Childish Gambino
(I promise there’s cover art here)
Released: read the title
Features: Ariana Grande, 21 Savage, Ink, Kadhja Bonet
Producers: Donald Glover, DJ Dahi, Ludwig Gōransson, James Francis Jr., Chukwudi Hodge, EY, Kurtis McKenzie
Genres: R&B, Hip-Hop, Neo-Soul, Experimental
Recommended For Fans Of: Prince, Tyler the Creator
Obviously this is a bit bias since Gambino is my favorite artist ever, but it’s my list, the whole thing is bias. I don’t think this is his best album (a title that will probably always belong to Because the Internet for me), and I do think the release was a bit rushed. But I also think this is a collection of incredible tracks that has some of his best work on it. It’s not flawless, but it’s about embracing yourself flaws and all. If this is truly the end of Childish Gambino (and for the record, I expect him to release more music in the future, just not under this name anymore), then it’s the beautiful conclusion to a journey that started with self-hatred, wandered into self-questioning, and now ends in self-love.
Standout track: 24.19
Well that should be enough music to hold y’all over for a while. A serious heartfelt thank you to anyone that actually reads these, posting often just feels like screaming into the void. Going to stop blowing up your email for a minute and refocus for the next month, then come back better than ever in ’21.