Acclaimed Music Forums

The best albums of 2020 (update February 15)

The numbers presented next to each album title are the weighted average rating, and, in brackets, average and number of ratings (out of 34 included sources). The weighted average is based on a formula that includes a) the average of ratings and b) the number of sources that have rated the album.

The magazines I used for the ratings were:
EUR + Australia: Gaffa-dk; Gaffa-sw; Humo; Indiestyle; Jenesaispop; Laut; Mondosonoro; Musikexpress; Nojesguiden; Ondarock; Plattentests; Sentire Ascoltare; The Music
UK: Clash; DIY; God Is In The Tv; Load And Quiet; Music OMH; The Guardian; The Line Of Best Fit; The Skinny
USA + Canada: Allmusic; Consequence Of Sound; Earbuddy; Exclaim!; Nothern Transmissions; Paste; Pitchfork; Popmatters; Rolling Stone; Spectrum Culture; Under The Radar

Highlights: These are the top three songs from the album according to Allmusic, Consequence of Sound, Jenesaispop, Plattentests, The Skinny, Beardfood, BostonGlobe, Nowtoronto, Entertainment Weekly, etc…

New entry or Re-entry
Albums that have obtained new reviews and improved the score
Albums that have obtained new reviews but worsened the score

Out:
Wire: Mind Hive
Pet Shop Boys: Hotspot
Pinegrove: Marigold

15 - Halsey: Manic - 73,5 (72,2 / 25)
Highlights: 3am - Graveyard - You Should Be Sad
R&B



14 - Kiwi Jr.: Football Money - 73,6 (77,6 / 9)
Highlights: Comeback Baby - Leslie - Nothing Changes
Indie Rock



13 - Bonny Light Horseman: Bonny Light Horseman - 73,7 (78,0 / 8)
Highlights: Mountain Rain - Deep in Love - The Roving
Folk



12 - Dan Deacon: Mystic Familiar - 73,8 (73,8 / 21)
Highlights: Become a Mountain - Sat by a Tree - Fell Into the Ocean
Neo-Psychedelia



11 - Sløtface: Sorry For The Late Reply - 73,9 (77,9 / 9)
Highlights: S.U.C.C.E.S.S. - Telepathetic - Passport
Indie Rock



10 - Boniface: Boniface - 73,9 (78,6 / 7)
Highlights: Oh My God - Ghosts - Dear Megan
Synthpop



09 - Ben Watt: Storm Damage - 74,5 (78,9 / 8)
Highlights: Irene - Balanced on a Wire - Retreat to Find
Singer-Songwriter



08 - Mac Miller: Circles - 75,8 (77,4 / 16)
Highlights: Good News - Everybody - Complicated
Neo-Soul



07 - Georgia: Seeking Thrills - 75,8 (73,8 / 27)
Highlights: About Work the Dancefloor - Never Let You Go - 24 Hours
Electropop



06 - Bill Fay: Countless Branches – 77,0 (79,6 / 13)
Highlights: Filled With Wonder Once Again - I Will Remain Here - Salt on the Earth
Singer-Songwriter



05 - Torres: Silver Tongue – 77,2 (77,1 / 21)
Highlights: Good Grief - Last Forest - Dressing America
Indie Rock



04 - Destroyer: Have We Meet – 77,2 (75,9 / 25)
Highlights: Crimson Tide - It Just Doesn't Happen - University Hill
Synthpop



03 - Makaya McCraven: We’re New Again – A Re-imagining - 78,5 (82,4 / 9)
Highlights: Where Did the Night Go - New York Is Killing Me - I'm New Here
Nu Jazz



02 - Tame Impala: The Slow Rush - 78,7 (77,0 / 26)
Highlights: Lost in Yesterday - Posthumous Forgiveness - Breathe Deeper
Neo-Psychedelia



01 - J Hus: Big Conspiracy - 79,8 (83,8 / 9)
Highlights: Must Be - No Denying - Play Play
Hip Hop

Bang Jan wrote: ↑Fri Jan 31, 2020 7:54 pm *Insert annual comment about 70 and over albums here.*

16 - Wire: Mind Hive - 73,3 (76,3 / 12)
17 - Frances Quinlan: Likewise - 73,0 (75,7 / 13)
18 - Andy Shauf: The Neon Skyline - 73,0 (75,4 / 14)
19 - Pet Shop Boys: Hotspot - 72,9 (72,9 / 21)
20 - Drive-By Truckers: The Unraveling - 71,7 (74,4 / 13)
21 - Pinegrove: Marigold - 71,5 (73,1 / 16)
22 - ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead: X: The Godless Void and Other Stories - 71,4 (74,4 / 12)
23 - The Big Moon: Walking Like We Do - 71,2 (72,8 / 16)
24 - Katie Gately: Loom - 70,9 (75,3 / 8)
25 - 070 Shake: Modus Vivendi - 70,9 (73,2 / 14)
26 - Bombay Bicycle Club: Everything Else Has Gone Wrong - 70,8 (70,5 / 22)
27 - Bambara: Stray - 70,3 (75,0 / 7)
28 - Squarepusher: Be Up A Hello - 70,1 (71,5 / 17)

Putting aside my usual biases towards Everything but the Girl and offshoots of UK rap, Ben Watt's and J Hus's albums don't quite deserve to be this high in the critics' estimations. Still, I can't see either staying in the MCCh until the year's end!

By the way, Otisredding, there's only one 'e' in the third word of 'Have We Met'.

I feel like the Georgia album's production has some interesting vaporwave influences. Love to hear it in a pop record