Acclaimed Music Forums

The best albums of 2020 (update April, 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:
Andy Shauf: The Neon Skyline
Boniface: Boniface
Dan Deacon: Mystic Familiar

35 - Moses Boyd: Dark Matter - 73,9 (77,3 / 11)
Highlights: Shades of You - Only You - 2 Far Gone
Nu Jazz



34 - Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs: Viscerals - 74,3 (78,3 / 9)
Highlights: Halloween Bolson - New Body - Rubbernecker
Stoner Metal



33 - The Chats: High Risk Behaviour – 74,6 (78,3 / 10)
Highlights: Pub Feed - Identity Theft - Stinker
Garage Punk



32 - Lanterns On The Lake: Spook The Herd – 74,7 (79,0 / 8)
Highlights: Every Atom - Before They Excavate - Swimming Lessons
Dream Pop



31 - The Strokes: The New Abnormal - 74,9 (72,6 / 28)
Highlights: Bad Decisions - The Adults Are Talking - Brooklyn Bridge to Chorus
Indie Rock



30 - The Weeknd: After Hours – 75,2 (74,6 / 23)
Highlights: Blinding Lights - After Hours - Scared to Live
Alternative R&B



29 - Kvelertak: Splid - 75,5 (79,9 / 8)
Highlights: Bråtebrann - Crack of Doom - Fanden ta dette Hull!
Hardcore Punk



28 - Shabaka And The Ancestors: We Are Sent Here By History - 75,6 (79,6 / 9)
Highlights: The Coming of the Strange Ones - They Who Must Die - We Will Work (On Redefining Manhood)
Jazz



27 - Hamilton Leithauser: The Loves Of Your Life - 75,6 (78,9 / 11)
Highlights: Here They Come - Don't Check the Score - Isabella
Indie Rock



26 - King Krule: Man Alive! - 75,6 (73,6 / 27)
Highlights: Alone, Omen 3 - Stoned Again - Cellular
Art Rock



25 - Ben Watt: Storm Damage – 75,7 (79,0 / 11)
Highlights: Irene - Balanced on a Wire - Retreat to Find
Alternative Rock



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



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



22 - Keeley Forsyth: Debris – 75,8 (80,1 / 8)
Highlights: Lost - Look to Yourself - Large Oak
Avant-Folk



21 - Nine Inch Nails: Ghosts VI: Locusts - 76,2 (79,9 / 10)
Highlights: Run Like Hell - Around Every Corner - The Cursed Clock
Dark Ambient



20 - Code Orange: Underneath – 76,5 (79,8 / 11)
Highlights: Swallowing the Rabbit Whole - Sulfur Surrounding - You and You Alone
Metalcore



19 - Sorry: 925 – 76,6 (76,6 / 21)
Highlights: Right Round the Clock - More - Starstruck
Indie Rock



18 - Childish Gambino: 3.15.2020 – 76,7 (76,3 / 22)
Highlights: Algorhythm - Time - 19.10
Neo Soul



17 - Grimes: Miss Anthropocene - 76,9 (73,5 / 31)
Highlights: Delete Forever - My Name Is Dark - Violence
Art Pop



16 - 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



15 - Laura Marling: Song For Our Daughter – 77,0 (79,3 / 14)
Highlights: Blow by Blow - Alexandra - Strange Girl
Folk



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



13 - Destroyer: Have We Meet – 77,5 (75,8 / 26)
Highlights: Crimson Tide - It Just Doesn't Happen - University Hill
Synthpop



12 - U.S. Girls: Heavy Light – 78,4 (77,4 / 24)
Highlights: 4 American Dollars - Overtime - Woodstock '99
Art Pop



11 - Baxter Dury: The Night Chancers - 79,4 (81,1 / 16)
Highlights: I'm Not Your Dog - Carla's Got a Boyfriend - Slumlord
Synthpop



10 - Tame Impala: The Slow Rush – 79,5 (75,8 / 32)
Highlights: Lost in Yesterday - Posthumous Forgiveness - Breathe Deeper
Neo-Psychedelia



09 - Soccer Mommy: Color Theory – 79,6 (78,2 / 25)
Highlights: Circle the Drain - Bloodstream - Yellow Is the Color of Her Eyes
Singer-Songwriter



08 - Makaya McCraven: We’re New Again – A Re-imagining - 79,7 (82,7 / 12)
Highlights: Where Did the Night Go - New York Is Killing Me - I'm New Here
Nu Jazz



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



06 - Thundercat: It Is What It Is - 79,9 (80,2 / 20)
Highlights: Dragonball Durag - Black Qualls - Innerstellar Love
Nu Jazz



05 - Caribou: Suddenly – 82,1 (79,4 / 29)
Highlights: You and I - Home - Never Come Back
Indietronica



04 - Dua Lipa: Future Nostalgia – 82,1 (80,8 / 25)
Highlights: Physical - Break My Heart - Don’t Start Now
Dance Pop



03 - Yves Tumor: Heaven To A Tortured Mind - 82,3 (81,6 / 23)
Highlights: Kerosene! - Gospel for a New Century - Romanticist
Nu Jazz



02 - Waxahatchee: Saint Cloud – 82,4 (79,7 / 29)
Highlights: Lilacs - Can't Do Much - Fire
Singer-Songwriter



01 - Porridge Radio: Every Bad - 82,9 (82,9 / 21)
Highlights: Lilac - Sweet - Don't Ask Me Twice
Indie Rock

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

36 - Andy Shauf: The Neon Skyline - 73,9 (75,9 / 15)
37 - Boniface: Boniface - 73,9 (78,6 / 7)
38 - Dan Deacon: Mystic Familiar - 73,8 (73,8 / 21)
39 - Bonny Light Horseman: Bonny Light Horseman - 73,7 (77,4 / 10)
40 - Empress Of: I'm Your Empress Of - 73,6 (77,3 / 10)
41 - Kiwi Jr.: Football Money - 73,6 (77,6 / 9)
42 - Nap Eyes: Snapshot of a Beginner - 73,5 (76,8 / 11)
43 - Halsey: Manic - 73,4 (71,7 / 26)
44 - Wire: Mind Hive - 73,3 (76,3 / 12)
45 - Nine Inch Nails: Ghosts V: Together - 73,2 (76,9 / 10)
46 - Bambara: Stray - 73,2 (76,2 / 12)
47 - Frances Quinlan: Likewise - 73,0 (75,3 / 14)
48 - Sløtface: Sorry For The Late Reply - 72,9 (76,6 / 10)
49 - Pet Shop Boys: Hotspot - 72,9 (72,9 / 21)
50 - Brian Fallon: Local Honey - 72,7 (77,0 / 8)
51 - Pearl Jam: Gigaton - 72,3 (71,3 / 24)
52 - Tennis: Swimmer - 72,0 (75,7 / 10)
53 - Swamp Dogg: Sorry You Couldn't Make It - 71,9 (76,6 / 7)
54 - Drive-By Truckers: The Unraveling - 71,7 (74,4 / 13)
55 - Anna Burch: If You're Dreaming - 71,5 (75,9 / 8)
56 - Pinegrove: Marigold - 71,5 (73,1 / 16)
57 - ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead: X: The Godless Void and Other Stories - 71,4 (74,4 / 12)
58 - 070 Shake: Modus Vivendi - 71,2 (72,8 / 16)
58 - The Big Moon: Walking Like We Do - 71,2 (72,8 / 16)
60 - Squarepusher: Be Up A Hello - 71,0 (71,9 / 18)
61 - Katie Gately: Loom - 70,9 (75,3 / 8)
62 - Bombay Bicycle Club: Everything Else Has Gone Wrong - 70,8 (70,5 / 22)
63 - Stephen Malkmus: Traditional Techniques - 70,7 (70,3 / 22)
64 - Cornershop: England Is A Garden - 70,3 (75,0 / 7)
65 - Disq: Collector - 70,2 (74,2 / 9)

Hello, Rob

Changes in highlights: Waxahatchee

Pearl Jam's is better than I expected.

discord wrote: ↑Wed Apr 15, 2020 9:29 am Pearl Jam's is better than I expected.

Makes me think that it might do well come the EOY lists

Otisredding wrote: ↑Wed Apr 15, 2020 6:32 am Hello, Rob

Changes in highlights: Waxahatchee

Thanks.

The Hamilton Leithauser cover is wrong, by the way.

Rob wrote: ↑Wed Apr 15, 2020 2:39 pm
The Hamilton Leithauser cover is wrong, by the way.

I've been listening to some of these due to my album of the month project and just got around to Shabaka And The Ancestors. I figured it would be the case and, surprise, Shabaka Hutchings is also involved in Sons of Kemet and The Comet is Coming. I feel like he is proving himself as a master in a way where few people will notice...

BleuPanda wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 1:59 pm I've been listening to some of these due to my album of the month project and just got around to Shabaka And The Ancestors. I figured it would be the case and, surprise, Shabaka Hutchings is also involved in Sons of Kemet and The Comet is Coming. I feel like he is proving himself as a master in a way where few people will notice...

It's one of those things that seems obvious in hindsight when you find out. I swear the main riff from "Summon the Fire" appears somewhere on the Sons of Kemet album.

I'm shocked Laura Marling is so low given her scores on other review aggregation sites. Does anyone know why this ranking would be different?

Wow the rarest of the rarest of the rare. Move over Bigfoot, only took a worldwide pandemic for a new Fiona Apple album to finally be released. Enjoy!

Newly updated playlist!


Sad to see Dan Deacon go, as to me he was a highlight of the playlist. But let's hear how the new songs sound.

Just a thing: Porridge Radio has been number 1 for two updates, but literally nobody seems to be talking about that album. What's up with that?

Jackson wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 4:53 pm I'm shocked Laura Marling is so low given her scores on other review aggregation sites. Does anyone know why this ranking would be different?

I do not know, but there are two possible explanations. One, if you follow the updates of these lists closely you'll notice that albums released closely to the update tend to score lower than expected, but move up the next update. I don't know why. It's not an iron rule, so I can't say it will happen to Marling. Two, this list has a rather broader collection of countries were reviews are taken from, compared to similar projects. That might also make a difference.

Can’t wait to see this Fetch the Bolt Cutters rocket to #1 on the 31st!

Rob wrote: ↑Fri Apr 17, 2020 8:41 pm Just a thing: Porridge Radio has been number 1 for two updates, but literally nobody seems to be talking about that album. What's up with that?

I can start, I suppose. I LOVED this album, and it is one of only two albums I've heard so far that I can picture making an All-Time list of mine. The other is today's Fiona Apple record, but honestly, Porridge Radio's honest, indie rock sound is really refreshing.