The best albums of 2020 (update September 15)
The numbers presented next to each album title are the weighted average rating, and, in brackets, average and number of ratings (out of 32 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: Rob makes the top three songs from the album according to Allmusic, Consequence of Sound, Jenesaispop, Plattentests, The Skinny, 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:
No Joy: Motherhood
85 - Ghostpoet: I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep - 74,3 (75,9 / 16)
Highlights: Rats in a Sack - Concret Pony - Nowhere to Hide Now
Art Pop
84 - Bananagun: The True Story of Bananagun - 74,3 (78,3 / 9)
Highlights: She Now - Perfect Stranger - Modern Day Problems
Afrobeat
83 - James Dean Bradfield: Even In Exile - 74,6 (77,9 / 11)
Highlights: The Boy from the Plantation – La Partida – Thirty Thousand Milk Bottles
Alternative Rock
82 - The Beths: Jump Rope Gazers - 74,6 (75,3 / 19)
Highlights: I’m Not Getting Excited - Acrid - Mars, the God of War
Indie Rock
81 - The Chats: High Risk Behaviour - 74,6 (78,3 / 10)
Highlights: Pub Feed - Identity Theft - Stinker
Garage Punk
80 - Marilyn Manson: We Are Chaos - 74,7 (76,3 / 16)
Highlights: We Are Chaos - Don't Chase The Dead – Paint You With My Love
Alternative Rock
79 - Lanterns On The Lake: Spook The Herd – 74,7 (79,0 / 8)
Highlights: Every Atom - Before They Excavate - Swimming Lessons
Dream Pop
78 - Dream Wife: So When You Gonna… - 74,7 (76,7 / 15)
Highlights: Sports! - Hasta la vista - Temporary
Indie Rock
77 - Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs: Viscerals - 74,9 (78,2 / 11)
Highlights: Halloween Bolson - New Body - Rubbernecker
Stoner Metal
76 - Dehd: Flower Of Devotion – 75,0 (79,0 / 9)
Highlights: Loner – Haha - No Time
Indie Rock
75 - Creeper: Sex, Death and The Infinite Void - 75,1 (79,4 / 8)
Highlights: All My Friends – Cyanide - Annabelle
Pop Rock
74 - Jessie Reyez: Before Love Came To Kill Us - 75,1 (78,8 / 10)
Highlights: Imported - Figures - Intruders
Trap Rap
73 - Sparks: A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip - 75,1 (76,5 / 17)
Highlights: Self-Effacing - I’m Toast - iPhone
Art Pop
72 - Code Orange: Underneath – 75,2 (78,2 / 12)
Highlights: Swallowing the Rabbit Whole - Sulfur Surrounding - You and You Alone
Metalcore
71 - Sonic Boom: All Things Being Equal - 75,2 (78,5 / 11)
Highlights: Just a Little Piece of Me - I Feel a Change Coming On - Things Like This (A Little Bit Deeper)
Neo-Psychedelia
70 - The Weeknd: After Hours – 75,2 (74,6 / 23)
Highlights: Blinding Lights - After Hours - Scared to Live
Alternative R&B
69 - Hamilton Leithauser: The Loves Of Your Life - 75,4 (77,7 / 14)
Highlights: Here They Come - Don't Check the Score - Isabella
Indie Rock
68 - Julianna Barwick: Healing Is A Miracle - 75,5 (78,2 / 13)
Highlights: Inspirit - In Light - Nod
Ambient
67 - Lady Gaga: Chromatica - 75,5 (74,8 / 23)
Highlights: Stupid Love - Sine from Above - Rain on Me
Dance Pop
66 - Arca: KiCk i – 75,5 (74,8 / 23)
Highlights: KLK – Time - Mequetrefe
Deconstructed Club
65 - Shirley Collins: Heart's Ease – 75,5 (78,5 / 12)
Highlights: The Merry Golden Tree - Locked in Ice - Sweet Greens and Blues
Folk
64 - Kvelertak: Splid - 75,5 (79,9 / 8)
Highlights: Bråtebrann - Crack of Doom - Fanden ta dette Hull!
Hardcore Punk
63 - 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
62 - Nine Inch Nails: Ghosts VI: Locusts – 75,6 (78,6 / 12)
Highlights: Run Like Hell - Around Every Corner - The Cursed Clock
Dark Ambient
61 - Mark Lanegan: Straight Songs Of Sorrow – 75,7 (76,3 / 19)
Highlights: Skeleton Key - This Game of Love - Stockholm City Blues
Singer-Songwriter
60 - Ben Watt: Storm Damage – 75,7 (79,0 / 11)
Highlights: Irene - Balanced on a Wire - Retreat to Find
Alternative Rock
59 - The Strokes: The New Anormal – 75,7 (72,4 / 31)
Highlights: Bad Decisions - The Adults Are Talking - Brooklyn Bridge to Chorus
Indie Rock
58 - Mac Miller: Circles - 75,8 (77,4 / 16)
Highlights: Good News - Everybody - Complicated
Neo-Soul
57 - Georgia: Seeking Thrills - 75,8 (73,8 / 27)
Highlights: About Work the Dancefloor - Never Let You Go - 24 Hours
Electropop
56 - Keeley Forsyth: Debris – 75,8 (80,1 / 8)
Highlights: Lost - Look to Yourself - Large Oak
Avant-Folk
55 - King Krule: Man Alive! - 75,8 (73,5 / 28)
Highlights: Alone, Omen 3 - Stoned Again - Cellular
Art Rock
54 - Bill Callahan: Gold Record - 75,9 (76,5 / 19)
Highlights: Pigeons – The Mackenzies – Another Song
Americana
53 - The Soft Pink Truth: Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase? - 76,1 (79,8 / 10)
Highlights: We – Shall - Sinning
Ambient
52 - Jarv Is: Beyond The Pale – 76,2 (76,2 / 21)
Highlights: Must I Evolve? - House Music All Night Long - Save the Whale
Art Rock
51 - Bdrmm: Bedroom - 76,3 (80,6 / 8)
Highlights: A Reason to Celebrate - Happy - If…
Dream Pop
50 - Owen Pallet: Island – 76,4 (79,4 / 12)
Highlights: The Sound of the Engines - A Bloody Morning - Paragon of Order
Chamber Folk
49 - Grimes: Miss Anthropocene - 76,5 (72,8 / 32)
Highlights: Delete Forever - My Name Is Dark - Violence
Art Pop
48 - Childish Gambino: 3.15.2020 – 76,7 (76,3 / 22)
Highlights: Algorhythm - Time - 19.10
Neo Soul
47 - Nubya Garcia: Source – 76,7 (80,7 / 9)
Highlights: Pace – Source - La cumbia me está llamando
Jazz
46 - Nadine Shah: Kitchen Sink – 76,7 (78,1 / 17)
Highlights: Ladies for Babies (Goats for Love) - Kitchen Sink - Trad
Art Rock
45 - BC Camplight: Shortly After Takeoff – 76,9 (80,9 / 9)
Highlights: Arm Around Your Sadness - Back to Work - Ghosthunting
Psychedelic Pop
44 - 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
43 - Sorry: 925 – 77,1 (76,4 / 23)
Highlights: Right Round the Clock - Starstruck - More
Indie Rock
42 - Lucinda Williams: Good Souls Better Angels – 77,1 (78,4 / 17)
Highlights: Big Black Train - Wakin' Up - When the Way Gets Dark
Blues Rock
41 - Torres: Silver Tongue – 77,2 (77,1 / 21)
Highlights: Good Grief - Last Forest - Dressing America
Indie Rock
40 - Khruangbin: Mordechai - 77,2 (77,1 / 21)
Highlights: Time (You and I) - So We Won’t Forget - Pelota
Psychedelic Rock
39 - Nicolas Jaar: Cenizas – 77,3 (81,6 / 8)
Highlights: Mud - Garden - Faith Made of Silk
Ambient
38 - Angel Olsen: Whole New Mess – 77,4 (76,7 / 23)
Highlights: Whole New Mess - Waving, Smiling - (New Love) Cassette
Folk
37 - Destroyer: Have We Meet – 77,5 (75,8 / 26)
Highlights: Crimson Tide - It Just Doesn't Happen - University Hill
Synthpop
36 - U.S. Girls: Heavy Light – 78,4 (77,4 / 24)
Highlights: 4 American Dollars - Overtime - Woodstock '99
Art Pop
35 - Kelly Lee Owens: Inner Song – 78,6 (78,9 / 20)
Highlights: On - Melt! - L.I.N.E.
Tech House
34 - Lianne La Havas: Lianne La Havas - 78,7 (79,1 / 20)
Highlights: Paper Thin - Read My Mind - Weird Fishes
Neo-Soul
33 - Charli XCX: how i'm feeling now - 78,8 (77,4 / 25)
Highlights: Forever - Claws - Anthems
Bubblegum Bass
32 - Hinds: The Prettiest Curse - 78,9 (79,6 / 19)
Highlights: Good Bad Times – Riding Solo – Come Back and Love Me <3
Indie Rock
31 - Jehnny Beth: To Love Is To Live – 79,0 (77,0 / 27)
Highlights: I’m the Man - French Countryside - Flower
Art Pop
30 - Hayley Williams: Petals For Armor – 79,2 (80,2 / 18)
Highlights: Simmer - Dead Horse - Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris
Art Pop
29 - Baxter Dury: The Night Chancers - 79,4 (81,1 / 16)
Highlights: I'm Not Your Dog - Carla's Got a Boyfriend - Slumlord
Synthpop
28 - Makaya McCraven: We’re New Again – A Re-imagining - 79,4 (82,1 / 13)
Highlights: Where Did the Night Go - New York Is Killing Me - I'm New Here
Nu Jazz
27 - Tame Impala: The Slow Rush – 79,5 (75,8 / 32)
Highlights: Lost in Yesterday - Posthumous Forgiveness - Breathe Deeper
Neo-Psychedelia
26 - Soccer Mommy: Color Theory – 79,6 (78,2 / 25)
Highlights: Circle the Drain - Bloodstream - Yellow Is the Color of Her Eyes
Singer-Songwriter
25 - J Hus: Big Conspiracy - 79,7 (83,4 / 10)
Highlights: Must Be - No Denying - Play Play
Hip Hop
24 - Bright Eyes: Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was - 79,8 (78,1 / 26)
Highlights: Dance and Sing - One and Done - Persona Non Grata
Indie Folk
23 - Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist: Alfredo - 80,0 (84,4 / 8)
Highlights: 1985 - Baby $hit - Frank Lucas
Hip Hop
22 - Laura Marling: Song For Our Daughter – 80,2 (79,6 / 23)
Highlights: Blow by Blow - Alexandra - Strange Girl
Folk
21 - The Microphones: Microphones in 2020 – 80,3 (83,3 / 12)
Highlights: The Microphones in 2020 *(Album with only one song)
Singer-Songwriter
20 - Rina Sawayama: Sawayama – 80,0 (80,3 / 20)
Highlights: Comme des Garçons (Like the Boys) - XS - Dinasty
R&B
19 - Crack Cloud: Pain Olympics - 80,7 (85,0 / 8)
Highlights: Post Truth (Birth of a Nation) - The Next Fix (A Safe Space) - Ouster Stew
Post-Punk
18 - Thundercat: It Is What It Is – 80,8 (79,8 / 24)
Highlights: Dragonball Durag - Black Qualls - Innerstellar Love
Nu Jazz
17 - Jessie Ware: What's Your Pleasure? – 80,8 (79,5 / 25)
Highlights: Spotlight - Save a Kiss - Remember Where You Are
Dance Pop
16 - Neil Young: Homegrown – 81,2 (81,6 / 20)
Highlights: Separate Ways - Try - Vacancy
Singer-Songwriter
15 - Protomartyr: Ultimate Success Today - 81,8 (80,5 / 25)
Highlights: Bridge & Crown - Processed by the Boys - Worm in Heaven
Post-Punk
14 - Caribou: Suddenly – 82,1 (79,4 / 29)
Highlights: You and I - Home - Never Come Back
Indietronica
13 - Dua Lipa: Future Nostalgia – 82,1 (80,8 / 25)
Highlights: Physical - Break My Heart - Don’t Start Now
Dance Pop
12 - Fontaines D.C.: A Hero's Death – 82,3 (79,6 / 29)
Highlights: I Don’t Belong - A Lucid Dream - A Hero’s Death
Post-Punk
11 - Waxahatchee: Saint Cloud – 82,4 (79,7 / 29)
Highlights: Lilacs - Can't Do Much - Fire
Singer-Songwriter
10 - Haim: Women In Music Pt. III – 82,7 (79,7 / 30)
Highlights: The Steps - Up for a Dream - Summer Girl
Indie Pop
09 - Porridge Radio: Every Bad - 82,8 (82,2 / 23)
Highlights: Lilac - Sweet - Born Confused
Indie Rock
08 - Yves Tumor: Heaven To A Tortured Mind – 83,9 (81,9 / 27)
Highlights: Kerosene! - Gospel for a New Century - Romanticist
Nu Jazz
07 - Taylor Swift: Folklore - 83,9 (80,9 / 30)
Highlights: The Last Great American Dynasty - Cardigan - Exile
Singer-Songwriter
06 - Moses Sumney: græ – 84,1 (84,8 / 19)
Highlights: Polly - Virile - Neither/Nor
Art Pop
05 - Phoebe Bridgers: Punisher - 85,9 (82,9 / 30)
Highlights: Kyoto - Garden Song - I Know the End
Singer-Songwriter
04 - Run The Jewels: RTJ4 – 87,7 (85,7 / 27)
Highlights: Walking in the Snow - Yankee and the Brave (ep. 4) – JU$T
Hip Hop
03 - Bob Dylan: Rough and Rowdy Ways – 88,3 (88,0 / 22)
Highlights: I Contain Multitudes - Murder Most Foul - Goodbye Jimmy Reed
Singer-Songwriter
02 - Perfume Genius: Set My Heart On Fire Immediately – 90,2 (87,2 / 30)
Highlights: Describe - On the Floor - Without You
Art Pop
01 - Fiona Apple: Fetch The Bolt Cutters – 94,3 (92,3 / 27)
Highlights: Shameika - I Want You to Love Me - Under the Table
Art Pop
MCCh 2020 (16) September 15
- Otisredding
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- Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:00 am
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MCCh 2020 (16) September 15
Last edited by Otisredding on Wed Sep 30, 2020 3:10 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- Otisredding
- Keep On Movin'
- Posts: 1875
- Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:00 am
- Location: Banyoles, Catalonia (Spain)
Re: MCCh 2020 (16) September 15
86 - Doves: The Universal Want - 74,2 (76,6 / 14)
87 - Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit: Reunions - 74,2 (76,6 / 14)
88 - Empress Of: I'm Your Empress Of - 74,2 (76,2 / 15)
89 - Kate NV: Room For The Moon - 74,2 (78,5 / 8)
90 - Declan McKenna: Zeros - 74,2 (77,2 / 12)
91 - Damien Jurado: What's New, Tomboy? - 74,1 (78,1 / 9)
92 - Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever: Sideways to New Italy - 74,1 (72,8 / 25)
93 - Illuminati Hotties: Free I.H: This Is Not the One You've Been Waiting For - 74,1 (78,7 / 7)
94 - Moses Boyd: Dark Matter - 73,9 (77,3 / 11)
95 - Andy Shauf: The Neon Skyline - 73,9 (75,9 / 15)
96 - Boniface: Boniface - 73,9 (78,6 / 7)
97 - Dan Deacon: Mystic Familiar - 73,8 (73,8 / 21)
98 - Bonny Light Horseman: Bonny Light Horseman - 73,7 (77,4 / 10)
99 - The Flaming Lips: American Head - 73,6 (74,6 / 18)
100 - Westerman: Your Hero Is Not Dead - 73,6 (76,2 / 13)
101 - Kiwi Jr.: Football Money - 73,6 (77,6 / 9)
102 - Lido Pimienta: Miss Colombia - 73,5 (76,8 / 11)
103 - Nap Eyes: Snapshot of a Beginner - 73,5 (76,8 / 11)
104 - Jessy Lanza: All The Time - 73,5 (74,4 / 18)
105 - Margo Price: That's How Rumors Get Started - 73,4 (75,7 / 14)
106 - Rufus Wainwright: Unfollow The Rules - 73,4 (73,0 / 22)
107 - Halsey: Manic - 73,4 (71,7 / 26)
108 - Wire: Mind Hive - 73,3 (76,3 / 12)
109 - Muzz: Muzz - 73,2 (77,2 / 9)
110 - Buscabulla: Regresa - 73,2 (76,2 / 12)
111 - Bambara: Stray - 73,2 (76,2 / 12)
112 - Nine Inch Nails: Ghosts V: Together - 73,1 (76,1 / 12)
113 - 100 Gecs: 1000 gecs and The Tree of Clues - 73,0 (77,4 / 8)
114 - Pearl Jam: Gigaton - 73,0 (71,7 / 25)
115 - Frances Quinlan: Likewise - 73,0 (75,3 / 14)
116 - Sløtface: Sorry For The Late Reply - 72,9 (76,6 / 10)
117 - Blake Mills: Mutable Set - 72,9 (77,6 / 7)
118 - Pet Shop Boys: Hotspot - 72,9 (72,9 / 21)
119 - Pottery: Welcome To Bobby's Motel - 72,8 (74,8 / 15)
120 - Jason Molina: Eight Gates - 72,7 (75,4 / 13)
121 - Katie Von Schleicher: Consummation - 72,6 (77,3 / 7)
122 - Coriky: Coriky - 72,5 (76,9 / 8)
123 - Courtney Marie Andrews: Old Flowers - 72,5 (73,8 / 17)
124 - Keleketla!: Keleketla! - 72,5 (77,1 / 7)
125 - Deerhoof: Future Teenage Cave Artists - 72,2 (74,5 / 14)
126 - Jade Hairpins: Harmony Avenue - 72,1 (76,1 / 9)
127 - Tennis: Swimmer - 72,0 (75,7 / 10)
128 - Swamp Dogg: Sorry You Couldn't Make It - 71,9 (76,6 / 7)
129 - Pantha Du Prince: Conference of Trees - 71,9 (76,6 / 7)
130 - Bully: Sucareg - 71,9 (74,2 / 14)
131 - The Chicks: Gaslighter - 71,7 (74,1 / 14)
132 - Drive-By Truckers: The Unraveling - 71,7 (74,4 / 13)
133 - Ohmne: Fantasize Your Ghost - 71,7 (75,7 / 9)
134 - Pinegrove: Marigold - 71,5 (73,1 / 16)
135 - Kamaal Williams: Wu Hen - 71,4 (75,8 / 8)
136 - ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead: X: The Godless Void and Other Stories - 71,4 (74,4 / 12)
137 - Orlando Weeks: A Quickening - 71,3 (75,6 / 8)
138 - Throwing Muses: Sun Racket - 71,3 (75,6 / 8)
139 - NZCA Lines: Pure Luxury - 71,3 (75,6 / 8)
140 - Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith: The Mosaic Of Transformation - 71,2 (74,5 / 11)
141 - 070 Shake: Modus Vivendi - 71,2 (72,8 / 16)
142 - The Big Moon: Walking Like We Do - 71,2 (72,8 / 16)
143 - The Streets: None Of Us Are Getting Out Of This Life Alive - 71,1 (70,8 / 22)
144 - Kathleen Edwards: Total Freedom - 71,1 (75,7 / 7)
145 - Squarepusher: Be Up A Hello - 71,0 (71,9 / 18)
146 - Katie Gately: Loom - 70,9 (75,3 / 8)
147 - Paul Weller: On Sunset - 70,9 (71,6 / 19)
148 - Car Seat Headrest: Making a Door Less Open - 70,7 (71,7 / 18)
149 - Stephen Malkmus: Traditional Techniques - 70,7 (70,3 / 22)
150 - The Killers: Imploding the Mirage - 70,5 (70,2 / 22)
151 - Cornershop: England Is A Garden - 70,3 (75,0 / 7)
152 - Disq: Collector - 70,2 (74,2 / 9)
153 - Braids: Shadow Offering - 70,1 (74,1 / 9)
- Rob
- Die Mensch Maschine
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- Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 3:53 pm
- Location: Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Re: MCCh 2020 (16) September 15
Here is the updated playlist:
The Microphones in 2020 is still not on Spotify. Here it is on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7BkabF31ak
It isn't the most exciting update, with not just most new entries being at the bottom (and probably leaving again soon), but also three of the six entries are re-entries. The Chats seem to have a talent of falling in and out of the list.
Surprised to not see The Flaming Lips make it. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see it bounce in next update.
The Microphones in 2020 is still not on Spotify. Here it is on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7BkabF31ak
It isn't the most exciting update, with not just most new entries being at the bottom (and probably leaving again soon), but also three of the six entries are re-entries. The Chats seem to have a talent of falling in and out of the list.
Surprised to not see The Flaming Lips make it. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see it bounce in next update.
Re: MCCh 2020 (16) September 15
Microphones in 2020 is surprisingly low here.
- Otisredding
- Keep On Movin'
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