Top 5 Albums of 2020
Happy new year everyone, I hope you all are having a wonderful start to 2021! 2020 was a rough year with the coronavirus pandemic drastically affecting individuals and communities globally. I hope everyone reading this is safe, and I send condolences and support to those who have suffered great loss from the pandemic. For the actual article, I listened to many great albums this year across all music genres. These featured projects are what I believe to be the five best projects to come out this year.
Vibrant and soulful production set the backdrop for this colorful rap album. Consistently good, the album is full of memorable lines, great songs, and entertaining guest features from artists such as Earl Sweatshirt. While the album came out in late April, I found Innocent Country 2 to be a great listen on a cool summer night. The section of songs from “Sudden Death” through “Mirage” is one of the best chains on an album that I have heard in a while. One thing I did notice was that a lot of the songs somewhat blended together for me given the unified theme sonically. Overall though, Quelle Chris is an amazing rapper, Chris Keys is an incredibly skilled producer, and the album is one of the best projects I listened to this year.
Favorite Songs: Living Happy, Sudden Death, Make it Better, Graphic Bleed Outs, Mirage
This album was an excellent introduction to The Strokes. The relevant and complicated lyrics compliment great singing and the production on basically every song. Julian Casablanca’s singing on this album is some of the best I have heard in a while, and every note he hits is perfectly paired with a song’s production. While it may seem short at 9 tracks, the album still runs for 45 minutes, and is so tight one might say it is “all killer no filler”. That said, I did feel like some songs were somewhat of a step below others, but that is purely based on my personal preference of sound. Songs like “Bad Decisions” and “Not the Same Anymore” I felt were really good, but not quite at the same level as other songs like “Selfless” and “At the Door”. Nonetheless, this album is amazing, one of the best to come out this year, and something I would recommend to anyone.
Favorite Songs: The Adults are Talking, Selfless, Eternal Summer, At the Door, Why are Sundays so Depressing
Honestly, I did not think that 2020 had the volume of excellent releases that past years have had. However, Alfredo certainly matches up to other excellent rap albums of past years. The Alchemist brings excellent production, and Freddie Gibbs matches it with some of the best rapping in the game. Pretty much every song on this album is excellent as Freddie flexes his mechanical skill across different flows with interesting and complex rhyme schemes. The features on this album are excellent as well, hearing Benny the Butcher on “Frank Lucas” rap some of the best bars on the project was an incredibly fun experience and a reminder of how great of artists Benny and the rest of the Griselda crew are. Lyrically, we see Freddie rap incredibly relevant bars that illustrate continued growth compared to past projects. This album, along with the other two following projects, were basically perfect in having no filler tracks, and a consistent level of excellence.
Favorite Songs: 1985, Scottie Beam, Frank Lucas, Babies & Fools, All Glass
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Normally, I do not spend a lot of time listening to genres outside of Hip-Hop and R&B. This project marked the start of my exploration of other genres. In 2020, Rina Sawayama produced an amazing pop album that I believe forces the genre to reconsider what its "best" sound is. Where pop can trend a little boring or plain, this album is the complete opposite. The juxtaposition of the luxurious production and anti-consumption lyrics on "XS" and the harmonized laughing on the chorus of "STFU!" represent artistry that differentiates the album from other pop releases. Sawayama also displays Rina’s ability to produce extremely emotional and relatable songs. Songs like “Chosen Family” and “Bad Friend” feel too heartfelt and genuine. With no bad tracks, this album just captures what it means to put ones emotions and feelings into music.
Favorite Songs: Dynasty, Akasaka Sad, Bad Friend, Tokyo Love Hotel, Chosen Family
I would definitely say that Brave Faces Everyone by Spanish Love Songs is my favorite album of 2020. Honestly, I probably listen to this album at least 5 times a week. This album is pretty much perfect, and I honestly haven't listened to something this relatable in years. A maturation from the amazing effort put forth on their last album Schmaltz, not one song on this album is imperfect. Dylan Slocum's singing is perfectly paired with ripping guitar chords and drums. The anguish and awareness of aging, and everything that comes with it serve as an incredibly genuine lyrical backdrop for all 10 tracks. Each song is catchy and filled with quotable phrases. Despite how many times I have listened to this album, I find something new in voice inflections, lyrical emphasis, or guitar and drum riffs I had not previously heard. With the coronavirus pandemic looming over pretty much all of 2020, this encapsulation of anxiety, sadness, and cynicism around life and the world could not have come out at a better time.
Favorite Songs: Routine Pain, Generation Loss, Losers, Brave Faces, Everyone
5. Innocent Country 2 - Quelle Chris and Chris Keys
Vibrant and soulful production set the backdrop for this colorful rap album. Consistently good, the album is full of memorable lines, great songs, and entertaining guest features from artists such as Earl Sweatshirt. While the album came out in late April, I found Innocent Country 2 to be a great listen on a cool summer night. The section of songs from “Sudden Death” through “Mirage” is one of the best chains on an album that I have heard in a while. One thing I did notice was that a lot of the songs somewhat blended together for me given the unified theme sonically. Overall though, Quelle Chris is an amazing rapper, Chris Keys is an incredibly skilled producer, and the album is one of the best projects I listened to this year.
Favorite Songs: Living Happy, Sudden Death, Make it Better, Graphic Bleed Outs, Mirage
4. The New Abnormal - The Strokes
This album was an excellent introduction to The Strokes. The relevant and complicated lyrics compliment great singing and the production on basically every song. Julian Casablanca’s singing on this album is some of the best I have heard in a while, and every note he hits is perfectly paired with a song’s production. While it may seem short at 9 tracks, the album still runs for 45 minutes, and is so tight one might say it is “all killer no filler”. That said, I did feel like some songs were somewhat of a step below others, but that is purely based on my personal preference of sound. Songs like “Bad Decisions” and “Not the Same Anymore” I felt were really good, but not quite at the same level as other songs like “Selfless” and “At the Door”. Nonetheless, this album is amazing, one of the best to come out this year, and something I would recommend to anyone.
Favorite Songs: The Adults are Talking, Selfless, Eternal Summer, At the Door, Why are Sundays so Depressing
3. Alfredo - Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist
Honestly, I did not think that 2020 had the volume of excellent releases that past years have had. However, Alfredo certainly matches up to other excellent rap albums of past years. The Alchemist brings excellent production, and Freddie Gibbs matches it with some of the best rapping in the game. Pretty much every song on this album is excellent as Freddie flexes his mechanical skill across different flows with interesting and complex rhyme schemes. The features on this album are excellent as well, hearing Benny the Butcher on “Frank Lucas” rap some of the best bars on the project was an incredibly fun experience and a reminder of how great of artists Benny and the rest of the Griselda crew are. Lyrically, we see Freddie rap incredibly relevant bars that illustrate continued growth compared to past projects. This album, along with the other two following projects, were basically perfect in having no filler tracks, and a consistent level of excellence.
Favorite Songs: 1985, Scottie Beam, Frank Lucas, Babies & Fools, All Glass
2. Sawayama - Rina Sawayama
Normally, I do not spend a lot of time listening to genres outside of Hip-Hop and R&B. This project marked the start of my exploration of other genres. In 2020, Rina Sawayama produced an amazing pop album that I believe forces the genre to reconsider what its "best" sound is. Where pop can trend a little boring or plain, this album is the complete opposite. The juxtaposition of the luxurious production and anti-consumption lyrics on "XS" and the harmonized laughing on the chorus of "STFU!" represent artistry that differentiates the album from other pop releases. Sawayama also displays Rina’s ability to produce extremely emotional and relatable songs. Songs like “Chosen Family” and “Bad Friend” feel too heartfelt and genuine. With no bad tracks, this album just captures what it means to put ones emotions and feelings into music.
Favorite Songs: Dynasty, Akasaka Sad, Bad Friend, Tokyo Love Hotel, Chosen Family
1. Brave Faces Everyone - Spanish Love Songs
I would definitely say that Brave Faces Everyone by Spanish Love Songs is my favorite album of 2020. Honestly, I probably listen to this album at least 5 times a week. This album is pretty much perfect, and I honestly haven't listened to something this relatable in years. A maturation from the amazing effort put forth on their last album Schmaltz, not one song on this album is imperfect. Dylan Slocum's singing is perfectly paired with ripping guitar chords and drums. The anguish and awareness of aging, and everything that comes with it serve as an incredibly genuine lyrical backdrop for all 10 tracks. Each song is catchy and filled with quotable phrases. Despite how many times I have listened to this album, I find something new in voice inflections, lyrical emphasis, or guitar and drum riffs I had not previously heard. With the coronavirus pandemic looming over pretty much all of 2020, this encapsulation of anxiety, sadness, and cynicism around life and the world could not have come out at a better time.
Favorite Songs: Routine Pain, Generation Loss, Losers, Brave Faces, Everyone
Do you agree or disagree with the placing of these projects? What were your favorite albums to come out this year? Comment below.
This history was ELUCIDATING and INTELLIGENT
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