Best albums of 2020?

[Thomas P 18,479]

I wanted to make a thread to share my favourite albums of the year, as well as see some of your guys' favourite albums. 

I love that we all have pretty unique tastes on this site (which I don't think we as users give each other enough credit for tbh), so I would like to see the wide range of albums that people loved here. 

Here's my top 10:

Spoiler

10. Chilambo - Jhene Aiko

I was gonna put the Jacob Collier record here, because it's more fun and interesting to me, but Chilambo has been growing on me non-stop all year. It's probably my favourite R&B album since SZA's Ctrl three years ago, and I've fallen in love with Jhene's voice. It's also become a study album for me because of how monotonous it is (which is not a read, but actually an asset to the album for me). 

9. After Hours - The Weeknd

The perfect mix of the pop greatness Abel does so well with the alternative R&B that he's mastered as well. It's my favourite album of his career so far without a doubt.

8. Women in Music P. 3 - HAIM

This is my favourite HAIM record. I've been listening pretty non-stop since it came out, so it had to be here tbh. They sound as good as ever, but the songwriting has been upped, and even though they cover a lot of different genres, it still feels super cohesive, which is a testament to its quality. The Steps is also one of the best of 2020.

7. Chromatica - Lady Gaga

I love Chromatica. The highpoints on the album are probably some of my favourite (if not my favourite) of the year as a whole. There are a couple of songs I don't like, but they don't detract at all from how much I love the ones I do love. I like Joanne and I loved ASIB, but it really is nice to see Gaga back in dance-pop where she belongs to me (would still like to see a full rock album though, Gags please). 

6. Future Nostalgia - Dua Lipa

Pop perfection. Don't love the last two songs, but they're decent enough that they don't lower the album as a whole for me at all. I loved Dua's self-titled (it was actually one of my favourites of 2017, which is not really a popular stance I feel), but she stepped it up to the umpteenth level on Future Nostalgia. She's becoming the main pop girl we have been craving, and I love it. (I liked this album more than the Jessie Ware album, but I also need to listen to that one a little more, so What's Your Pleasure could definitely grow on me and join this list). 

5. Good News - Megan Thee Stallion

This album, much like FN is here because of how much fun I have listening to it. Megan has become one of my faves over 2020, and this album cemented her as a mainstay for me. There are a couple of duds, but honestly, the highs are so high, that it doesn't even matter. Meg has a killer flow, some of the lines are really funny, while others are really poignant, and all around it's just a good time. 

4. SAWAYAMA - Rina Sawayama

Now this album...I don't know what was wrong with me all year, but I kept putting off listening to this one for whatever reason until last month. I listened, it hit me from the very first song, and I am now hooked. This album is pop perfection, and smarter than it gets credit for tbh. It deserves all the hype it gets, no question. 

3. Fetch the Bolt Cutters - Fiona Apple

This album caused me to become a Fiona Apple stan. I've always been meaning to get into her music but kept putting it off because I was lazy, but this album hit me so hard that I needed to check out her other four masterpieces. I actually had to grow to like Bolt Cutters because it was so jarring and chaotic to listen to that it actually caused me anxiety for a while, but it grew on me and then some. Truly a 10/10. 

2. Punisher - Phoebe Bridgers

This album was my introduction to Phoebe, and she's now become one of my all-time favourite artists. The song-writing is top tier, and songs like I Know the End provide so much needed emotional release for me that I keep coming back. She's become somewhat of a shining light in the music world for me. This album is her best, and honestly might be the best-written album of the year in my opinion. 

1. Folklore - Taylor Swift 

Taylor is one of my favourite artists, one that I grew up with more than anyone else (besides maybe Hannah Montana), so her albums always resonate. She did the impossible on Folklore, however, and surpassed Red for me. Red was what I always viewed as her magnum opus because I found it combined all of her talents so wonderfully that it simply couldn't be passed, but Folklore did, and did it by simply being beautifully written, and imo, sonically interesting (although I know many of you disagree with this ). Overall, it was my album of the year without a doubt.

 

[Thomas P 18,479]

This is embarrassing, but i haven't listened to ungodly hour yet, even though I know I'm gonna love it 

[Regina George 59,387]

I actually really like this list! I would change the order but this top 10 is superb!

[Thomas P 18,479]

Just now, Regina George said:

I actually really like this list! I would change the order but this top 10 is superb!

It's honestly really interchangeable for me, just depending on what mood im in on whatever given day tbh 

[Regina George 59,387]

I would also add Harry's Fine Line in my top 10 because he truly surprised me with this album.. 

[Thomas P 18,479]

2 minutes ago, Regina George said:

I would also add Harry's Fine Line in my top 10 because he truly surprised me with this album.. 

Oh, I love Fine Line, I just consider it a 2019 album. It was in my top 3 of last year though.

[lifeasgeorge 9,427]

6 minutes ago, Thomas P said:

This is embarrassing, but i haven't listened to ungodly hour yet, even though I know I'm gonna love it 

Ungodly Hour is amazing!!! Your top 10 are my fave albums of 2020 as well so you'll definitely love it  

[Anderson123 38,035]

My personal favorites:

1. Lady Gaga - Chromatica

2. Marilyn Manson - We Are Chaos

3. The Weeknd - After Hours

4. Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia

5. Kylie Minogue - Disco

6. Jessie Ware - What's Your Pleasure?

7. Rina Sawayama - Sawayama

8. Pet Shop Boys - Hotspot

9. Adam Lambert - Velvet

10. Troye Sivan - In A Dream EP

[js4754394o9823 6,882]

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[Pop Music 20,540]

10. JoJo -  good to know: I became a fan of JoJo with the re releases of her first two albums last year and have fell so in love with her voice and vibe. This album is definitely my background album of the year because of how smooth each track hits and her sultry rnb vocals 

9. Katy Perry - Smile: While it's not my favorite Katy album, it has that bubblegum pop carefree vibe I love from Katy and she always delivers on that front. Definitely a cohesive listen with no dramatic lows and has a couple of her best songs on it!

8. Little Mix - Confetti: This album drastically has grown on me with every listen and it really is their best album in my opinion. They each have mastered their vocal placements in each song and the production is pop perfection. None of them have weak voices and they all hold there own making this a fun one to pop on. 

7. Disco - Kylie Minogue: I became a Lover in 2019 when I visited her discography and have come to love her and to find that she released one of her top 3 albums right as I was becoming a fan was such a treat. This album is so euphoric to me and truly can put me in a great mood every time I listen. I love her vocals throughout and the 80's homage throughout is well crafted 

6. The Chicks - Gaslighter: This is one of the best breakup albums I have ever heard start to finish. It has no weak points and is vulnerable in a way that only a mother could be. The lyrics are the shining point of this album and is an album that I can both cry my eyes out and dance my ass off to while still being very cohesive and telling a great story. Highly underrated!

5. Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated Side B: I am a huge Carly stan and loved Dedicated very much (almost a little bit more than E.MO.TION) and was craving side b since I saw her live last year. The catchiness of this album makes it my go to dance around the room or walking album. She truly can do no wrong in my eyes and crafted yet again another companion piece to another incredible album. 

4. Dua Lipa - Future Nostalgia: going into this album when It came out I knew New Rules, IDGAF and One Kiss from her only and while I enjoyed those songs they were never ones I went to rush and listen to. After listening to this album at least 70 times or so now in full I can honestly say the biggest improvement sophomore album I've ever heard. This entire album is perfect start to finish and has genuinely great written and produced pop songs that will be classics for years. Excellent body of work

3. Rina Sawayama - SAWAYAMA: I was about a month late to this album and after hearing all the buzz about it i eventually checked it out and midway through my first listen decided to stan this girl. This is a mind blowing debut album that seamlessly crosses genres and captivates you through every single song without fail and the songs never age and sound better and better with each listen. If I were you were and had to listen to only one of these albums on my list this year that you haven't heard please let it be this one.

2. Taylor Swift - folklore: It was so hard to chose between folklore or SAWAYAMA for my number 2 spot as they are pretty much interchangeable but folklores lyrics are some of the best Taylor has ever written. The surprise drop got me really excited and this album did not let me down in the slightest. I feel as though this might be my most listened to album of the year because I seemingly always am in a folklore mood. One of queen Taylors best for sure.

1. Lady Gaga - Chromatica: Gaga has always been my number 1 idol for as long as I have been actively seeking out music since the age of 12 and every time she releases an album it is my fav of the year and I become so attached to it and Chromatica definitely did not disappoint. Every single song on this album makes me happy and feel like I can escape from this horrible year, the production, the vocals, the melodies and the charisma are on point in this album. The entire album works perfectly through and I never skip a single track. Definitely was one of the top 3 things from this year and it makes me so happy every time I hear it!

 

Spoiler

honorable mentions:

Poppy - I Disagree 

Selena Gomez - Rare 

Kesha - High Road 

Troye Sivan - In A Dream (EP) 

Melanie Martinez - After School (EP)

Miley Cyrus - Plastic Hearts 

 

[Donatellah 2,109]

My favorite ones:

1. Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple

2. Chromatica by Lady Gaga

3. Cape God by Allie X

4. how i'm feeling now by Charli XCX

5. KiCk i by Arca

6. The Ascension by Sufjan Stevens

7. acts of rebellion by Ela Minus

8. SAWAYAMA by Rina Sawayama

9. Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) ∞ by Kali Uchis

10. After School EP by Melanie Martinez

[BleepBloop 10,316]

KiCk i

how i'm feeling now

SAWAYAMA

What's Your Pleasure?

Miss Anthropocene

Notes On A Conditional Form

Future Nostalgia

folklore

[monster4life231 4,304]

Here are my top three:

1. Zeroes - Declan McKenna

2. Notes On A Conditional Form - The 1975

3. Chromatica - Lady Gaga

Also, I would like to mention Fake It Flowers by Beabadoobee. Although I haven't listened to the full album, the songs that I have heard so far are amazing.

[Guest]

almost all these lists are the same pop albums reordered. like I'm not trying to criticize your taste since this is a pop dominant forum and I like those albums too, but that's what a lot of these replies are like to me.

[oko 436]

MY TOP 5 : 

1. FINE LINE - Harry Styles (10/10)

2. PLASTIC HEARTS - Miley Cyrus (10/10)

3. CHROMATICA - Lady Gaga (8/10) 

4. FUTURE NOSTALGIA - Dua Lipa (7/10)

5. AFTER HOURS - The Weeknd (7/10)