Riffs & Rhymes is partnering with Album Book Club, an online music chat and platform, to host their top 50 albums of 2020.
In a year that was terrible for most people in a multitude of ways, one bright spot in 2020 was the wonderful set of album releases we received. While many major artists decided to hold onto their records until they’re able to tour alongside release, smaller artists were able to fully shine and some long quiet artists emerged from hiatus. Newcomers like Flo Milli, Spillage Village, & Kenny Mason and esteemed legacy artists like Bright Eyes, Neil Young, & Fiona Apple found room to thrive alongside current mega stars like Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, & The Weekend .
Compiling the best albums of this year was no easy task, but Album Book Club stepped up to it. With 325 albums nominated and 14 different members providing their ratings, we were able to create a list representative of a large variety of tastes, genres, and styles as seen below. Unfortunately, a lot of wonderful albums just could not fit into the list. Here are a few honorable mentions that just missed the cut:
Lauv – ~How I’m Feeling~, Conway the Machine – From King to God, Whethan – Fantasy, Sango – Shango, Adrianne Lenker – songs, Pop Smoke – Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon, Teyana Taylor – The Album, Black Motion – The Healers: The Last Chapter, Jessie Reyez – Before Love Came to Kill Us, & Dark Tranquility – Moment
50. Waylon Payne – Blue Eyes, The Harlot, The Queer, The Pusher & Me
September 11, 2020
49. Killer Be Killed – Reluctant Hero
November 20, 2020
48. Glass Animals – Dreamland
August 7, 2020
47. Colter Wall – Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs
Aug 28, 2020
46. Peach Pit – You and Your Friends
April 3, 2020
45. Thundercat – It Is What It Is
April 3, 2020
44. Lil Baby – My Turn
February 28, 2020
43. Rico Nasty – Nightmare Vacation
December 4, 2020
42. Chris Stapleton – Starting Over
November 13, 2020
41. Waxahatchee – Saint Cloud
March 27, 2020
40. Pallbearer – Forgotten Days
October 23, 2020
39. Jessie Ware – What’s Your Pleasure?
June 26, 2020
38. BRONSON – BRONSON
August 7, 2020
37. Deante’ Hitchcock – BETTER
May 13, 2020
36. Boldy James & Alchemist – The Price of Tea in China
February 7, 2020
35. Neil Young – Homegrown
June 19, 2020
34. Big Sean – Detroit 2
September 4, 2020
33. The Weeknd – After Hours
March 20, 2020
32. Smino – She Already Decided
April 20, 2020
31. Kota the Friend – Everything
May 22, 2020
30. King Von – Welcome to O’Block
October 30, 2020
29. R.A.P. Ferreira – Purple Moonlight Pages
March 6, 2020
28. Deftones – Ohms
September 25, 2020
27. Black Thought – Streams of Thought, Vol. 3: Cane & Able
October 16, 2020
26. Bright Eyes – Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was
August 21, 2020
25. Kid Cudi – Man on the Man III: The Chosen
December 11, 2020
24. Taylor Swift – folklore
July 24, 2020
23. Kenny Mason – Angelic Hoodrat
April 15, 2020
22. dvsn – A Muse In Her Feelings
April 17, 2020
21. Westside Gunn – Pray for Paris
April 17, 2020
20. Chloe x Halle – Ungodly Hour
June 12, 2020
19. HAIM – Women In Music Pt. III
June 26, 2020
18. Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes – What Kinda Music
April 24, 2020
17. Disclosure – Energy
August 8, 2020
16. Flo Milli – Ho, Why Is You Here?
July 24, 2020
15. Code Orange – Underneath
March 13, 2020
14. Amine – Limbo
August 7, 2020
13. Yves Tumor – Heaven to a Tortured Mind
April 3, 2020
12. Moses Sumney – Græ
February 21, 2020
11. Xavier Omar – If You Feel
October 23, 2020
10. Benny the Butcher – Burden of Proof
October 16, 2020
9. Spillage Village – Spilligion
September 25, 2020
8. Blu & Exile – Miles
July 17, 2020
7. Taylor Swift – evermore
December 11, 2020
6. Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher
June 18, 2020
5. Run the Jewels – RTJ4
June 3, 2020
4. Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia
March 27, 2020
3. Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters
April 17, 2020
2. Freddie Gibbs & Alchemist- Alfredo
May 29, 2020
1. Mac Miller – Circles
January 17, 2020
Riffs & Rhymes 