The 100 Best Albums Of The 2020's (So Far)

The best LPs this decade has offered up to this point.

Let’s cut the BS intros, why don’t we? The following 100 albums are the very best the 2020’s have to offer so far, from creative breakthroughs to soaring pop projects, from melodious hardcore to globe-trotting affairs, from the anthemic to the experimental and so much more. A YouTube link to every album is included with each description, and a Spotify playlist featuring a song from every album is located at the bottom of this article. Happy listening!

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• No other rap project from 2023 has as much ambition as Pink Tape. Does it all pan out? Absolutely not. But when it does, it sees Lil Uzi Vert making some of the best music they’ve ever made. Typical melodic rap songs like “Flooded The Face”, “x2” and “All Alone” are good beginnings, but things get real interesting when Uzi gets creative. Samples range from wrestling intros on “Nakamura”, Eiffel 65’s goofy europop on “Endless Fashion”, and Justice’s harshest beats on “Fire Alarm”, a track that will blow the roof off of future concerts. And that’s not even mentioning a straight up cover of System of a Down’s “Chop Suey!” right in the middle of the tracklist. It’s very nearly too much, but Uzi commits to each style and gives most songs the love they deserve. An hour and 27 minutes of music is still too long, but give yourself time to listen to it all and you’ll be rewarded. LISTEN

• Doubling down on what made his first record great, Bartees Strange struck gold on Farm to Table. It’s got more of the emotionally poignant lyricism that put him on the map, spitting on anything from lockdowns to the George Floyd protests to his relationship with his family with the penmanship of a writer years beyond his age. He backs up his strong writing with indie rock that borders anywhere from triumphant (Heavy Heart) to explosive (Escape This Circus) to truly leftfield (Cosigns). The variety of topics and production keeps the album exciting from beginning to end, and only two albums into his career, Bartees has cemented himself as a top indie act. LISTEN

• The unique voice Trevor Powers has was missing for years when he abruptly retired his Youth Lagoon moniker in 2016. Thankfully he’s back under that name with one of 2023’s best indie records, where he confidently mixes indie pop, punk, dream pop and more. It’s a memorable mix that Powers brings together, and his voice sounds assured singing over it. He sounds renewed, making each song his own as he confronts his own struggles with family, substances, self image and more. Heaven Is A Junkyard is pop therapy for Powers, and he comes out on top. LISTEN

• The internet and its sense of humor wouldn’t be what it is without Neil Cicierega. His mark on the audio side is unmistakable, pioneering Soundclown with mashups galore, and his 2020 effort is one of his best. Mouth Dreams takes the sleep-themed lyrics of some of your favorite songs and throws them in a blender. The things he mixes here are often total and complete opposites, and yet, or perhaps of course, it sounds amazing. The Yahoo jingle is turned into a incredible tone setter. Rick James & David Byrne mix like magic. The Chili’s baby back ribs commercial becomes the backbone for an unexpected masterpiece. Limp Bizkit becomes listenable. 80’s one-hit wonders turn into avant-garde synthscapes. The list goes on, and every track flows into another with the impeccable smoothness you come to expect from a Mouth album. Cicierega’s technical prowess and humor are as sharp as ever on Mouth Dreams, and you’ll never hear the songs used here the same again (in the best way possible). LISTEN

• The only thing bigger than the indie rock instrumentals on Rat Saw God are the emotions. They go hand in hand, with Karly Hartzman portraying love, misery and more on a grand scale. Yet for as big as the emotions and songs are, everything is entirely relatable. Hartzman is direct in her lyrics, telling real stories that drive these huge emotions. It makes the entire experience feel organic, a real breakthrough for a band already on its fifth record. LISTEN

• Much like the shows and movies he stars in, DECIDE sees Joe Keery playing quite the character. He’s equal parts confident stud (Gloom), lonesome doomer (On and On), and a shadowy figure in the distance (Slither). These many roles Djo takes on are buoyed by an array of dark synthpop beats that enhance the impression each track leaves. The varied takes on the genre never seem dissonant, thanks to Keery’s ability to mold himself perfectly into the character of each song. It’s an impressive sophomore effort from the best character from Stranger Things. LISTEN

• The new album by the longtime Welsh group has been called the most Los Campesinos! album yet, and I’d have to agree. The level of goofy anxiety about being young from their earlier releases has transitioned to goofy anxiety about being old, but their age has only sharpened the finer edges of their indie pop sound. All Hell is extremely polished and never boring, and a testament to the staying power of a group that saw their heyday in George Bush’s second term. LISTEN

• Some albums sound exactly like how their album art looks. Absolute Elsewhere is one of those albums. Just looking at that pyramid in space, you know you’re in for an awesome interstellar adventure. From the moment Blood Incantation kick things off with “The Tablet”, a three-part epic followed by another three part epic in “The Message”, you’re treated to death metal with galactic ambitions. It’s as accessible as guttural screaming can be, trading between thunderous metal and cosmic prog, often combining the two to fantastic effect. LISTEN

• HEY WHAT is full of psalms of distortion. Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker sing like a folk duo with beautiful harmonies, but any sense of calm is destroyed by the harsh blasts of noise constantly surrounding them. But producer BJ Burton turns this noise into something incredible, creating a stark yet beautiful contrast between the singer and the instrumental. These psalms constantly threaten to fall apart into nothing but chaos, and in the hands of a lesser artist they would. Low took this potential chaos and turned it into one of the best and most unique albums of the 2020’s (so far). Go figure. LISTEN

• While she dabbled in crushing metal on past projects, I Disagree sees the YouTube project turned musical act dive headfirst into it. Just look at the cover after all for an idea of what you’re in for. But where Poppy’s cutesy voice over intense guitars and drums might come across as gimmicky, you’ll find that there’s definitely no compromise in genre here. The instrumental prowess is impressive, and the raw-as-hell metal mixes surprisingly well with more pop melodies. Poppy is no slouch either, turning recent experiences with a former manager into rage to channel into some of her most impactful vocals yet. Such a mix of disparate genres will naturally raise eyebrows, but Poppy’s dedication to both sides makes for a winning combination. LISTEN

• An acclaimed electronic artist, a legendary saxophonist and a full symphony orchestra are not three things I’d expect to come together to make a collaborative record. That unlikeliness builds the mystique of a record like Promises, a cosmic experience that takes a simple motif and turns it into something beyond your wildest dreams. A single composition broken up into nine movements, the way this trio of artists weave their singular sounds together is nothing short of intoxicating. The simple notes played over and over can vary from calming to threatening, from serene to urgent, from beautiful to frightening, often all happening within a single movement. Sanders’ saxophone work is particularly moving, and when paired with the orchestra’s intense string sections, it creates a unique experience that’ll have you throttling through the deepest reaches of space. LISTEN

• Let Melt My Eyez See Your Future remind us that, though he has a posse of alter-egos, Denzel is still uniquely himself. This record has Curry spitting some of his most real feelings he’s ever shown, and he’s up to the task with some of his most impressive lyricism to date. He portrays these common feelings (depression, loneliness, emptiness) with impressive wit, showing he doesn’t need a persona to drop some of the best bars of the year. Instrumentally this record is as stellar as the vocals, combining for an electric set of tracks. As Denzel keeps walkin’ forward in his career, we’d be wise to follow along. LISTEN

• If you’re looking for a good time, you won’t find many albums more fun from this decade so far than SHINBANGUMI. Cameron Lew has become comfortable in creating his pastiches of city pop, funk and soul, and the songs of his latest record reflect that comfortability. The strong bass guitars create unbreakable backbones for each track, ones that bend in all sorts of fun, groovy directions. Classic city pop is the name of the game on “Only You”, while “No Problems” and “Better Than Monday” are more interested in varying the grooves to magical effect. It’s all part of a loose concept, but the main concept is great music, and that’s all you’ll find in the worlds Lew creates. LISTEN

• Three albums in and the trio of sisters from LA show no signs of slowing down. Their most recent record is their most musically diverse and darkest effort yet. Danielle, Este and Alana have all experienced their share of trauma since the release of 2017’s Something To Tell You, and it shows in their songwriting. They confront the loneliness, depression and other feelings of despair they felt with the sense of humor and wit they’re known for. It’s all sung over effortlessly smooth renditions of the Laurel Canyon vibes they grew up on. The sky seems to be the limit for HAIM, and the way they’re going they’ll blast into space soon enough. LISTEN

• You can practically feel the years stacking up on Paramore’s latest record. The trio has grown older and gotten more tired of the shitshow surrounding them, much like the rest of us. They remedy the threat of existential dread through their music, taking their rage out on the news (The News), people full of excuses (Running Out Of Time), and the general malaise that’s infected us all (This Is Why). Despite the rage, Hayley Williams’ words are deft, full of vim and vigor for someone who’s exhausted by the constant deluge of bad news. If the once-vibrant pop punks can find a way through, then I think all of us can. LISTEN

• How fitting is it that the artist of the future made an album that was perfectly fitting of the now? Feeling the effects of quarantine like everyone else, Charli’s workaholic nature led to the creation of how i’m feeling now, a perfect vision into everyone’s feelings at the onset of the pandemic. The want to party, the longing for connection, and the pain of isolation are all present on hifn, and Charli’s sharp songwriting lends itself to songs anyone in the world could relate to. The DIY production was quickly made but still electric and futuristic. It’s purposefully rough around the edges but always catchy. Years later, I still look at how i’m feeling now as the definitive look into the world’s psyche at the onset of the pandemic. LISTEN

• How does one follow up an album that swept every major Grammy category and became ubiquitous with an entire generation? By remaining 100% true to the person that she is. Billie Eilish is still Billie after blowing up and dying her hair, and she and Finneas were sure to remind us of that on Happier Than Ever. The dry humor and delivery that made her famous are more than intact here, but they come at us in wildly different ways. This music could be featured in underground clubs (Oxytocin), in Hot Topic (I Didn’t Change My Number), or the finale of a seminal teen film (Happier Than Ever). Her sonic palette has evolved, but nothing ever sounds out of Billie’s range, and this album had some of her most impressive vocals yet. It was yet another landmark moment for an artist that couldn’t legally buy liquor. Damn I feel old. LISTEN

• Adam Granduciel has spent years perfecting his Springsteen-inspired rock outfit, and I Don’t Live Here Anymore makes its case as his best work yet. Allegedly these songs were reworked and remastered multiple times, and the meticulous nature of the editing process shines through on every track. Each synth-tinged rock epic soars (Harmonia’s Dream, I Don’t Live Here Anymore) and every weary & teary moment cuts deep (Living Proof). Granduciel is still stuck under the weight of the world and his own indecision, but his well traveled voice is as magnetic as it’s ever been. The War On Drugs remains one of the best rock bands working today, and Granduciel’s magic touch kept it that way. LISTEN

• I can’t think of many artists who can perfectly capture heart wrenching pain in song form like Julia Jacklin. It’s like a curse how elegantly she can portray it, and Pre Pleasure continues a remarkable streak of songwriting excellence. More about the impossibilities of communication than pure heartbreak, these songs sting in a different way than before while still staying true to Julia’s talents. It’s punchier than her previous work, and that punchiness is only surpassed by the gut-punches on songs like “End of a Friendship” or “Too in Love to Die”. Through such intensity is the shining light of Julia’s voice, like a beacon guiding us through trauma, one step at a time. LISTEN

• Ever since 2013’s Cerulean Salt, Katie Crutchfield has been building an empire of modern Americana. Tigers Blood is her first record as its true ruler, with Crutchfield confidently leading every song with stellar songwriting and singing. She’s finally been rightly recognized for her craft on this album that could go down as a modern classic in its genre. LISTEN

• With reckless abandon, Anthony Gonzalez plunges us into the deepest realms of our imagination of Fantasy. Every song is caked with dazzling synths, and few words are necessary to conjure incredible landscapes. It’s as if the lack of words lets each song be a canvas for the listener to draw on, letting you create a fantasy world of your own choosing. LISTEN

• Capturing the need for love and the emptiness of modern connection, Dehd strike their highest cords on Flower of Devotion. Their brand of rock needs little more than a strong guitar, solid percussion and Emily Kempf’s huge voice to riddle your soul with desires of your own. Excellent harmonies are frequent here, and Kempf often sounds like she’s screaming into the void with the way the album was recorded. It captures that millennial need for real connection we can’t find in the digital age in a way that’s relatable to anyone of any age. LISTEN

• He’s long been heralded as an artist with superstar potential, and on SMILE :D, Porter Robinson steps into the spotlight, albeit a little reluctantly. He’s quite concerned with his relationship with his fans, highlighted on sugary sweet bangers like “Cheerleader” and “Kitsune Maison Freestyle”. He wouldn’t be what he is without his supporters, but the anxiety it brings him can be crushing. It doesn’t stop him from writing some of his best songs to date, like the career odyssey of “Russian Roulette” or the synthpop smash of “Knock Yourself Out XD”. It’s candy coated with a melancholic inside, and it’s a mixture that gives Porter a deserved seat at the table of pop music’s best. LISTEN

• It’s never fun when a band teases their ultimate demise, but with ROADRUNNER being one of the last BROCKHAMPTON records, they made sure they went out with one of their best. The boys from San Marcos have put behind years of tragedy and turned in arguably their most cohesive project, drawing from rap, indie rock and more. They work in tandem like a small army, picking up where the others leave off, rarely giving us a chance to breath. They’re fiery (BUZZCUT, DON’T SHOOT UP THE PARTY), they’re melodic (I’LL TAKE YOU ON, COUNT ON ME), and they’re emotionally vulnerable (WHAT’S THE OCCASION?). It’s an eclectic and incredible mix from the best boy band since One Direction, a high note to go out on. Just ignore that self-titled final record they released after this one. LISTEN

• The myth of Jay Electronica grew so big over the last decade that seemingly no album could live up to the hype. Yet, on almost every level, A Written Testimony delivers. Jay Elec plays into the mythos built around his long disappearance, and the production is suitably lush and full of grandeur. His bars are cool and collected, touching on his long absence, his religious beliefs and more. He even gets Jay-Z, one of the greatest rappers of all time, to assist on almost every song and doesn’t let Hova upstage him. It renders A Written Testimony an incredible achievement, and let’s hope it doesn’t take 10 more years for the next event. LISTEN

• Though titled as if it’s a change in direction, The New Abnormal isn’t even that far off from the trash music the Strokes have been dropping for a while now. It’s just the record that cuts the bullshit. There’s very little goofing around on TNA, delivering straightforward but great alternative rock track after track. The 80’s is mined on the delicious “Bad Decisions”, a fat synth line is abused on “At The Door”, and the misery of a baseball loss is put to song on “Ode To The Mets”. All the while, Julian Casablancas’ golden pipes carry along the best Strokes album since their debut 20 years ago. Thanks for trying this time, guys. LISTEN

• For the first time in their discography, The 1975 weren’t trying to be all things for all people. Being Funny In A Foreign Language narrows the band’s focus to a single topic, and that’s love, of course. But even though love isn’t a new topic to the boys from Manchester, the singular focus they put into it makes every song refreshing and unique. Matty Healy’s singular voice lends itself greatly to these simple desires for a partner in life. It’s almost like a solo album compared to the massive efforts they’ve put out, and yet it’s immediately quintessential listening for any fan of the band. LISTEN

• With songs full of messy emotions, there’s plenty to Chappell Roan’s debut that can constitute a fall. But thanks to her vibrant vocals and producer Dan Nigro’s touch, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess leans much more into the rise. Roan takes us through various locales like tiny bedrooms, Los Angeles bars and more, and in every place she finds a way to have a good time. It’s a highly memorable debut for a great new voice for pop music. LISTEN

• A new Radiohead album brings massive expectations. A new record from The Smile brings an empty whiteboard to do whatever you want with. Thom Yorke and friends made the debut of their supergroup a winning one, crafting songs that could be good Radiohead songs but end up being great Smile songs instead. From the raucous “You Will Never Work In Television Again” to the melodic stylings of “The Smoke”, these songs take the best bits from each member’s best work, creating a greatest hits record on their first try. It’s easily the best album by a Radiohead side project. LISTEN

• Who expected Yves Tumor to become an unlikely rock icon that they became over the last few years? As an experimental artist, Tumor has dabbled in many styles of music before, but Heaven To A Tortured Mind is a wild rock opus that thrills from the opening beat. Over an orchestra of scuzzy guitars, blaring horns, and punchy drums, Tumor’s voice sizzles. They indulge on an overabundance of sex and violence, shifting in and out of feeling invincible and vulnerable at any given moment. The album is fearless in its path forward, boldly bringing in a number of influences that beef the album’s sound up. The character Tumor portrays might be a tortured one, but for the rest of us, this is experimental heaven. LISTEN

• For years, The Killers have been one of modern rock’s biggest acts without a great album to their name. Sure you knew of Hot Fuss and Day & Age, but did you really know them? Finally, on Imploding The Mirage, The Killers have their signature album. Grand and majestic, ITM pulls from classic rock a la Springsteen and the mythos of the American West to create majestic synth-rock. These songs are wide open, with huge sweeping choruses and instrumental passages worthy of legend. Brandon Flowers’ voice is stronger than ever before, and when he crescendos along with the climaxes of “Dying Breed” and “My Own Soul’s Warning”, it’s pop rock bliss. Pop rock isn’t what it used to be, but with great albums like this, the genre has a positive path forward. LISTEN

• CHAI’s records always played off the album title, and WINK is no different. The group’s penultimate LP is a playful one in both style and substance, with the quartet as tongue in cheek as ever across their most expansive sonic palette. Beyond the energetic rock you expect from CHAI (END), they try their hand at synthpop (ACTION), lo-fi beats (KARAAGE) and even some chiptune action (PING PONG!). It’s a varied mix that sounds easy to these four, with every style and change given the love it deserves. The girls sound right at home singing over these styles, mixing English and Japanese lyrics together with ease. Much like a wink, the album is a quick one, but that wink just invites you back for more. CHAI treated their music like they seemingly treat their life: lighthearted, irresistible and full of fun, and it all makes WINK a triumph. LISTEN

• I still feel like the marketing for COWBOY CARTER got the whole thing wrong. Screams of “IT’S BEYONCÉ’S COUNTRY ALBUM” don’t do it justice at all. Bey’s 8th album is a wide-ranging spectacle that does involve country, but also Americana, hip hop, R&B, rock and countless other genres. It’s unwieldy at an hour and 18 minutes long, but the sheer magic displayed from track to track keeps things flowing along at a suitable pace. Bey’s dive into country and its adjacent styles of music only work because she dedicates herself to understanding its past, much like she did with dance music on RENAISSANCE. She celebrates the Black country artists who never received the respect they deserved while championing current artists. She basically made Shaboozey his own star with two features here. Vets like Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton step in to give even more credence to Bey’s country desires, and while she spends a little too much time claiming she can make a country album, COWBOY CARTER is an impressive achievement. Now go listen to “YA YA” and shake ya ass. LISTEN

• There’s an art to the single that has been lost over time. The ability to contain a singular event into one song & video isn’t something artists are interested in in the age of streaming and massive album drops. So leave it to one of the most innovative acts of their time to bring back the single in a big way. Every song on Strange Timez is a world unto itself. The freaky deaky synthpop of “Strange Timez”, the bossa nova bliss of “Desole”, the smooth R&B on “The Lost Chord”, and more are all entirely unique and excellently done. These far-reaching genre jumps couldn’t work without putting in the work, and Damon Albarn respects each style he tried. He also uses his rolodex of contacts to bring out an amazing guest list, with modern artists Beck and St. Vincent and legends like Peter Hook and Robert Smith alike. An album this disparate in sound and style should’ve fallen apart at the seams, but Albarn’s ability to curate the diverse group allows Strange Timez to be one of Gorillaz’ best ever. Now will we ever get a Season 2? LISTEN

• One hell of a creative debut, there’s nary a moment where Remi Wolf rests. Much like the album cover, Juno is a Where’s Waldo-esque experience where there’s always a new wrinkle coming around the corner. Remi’s eccentric voice is only the beginning of the wonderful weirdness. When she’s not panging along about the guys she’s into, she’s singing about everything from her exes, her dog, being a sexy serial killer, and more. It’s all backed by a style of jangly indie pop that’s as electric as the singer, with incredibly sticky beats throughout. Juno is the beautiful beginning of a career that’s sure to keep us entertained for a long time to come. LISTEN

• The character that Hannah Diamond has played on her music is that of a robot learning what emotions are. She’s slowly developed it over the years, and on Perfect Picture, she finally blossoms. Diamond finds perfection in the imperfection, using her robotic musings to comment on affirmation walls, celebrity image and more. It’s wrapped together by glistening synth beats that bring a brightness her music has never had. She’s finally realized the best parts of our world aren’t perfect, and it makes Perfect Picture Diamond’s best album yet. LISTEN

• Few bands can claim to soundtrack the world like Godspeed You! Black Emperor have for the last 30ish years. No matter who is in the Oval Office or what global atrocities are taking place, they’ve been there to distill it with their ubiquitous brand of post rock. G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END! is no different, a clear reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, the failure to combat said pandemic and the racial unrest seen in 2020. They say nothing with their mouths but say everything with their instruments, delivering some of their most haunting and powerful songs to date. You can just feel how big everything is, as if the strings, drums and noise tower over you. Much of this music senses the oncoming dread, sounding like a warning against our current ways. But perhaps the most striking thing about G_d’s Pee is the final suite, where the band almost sounds hopeful. For a band who’s seen so much terrible in the world to send a message of hope is a wonder. Maybe there is hope for all of us after all. LISTEN

• Plush as hell and helmed by a master of her craft, ORQUÍDEAS weaves together a bevy of silky pop songs with ease. It’s Kali’s most musically adventurous album yet, exploring all corners of Latin music’s sound while containing it to the pillowy soft world she operates in. She’s tender and loving, disseminating her affection in both Spanish and English with no problems rotating between the two. It’s a continually rewarding experience and a continued evolution for Uchis. LISTEN

• Inspired by thirteen (of course) sleepless nights and the intrusive thoughts that followed, Midnights is as lovingly crafted of a record as Taylor has ever produced. The bedroom pop beats are subtle but expertly rendered, fitting of the time of the night these stories emerged from. Taylor gives us more of the lovelorn lyricism she’s known for on "Maroon" and "Question...?" (and some classic Taylor cringe on "Vigilante Shit"), but the highlights are the unexpected stories. The role of misunderstood villain she embraces on “Anti-Hero” or the miscalculating string-drawer on “Mastermind” are unique tales only bettered by Taylor’s excellent writing. The more nuanced songwriting is something she couldn’t have written without years of experience. To see Taylor taking (calculated) risks this far into her career is a joy, and I can’t wait to hear what kind of late-night thoughts make it onto future records. LISTEN

• I’ll always contend that the most affecting material will reach you regardless of language. Emotion can be felt through noise alone is the strongest, and Parannoul’s uncanny ability to capture raw emotion is on full display on To See The Next Part Of A Dream. Over precisely produced shoegaze, a genre that’s emotional as is, Parannoul sings in Korean yet speaks to everyone. He frequently becomes swallowed in layers of fuzz and guitars, as if he’s swallowed by the feelings of dread and uncertainty of being a young adult. These songs build to monumental climaxes capable by few rock artists I can think of. Let this be a testament that there will never be a language barrier in music, and those who say there is would be shattered by this incredible album in an instant. LISTEN

• Glam rock is a genre that’s larger than life, cosmic in aspirations with showmanship to match. The titans like Bowie & Elton have rarely been challenged, but Declan McKenna made a damn good case to be ranked up there. Zeros shoots for the stars from the very beginning, combining the best aspects of his progenitors with a millennial outlook. Be it rampant consumerism, technological surveillance or the feeling that the world is coming to an end, Declan covers it all with a brash confidence to pull it all together. His brand of glam rock is infused with electronics and modern pop sensibilities that always keep the songs fresh and catchy. All in all, Zeros is a fine example of if you shoot for the moon, you’ll land squarely among the stars. LISTEN

• The larger and larger Ghost got as a band, the scope and stylings of their music followed suit. IMPERA is the group’s most commercial sounding record yet, but don’t let that fool you into thinking they’ve sold out. From the opening shrieks of “Kaisarion” to the final musings of “Respite On The Spitalfields”, this is one of the most epic journeys Papa Emeritus and his Nameless Ghouls have taken us on. As empires rise and fall throughout the record, Ghost continue to show mastery of their ghoulish origins while also soaring through new styles of sound. The old school fans will gravitate to metal epics like “Call Me Little Sunshine” or “Watcher In The Sky”, but I can’t get enough of the ABBA-inspired “Spillways” or the supremely dramatic ballad “Darkness At The Heart Of My Love”. Every new stab the band takes at a new sound is treated with the love and care that made Ghost such a beloved act to begin with, and it ensures there’s a little something for everyone. Without a doubt it’s one of the most fun listens of the last couple of years, and it’s another showcase of why Ghost is one of the best acts of any genre working today. LISTEN

• Sonically as dark as anything she’s made before, All Born Screaming is another career highlight for Annie Clark. She puts the art in art rock on each track with songs basically overflowing with ideas but never drowning in them. “Big Time Nothing” is conventionally catchy but with enough twists and turns to trip you if you don’t pay attention. “Broken Man” lumbers towards you like the killer in a horror movie. “So Many Planets” finds itself creating a galactic collage of sound. It’s incredibly daring and more proof Clark is one of this generation’s greatest performers and songwriters. LISTEN

• Your mid-twenties should be the most fun time of your life, but we often don’t realize that until well after they’re over. Hester Chambers and Rhain Teasdale captured the essence of those struggles to enjoy yourselves on their excellent debut record, one that came with great expectations and smashed them to bit. Every bit of indie rock the group puts out here is catchy as hell and funny as hell, lambasting lame parties, lame hookups and lame people with sticky hooks and gleeful middle fingers to anyone that stands in their way. If these two can’t have fun in their twenties on their songs, I damn well had fun listening to them in my twenties. That’s gotta count for something, right? LISTEN

• Years ago, I found Amaare’s gurgly baby voice to be a total turn off. Fast forward to 2023, and I can’t get enough of her. She’s turned down the gurgly vocals for something clearer and more confident, accentuated by pop instrumentals that borrow from all spectrums of the genre. Fountain Baby’s pace is brisk, sliding from one song to another effortlessly. Amaarae makes use of the elements frequently in the lyrics, and like the Avatar, she combines all the musical elements to make one of the decade’s most colorful pop records. LISTEN

• Lucifer on the Sofa is like a prove-it record for a band that needed to prove nothing. Spoon “had” to prove they could still rock with the best of them after drifting away from their indie rock origins, and they more than delivered here. They’ve still got excellent stories to tell (The Devil & Mr. Jones) and have plenty of juice left for some badass rock tracks (The Hardest Cut, Feels Alright). What it lacks in experimentation it makes up for in sheer excellence all around, and you won’t hear many tighter overall projects from 2022. The leftfield stuff isn’t completely left out to dry either, as “Astral Jacket” and “Satellite” go the spacier route (with some good rock stylings, of course). Even as Spoon has traveled down (and conquered) paths outside of rock music, they clearly haven’t lost a step from where they started. LISTEN

• The Last Dinner Party have faced accusations of being industry plants, carefully formed to appeal to as many people as possible. Listening to Prelude To Ecstasy though, it’s hard to see them as anything but a group of gals who play the shit out of their music. Prelude To Ecstasy is a baroque empire, commandeered by Abigail Morris’ bellows. The quintet is always in sync, bringing each track to an epic climax that poke at gender norms, societal standards and the politics of love. It’s a dominant march that is no prelude to anything, because the ecstasy is already here. LISTEN

• Like the flames of a warm campfire, the songs of Big Thief’s 2022 opus envelop you. Sure, it’s dark outside and a bit intimidating, as is the monolithic tracklist, but seconds into Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You, you’ll know you’re in the right place. Kind of like the word soup title, the 20 songs here vary in style, but nothing was spared to ensure each song gets the love it deserves. From the opening slow burn of “Change” to the fiddle-heavy “Red Moon” to the swirling “Simulation Swarm” these tracks are disparate yet connected. Adrienne Lenker’s signature warble remains tremendous, grabbing fleeting moments of memory to paint vivid vignettes. The band’s trademark humor is as present as ever, keeping a 20-track record light and breezy. What other band could write a song that rhymes “finish” with “potato knish” (Spud Infinity) and have it be an album highlight? DNWMIBIY is everything a folk record should be in the modern world: huge, funny, and an escape into the woods from a world that seemingly gets messier by the day. LISTEN

• After a decade of aimlessly drifting through the world, The Flaming Lips returned with one of the sharpest projects they’ve ever recorded. American Head shows the American Dream in a way only Wayne Coyne could create. It’s a world filled with drugs, growing pains, questioning authority and some of the lushest soundscapes of the band’s storied history. Coyne & company effortlessly mix psychedelia with orchestral arrangements that flows so smoothly into your ears, you might think you’re on a trip of your own. It’s one of the Flaming Lips’ greatest efforts, and the conclusion of a long-winded journey that cements their legacy as one of psych rock’s most legendary acts. LISTEN

• "After spending the last five years writing about grief, I wanted our follow up to be about joy." That was the mantra Michelle Zauner took while creating Jubilee, and the joy is clear throughout the record. The overall sound of this synthpop shimmers at every turn, almost blinding with how bright it is. This jubilance carries over into Zauner’s vocals, seeing her as clear and soothing as she’s ever been. In a world where darkness seems to envelope every aspect of life, Zauner chose to be happy, and Jubilee makes us all better for it. LISTEN

• After All Mirrors took Angel Olsen to massive new heights, she saw fit to reinvent herself again. Big Time is about the subtler moments, drawing more from country music to paint vivid pictures of Angel’s changing life. The pianos, sitars and other instrumental additions bring these stories to life in vivid detail. Though the music is subtler than before, Angel’s voice is no smaller, filling the room with stories of her mother’s passing, her sexuality and more. As her life continues to change and she continues to bring her music in new directions, there’s no doubt Angel will find a way to mold it in her unique and amazing way. LISTEN

• glass beach live far under the ocean’s surface in a place where emotions are crushed by the pressure. plastic death attempts to keep the feelings of sadness, loneliness and depression far underneath those waters, but J McClendon’s voice often bubbles to the top, roaring on melodic emo ragers like “motions” or “cul-de-sac”. Longer affairs like “commatose” weave in and out of post rock passages and emo rage, and there’s never a moment that loses your attention. It’s one of the most melodious emo albums produced this decade. LISTEN

• When Lana is in her zone, she’s borderline unstoppable. Her latest is her best since 2019’s Norman Fucking Rockwell!, and all 77 minutes are necessary to convey Lana’s current mood on the world. Each song is gorgeously produced, full of pianos, strings and more to create lavish worlds of sound. They’re tapestries of sound, woven together by Lana’s most mature lyrics to date. Just listen to the epic and moving “A&W” and tell me she hasn’t grown leaps and bounds as an artist. Lana proved she was one of America’s premier voices years ago, and her latest only reinforces how powerful of a musician she is. LISTEN

• Incredibly, the story of Black Country, New Road’s first era is already over. With frontman and creative mastermind Isaac Wood leaving the band just ahead of Ants From Up There’s release, we might never see the group operating in this fashion again. And for as bittersweet of a reality as that is, we’ll always have this album, a testament to how creative and how stunningly beautiful modern post rock can be. At every turn Ants From Up There is magnificent, combining post rock with elements of chamber pop, baroque music and even klezmer music. The band’s attention to detail allows all these elements to flourish, resulting in slow burning epics that dazzle all over. Wood’s trembling voice guides us through moments of catharsis, euphoria and total collapse, an unlikely guide but one who knows these paths well. It all adds up to an astonishing accomplishment for a band wracked by change too soon, just as doomed to fail as the fantasies Wood sings about on each track. LISTEN

• In order to break out, one must look in. That’s the approach Little Simz took on Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, an album that anagrams to SIMBI, her real name. Simbi is not as boisterous as her rap songs may seem, and she uses that insecurity to maximum effect on Introvert. She rapid fires on her family struggles (I Love You, I Hate You), her struggles with her image (Introvert), and much more across 19 tracks that have more layers upon repeated listens. Beyond her top-notch rapping ability, the opulent production makes SIMBI seem like a tale of legend, a journey through the hero’s mind where she eventually comes out on top. In a time where event rap albums regularly fail to live up to hype, Little Simz found a way to hers a true event. LISTEN

• Disco is a popular genre for pop artists to mine for inspiration, but never before had it been turned into an event quite like What’s Your Pleasure?. Ware’s opening croons on “Spotlight” set a sensual tone, and from there on out things only become smoother. These disco pop instrumentals are a blessing on the ears, and they’re filled with a grandeur and sense of posh luxury unlike anything Ware’s compatriots could make. It’s like a fancy party where faux-fur coats and expensive brands are the norm, with Jessie herself offering her hand to lead you in. Her performance is pitch-perfect for these instrumentals, strong and alluring, leading you through the socialites that dominate the scene. What’s Your Pleasure? is a party worth enjoying until the early hours of the morning. LISTEN

• After bursting onto the scene with their 2021 record A Way Forward, the synthpop trio hunker down on all their strengths and strengthen them further. The melodies on Strange Disciple are tighter, the analog synths are moodier, and Ian Richard Devaney’s vocals are more assertive. He’s commanding as he guides us through these synth landscapes of uncertain love. No longer an emerging band, Nation of Language are one of the best at their craft today. LISTEN

• A return that was five years in the making, the expectations for Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers were so enormous it could’ve been doomed to fail. But Kendrick Lamar is the poet laureate of our generation, and with his steady hand, he created the another hip hop event. Mr. Morale is a gauntlet, a double album full of his most personal thoughts ever put to song. From therapy to childhood trauma to personal insecurities, no topic is off limits, and of course Kendrick is one to describe these delicate topics in a way that anyone can relate. He processes his innermost feelings over a sonic mixture that includes elements hip hop, jazz, baroque, and blues. It’s all another towering achievement for Lamar, and the long wait was more than worth it to hear Kung Fu Kenny back at it again. LISTEN

• Like most of us, these Italian brothers adore the music of the 1960’s. The Beach Boys, the Beatles, the Monkees and more classic groups are clear and obvious influences for A Dream Is All We Know, but these power pop tunes are so much more than shameless copies. Brian and Michael D’Addario capture the sound of classic pop as well as the sentiments of love and loss without aping off any particular band. It’s a beautiful amalgam of those classic tunes we all love, with plenty of pitch-perfect vocal harmonies and sweet, sweet melodies to go around. LISTEN

• ConMan proved yet again they’re not only adept at making fun of mindless dance music, but they’re fantastic at making mindless dance music. They mine the sounds of 90’s clubs for every delicious beat on TILT, a record that dives even deeper into what makes the world of the club so much fun. From the most infectious grooves (Luvin U Is Easy, Push It Up) to the most over-the-top lyrics (Toy Boy, Angry Girl) to songs you’d hear on an aerobics workout tape (What I Like, Relieve The Pressure), Janet Planet and Sugar Bones take their influences and modernize them to create one hell of a party. TILT won’t just make you tilt; it’ll have you dancing full-throttle at every turn. LISTEN

• On few other albums from the first half of the 2020s will you hear a guitar played with such reckless abandon that’s heard on Afrique Victime. Mdou Moctar takes us soaring over African landscapes with his trusty instrument, and every track sizzles with blues rock joy. He and his band are in total sync, revolving around the electric guitar but not slouching on some incredible drum patterns. Moctar’s vocals are all in Tuareg, yet his impassioned cries for African equality will ring true to anyone’s ears. It’s albums like Afrique Victime that gave blues rock a giant shot in the arm. LISTEN

• After five long years away, Kevin Parker returned with the album that cements his turn into a pop star. Well, not completely, but the dominance of disco on The Slow Rush is noticeable. Guitar grooves built for the dancefloor dominate TSR, a far cry from the psychedelic origins of early Tame Impala records. But Parker is a master of sound and a perfectionist to a fault, which is why it took so long for the cheekily titled The Slow Rush to get here in the first place. So it’s no surprise every track is a joy on the ears, masterfully mixed and supremely catchy. The musical layoff had Parker thinking about his life, his legacy, and the very concept of time itself. But the passage of time has no bearing on the quality of Tame Impala’s music, and every passing year yields fantastic new albums like The Slow Rush to keep you looking forward to. LISTEN

• Perhaps the most amazing thing about Blue Rev is that despite how fuzzy the entire sound of the record is, every song is precise and clear. Whether it’s a song that hits close to home like “Belinda Says” or “Is It Easy On Your Own?”, or something goofier like “Very Online Guy” or “Pomeranian Spinster”, Alvvays put in the effort to every moment. This is one of the tightest indie records of the last few years, blistering through highlight after highlight with reckless precision. Molly Rankin’s dreamy voice peppers each song with its own sense of originality, ensuring no two songs can be mistaken for another. Indie albums of this variety are few and far between, and for as personal as things can get on Blue Rev, it’s an album anyone can put on and enjoy. LISTEN

• After a frenetic art-pop breakout in In A Poem Unlimited, Meg Remy wasn’t content to run the same formula back again. Instead, she and her bevy of collaborators aimed for something more subjective, something that required more analysis. What resulted is Heavy Light, an album just as good as its predecessor but in different ways. There are tracks reminiscent of Poem, like the amazing “4 American Dollars”, but Heavy Light allows Meg’s voice to shine in a new way. She’s not surrounded by as much noise, leaving her poetry and political thoughts to be on full display. And though the instrumentals aren’t as rich as before, they’re still incredibly detailed and worthy of multiple replays. This is the thinking man’s art pop record, not as immediately satisfying but truly rewarding after continued visits. LISTEN

• On no other album in 2023 will you find songs so gorgeous that are inches away from collapsing at any moment like you’ll find on Javelin. Sufjan’s typically fragile voice is ready to break on every song, sounding as inspired and as arresting as he’s ever sounded. Performances like those on “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?” will break your heart, and that only scratches the surface of the record. Sweeping melodies filled with dainty strings and ghostly choruses bring Javelin to life, akin to Sufjan’s previous records like Carrie & Lowell but on an even more magnetic level. No artist toes the line between heartbreak and beauty quite like Sufjan, and his latest might be the best he’s ever done it. LISTEN

• Ezra Koenig and company are older, but just as aware of their surroundings as they’ve ever been. Only God Was Above Us returns to the stomping grounds that made them famous, AKA New York’s subways and alleyways. They creep around these sacred lands with a wisdom that only comes with age. Koenig has always been a wise writer, but he does spectacular job of looking back while also looking forward. Everything is uncertain except for Vampire Weekend’s sound, which is chaotic, catchy and charming as always. They are their own best historians, and they chronicle themselves fantastically on their fifth LP. LISTEN

• Have you ever pictured yourself in the middle of a mosh pit, flailing your arms around while also contemplating the very existence of nature? Listening to GLOW ON puts you directly into that maelstrom. Turnstile’s hardcore nature is front and center, but it’s presented in a melodious nature unlike anything else in the genre. Take the opening track “MYSTERY”, with its synth arpeggios that lead into helter skelter riffs and slamming percussion like they’re meant for each other. Further songs like “UNDERWATER BOI” and “ALIEN LOVE CALL” find beauty in the mosh pit, and Brendan Yates is more the capable of carrying these spacier cuts. If you’re in the mood to rage, the band’s still got you covered with “BLACKOUT” and “DANCE-OFF” scratching that hardcore itch diehards need. GLOW ON balances these disparate elements masterfully, and there’s no album from this decade I want to crash out to while getting existential more than this one. LISTEN

• Never afraid to face danger head on, Killer Mike and El-P delivered the signature album of a dire summer. Dropped amongst widespread protests against racism and police brutality, the duo’s continued themes of exposing the rich and powerful and rebelling against abusers of power ring more powerfully relevant than ever before. The beats and samples on RTJ4 sound more expensive, but El-P makes sure they fit within the canon of RTJ music just fine. Killer Mike is as angry and real as he’s ever been, while El-P balances him with his humor, both brash and dry. This duo’s mastery the genre of hardcore hip-hop lent itself perfectly to an album couldn’t have come at a better time. LISTEN

• It takes little time to understand the boygenius hype. Album opener “Without You Without Them” sees Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker harmonizing with no instrumental, and their bond is immediately apparent. That magic never dissipates across the record, the rare debut that destroys expectations to create something truly special. At times they trade off who sings lead, other times they all take turns at it, but they never allow one member to fall behind. They scream, cry, and soar equally as they work through heartbreak, trauma and healing, transcending supergroup cliches along the way. Backed by no shortage of impressively produced indie rock instrumentals, the record is a stunner, and clear proof of why 2023 was the year of boygenius. LISTEN

• The Turning Wheel is a fairy tale in musical form, a journey through forests, castles, witch huts and more. The production is as immaculate as anything you’ll hear in recent memory, a mixture of strings and synths that bring this world to life. It’s the perfect backing for Spellling’s childlike voice. Her delivery is one of the most unique you’ll hear in indie music, and she sings as if the eyes she sees the world through are as big as saucers. It’s an incredible combination of singing and sound, something almost unthinkably good sounding from an independent musician. The tracks that create this world range from romantic (Always) to fearful (Boys In School) to haunting (Queen Of Wands), but the different vibes never feel out of place. Spellling sings about a damn penguin (Emperor With An Egg) and makes it sound wonderful. To listen to The Turning Wheel is to meld yourself within its world, and once you do you’re going to want to stay. LISTEN

• Omnium Gatherum roughly translates to “a miscellaneous gathering of people or things”, and that’s exactly what King Gizzard’s 20th album is. It’s the result of the members of the band recording in person together for the first time since before the pandemic, and it’s a creative explosion unlike anything else they’ve created. Every style of music the band has ever tried shows up here, from their signature psychedelic rock (The Dripping Tap, Blame It On The Weather) to Butterly 3000’s synthpop (Kepler-22b, Magenta Mountain) to Infest the Rat’s Nest’s thrash metal (Gaia, Predator X). The boys even delve into hip hop on “Sadie Sorceress” and “The Grim Reaper”, and the attempts aren’t half-bad. For such a massive undertaking of style and sound to come together, you need a band that’ll give love to every chord on the record, and that’s just what King Gizzard does here. It’s a greatest hits album of completely new music, a testament to the band’s never-ending desire to come up with the next best thing (and often succeeding). LISTEN

• Dave Grohl and his band went through a catastrophic loss that easily could’ve torn the fabric of the band apart. But rather than let Taylor Hawkins’ untimely death be their demise, they powered forward to create the best record of their long careers. But Here We Are is cathartic unlike any record I’ve ever heard, using stadium-sized rock music as therapy and as an exploration of grief. Their guitars shred and their drums crash like a band unhinged, with Grohl’s work on the drums something Hawkins would be proud of. Grohl’s voice is mammoth and commanding, belting his innermost struggles with Hawkins’ death. From the simple shock and uncertainty of “Rescued”, the nostalgia he’ll never recreate on “Under You”, or the acceptance on “But Here We Are”, he’s never sounded this passionate or inspired with this band. What elevates But Here We Are even further is the ending, as the multifaceted “The Teacher” and the heartwrenching “Rest” eschew the typical Foo song for something more experimental and awe-inspiring. To hear the band go through so much trauma and respond with some of their best music ever is magical. I hope Taylor can rest in peace knowing the band he loved created the best tribute possible. LISTEN

• I’ve been a black midi enjoyer before, but something about their fusions of jazz and rock have been a little too inaccessible to me. With Geordie Greep becoming free from the restraints of a band, he’s found a way to take that ersatz style and make it digestible. The New Sound isn’t exactly new, but it’s a new way to enjoy jazz rock, samba & salsa. It’s filled with some of the most impressive instrumental performances you’ll hear from an album this decade, blistering in pace and unforgiving in length. Songs crack the six minute mark with relative ease, but the pacing of each track keeps things moving along and ensures you’re never bored. Greep is an animated performer as always, finding horrible characters to portray to break down masculine insecurity. The suffering fool of “Terra”, the murderous lover of “Through a War”, the phony womanizer on “Holy, Holy”, and more make for highly unlikeable protagonists that operate like train wrecks. They’re dreadful dudes who you just can’t look away from, and that’s credit to Greep’s magnetic performances. The New Sound can be unforgiving and exhausting, but it’s a worthy bout with some of the worst dudes you’ll ever meet in your life. LISTEN

• In a year where rap was the dominant genre and pop music superstars were mostly in hiding, Dua Lipa made her claim as the current queen of pop. Future Nostalgia exudes a brash confidence from the beginning, never allowing those in Lipa’s way to bring her down. Men who can’t handle her are turned into chart topping smashes like “Future Nostalgia” and “Don’t Start Now”. Those who bring her joy turn into the magical “Levitating” and the club ready “Hallucinate”. Not only is Lipa a master of modern pop, her knowledge and respect of past hits turns legends like INXS and Olivia Newton-John into modernized hits about love like “Break My Heart” and “Physical”, respectively. It seems that nothing can get in Dua Lipa’s way, and such a bold outlook is what helps Future Nostalgia be one of this decade’s best pop albums. LISTEN

• Tamara Lindeman sings as if a tear is constantly falling down her cheek. The themes of her fifth album are certainly a cause for these tears, as the reality of climate change comes crashing down across these ten tracks. Using heartbreak and loss as an allegory for the melting of the Earth leads to some of the most piercing and impactful lines of the year, all delivered in Lindeman’s stoic tone. The subject matter may be grim, but Lindeman and her band mask the sadness with sophisti-pop bliss, a collection of woodwinds, strings and more that are so posh it feels like running your hands through a luxurious cat’s fur. It’s a stirring album, one that brings attention to both Lindeman’s cause and Lindeman’s beautiful music. LISTEN

No band in the world is as good at feeling bad as PUP is, and nothing made them (and the rest of us) feel more bad than the pandemic. The worldwide lockdowns sent a creative jolt through the group, and the result is the best record of their career. Presented as an unraveling of the band, PUP present the feelings of depression and dread with an incredibly effective bluntness. “Totally Fine” has a chorus that literally says “Lately, I've started to feel like I'm slowly dyin'/And if I'm bein' real, I don't even mind”, yet it doesn’t come across as corny thanks to Stefan Babcock’s glorious vocals. He sells these simple and straightforward lyrics with singalong chorus after singalong chorus, backed by the most electric punk instrumentals of 2022. Every guitar shred, every drum beat, and every vocal high note is pinpoint, and the way each song immediately jumps into the next keeps the band’s plunge into insanity on at a breakneck pace. As the band descends into doom, there’s moments of levity, like a robot learning how much love sucks “Robot Writes A Love Song”, or a plea from an old guitar to not forget about them “Matilda”. While sidesteps from the main descent, they’re incredibly performed and ultimately important to the overall record. By the end of the record, the group is emotionally spent, but this supposed decline in morale is a facade for the magnificent album they’ve put together. You’ll never feel so good feeling so bad as you will unraveling with PUP. LISTEN

• Why would a DJ who’s never made a dream pop album before decide to make a dream pop album? Because she can, that’s why. Avalon Emerson’s transition from bumping beats to Balearic pop is silky smooth, much like the voice she uses to guide us along this river of sound. The switch to comfy dream pop can be a cover for some really existential lyrics, with Emerson questioning her place in life as those around her have families. If the issues of life remain unsolvable, she can at least bask in the beauty of her debut record, one I’m sure to listen to on tranquil days for a long time to come. LISTEN

• Sometimes you hear a collaboration and wonder how two artists ever made music apart from one another. I felt that way through the entirety of SCARING THE HOES, a record that has surely succeeded in its title mission with how wonderfully weird it is. The duo are at the top of their games on every song, not sticking around for a long time but a damn good time. All 15 tracks are a quick smack to the face, or in the title track’s opening sample’s case, your ass. Peggy’s production work has never been more on point, mimicking whatever he and Danny are doing lyrically through the bombastic beats. The pair can be ready for war on “Burfict!” then flip to a melodic middle finger on “Kingdom Hearts Key”. There’s never a moment to breathe between the cacophonic beats and the fire Danny & Peggy spit, but if you’re ready to be scared a little, you’ll be treated to the best rap album of 2023. LISTEN

• You could tell things were getting stale for Sturgill Simpson with his last few releases. Sound & Fury was a road rock epic that didn’t quite fit Sturgill’s vibe. The Cuttin’ Grass albums were fun but unserious, and The Ballad of Dood & Juanita was more of conceptual than predictive. It was time for a rebirth, and that came for Sturgill in the form of Johnny Blue Skies. His first record under this new moniker returns to the cosmic outlaw country that made him famous, but with an exquisite level of maturity to its creation. The production is loose, comfortably floating through life and love at a pace Sturgill sets. He’s the shepherd of this journey, desiring to escape to deserted islands (Scooter Blues) and contemplating his own future (What If The Sun Never Rises Again). He’s calm in his dilemma, clearly pained by relationships ending but understanding he’ll power on forward no matter what happens. He’s finally found himself again, and the Johnny Blue Skies moniker could be the beginning of a special new chapter for Simpson. LISTEN

• Future pop is a loose-leaf term to describe artists whose sound might dictate the future of the genre, but like all music it’s incredibly indebted to the past. What’s most important about it is that the sound of the music is good, and on every level and more, Rina Sawayama’s debut is good. Great, even, Absolutely fantastic, actually. SAWAYAMA is so many things all at once, but it’s never dull. Feeling some synthpop? Try “Comme des Garçons (Like The Boys)” or a journey through Rina’s childhood in “Paradisin’”. Something a little more raw? How about Rina treating herself to more on “XS” or the proclamation of her fledgling “Dynasty”. What about something a little more emotional? There’s a touching tribute to friends and community in “Chosen Family” and the need for better connection on “Bad Friend”. No matter the style, the songs sound crisp and insanely catchy. Never does the record slow, thanks in part to the production but equally to Rina herself. She sounds like she’s been doing this for years, clearly and confidently confessing her feelings in and out. The future of pop is wide ranging, and as far as a debut record in the genre, you aren’t going to find many others as masterfully executed as SAWAYAMA. LISTEN

• Enter the Mercurial World with caution, or with reckless abandon. No matter how you approach it, the irresistible party that goes on inside will hook you and never let go. Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin have concocted an experience that’s filled with grooves, internet memes, easter eggs, but most of all, great music. You can pick up elements of anything from synthpop to g-funk to vaporwave to emo rock to whatever else you may find throughout the tracklist. It’s a lot to digest but the duo cobbled these sounds together to create something totally unique to themselves. This world begins with “The End” and ends with “The Beginning” because why not? The sense of irreverence is strong in Mercurial World, and the lead up to this record was filled with Tik Toks, dated websites and more. These two grew up on and are indebted to the Internet, and they take the World Wide Web into their own fantastic place. It’s one of the best debut albums in a long time, a great distillation of the weirdness of the internet, and a hell of a lot better than that Metaverse garbage Zuckerberg has been peddling lately. LISTEN

• Despite her near-godlike aura, Beyonce is much like the rest of us in that she was tired of that ole pandemic. RENAISSANCE was her escape, an album not concerned with being the voice for the people, but rather having a good time for the sake of it. Bey and her producers hone in on the club in a way her music never has before, and they ensure that it’s not only respectful of dance music’s forefathers, but also paves the way for the genre’s future on a massive scale. These beats are immaculately produced, sampling the greatest hits of dance’s past (capped by the Donna Summer-sampling “SUMMER RENAISSANCE") to push us into an unstoppable frenzy of boogie. Every song glides into the next to keep the party going, ranging from CHIC-inspired groove (CUFF IT) to radio smashes (BREAK MY SOUL) to the dirtiest of drops (THIQUE). And don’t worry, there’s still time for Bey to make the ultimate boasts about her influence in “ALIEN SUPERSTAR”. As an artist with massive resources, it’s amazing to see no expense spared to make this one hell of a night at the club. As the record ends with the chants of “It’s so good, it’s so good, it’s so good…”, you can’t help but feel Bey is singing about the record she just made, and I’m inclined to agree with her. LISTEN

• Dylan Brady said he wanted 10,000 gecs to be one thousand times better than 1000 gecs, because that’s just how the math works out. He and Laura Les clear that bar seconds into the record, and you’ll find their sophomore LP strikes the perfect balance between hyperpop experimentation and pristine pop melodies. Brady’s understanding of both worlds leads to crunchy beats that never sacrifice catchiness, like the jarringly amazing “Hollywood Baby”. These songs utilize plenty of noise, but it’s purposeful noise, never obnoxious without meaning to be. Laura Les brings the songs to life even further, and her lyrics are as zany as you’d expect. Whether it’s frogs trying to get their life together, your favorite chip brands, or disdain for dental care, she gives it her all and then some. 10,000 gecs is a monumental moment in underground pop music, and the duo has rightfully become an icon for TikTok teens and longtime music fans alike. LISTEN

• After obsessing over 1980’s influences on After Hours, Abel Tesfaye perfects the sound on Dawn FM, a loose concept album about a radio station on the precipice of the afterlife. The record is filled with what you’d expect from a Weeknd album, with plenty of emotional turmoil over lovingly crafted pop beats. The sounds on tracks like “How Do I Make You Love Me” and “I Heard You’re Married” could’ve come straight from the 80’s, yet they’ve got enough modern stylings to work in any era. Abel makes those beats his own with his signature lovelorn horniness. It’s just as easy for Tesfaye to croon for his lover to return (Out Of Time) as it is for him to have an affair one track later (Here We Go… Again). The radio station concept allows every song to freely flow into one another, like a stream of consciousness at the end of your life. The ghostly interludes from Jim Carrey of all people are a haunting but welcome addition. It’s crazy to think that after the worldwide pop domination of After Hours that The Weeknd could outdo himself, but Dawn FM is a step up in every facet. It’s the most hands-on record he’s made yet, and as the light comes towards the end of “Phantom Regret By Jim”, we go towards it boldly to see where the superstar heads next. LISTEN

• Every moment of LUMP’s sophomore record feels alive. It pulses with life, like a monstrous heartbeat coming from deep inside the Earth. Each moment on the record feels like a different animal, a chimera of fascinating sounds. Animal flutters like a butterfly in “Bloom At Night”, it prowls like a panther on “Animal”, and it leaps like a monkey on “We Cannot Resist”. These songs flow seamlessly together thanks to Mike Lindsey’s masterful hand, using guttural strings and spirited drums to sew this creature together. Laura Marling provides the voice of this beast, singing of carnal desires with a simple directness. Her pristine croons end up in layers upon layers of indie rock genius, like guttural guitars and spirited drums. Every bit of instrumental play only enhances the feeling that the record is its own living, breathing organism. It’s rare for a record to sound this cohesive, with every moment working in tandem to create something even bigger than the sum of its parts. Animal should’ve been a landmark moment for indie rock, an under-appreciated gem that your favorite artists could one day call their favorite album. LISTEN

• After making a career out of mining the 80’s to create modern pop music, Alan Palomo finally gives in and creates an 80’s wonderland of his own. World of Hassle is exactly that, an incredibly detailed fantasy that takes the best bits of 1980’s culture and morphs them into a sonic paradise. Shopping malls, forgotten stars, mysterious killers, nude beaches and more pepper this idyllic land, and every single corner is filled with impeccable melodies. Every song is meticulously made, and the love for its inspiration is obvious with every groove/saxophone solo. Palomo himself is a more than willing tour guide through this world, playing up his characters with phenomenal gusto. The amount of languages he sings in gives World of Hassle a global feeling, unrestrained by the grasp of American 80’s culture. It’s the work of an artist who’s been at this for a long time, waiting to create his masterpiece until just the right time. So go ahead, explore this world, because there’s plenty to find. LISTEN

• I did not entering the 2020’s thinking I needed to hear Taylor Swift’s own version of indie rock and folk music, but I leave the first half of the decade needing more. Her pandemic forays into the genre were unexpected but entirely welcome, and folklore is the kind of artistic risk a lot of artists won’t take, and one even fewer would make this good. Taylor’s penchant for telling engaging stories had never been stronger than it was on here, finding her way through wild marriages (the last great american dynasty), high school romance (betty) and more. Her typical forays into love and romance are truly sparkling, whether they’re embracing it (mirrorball) or burned by it (exile). “the 1” might be the best straightforward breakup song she’s ever written. It’s all held together by Aaron Dessner’s magnificent hand, stringing together a folksy sound that pairs perfectly with Taylor’s pristine pipes. The early part of the 2020’s really saw Taylor Swift explode in popularity in an even bigger way, and I don’t think we’d be there without this important step. All these years later, I can still listen to folklore and be transported to fantastical places that only Taylor can bring me to. LISTEN

• In just 27 minutes, Jessica Pratt completely envelopes you in her world. The haze surrounding Here In The Pitch is unlike anything else in folk music, obscuring memories and emotions to make you wonder if you’ve really ever felt what you’re feeling. Pratt’s voice is the guiding light through the mist, a nasally but hypnotic cry that parts the fog just long enough to mesmerize you again and again. She often needs little more than a guitar to create beautiful tunes, adding in sparse percussion and the occasional piano to build upon her dreamlike worlds. By the end, you’ve returned to reality a different person, and the want to return to Pratt’s gorgeous land only gets stronger the longer you’re away from it. LISTEN

• GUTS is like every sequel should be: bigger, bolder, and better than the original. Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore effort took every aspect that made her debut SOUR great and turns it up to 11. Olivia’s commitment to the bit of being a lovestruck teenage girl is elevated on hilarious ragers like “get him back!” and “bad idea, right?”. The monstrous fever pitch of “vampire” shows an artist locked in to the Nth degree, and other ballads like “logical” and “the grudge” make her past songs sound like pre-school. These songs soar because of Olivia’s chemistry with producer Dan Nigro, but especially of her own maturation as a songwriter and as a singer. She’s grown up from some of her whinier moments to evoke real emotion that even a 30 year old sourpuss like myself can relate to. Rarely do sophomoric efforts sound this good, but top to bottom this self-described “all-american bitch” outdoes herself. LISTEN

• Much like the rest of us, Natalie Mering has been adrift in the world for much of the 21st century. She’s lost the knack for human connections as the world turns more and more digital. Yet unlike her last masterpiece Titanic Rising, her latest masterpiece sees the singer/songwriter coming to terms with the world she lives in. Described as her response to “being in the thick of it”, And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow is as beautiful of a record as Mering has created as Weyes Blood and maybe her most melancholic. She found solitude in the thought that everyone else is also fucked (It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody) while also wishing for solace from the world (God Turn Me Into A Flower). She’s backed by staggeringly beautiful arrangements, filled with soft coos, strong strings and some of the wisest musings on modern life you’ll hear on a record this decade. For as masterful as her last record was, this new project is on equal footing, and the hopes for the final part of the trilogy that Titanic Rising began are sky high. Knowing Mering’s work, she’ll drift up there with ease. LISTEN

• No matter how much is written about how impressive Dan Bejar’s chameleonic nature as a musician is, it’s impossible to truly comprehend unless you listen to his music. LABYRINTHITIS is the latest evolution for Bejar and his main act, and it’s his most exciting release in a long, long time. Where 2020’s Have We Met was a pause at the entrance of a new era, LABYRINTHITIS plunges head on into the labyrinth, weaving its way through ersatz synthesizers, wild guitars and drum patterns that come together in a number of fascinating ways. Whether it’s a spacier drift through the opener “It’s in Your Heart Now”, a dizzying sprint from death in “Tintoretto, It’s for You”, or a familiarly tongue-in-cheek song like “Eat the Wine, Drink the Bread”, everything feels perfectly off-kilter. Bejar is the master of the unexpected, and while wandering through this sonic maze, you’ll find one of the most beautiful ballads he’s ever created (All My Pretty Dresses) to a song that makes me think Destroyer could function as a chart-topping pop band (It Takes A Thief). The variety here is as widespread as any singular record put to the Destroyer name, making the entire trip a never-ending treat on the ears. Just listen to the madcap lyricism on “June”, with lines like “You have to look at it from all angles/Says the cubist judge from cubist jail”, and tell me you can get masterstrokes like this from someone else. Nearly 30 years into his career, Dan Bejar raised his standards, creating a musical carnival as splendid as he’ll probably ever make again. LISTEN

• “I feel my story's still untold/But I'll make my own happy ending”. These lyrics open Róisín Machine and permeate throughout the nu-disco epic. The ever-creative Róisín has no intention of letting others define her career, and thus forges ahead on a journey that pulls from all aspects of the disco scene. Every track is a readymade club hit, and all in varying styles of play. You could choose the epic opener “Simulation” and its winding melody, or the sublime house-based “Murphy’s Law”, or the dramatic string-driven “Narcissus”, or the ecstatic closer “Jealousy” and its catchy-as-hell refrain. Róisín is telling her own story, and it chugs along like a well oiled machine. It’s thrilling to hear so many styles done so well, and Róisín Machine will have you dancing towards your own happy ending like Róisín herself. LISTEN

• Everything about Imaginal Disk raises the bar for a group I thought couldn’t ascend much higher. It’s a concept album about who the hell knows, because the concept is secondary to the limitless creativity every track shows. Opener “She Looked Like Me!” threatens to crash down at any moment, with clattering percussion nearly swallowing Mica Tenenbaum’s lush voice alive. She survives long enough to run the gamut of pop music through the rest of the record, like on insanely catchy synthpop tunes like “Killing Time” and “Image”. They expand on the already-fantastic tunes from Mercurial World with multiple wrinkles and edges previously unseen in a Magdalena Bay song. Further along Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin get existential on “Vampire in the Corner” and “Angel on a Satellite”, make ABBA jealous on the cinematic “Cry For Me”, and further expand on their pop sensibilities on “That’s My Floor” and “Death & Romance”. The latter is the largest they’ve ever sounded, and they fill every corner of the track with substantive production and melodramatic lyrics. Even the interludes are catchy! Closer “The Ballad of Matt & Mica” functions as an end credits for the decade’s most impressive musical motion picture, summarizing their ideas on yet another track that pushes the boundaries of what a Magdalena Bay song can be. It appears there’s little Lewin and Tenenbaum can’t do, and their willingness to do it all makes them a force to be reckoned with. LISTEN

One of my favorite things about my favorite album of 2022 is how hard to describe it is. At its core, PAINLESS is an indie rock record, but that description doesn’t nearly do it justice. “the dealer” and “shameless’ are fairly straightforward indie tracks, but as PAINLESS goes on it moves further into things like crunchy trip hop on “chase me” and jazzy synthpop on “the mystic”. Every song has a motion to it, with the rhythm ensuring there’s never a lull in the beat. This is no more apparent than on “stabilise”, where the punchy drums create a speedy beat, but one that doesn’t get away from the themes of the record. It’s an album that showcases the nebulous definition of rock in a stellar way, all wrapped together by Nilüfer’s hypnotic voice. She’s so malleable to the song she’s on, delving into thoughts as dark as she’s ever had in her music. You can feel the pain she experiences on “midnight sun” and her cries to get better on “try”. Though pain and heartbreak are essential to the album’s experience, closer “anotherlife” finds clarity in the confusion, and it ends the record on a emotional high note. The journey to get there is a challenging one, yet PAINLESS an album that leaves me in awe every time I return to it. There’s always something new to discover, and through the darkest parts of this world, Nilüfer Yanya emerged with the best album of her career. LISTEN

• A record that absolutely blew the doors off of the music world when it dropped, Fetch The Bolt Cutters is a career best effort from an artist who continually seems to outdo herself. Recorded in her house with a few select collaborators, Fiona Apple created an album that is powerfully organic in both sound and theme. The instrumentation, with a backbone of Apple’s always excellent piano melodies, is a whirlwind of everything from guitars and drums to handclaps, vocal harmonies, floor stomping and more. These sounds are never permanent, with song structures constantly shifting in pace and time signature, making every moment must-hear. It’s a fearless approach to structuring songs, a fearlessness that’s equally matched by Fiona herself. She sings of terrible experiences and overcoming them, and Fetch The Bolt Cutters is a wholly cathartic experience for her and the listener. She sticks it to her exes (Under The Table), dishes her sympathies for the other women her exes have dated (Ladies), and pays tribute to the people who helped her become who she is (Shameika). Fiona confronts her past and sets it free, and it’s hard not to marvel at the achievement. It all adds up to an incredibly dynamic album, a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience that frees itself from conventions to become something more. LISTEN

• For years, Caroline Polachek has been dropping teaser tracks that hinted at a pop masterstroke. That masterstroke arrived in 2023 in the form of Desire, I Want To Turn Into You, a mammoth achievement in modern pop music. Each track is its own unique journey, from Caroline’s wails of desire on “Welcome To My Island” to the flamenco stylings of “Sunset” to the wispy memories on “Smoke”. It’s one of the more imaginative pop releases of the last few years, all held together by the thread of Caroline’s voice and emotions. These fantastical sounds are a mask for the very real emotions felt throughout the record, a fantastic dichotomy few artists can pull off. But few artists are Caroline Polachek, and if you weren’t already tuned in, welcome to her island. LISTEN

• I’ve thought long and hard about this, but I can’t deny it: there’s no album out there that emulates its title quite like Jessie Ware’s 2023 masterpiece. There isn’t a second on That! Feels Good! that isn’t sublime, squeezing every inch out of disco and pop to create 40 minutes of perfect music. It’s a non-stop massage on the ears, and as Ware declares early on the opening track: “Pleasure is a right”. She makes sure you feel that pleasure in a variety of ways, whether it’s soothing like “Hello Love” or through piano-driven force like on “Free Yourself”. The performances are pinpoint, with Ware fitting the role of the mother, the caretaker and the commander. She’s in complete control at all times, rattling off all of her favorite boys on the hysterical “Shake The Bottle”, and she encourages you to find your pleasure in a multitude of ways. It could be through a lavish party like the immaculate “Pearls” or by starting over in love on the epic “Begin Again”. No matter the method you’ll fall in love with every note, and the pace of the record is equally sublime. The transition between “Beautiful People” and “Freak Me Now” is the mark of a veteran, knowing how to link every individual moment into something bigger. She boasts about how her lips are wanted in “100 countries, maybe more” on album closer “These Lips”, and by that point, there’s no reason to doubt her. She previously asked what your pleasure was, but now she’s here to tell you all about what hers is. So yes, that feels good. LISTEN

• What was the last album that became a cultural phenomenon like BRAT became that actually deserved it? I’ll wait. It’s Charli XCX’s crowning achievement, an album so wild, so reckless, so open and honest, so fun that I still wonder how it all works. Whatever era of Charli you’re a fan of, there’s something for you on BRAT. Need some club rat ragers to get the blood pumping? Get down to the wild beats on “Von dutch” or “Sympathy is a knife”. Melodic bangers like “360” nail the effortless brags Charli’s been doing for a long time. “Talk talk” and “Apple” opt for lighter pop that still hits hard, the latter creating its own TikTok trend because why not. But beyond the scintillating production, you can feel so much of BRAT down to its core. As the jagged synths surround her on the previously mentioned “Sympathy is a knife”, Charli’s insecurities bubble over the top. She mourns her lost friend SOPHIE on “So I”, a track as emotional and earnest as anything she’s created before. Her openness about her career have never struck so close to home, like on the touching “I think about it all the time”, where she questions her career and wonders if she’s losing time to become a mother. Charli is the right superstar for this era, unabashedly bold and equally as fucked up as the rest of us. Hell, there’s a whole other version of BRAT that reworks every song into something completely different and new. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, one that powered (losing) presidential campaigns, sweaty arena tours and a new generation of fans. What else can you say other than it’s so brat? LISTEN

• It’s no coincidence that the best album of 2021 was a globe-trotting affair. After a year in which we were confined to our own space for far too long, the feeling of freedom and traveling has never felt more exhilarating, and Tyler takes that feeling to a whole new level. CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST is all about getting away, be it from quarantine, your past or your present. It’s a tale of excess in the highest form, where no expense is spared on both the trips Tyler takes or the music he creates. Tyler enlisted mixtape master DJ Drama to craft an opulent experience, and there’s truly something for everyone on CMIYGL. You’ve got the grungy rap he cut his teeth on (LUMBERJACK, JUGGERNAUT), the smooth R&B/pop from his last few albums (WUSYANAME, RISE!), and of course a double song that’s the highlight of the whole experience (SWEET/I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE). There’s also some lyrical flexes (MASSA, MANIFESTO) where Tyler’s ability to expose his innermost feelings on national issues is on full display. It’s almost magical how these various songs flow together, and for an album that’s almost an hour it feels like a breeze. And what is a trip without your best friends? The artists that join Tyler’s world trek perfectly slide in on every song, and some sound as good as they’ve ever sounded (that YoungBoy Never Broke Again feature though???). It all adds up to a lavish record, one you can imagine hearing anywhere from the mountains of Switzerland to the outback of Australia. Most of all though, Tyler sounds as free as he’s ever sounded. It’s as if he’s left behind the heartbreak of IGOR and Flower Boy, drowning his sorrows in opulence and new experiences. Judging by the interludes, he’s damn happy doing it. LISTEN

• COVID-19 has not only ravaged the current world, but it’s thrown the already uncertain future of a generation into even more peril. Millennials, starved of work and hope by the world around them, have no idea what their future entails now that a pandemic threw a monkey wrench into their plans. Jeff Rosenstock is no doubt going to be affected by these future trials, but rather than allow the despair to consume him, he chose hope as his drug of choice. NO DREAM was the perfect record for the world of quarantine, boldly powering forward with a reckless attitude unmatched by any peer. It’s an album where every punk hook is more anthemic than the last, perfectly encapsulating millennial angst towards the present and the future. Classic elements of punk rock like clueless adults and seasonal depression are solved through mindless consumerism and beach trips, but such pains are just bumps in the road for Jeff. His singing is true and deep from the heart, passionate and joyous as all hell. He’s a perfect match for every energetic guitar chord and intricate drum patterns, all impressively tight and incredibly catchy. It all culminates in “Ohio Tpke”, an anthem to the road and the trials and tribulations of traveling. This album was written before the pandemic hit the world, yet its relevance was fitting for the time of the pandemic and every year that’s followed. It’s this kind of forward push world needs more of, and it’s an album I’ve returned to time and time again to bring me from my darkest moments to some of my brightest. It’s the best record of the decade so far. Go listen to it! LISTEN

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More of my Best Of The 2020’s (So Far) lists:

The 100 Best Songs Of The 2020's (So Far)

The 20 Best EPs of the 2020's (So Far)

2020's (So Far) Honorable Mentions: Songs & Albums

The Worst Albums Of The 2020's (So Far)