NPR Music's 50 Best Albums of 2020
2020 was so stuffed with urgent voices it could be hard to discern the melody from the noise. Here's our guide to the greatest albums that emerged from a year of cacophony.
Published: December 02, 2020 12:08
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Untitled (Black Is) | Sault | Jun-19-2020, Neo-Soul |
| #2 | Fetch The Bolt Cutters | Fiona Apple | Apr-17-2020, Art Pop |
| #3 | Miss Colombia | Lido Pimienta | Apr-17-2020, Latin Electronic |
| #4 | Punisher | Phoebe Bridgers | Jun-18-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #5 | Spilligion | Spillage Village, JID, EARTHGANG | Sep-25-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #6 | Adès Conducts Adès (Live) | Boston Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Adès, Kirill Gerstein, Christianne Stotijn, Mark Stone | Feb-28-2020, |
| #7 | YHLQMDLG | Bad Bunny | Feb-29-2020, |
| #8 | SOURCE | Nubya Garcia | Aug-21-2020, Spiritual Jazz |
| #9 | Eternal Atake | Lil Uzi Vert | Mar-06-2020, Trap |
| #10 | Blue Eyes, The Harlot, The Queer, The Pusher & Me | Waylon Payne | Sep-11-2020, Americana |
| #11 | Women In Music Pt. III | HAIM | Feb-19-2021, Indie Pop |
| #12 | Lianne La Havas | Lianne La Havas | Jul-17-2020, Neo-Soul |
| #13 | Ho, why is you here ? | Flo Milli | Jul-24-2020, |
| #14 | Future Nostalgia | Dua Lipa | Mar-27-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #15 | RTJ4 | Run The Jewels | Jun-03-2020, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #16 | Expectations | Katie Pruitt | Feb-21-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #17 | Data Lords | Maria Schneider | Jul-24-2020, Progressive Big Band |
| #18 | Underneath | Code Orange | Mar-13-2020, Metalcore |
| #19 | on the tender spot of every calloused moment | Ambrose Akinmusire | Jun-12-2020, Post-Bop |
| #20 | JAGUAR | Victoria Monét | Aug-07-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #21 | Regresa | Buscabulla | May-08-2020, Latin Electronic |
| #23 | Ungodly Hour | Chloe x Halle | Jun-12-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #24 | The Slow Rush | Tame Impala | Feb-14-2020, Psychedelic Pop |
| #25 | A Small Death | Samantha Crain | May-01-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #26 | Pauline | Ashley Ray | Aug-14-2020, Country |
| #27 | Mama, You Can Bet! | Jyoti, Georgia Anne Muldrow | Aug-28-2020, Nu Jazz |
| #28 | Siti of Unguja (Romance Revolution on Zanzibar) | Siti Muharam | Jun-05-2020, Taarab |
| #29 | songs | Adrianne Lenker | Oct-23-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #30 | My Turn | Lil Baby | Feb-28-2020, Trap |
| #31 | It Is What It Is | Thundercat | Apr-03-2020, Psychedelic Soul |
| #32 | Live Forever | Bartees Strange | Oct-02-2020, Indie Rock |
| #33 | Spider Tales | Jake Blount | May-29-2020, Bluegrass |
| #34 | Silver Ladders | Mary Lattimore | Oct-09-2020, Ambient |
| #35 | Set My Heart On Fire Immediately | Perfume Genius | May-15-2020, Art Pop |
| #36 | Fuck The World | Brent Faiyaz | Feb-07-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #37 | Debussy – Rameau | Víkingur Ólafsson | Mar-27-2020, Baroque Music |
| #38 | Muthaland | Bbymutha | Aug-28-2020, Trap |
| #39 | SAWAYAMA | Rina Sawayama | Apr-17-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #40 | En Español | The Mavericks | Aug-21-2020, Tex-Mex |
| #41 | Thank You For Using GTL | Drakeo the Ruler, JoogSzn | Jun-05-2020, Gangsta Rap |
| #42 | The experience of repetition as death | Clarice Jensen | Apr-03-2020, Drone |
| #43 | Inside | X Alfonso | May-22-2020, |
| #44 | Total Freedom | Kathleen Edwards | Aug-14-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #45 | SAVAGE MODE II | 21 Savage, Metro Boomin | Oct-02-2020, Trap |
| #46 | some kind of peace | Ólafur Arnalds | Nov-06-2020, Ambient |
| #47 | Saint Cloud | Waxahatchee | Mar-27-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #48 | Giver Taker | Anjimile | Sep-18-2020, Indie Folk |
| #49 | Don't Feed the Monster | Homeboy Sandman | Oct-16-2020, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #50 | how i'm feeling now | Charli XCX | May-15-2020, Hyperpop |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Untitled (Black Is) | Sault | Album, Jun-19-2020, Neo-Soul |
| #2 | Fetch The Bolt Cutters | Fiona Apple | Album, Apr-17-2020, Art Pop |
| #3 | Miss Colombia | Lido Pimienta | Album, Apr-17-2020, Latin Electronic |
| #4 | Punisher | Phoebe Bridgers | Album, Jun-18-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #5 | Spilligion | Spillage VillageJIDEARTHGANG | Album, Sep-25-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #6 | Adès Conducts Adès (Live) | Boston Symphony OrchestraThomas AdèsKirill GersteinChristianne StotijnMark Stone | Album, Feb-28-2020, |
| #7 | YHLQMDLG | Bad Bunny | Album, Feb-29-2020, |
| #8 | SOURCE | Nubya Garcia | Album, Aug-21-2020, Spiritual Jazz |
| #9 | Eternal Atake | Lil Uzi Vert | Album, Mar-06-2020, Trap |
| #10 | Blue Eyes, The Harlot, The Queer, The Pusher & Me | Waylon Payne | Album, Sep-11-2020, Americana |
| #11 | Women In Music Pt. III | HAIM | Album, Feb-19-2021, Indie Pop |
| #12 | Lianne La Havas | Lianne La Havas | Album, Jul-17-2020, Neo-Soul |
| #13 | Ho, why is you here ? | Flo Milli | Album, Jul-24-2020, |
| #14 | Future Nostalgia | Dua Lipa | Album, Mar-27-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #15 | RTJ4 | Run The Jewels | Album, Jun-03-2020, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #16 | Expectations | Katie Pruitt | Album, Feb-21-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #17 | Data Lords | Maria Schneider | Album, Jul-24-2020, Progressive Big Band |
| #18 | Underneath | Code Orange | Album, Mar-13-2020, Metalcore |
| #19 | on the tender spot of every calloused moment | Ambrose Akinmusire | Album, Jun-12-2020, Post-Bop |
| #20 | JAGUAR | Victoria Monét | Album, Aug-07-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #21 | Regresa | Buscabulla | Album, May-08-2020, Latin Electronic |
| #23 | Ungodly Hour | Chloe x Halle | Album, Jun-12-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #24 | The Slow Rush | Tame Impala | Album, Feb-14-2020, Psychedelic Pop |
| #25 | A Small Death | Samantha Crain | Album, May-01-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #26 | Pauline | Ashley Ray | Album, Aug-14-2020, Country |
| #27 | Mama, You Can Bet! | JyotiGeorgia Anne Muldrow | Album, Aug-28-2020, Nu Jazz |
| #28 | Siti of Unguja (Romance Revolution on Zanzibar) | Siti Muharam | Album, Jun-05-2020, Taarab |
| #29 | songs | Adrianne Lenker | Album, Oct-23-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #30 | My Turn | Lil Baby | Album, Feb-28-2020, Trap |
| #31 | It Is What It Is | Thundercat | Album, Apr-03-2020, Psychedelic Soul |
| #32 | Live Forever | Bartees Strange | Album, Oct-02-2020, Indie Rock |
| #33 | Spider Tales | Jake Blount | Album, May-29-2020, Bluegrass |
| #34 | Silver Ladders | Mary Lattimore | Album, Oct-09-2020, Ambient |
| #35 | Set My Heart On Fire Immediately | Perfume Genius | Album, May-15-2020, Art Pop |
| #36 | Fuck The World | Brent Faiyaz | EP, Feb-07-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #37 | Debussy – Rameau | Víkingur Ólafsson | Album, Mar-27-2020, Baroque Music |
| #38 | Muthaland | Bbymutha | Album, Aug-28-2020, Trap |
| #39 | SAWAYAMA | Rina Sawayama | Album, Apr-17-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #40 | En Español | The Mavericks | Album, Aug-21-2020, Tex-Mex |
| #41 | Thank You For Using GTL | Drakeo the RulerJoogSzn | Album, Jun-05-2020, Gangsta Rap |
| #42 | The experience of repetition as death | Clarice Jensen | Album, Apr-03-2020, Drone |
| #43 | Inside | X Alfonso | Album, May-22-2020, |
| #44 | Total Freedom | Kathleen Edwards | Album, Aug-14-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #45 | SAVAGE MODE II | 21 SavageMetro Boomin | Album, Oct-02-2020, Trap |
| #46 | some kind of peace | Ólafur Arnalds | Album, Nov-06-2020, Ambient |
| #47 | Saint Cloud | Waxahatchee | Album, Mar-27-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #48 | Giver Taker | Anjimile | Album, Sep-18-2020, Indie Folk |
| #49 | Don't Feed the Monster | Homeboy Sandman | Album, Oct-16-2020, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #50 | how i'm feeling now | Charli XCX | Album, May-15-2020, Hyperpop |