Slant Magazine's 25 Best Albums of 2020

As we grappled with what it means to shut down and rise up, music in 2020 gave us an outlet, a voice, and an escape.

Published: December 09, 2020 16:50 Source

# 1

Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple

Album • Apr 17 / 2020 Art Pop Singer-Songwriter Progressive Pop

# 2

Miss Anthropocene by Grimes

Album • Feb 21 / 2020 Art Pop Electronic

# 3

What's Your Pleasure? by Jessie Ware

Album • Jun 26 / 2020 Dance-Pop Disco

# 4

folklore by Taylor Swift

Album • Jul 24 / 2020 Singer-Songwriter Folk Pop

# 5

Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa

Album • Mar 27 / 2020 Dance-Pop Nu-Disco

# 6

how i'm feeling now by Charli XCX

Album • May 15 / 2020 Hyperpop Electropop Bubblegum Bass

# 7

YHLQMDLG by Bad Bunny

Album • Feb 29 / 2020

# 8

Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers

Album • Jun 18 / 2020 Singer-Songwriter Indie Folk

# 9

After Hours by The Weeknd

Album • Mar 20 / 2020 Alternative R&B Synthpop

# 10

RTJ4 by Run The Jewels

Album • Jun 03 / 2020 Hardcore Hip Hop Political Hip Hop

# 11

Dedicated Side B by Carly Rae Jepsen

Album • May 21 / 2020 Dance-Pop Synthpop

# 12

Saint Cloud by Waxahatchee

Album • Mar 27 / 2020 Singer-Songwriter Alt-Country

# 13

Lament by Touché Amoré

Album • Oct 09 / 2020 Post-Hardcore Screamo

# 14

Dark Hearts by Annie

Album • Oct 16 / 2020 Synthpop

# 15

Set My Heart On Fire Immediately by Perfume Genius

Album • May 15 / 2020 Art Pop

# 16

SAWAYAMA by Rina Sawayama

Album • Apr 17 / 2020 Dance-Pop Contemporary R&B

# 17

The Ascension by Sufjan Stevens

Album • Sep 25 / 2020 Indietronica Art Pop

# 18

Shamir by Shamir

Album • Oct 02 / 2020 Indie Rock Indie Pop

# 19

Live Forever by Bartees Strange

Album • Oct 02 / 2020 Indie Rock

# 20

BRAT by NNAMDÏ

Album • Apr 03 / 2020 Art Pop Alternative R&B Experimental Hip Hop

# 21

Notes On A Conditional Form by The 1975

Album • May 22 / 2020 Electronic Art Pop Pop Rock

# 22

Every Sun, Every Moon by I'm Glad It's You

Album • May 15 / 2020 Midwest Emo

# 23

Man Alive! by King Krule

Album • Feb 21 / 2020 Art Rock Post-Punk Neo-Psychedelia

# 24

Every Bad by Porridge Radio

Album • Mar 13 / 2020 Indie Rock Post-Punk

# 25

Printer's Devil by Ratboys

Album • Feb 28 / 2020 Indie Rock Indie Pop

# 26

Anyways by Young Nudy

Album • Feb 24 / 2020 Trap Southern Hip Hop

# 27

songs by Adrianne Lenker

Album • Oct 23 / 2020 Singer-Songwriter Contemporary Folk

# 28

Manic by Halsey

Album • Jan 17 / 2020 Alt-Pop Contemporary R&B

# 29

KiCk i by Arca

Album • Jun 26 / 2020 Deconstructed Club

# 30

Rough and Rowdy Ways by Bob Dylan

Album • Jun 19 / 2020 Singer-Songwriter Americana

# 31

In A Dream by Troye Sivan

EP • Aug 21 / 2020 Synthpop Alt-Pop

# 32

Empty Country by Empty Country

Album • Mar 20 / 2020 Indie Rock

# 33

Starmaker by Honey Harper

Album • Mar 06 / 2020 Alt-Country Singer-Songwriter

# 34

My Turn by Lil Baby

Album • Feb 28 / 2020 Trap Southern Hip Hop

# 35

græ by Moses Sumney

Album • May 15 / 2020 Art Pop

# 36

Microphones in 2020 by The Microphones

Album • Aug 07 / 2020 Singer-Songwriter Indie Folk Avant-Folk

# 37

Gaslighter by The Chicks

Album • Jul 17 / 2020 Country Pop Contemporary Country

# 38

Lianne La Havas by Lianne La Havas

Album • Jul 17 / 2020 Neo-Soul Singer-Songwriter

# 39

ENERGY by Disclosure

Album • Aug 28 / 2020 House UK Garage

# 40

Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was by Bright Eyes

Album • Aug 21 / 2020 Indie Folk

# 41

Women In Music Pt. III by HAIM

Album • Feb 19 / 2021 Indie Pop Soft Rock

# 42

color theory by Soccer Mommy

Album • Feb 28 / 2020 Singer-Songwriter Indie Pop Bedroom Pop

# 43

Ultimate Success Today by Protomartyr

Album • Jul 17 / 2020 Post-Punk Art Punk

# 44

Walking Proof by Lilly Hiatt

Album • Mar 27 / 2020 Alt-Country Singer-Songwriter

# 45

I Disagree by Poppy

Album • Jan 09 / 2020 Alternative Metal

# 46

DISCO by Kylie Minogue

Album • Nov 06 / 2020 Dance-Pop Disco

# 47

Funeral by Lil Wayne

Album • Jan 31 / 2020 Southern Hip Hop Trap

# 48

Petals For Armor by Hayley Williams

Album • May 08 / 2020 Art Pop Alternative Dance

# 49

SAVAGE MODE II by 21 Savage + Metro Boomin

Album • Oct 02 / 2020 Trap Gangsta Rap Southern Hip Hop

# 50

Melee by Dogleg

Album • Mar 13 / 2020 Emo Post-Hardcore