The Guardian's 50 Best Albums of 2020
Our countdown is complete, topped by a mercurial work of sprawling invention by a woman who has dug deep to survive. Taken as a whole, these choices contain drama, solace, poetry and fire, a fitting selection for a turbulent year
Published: December 18, 2020 08:07
Source
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Fetch The Bolt Cutters | Fiona Apple | Apr-17-2020, Art Pop |
| #2 | Future Nostalgia | Dua Lipa | Mar-27-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #3 | SAWAYAMA | Rina Sawayama | Apr-17-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #4 | Set My Heart On Fire Immediately | Perfume Genius | May-15-2020, Art Pop |
| #5 | Untitled (Black Is) | Sault | Jun-19-2020, Neo-Soul |
| #6 | Saint Cloud | Waxahatchee | Mar-27-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #7 | Women In Music Pt. III | HAIM | Feb-19-2021, Indie Pop |
| #8 | Big Conspiracy | J Hus | Jan-24-2020, UK Hip Hop |
| #9 | folklore | Taylor Swift | Jul-24-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #10 | græ | Moses Sumney | May-15-2020, Art Pop |
| #11 | Róisín Machine | Róisín Murphy | Oct-02-2020, Nu-Disco |
| #12 | Ungodly Hour | Chloe x Halle | Jun-12-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #13 | Rough and Rowdy Ways | Bob Dylan | Jun-19-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #14 | What's Your Pleasure? | Jessie Ware | Jun-26-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #15 | A Written Testimony | Jay Electronica | Mar-13-2020, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #16 | Punisher | Phoebe Bridgers | Jun-18-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #17 | A Hero's Death | Fontaines D.C. | Jul-31-2020, Post-Punk |
| #18 | RTJ4 | Run The Jewels | Jun-03-2020, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #19 | Chromatica | Lady Gaga | May-29-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #20 | Miss Anthropocene | Grimes | Feb-21-2020, Art Pop |
| #21 | Heaven To a Tortured Mind | Yves Tumor | Apr-03-2020, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #22 | Workaround | Beatrice Dillon | Feb-07-2020, Electroacoustic |
| #23 | Suddenly | Caribou | Feb-28-2020, Indietronica |
| #24 | Inner Song | Kelly Lee Owens | Aug-28-2020, Tech House |
| #25 | Untitled (Rise) | Sault | Sep-18-2020, Neo-Soul |
| #26 | Gold Record | Bill Callahan | Oct-21-2020, Americana |
| #27 | Song For Our Daughter | Laura Marling | Apr-10-2020, Contemporary Folk |
| #28 | It Is What It Is | Thundercat | Apr-03-2020, Psychedelic Soul |
| #29 | Circles | Mac Miller | Jan-17-2020, Neo-Soul |
| #30 | Shore | Fleet Foxes | Mar-19-2021, Indie Folk |
| #31 | Heavy Light | U.S. Girls | Mar-06-2020, Art Pop |
| #32 | Forever, Ya Girl | KeiyaA | Mar-27-2020, Neo-Soul |
| #33 | how i'm feeling now | Charli XCX | May-15-2020, Hyperpop |
| #34 | Alfredo | Freddie Gibbs, The Alchemist | May-29-2020, Gangsta Rap |
| #35 | Working Men's Club | Working Men's Club | Oct-02-2020, Synthpop |
| #36 | Notes On A Conditional Form | The 1975 | May-22-2020, Electronic |
| #37 | SAVAGE MODE II | 21 Savage, Metro Boomin | Oct-02-2020, Trap |
| #38 | I Think I'm Good | Kassa Overall | Feb-28-2020, Alternative R&B |
| #39 | Suite for Max Brown | Jeff Parker | Jan-24-2020, Jazz Fusion |
| #40 | Positions | Ariana Grande | Oct-30-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #41 | Karma & Desire | Actress | Oct-23-2020, Microhouse |
| #42 | DISCO | Kylie Minogue | Nov-06-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #43 | Made In Lagos | Wizkid | Oct-29-2020, Afrobeats |
| #44 | All The Time | Jessy Lanza | Jul-24-2020, Alternative R&B |
| #45 | Rare | Selena Gomez | Jan-10-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #46 | Three | The Necks | Mar-27-2020, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #47 | The Album | Teyana Taylor | Jun-19-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #48 | color theory | Soccer Mommy | Feb-28-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #49 | Have We Met | Destroyer | Jan-31-2020, Art Pop |
| #50 | Visions of Bodies Being Burned | clipping. | Oct-23-2020, Horrorcore |
Markdown
| Rank | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Fetch The Bolt Cutters | Fiona Apple | Album, Apr-17-2020, Art Pop |
| #2 | Future Nostalgia | Dua Lipa | Album, Mar-27-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #3 | SAWAYAMA | Rina Sawayama | Album, Apr-17-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #4 | Set My Heart On Fire Immediately | Perfume Genius | Album, May-15-2020, Art Pop |
| #5 | Untitled (Black Is) | Sault | Album, Jun-19-2020, Neo-Soul |
| #6 | Saint Cloud | Waxahatchee | Album, Mar-27-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #7 | Women In Music Pt. III | HAIM | Album, Feb-19-2021, Indie Pop |
| #8 | Big Conspiracy | J Hus | Album, Jan-24-2020, UK Hip Hop |
| #9 | folklore | Taylor Swift | Album, Jul-24-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #10 | græ | Moses Sumney | Album, May-15-2020, Art Pop |
| #11 | Róisín Machine | Róisín Murphy | Album, Oct-02-2020, Nu-Disco |
| #12 | Ungodly Hour | Chloe x Halle | Album, Jun-12-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #13 | Rough and Rowdy Ways | Bob Dylan | Album, Jun-19-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #14 | What's Your Pleasure? | Jessie Ware | Album, Jun-26-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #15 | A Written Testimony | Jay Electronica | Album, Mar-13-2020, Conscious Hip Hop |
| #16 | Punisher | Phoebe Bridgers | Album, Jun-18-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #17 | A Hero's Death | Fontaines D.C. | Album, Jul-31-2020, Post-Punk |
| #18 | RTJ4 | Run The Jewels | Album, Jun-03-2020, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #19 | Chromatica | Lady Gaga | Album, May-29-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #20 | Miss Anthropocene | Grimes | Album, Feb-21-2020, Art Pop |
| #21 | Heaven To a Tortured Mind | Yves Tumor | Album, Apr-03-2020, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #22 | Workaround | Beatrice Dillon | Album, Feb-07-2020, Electroacoustic |
| #23 | Suddenly | Caribou | Album, Feb-28-2020, Indietronica |
| #24 | Inner Song | Kelly Lee Owens | Album, Aug-28-2020, Tech House |
| #25 | Untitled (Rise) | Sault | Album, Sep-18-2020, Neo-Soul |
| #26 | Gold Record | Bill Callahan | Album, Oct-21-2020, Americana |
| #27 | Song For Our Daughter | Laura Marling | Album, Apr-10-2020, Contemporary Folk |
| #28 | It Is What It Is | Thundercat | Album, Apr-03-2020, Psychedelic Soul |
| #29 | Circles | Mac Miller | Album, Jan-17-2020, Neo-Soul |
| #30 | Shore | Fleet Foxes | Album, Mar-19-2021, Indie Folk |
| #31 | Heavy Light | U.S. Girls | Album, Mar-06-2020, Art Pop |
| #32 | Forever, Ya Girl | KeiyaA | Album, Mar-27-2020, Neo-Soul |
| #33 | how i'm feeling now | Charli XCX | Album, May-15-2020, Hyperpop |
| #34 | Alfredo | Freddie GibbsThe Alchemist | Album, May-29-2020, Gangsta Rap |
| #35 | Working Men's Club | Working Men's Club | Album, Oct-02-2020, Synthpop |
| #36 | Notes On A Conditional Form | The 1975 | Album, May-22-2020, Electronic |
| #37 | SAVAGE MODE II | 21 SavageMetro Boomin | Album, Oct-02-2020, Trap |
| #38 | I Think I'm Good | Kassa Overall | Album, Feb-28-2020, Alternative R&B |
| #39 | Suite for Max Brown | Jeff Parker | Album, Jan-24-2020, Jazz Fusion |
| #40 | Positions | Ariana Grande | Album, Oct-30-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #41 | Karma & Desire | Actress | Album, Oct-23-2020, Microhouse |
| #42 | DISCO | Kylie Minogue | Album, Nov-06-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #43 | Made In Lagos | Wizkid | Album, Oct-29-2020, Afrobeats |
| #44 | All The Time | Jessy Lanza | Album, Jul-24-2020, Alternative R&B |
| #45 | Rare | Selena Gomez | Album, Jan-10-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #46 | Three | The Necks | Album, Mar-27-2020, Avant-Garde Jazz |
| #47 | The Album | Teyana Taylor | Album, Jun-19-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #48 | color theory | Soccer Mommy | Album, Feb-28-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #49 | Have We Met | Destroyer | Album, Jan-31-2020, Art Pop |
| #50 | Visions of Bodies Being Burned | clipping. | Album, Oct-23-2020, Horrorcore |