The Independent's 40 Best Albums of 2020
Despite the music industry being one of the worst-affected sectors during the pandemic, artists have gone above and beyond with albums to help us get through it. The Independent picks its 40 favourites
Published: December 22, 2020 16:34
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 | Saint Cloud | Waxahatchee | Mar-27-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #4 | Song For Our Daughter | Laura Marling | Apr-10-2020, Contemporary Folk |
| #5 | græ | Moses Sumney | May-15-2020, Art Pop |
| #6 | Set My Heart On Fire Immediately | Perfume Genius | May-15-2020, Art Pop |
| #7 | Women In Music Pt. III | HAIM | Feb-19-2021, Indie Pop |
| #8 | The Ascension | Sufjan Stevens | Sep-25-2020, Indietronica |
| #9 | songs | Adrianne Lenker | Oct-23-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #10 | folklore | Taylor Swift | Jul-24-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #11 | YHLQMDLG | Bad Bunny | Feb-29-2020, |
| #12 | Circles | Mac Miller | Jan-17-2020, Neo-Soul |
| #13 | RTJ4 | Run The Jewels | Jun-03-2020, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #14 | Gold Record | Bill Callahan | Oct-21-2020, Americana |
| #15 | Miss Anthropocene | Grimes | Feb-21-2020, Art Pop |
| #16 | Róisín Machine | Róisín Murphy | Oct-02-2020, Nu-Disco |
| #17 | Big Conspiracy | J Hus | Jan-24-2020, UK Hip Hop |
| #18 | We Will Always Love You | The Avalanches | Dec-11-2020, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #19 | A Hero's Death | Fontaines D.C. | Jul-31-2020, Post-Punk |
| #20 | Good News | Megan Thee Stallion | Nov-20-2020, Southern Hip Hop |
| #21 | Punisher | Phoebe Bridgers | Jun-18-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #22 | Letter To You | Bruce Springsteen | Oct-23-2020, Heartland Rock |
| #23 | I'm Your Empress Of | Empress Of | Apr-03-2020, Synthpop |
| #24 | It Is What It Is | Thundercat | Apr-03-2020, Psychedelic Soul |
| #25 | SAWAYAMA | Rina Sawayama | Apr-17-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #26 | RE-ANIMATOR | Everything Everything | Sep-11-2020, Art Pop |
| #27 | What's Your Pleasure? | Jessie Ware | Jun-26-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #28 | Chromatica | Lady Gaga | May-29-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #29 | Inner Song | Kelly Lee Owens | Aug-28-2020, Tech House |
| #30 | Rough and Rowdy Ways | Bob Dylan | Jun-19-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #31 | Starting Over | Chris Stapleton | Nov-13-2020, Contemporary Country |
| #32 | Walking Like We Do | The Big Moon | Jan-10-2020, Indie Pop |
| #33 | Seeking Thrills | Georgia | Jan-10-2020, Synthpop |
| #34 | Lianne La Havas | Lianne La Havas | Jul-17-2020, Neo-Soul |
| #35 | how i'm feeling now | Charli XCX | May-15-2020, Hyperpop |
| #36 | Kitchen Sink | Nadine Shah | Jun-05-2020, Art Rock |
| #37 | Underneath | Code Orange | Mar-13-2020, Metalcore |
| #38 | Petals For Armor | Hayley Williams | May-08-2020, Art Pop |
| #39 | JAGUAR | Victoria Monét | Aug-07-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #40 | color theory | Soccer Mommy | Feb-28-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
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 | Saint Cloud | Waxahatchee | Album, Mar-27-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #4 | Song For Our Daughter | Laura Marling | Album, Apr-10-2020, Contemporary Folk |
| #5 | græ | Moses Sumney | Album, May-15-2020, Art Pop |
| #6 | Set My Heart On Fire Immediately | Perfume Genius | Album, May-15-2020, Art Pop |
| #7 | Women In Music Pt. III | HAIM | Album, Feb-19-2021, Indie Pop |
| #8 | The Ascension | Sufjan Stevens | Album, Sep-25-2020, Indietronica |
| #9 | songs | Adrianne Lenker | Album, Oct-23-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #10 | folklore | Taylor Swift | Album, Jul-24-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #11 | YHLQMDLG | Bad Bunny | Album, Feb-29-2020, |
| #12 | Circles | Mac Miller | Album, Jan-17-2020, Neo-Soul |
| #13 | RTJ4 | Run The Jewels | Album, Jun-03-2020, Hardcore Hip Hop |
| #14 | Gold Record | Bill Callahan | Album, Oct-21-2020, Americana |
| #15 | Miss Anthropocene | Grimes | Album, Feb-21-2020, Art Pop |
| #16 | Róisín Machine | Róisín Murphy | Album, Oct-02-2020, Nu-Disco |
| #17 | Big Conspiracy | J Hus | Album, Jan-24-2020, UK Hip Hop |
| #18 | We Will Always Love You | The Avalanches | Album, Dec-11-2020, Neo-Psychedelia |
| #19 | A Hero's Death | Fontaines D.C. | Album, Jul-31-2020, Post-Punk |
| #20 | Good News | Megan Thee Stallion | Album, Nov-20-2020, Southern Hip Hop |
| #21 | Punisher | Phoebe Bridgers | Album, Jun-18-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #22 | Letter To You | Bruce Springsteen | Album, Oct-23-2020, Heartland Rock |
| #23 | I'm Your Empress Of | Empress Of | Album, Apr-03-2020, Synthpop |
| #24 | It Is What It Is | Thundercat | Album, Apr-03-2020, Psychedelic Soul |
| #25 | SAWAYAMA | Rina Sawayama | Album, Apr-17-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #26 | RE-ANIMATOR | Everything Everything | Album, Sep-11-2020, Art Pop |
| #27 | What's Your Pleasure? | Jessie Ware | Album, Jun-26-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #28 | Chromatica | Lady Gaga | Album, May-29-2020, Dance-Pop |
| #29 | Inner Song | Kelly Lee Owens | Album, Aug-28-2020, Tech House |
| #30 | Rough and Rowdy Ways | Bob Dylan | Album, Jun-19-2020, Singer-Songwriter |
| #31 | Starting Over | Chris Stapleton | Album, Nov-13-2020, Contemporary Country |
| #32 | Walking Like We Do | The Big Moon | Album, Jan-10-2020, Indie Pop |
| #33 | Seeking Thrills | Georgia | Album, Jan-10-2020, Synthpop |
| #34 | Lianne La Havas | Lianne La Havas | Album, Jul-17-2020, Neo-Soul |
| #35 | how i'm feeling now | Charli XCX | Album, May-15-2020, Hyperpop |
| #36 | Kitchen Sink | Nadine Shah | Album, Jun-05-2020, Art Rock |
| #37 | Underneath | Code Orange | Album, Mar-13-2020, Metalcore |
| #38 | Petals For Armor | Hayley Williams | Album, May-08-2020, Art Pop |
| #39 | JAGUAR | Victoria Monét | Album, Aug-07-2020, Contemporary R&B |
| #40 | color theory | Soccer Mommy | Album, Feb-28-2020, Singer-Songwriter |