BY: Alexis Eichelberger

It’s been a long, strange year, but a good one for music. It was almost impossible to narrow our list of favorite 2020 releases down to a manageable number. But we’ve assembled an index for your listening pleasure.

In no particular order, here are a dozen of the best albums this year:

 

Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia

We begin with one of the most memorable and hit-filled albums released in 2020. Dua Lipa’s sophomore record Future Nostalgia is a pop masterpiece from start to finish.

 

Miley Cyrus’ Plastic Hearts

Miley Cyrus tumbled headfirst into rock and roll this year. Plastic Hearts is undoubtedly the best she’s ever released and clarifies that she really is a rock star.

 

Mac Miller’s Circles

Mac Miller left his final mark on music this year with the release of his posthumous album Circles. It’s full of thoughtful, moving hip-hop tracks with soothing melodies and groovy beats.

 

Taylor Swift’s folklore

It wasn’t easy to choose a favorite between Taylor Swift’s two masterful releases from 2020, but folklore takes the crown. Swift’s songwriting was the best it’s ever been as she crafted this delicate indie-pop record full of emotion and lyrical storytelling.

 

Tame Impala’s The Slow Rush

The incomparable Kevin Parker returned this year with Tame Impala’s first release in five years. The Slow Rush is full of complicated, beautiful combinations, and we couldn’t stop listening all year long.

 

Phoebe Bridgers’ Punisher

During a very emotional year, Phoebe Bridgers still managed to make us feel more deeply. Her album Punisher was one of the releases that impacted us most in 2020, and it earned her a Grammy nomination, too. 

 

Fiona Apple’s Fetch the Bolt Cutters

Indeed, Fetch the Bolt Cutters is like nothing we’ve ever heard. It combines hardship and humor to create art, and Fiona Apple deserves all the praise for her unexpected yet delightful accomplishment.

 

Halsey’s Manic

The Recording Academy may have forgotten about it, but we certainly didn’t. Halsey’s third album Manic is a cohesive and moving masterpiece that will stick with us long after 2020.

 

Lady Gaga’s Chromatica

When we desperately needed an escape from this world, Lady Gaga built us a new one. She returned to her electro-pop roots with Chromatica and reminded us why we keep falling in love with her year after year.

 

Ariana Grande’s Positions

Ariana Grande has walked along the edge of R&B for years, but she dove headfirst into it in 2020. Positions is a sexy, sultry record and includes some of her best work to date.

 

Machine Gun Kelly’s Tickets To My Downfall

When Machine Gun Kelly announced he was releasing a pop-punk record, critics were skeptical. But, Tickets To My Downfall is a refreshing triumph and one of our favorite surprises of the year.

 

HAIM’s Women in Music Pt. III

Women saved rock this year, and HAIM led the way. The sister act’s album Women in Music Pt. III is a lyrical and instrumental delight, full of groovy guitar and exquisite harmonies.