Ouch. So, that was 2020. Let’s forget all the peripheral stuff though, for the past 12 months have, inexplicably, and against the odds, arguably been one of the best years for new music we’ve seen in some time! One of the records, granted, namely Neil Young’s ‘Homegrown’ only qualified through a technicality – the songs are from around 45 years ago, yet the album never saw release until June this year, and hence does indeed count as a 2020 album. But while a few ‘elder statesmen and women’ feature on our list with long-players that rank amongst their career-best, there is also an abundance of exciting new, younger artists shining through, such as The Orielles or The Bobby Lees, vibrant and unpredictable, just the way we like our musical fix!
Thus begins our countdown from 100 to 50. The top half of our list will be published next week, so keep your eyes peeled…
100) The Cribs – Night Network
99) Boyracer – On a Promise
98) Riz Ahmed – The Long Goodbye
97) Julianna Barwick – Healing is a Miracle
96) Kate NV – Room For The Moon
95) Country Westerns – Country Westerns
94) Haim – Women In Music Part 3
93) Woodkid – S16
92) The Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus – Songs of Yearning / Nocturnes
91) Chloe x Halle – Ungodly Hour
90) J. Zunz – Hibiscus
89) Black Lips – Sing In A World That’s Falling Apart
88) Grotbags – Grotbags
87) Oranssi Pazuzu – Mestarin Kynsi
86) Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith – The Mosaic Of Transformation
85) Choir Boy – Gathering Swans
84) Thundercat – It Is What It Is
83) Honey Badger – Dorcha
82) Shitkid – 20/20
81) The Flaming Lips – American Head
80) Mart Avi – Vega Never Sets
79) Keeley Forsyth – Debris
78) The Garden – Kiss My Superbowl Ring
77) Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Reunions
76) Hannah Georgas – All That Emotion
75) Manikineter – Copper Fields
74) Frequent Traveller – Real Life
73) Fiona Apple – Fetch The Bolt Cutters
72) The Orielles – Disco Volador
71) The Bobby Lees – Skin Suit
70) Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher
69) Drive-By Truckers – The New OK
68) Nadia Reid – Out Of My Province
67) Lady Gaga – Chromatica
66) Neil Young – Homegrown
65) Colorama – Chaos Wonderland
64) Damien Jurado – What’s New, Tomboy?
63) Raleigh Ritchie – Andy
62) Happy Accidents – Sprawling
61) Annie – Dark Hearts
60) Young Knives – Barbarians
59) Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs – Viscerals
58) Luke Vibert: Rave Hop
57) Four Tet – Sixteen Oceans
56) German Army – Hearing Lola Kiepja
55) Tiña – Positive Mental Health Music
54) Bab L’Bluz – Nayda
53) Matmos – The Consuming Flame
52) ADAM & ELVIS – Pub Grub
51)The Psychedelic Furs – Made Of Rain
