best of 2020
I know I said I’d have this for you in January — but I finished writing it early and wanted to share! So without further ado, here are my favorite albums of 2020.
Tied for #1: Taylor Swift: folklore
Why I love it: The moment the opening lines of “the 1” began, I knew we were in for something different. This is the first album of Taylor Swift’s where there hasn’t been at least one song, usually an annoying single (i’m talking about “Look What You Made Me Do” and “ME!”) which makes it impossible for me to really truly love a Taylor Swift album. But I really found no flaws in folklore.
Favorite song/lyric: august:
Back when we were still changin’ for the better/
Wanting was enough/
For me, it was enough
Tied for #1: Taylor Swift: evermore
Why I love it: The best parts of folklore carried on through evermore, making it the second Taylor Swift album that I loved the entire way through. Taylor’s writing is -- as always -- genius, and her collaborations this time around are even more haunting (I’m talking about when bon iver comes in in the middle of evermore, CHILLS).
Favorite song/lyric: tolerate it
I know my love should be celebrated/
But you tolerate it.
#3: Halsey: Manic
Why I love it: This is Halsey’s first album from the perspective of herself -- Ashley -- and not from a world/characters she’s created -- and it shows. This is her baring her heart for all of us to see -- from bad relationships to her miscarriages to finally learning how to love herself -- and it’s incredibly relatable.
Favorite song/lyric: Graveyard
Oh it’s funny how/
The warning signs can feel like they’re butterflies
#4: Lennon Stella: Three.Two.One.
Why I Love It: I’ve loved Lennon since her days of covering pop songs with her sister and her run on Nashville, and am so thrilled to hear her own songs now. Three.Two. One is her first real album, and it’s incredibly well written and vulnerable -- ranging from her love life to the pain of her parents’ divorce (don’t miss the haunting duet she did with her sister, Weakness/Huey Lewis).
Favorite song/lyric: Fear Of Being Alone
I get the feeling it’s not love that keeps us holding on/
It’s not love that keeps us holding on/
It’s the fear of, it’s the fear of being alone
#5: Allie X: Cape God
Why I Love It: Cape God is delightfully weird, starting with a song that is, on the surface, about laundry -- and cycling through her “gloom(y)” past to not fitting in to, I kid you not, a rockabilly kiss. And don’t miss the collaborations with Mitski and Troye Sivan.
Favorite song/lyrics: Love Me Wrong (with Troye Sivan)
I’ll never be how you remember me/
So I’d rather be in your memory
#6: MisterWives: SUPERBLOOM
Why I Love It: It’s an album that’s about pain -- but is ultimately about the path towards overcoming that pain, with a fast beat and optimistic lyrics that I find uplifting to listen to.
Favorite song/lyrics: whywhywhy
I turn up my speakers/
So I can drown my thoughts just a little bit quicker
#7: Waxahatchee: Saint Cloud
Why I Love It: Saint Cloud is Katie Crutchfield’s first album since she got sober in 2018, and this album is all new sounds and new beginnings, ranging from her recent breakup to how to learn to love herself (yeah, I do love music when it’s about personal growth!).
Favorite song/lyrics: Fire
If I could love you unconditionally/
I could iron out the edges of the darkest sky
#8: Kacy Hill: Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again
Why I Love It: Kacy’s voice is gorgeous, and, like many of the artists on this list, I enjoy the honest simplicity of her lyrics.
Favorite song/lyrics: Much Higher
Am I thinking too much about what I do?/
Maybe forgiveness is a waiting room
#9: Donna Missal: Lighter
Why I Love It: Donna Missal’s music has this retro 90s confessional female power music feel that keeps me listening.
Favorite song/lyric: Hurt By You
Always on the train, never on the track/
So I’m jumping before the crash
#10: Yumi Zouma: Truth or Consequences
Why I Love It: Yumi Zouma does a great job of contrasting their fairly dark lyrics with much lighter sound. It’s a comforting listen.
Favorite song/lyrics: Sage
I’ll burn, treason isn’t worth the wait or dedication/
Confusion, gripping at my throat with choked infatuation
#11: Sarah Close: And Now, We’re Shining
Why I Love It: I’m a sucker for albums that sound like they come straight from the singer’s diary.
Favorite song/lyric: You Say
That bar, we stole those shots/
Now you’re backtracking like I’m keys that you forgot
#12: Snarls: Burst
Why I Love It: In an age when so much music is edited and processed to perfection, it’s refreshing to hear something that’s just raw voices and guitars, something that might not be perfect but sure is a lot of fun to listen to.
Favorite song/lyrics: Walk In The Woods
You’ve got me in a knot/
And it’s my fault it’s tied
a bonus read:
This bonkers twitter thread that claims Hilaria Baldwin has been lying about being from Spain for years? Click below for more.
And now, for real, Happy New Year!