Top 50 Albums of 2020
I feel like a lot of people have a problem with “ranked” lists.
It’s probably because of how music is so subjective. Hard to objectify exactly what makes an album good to everyone – if that’s even possible.
That’s why, while this is most certainly a Top 50 list in ranking order, it is based on my personal taste. The only difference between discussing this with some friends over a beer is that I have a platform to share it with so many more of you!
I’ve compiled my list into a handy gallery, and break down my top 10 picks in a little more detail.
There’s no real scoring template for this; it’s mostly just based on how I feel while listening to the record, how interesting and entertaining it is to me, and frankly, how often I can listen to it without getting bored. There’s no rubric or Pitchfork level 3.7-type shit going on here – it’s just what I would spend money on if I could walk into an HMV and buy 50 albums from this year.
That’s probably the best way to explain it.
I also wanted to take this moment to say thank you to everyone for supporting me this year. I’m very proud to say that not only has my following and traffic doubled since fully committing to this full-time in March, but I feel like my love for music and developing a brand has also grown two sizes.
But the main thing is, Dusty Organ is getting bigger and better, and considering how much I was able to accomplish in just 9 months (insert baby joke here), it makes me thrilled to see what comes next in 2021. IMAGINE IF LIVE SHOWS HAPPEN AGAIN AND MY CONCERT GALLERY CAN GROW AND I CAN DO INTERVIEWS IN PERSON?!
Crazy stuff.
If you’d like to follow me on this journey, you can find Dusty Organ on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify to stay up to date on new releases. As well, you can sign up for my monthly newsletter and visit my Patreon account if you’d like to show your support (or buy a toque from me at the shop).
Here is my Top 50 Albums of 2020 List…
#10
Alice Ivy – Don’t Sleep
Australian producer Alice Ivy hit a homerun with her sophomore album Don’t Sleep. With the intention of working with a diverse team of collaborators and features, the electronic record is one of many different colours, shapes, and sizes, and is a healthy dose of positive energy and upbeat vibes.
To quote myself, “There’s a little bit of everything, letting Alice show-off her versatility and expertise as a producer; but at the same time there’s a familiarity to the album that makes it feel as if it’s your best friend showing you their music and it fucking rocks”.
Favourite track: “Don’t Sleep”
#9
Rina Sawayama – Sawayama
Since I first heard the track “Comme Des Garçons” back in January, I’ve been proclaiming Rina Sawayama as the future queen of pop. Her debut album Sawayama was the best pop album of 2020 – beating out Dua Lipa, Ariana Grande, and even Miley Cyrus’ genre-switching release.
Sawayama is daring, bold, and exciting and her intensity as a person and an artist comes through so strongly on the album it’s almost hypnotic, like a feisty cult leader.
Favourite track: “STFU!”
P.S. Check out this sweet behind-the-scenes of this music video.
#8
CLT DRP – Without the Eyes
For fem-punk trio CLT DRP (it’s pronounced clit drip), their debut record Without the Eyes tackles feminism, empowerment, and self-depreciation in a messy, yet seamless blend of female-pop, electro-punk, and avant-garde hardcore punk. It’s wild and progressive, pushing the boundaries of punk into a modern dimension with plenty of flare, frustration, and tenacity.
Favourite track: “Where The Boys Are”
#7
Dizzy – The Sun and Her Scorch
Heartbreak, death, and the unpredictable anxiety of navigating your 20’s is a sparks note version of Oshawa quartet Dizzy’s latest record The Sun and Her Scorch. The combination of the group’s candid lyrics and expansive alternative rock sound produces dazzling results that draw you in with a vulnerability that’s too magnetic to be ignored.
Favourite track: “Beatrice”
#6
IDLES – Ultra Mono
Admittedly, this one slipped my radar earlier this year when it was released back in September, but fortunately Brit-punk group IDLES managed to sneak their way into my top 10 with their feverish, politically-charged, and dynamite third album Ultra Mono. The familiar patriotism and brash mix of post-hardcore and post-punk come through loud and clear on this one, as the Bristol five-piece take the influences of the pioneers of the genres and throwing it into a blender with screws and nails.
But remember: they insist they “are not a fucking punk band”.
Favourite track: “War”
#5
Kasbo – The Making of A Paracosm
For Swedish producer Kasbo, the combination of both the best and worst years of his life (which included a surprise scare with hearing loss) lead to his stunning album The Making of A Paracosm. His strength as a producer and songwriter combine wonderfully on this record, branching into glitchy house, ambient instrumentals, upbeat electro-pop, and futuristic EDM.
There’s a lot going on but in the best way possible, and to top it off, the hooks on some of these songs are *chef kiss*.
As we get further to the bottom of the list, picking a “favourite” track is becoming increasingly more and more difficult.
Favourite track: “Staying In Love”
(It’s been on my Starting Line-Up Top 20 since September, just saying)
#4
Caribou – Suddenly
Dan Snaith doesn’t just make music, he truly understands it. He has a doctorate in mathematics, and his kaleidoscopic sounds are, in a nutshell, patterns and numbers turned into hypnotic dance music built around trance and house. Tying it all together, Snaith touches on personal issues such as divorce, death, and other perils of middle age to insert himself directly into the music. But even then, that falls second to his production skills; the term “beat making” would almost seem derogatory for what he manages to create. It’s art.
Not to mention it was a short list nominee for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize.
Favourite track: “Never Come Back”
#3
Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
Kevin Parker is at it again – making music that blurs the line of genre but also is firmly planted in his psych-rock style. On this fourth release, it feels like Parker is at his best at parts, and somehow manages to sound completely fresh and familiar simultaneously, experimenting further with hip-hop and prog-rock on some of the tracks. I sense The Slow Rush will be something revisited often.
Favourite track: “Lost In Yesterday”
#2
Glass Animals – Dreamland
Are we surprised that the new Glass Animals and Tame Impala are finding their way into the top three albums of the year? Am I too predictable?
Either way, the new Glass Animals’ record is another colossal release from the UK outfit. Frontman Dave Bayley leads the way once again, mixing his beat-heavy indie pop with imaginative and futuristic elements. Everything about this record is catchy and undoubtably ear-pleasing, and it doesn’t just resort to cliché phrases and topics to appeal to the masses – there’s a personality and roundness to it that feels real and genuine.
Favourite track: “Heat Waves”
(Raise your hand if you’ve listened to this song over 100 times this year)
#1
Jack Garratt – Love, Death & Dancing
Well, here we are. Number one.
Some of you may disagree, or not even know who this guy is (shame, shame), but Love, Death, & Dancing from multi-instrumentalist Jack Garratt is certainly deserving of the nod due to his musicianship, the lyrical cathartic ties, and its overall sincerity as a record.
After the ground-breaking success of his 2016 debut Phases, Garratt was met with a quarter-life crisis, unsure in himself and his music, and more surprisingly, his happiness. A three year hiatus that was partially due to a crippling battle with depression and suicidal thoughts eventually reignited his need to create – or meet his maker.
While a number of the records on the list were given higher grades, Love, Death, & Dancing is ray of hope in dark times, something that been pushed into highest priority during 2020. Plus, it has Garratt moving seamlessly between heartbreaking rawness and punchy hooks, like a double drop of uppers and downers. I’ve listened to this record in its entirety probably more than any other album on this list, and for whatever reason, I’m drawn into Garratt’s mind and music, and I hope you are, too.
Favourite track: “Better”
