AllMusic New Releases - The 100 Best Albums of 2020

 
The AllMusic New Release Newsletter

The 100 Best Albums of 2020

We close out 2020 with our editors' picks for the year's best music.
Visit our Year in Review hub for the rest of our look back at a very strange year.

 
 
It Is What It Is

Thundercat

It Is What It Is

Brainfeeder

Alternative R&B

star rating

Shaken by the death of Mac Miller, Stephen Bruner nonetheless reaches a new peak with his fourth album.

  Lianne La Havas

Lianne La Havas

Lianne La Havas

Warner Records

Contemporary Singer/Songwriter

star rating

The Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter takes the reins for her third album and shouldn't let go.

  Fetch the Bolt Cutters

Fiona Apple

Fetch the Bolt Cutters

Epic

Adult Alternative Pop/Rock

star rating

A dense, unpredictable, and joyfully cathartic fifth album from Fiona Apple.

 
 
 

Year in Review

Our look at the best music of 2020 winds down with the year's best jazz, indie rock & pop, blues, R&B, and rock albums.

  blog image
 
 
 

Year in Review

It's your last chance to vote for your favorite albums of the year in the AllMusic Readers' Poll.

  blog image
 
 
Punisher

Phoebe Bridgers

Punisher

Dead Oceans

Alternative Singer/Songwriter

The New Abnormal

The Strokes

The New Abnormal

RCA

Alternative/Indie Rock

folklore

Taylor Swift

folklore

Republic / Revolver Records…

Adult Alternative Pop/Rock

After Hours

The Weeknd

After Hours

Republic

Alternative R&B

RTJ4

Run the Jewels

RTJ4

BMG

Hardcore Rap

Chromatica

Lady Gaga

Chromatica

Interscope / Polydor

Dance-Pop

Shore

Fleet Foxes

Shore

Anti-

Alternative/Indie Rock

The Slow Rush

Tame Impala

The Slow Rush

Interscope

Alternative/Indie Rock

Women in Music, Pt. 3

HAIM

Women in Music, Pt. 3

Columbia / Sony Music

Adult Alternative Pop/Rock

Reunions

Jason Isbell

Reunions

Southeastern Records

Alternative Country-Rock

Power Up

AC/DC

Power Up

Columbia

Album Rock

I Disagree

Poppy

I Disagree

Sumerian Records

Pop-Metal

Petals for Armor

Hayley Williams

Petals for Armor

Atlantic

Alternative/Indie Rock

Alter Ego

Prince Royce

Alter Ego

Sony Music

Bachata

Cha Cha Palace

Angelica Garcia

Cha Cha Palace

Spacebomb

Alternative/Indie Rock

Loom

Katie Gately

Loom

Houndstooth

Experimental Electronic

color theory

Soccer Mommy

color theory

Loma Vista

Alternative/Indie Rock

Future Nostalgia

Dua Lipa

Future Nostalgia

Warner Records

Dance-Pop

Motherhood

No Joy

Motherhood

Joyful Noise

Noise Pop

Ohms

Deftones

Ohms

Reprise

Alternative Metal

What's Your Pleasure?

Jessie Ware

What's Your Pleasure?

Virgin EMI

Alternative Dance

Years

John Anderson

Years

BMG / BMG

Contemporary Country

Rough and Rowdy Ways

Bob Dylan

Rough and Rowdy Ways

Columbia

Contemporary Pop/Rock

Walking Proof

Lilly Hiatt

Walking Proof

New West

Contemporary Singer/Songwriter

Your Life Is a Record

Brandy Clark

Your Life Is a Record

Warner Bros.

Contemporary Country

We Are Sent Here by History

Shabaka & the Ancestors

We Are Sent Here by History

Impulse!

Avant-Garde Jazz

Heaven to a Tortured Mind

Yves Tumor

Heaven to a Tortured Mind

Warp

Alternative R&B

Magic Oneohtrix Point…

Oneohtrix Point Never

Magic Oneohtrix Point…

Warp

Ambient

Traditional Techniques

Stephen Malkmus

Traditional Techniques

Matador

Indie Rock

Big Conspiracy

J Hus

Big Conspiracy

Black Butter

British Rap

Workaround

Beatrice Dillon

Workaround

Pan

Experimental Techno

Shortly After Takeoff

BC Camplight

Shortly After Takeoff

Bella Union

Indie Pop

Miss Colombia

Lido Pimienta

Miss Colombia

Anti-

Afro-Colombian

Private Lives

Low Cut Connie

Private Lives

Alternative/Indie Rock

Who Sent You?

Irreversible Entanglements

Who Sent You?

International Anthem

Free Jazz

The Album

Teyana Taylor

The Album

Def Jam / Getting Out Our…

Contemporary R&B

Warnings

I Break Horses

Warnings

Bella Union

Dream Pop

Healing Is a Miracle

Julianna Barwick

Healing Is a Miracle

Ninja Tune

Ambient

Little Dominiques Nosebleed

The Koreatown Oddity

Little Dominiques Nosebleed

Stones Throw

Left-Field Rap

There Is No Year

Algiers

There Is No Year

Matador

Indie Rock

Sex, Death & the Infinite…

Creeper

Sex, Death & the Infinite…

Roadrunner / Roadrunner Records

Alternative/Indie Rock

Feral

RVG

Feral

Fire Records

Indie Rock

Kidbug

Kidbug

Kidbug

Joyful Noise

Alternative/Indie Rock

Set My Heart on Fire Immediately

Perfume Genius

Set My Heart on Fire Immediately

Matador

Alternative Singer/Songwriter

YHLQMDLG

Bad Bunny

YHLQMDLG

Rimas

Latin Pop

DISCO

Kylie Minogue

DISCO

BMG

Dance-Pop

Shall We Go on Sinning…

The Soft Pink Truth

Shall We Go on Sinning…

Thrill Jockey

House

Endless Space (Between…

Winter

Endless Space (Between…

Bar/None Records

Dream Pop

Sawayama

Rina Sawayama

Sawayama

Dirty Hit

Pop

That's How Rumors Get…

Margo Price

That's How Rumors Get…

Loma Vista

Americana

Imploding the Mirage

The Killers

Imploding the Mirage

Island / Virgin EMI

Alternative/Indie Rock

A Written Testimony

Jay Electronica

A Written Testimony

Roc Nation

East Coast Rap

Rakka

Vladislav Delay

Rakka

Cosmo Rhythmatic

Experimental Electronic

Splid

Kvelertak

Splid

Rise Records

Heavy Metal

3.15.2020

Childish Gambino

3.15.2020

mcDJ Recording

Alternative R&B

Be Water

Christian Sands

Be Water

Mack Avenue

Contemporary Jazz

Song for Our Daughter

Laura Marling

Song for Our Daughter

Chrysalis Records

Alternative Singer/Songwriter

Mordechai

Khruangbin

Mordechai

Dead Oceans

Neo-Psychedelia

B7

Brandy

B7

Brand Nu, Inc.

Contemporary R&B

Un Canto por Mexico, Vol.…

Natalia Lafourcade

Un Canto por Mexico, Vol.…

Mexican Traditions

Descendants of Cain

Ka

Descendants of Cain

Iron Works Records

Underground Rap

Rose in the Dark

Cleo Sol

Rose in the Dark

Forever Living Originals

Alternative R&B

Heart's Ease

Shirley Collins

Heart's Ease

Domino

British Folk

Blue Hearts

Bob Mould

Blue Hearts

Merge

Alternative/Indie Rock

Alive in the Wilderness

Endless Field

Alive in the Wilderness

Biophilia

Modern Creative

England Is a Garden

Cornershop

England Is a Garden

Ample Play

Alternative/Indie Rock

Ungodly Hour

Chloe x Halle

Ungodly Hour

Parkwood Entertainment

Contemporary R&B

Dialogues On Race, Vol.…

Gregg August

Dialogues On Race, Vol.…

Gregg August

Modern Big Band

Mind Hive

Wire

Mind Hive

Pink Flag

Alternative/Indie Rock

Wild Wild East

Sunny Jain

Wild Wild East

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

International Fusion

L' Ère du Verseau

Yelle

L' Ère du Verseau

Recreation Center

Pop

Microphones in 2020

The Microphones

Microphones in 2020

P.W. Elverum & Sun

Alternative/Indie Rock

Source

Nubya Garcia

Source

Concord

Contemporary Jazz

Listening to the Music

Zephaniah OHora

Listening to the Music

Last Roundup Records

Alternative Country-Rock

Silver Ladders

Mary Lattimore

Silver Ladders

Ghostly International / Secretly…

Experimental Ambient

Whole New Mess

Angel Olsen

Whole New Mess

Jagjaguwar

Alternative Singer/Songwriter

Róisín Machine

Róisín Murphy

Róisín Machine

Skint Records

Club/Dance

Shabrang

Sevdaliza

Shabrang

Butler Records

Alternative Singer/Songwriter

Don't Shy Away

Loma

Don't Shy Away

Sub Pop

Alternative/Indie Rock

Skeletons

Brothers Osborne

Skeletons

Snakefarm Records

Contemporary Country

2020

Magik Markers

2020

Drag City

Alternative/Indie Rock

Blue Eyes, the Harlot,…

Waylon Payne

Blue Eyes, the Harlot,…

Carnival Recording Co.

Americana

SODO Pop

Supercrush

SODO Pop

Don Giovanni

Alternative/Indie Rock

Who Are You?

Joel Ross

Who Are You?

Blue Note

Post-Bop

Untitled (Rise)

Sault

Untitled (Rise)

Forever Living Originals

Alternative R&B

EDNA

Headie One

EDNA

Relentless

British Rap

If You Feel

Xavier Omär

If You Feel

RCA

Alternative R&B

Manger on McNichols

Boldy James

Manger on McNichols

Sector 7-G

Underground Rap

Aranjuez

Thibaut Garcia

Aranjuez

Erato

Concerto

Mahler 4

Carolyn Sampson

Mahler 4

BIS

Symphony

When Love Speaks: Choral…

Epiphoni Consort

When Love Speaks: Choral…

Delphian

Choral

Schubert, Vol. 2: Symphonies…

Edward Gardner

Schubert, Vol. 2: Symphonies…

Chandos

Symphony

Sibelius: Symphony No.…

Mark Elder

Sibelius: Symphony No.…

Hallé

Symphony

Ash Wednesday

St. John's College Choir, Cambridge

Ash Wednesday

Signum Classics

Choral

Howells: Missa Sabrinensis

Bach Choir

Howells: Missa Sabrinensis

Hyperion

Choral

Thomas Tallis: Spem in…

ORA

Thomas Tallis: Spem in…

Harmonia Mundi

Choral

Jančevskis: Aeternum

Riga Cathedral Choir School Mixed…

Jančevskis: Aeternum

Hyperion

Choral

 
 

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New Music This Week - Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, Maggie Rogers, and More

Friday, December 18, 2020

The AllMusic New Release Newsletter New Releases for December 18, 2020 Here are the AllMusic editors' picks for the most noteworthy releases this week. Looking for more? Visit our New Releases page

New Music This Week - The Avalanches, Kamasi Washington, M. Ward, and More

Friday, December 11, 2020

The AllMusic New Release Newsletter New Releases for December 11, 2020 Here are the AllMusic editors' picks for the most noteworthy releases this week. Looking for more? Visit our New Releases page

New Music This Week - Miley Cyrus, Smashing Pumpkins, the White Stripes, and More

Friday, December 4, 2020

The AllMusic New Release Newsletter New Releases for December 04, 2020 Here are the AllMusic editors' picks for the most noteworthy releases this week. Looking for more? Visit our New Releases page

New Music This Week - King Gizzard, Jimi Hendrix, the War on Drugs, and More

Friday, November 20, 2020

The AllMusic New Release Newsletter New Releases for November 20, 2020 Here are the AllMusic editors' picks for the most noteworthy releases this week. Looking for more? Visit our New Releases page

New Music This Week - AC/DC, Chris Stapleton, Elton John, and More

Friday, November 13, 2020

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