The DEFINITIVE Best Albums of 2020

People of the Internet: I listened to new music almost constantly this year once quarantine started because of all the "working from home",  and I was also more conscientious about buying music (Spotify Suckstm), so I decided to put together a DEFINITIVE list of best albums of 2020. Also, here's a Spotify list of new songs that I made as the year went on: 2020 is Gonna Be Different I Swear (Spotify Suckstm)

1. Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud I listened to this album more than any other during quarantine and never got tired of it. That's why. Just a bunch of great, personal songs that are hooky as hell. Not digging this video, though. 
2. Sault -Untitled (Rise) Both of these mysterious Sault albums feel like great film soundtracks. Rise has catchier songs, so it goes first. 
3. Sault - Untitled (Black Is) There's a whole world in this one released as BLM exploded everywhere, music of the moment. 
4. Songhoy - Blues Optimisme - Recently got into this band produced by Matt Sweeney, every song just jumps. I read that they're a Malian protest band, but all I really know is they make great music.            
5. Steve Earle and the Dukes - Ghosts of West Virginia - This guy has come a long way from back when he was just the worst actor on "The Wire". Mr. Earle probably never made a bad album, but this one, made up of songs from the Broadway play, "Coal Country", is especially strong. The songs were built from interviews conducted with miners and families involved in the 2010 Big Branch mine disaster.
6. Ratboys - Printer's Devil They sound like a really good early 90's indie band. Would like to see these guys at the Middle East if bands and the Middle East still exist. (yay) Oh wait, I forgot the Middle East is partially owned by a skeevy douchebag so I won't going there. (boo) But supposedly the owners are selling, so maybe I can go there again. (yay) But they'll almost certainly sell to some souless international developer who'll build a giant condo building, so I won't have a chance. (boo) Maybe I'll see them instead at TT's. (boo) Or Johnny D's (boo) or Great Scott (boo). Sinclair? (yay?) I guess they had a pretty good video budget for this one.
7. Jayhawks - XOXO Look, I still miss Marc Olson's harmonies but I ALSO still like the Jayhawks brand of music. My guess is Olson just got tired of other founding member Gary Louris' rock star persona: flying V guitar, excessive drinking, basketball dunking, "We're an Americana band, Gary, not goddam Aerosmith!" The songs, the hooks, the harmonies on this album are better than say, Jason Isbell, a guy who is a really strong songwriter in a similar vein, but who's sound can be pretty boring (which is why Reunions is not on here). This is near top shelf Jayhawks so it makes my list.
8. Antibalas - FU Chronicles - Afrobeat /Cuban band from NYC that does the thing it does perfectly. I was going to see them for the first time in April 2020 and I'm mad about it.  
9. Neil Young - Homegrown - Neil canned this album in the mid-70's because it was too personal, instead putting out the much bleaker Tonight's the Night, which is also great. I guess 70's Neil thought, "Damn, I'm putting out way too much incredible music so I'll just sit on this till the pandemic of 2020 when probably some dumbass in Cambridge will be looking to blow money on vinyl." A mix of great vintage Neil and 1 or 2 crappy druggie diversions
10. Run the Jewels - RTJ4 Ju$t with Zach De La Rocha is amazing. I wish Rage Against the Machine put out a Trump album, but I guess they did that 25 years ago. The righteous authority in Killer Mike's voice reaches James Earl Jones' heights. Wait a minute, Killer Mike as Darth Vader? Somebody get me Mickey Mouse on the phone! (Killer Mike also had a cameo in the Best Show of 2020, "The Good Lord Bird"...I feel another list coming on)

HONOURABLE MENTIOUNS:

• Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher Could be in the top 10, but she's too popular now so I can't. Sorry, Phoebe.
• Haim - Women in Music Part III Several catchy songs, great videos, whenever you can get PTA to do your videos, you do it.
• Lydia Loveless - Daughter This was a slow-burner. At first listen nothing jumped out, but the songs and the lyrics really grew on me.
• Thao and the Get Down Staydown - Temple Always into her whole icy, intimate vibe
• The Weeknd - Afterhours The only artist on this list to get beat up by Adam Sandler.
• Sturgill Simpson - Cuttin' Grass 1 Sturgill tosses off an album of his songs reworked as bluegrass and it's good
• Chromatics - Closer to Grey Gets the Twin Peaks bump
• Fiona Apple - Fetch the Boltcutters Fiona Apple is an interesting musician and this album is good! I would prefer less of some stuff, like the dolphin noises.
• Porridge Radio - Every Bad A LOT of Dresden Dolls, A little PJ Harvey
• Deep Sea Diver - Impossible Weight Title track with Sharon Van Etten is good rock 'n roll music