Thereโs a saying: โBad times create great music!โ Well in 2020, there was plenty of great music to be had. Most of my music shopping was online, but in the Summer time on a few occasions I went into a record store with gloves and browsed for a limited time. It was such a throwback to a happier time. The biggest selling album of 2020 was Taylor Swiftโs Folklore. Here are my favorite albums of the year that kept me sane and then some:
Haimย Women in Music Pt. III
Jeff Tweedyย Love is the King
The Dirty Knobsย Wreckless Abandon
10. Green Dayย Father of Allโฆ
Tie Billie Joe Armstrongย No Fun Mondays
On Green Dayโs best album since 2009, they wore their influences on their sleeve, especially glam and garage. On Billie Joeโs solo compilation of his cover songs he did on social media throughout 2020, he really embraced and paid tribute to his influences!
9. Will Butlerย Generations
The Arcade Fire co-founderโs second solo album was the next best thing to an Arcade Fire album in 2020!
8. Bob Dylanย Rough and Rowdy Ways
Iโm sure Dylan fanatics will come after me for saying this, but Dylanโs 39th studio album is his best since the 70s!
Radiohead guitarist Ed OโBrienโs solo debut has some great alt rockers, many of which would sound right at place on a Radiohead album!
6. Paul McCartneyย McCartney III
Macca follows 1970โs McCartney and 1980โs McCartney II with another album of him playing all instruments, that felt like comfort food in 2020!
5. Sad13ย Haunted Painting
Speedy Ortiz leader Sadie Dupuis really explored her pop tendencies on her second solo album and it pays off bigtime!
It took 46 years for this album to finally be released after Young recorded it and shelved it, but it truly feels like Classic Neil!
Pearl Jam came back with their best album since 2006 and the rock album we needed in 2020!
2. Bruce Springsteenย Letter to You
Bruce and the E Street Band are bigger than the sum of their parts and this is one of their greatest creations since 2002!
1. Fiona Appleย Fetch the Bolt Cutters
Fiona Apple doesnโt release new albums too often (this is her first in 8 years) but when she dropped this song-for-song masterpiece it was well worth the wait! I only hope we donโt have to wait until 2028 for the next album!