The Best Albums of 2020

It’s that time of year again: December. Unlike other people who come up with “best of” lists, I use a totally scientific method, and therefore my list is more correct: Emacs tallies which albums I’ve listened to the most in 2020, and those are ipso facto cogito alea jacta hoc the best albums of the year.

ARE YOU DOUBTING SCIENCE

Irreversible Entanglements

Who Sent You?

Sacred Paws

Run Around The Sun

Gil Scott-Heron

We’re New Here (a Reimagining by Makaya McCraven)

Nihiloxica

Kaloli

75 Dollar Bill

I Was Real

Adult.

Perception is-as-of Deception

Joan as Police Woman

Cover Two

Max de Wardener

Music For Detuned Pianos

Peter Broderick & Friends

Play More Arthur Russell

Yves Tumor

Heaven To A Tortured Mind

Aksak Maboul

Figures

Four Tet

Sixteen Oceans

Shirley Collins

Heart’s Ease

Shopping

All Or Nothing

The Soft Pink Truth

Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase

So there you have it: Irreversible Entanglements released the best album this year. I hope somebody notifies the AP of these developments.

But I didn’t just buy new music this year. No. I’ve never been discoging more. It’s almost like I was spending more time on the couch this year than previous years. I don’t know why. (I seem to have acquired about 450-ish releases this year.) So here’s the best old music that I discovered this year. It’s slightly less scientific because of the selection criteria.

Fad Gadget

Fireside Favourites

Trash Kit

Confidence

Severed Heads

Clifford Darling, Please Don’t Live In The Past

Tuxedomoon

Live At The Palms (1978)

Biting Tongues

Don’t Heal

Brian Auger & Julie Tippetts

Encore

Don Armando’s 2nd Avenue Band

Don Armando’s 2nd Avenue Band

Mike Rutherford

Smallcreep’s Day

Aksak Maboul

Before and After Bandits

David Allred

Alone on Friendship Island

Jerry Harrison

The Red And The Black

Jim Black Trio

Reckon

Keith Tippett, Julie Tippett, Trevor Watts, Colin McKenzie

Warm Spirits, Cool Spirits

Kid Creole & The Coconuts

Off the Coast of Me

Mars

3E

It’s been the best year ever, both for new and old music.

Except for some other years.

There. I said it.

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