Asad Raja
Words by Asad Raja
Last year I was lockdown-brained enough to put together a ranked list of my top 100 albums of 2020. Since I'm slightly less sedentary this time around, I've decided to double down and go for a 50 album list. Disclaimer: the rankings are based on pure gut-feeling, not to be taken too seriously. I'll definitely change my mind about this list as I have about last year's (Jessie Ware at #88??) but the point is, these are 50 albums that came out this year which are worth your time. Here's a messy playlist with all the albums that were in consideration. And here's a more curated playlist with my top 3 tracks from each of the 50 picks:
50. Shelley FKA DRAM - Shelley FKA DRAM
Top Tracks: Something About Us, Cooking With Grease, Remedies
Genre(s): Funk, R&B
49. Yasuke - Flying Lotus
Top Tracks: Black Gold, Crust, Pain and Blood
Genre(s): Psychedelic Jazz, Experimental, Soundtrack
48. Half God - Wiki
Top Tracks: Never Fall Off, Wik Da God, All I Need
Genre(s): Underground Hip Hop
47. DRONES - Terrace Martin
Top Tracks: Leave Us Be, Tapped, Griots of the Crenshaw District
Genre(s): Jazz, Hip Hop
46. Solar Power - Lorde
Top Tracks: Secrets from a Girl (Who's Seen it All), Dominoes, Mood Ring
Genre(s): Pop, Indie Folk
45. 333 - Tinashe
Top Tracks: Bouncin, Unconditional, Small Reminders
Genre(s): R&B, Hip Hop
44. Tales from the Old Dominion - DJ Harrison
Top Tracks: Be Better, 2021 Disco, City Lights
Genre(s): Jazz, Funk, Hip Hop
43. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert - Little Simz
Top Tracks: Rollin Stone, Protect My Energy, How Did You Get Here
Genre(s): UK Rap, Alternative Hip Hop
42. Desire - Desire Marea
Top Tracks: Zibuyile Izimakade, The Void, Uncle Kenny
Genre(s): Experimental, Electronic, Dance, Operatic
41. LP! - JPEGMAFIA
Top Tracks: ARE U HAPPY?, DAM! DAM! DAM!, NEMO!
Genre(s): Experimental Hip Hop
40. Vulture Prince - Arooj Aftab
Top Tracks: Mohabbat, Saanas Lo, Suroor
Genre(s): Sufi, Vocalist, Minimalist
39. The Plugs I Met 2 - Benny The Butcher
Top Tracks: When Tony Met Sosa, Plug Talk, Thanksgiving
Genre(s): Gangsta Rap
38. Conflict Of Interest - Ghetts
Top Tracks: Mozambique, IC3, Little Bo Peep
Genre(s): UK Rap
37. Absolutely - Dijon
Top Tracks: Big Mike's, Talk Down, Many Times
Genre(s): Indie Folk, R&B
36. The Melodic Blue - Baby Keem
Top Tracks: pink panties, range brothers, south africa
Genre(s): Trap
35. CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST - Tyler, the Creator
Top Tracks: CORSO, WILSHIRE, SAFARI
Genre(s): Alternative Hip Hop
34. When Smoke Rises - Mustafa
Top Tracks: Stay Alive, Air Forces, Ali
Genre(s): Indie Folk, Vocalist
33. Daddy's Home - St. Vincent
Top Tracks: The Melting Of The Sun, Somebody Like Me, ...At The Holiday Party
Genre(s): Indie Rock, Art Pop
32. La Maquina - Conway the Machine
Top Tracks: Sister Abigail, Grace, Scatter Brain
Genre(s): Gansta Rap
31. CRAWLER - Idles
Top Tracks: MTT 420 RR, The Beachland Ballroom, King Snake
Genre(s): Punk
30. Nine - SAULT
Top Tracks: London Gangs, 9, Lights In Your Hand
Genre(s): Neo-Soul, Jazz
29. WEIGHT OF THE WORLD - Maxo Kream
Top Tracks: CRIPSTIAN, THEY SAY, MAMA'S PURSE
Genre(s): Trap, Gangsta Rap
28. Shout Out! To Freedom... - Nightmares On Wax
Top Tracks: Creator SOS, Wikid Satellites, Wonder
Genre(s): Jazz, Trip Hop
27. Tempus - Issa Gold
Top Tracks: Options, Withdrawn, Jealousy
Genre(s): Hip Hop
26. Bo Jackson - Boldy James & The Alchemist
Top Tracks: Brickmile To Montana, Diamond Dallas, Illegal Search & Seizure
Genre(s): Gangsta Rap
25. Sling - Clairo
Top Tracks: Amoeba, Zinnias, Just For Today
Genre(s): Indie Folk
24. The YOD Fahim - Your Old Droog & Tha God Fahim
Top Tracks: Stretch, Disney World, WNBA
Genre(s): Underground Hip Hop
23. Blue Weekend - Wolf Alice
Top Tracks: Lipstick On The Glass, How Can I Make It OK?, The Last Man on Earth
Genre(s): Indie Rock
22. Magic - Nas
Top Tracks: Ugly, Wu for the Children, Wave Gods
Genre(s): Hip Hop
21. SOUR - Olivia Rodrigo
Top Tracks: brutal, deja vu, good 4 u
Genre(s): Pop, Emo Rock
20. Under the Lilac Sky - Arushi Jain
Top Tracks: The Sun Swirls Within You, Cultivating Self Love, Under The Lilac Sky
Genre(s): Electronic, Trance, Indian Classical
19. By the Time I Get to Phoenix - Injury Reserve
Top Tracks: Superman That, Top Picks for You, Postpostpartum
Genre(s): Experimental Hip Hop
18. Don't Go Tellin' Your Momma - Topaz Jones
Top Tracks: Amphetamines, Sourbelts, Gold
Genre(s): Hip Hop
17. Jubilee - Japanese Breakfast
Top Tracks: Paprika, Slide Tackle, Savage Good Boy
Genre(s): Indie Rock, Art Pop
16. damnshestamil - Priya Ragu
Top Tracks: Chicken Lemon Rice, Kamali, Santhosam
Genre(s): R&B, Hip Hop, Tamil Classical
15. We're All Alone In This Together - Dave
Top Tracks: Three Rivers, Both Sides Of A Smile, Heart Attack
Genre(s): UK Rap
14. Things Take Time, Take Time - Courtney Barnett
Top Tracks: Sunfair Sundown, Take It Day by Day, If I Don't Heat from You Tonight
Genre(s): Indie Rock
13. Planet Her - Doja Cat
Top Tracks: Naked, Get Into It (Yuh), Kiss Me More
Genre(s): Pop Rap
12. Haram - Armand Hammer & The Alchemist
Top Tracks: Black Sunlight, Falling out the Sky, Stonefruit
Genre(s): Underground Hip Hop, Abstract Hip Hop
11. Vince Staples - Vince Staples
Top Tracks: ARE YOU WITH THAT?, SUNDOWN TOWN, TAKE ME HOME
Genre(s): Alternative Hip Hop, Trap
10. Epic Ten - Sharon Van Etten & Guests
Top Tracks: One Day, Peace Signs (By IDLES), Love More (By Fiona Apple)
Genre(s): Indie Folk, Indie Rock
9. Pray For Haiti - Mach-Hommy & Westside Gunn
Top Tracks: The 26th Letter, The Stellar Ray Theory, Marie
Genre(s): Gangsta Rap
8. Bring Backs - Alfa Mist
Top Tracks: Teki, Attune, Organic Rust
Genre(s): Jazz, Hip Hop
7. to hell with it - PinkPantheress
Top Tracks: Pain, Just for me, Nineteen
Genre(s): UK Garage, Dance, Liquid D&B, Pop
6. The House Is Burning - Isaiah Rashad
Top Tracks: Darkseid, RIP Young, HB2U
Genre(s): Alternative Hip Hop, Trap
5. ALPHA - Charlotte Day Wilson
Top Tracks: I Can Only Whisper, Mountains, Take Care of You
Genre(s): Alternative R&B, Soul
4. Black To The Future - Sons of Kemet
Top Tracks: Pick Up Your Burning Cross, Hustle, Envision Yourself Levitating
Genre(s): Experimental Jazz
3. TYRON - Slowthai
Top Tracks: PLAY WITH FIRE, focus, nhs
Genre(s): UK Rap, Alternative Hip Hop
2. Promises - Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra
Top Tracks: Movement 4, Movement 6, Movement 7
Genre(s): Experimental Jazz, Orchestral
1. Smiling With No Teeth - Genesis Owusu
Top Tracks: Don't Need You, Gold Chain, Smiling with No Teeth
Genre(s): Experimental Rock, Experimental Hip Hop, Experimental Folk, ...Experimental