Las Vegas Weekly
(Clockwise from top left) Fiona Apple, Run the Jewels, Gunn-Truscinski Duo, Grimes, Perfume Genius, Gorillaz
Geoff Carter
It was an awful year in most respects, but 2020 produced some outstanding music. If these artists are able to tour these works next summer, it’ll be a concert season for the ages.
Wrapping 2020
1. Perfume Genius,
Set My Heart on Fire Immediately Mike Hadreas has given the best album of his career, the best album of this year and probably one of the best albums of this young decade with this genre-hopping masterwork.
2. Phoebe Bridgers,
Punisher Heartrending and sonically lush,
Hello, Music Club and disco lovers! Excited to participate for the first time.
Lindsay, I am obviously so happy you mentioned “Yo Perreo Sola” I don’t think anyone imagined how startlingly prescient that song was when we started blasting it after
YHLQMDLG’s surprise release, but I know it definitely fueled some late-night, solitary kitchen dancing across the country (and the fact that Ivy Queen is on the remix brings me nothing but unbridled joy). I absolutely loved Charli XCX’s
, too. Apart from solo dance sessions, I did a lot of masked running through Brooklyn over the summer, and the dark bliss of “Forever” and “Claws” powered me for miles. I’m kind of new to a lot of Brooklyn I moved here after almost four years in Berlin just before the pandemic so I’ll always associate Charli’s quarantine bops with my rare moments outside, trying to get the lay of the somewhat deserted land.
NOW Magazine
The best music of 2020 according to NOW critics
All our music listening habits changed this year, but a few trends still emerged: comfort food, realness and the return of disco By Richard Trapunski, Kevin Ritchie and Kelsey Adams
Dec 18, 2020
1. Backxwash: God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It
In most years, there’s at least one musician I don’t have strong feelings about, then I’ll see them live and think “holy shit, this is my new favourite artist.” I didn’t get many chances this year, but Backxwash did it for me virtually. I had heard the Montreal-based artist here and there, but I gave this album some spins as part of my Polaris Prize jury duty and it quickly became all I listened to. It’s experimental hip-hop with the spirit of metal, very heavy and very captivating. I’ve heard rappers sample Black Sabbath before, but Backxwash (who was raised in a religious Christian household in Zambia) brought out the legitimately chil
The Quietus
, December 14th, 2020 11:58
These are our favourite tracks of the last 12 months as voted for by Jennifer Lucy Allan, Bobby Barry, Aaron Bishop, Patrick Clarke, John Doran, Christian Eede, Noel Gardner, Ella Kemp, Fergal Kinney, Sean Kitching, Anthea Leyland, Peter Margasak, David McKenna, JR Moores, Luke Turner, Kez Whelan and Daryl Worthington. Illustration by Lisa Cradduck
There s not much more I can add to what has already been said about our relationship to music in this pandemic-hit year by my colleagues Luke Turner and Patrick Clarke in their respective introductions to our lists of the year s best albums and best reissues, compilations, mixes etc.