Memo’s Top 50 Albums of The Year

Hello everybody! Happy New Year! So I am going to do something different this month. I usually write an article about my favorite music of the month, but since the shit show we call 2020 just ended I rather rank 50 of my favorite albums from 2020. Starting today on my YouTube channel I will be starting list week. I will be talking about my favorite and least favorite music from 2020. My top 50 albums video is the last video I will be uploading, but I think it would be a good idea to release my list early here on Indie Pong.

Although I think I have a pretty good list I do have a couple disclaimers. First of all, I kind of cheated. This list is called my top 50 albums of the year, but I do have a few EP’s in the list. Also, I know this is an indie music blog, but I do have some mainstream albums in the list. There has been several mainstream albums I enjoyed this year, so I would feel weird not to include them in my list. With that said, I don’t think my list is that bad. I am honestly proud of it. 2020 might be a shitty year, but at least there has been a lot of great albums released in 2020.

Without further ado here is my top 50 albums of the year for 2020!

50) Kota the Friend – EVERYTHING

49) Lady Gaga – Chromatica

48) Joji – Nectar

47) Bad Bunny – YHLQMDLG

46) Rico Nasty – Nightmare Vacation

45) Jme – Grime MC

44) SAULT – Untitled (Black Is)

43) Aminé – Limbo

42) Logic – No Pressure

41) Thundercat – It Is What It Is

40) Nas – King’s Disease

39) 070 Shake – Modus Vivendi

38) 21 Savage & Metro Boomin – Savage Mode II

37) Yves Tumor – Heaven To A Tortured Mind

36) Childish Gambino – 3.15.20

35) Action Bronson – Only For Dolphins

34) Deante’ Hitchcock – BETTER

33) Tame Impala – The Slow Rush

32) Jean Dawson – Pixel Bath

31) Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia

30) Blu & Exile – Miles

29) Fionna Apple – Fetch The Bolt Cutters

28) R.A.P. Ferreira – Purple Moonlight Pages

27) Qualle Chris & Chris Keys – Innocent Country 2

26) Kid Cudi – Man On The Moon III: The Chosen

25) Benny The Butcher – Burden of Proof

24) Oliver Tree – Ugly is Beautiful 

23) Kali Uchis – Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) ∞

22) Black Thought – Streams of Thought, Voll:3 Cane & Able

21) JPEGMAFIA – EP!

20) The Koreatown Oddity – Little Dominiques Nosebleed

19) Conway The Machine – From King To A GOD

18) Denzel Curry & Kenny Beats – UNLOCKED

17) James Blake – Before

16) Slauson Malone – Vergangenheitsbewältigung (Crater Speak)

15) The Weekend – After Hours

14) Charli XCX – how i’m feeling now

13) Poppy – I Disagree

12) 100 gecs – 1000 gecs and the Tree of Clues

11) clipping. – Visions of Bodies Being Burned

10) Jessie Ware – What’s Your Pleasure?

9) Tkay Maidza – Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 2

8) Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist – Alfredo

7) Rina Sawayama – Sawayama

6) The Strokes – The New Abnormal

5) Aesop Rock – Spirit World Field Guide

4) Boldy James & Sterling Toles – Manger on McNichols

3) Gorillaz – Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez

2) Mac Miller – Circles

1) Run The Jewels – RTJ4

Let me know what you think?

p.s. Here is a link to my top 50 songs of the year playlist on Spotify in case you are curious.

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10 Years, 10 Songs

I picked a song a year for the last decade (skipping 2020 for obvious reasons, including that it’s not over yet). I can’t commit and say these were the best song of each year, just songs I dig. I’ll be shocked if any of these shock you. Enjoy.

Easy listening here: 10 Years, 10 Songs

2019

Cage The Elephant – Night Running ft. Beck

2018

Caroline Rose – More Of The Same

2017

Electric Guest – Oh Devil

2016

Glass Animals – Life Itself

2015

Tame Impala – The Less I Know The Better

2014

Allah-Las – Worship The Sun

2013

Portugal. The Man – Modern Jesus

2012

The Beards – You Should Consider Having Sex With A Bearded Man

2011

Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Ffunny Ffriends

2010

Dr. Dog – Where’d All The Time Go?

GET NAKED FEST

You are cordially invited to throw some glitter on it and groove at “Get Naked Fest,” the first music festival where clothes are optional and guests are strictly prohibited. Location: your living room. Date: Today. Time: NOW, because I just dropped the hottest single of 2020: Me. Oh, and this Tame Impala track to kick off your festival experience:

F*ck saving the best for last, I like my festivals like I like my men: opening with a bang. *Crickets.* Tame Impala comes in hot with “Lost In Yesterday,” a synthy acid trip, best described by critics as an “eargasmic aphrodisiac”. *I am those critics.* Tame’s latest album is the drug-free high we need and deserve. Still feeling funky? Dance your way from the Couch Tent to the Coffee Table Stage, I hear there’s a dope new band playing sick tracks. Leggo.

If Tame Impala and Unknown Mortal Orchestra conceived, Temples would be their child. I can confirm: he’s a beautiful, talented lil thing. Temples shredsss! And speaking of being “on something,” smoke your legal ganja and let the vibes carry you to our next set, Matt Maeson:

Anybody else feeling feels because WOAH Matt’s stealing my heart with his soulful indie-funk. True story: Growing up, Matt wasn’t allowed to listen to rock on the radio. Now, Matt rocks in more ways than one, and if you love introspective lyrics, I suggest you listen to his new album “Bank On The Funeral”… I mean, stay for his entire set!

Wanna switch it up? Then run quickly to the Sofa Stage. Our next rising star, Olivia O’ Brien, is performing right now!

Olivia is the crass queen we need, deserve, and love. She’s as cool as she is catchy, and while her sound follows a somewhat generic “pop persona,” her powerhouse voice is soon to rise above label politics and sing its way into our hearts! And speaking of badass lady crooners…

Willow whipped her hair back and forth, then dropped this banger. Keep it on the DL, but a little birdie told me that she’s opening her setlist with “Wait a Minute!”. *It me.* Willow crosses genres better than I’ve ever crossed a man who’s wronged me. But enough about my intimacy issues, ya’ll need to hydrate. Let’s head out and hang a left towards the hydration station.

I have a confession: I mayyyyy have had a bitttt too much to drink at the Beer Garden. And by Beer Garden, I mean kitchen. And by kitchen, I definitely mean: I drank tequila. Because there WAS NO BEER I ONLY HAVE TEQUILA. Fortunately, I have some good news: It’s shot o’clock. So throw it back and groove along with electropop superstar Kid Francescoli.

Look who’s performing in the Bedside Tent: Tanya Morgan, an American hiphop group that you’ve likely never heard of. Good news: In two years, you’ll brag to all your friends that you saw Tanya Morgan LIVE before they blew up. Don’t need to thank me… But you’re welcome.

Let’s close this fest out with someone we know and love, a guaranteed good time, Empire Of The Sun! They’re playing on the Mattress Mainstage, so dance until you can’t more. Then plop on down and have yourself a nice sleep.