Sleaford Mods lean into righteous defiance with Spare Ribs, Matthew Sweet slows things down on the moody Catspaw, and Kurt Vile, Jazmine Sullivan, and Thou & Emma Ruth Rundle expand their sounds with new EPs.
Suzanne Vega Doesn't Mind Explaining Her "Weird" Songs, As Long As You Applaud
​The singer/songwriter describes how she hides inside her songs, reflects on what she learned about herself by grouping her back catalog into themes, and shares her memories of New York City and performing on 'Saturday Night Live' in the '80s.
We spent a lot of December looking back at 2020, but there were several new albums worthy of attention at the tail end of the year, including the grand farewell of Joan of Arc (pictured), the expansive latest from the Avalanches, and the eighth collaboration between Boris and Merzbow.
Recent Classical Highlights
​The final batch of new classical reviews from 2020 features 17th century Christmas music from Mexico, new choral pieces by Errollyn Wallen, Midori performing Beethoven's Violin Concerto, and Sir Simon Rattle conducting the oratorio Christ on the Mount of Olives. (Pictured: Carolyn Surrick)
AllMusic Loves 2020 Reissues
​Beyond the overall list of the year's best archival releases, our editors chose to go deeper and individually share their favorite deluxe editions, box sets, compilations, and reissues from 2020. From A-listers to worthwhile obscurities, there's a lot to explore.
AllMusic's Best of 2020
Our Year in Review coverage begins with our list of the 100 best albums of the year, featuring Thundercat, Dua Lipa, Perfume Genius, Poppy, Stephen Malkmus, the Weeknd, and many more.
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Sumer Is Icumen…
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Better Person
Something to Lose
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Artlessly Falling
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Quatermass Seven
Adulkt Life
Book of Curses
Population II
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The second album from this jangly yet surreal Canadian indie rock quartet matures ever so slightly with more intentional pacing and understated arrangements.
- Fred Thomas
Film Music 1976-2020
Stage & Screen, Electronic, Pop/Rock
Essentially a greatest-hits compilation of the ambient pioneer's most memorable film and television appearances.
- Paul Simpson
Here Lies Man
Ritual Divination
Sabbath-sized riffs, Afrobeat rhythms, and fever dream production all contribute to the most inspired album to date from this Afro-metal quartet.
Pop/Rock, Classical
The Lumineers co-founder delivers a striking, ethereal debut of piano instrumentals.
- Timothy Monger
Palberta
Palberta5000
New York abstract punks Palberta embrace pop in their own way on their mature yet still playful fifth album.
The Belfast-raised duo continue delivering their distinctive, high-impact blend of garage, house, trance, and other styles on their second full-length.
Sweet Trip
You Will Never Know Why [Bonus Tracks]
The third album from the adventurous indie electronic group, containing some of their most emotionally direct songwriting.
M. Caye Castagnetto
Leap Second
The debut album from this Peruvian-born artist is a filing cabinet full of contrasting layers, samples, and otherworldly song ideas.
Ongoing Dispute
The Danish indie rockers' second album is a cathartic airing of grievances full of hooks and heavy, post-punk-tinged guitar atmosphere.
- Marcy Donelson
Suzanne Vega Doesn't Mind Explaining Her "Weird" Songs, As Long As You Applaud Afterwards
The 2020 AllMusic Readers' Poll
AllMusic Staff Picks
The Koreatown Oddity
Little Dominiques Nosebleed
Left-Field Rap
Dominique Purdy's second Stones Throw LP is a fascinating autobiography, vividly describing his upbringing in the Koreatown district of Los Angeles. The self-produced album is a dense, psychedelic epic loaded with surprise left turns, playful nostalgia, and supporting roles by an extensive cast of guests, with an ambitious scope and surreal sense of humor recalling masters like Prince Paul, Madlib, and the Pharcyde. The cover art plainly spells out the album's plot: Purdy was in two car accidents as a child, causing him to have frequent nosebleeds, and these early traumas shapes his perspective on life, as well as his spiritual awareness.
The Complete On the Corner Sessions
The churning, swampy masses of atonal funk that comprised Miles Davis's 1972 album On The Corner initially appalled jazz purists and were largely overlooked by fans of rock and soul. Listening to the material that producer Teo Macero fashioned into the final album confirms just how adventurous and genre-spanning this music was; no one else was making music quite like this in 1972, and it's still challenging, deeply rewarding listening.
- Mark Deming
AllMusic Loves 2020
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