OUR TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2020
2020 was the best year for music in our lifetime. Granted, we only have two decades of life experience, but we started out with a list of over a hundred projects that we absolutely loved, and narrowed it down to our top fifty.
So many people pushed the boundaries this year, and so many of our favorite legacy acts continued to deliver. Additionally, hip-hop in 2020 is in the best place it’s ever been. There’s so much room for experimentation and even the mainstream is embracing more experimental talent. Everyone on this list is incredible, and we’ve been blessed to speak to some of these talented artists on Two Virgins this year. Thank you all for reading and please check out all of these albums. Each one on this list made our lives infinitely better, and some even changed our lives this year.
This list was compiled by and written by The Q staff.
1
SHRINES
ARMAND HAMMER
Elucid and billy woods are the two best rappers on earth, and Armand Hammer has become their gladiator arena where they battle it out for the crown over the wildest instrumentals they can find. The same words, (apocalyptic, dense, experimental) are always used to describe Armand Hammer and they’re just so wrong. The best word to describe their music is “alive.” Armand Hammer always moves to create something bigger than life. Music that grows with you and sticks in your head. They take this to a whole new level on Shrines.
Both rappers’ entire careers have been defined by fearless originality, and while they brought some of that to previous Armand Hammer projects, Shrines is the first time that it feels like they’ve pushed beyond being the sum of their parts. Their chemistry and interplay feels so natural, and watching them perform, it seems like they know each other's lyrics better than their own.
On Shrines, Armand Hammer move away from the claustrophobic instrumentals of Rome and Paraffin, toward a more open and detailed atmosphere as they embrace a wide array of collaborators and producers. This new backdrop only made them both go harder, as on “King Tubby” and “Charms” they both deliver some of the most impressive lyrical performances of either of their careers. Shrines is a flawless and endlessly quotable project, and when you put it into context with the rest of their work, they are quickly approaching the pantheon of all-time-great rap duos.
2
ÀDÁ IRIN
NAVY BLUE
Àdá Irin is a meditation on loss, driven by deep emotion. It’s not a lyrical miracle album and doesn’t aim to confuse, so it always feels like Navy Blue is speaking directly to you as he tells his story. We get to sit in with him as he searches for meaning in his life after a period of grief and loss. His style is conversational and intense, and he finds the perfect pocket in each beat to convey exactly what he is feeling. The first lyric of the album is “Rest in peace to Mac, see forever in my heart In a sea full of my own tears aboard Noah's Ark.” This tone for the album is consistent. Even in the brighter moments, there’s still a lingering sorrow.
The instrumentals on Àdá Irin are lush and hypnotizing. It’s the perfect album for reflection and the openness that Navy Blue writes with allows you to connect and hold onto his every bar. Embedded within this project is a deep love for Yoruba culture and a connection to family. He speaks about his mom on almost every track, and at times she seems to be the only motivating external force. Àdá Irin is an album of evolution and constant change. It’s an album for thinking and processing, which has been much needed this year.
3
FYAI DEMOS, NOTHING, AND HMM
LORAINE JAMES
It might seem weird to wrap three different projects into one for this list, but Loraine James had one of the most productive years on earth. On each project, she showcased a different part of what makes her one of the most talented producers in recent memory. The glitch/dub/IDM/[insert literally any genre here] producer, consistently delivered complex landscapes to sit back and enjoy. When she started the year off by releasing a demos project that was nearly as good as her debut album, I knew we were in for a treat. Loraine can truly make music in any style. She’s an ever-evolving, glitchy, creative force and it’s impossible to explain the level of comfort her music gave me this year.
4
HEAVEN TO A TORTURED MIND
YVES TUMOR
Amid the cloudiness and smoke, Yves Tumor suddenly reaches out from the haze, grabbing you by the wrist, running through the greatest fantasies and pleasures of life in their album, Heaven to a Tortured Mind. From the opening track, “Gospel for a New Century,” we’re automatically reeled into a whirlwind of voice and instrumentation. Despite the sheer frenzy you feel when listening to their voice travel through the serrated sounds, there are mellow moments woven throughout the album— in “Identity Trade” or the first half of “Kerosene!”. But then again we immediately snap back into the turbulent reality while sounds zoom past our ears at the speed of light. Sparks start flying in “Dream Palette”. Every sensation feels hallucinatory but dreamlike in “Strawberry Privilege.”
Both a beautiful dream and nightmare, Yves Tumor crafts their masterpiece by capturing the mystical essence of life. Their sounds are aggressively soft, an oxymoron that attests to Tumor's range and sonic capabilities. The album carries me each time I listen, encouraging the fuse between my personal imagination and reality as I spiral past each song. Tumor's style and sound are unmatched, bending boundaries musically, and visually. They are the future of sound. Tumor's music is otherworldly.
5
WHO SENT YOU
IRREVERSIBLE ENTANGLEMENTS
If we didn’t limit the number of projects each artist could have on this list, Moor Mother would appear four times in our top fifty. Everything she released was absolute gold and conceptually brilliant. Who Sent You? is one of the two free jazz odysseys she has been part of this year, the other being the mind-boggling, Circuit City which addresses housing inequality and gentrification. Who Sent You? builds throughout the course of its entire run-time, asking us questions like “at what point do we stand up?” Joined by the incredible performers, Keir Neuringer on saxophone, Aquiles Navarro on trumpet, Luke Stewart on double bass, and Tcheser Holmes on drums, Moor Mother creates a dense world of sound. The album questions everything around us, in a deeply patient and structured way. Irreversible entanglements imagine what the future could be, and leaves it up to the listener to decide what parts of the future they’re comfortable with.
6
DESCENDANTS OF CAIN
KA
Ka is one of the greatest poets of this century, and Descendants of Cain is his conceptual masterpiece. It weaves biblical stories together while tying their key themes to memories from Ka’s own life. The biblical theme of this album is enthralling and guides tales of deceit, betrayal, and loyalty. Lyrically, Ka is at the top of his game as he expounds upon the theme of “brother’s killing brothers” that he establishes early on in the album. Nobody does what he does better, and it’s incredible that he is constantly able to evolve his sound with so little outside influence. Ka is his own person and an enigma in a world where so many people are chasing the same set of sounds. Listen to Descendants of Cain on a quiet night and Ka’s whispery tales will transfix you. As he says, “I like to write righteous even though it’s secular,” and Descendants of Cain is heartfelt and special.
7
HO, WHY IS YOU HERE?
FLO MILLI
Banger after banger after banger. Flo Milli raps like she talks, at times straight-up ignoring the beat. Flo Milli makes you listen to what she is saying, and she’s an expert at talking shit. While “Beef (Flo Mix)” and “In the party” were great appetizers in 2019, Ho, Why is you Here? showed a whole different side of Flo Milli’s talents. She flows effortlessly over R&B samples on songs like “Weak” and dips into the dance floor bops on songs like “May I.” The album is just so much fun, and there’s not a single skip on the album. Flo Milli is also quotable, with lines like “dicks up when I step in the party” and “I feel like a stove, ain’t no hoe touching me,” she can go bar-to-bar with any other mainstream rappers. Ho, Why is You Here? is fantastic and hopefully, Flo Milli can continue to push her unique sound to new levels.
8
BECAUSE OF A FLOWER
ANA ROXANNE
Ana Roxanne nearly perfected her serene ambient soundscapes on her 2019 album titled ~~~, so it makes sense that she wanted to push for something different this year. On her newest project, Because of a Flower, she maintains the incredibly layered and complex compositions she had on ~~~, but adds new elements of percussion and guitar. The entire album feels like being caught between earth and heaven, waiting for something to happen that pushes you in one direction. It’s a beautiful limbo, and Ana Roxanne uses this backdrop to explore deeply personal questions of identity that help the viewer connect to the voice behind the music. It’s the perfect album for drifting off into another world and losing your head to.
9
BRUJAS, CHOLAS E INVENTADAS
HURAÑA
HURAÑA, a band from the southernmost Mexican state of Chiapas, left their mark on the punk world this year with their blistering album, Brujas, Cholas E Inventadas. It’s an album you have to admire, even if just for the project’s revolutionary energy. At just seven minutes in length, Brujas, Cholas E Inventadas is a “fuck your feelings” type of record. The vocals are fuzzed out and echoed into oblivion. The songs are all played at relentless tempos that could cause a headache. Additionally, each track works with a different sound palate and energy. While some tracks, like the opener, take a traditional punk angle, others like “Calamidad” are set on causing absolute chaos by throwing every instrument at the wall. It’s an awesomely disorienting listen and exciting for the punk genre.
10
MANGER ON MCNICHOLS
BOLDY JAMES AND STERLING TOLES
Manger on McNichols is an incredible feat and an album that I know will grow and stay with me for the next decade of my life. It’s one of those projects that is hard to comprehend at first. It is such a complex statement that it’s hard to process. This project was put together over the course of ten years — and the care that artist Boldy James and producer Sterling Toles took to ensure that it was great is immediately clear. Sterling Toles treats Boldy’s verses like they are gifts from God, and he meticulously crafts every flourish of the beat to fit his cadences. It’s one of the most impressively constructed releases I have ever heard and gives a whole new meaning to producer/rapper synergy. Every time I listen, I feel like I’m processing something new. Manger on McNichols is a towering artistic accomplishment and the more you listen, the more it will reveal to you.
11
NIGHTMARE VACATION
RICO NASTY
Rico Nasty is the epitome of bad bitch energy, and in her official debut Nightmare Vacation, Rico exhibits her unique electronic rap and singing style. Her highly energetic and chaotic album is full of experimental tracks, such as iPhone --which is the love child of electronic and alternative rap-- and features viral hits such as "Candy," "OHFR?," and "Smack a Bitch." When it first dropped in 2018, "Smack a Bitch" laid the foundation for Rico’s fundamental sound and through the incorporation of heavy trap beats, vocal rage, and electronic synthesizers. Nightmare Vacation revives the vibe that initially brought Rico to the forefront of attention in the rap and electronic world. Nightmare Vacation is the amalgamation of punk, alternative, and rap as Rico plays with her signature electric screamo-rapping style. Nightmare Vacation evokes confidence, aggression, and celebration through its many upbeat tracks and is definitely worth a listen for those seeking a unique, energetic listening experience. As a female and experimental artist, Rico is next up and has set the stage for an electrifying future.
12
GUM
CITIES AVIV
GUM sounds like the music that should be played at max volume as the world collapses into flames. It’s is a skeletal album that seeps into your mind over time. Emotionally, the album is heavy and hopeless as Cities Aviv grapples with the meaning of life and continual suffering. Often Cities Aviv shows real anger at the world and the people within it, and the entire project exudes a disappointment with humanity. He talks about dancing the pain away, and the random hand that life can deal you. The centerpiece of the album is the world-bending, 45-minute final track “power Approaches” which blends all of the styles of the project, creating an incredible mix of pitched down and fuzzed-out soul samples. It’s a remarkable project with a unique and forward-thinking palate.
13
ALFREDO
FREDDIE GIBBS AND THE ALCHEMIST
Who would have thought a couple of years ago that Freddie Gibbs and the Alchemist would be nominated for Grammy? Their new project, Alfredo, demonstrates the best of what both the producer and rapper have to offer. Freddie Gibbs glides over crime-mob beats, about the drug trade. There are several moments on this album where Gibbs reaches the pinnacle of rapping, like on “God is perfect” where he raps with a melodic intensity that forces you to sit and pay attention. Alfredo is both Gibbs and The Alchemist fully flexing their muscles and cementing their respective legacies. It is so exciting to see Gibbs step into the lane of being an underground rap God, and the yearly reminders of his talents are always welcome.
14.
AS GOD INTENDED
CHE NOIR AND APOLLO BROWN
One of the saddest things to hear is a rapper talking about how “real hip-hop is dead” then proceeding to drop lazy albums, full of lazy bars over beats that would have been laughed out of the studio in the 90s. There’s too much of that in hip-hop right now, but Ché Noir breaks all of that down. Her bars are sharp and her subject matter is on point. Her storytelling is unmatched like on the gripping song, “12 Hours” and she’s always introducing new flows and ideas. There’s a lot of people trying to bring back, “real hip-hop” in 2020, but so many fail to actually capture the raw energy and talent that was present in the 90s. Che Noir is that talent; she’s up now and if you enjoy this project you should check out the two other incredible albums she was part of this year.
15
PURPLE MOONLIGHT PAGES
R.A.P. FERRIERA
The first album where R.A.P. Ferreira is using his given name is an incredible jazz-influenced odyssey. R.A.P. Ferreira has proven he's one of the lyrical greats, and this album pushes you to keep up as he dashes through different themes, flows, and melodies. Give this album lots of time to reveal it's mastery. The beauty of this album is in the subtlety and the interplay between Ferreira and the Jefferson park boys, who produced, arranged, and made the beats for this project. They have an incredible chemistry that pops out most on songs like "Leaving Hell" and "Mythical" where Ferreira directs the beat like a jazz drummer, whipping it into a frenzy around him. Ferreira was my introduction to art rap in 2013 and his project-to-project growth inspires me to grow and change every day. Parts of Purple Moonlight Pages are always getting stuck in my head, it's just one of those albums that you carry with you no matter what.
16
FETCH THE BOLT CUTTERS
FIONA APPLE
Fiona Apple completely took over the discourse in 2020 with an album made by trinkets. Apple is one of the few artists who everyone can agree is great, whether they are Black, white, Asian, young, old, I figure even people who hate music would probably love Fiona Apple. Fetch the Bolt Cutters is a liberating album and so much fun to engage with. It comes from a place of such passion and is full of reflections and ruminations on past lives and experiences. That reflection on the past is what makes this album special. Few people can look back at past events with such clarity, and work to figure out what she could have changed. Anyone can connect with the stories that Apple tells, and she does so much to force you to open your mind to her experience. Most of all, even though it wasn’t rerecorded in 2020, Fetch the Bolt Cutters feels like a quarantine album. Apple banging on pots and pans as she pours her heart out is a feeling we can all relate to.
17
AN UNKNOWN INFINITE
AMANI AND KING VISION ULTRA
Amani snarls “50 million shots through the atmosphere… 50 million shots block the sun out” on a show-stopping moment on An Unknown Infinite. It’s an album that’s gonna make you pay attention… then kick your ass. When you play this album loud enough, it makes the room shake, and your brain rattle around in your head. It’s a dark, exhilarating project that exists in its own world of sound. An Unknown Infinite, by NYC based producer King Vision Ultra and rapper Amani, is steeped in the gritty New York City sound. Every track feels like an invisible battle against the forces of bullshit, and both Amani and King Vision Ultra bring their best on every single cut. Lyrically, the album can get quite dark, but out of this darkness comes an understanding and power. An Unknown Infinite is a carefully crafted statement that deserves love from anyone who cares about hip-hop.
18
ROACHES (DELUXE)
DEAN BLUNT
Roaches is a peek into the mind of one of the most important artists of our generation. It’s a messy, unfinished, and distorted album, that somehow manages to reach the depths of what makes Dean Blunt’s music incredible. The project feels like reading the best excerpts of an unfinished novel, written by a man who is on a different musical plane than the rest of the world. Even when Dean Blunt is not visible, it seems like he’s driving the conversation. With collaborations with A$Ap Rocky, to film scripts dropped for the world to see, he always keeps fans guessing. Roaches is an incredible glimpse at his creative process, with songs like “FELONY” sounding like complete statements, while others are very clearly sketches of something bigger.
19
WE'RE NEW AGAIN
GIL SCOTT-HERON AND MAKAYA MCCRAVEN
We’re New Again is a conversation between one of the greatest musicians of all time and the jazz visionary Makaya McCraven. Gil Scott Heron’s final album, originally released in 2010, got the remix treatment from Jamie XX in 2011. Jamie XX transformed the album into an electronic odyssey, and now McCraven has turned it into a jazz opus. McCraven turns the skeletal album into an evolving piece of music, using Gil’s soothing words to hold each song together. The project feels spiritual and self-assured like McCraven perfectly understands what Gil Scott was trying to convey. It’s incredible how the framing of these songs changes the meaning in so many instances. On both previous versions of the album, “New York is Killing Me” was terrifying and cold, but McCraven brings out its inner soul. The entire project is filled with care and brings out the beauty in Gil Scott’s parting gift to us.
20
GRÆ
MOSES SUMNEY
Before Grae, I was a big fan of Sumney, but through his 2016 release, "Lonely World," which, little did I know, was only a taste of what Sumney is capable of. Grae has cemented Sumney as an artist who can pierce through the depths of your soul with his distinct angelic style and aura. He has clearly defined himself as a force that cannot be replaced. When I think of an album that defined my 2020, it's definitely Grae, whether it was gushing over the "Cut Me" music video to anyone willing to listen, or sitting in my room watching Sumney listen to "Polly" while looking dead into the camera and wiping away his own tears. Sumney's unapologetic interludes of jazz and falsetto throughout Grae makes it an album that you listen to for occasions ranging from pondering alone in your car to just simple admiration for Sumney's sweet, sweet voice. Grae is a masterful piece of work that, with each listen, feels both grounding and familiar, but also as if you just opened it fresh out of the box.
21
ETERNAL ATAKE
LIL UZI VERT
One of the few long-awaited projects this year that actually lived up to the hype. Eternal Atake is fun and Uzi's creativity is unmatched in the mainstream.
22
HEALING IS A MIRACLE
JOANNA BARWICK
Healing is a Miracle will get you as close to inner peace as possible and has incredible performances from a variety of different talented performers. It's the perfect project to dive into and experience natural bliss.
23
FOREVER YA GIRL
KEIYAA
In a couple of years, we'll be talking about KeiyaA in conversation with Erykah Badu. Her debut album Forever, Ya Girl is full of incredible jams and hard-hitting lyrics.
24
LIANNE LA HAVAS
LIANNE LA HAVAS
Lianne La Havas has such a beautiful voice that just hearing a single note makes you drop everything. On her self-titled album, she perfects beautiful compositions and creates an incredible atmosphere.
25
BLACK NATIONALIST SONIC WEAPONRY
SPEAKER MUSIC
Really cool techno/glitch music that will make your mind melt. Speaker music pushes into a realm that most others are scared to go, with extreme precision and expert drum programming.
26
RTJ 4
RUN THE JEWELS
El-P and Killer Mike have essentially merged into one entity for better or for worse. Even though sometimes the Run the Jewels formula seems a bit too obvious, the highlights on this project are incredible.
27
PHOENIX
EARTHEATER
The album sounds like a kind of metamorphosis that leaves you changed after one listen. The subtleties of this album change its texture and make it shine.
28
WEIGHT OF THE WORLD
MIKE
MIKE is getting closer to crafting that perfect album. You can hear him pushing himself on this one and it's incredible to hear how much he changes between each project. Weight of the World is a portrait of an artist quickly evolving.
29
LITTLE DOMINIQUE'S NOSEBLEED
THE KOREATOWN ODDITY
Little Dominique's Nosebleed is a rush of emotion. Sometimes it's funny, sad, resentful, and reminiscent all in one song. A really cool and forward-thinking project which is endlessly revisitable.
30
MISS COLOMBIA
LIDO PIMIENTA
A transcendent album that's full of gigantic pop songs meant to shatter the room. Pimienta shows a ton of musical range and embraces a variety of different genres, creating an incredibly fun and playful experience.
31
FOR PROFIT AND PLEASURE
CRYPTO ORDER
Hard, wild, and scary techno. This sounds like coronavirus moving through a club at the height of the pandemic.
32
LAST YEAR WAS WEIRD VOL. 2
TKAY MAIDZA
This album is one of the most creative pop records in the last couple of years. Tkay shows so much versatility as she glides over all different types of instrumentals, making hit after hit.
33
GIVER TAKER
Anjimile
Listening to Anjimile's Giver Taker feels like reading an intimate diary of powerful self-discovery. Anjimile's soothing voice and soulful guitar allows them to blend indie melodies with incredible ease.
34
UN CANTO POR MEXICO VOL.1
NATALIA LAFOURCADE
35
DUMP YOD: KRUTOY EDITION
YOUR OLD DROOG
Droog is just such a dope lyricist who understands what the people want. It's great to see him embracing his roots while pulling the best features on any album this year. Droog keeps evolving and proving why he deserves to be in any great rapper conversation.
36
THINGS I NEVER SAID
OCEANATOR
Things I Never Said absolutely rips and demonstrates so much versatility from Oceanator. It's also the perfect apocalyptic album for this year that's been almost as apocalyptic as you could imagine.
37
FROZEN
KLIEN
A dark and ambient masterpiece that is both bewildering and captivating. A really creative and odd project that keeps you listening intensely only to crush you with emotion when it reveals itself to you.
38
TOXIC BOOGALOO
CITY MORGUE
City Morgue make their point and make it quick. Toxic Boogaloo is one of the most fun projects of the year as Killakami and Sosmula trade-off shit-talking and having way too much fun over heavy metal instrumentals.
39
VE·LOC·I·TY
MAASSAI AND JWORDS
Madlib and Doom, Snoop and Dre, Maassai and Jwords. They just don't miss when they're both on the track. Both Maassai and Jwords both had prolific and incredible years and this was the perfect way to end it.
40
THIRD ALBUM
MARKUS FLOATS
Markus Floats comes to us from the calmer side of Black ambient music. His Third Album is transfixing in its relaxation. He expertly blends textures and creates rich atmospheres that provide instant relief from the world.
41
UNGODLY HOUR
CHLOE X HALLE
Chole and Halle had a 2020 to remember. Their name seemed to be everywhere this year and everything they did ended up pretty much perfect. Ungodly Hour is a fun R&B/pop album that shows so much talent and promise.
42
HOA010
HAUS OF ALTR
The whole House of ALTR series gave us such great and necessary music this year. This album curated the best in Black dance music and gave us a reason to act like we were in the club this fall even though we were stuck inside.
43
OUR REFLECTION ADORNED BY NEWLY FORMED STARS
TURNING JEWELS INTO WATER
Turning Jewels into water craft landscapes unlike any other group. On Our Reflection Adorned by Newly Formed Stars, they examine how we see "world music" and push our definitions of labels that we often take for granted, in order to create a living, breathing masterpiece.
44
THE GOAT
POLO G
Great, melodic, Chicago rapper Polo G proves on The GOAT that he is built different than his peers. The Goat showcases his versatility, as every single track tackles a new theme over a different type of beat.
45
GOOD INTENTIONS
NAV
I've heard the jokes and seen the memes. Yes, Nav sounds like a robot, programmed to make the most generic trap possible. But I guess I'm the only one that finds that to be the coolest thing ever. Who knew computer generated trap could be so goofy?
46
HYBTWIBT?
Space Afrika
hybtwibt? feels like scrolling through someone else’s hazy memories. The entire project makes you feel the experience of someone else. It feels like another world of sounds made by people that you could have known in another life.
47
ANIME, TRAUMA AND DIVORCE
OPEN MIKE EAGLE
Sitting through this project is a journey with sadness, but it’s not sadness for sadness' sake. Anime, Trauma, and Divorce is hauntingly honest and powerful in a way I have rarely heard music approach before.
48
NO ERA SOLIDA
LUCRECIA DALT
Time feels circular on Lucrecia Dalt’s No Era Solida. Instruments flow over each other in cycles and even the vocals have an odd alternating quality to them. Sounds come and then are lost to the soundscape of an alien world that Dalt composes. It’s a project that feels of the Earth, accepting of its place in the world.
50
ROCKET TO NEBULA
KILLAH PRIEST
Between Jay Electronica and Killah Priest, 2020 was the year of spiritual rap that is designed to fly way over your head. Rocket to Nebula takes you on a spiritual journey with Killah Priest as our narrator and it drops you off in a different headspace than when you start it.