2020 Album of the Year - 10 Year Anniversary Edition!
I have been writing this blog for 10 years now. It started with a friend of mine back in 2010 posting the question on Facebook asking what we thought was the album of the year. So I decided to start a blog. One post every year. That's it. People wait every year to hear what I have chosen as the greatest album that year. Ok...well, maybe they don't but I like to believe that someone out there cares. Let's start with a recap of the past winners. And in the end, I will name an album of the decade.
I even created a playlist on Spotify with all of the Album of the Year winners. (See below.) Spoiler alert! The playlist includes the 2020 winner. So if you haven't read all the way to the bottom, maybe scroll past this and listen later.
Quite a mix of artists over the past 10 years. Now it's time to see what 2020 has in store. It's been a difficult year for everyone. Music has always been an escape for me. Whether that is making my own music (Creative Culture) or falling deep into a song or album of another artist. Music has a way to heal the soul or transport you to another place or another time. There are songs that I can listen to and I'm taken back to being a child watching Mtv when we first got cable or a teenager driving to the mall with a group of friends. Music can help you wallow in your sadness or break you out of a bad mood. Songs can get your pumped up before playing a sport or stepping into a client meeting. Music can change moods, inform the public, or be an anthem for a movement. The power of a song is endless. And no year needed music more than 2020. We need a soundtrack to help us heal, to push for change, to push/pull/drag us through this dumpster fire of a year. We need a soundtrack to give us hope and uplift us that things will be better. So with all of that said, it's time for the moment you've all been waiting for. It's time for my 2020 album of the year! Let's do this! Below is a list of albums you should know, then I'll pick a winner out of this list.
Dan Deacon - Mystic Familiar
First things first. This video is super gross and very uncomfortable. Honestly, this is the first time I am seeing the video. The album is pretty good though. If you're not familiar with Dan Deacon, he has a very unique style. He has so many layers to his music and it's not what you would hear on mainstream radio. Some people would call his music experimental. This album is a bit more accessible for the general public, I believe. Maybe not as much as "Change Your Life (You Can Do It)" but it's easier for a regular person to enjoy than an audiophile. Is this the album of the year? Maybe. We'll see at the end.
Tame Impala - The Slow Rush
Tame Impala first came onto my radar years ago when I was listening to Neon Indian on Spotify and it told me I would also like this artist. I gave Tame Impala a listen and wasn't terribly impressed. It was good but just never caught my ear like I felt like it should. Then this album came along. The first song on the album "One More Year" is an amazing song. I can't quite put my finger on it. It's the kind of song that gives me goosebumps when listening to it. It strikes some sort of nerve with me. Before 2020 you may not have heard of Tame Impala but if you live in central Indiana and listen to 92.3, you have heard the video above many times. Tame Impala has made its way into the mainstream with this album and I am grateful for that. Album of the year quality? Hmmm...
The Strokes - The New Abnormal
This is a really great rock album. I've always enjoyed The Strokes from afar but never actually owned an album of theirs. This one has some really great songs on it. I know locally, I hear "Bad Decisions" on the radio quite a bit. It's a good solid album. Is it album of the year quality? Maybe...
Run The Jewels - RTJ4
Run The Jewels has shown up on this blog four times now. Killer Mike and El-P put out some of the best rap music I've heard in the past 10-20 years. This album meant a little bit more than the other albums that came before it. This album was released right after/during the Black Lives Matters protests over the summer. Even though it was written and recorded before the murder of George Floyd and the protests afterward, it felt like it could have been penned while in the midst of those marches. Whether this is the best album of the year or not, it might be the most important album of 2020.
Neon Trees - I Can Feel You Forgetting Me
Neon Trees were the winner of the 2014 album of the year. This is the next album after Pop Psychology. This is their follow up album to that masterpiece...and it doesn't let down. It's so amazing. Neon Trees has always been a favorite band of mine and this album doesn't disappoint. "I Can Feel You Forgetting Me" could be considered a concept album. It centers around ghosting culture and just dropping people out of your life. There is no hiding that this is a favorite of mine for this year. Is it the album of the year? Keep reading.
The Killers - Imploding The Mirage
The Killers have never won album of the year. Members of The Killers have done solo albums that have won. Brandon Flowers and Big Talk have both been winners. The Killers are one of my favorite bands. I wasn't overly thrilled with their last album "Wonderful Wonderful." It was just ok. This album is much better than that one. It feels a bit more like The Killers of "Sam's Town." Even the local radio stations have been playing "Caution" quite a bit. This album has some really strong songs.
Hurts - Faith
Hurts is a fantastic duo from Manchester, England. I've been listening to them for over ten years. They have become one of my favorite bands to listen to. I was really looking forward to this one. It's not as great as the previous albums but still pretty good. Spoiler alert, it's not the album of the year but it is worth checking out. I do enjoy "Faith" but just not as much as their previous albums.
The Weeknd - After Hours
The Weeknd is awesome. I really enjoyed this album, though I could do without the bloody face. I could hear the argument that "Blinding Lights" could be the song of the year. Is this album good enough to be the winner? Let's find out. (As I am typing this, I just found out that The Weeknd will be the performer at this year's Super Bowl Halftime.)
And the winner of my 2020 album of the year is...
Let's start by talking about how the winner is selected. I don't look at radio plays, how many albums sold, or even the social impact. There really is one big stipulation to how I choose my album of the year. I have to want to listen to it over and over. When I am searching for something to listen to, it's the first thing I turn on. Sure these albums have peaks and valleys throughout the year but every year there seems to be one album that I just keep coming back to.
With all of that said, this has been probably the hardest year for me to choose a winner. There are a few that I am deciding between. But after all, I think...no no, I KNOW the winner of the 2020 Album of the Year is...
Neon Trees - I Can Feel You Forgetting Me
This is the second time that Neon Trees has been named My Album of The Year!
It's ironic that the name of this album is "I Can Feel You Forgetting Me" and yet I can't seem to forget this album. It's just an album that grabs you from the first song and doesn't let go. I have been waiting for a new Neon Trees album since 2014. They teased they were working on a new album for years. Even at one point I thought it wasn't going to happen after Tyler Glenn left the band to do broadway and release a solo record. But alas, they came back together for this masterpiece.
The other two albums that were REALLY close to the top for me was The Killers - Impoding the Mirage and Run The Jewels - RTJ4. Those are both really great albums but throughout 2020, I just kept gravitating to Neon Trees - I Can Feel You Forgetting Me.
And the winner of the 2010-2020 album of the decade is...
Bon Jovi - This House Is Not For Sale
There are so many great albums over the past decade. Even the albums that didn't win the coveted Album Of The Year. But out of all those albums, this is the one that sticks out to me. It harkens back to classic Bon Jovi with a modern feel. The first cassette I ever owned was "Slippery When Wet" by Bon Jovi. So maybe this has a nostalgic appeal to me. Nevertheless, this album, the artwork, the videos are all great. And I even saw Bon Jovi in concert during this tour and it was awesome!
More to come!
I look forward to the next decade of music. I look forward to finding new music from unknown artists and new music from artists who have been around for decades. But if you are looking for what the best album of the year was, you can always come back here at the end of every year.
See you at the end of 2021!
Shameless Self Promotion!
I've been creating music as a solo artist under the name Creative Culture since 2018. It's mostly instrumental electronic music. Sometimes I bring my friends along for a little fun. You can find it on Amazon, iTunes, YouTube, Spotify, etc. It's just a fun hobby. I hope you enjoy it.
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