Tuesday, December 22, 2020

2020's Greatest Hits- albums, singles, reissues/archives

There's plenty of reasons to despise 2020, but even with the pandemic and the resulting isolation/depression/financial despair, musicians came through with a heap of good tunes.  Below, I count 150 albums, over 350 songs, over 60 reissues archives, 15 music-related movies and almost two dozen music-related books.  With all the inside-time, there were a lot of chances to relish this.  Don't get me wrong though- I'd be fine with a much better year in 2021 and less good music.  Well, maybe not that much less good music...

Anyway, hope you find some albums and tunes that you enjoy- some you might learn about for the first time and some you might say 'hey, someone else likes it!'  And some you might hate. But as an old buddy of mine told me, I have good taste by default- I listen to so much stuff that SOME of it must be good.










ALBUMS

  1. Run the Jewels RTJ4 (Jewel Runners)
  2. Childish Gambino 3.15.20 (mcDJ Recordings)
  3. Margo Price That's How Rumors Get Started  (Loma Vista)
  4. Dua Lipa & the Blessed Madonna Club Future Nostalgia (DJ Mix) (Warner)
  5. Tami Neilson CHICKABOOM! (Outside Music)
  6. Idles Ultra Mono (Partisan)
  7. Alma Have U Seen Her? (PME/Sony)
  8. Yves Tumor Heaven To A Tortured Mind (Warp)
  9. International Teachers of Pop Pop Gossip (Desolate Spools)
  10. Sault Untitled (Rise) (Forever Living Originals)
  11. Drunken Kong Where We Start (Tronic)
  12. Dueling Experts Dueling Experts (Mello Music)
  13. Aesop Rock Spirit World Field Guide (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
  14. X Alphabetland (Fat Possum)
  15. Andre Akinyele Uniqlo Boy (Andre Akinyele)
  16. Diabla Diezco Memento Mori (Mord)
  17. Marquis Hill Soul Sign (Black Unlimited Music Group)
  18. Ratboys Printer's Devil (Topshelf)
  19. Eminem Music To Get Murdered By (Aftermath)
  20. Christopher Hollyday Dialog (Christopher Hollyday)
  21. Collocutor Continuation (On the Corner)
  22. James Solace Mind Music (Hot Creations)
  23. The Bombpops Death in Venice Beach (Fat Wreck Chords)
  24. Esme Patterson There Will Come Soft Rains (BMG)
  25. Kyle Nix Lightning on the Mountain & Other Short Stories (Bossier City)
  26. Marcus King King (Marcus King)
  27. Fiona Apple Fetch the Bolt Cutters (Epic)
  28. Bully Sugaregg (Sub Pop)
  29. Cable Ties Far Enough (Merge)
  30. Jeff Rosenstock No Dream (Polyvinyl)
  31. Mars Williams An Ayler Xmas Vol.. 4:  Chicago Vs. New York  (Astral Spirits)
  32. Teenage Halloween Teenage Halloween (Don Giovanni)
  33. Luke Vibert Luke Vibert Presents: Amen Andrews (Hypercolour)
  34. Maita Best Wishes (Kill Rock Stars)
  35. Moodymann TAKEN AWAY | KDJ-49 (Kenneth Dixon)
  36. Oumou Sangaré Acoustic (No Format)
  37. Lydia Loveless Daughter (Honey, You're Gonna Be Late)
  38. John Legend Bigger Love (Columbia)
  39. Two Weeks Notice A Calm, Measured Response (Extended Play) (Fake Four)
  40. Bad Moves Untenable (Don Giovanni)
  41. Sports Team Deep Down Happy (Bright Antennae)
  42. Pretenders Hate For Sale (BMG)
  43. Dua Saleh Rosetta (Against Giants)
  44. The Beths Jump Rope Gazers (Carpark)
  45. Pup This Place Sucks Ass (Pup/BMG)
  46. Baba Zula Hayvan Gibi (Night Dreamer/Gulbara)
  47. Siul Hughes Hueman (Fake Four)
  48. Moonchild Sanelly Nüdes (Transgressive)
  49. Neek, Blazer Sound System NMX004: Sanctuary Mixtape (Noods Radio)
  50. Sven Wunder Eastern Flowers (PIANO PIANO)
  51. Diet Cig Do You Wonder About Me? (Frenchkiss)
  52. staHHr No Doubts (813941)
  53. Biznaga Gran Pantalla (Slovenly)
  54. Pins Hot Slick (Haus of Pins) 
  55. Groupe RTD The Dancing Devils of Djibouti (Ostinato)
  56. Sunwatchers Oh Yeah? (Trouble In Mind)
  57. Various Artists Best of Senso Sounds 2020 (Senso Sounds)
  58. S.G. Goodman Old Time Feeling (Verve Forecast)
  59. Sully Swandive (Astrophonica)
  60. Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Il Giardino Armonico, Giovanni Antonini What's Next Vivaldi? (Alpha)
  61. Bruce Springsteen Letter To You (Columbia)
  62. Brandford Marsalis Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Musi From the Netflix Film) (Milan)
  63. St. Panther These Days (Nice Life)
  64. Speaker Music Black Nationalist Sonic Weaponry (Planet Mu)
  65. Various Artists Still Life (VEYL)
  66. Alkibar Junior Music from Saharan WhatsApp 04 (Sahel Sounds)
  67. Damu The Fudgemunk & Raw Poetic Moment of Change (Redefinition)
  68. Various Artists Black Voices : Solidarity Compilation (Les Disques Bongo Joe)
  69. Margo Price Perfectly Imperfect At The Ryman (Bandcamp)
  70. Mdou Moctar Mixtape Vol 5 (Bandcamp)
  71. Dave Alvin and Phil Alvin Live From Austin (Yep Roc)
  72. SHDW & Obscure Shape Der Weg Des Kriegers (From Another Mind)
  73. Corb Lund Architectural Tragic (New West)
  74. William Basinski Lamentations (Temporary Residence)
  75. Fox Green The Longest April (Fox Green)
  76. ASC Isolated Systems (Samurai Music)
  77. Obnox Savage Raygun (ever/never)
  78. Rasheed Chappell & Buckwild Sinners & Saints (Get On Down)
  79. The High Water Marks Ecstasy Rhymes (Minty Fresh)
  80. Nils Frahm Empty (Blank Tapes)
  81. Nat Birchall Tradition Disc In Dub - Nat Birchall Meets Al Breadwinner (Bandcamp)
  82. Rodney Rice Same Shirt, Different Day (Moody Spring)
  83. CP Unit One Foot On The Ground Smoking Mirror Shakedown (Ramp Local)
  84. Victoria Monét Jaguar (Tribe)
  85. Flat Worms Antarctica (Drag City)
  86. City of Dawn Aubade (Heart Dance)
  87. Hurricane Ruth Good Life (American Showplace Music)
  88. Dan Auber, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Dario Salvi Auber: Overtures, Vol. 2 (Naxos)
  89. Green/Blue Green/Blue (Slovenly)
  90. Yazzus Delta Wave (Good Enuff)
  91. Anna Burch If You're Dreaming (Polyvinyl)
  92. Isabelle Faust, Alexander Melnikov Mozart: Sonatas for Fortepiano & Violin, Vol. 2 (Harmonia Mundi)
  93. Cadet The Legend Rated (Underrated Legends)
  94. Vienna Radio Symphony, Michael Halász Opéra-Comique Overtures (Naxos)
  95. Trio No Mas A Tragedy Of Fermented Undulation (Bandcamp)
  96. 36 Wave Variations (Past Inside the Present)
  97. Slake Dransky Colors (Slake Dransky)
  98. Gary Husband & Markus Reuter Music Of Our Times (Moonjune)
  99. 36 & zakè Stasis Sounds For Long-Distance Space Travel (36 & zakè)
  100. Rodriguez Jr. Bliss (Mobilee)
  101. Gillian Welch Boots No. 2: The Lost Songs, Vol. 3 (Acony)
  102. The Teskey Brothers Live At The Forum (Glassnote)
  103. Christoph de Babalon, Mark Split (A Colourful Storm)
  104. Gum Country Somewhere (Gum Country)
  105. Marcin Wasilewski Trio with Joe Lovano Arctic Riff (ECM) 
  106. Tornado Wallace Midnight Mania (Optimo)
  107. Falkner Evans Marbles (Falkner Evans)
  108. CeeLo Green CeeLo Green is Thomas Callaway (Easy Eye Sound)
  109. Warmth Life (Archives)
  110. Snarls Burst (Take This To Heart)
  111. Silverbacks Fad (Central Tones)
  112. anodyne Decay (Acroplane Recordings)
  113. Jon Hassell Seeing Through Sound (Pentimento Volume Two) (Ndeya)
  114. Dallas Acid The Spiral Ambiance (All Saints)
  115. Lamasz Nature Morte (Past Inside the Present)
  116. Laraaji Through Luminous Eyes (All Saints)
  117. Jetstream Pony Jetstream Pony (712550)
  118. The Chats High Risk Behaviour (Bargain Bin)
  119. Melenas Dias Raros (Trouble In Mind)
  120. Ohtwo A Time To Be Small (Independent)
  121. Adam Daurich The Wooden Box (1631 Recordings)
  122. Annie Hall Fum (Central Processing Unit)
  123. Blushh R.I.P. Apathy (Blushh)
  124. Slow Reels Farewell Islands (Morr Music)
  125. Nicholas Walker Balakirev Complete Piano Works Vol. 6 (Grand Piano)
  126. Sam Gendel Satin Doll (Nonesuch)
  127. Radical Dads Paved Mountain (Uninhabitable Mansions)
  128. New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers- Volume 1 (Stony Plain)
  129. Sean Shibe J.S. Bach: Lute Works (Arr. for Guitar) (Delphian)
  130. Amaria Hamadalher Music from Saharan WhatsApp 05 (Sahel Sounds)
  131. The Bats Foothills (Flying Nun)
  132. Black Swan Evolution (Black Swan)
  133. K.A.L.I.L. & Cam Harris Order (Second State Audio)
  134. Pilo A.R.E.A. (Boysnoize)
  135. Jockstrap Wicked City (Warp)
  136. Jenny O New Truth (Mama Bird Recordings)
  137. Somnus thousand suns (...lost in the rain of our tears.)
  138. Grandbruit Ruptures (Past Inside the Present)
  139. Flug Reality EP (Suara)
  140. Alfred. One Trick Pony (Topshelf)
  141. Pye Corner Audio Where Things Are Hollow 2  (Lapsus)
  142. Dawn Chorus and the Infallible Sea Liberamente (Azure Vista)
  143. Joyce Manor Songs from Northern Torrence (Epitaph)
  144. Raymond Richards The Lost Art Of Wandering (ESP Institute)
  145. Jeich Ould Badou Music from Saharan WhatsApp 03 (Sahel Sounds)
  146. Bertrand Chamayou Good Night! (Warner Classics)
  147. Various Artists Still In My Arms (A Colourful Storm)
  148. Stray Ghost White Rose (1631 Recordings)
  149. Lewsberg In This House (12XU)
  150. Etran de L'Aïr Music from Saharan WhatsApp (Sahel Sounds)
  151. Charlotte de Witte Return To Nowhere (KNTXT)
  152. Peel Dream Magazine Agitprop Alterna (Slumberland)
  153. Only Now Black Wind / Merciless Destiny (Kush Arora)













SINGLES

* COVID songs
*** BLM related

  1. iMarkkeyz x DJ Suede The Remix God "Lose Yo Job" (Pivnet Emery) ***
  2. Terrace Martin "Pig Feet (feat. Denzel Curry, Kamasi Washington, G Perico & Daylyt)" (Sounds of Crenshaw) ***
  3. Mr. Raoul K "Bara (feat Ahmed Sosso - M&R Action mix)" (Compost)
  4. Doja Cat "Boss B*tch" (Atlantic)
  5. Chaka Khan "National Anthem (Live at NBA All-Stars Game)" (no label)
  6. Bob Dylan "Murder Most Foul" (Columbia)
  7. Lady Gaga "Stupid Love" (Interscope)
  8. Megan Thee Stallion & Normani "Diamonds" (Atlantic)
  9. Tundra ft. B.U.H, Gaffa Tape Sandy, Kulk, and Seymour Quigley "They Want Us To Die" (Repeat) *
  10. Moodyman "Do Wrong" (Kenneth Dixon)
  11. Van Vuuren Bros "Bye Bye Donny" (no label)
  12. Goodie Mob feat. Chuck D "Are You Ready?" (Goodie Mob)
  13. Tyga x Curtis Roach "Bored In The House" (Last Kings) *
  14. Hayley Williams "Simmer" (Atlantic)
  15. Dua Saleh's "body cast" (AGAINST GIANTS)
  16. Meek Mill "Otherside Of America" (Mayabach) ***
  17. DJ iMarkkeyz/Cardi B "Coronavirus" (Atlantic) *
  18. K' Alexi Shelby & Tony Loveless featuring Tamika Mallory  "State Of Emergency" (Break the Silence) ***
  19. Miranda Writes "The Don (feat. DJ Mary Mac) (Club Royale Remix)" (LPD Entertainment)
  20. Randy Newman "Stay Away" (Nonesuch) *
  21. Wiley "Eediyat Skengman (Stormzy Send)" (Wiley)
  22. Cable Ties "Sandcastles" (Merge)
  23. Jeffrey Lewis "Keep it chill in the East Vill./Kid, You're Grounded" (Jeffrey Lewis) *
  24. Awich "Shook Shook" (Universal)
  25. Rich Aucoin "How It Breaks" (Haven Sounds)
  26. Todrick Hall "Mask, Glove, Soap, Gloves" (frtyfve) *
  27. SAINt JHN "Roses (Imanbek Remix)" (Godd Complexx)
  28. Thorn1 "Snow Covers Everything at Least Six Months in a Year" (Silber)
  29. Brooke Bentham "Control" (AllPoints)
  30. Apollo Brown, Che Noir "Freedom" (Mello Music) ***
  31. Lil Wayne "Mahogany" (Young Money)
  32. Aretha Franklin "Never Gonna Break My Faith ft. The Boys Choir of Harlem" (RCA) ***
  33. Nana "Heaven & Hennessy" (no label)
  34. Sacre "05:00AM JUNGLE CHASE" (Palmtree Hotel)
  35. Marlowe, L'Orange "Otherworld" (Mello Music)
  36. Juice WRLD & Marshmello "Come & Go" (Interscope)
  37. Archie Shepp & Jason Moran "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" (Archieball)
  38. R.A. the Rugged Man "DRAGON FIRE (FT. GHOSTFACE KILLAH, MASTA KILLA, & KOOL G RAP)" (Nature Sounds)
  39. Diana Ross "Love Hangover (Eric Kupper Remix)" (Motown)
  40. Dua Lipa "Hallucinate" (Warner Bros)
  41. Meghan Trainor "Nice To Meet Ya (feat. Nicki Minaj)" (Epic)
  42. The Weeknd "I'm A Virgin" (no label)
  43. cupcakKe "Lemon Pepper" (cupcakKe)
  44. Cadenza Feat. Ms Banks x Spice "Walkout" (Twenty8Twelve)
  45. Bad Bunny "Yo Perreo Sola" (Rimas Entertainment)
  46. Rina Sawayama "LUCID" (Dirty Hit)
  47. Tiga Vs. Audion "This Is A Dream (Terr Remix)" (Turbo Recordings)
  48. Green Day "Fire, Ready, Aim" (Reprise)
  49. Krazy Kuts "Masterplan (feat. Dynamite MC)" (Bombstrikes)
  50. Saweetie "Tap In" (Icy)
  51. High Waisted "Boys Can't Dance" (Lean-To)
  52. Ramses3000 "Gbana (feat. Mash P)" (Intercept)
  53. JASSS "Turbo Ole" (Whities)
  54. Dave Leatherman & Bruce Nolan "Sunny Sky" (Chopshop)
  55. CocoRosie "Restless" (Marathon Artists)
  56. Tinashe "Save Room For Us" (Tinashe Music)
  57. Wyatt Waddell "Fight" (Rosebud Allday)
  58. The Mountain Goats "Until Olympius Returns" (Merge) *
  59. Hazel English "Shaking" (Polyvinyl)
  60. Little Simz "might bang, might not" (Age 101)
  61. Samantha Crain "Pastime" (Ramseur)
  62. Volk "Welcome To Cashville" (Romanus)
  63. Hannah Wants & Kevin Knapp "Call Me (Carl Cox Remix)" (Toolroom)
  64. Family of Things "YKB" (Independent)
  65. AC/DC "Realize" (Leidseplein Presse)
  66. Denzel Curry, Kenny Beats "Diet_" (PH Recordings)
  67. $NOT "Roadrunner" (2020)
  68. Mura Masa "Deal Wiv It (featuring slowthai)" (Universal)
  69. Dyamond Doll "Dwade (Feat. Trina)" (Dark Boys)
  70. Ela Minus "El Cielo No Es De Nadie" (Domino)
  71. Maur "Set You Free" (Sola)
  72. SZA, Justin Timberlake "The Other Side" (RCA)
  73. Chaii "Lightswitch" (Black Lotus)
  74. Mdou Moctar "Ibitlan" (Mdou Moctar)
  75. Lil Baby "The Bigger Picture" (Quality Control Music) ***
  76. Maude Latour "Block Your Number" (Maude Latour)
  77. Hamell On Trial "Pandemic Boogie (at 34:00 mark)" (Facebook) *
  78. Conan Gray "Maniac" (Republic)
  79. Duck Sauce "Captain Duck" (Duck Sauce) 
  80. R.A. the Rugged Man "Dragon Fire ft. Ghostface Killah, Masta Killa, Kool G Rap, Xx3eme" (Nature Sounds)
  81. Ne-Yo feat. O.T. Genasis "Pinky Ring" (Motown Records)
  82. Beach Bunny "Promises" (Mom + Pop)
  83. Halsey "Finally//beautiful stranger" (Capitol)
  84. M.I.A. "CTRL" (no label)
  85. YELLE "Karaté" (Recreation Center)
  86. Four Tet "Baby" (Text)
  87. The Populists "Prehistoric Lemurs" (Lumière Noire)
  88. Aubrie Sellers "Troublemaker" (Aubrie Sellers)
  89. Bully "Where To Start" (Sub Pop)
  90. Romeo "Honey/Neopolitan" (Cool Death) 
  91. Sault "Wildfires" (Forever Living Originals)
  92. The Weeknd "After Hours"  (Republic)
  93. Ski Mask The Slump God "Burn The Hoods" (Republic) ***
  94. PVRIS "Hallucinations" (Warner Bros)
  95. Heartless Bastards "Revolution" (Sweet Unknown)
  96. Spielbergs "Go!" (By The Time It Gets Dark)
  97. Nancy Live "Cosmic Beans" (&Friends)
  98. Anderson .Paak "Lockdown Remix feat. JID, Noname & Jay Rock" (Aftermath) ***
  99. Vytamin "Uzy Jet" (Unknown to the Unknown)
  100. Schacke "Trained To The Floor" (Kaos)
  101. Roddy Ricch "Boom Boom Room" (Atlantic)
  102. Biscits & Mita "Tribalism (Extended Mix)" (Toolroom)
  103. J. Cole "Lion King On Ice" (Dreamville)
  104. Janelle Monae "Turntable" (Bad Boy) ***
  105. Hot Chip feat. Jarvis Cocker "Straight To The Morning" (Domino)
  106. Wiz Khalifa "Contact feat. Tyga" (Atlantic)
  107. Laura Jane Grace "Supernatural Possession" (Polyvinyl)
  108. Horse Meat Disco feat. Amy Douglas & Valerie Etienne "Feed Your Hungry Mind" (Glitterbox Recordings)
  109. Tifa "The Best" (Ineffable) 
  110. Etapp Kyle "Polar" (Ostgut Ton)
  111. SL, Kenny Beats "Little Bird" (Mic Cheque)
  112. The Go-Go's "Club Zero" (Universal) 
  113. DUCKWRTH "COMING CLOSER ft. G.L.A.M and Julia Romana" (Republic)
  114. Polo G "Martin & Gina" (Columbia)
  115. beabadoobee "Care" (Dirty Hit)
  116. Patti Smith "One Silver Thread" (no label)
  117. RaeLynn "Judgin' to Jesus" (Round Here)
  118. LISASINSON "Volverte A Enamorar" (Elefant)
  119. Caylee Hammack "Redhead ft. Reba McEntire" (Capitol)
  120. Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby "Vote That Fucker Out" (Southern Domestic)
  121. DJ Durel "Bad Moves ft. Quavo, Rich The Kid" (Epic)
  122. 2 Chainz Feat. Future "Dead Man Walking" (Def Jam)
  123. Bartees Strange "Boomer" (Memory Music)
  124. Migos "Racks 2 Skinny" (Quality Control)
  125. Sprints "Manifesto" (Nice Swan)
  126. Elvis Costello "Hetty O’Hara Confidential" (Concord)
  127. Teenage Halloween "Stationary" (Don Giovanni)
  128. Marlowe, L'Orange "OG Funk Rock (Featuring A-F-R-O)" (Mello Music)
  129. KAYTRANADA "10% (ft. Kali Uchis)" (RCA)
  130. Logic1000 "I Won't Forget" (2021 Therapy)
  131. Bad Moves "Party With The Kids Who Wanna Party With You" (Don Giovanni)
  132. Future "Tycoon" (Epic)
  133. Doja Cat "Say So ft. Nicki Minaj" (Kemosabe)
  134. 0171 "Follow" (0171)
  135. Che Lingo "My Block" (7Wallace) ***
  136. Fialta "Omg" (Fialta)
  137. sydanie "purple carousel" (803485)
  138. Romes "Lose My Cool" (Sugar Blood)
  139. Idles "Model Village" (Partisan)
  140. Pearl Jam "Never Destination" (Monkeywrench)
  141. Against All Logic "Alucinao feat. Estado Unido · FKA Twigs" (One People)
  142. David Wolves "Rapture" (No Matter) ***
  143. Bryce Vine "Baby Girl" (Sire)
  144. Bootsy Collins feat. George Benson "The Power of One" (Sweetwater Sounds)
  145. Dan Deacon "Adriane in Wonderland" (Domino)
  146. Jayda G "Both Of Us (Jayda G Sunset Bliss Mix)" (Ninja Tune)
  147. SOFI TUKKER & Gorgon City "House Arrest" (Ultra)
  148. miesha & the spanks "Wanna Feel Good" (Saved By Vinyl)
  149. Medhane "Dolomeals" (TBHG)
  150. Psychs "Spreadin' (Coronavirus)" (Psychs) *
  151. ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead "Into the Godless Void" (Dine Alone Music)
  152. Lauren Alaina "Getting Over Him ft. Jon Pardi" (19 Recordings/Mercury Nashville)
  153. Icona Pop "Feels In My Body" (Ten/Ultra)
  154. Trey Songz "2020 Riots: How Many Times" (Atlantic) ***
  155. Pup "Rot" (Pup/BMG)
  156. Personality Cult "Figure" (Dirtnap)
  157. Amerigo Gazaway "Indivisible" (Soul Mates) ***
  158. Dillon Francis "You Do You (feat. BabyJake)" (Mad Descent)
  159. Drake "Landed" (Republic)
  160. Saro "limitation" (Tragic Fashion)
  161. Oceanator "Crack in the World" (Plastic Miracles)
  162. Cold Beat "Prism" (DFA)
  163. The Sonder Bombs "What Are Friends For?" (Take This To Heart)
  164. Dead Pony "Everything Is Easy" (LAB)
  165. Kiana Lede "Mad At Me" (Republic)
  166. Priceless Scott "Pull Up" (16 Digital)
  167. DJ Scheme, Cordae & Ski Mask The Slump God "Soda (Feat. Take A Daytrip)" (Scheme)
  168. Lil Wayne "Shimmy feat. Doja Cat' (Young Money)
  169. The Beths "I'm Not Getting Excited" (Carpark)
  170. Bob Mould "Siberian Butterfly" (Merge)
  171. Vytamin "Outer Rim" (Subwax)
  172. Lion Babe "Hot In Herre" (Lion Babe)
  173. Jean Dawson Feat. A$AP Rocky "Triple Double" (P+)
  174. Briskey "Don't Want To Talk About It" (Briskey)
  175. Asoh Black! "Foolie" (Asoh Black!)
  176. Bob Vylan "Lynch Your Leaders" (Ghost Dance, 2019) ***
  177. No Age "War Dance" (Drag City)
  178. Sprints "The Cheek" (Nice Swan)
  179. Pop Smoke "Enjoy Yourself ft. Karol G" (Republic)
  180. Mary J. Blige "See What You've Done" (Def Jam)
  181. Bishop The Overseer "Nation of Immigrants" (Bishop Enterprises) ***
  182. TV Priest "This Island" (Hand in Hive)
  183. Ganser "Emergency Equipment and Exits" (felte)
  184. Naomi Cowan "Climbing" (DubShot)
  185. Kelsea Ballerini "hole in the bottle" (Black River Entertainment)
  186. Kacey Musgraves "Oh, What A World" (MCA)
  187. Dead Pony "23 Never Me" (LAB)
  188. Tkay Maidza "Shook" (4AD)
  189. zakè & City of Dawn "Cicatrize" (Zakè Drone Recordings)
  190. Tough Age "My Life's a Joke & I'm Throwing It Away" (Mint)
  191. Mattiel "Looking Down the Barrel of A Gun" (ATO)
  192. Tika "Get Up!" (Independent)
  193. Jessy Lanza "Lick In Heaven" (Hyperdub)
  194. DJ Netflex "TkorelessT" (United Hardcores Alliance)
  195. Kota Banks "Snip Snip" (Sony)
  196. Black Eyed Peas, Ozuna, J. Rey Soul "MAMACITA" (BEP/Epic)
  197. Taylor Swift "This Is Me Trying" (Taylor Swift)
  198. Tom Aspaul "W.M. (Midnight Pool Party Remix)" (1609)
  199. Isabella Lovestory "Golosa" (Isabella Rodriguez)
  200. 2 Chainz Feat. Lil Wayne "Money Maker" (Gamebread)
  201. Skyzoo "Song For My Father" (Mello Music)
  202. Vanessa Peters "Aside" (Vanessa Peters)
  203. Tom Misch and Yussef Dayes "What Kinda Music" (Beyond the Groove)
  204. Psypiritual & The Lasso "Spawn (feat. Motorkam)" (Mello Music)
  205. Fabolous "Black Mamba Freestyle" (Instagram)
  206. Rod Maine "Mess You Up" (Grade a Ent Group)
  207. J. Balvin, Sky "Verde" (Universal)
  208. Nitefreak Ft. Mikaela Stemno "Falling" (Deep Root Tribe)
  209. 박혜진 Park Hye Jin "Like this" (Ninja Tune)
  210. YG "Swag" (Def Jam)
  211. Ella Minus "Dominique" (Domino)
  212. Sweeping Promises "Hunger for a Way Out" (Feel It)
  213. Miles Brown "Kid Ft. Slick Rick & Angelo Arce" (ACME Music)
  214. Reyn Hartley "Bow" (Reyn Hartley)
  215. Tek "The Illest" (Destination of Dreams)
  216. Smokescreens "Fork in the Road" (Slumberland)
  217. Rubi Rose "Pretty MF" (Empire)
  218. Natasha Mosley "Beat it Up (feat. Vedo)" (ISO)
  219. Machine Gun Kelly "Bullets With Names (featuring Young Thug, RJMrLA, Lil Duke)" (Bad Boy)
  220. Sylvan Esso "Ferris Wheel" (Loma Vista)
  221. HÅN "CTR" (Factory Flaws)
  222. Bipolar "Depression" (Slovenly)
  223. The Bonfyre - "U Remind Me ft. Wale" (HITCO)
  224. Anderson .Paak "Lockdown" (Aftermath) ***
  225. Jaden "Cabin Fever" (Roc Nation) *
  226. Jayda G "Both of Us" (Ninja Tune)
  227. DAAM "Black Lambo" (Dinero)
  228. Fold "Aphelion ft. Mr. G" (Seth Mowshowitz) ***
  229. Gusto feat. Jones "Club Banga" (Dinero Inc)
  230. Jack Harlow "WHATS POPPIN" (Generation Now)
  231. Helen Love "Dead In My Head" (Jigsaw)
  232. JAHMED "Archive" (Jahmed)
  233. mr. Gnome "Gold Edges" (El Marko)
  234. Boldy James & Real Bad Man "Good Foot (feat. Mooch & Rigz)" (Real Bad Man)
  235. Young T & Bugsey "Don't Rush ft. DaBaby" (Black Butter Limited)
  236. Flat Worms "Market Forces" (Drag City)
  237. DEHD "Loser" (Fire Talk)
  238. Pop Smoke "West Coast Shit ft. Tyga, Quavo" (Republic)
  239. A$AP Ferg "Move Ya Hips ft. Nicki Minaj, MadeinTYO" (RCA)
  240. Rico Nasty "Own It" (Sugar Trap)
  241. Space Cadet - "Forever For A While" (Wiretap)
  242. TroyBoi, Eric Leon "Lemme See" (Epidemic Music)
  243. asukrai "Capture The Moment" (Badlovesick)
  244. Sudan Archives "Limitless" (Stones Throw)
  245. DaBaby "Find My Way" (Interscope)
  246. Honduras "Remains" (Honduras)
  247. LADY LAMB "We've Got A Good Thing Going" (Ba Da Bing!)
  248. DJ Q, Tofubeats, GAIDAA "All In" (DJ Q, Gaidaa, tofubeats)
  249. binki "Heybb!" (Fader)
  250. This Frontier Needs Heroes "South Dakota" (This Frontier Needs Heroes)
  251. Beyoncé "BLACK PARADE" (Parkwood) ***
  252. Blacka Di Danca, KrossFayah, Clayton William "Buss Down” (Impossibull)
  253. salute "Fortress" (PIAS)
  254. Guided By Voices "A Whale Is Top Notch" (GBV Inc) 
  255. Cleo Sol "Rose in the Dark" (Forever Living Originals)
  256. Chel "Party of One" (Chel)
  257. Rare Essence feat. Snoop Dogg "Hit The Floor" (Rare One)
  258. Maria DeHart "Pop Song" (Strawberry Moon)
  259. Tugboat Captain "No Plans (For This Year)" (Double A-Side) *
  260. Fontaines D.C. "A Hero's Death" (Partisan)
  261. Liz Longley "Finally High" (Tone Tree)
  262. Deadletter "Fit For Work" (Deadletter)
  263. LP Giobbi "Amber Rose" (Animal Talk)
  264. Michael Kiwanuka "Light (Edit)" (Polydor)
  265. Romero "Troublemaker" (Romero)
  266. Coi Leray feat. Gunna "Slide" (Republic)
  267. Stretch & Bobbito + The M19s Band "Que Bonita Bandera" (Uprising Music NYC)
  268. Marlowe "Future Power Sources" (Mello Music)
  269. Pokey LaFarge "Blue Bird" (New West)
  270. Jenevieve "Medallion" (Joyface)
  271. Cobrah "Debut" (Gagball)
  272. AG Club "Memphis" (TheNamelessCollective)
  273. Mavis Staples "All In It Together" (Anti-) *
  274. The Sensational Country Blues Wonders! "Double Barrel Blues" (Sensational Wonders)
  275. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever "She's There" (Sub Pop)
  276. Elizabeth Cook "Half Hanged Mary" (Thirty Tigers)
  277. Dogleg "Kawasaki Backflip" (Triple Crown)
  278. Beton "Dockside (Original Mix)" (Pete Recordings)
  279. Jade Imagine "Coastal Pines" (Marathon Artists) 
  280. Dead Ghosts "Drugstore Supplies" (Burger)
  281. Holy Motors "Country Church" (Wharf Cat)
  282. Mike Zito "Quarantine Blues" (Gulf Coast) *
  283. John Prine "I Remember Everything" (Oh Boy)
  284. Working Men's Club "John Cooper Clarke" (Heavenly Recordings)
  285. More or Les "Normal 2.0" (Hand'Solo) *
  286. WhoHeem "Lets Link ft. Tyga & Lil Mosey" (Arista)
  287. lojii "lo&behold" (lojii)
  288. Red Vox "Realign" (Red Vox)
  289. Lone "The Way You Feel" (R&S)
  290. Alaska Reid "Boys From Town" (Terrible)
  291. Midnite Snaxxx "Contact Contamination" (Slovenly)
  292. neutrals "Personal Computing" (Slumberland)
  293. Close Lobsters "All Compasses Go Wild" (Shelflife)
  294. Soulecta "Ruff Cut" (Garage Shared)
  295. Duke Dumont "Ocean Drive" (Virgin)
  296. Angus1 "Champagne" (Guy Tarento)
  297. Kaitlyn Morell "My Forever" (Difrent Empire)
  298. Jean Dawson "90's Green Screen" (P+)
  299. Slodown "Orientation (feat. Bohan Phoenix & 9m88)" (13 Orphans)
  300. Teenear "Free" (Slip N Slide) ***
  301. Gil Scott-Heron & Makaya McCraven "Me and the Devil" (XL Recordings)
  302. Bryce Vine "Problems (Feat. Grady)" (Sire) *
  303. Haiku Hands Feat. Sofi Tukker "Fashion Model Art" (Mad Descent)
  304. The Read Simba "Bounce" (Out the Gate)
  305. Van "Coronavirus" (Van Entertainment) *
  306. Aaron Lee Tasjan "Feminine Walk" (New West)
  307. Fat Yunginn "Show My Ass feat. Yella Beezy" (Cash Money)
  308. Fivio Foreign "Drive By" (RichFish)
  309. Jon Langford & Skull Orchard "Losers" (Bloodshot)
  310. Arlo Parks "Eugene" (Transgressive)
  311. mxmtoon "no faker" (AWAL Recordings)
  312. lovelytheband "idwgtyp" (The Century Family)
  313. Peter CottonTale "Together" (Peter CottonTale)
  314. PACES "Back Around feat Sarah Saint James" (Off Leash)
  315. Teyana Taylor "Made It" (G.O.O.D Music)
  316. City Girls "Jobs" (Quality Control)
  317. William Elliott Whitmore "MK Ultra Blues" (Bloodshot)
  318. Fruit Bats "Shane" (Merge)
  319. Drive-By Truckers "Quarantine Together" (ATO) *
  320. Jackie Hayes "headache" (Jackie Hayes)
  321. Juelz Santana x A-Boogie Wit Da Hoodie "The Get Back" (The Dispensary) 
  322. Slug Father "Think of U" (Casablanca Sunset)
  323. Hotel Lux "Tabloid Newspaper" (Nice Swan)
  324. Future  "Accepting My Flaws" (Epic)
  325. Wata Igarashi "Eruption" (Delsin)
  326. Aminé ft. Saba "Talk" (Republic)
  327. Pink Siifu "SMD" (Field-Left)
  328. Daniel Romano "Green Eye-Shade" (You've Changed)
  329. Truncate "Repeat/El Sonido" (Truncate)
  330. Hoodcelebrityy "Run Di Road" (Female Shotta)
  331. Layton Greene "Leave Em Alone (feat. PnB Rock)- Flava Remix" (no label)
  332. Shemekia Copeland "Uncivil War" (Alligator) ***
  333. Posehn "Big Fat Rock" (Megaforce)
  334. Miynt "A Bit of Papaya" (B3SCI)
  335. Honey Cutt "Vacation" (Kanine)
  336. Widowspeak "Breadwinner" (Captured Tracks)
  337. Blueface "FIrst Mission" (5th Amendment)
  338. The Garages "rogue ump" (Fourth Strike)
  339. G Herbo "PTSD ft Juice WRLD & Chance The Rapper & Lil Uzi Vert" (Machine Entertainment)
  340. Lithics "Beat Fall" (Trouble In Mind)
  341. LISASINSON "Atasco" (Elefant)
  342. Zebra Katz "Ish" (ZFK)
  343. Sløtface "Tap the pack" (Propeller)
  344. Terry Vs. Toni "Heathers" (El Genio Equivocado)
  345. Aminé feat. Young Thug "Compensating" (Republic)
  346. Not Fit "Fun House" (Not Fit)
  347. Eyelids "At Sea" (Jealous Butcher)
  348. Quelle Chris & Chris Keys "LIVING HAPPY (feat. Joseph Chilliams & Cavalier)" (Mello Music)
  349. Woods "Can't Get Out" (Woodsist)
  350. Rex the Dog, DJ Haus "Transmitter" (Soft Computing)
  351. Leslie Mendelson "If You Can't Say Anything Nice..." (Royal Potato Family)
  352. Ry Cooder "Congregatin'" (Nonesuch) *
  353. Fenne Lily "Hypochondriac" (Dead Oceans)
  354. Albzzy "Haters (featuring Coleman)" (Report Network)
  355. Ben Folds "2020" (Ben Folds) *
  356. Momma "Double Dare" (Danger Collective)
  357. staHHr "Mother's Milk" (813941) ***
  358. Lil Baby "Catch the Sun" (Motown)
  359. Menachem 26 "Dakn" (Metanoia)
  360. Whitney Rose "Better Man" (MCG)
  361. A Girl Called Eddy "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart" (Elefant)
  362. Minimal Schlager "Fireworks feat. Eddie Argos and Laura Lee" (Duchess Box)
  363. Veerus "System" (Drumcode)
  364. Boat "Zombie State of Mind" (Magic Marker)
  365. The Pack a.d. "Give Up" (Pack a.d.)
  366. Lil Tecca "Out Of Love Ft. internet money" (Republic)
  367. Jelani Aryeh "Stella Brown" (No Matter)
  368. Pia Fraus "Hidden Park" (Seksound)
  369. Sir Richard Bishop "Celerity" (Drag City)
  370. The Drums & Jonny Pierce “Take Yer Meds!!” (A Guided Meditation) (Anti-) *
  371. William Shatner and Canned Heat "Let's Work Together" (Cleopatra)

You can hear most of the songs above on this Spotify playlist.












REISSUES/ARCHIVES
  1. Duke Ellington Orchestra Big Bands Live-Liederhalle Stuttgart 1967  (SWRMusic)
  2. Various Artists LÉVE LÉVE: Sao Tomé & Principe sounds 70s-80s (Bongo Joe)
  3. Silkworm In The West (Comedy Minus One)
  4. Various Artists Spring Soul NYC (Ace)
  5. John Coltrane Joe Brazil Bootleg (Detroit, 1958) (no label)
  6. Various Artists Uzelli Elektro Saz (1976-1984) (Uzelli)
  7. Sun Ra Celestial Love (Modern Harmonic)
  8. Shoes Elektrafied: The Elektra Albums 1979-1982 (Warner Music)
  9. Damily Early Years: Madagascar Cassette Archives (Bongo Joe)
  10. Various Artists Ready Or Not - Thom Bell's Philly Soul Arrangements & Productions 1965-1978 (Ace)
  11. Pylon Pylon Box (New West)
  12. Rage Against the Machine The Battle of Mexico City (Epic)
  13. Fugazi Fugazi at The Edge in Palo Alto CA (no label)
  14. Lil Wayne Free Weezy Album (Young Money)
  15. Pere Ubu By Order of Mayor Pawlicki (Cherry Red)
  16. Big Youth DJing live on the radio (1981) (no label)
  17. Various Artists 1978 The Year The UK Turned Day-Glo (Cherry Red)
  18. Tom Ze Raridades (Warner Bros)
  19. Leyla McCalla Vari-Colored Songs: a Tribute to Langston Hughes (Smithsonian Folkways)
  20. The Chi-Lites (For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People (Brunswick)
  21. Moondog On The Streets Of New York (Mississippi)
  22. Various Artists BNKR // The Complete Archive (MethLab)
  23. Phil Seymour If You Don't Want My Love (Sunset Blvd)
  24. Buck Owens and The Buckaroos A Merry "Hee Haw" Christmas (Omnivore)
  25. Pedro Lima Maguidala (Bongo Joe)
  26. Peter Stampfel Demo '84 (Don Giovanni)
  27. Various Artists Kaleidoscope - New Spirts Known and Unknown (Soul Jazz)
  28. Various Artists Headphone Commute- Mnemonic45 - Sky Is A Painter (Mixcloud)
  29. Sugar Billy Super Duper Love (Mainstream)
  30. Various Artists Africa Airways Six: Mile High Funk 1974 - 1981 (Africa Seven)
  31. Various Artists A Stranger I May Be: Savoy Gospel 1954-1966 (Honest Jon's)
  32. Pete Yellin Dance Of Allegra (Mainstream)
  33. Various Artists Inner City Review (Arc)
  34. Ella Fitzgerald The Lost Berlin Tapes (Verve)
  35. Max Romeo Revelation Time (17 NORTH PARADE)
  36. Hallelujah Chicken Run Band Take One (Analog Africa)
  37. Anthony Moore Out (Drag City)
  38. Various Artists HOA011 (Haus of Altr)
  39. Juniper Moon El Resto De Mi Vida (Elefant)
  40. Datacide Datacide 1 (Atom)
  41. Thelonious Monk Palo Alto (Rhythm-A-Ning Entertainment)
  42. Dennis Brown Just Dennis (Trojan)
  43. Reggie Moore Furioso (Mainstream)
  44. Diasiva Lost In Ether | Podcast #174 (Lost In Ether)
  45. Stan Hope Stan Hope (Mainstream)
  46. Various Artists Fast Jivin’ Class Cutters High On Booze – Spellbound Cavemen and Mad Scientists From The Vault Of Lux and Ivy (Cherry Red)
  47. Zazou Bikaye Mr Manager (Crammed Discs)
  48. The Kills Little Bastards (Domino)
  49. Lone Greenhills Road Archive Traks Volume Two (Bandcamp)
  50. Ulrich Schnauss Goodbye (Scripted Realities)
  51. The Disciples For Those Who Understand (Partial) 
  52. Bonnie Hays Good Clean Fun (Blixa Sounds)
  53. Kakai Kilonzo & Les Kilimambogo Brothers Buffalo Mountain (NO WAHALA SOUNDS)
  54. Love Tractor Love Tractor (HHBTM)
  55. Various Artists Meditation Data • Ambient Dreampunk Mix (YouTube)
  56. His Name Is Alive Return To Never (Home Recordings Vol 2) (Disciples)
  57. Prince Alla "Jah Give I Love" (Tough Scout)
  58. Various Artists London Pirate Radio Adverts 1984​​-​​1993, Vol. 1 (Death Is Not the End)
  59. Jay Migliori and Dick Twardzik Jazz Workshop Quintet. A Harvard WHRB Session (Fresh Sounds)
  60. Various Artists VF Live: Iggor Cavalera  (Vinyl Factory)
  61. Honey Radar Sing the Snow Away: The Chunklet Years (Chunklet Industries)
  62. Mighty Threes Africa Shall Stretch Forth Her Hand (JAH FINGERS MUSIC)
  63. Ned Lagin Seastones (Important)
  64. Sasaki Hideto - Sekine Toshiyuki Quartet + 1 Stop Over (BBE)
  65. Motohiko Hamase Technodrome (WRWTFWW)












BOOKS


Also see a listing of favorite 2020 Christmas music, including 36 new releases and 6 reissues.

And see my listing of 47 great music videos from 2020 at Rock & Roll Globe.





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