Best Of Archives

Thoroughly Best Tough Music of 2023

Posted on December 28, 2023December 28, 2023 by Musica

Click here for the complete tough 2023 playlist experience. And over there for the another thorough list.

Top 17 Albums of 2023 + Top EP of the Year + More (Apple Music friendly (click on album art to open in app))

Welcome back:

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RIP:

Big Pokey

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Children’s album of the year:

DANCE MODE! – Bluey (Ludo Studio)

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Runner up:

KAYTRAMINE – Kaytraminé (CLBN LLC/Kaytranada Music & Publishing, Inc./Venice Music)

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EP of the year:

REAL CULTURAL ISH – Channel Tres (Channel Tres Inc./RCA Records)

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#17

MIDLIFE CRISIS (Swishahouse RMX) – Slim Thug (SoSouth)

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#16

MINIATURE TIGERS – Miniature Tigers (Miniature Tigers)

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#15

SO MANY OTHER REALITIES EXIST SIMULTANEOUSLY – Atmosphere (Rhymesayers Entertainment LLC)

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#14

FIVE OF CUPS – Holy Wave (Holy Wave/Suicide Squeeze Records)

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#13

NEW BLUE SUN – André 3000 (Epic Records/Sony Music Entertainment)

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#12

WELCOME 2 COLLEGROVE – 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne (Gamebread, LLC/Def Jam Recordings/UMG Recordings, Inc.)

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#11

CRACKER ISLAND – Gorillaz (Parlophone Records Limited)

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#10

BORN FOR GREATNESS – Buju Banton (Gargamel Music Co./Roc Nation Records LLC/Def Jam Recordings)

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#9

THE MAVERICK WAY – Maverick City Music (Tribl Records)

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#8

MARK CALLING ORSON – Jehst (YNR Productions)

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#7

LOVE HALLUCINATION – Jessy Lanza (Hyperdub)

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#6

SIT DOWN FOR DINNER – Blonde Redhead (section1)

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#5

FOR THAT BEAUTIFUL FEELING- The Chemical Brothers (The Chemical Brothers/Universal Music Operations Limited)

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#4

BORN AGAIN – Danger Mouse & Jemini The Gifted One (Lex Records)

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#3

I WANT IT ALL RIGHT NOW – GROUPLOVE (Glassnote Music LLC)

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#2

SREMM 4 LIFE- Rae Sremmurd (Eardruma Records/Interscope Records)

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#1

BARBIE THE ALBUM – Various Artists (Atlantic Recording Corporation/Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc./Mattel, Inc.)

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Top 10 Songs of 2023

Runner ups:

KANT NOBODY (FT. DMX) – Lil Wayne (Young Money Records, Inc.)

KEEP IT ROLLING (FT. KENNYHOOPLA) – Bloc Party (BMG Rights Management (UK) Limited)

SPIRIT – The Killers (Island Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.)

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#10

JOHNNY DANG – That Mexican OT, Paul Wall & DRODi (Manifest/GoodTalk/Good Money Global)

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#9

HOTLINE – bby (bby)

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#8

HOUDINI – Dua Lipa (Warner Records UK/Warner Music UK Limited)

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#7

GOOD LIES – Overmono (XL Recordings Ltd)

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#6

OFF THE LOT – Curren$y & Jermaine Dupri ft 2 Chainz (Jet Life Recordings/So So Def)

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#5

I BELIEVE IN LOVE AGAIN – Peggy Gou & Lenny Kravitz (XL Recordings Ltd)

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#4

TELL ME – James Blake (A Republic Records/Polydor Records Release)

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#3

GIVING ME – Jazzy (Universal Music Operations Limited)

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#2

SUMMER OF LUV – Portugal. The Man feat. Unknown Mortal (Atlantic Recording Corporation)

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#1

NOW U DO – DJ Seinfeld & Confidence Man (Ninja Tune)

-EY

Unquestionable Toply Terrific Music of 2022

Posted on December 12, 2022January 3, 2023 by Musica

It seemed with the ending of pandemic, great music proliferated. Here’s the greatest.

Click here for the complete 2022 playlist experience. And there for the 2nd toply terrific list.

Top 18 Albums of 2022 + Top EP of the Year + More (Final Selections (Apple Music friendly (click on album art to open in the Apple Music app))

Welcome back:

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Children’s album of the year:

MORE FAMILY TIME (DELUXE) – Ziggy Marley (Tough Gong Worldwide)

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Runner up:

TONES OF THE SPARROW – The Asteroid No. 4 (Club AC30)

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EP of the year:

U.Z.I (UNIVERSAL ZEITGEIST INTELLIGENCE) – Planet Asia x Snowgoons (Goon MuSick)

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#18

C’MON YOU KNOW – Liam Gallagher (Warner Music UK Limited)

As you were Sir Gallagher.

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#17

ROSE PINK CADILLAC – Dope Lemon (Angus Stone / BMG)

2022 is no exception when it comes to Aussies coming to play their guitars and drums groovyily. Angus Stone said it’s a love record. Pucker up :-*

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#16

LET IT BE BLUE – !!! (Warp Records)

Let it blue? Let it belue? Let it be below? Let it be neon blue!!!

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#15

RESET – Panda Bear & Sonic Boom (Domino Recording Co Ltd)

Spacemen 3 with recurring themes.

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#14

SPIRITUALS – Santigold (Little Jerk Records)

In a sign of the year, Santigold had to cancel her tour, because we weren’t going.

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#13

CHURCH CLOTHES 4 – Lecrae (Reach Records)

The real question everyone was asking this year was: Would there had been a Church Clothes 4 if Lecrae was agnostic?

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#12

STONER’S NIGHT – Juicy J & Wiz Khalifa (Trippy Music LLC)

JJ and WK reunite for a trippy animated art album art cover.

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#11

GHETTO GODS – Earthgang (Dreamville / Interscope)

A far cry from ATL’s best to ever do it, are they on the up and up.

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#10

APOCALYPSE LOVE – Black Lips (Fire Records)

Quietly keeping it going, they avoid being completely canceled after their old pals at Burger got what was coming.

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#9

COOL IT DOWN – Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Secretly Canadian)

Karen O and the gang are settling nicely into grandparent rock with earthly overtones.

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#8

ALPHA ZULU – Phoenix (Loyauté / Glassnote Entertainment Group)

No stranger to our top 10 lists they are. Alpha Zulu or Classical Neon Notebook?

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#7

START 2 FINISH – Paul Wall & Termanology (Perfect Time Music Group)

Somehow, but not un-surpisingly, the former Billboard chart-topper, keeps aging like fine wine bring his southern drawl to classy easy coast beats.

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#6

U WASN’T THERE – Cam’ron & A-Trak (Federal Reserve / Empire)

But we were there when Dipsh*ts was an instant classic, just the like the rest of these tracks. When is Dame’s business course starting?

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#5

TILT – Confidence Man (Heavenly Recordings / [PIAS])

Way out 80’s deep dance party bops with a Kiwi hype woman.

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#4

MATA – M.I.A. (Island Records)

Amen.

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#3

CHEAT CODES – Danger Mouse & Black Thought (BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.)

From the Grey Album to Black Thought. Danger Mouse comes full circle. RIP to MF Doom.

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#2

THE THEORY OF WHATEVER – Jamie T (Universal / Polydor Records)

A grand return for the bar-dropping Brit. Did he care that the Three Lions fizzled?

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#1

ONLY BUILT FOR INFINITY LINKS – Quavo & Takeoff (Quality Control Music / Motown Records / UMG Recordings Inc.)

It is a trifecta for dynamic duos taking home the top spot. RIP to Takeoff. Hopefully next year’s list won’t include any fallen stars.

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Top 10 Songs of 2022 (Indispensable Crate)

Runner ups:

MERCURY – Steve Lacy (L-M Records / RCA Records)

BURN THIS HOUSE (FT. LITTLE BOOTS) – J. Worra (Insomniac Records)

WATCHING STRANGERS SMILE – Parquet Courts (Rough Trade Records Ltd)

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#10

B.O.T.A. (BADDEST OF THEM ALL) – Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal (One House X Limited / Warner Music UK Limited)

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#9

BRIGHTSIDE – The Lumineers (Dualtone Music Group)

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#8

YOUR LOVE – Mallrat (Mallrat Pty. Ltd. / Nettwerk Music Group Inc.)

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#7

OVER (FT. YEBBA) – Robert Glasper (Loma Vista Recordings)

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#6

LET’S DO IT AGAIN – Jamie xx (Young)

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#5

ON & ON – Piri & Tommy (Universal / Polydor Records)

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#4

HOLD A VIBE (FT. RED RAT) – Groove Armada (Ministry of Pies / BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd)

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#3

FREE (FT. UNCLE CHUCC) – A-Trak & Lee Foss (Fool’s Gold Records)

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#2

MAD AT ME – Samia (Grand Jury Music)

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#1

BREAK MY SOUL – Beyoncé (Parkwood Entertainment LLC / Columbia Records)

-EY

Official Best Music of 2021

Posted on December 28, 2021December 13, 2022 by Musica

In the year of animated album art and spatial audio, don’t let the other “best of” lists fool you. This is the most thoroughly vetted best music of 2021.

Click here for the complete 2021 playlist experience.

Top 19 Albums of 2021 (Final Selections (Apple Music friendly))

Runner up:

KOOL RUNNINGS – Errol Dunkley (Dub Natty Records)

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#19

HIDEAWAY – Wavves (Fat Possum Records)

Sun soaked and water drenched tunes of non-wholesomeness.

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#18

DUBZ OF THE ROOT – Lee “Scratch” Perry & the1 Spacewave (MEGAWAVE)

Another legendary icon we lost this year. RIP.

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#17

ALL ROADS LEAD TO THE GUN II – Militarie Gun (Alternative Label)

Or do all military’s lead to the road? Fun fact: some countries don’t necessitate armies technically.

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#16

FAR IN – Helado Negro (Private Energy / 4AD)

Some might say it was the year of reggaeton, and it was, and it was not a good thing. Everyone know if Helado Negro went ‘ton he’d take over the world.

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#15

WEIGHT OF THE WORLD – Maxo Kream (RCA Records / Sony Music Entertainment)

Putting H-town back on the map again, this time: deep outrospection.

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#14

THERE IS NO END – TONY ALLEN (Decca Records France)

Whether or not he played with the Clash is besides the point. The point is fire guest spots over shimmering grooves.

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#13

STILL STONED ON OCEAN – Curren$y (Jet Life Recordings)

Curren&y has been screaming SSOC since last year. This year it is offish. One of a grab bag of digital releases released recently this year.

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#12

OLD CHURCH BASEMENT – Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music (Elevation Worship Records)

Is it an obligatory selection. Maybe. Is it a calculated estimation. No. Was it a quasi-necessitated selection based on multivariate analyses. No.

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#11

THE ATLAS UNDERGROUND FIRE – Tom Morello (Comandante / Mom+Pop)

Tom Morello sounding like he’s raging against the machine a fifth of the way through the century. Zane Lowe makes a triumphant return to production.

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#10

WELFARE JAZZ – Viagra Boys (Year0001)

Pill poppers unite for one of the best releases of the year. Matt Wilkinson approved like a million others.

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#9

SHOUT OUT! TO FREEDOM… – Nightmares On Wax (Warp Records)

Reminds us of Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber like dayum.

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#8

THIS IS THIS – Grouplove (Atlantic Recording Corporation)

Could this be their denouement for a group with a top 10 single of 2020? Notches higher if Trip on Me was present.

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#7

SURRENDER – RÜFÜS DU SOL (Rose Avenue Records / Reprise Records)

Word on the street is that Rufus Wainwright gave this project of a full seal of acknowledgement.

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#6

SYMPATHY FOR LIFE – Parquet Courts (Parquet Courts / Rough Trade Records Ltd.)

Can a band with a name like this be influenced by Can? Can we start and end two sentences with the word can?

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#5

ICE DADDY – Gucci Mane (Atlantic Recording Corporation)

Who knew Guwop was a sore loser? The real question: On top of what are they standing?

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#4

HERE FOR NOW – Louis The Child (Interscope Records)

They brought on a fellow Scot in our backyard. So that’s dope.

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#3

DEJA – Bomba Estereo (Sony Music Entertainment US Latin LLC)

This one has us yelling fuego. This bomb stereo has evolved from the 80’s.

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#2

TURQUOiSE TORNADO – Riff Raff & Yelawolf (MiLLiON DOLLAR MULLET MUSiC & Slumerican Records)

Making a #1-#2 two-one-two punch. Two underground rap stars taking it to another level. Riff is the star and this year has been his pinnacle without any shadows.

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#1

DUM AND DUMMER 2 – Young Dolph & Key Glock (Paper Route Empire)

Taking a cue from last year’s #1 album of the year. They weren’t the two, but they were a dam dynamic duo. RIP to one of the best to ever do it. Two overground rap stars taking it to a whole level.

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Top 10 Songs of 2021 (Indubitable Collection)

Runner ups:

DAD VIBES – Limp Bizkit (Suretone Records)

BAD TO THA BONE – Max B (EMG / Phase One Network)

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#10

PARK ASSIST (FT. LA ROUX) – CASISDEAD (XL Recordings Ltd.)

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#9

SOFT DRINK – Cherry Glazerr (Secretly Canadian)

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#8

CHAISE LONGUE – Wet Leg (Domino Recording Company Ltd)

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#7

LAST DAY ON EARTH – beabadoobee (Dirty Hit)

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#6

WITCHOO – Durand Jones & The Indications (Dead Oceans)

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#5

CHINATOWN (FEAT. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN) – Bleachers (RCA Records / Sony Music Entertainment)

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NUDGE IT (FT. AMY TAYLOR) – Sleaford Mods (Rough Trade Records Ltd.)

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#3

TALK ABOUT – Rain Radio & DJ Craig Gorman (Polydor Records / Universal)

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LUMBERJACK – Tyler, The Creator (Columbia Records)

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#1

I GO (EDIT) – Peggy Gou (Gudu Records)

-EY

Best Music of 2020 For Real

Posted on December 27, 2020December 13, 2022 by Musica

All the other “best of” lists are rigged. This is the official best music of 2020. Don’t let imitators fool you.

Click here for the ultimate 2020 playlist experience.

Top 20 Albums of 2020 (Final Selections (Apple Music friendly))

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Runner up:

INLET – Hum (Earth Analog Records)

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#20

RICH SLAVE – Young Dolph (Paper Route Empire)

While I’m Rollin’ Up done been an anthem for a decade, but 2020 is Dolph’s culmination. He deserves inclusion solely for photoshopping face masks on old covers.

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Sunshine should have been added on: Early quarantine rap blues.

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#19

MUSIC IS THE WEAPON – Major Lazer (Mad Decent)

This one almost kept on passing us by. Who is coming to dinner? None other than Diplo and his guns.

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Nikki Minaj shows up on OMG. TG it was her not this year’s wannabes.

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#18

OUT OF BODY – Needtobreathe (Elektra)

Wantthesetunesinourears. Needtobreathegoesdeephelpingusallfathomthewonderoftimeinmoderntimes.

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Substituting Sparrows here is a viable necessity.

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#17

THE CHAIN – The Warlocks (Cleopatra Records)

’cause psych rock will never die, The Warlocks keep the candle burning strong for another year.

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We Don’t Need Money sounding like some solid early 90’s Spacemen 3

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#16

FUTURE PAST LIFE – Strfkr (Polyvinyl Record Co.)

Language! Top five album art of the year everyone. Who needs good music when there is good design? Don’t ask them cause they are purveyors of all.

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A lucid one

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#15

NEW ME, SAME US – Little Dragon (Ninja Tune)

Are they channeling Blockhead from the 00’s, probably not but they’re on the same label. Apt music for inept times.

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Is it lounge pop or just good?

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#14

SLAB TALK – Lil’ Keke & Paul Wall (7 Thirteen Music / Oiler Mobb Ent / SoSouth)

So good it needed three labels… The world has been wondering: Why no Paul Wall / Lil’ Keke collab album? The world wanders no more.

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Don’t tell them it is ridiculous

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#13

RTJ4 – Run The Jewels (Jewel Runners LLC)

Zach de la Rocha and Pharrell sound like real pals. Ever wandered what Rocha means? An equal mix sagacious and timely.

Highlight

4 words: Ooo la la ah oui ouiiii!

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#12

14 STEPS TO A BETTER YOU – Lime Cordiale (Chugg Music / London Cowboys)

Diversity requirement. They’re from Australia with the sense of humor to boot. They’ve robbed the spot of Oz. Spoiler alert. AUS is all over this list.

Highlight

Here are the lads keeping an eye out for drop bears

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#11

ORACLE 3 – Grafh (Team Bang Dope Gang)

The king of Queens won’t quit, won’t stop, won’t have it. 12-16 years in the making. Please don’t put a p where the f goes homey.

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This is proof that Grafh is good

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#10

MORDECHAI – Khruangbin (Dead Oceans)

Wow. Dead Oceans coming through with a top tenner. Since when did they get hip? The ‘bin has been described as having a West Texas vibe, if Houston and Midland switched.

Highlight

Quite possibly a jam of the year

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#9

WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU – Avalanches (Modular Recordings)

Some might say you will not put albums released in December in that year’s best of. We say that is the talk of cotton headed ninny muggins.

Highlight

Clash x Avalanches = Comforted

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#8

THE SLOW RUSH – Tame Impala (Modular Recordings)

From the land of universal comes a lagging classic. Just ask young_david, he’ll probably agree.

Highlight

2 words: I can

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#7

SO HELP ME GOD – 2 Chainz (Gamebread, LLC)

2 words: twooo chaaaaaain

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Kanye still strong in 2020

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#6

UNTITLED (RISE) – Sault (Forever Living Originals)

We phoned up Sault to let them know they’ve been included in this list and they didn’t care, but they picked up. Beastie Boy approved.

Highlight

We wish this was the official video

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#5

DREAMLAND – Glass Animals (Wolf Tone Records)

Gone are days of one hit wonderland. Denzel Curry collab to alternative rock stalwarts in the making?

Highlight

They were on the Alt 18 list all year

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#4

Survival Kit – Goodie Mob (Organized Noize)

The great musical blogger Barack Obama agrees that it is good to have Goodie back.

Highlight

Andre 3K > Big Boi, but this production laps

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#3

IMPLODING THE MIRAGE – The Killers (Island Records)

Where did this one come from? Just west of Bangers, and a bit south of Hitsfordshire-upon-the-Point.

Highlight

Brandon Flowers and the Killers wearing their Heartbreakers on their sleeves

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#2

SONG MACHINE, SEASON ONE: STRANGE TIMEZ – Gorillaz (Parlophone)

Strange year, but nothing strange for Gorillaz. Collaborate to ameliorate.

Highlight

Having flashbacks to 8 years ago

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#1

FELT 4 U – Felt (Rhymesayers)

We sincerely can’t remember the last time we’ve been so excited for a release; we even told Arbit. Slug and them teased us with Name In Ya Mouth, and gave the full platter, like, 2 days later. Christmas in August quarantine.