The much-anticipated year-end list season is upon us, and Rolling Stone, a venerable music publication that continues to hold its place in print, has joyfully thrown its hat into the ring. A fascinating mix of mainstream pop and timeless rock dominates the roster, featuring the likes of Taylor Swift, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, BTS, Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Halsey, The Weeknd, Paul McCartney, and AC/DC. However, this year’s selection also extends its embrace to include outstanding albums by Bartees Strange, Sad13, Kelly Lee Owens, Fontaines D.C., Shamir, Beach Bunny, Moses Sumney, Fleet Foxes, Phoebe Bridgers, Waxahatchee, and more. Below is a glimpse of the coveted list, and for a comprehensive view with insightful commentary, the full compilation can be savored on the pages of Rolling Stone.
Rolling Stone’s Definitive Rankings: The Top Albums of 2020
- Bartees Strange – “Live Forever”
- Jeff Tweedy – “Love Is The King”
- Kareem Ali – “Growth”
- Lucinda Williams – “Good Souls Better Angels”
- Boldy James & The Alchemist – “The Price of Tea in China”
- AC/DC – “Power Up”
- Chris Stapleton – “Starting Over”
- Elizabeth Cook – “Aftermath”
- X – “Alphabetland”
- Sad13 – “Haunted Painting”
- Paul McCartney – “McCartney III”
- Beabadoobee – “Fake It Flowers”
- Kelly Lee Owens – “Inner Song”
- Soccer Mommy – “color theory”
- Stephen Malkmus – “Traditional Techniques”
- Toots & The Maytals – “Got to Be Tough”
- Low Cut Connie – “Private Lives”
- Fontaines D.C. – “A Hero’s Death”
- The Weeknd – “After Hours”
- Hayley Williams – “Petals for Armor”
- Four Tet – “Sixteen Oceans”
- Shamir – “Shamir”
- Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – “Reunions”
- Megan Thee Stallion – “Good News”
- Jehnny Beth – “TO LOVE IS TO LIVE”
- Halsey – “Manic”
- Selena Gomez – “Rare”
- Miley Cyrus – “Plastic Hearts”
- Ariana Grande – “Positions”
- Beach Bunny – “Honeymoon”
- Ashley McBryde – “Never Will”
- Chloe x Halle – “Ungodly Hour”
- Moses Sumney – “græ”
- Fleet Foxes – “Shore”
- BTS – “MAP OF THE SOUL : 7”
- Flo Milli – “Ho, why is you here ?”
- HAIM – “Women in Music Pt. III”
- City Girls – “City On Lock”
- Bruce Springsteen – “Letter To You”
- Lady Gaga – “Chromatica”
- Phoebe Bridgers – “Punisher”
- Jessie Ware – “What’s Your Pleasure?”
- Lil Uzi Vert – “Eternal Atake”
- Waxahatchee – “Saint Cloud”
- Run the Jewels – “RTJ4”
- Dua Lipa – “Future Nostalgia”
- Bob Dylan – “Rough and Rowdy Ways”
- Bad Bunny – “YHLQMDLG”
- Fiona Apple – “Fetch the Bolt Cutters”
- Taylor Swift – “folklore”
Additional tags: ACDC, Ariana Grande, Ashley McBryde, Bad Bunny, Bartees Strange, BEABADOOBEE, Beach Bunny, Best of 2020, Bob Dylan, Boldy James & The Alchemist, Bruce Springsteen, BTS, chloe x halle, Chris Stapleton, city girls, Dua Lipa, Elizabeth Cook, Fiona Apple, Fleet Foxes, Flo Milli, FONTAINES D.C., Four Tet, Haim, Halsey, Hayley Williams, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Jeff Tweedy, Jehnny Beth, Jessie Ware, Kareem Ali, Kelly Lee Owens, Lady Gaga, Lil Uzi Vert, Low Cut Connie, Lucinda Williams, Megan Thee Stallion, Miley Cyrus, Moses Sumney, Paul McCartney, Phoebe Bridgers, Rolling Stone, Run the Jewels, sad13, Selena Gomez, Shamir, soccer mommy, Stephen Malkmus, Taylor Swift, Skrillex, Justin Bieber, Diplo, Blink 182, The Weeknd,
