If you're reading this right now I'm very curious as to what led you here. I mean, PHW has been mostly on permanent snooze-control for about 6 years except for the annual year-old reflections, so there are not many avenues leading to this site anymore. But thanks for finding it somehow! And I genuinely hope you find some new shit to check out here. As awful as 2020's overall rep will deservedly be, it wasn't all bad. There were some silver linings; some flashes of normalcy peaking thru the buttstorm. One of those was the relentless stream of fantastic new music that never let up all year even as the world shut down. The other was plenty of time at home to soak it all in. (side note: I would bet somebody else's money that this is the first time my year end list has ever had 3 albums made by Jeffs). Anyway, here are my favorites of this decade of a year we've all suffered thru:
50. BACKXWASH | God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It
49. KEIYAA | Forever, Ya Girl
48. JEFF PARKER | Suite for Max Brown
47. RON MILES | Rainbow Signs
46. NANA GRIZOL | South Somewhere Else
45. KAATAYRA | Toda Historia pela Frente
44. BARTEES STRANGE | Live Forever
43. HELENA DELAND | Someone New
42. NO AGE | Goons Be Gone
41. JEFF TWEEDY | Love Is The King
40. ADULKT LIFE | Book of Curses
39. CHARLI XCX | how i'm feeling now
38. KELLY LEE OWENS | Inner Song
37. DEHD | Flower of Deception
36. NATION OF LANGUAGE | Introduction, Presence
35. DESTROYER | Have We Met
34. THE FLAMING LIPS | American Head
33. SAULT | untitled (Rise)
32. EMPTY COUNTRY | Empty Country
31. LOMELDA | Hannah
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30. ARMAND HAMMER | Shrines
29. PORRIDGE RADIO | Every Bad
28. TAYLOR SWIFT | Folklore
27. BOLDY JAMES & STERLING TOLES | Manger On McNichols
26. EMMA RUTH RUNDLE & THOU | May Our Chambers Be Full
25. CHUBBY & THE GANG | Speed Kills
24. PERFUME GENIUS | Set My Heart On Fire Immediately
23. YVES TUMOR | Heaven To A Tortured Mind
22. RUN THE JEWELS | RTJ4
21. THE MICROPHONES | Microphones in 2020
20. DEERHOOF | Future Teenage Cave Artists
19. JAY ELECTRONICA | Act II: The Patents of Nobility (The Turn)
18. BONNY LIGHT HORSEMAN | Bonny Light Horseman
17. BOLDY JAMES & THE ALCHEMIST | The Price of Tea In China
16. TURIA | Degen van Licht
15. SHABAKA & THE ANCESTORS | We Are Sent Here By History
14. KA | Descendants of Cain
13. SAULT | untitled (Black Is)
12. THE STROKES | The New Abnormal
11. ADRIANNE LENKER | songs/instrumentals
10. AMBROSE AKINMUSIRE | on the tender spot of every calloused moment
9. FREDDIE GIBBS & THE ALCHEMIST | Alfredo
8. PROTOMARTYR | Ultimate Success Today
7. SUMAC | May You Be Held
6. PHOEBE BRIDGERS | Punisher
5. DOGLEG | Melee
4. JAY ELECTRONICA | A Written Testimony
3. WAXAHATCHEE | SAINT CLOUD
2. JEFF ROSENSTOCK | N O D R E A M
1. FIONA APPLE | Fetch the Bolt Cutters
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