Best Music of 2020

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These are the albums I enjoyed the most in 2020, based on stats from Apple Music and my self-curated playlists, broken into loose groupings:

Minimalism:

In a stressful year, contemplative music, especially piano, helped me stay calm. I love music inspired by Erik Satie, reflected in these albums:

  • Prehension (Joep Beving)

  • Mompou: Silent Music (Jenny Lin)

  • Night (Ola Gjeilo)

  • The Spheres (Ola Gjeilo)

  • Fiori - I (Milana Zilnik)

  • Into Silence: Pärt Vasks Górecki Pelēcis (Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra)

Classical:

From “Early Music” to Bach to Arvo Pärt, classical is what’s generally playing in the Pastor’s Study at Immanuel.

  • Music of Vladimir Martynov (Kronos Quartet)

  • Early Music (Kronos Quartet)

  • Hildegard Von Bingen - Canticles of Ecstasy (Sequentia)

  • Hildegard von Bingen: 11,000 Virgins - Chants for the Feast of St. Ursula (Anonymous 4)

  • Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi, The Four Seasons

  • Arvo Pärt: Da pacem (Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir)

  • Lighten Our Darknesss - Music for The Close Of Day (John Rutter and The Cambridge Singers)

  • Treasures of English Church Music (John Rutter and The Cambridge Singers)

  • Hamilton Mausoleum Suite (The Scottish Festival Orchestra Soloists)

  • Correlations (on 11 pianos) (Carlos Cipa)

  • Ikon: Music for the Spirit & Soul (The Sixteen)

  • The Chopin Project (Ólafur Arnalds & Alice Sara Ott)

  • Beethoven: Pathétique & Moonlight Sonatas (Emil Giles)

  • Pärt: Piano Music (Ralph van Raat)

Jazz:

I’m no purist; I love all jazz, but particularly the styles encompassed in the careers of Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. I include fusion in this category as well.

  • N.Y.C. (Steps Ahead)

  • Four Corners (Yellowjackets)

Prog Rock:

RIP Neil Peart.

  • Moving Pictures (Rush)

  • Permanent Waves (Rush)

  • Roll the Bones (Rush)

  • Counterparts (Rush)

  • A Farewell to Kings (Rush)

  • Big Generator (Yes)

  • Brain Salad Surgery (Emerson, Lake & Palmer)

Eighties!

The 1980s was the golden era of popular music. I listened to these a lot in 2020:

  • Once Upon a Time (Simple Minds)

  • Asia (Asia)

  • “Mayor of Simpleton” (XTC) - I listened to this on repeat for a week or two after discovering Rick Beato and his “What Makes This Song Great?” series on YouTube. Here’s his analysis of “Mayor of Simpleton.”

  • Shabooh Shoobah (INXS)

  • World Machine (Level 42)

  • Remain in Light (Talking Heads)

  • Best 1983-2017 (Howard Jones)

  • Ghost in the Machine (The Police)

  • Sign O’ the Times (Super Deluxe) (Prince)

Rock:

  • Super Colossal (Joe Satriani)

  • Tommy (The Who)

  • Tattoo You (Rolling Stones)

  • Private Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler

Electronic:

  • Blue Sky, Red Guitars (Erik Wøllo)

  • Threshold Point (Erik Wøllo)

  • Strange Paradise (Thom Brennan)