I didn’t listen to every new album that was released in 2020 – DON’T LET ANYONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE! But I did listen to a few dozen; some were rockin’, some were poppin’, some were hippity-hoppin’, and a few even had some jazzy freakouts. Here are the 15 that most satisfied my ears and my tapping toes:

15. Ariana Grande, Positions: Here’s MY position – this is the horniest mainstream pop album I can ever remember.
14. Haim, Women in Music Pt. III: The Haim sisters stay in their zone but also discover new grooves.
13. Pearl Jam, Gigaton: Does Dad Rock pair well with Dad Jokes? Because that would probably explain my enjoyment of PJ’s latest.
12. U.S. Girls, Heavy Light: The world is chaotic and not always on your side; Meghan Remy is here to provide you some armor.
11. Paul McCartney, McCartney III: Macca’s pop instincts show no signs of deterioration.
10. Bob Dylan, Rough and Rowdy Ways: Dylan remains off on his own reservation – it’s good to know there are still some things we can count on.
9. Elvis Costello, Hey Clockface: It’s ever so clear why Austin Powers was such a fan of Elvis C. His grooviness continues to transcend decades.
8. Hayley Williams, Petals for Armor: I imagine this is what emerging from a cocoon sounds like.
7. Miley Cyrus, Plastic Hearts: Former Disney Channel stars gotta rock.
6. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Letter to You: How do I find optimism for my country? Listening to the latest from The Boss sure helps.
5. Tame Impala, The Slow Rush: The latest psychedelic effort from Kevin Parker gradually grew on me. I guess it really was a slow rush!
4. Neil Young, Homegrown: This was recorded in the 70s – has there ever been a more rockin’  time capsule?
3. Run the Jewels, RTJ4: Killer Mike and El-P said, “Hey 2020, uh, this is what we think of you.” I was mighty happy to listen.
2. Fiona Apple, Fetch the Bolt Cutters: Yep, Fiona Apple makes dolphin noises. That works as a fine synecdoche for what the entirety of this album is all about.
1. Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia: The craft, baby, the craft! Songcraft! It’s all over this album. Holy moly, every second of Future Nostalgia is pure pleasure.