We’re just halfway through the 2020s and hundreds of iconic albums and tracks have been released. As the 2020s began and artists were isolated, many had nothing to do but create–and I’m glad they did. In the uncertainty of the past five years, music has been an anchor for so many. Here are what I think are some of the best albums from 2020-2025.
2020
On June 18, 2020, Phoebe Bridgers released her second studio album, “Punisher”. The record was made from 2018-2019, beginning while she toured for her debut album “Stranger in the Alps”, and it features a mix of indie rock and indie folk sounds. The album is rich and melancholic. The instrumentation is truly unique, and it has mellow tracks like “Halloween” and bold, cathartic songs like “I Know the End”. I truly struggle to say whether the instrumentation or lyricism stands out more. A personal favorite track is “Graceland Too”, a song many speculate is about fellow musician Julien Baker. The song features background vocals from both her and Lucy Dacus, who are a part of the band boygenius alongside Bridgers. Beginning with a banjo solo, it’s a bit different sonically than other tracks, and stands out in a beautiful way. The lyrics have been interpreted to be about caring for someone who struggles with self-destructive behavior. Bridgers repeats “Whatever she wants (whatever you want) / I will do anything (whatever you want)” throughout, and they’re heartbreakingly beautiful each time.
I can’t talk about 2020 without mentioning Taylor Swift’s “folklore” and “evermore”. I believe these sister albums, with “folklore” being released in July and “evermore” in December, are Swift’s best pieces of work. Swift departs from her usual upbeat pop and explores the indie genre, with intimate, intricate lyricism. The themes of nostalgia, longing, and vulnerability in “folklore” and the themes of loss, healing, and maturity in “evermore” pair perfectly- and reflect the summer and winter settings.
2021
Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever”, released on July 30, 2021, marks a sharp shift in Eilish’s discography, as she traded her horror-tinged, somewhat downcast atmosphere for a more expansive and emotional sound. As Eilish explores fame, toxic relationships, and self-image, it all ultimately ends with a breath of optimism. The album feels truly raw, and Eilish’s vocal talent shines (dare I say she is one of the best vocalists of our generation). “Happier Than Ever”’s jazz-inspired, electropop creates a stunning and unique aesthetic. Eilish has said she was inspired by artists like Julie London, Frank Sinatra, and Peggy Lee. She described “Happier Than Ever”’s tracks as both versatile and cohesive, and I couldn’t agree more. The album’s first and last songs are my favorite; “Getting Older” and “Male Fantasy”. While I haven’t experienced the themes of growing up in the public eye the former explores, it still lands as heavily relatable and universal to the feeling of loss of childhood innocence. The lyrics, “I’m happier than ever / At least that’s my endeavor” encapsulates Eilish’s purpose of the record. “Male Fantasy” is backed by a soft acoustic guitar and explores disillusionment with intimacy and romantic relationships, specifically the numbness after a breakup and the idea of the male gaze.
My honorable mention for the year 2021 is Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album “SOUR”. This album skyrocketed Rodrigo’s success, becoming the most-streamed album by a female artist ever and making me extremely proud as a fan of Rodrigo since her Disney Channel days on “Bizaardvark” and “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series”. I think “SOUR” is the ultimate teen girl album, it encapsulates rage, heartbreak, insecurity, and empathy in a cathartic, universal manner. Its alternative pop atmosphere incorporates rock and punk sounds while also switching to melancholic ballads, making for a dynamic, iconic first record.
2022
Indie band Big Thief released “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You”, an underrated, delicate 20-track album on February 11, 2022. Their fifth album takes you on a journey, with heavily interpretable songs about connection. The title is a reference to vocalist Adrienne Lenker’s song “anything” and while it doesn’t have a single, literal meaning, it represents the album’s mix of the natural world, emotional vulnerability, and spiritual concepts. Lenker has said, “One of the things that bonds us together as a band is pure magic” and I think you can truly feel that throughout this record. Its title track is full of whimsy, and tracks like “Certainty”, “Simulation Swarm”, and “Love Love Love” are some of my favorites, but I genuinely don’t think one song on the album is lackluster. Songs like “Heavy Bend” are brooding and others like “Promise Is a Pendulum” are vulnerable. The album is full of incredible imagery; sparrows, blue mountains, atomic matter, rivers of light–it has it all. One of my favorite moments is the end of “Promise Is a Pendulum” where Lenker repeats, “I could never tell you now / What I’d often said before / Because promise is a pendulum / Just hanging at the door / And I’m not saying I’m not jealous / Or scared anymore / I’m just saying / Saying”.
2022 also saw Harry Styles third album, “Harry’s House”. It’s a warm, 70’s inspired pop album with plenty of danceable tracks. “Grapejuice” is by far my favorite track and I feel like its playful, romantic tone is a great representation of the album as a whole. The album represents comfort and love, while also being reflective and somber when needed.
2023
On January 18, 2023, boygenius returned from their nearly five year hiatus as a band, releasing three singles, “$20”, “Emily I’m Sorry”, and “True Blue” while announcing the release of their album “the record” on March 31. It also came with a short film directed by Kristen Stewart featuring those three tracks. “the record” won Best Alternative Music Album at the 2024 Grammys, a well-deserved feat. Vocally, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker are absolutely stunning together, and they open the album with an acapella just over a minute, “Without You Without Them” and from there, jump right into rock sounds with the rebellious “$20”. The album has plenty of soft moments too, “We’re In Love” and “Letter to an Old Poet” strike me as the most vulnerable tracks. “Revolution 0”, a song Bridgers said was about falling in love online, is my personal favorite, with lyrics like “If it isn’t love / Then what the […] is it? /I guess just let me pretend”. Dacus spoke to the tracks’ shift between primary singers to Variety, saying, “[…] it might have even just been unspoken that we want to be equally represented on the record. That’s kind of just true in general for all the stuff we do together. There’s no lead singer of the band. We’re all doing everything together. We all have equal input. Even on the songs that are led by somebody, we think through them together. I think that it ended up with a nice balance.”
Mitski fans were convinced that she was done with music, but she released her seventh studio album “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We” in September 2023. The feeling of loneliness carried throughout is bleakly beautiful, and love and yearning are on display as well. The album is also full of desolate imagery representing the American landscape. I think the title perfectly captures the album; not only is the world cold and unwelcoming, but we as humans are too. “Heaven” and “Star” are two of Mitski’s most ethereal songs, in my opinion.
2024
Lizzy McAlpine’s “Older”, her second studio album released on April 5, 2024, is sensitive, honest, and tender. McAlpine’s storytelling is clear and confessional, and paired with her soft vocals and layered acoustic arrangements, it makes for what I consider to be an almost perfect album. As McAlpine explores complex relationships and the pains of change, she isn’t afraid to portray herself as the opposite of the victim in her romantic relationships, something I admire. Many songs are very stripped down–I think the beauty of the album is that closeness you feel to McAlpine’s story because of its instrumental simpleness. McAlpine has said the album is about her college boyfriend, with it being “new for [her] to write a whole album about one person” and it comes with an apparent, unraveling arc. “Staying”, “Broken Glass”, and “Better Than This” connect most clearly to me, with McAlpine not being afraid to share the brutal, painstaking details of a relationship that two people know they would be better without but can’t seem to let go of. The title track is fitting, its piano instrumentals hit my heart every time, along with its lyrics, “Wish I was stronger somehow / Wish it was easy / Somewhere I lost all my senses / I wish I knew what the end is”.
My honorable mention for 2024 is a bit more optimistic of an album; Clairo’s “Charm” is mystifying in a way, with a sound a bit different from her other work. It’s soft rock has jazz influences, and it’s smooth and lush. The most prominent theme is desire, with self-love and longing on display. I have to say it, I think it’s Clairo’s most charming body of work.
2025
“Wishbone” released August 15th, is Conan Gray’s fourth studio album and is largely about the ups and downs of love and the queer experience. It came with three music videos for “This Song”, “Vodka Cranberry”, and “Caramel” surrounding two original characters named Wilson and Brando. Wilson is portrayed by Gray, and Brando by actor Corey Fogelmanis. Gray said to Paper Magazine, “I really wanted to create a story that I would have liked to have had when I was young: two boys falling in love and seeing that they get an ending that is happy. I think that’s really rare.” “Wishbone” was composed while Gray was on his Found Heaven Tour (which I luckily got to see, if standing outside of Red Hat Amphitheater screaming the lyrics and peering through the fencing counts), and is inspired by 90s pop. Its lead single, “This Song” is my favorite and the 90s elements really stand out, with graceful instruments and an absolutely beautiful string section about halfway into the song. “Romeo” explores the anger coming out of a relationship of mistreatment, while “Connell” explores the hurt and self-doubt, and “Caramel” is about running back to them despite it all; “And the longer you burn, the sweeter that you smell”. “Eleven Eleven” I feel encompasses the album, with the lyrics, “Well, there’s wishbones and clovers and numbers from Heaven / Shapes in the stars to invent our connection / As much as I act like I want to forget it /I still wish for you at eleven-eleven”.
Sabrina Carpenter’s “Man’s Best Friend” was another favorite of mine for 2025. Exhibiting her usual spunkiness and charm, this pop album features lots of disco-funk inspired sounds, utilizing lots of synth and precise beats. Its focus is Carpenter’s disappointment in a recent relationship but she approaches it with wit and irony. The result is a record that turns heartbreak into something sharp, danceable, and self-assured.
