The Best Alternative Rock and Indie Music of 2020
Looking for the best alternative rock and indie music of 2020? Look no further than this blog post! We’ve compiled a list of our favorite tracks from the year so far, so you can stay up-to-date on all the latest and greatest music.
Introduction
This year was a great year for alternative rock and indie music, with many new and exciting artists emerging on the scene. In this guide, we will take a look at some of the best alternative rock and indie music of 2020. We will also provide links to where you can listen to or purchase these great tracks. So without further ado, let’s get started!
Best Alternative Rock Albums of 2020
It’s been a great year for alternative rock music. We’ve seen a lot of new bands and artists emerge and some old favorites return with new music. Let’s take a look at some of the best alternative rock and indie albums of 2020.
The Strokes – The New Abnormal
The New Abnormal is the sixth studio album by American rock band The Strokes, released on April 10, 2020, through Cult Records and RCA Records. It is the band’s first album in seven years, following 2013’s Comedown Machine. The album was produced by Rick Rubin and mixed by Kurt Ballou.
Critical reception for The New Abnormal has been positive; at Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 81, based on 32 reviews. In a positive review for AllMusic, Neil Z. Yeung praised the album as “the sound of a band firing on all cylinders” and “the best work they’ve done in over a decade”.
In his four-star review for NME, Jordan Bassett wrote that “The New Abnormal might just be The Strokes’ most accomplished record yet”. Bassett praised Casablancas’ songwriting and noted that “for the first time in their career”, the album feels like it was “made by a band rather than one driving force”.
The Killers – Imploding the Mirage
The Killers’ Imploding the Mirage is one of the best alternative rock albums of 2020. The album is a return to form for the band, with a sound that is both fresh and familiar. The album’s first single, “Caution,” is a perfect example of this, with its spiky guitar riff and anthemic chorus. “Fire in Bone” is another standout track, with its driving rhythm and hypnotic vocal melody. Other highlights include the propulsive “My Own Soul’s Warning,” the wistful “Dying Breed,” and the triumphant closer “A Dustland Fairytale.”
Weezer – Van Weezer
Weezer’s fourteenth studio album and their sixth studio album of the 2010s, Van Weezer, was released on May 15, 2020. The album’s title and artwork is a homage to Van Halen and its eponymous frontman, Eddie Van Halen. The album features the band’s trademark “beach rock” sound, as well as heavy metal elements reminiscent of Van Halen.
The lead single from the album, “Buddy Holly”, was released on January 13, 2020. The song became a viral hit on TikTok and YouTube, with many users creating videos of themselves lip syncing to the song. The song peaked at number four on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart and at number 24 on the Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart.
“The End of the Game” was released as the second single from the album on March 5, 2020. The song peaked at number nine on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.
Van Weezer received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 77 based on 20 reviews.
Beck – Hyperspace
Released on November 22, 2019, Hyperspace is the fourteenth studio album by American rock musician Beck. The album features contributions from Phantogram, Sky Ferreira, Coldplay’s Jonny Buckland, and Greg Kurstin. It was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.
Cage the Elephant – Social Cues
Cage the Elephant’s Social Cues is one of the best alternative rock albums of 2020. The album is a return to form for the band, with a more classic sound that will please fans of their early work. The album’s standout track, “Ready to Let Go,” is a perfect example of the band’s new direction, with a catchy chorus and an anthemic quality that make it perfect for sing-alongs. Other highlights include the dark and slinky “Night Running,” the anthemic “Broken Boy,” and the touching ballad “House of Glass.”
Best Indie Music of 2020
The best indie music of 2020 includes a mix of new and established artists. This list includes some of the best new indie rock and alternative music of 2020. There are many great new indie albums and artists that were released this year.
Bon Iver – i,i
Bon Iver is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. The name “Bon Iver” is derived from the French phrase bon hiver, meaning “good winter”, which is how Vernon described the writing and recording process for their first album.
i,i is the fourth studio album by Bon Iver, released on August 30, 2019. The album was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Alternative Music Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.
The album was preceded by three singles: “Hey, Ma”, “U (Man Like)”, and “Faith”.
Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride
Father of the Bride is the upcoming fourth studio album by American rock band Vampire Weekend. It is due to be released on May 3, 2019, by Columbia Records. The album was announced on January 25, 2019, along with its lead single “Harmony Hall”.
The National – I Am Easy to Find
I Am Easy to Find is the eighth studio album by American indie rock band the National, released on May 17, 2019 through 4AD. The record is a companion piece to the Mike Mills-directed short film of the same name, starring Alicia Vikander. Frontman Matt Berninger and guitarist Aaron Dessner served as the album’s primary songwriters; it is the first time that Dessner wrote or co-wrote every song on one of the band’s albums. I Am Easy to Find was preceded by three singles: “You Had Your Soul with You”, “Light Years”, and “Oblivions”.
The album received critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 87, based on 39 reviews. Reviewers praised its more anthemic sound, with some dubbing it a return to form after 2017’s Sleep Well Beast.
Big Thief – Two Hands
Originally released in 2019, Two Hands marks the second album from Brooklyn-based indie rock band Big Thief. The album was recorded live in just four days, capturing the raw energy and emotion of the band’s performances.
Two Hands is an intimate and introspective album, exploring the themes of loss, love, and hope. The songs are honest and vulnerable, with lead singer Adrianne Lenker’s powerful lyrics cutting to the heart of what it means to be human.
The album has been praised for its beautiful songwriting and musicianship, with critics calling it one of the best albums of 2019. If you’re looking for an emotionally complex and deeply rewarding listen, Two Hands is essential listening.
Angel Olsen – All Mirrors
Angel Olsen’s All Mirrors might be her best album yet: a gorgeous, labyrinthine work that feels both personal and universal, immediate and timeless. The follow-up to 2016’s critically acclaimed My Woman, it’s a record about facing yourself, owning up to your mistakes, and coming out the other side damaged but hopefully wiser. It’s also a record about growing older in an increasingly fragmented world, trying to hold on to what matters even as everything falls apart.
All Mirrors is an ambitious album, but Olsen is more than up to the task. She wrote and recorded the album in collaborations with frequent collaborator Michael Hurley and John Congleton (St. Vincent, Wild Beasts), and the result is a stunning collection of songs that veer from synth-pop sorrow (“Lark”) to vocal pyrotechnics (“All Mirrors”) to chamber-pop grandeur (“New Love Cassette”). On “Spring,” she even throws in a bit of bossa nova for good measure.
But for all its musical ambition, All Mirrors is also a deeply personal album. Olsen has said that it was inspired by “the idea of mirrors as thin places…places where time and space collapse.” And indeed, these songs often feel like they’re teetering on the edge of something--collapse or transcendence, heartbreak or hope. It’s that tension that makes them so compelling, and it’s what makes Angel Olsen one of our favorite songwriters working today.
