The Freshman 15: 2020's Best Debut Albums
Later this month, we'll release our final overall list of 2020's best albums. But our ongoing best of 2020 coverage continues right now with a look at this year's top newcomers in music.
Above is our list of the 15 best-reviewed debut albums of 2020, ranked by Metascore. Note that albums must have at least 7 reviews—and be a full-length LP (or mixtape) rather than an EP—to be eligible for inclusion. Albums are ranked by Metascore prior to rounding based on scores as of December 13, 2020.
(#3) The latest project from Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker is no mere solo outing but an entirely new band, and one that has been performing live for a few years prior to releasing this terrific debut set. Several critics deemed it Cocker's best music in over two decades.
“This record - Cocker's finest work since This Is Hardcore, maybe - marks the arrival of an adventurous collective who might just be getting warmed up.” —Uncut