It's been a long time coming, but it's finally here...
Could I really come here and eulogize the year that 2020 was, almost two years ago? Those twelve months however saw plenty of music from many of our less commercially attainable faves see the release, perhaps keeping us company and inevitably soundtracking the hardships of some very unique months as far as real life goes. One way or another, knowingly or not, the music released then connected due to its themes of reflection, mental health struggle, and building the basis of better times.
Let me let you see and hear for yourself the artists that we're here this time topit against each other for a bloodbath rate, by chronological order of release:
Nowadays being one artist seemingly more famed for the controversy surrounding anything in their life other than the music (and the Lorde knows that there's many in that situation), the veteran that is Grimes released her fifth album, with a campaign delay lasting over the course of two years, on Februrary. Coming with the premise of making climate change and A.I. overpowering humanity for the control of Earth fun topics to craft an album around. Does anyone think global warming is a good thing? And how does the album measure up?
So Heavy I Fell through the Earth (Art Mix / Algorithm Mix)
Darkseid
Delete Forever (Video)
Violence (Video)
4ÆM
New Gods
My Name is Dark (Art Mix / Algorithm Mix)
You'll miss me when I'm not around
Before the fever
IDORU (Art Mix Video / Algorithm Mix Video)
We Appreciate Power
After the release of a self-titled EP, or mini-album depending on how you view it, Rina came full force with her debut album on April. Blending influences all over the popsphere and beyond, it saw her reconciling her past, her heritage and her beginnings with her present. And what a present it is! If 2020 was a great year, she currently appears to be only going upwards. How to forget how her campaigning destroyed a barrier that forbid some UK talent from being nominated at the BRITs? Impactful behavior.
Dynasty
XS (Video)
STFU! (Video)
Comme Des Garçons (Like the Boys) (Video)
Akasaka Sad
Paradisin'
Love Me 4 Me
Bad Friend (Video)
Fuck This World (Interlude)
Who's Gonna Save U Now?
Tokyo Love Hotel
Chosen Family (Solo / with Elton John)
Snakeskin
Tokyo Takeover
LUCID (Video)
We Out Here
Bees & Honey
Perhaps the best credit for pioneer of the "quarantine album", Charli made her sixth full-length project in under a two month schedule at the beginning of worldwide safety and containment procedures taking place. This spontaneous approach for music creation led to an album that, while rooted in isolation with her boyfriend, uncertainty and collaborating at a distance, is universal enough to stand on its own apart from the context it was composed in. Did it inject replenished energies into the XCX formula?
pink diamond
forever (Video)
claws (Video)
7 years
detonate
enemy
i finally understand
c2.0
party 4 u
anthems
visions
Relative indie newcomer -at least with most of this lineup- Phoebe released her sophomore on June. An intensely folk and rock sound is the basis for a collection of songs mostly written on the road, and which documents a journey that's about oneself as much as it is about your relationships, with a honesty, sometimes acidic, but always open that characterizes it. The artist also went out the house in about twenty different skeleton silhouette outfits, but I have to say, that onesie does look comfy as fuck.
Garden Song (Video)
Kyoto (Video)
Punisher
Halloween
Chinese Satellite
Moon Song
Savior Complex (Video)
ICU
Graceland Too
I Know the End (Video)
Summer is the perfect setting for the melancholia, the poorly-developed Polaroid film and the memories to roll in and the gals of this forum know it. The HAIM trio do too, as their third album came at the beginning of the season carrying the baggage of daily life and the problems let to sit in the back burner and popping out in-between the touring, the performing and the awards season of it all. Many say that this is their best effort to date, is it true?
Los Angeles
The Steps (Video)
I Know Alone (Video)
Up from a Dream
Gasoline (Solo / feat. Taylor Swift)
3 AM (Solo / feat. Thundercat)
Don't Wanna (Video)
Another Try
Leaning on You
I've Been Down
Man from the Magazine (Video)
All That Ever Mattered
FUBT
Now I'm in It (Video)
Hallelujah (Video)
Summer Girl (Video)
Chris forwent a full record for a summer release and instead made a short film, equal parts cinema and performance, soundtracked by an EP that has her searching for new life in a well-treaded path in which, it may seem, there is none left. Despite being by far the least numerous inclusion of the rate, features like PJ-fave Caroline and the quality will let the project speak for itself. The spotlight is on, and now it's time to shine.
(Short film)
People, I've been sad
Je disparais dans tes bras / I disappear in your arms
Mountains (we met)
Nada
La vita nuova
It wouldn't be an ALT POP rate without trying to cram as many indie artistés in a standalone section, right? Here is a selection of 25 of them that will hopefully have you reminiscing gems you had forgotten about or discovering new ones entitely. I know I absolutely have.
The Aces - Daydream
Amaarae - FANCY
beabadoobee - Worth It
Chappell Roan - Pink Pony Club
Charlotte OC - Freedom
Denai Moore - To the Brink
Ellie Goulding - Brightest Blue
Empress Of - Give Me Another Chance
Fiona Apple - Shameika
Georgia - Never Let You Go
Hayley Williams - Simmer
ionnalee - MACHINEE
Javiera Mena - Corazón Astral
King Princess - PAIN
Lido Pimienta - Eso Que Tú Haces
Poppy - I Disagree
Purity Ring - stardew
Sevdaliza - Lamp Lady
Shura feat. Ivy Sole - elevator girl
Soccer Mommy - circle the drain
Steady Holiday - Tangerine
Tayla Parx - Dance Alone
Tei Shi - Die 4 Ur Love
Waxahatchee - Lilacs
Yerin Baek - Lovegame
RULES
Could I really come here and eulogize the year that 2020 was, almost two years ago? Those twelve months however saw plenty of music from many of our less commercially attainable faves see the release, perhaps keeping us company and inevitably soundtracking the hardships of some very unique months as far as real life goes. One way or another, knowingly or not, the music released then connected due to its themes of reflection, mental health struggle, and building the basis of better times.
Let me let you see and hear for yourself the artists that we're here this time to
Nowadays being one artist seemingly more famed for the controversy surrounding anything in their life other than the music (and the Lorde knows that there's many in that situation), the veteran that is Grimes released her fifth album, with a campaign delay lasting over the course of two years, on Februrary. Coming with the premise of making climate change and A.I. overpowering humanity for the control of Earth fun topics to craft an album around. Does anyone think global warming is a good thing? And how does the album measure up?
So Heavy I Fell through the Earth (Art Mix / Algorithm Mix)
Darkseid
Delete Forever (Video)
Violence (Video)
4ÆM
New Gods
My Name is Dark (Art Mix / Algorithm Mix)
You'll miss me when I'm not around
Before the fever
IDORU (Art Mix Video / Algorithm Mix Video)
We Appreciate Power
After the release of a self-titled EP, or mini-album depending on how you view it, Rina came full force with her debut album on April. Blending influences all over the popsphere and beyond, it saw her reconciling her past, her heritage and her beginnings with her present. And what a present it is! If 2020 was a great year, she currently appears to be only going upwards. How to forget how her campaigning destroyed a barrier that forbid some UK talent from being nominated at the BRITs? Impactful behavior.
Dynasty
XS (Video)
STFU! (Video)
Comme Des Garçons (Like the Boys) (Video)
Akasaka Sad
Paradisin'
Love Me 4 Me
Bad Friend (Video)
Fuck This World (Interlude)
Who's Gonna Save U Now?
Tokyo Love Hotel
Chosen Family (Solo / with Elton John)
Snakeskin
Tokyo Takeover
LUCID (Video)
We Out Here
Bees & Honey
Perhaps the best credit for pioneer of the "quarantine album", Charli made her sixth full-length project in under a two month schedule at the beginning of worldwide safety and containment procedures taking place. This spontaneous approach for music creation led to an album that, while rooted in isolation with her boyfriend, uncertainty and collaborating at a distance, is universal enough to stand on its own apart from the context it was composed in. Did it inject replenished energies into the XCX formula?
pink diamond
forever (Video)
claws (Video)
7 years
detonate
enemy
i finally understand
c2.0
party 4 u
anthems
visions
Relative indie newcomer -at least with most of this lineup- Phoebe released her sophomore on June. An intensely folk and rock sound is the basis for a collection of songs mostly written on the road, and which documents a journey that's about oneself as much as it is about your relationships, with a honesty, sometimes acidic, but always open that characterizes it. The artist also went out the house in about twenty different skeleton silhouette outfits, but I have to say, that onesie does look comfy as fuck.
Garden Song (Video)
Kyoto (Video)
Punisher
Halloween
Chinese Satellite
Moon Song
Savior Complex (Video)
ICU
Graceland Too
I Know the End (Video)
Summer is the perfect setting for the melancholia, the poorly-developed Polaroid film and the memories to roll in and the gals of this forum know it. The HAIM trio do too, as their third album came at the beginning of the season carrying the baggage of daily life and the problems let to sit in the back burner and popping out in-between the touring, the performing and the awards season of it all. Many say that this is their best effort to date, is it true?
Los Angeles
The Steps (Video)
I Know Alone (Video)
Up from a Dream
Gasoline (Solo / feat. Taylor Swift)
3 AM (Solo / feat. Thundercat)
Don't Wanna (Video)
Another Try
Leaning on You
I've Been Down
Man from the Magazine (Video)
All That Ever Mattered
FUBT
Now I'm in It (Video)
Hallelujah (Video)
Summer Girl (Video)
Chris forwent a full record for a summer release and instead made a short film, equal parts cinema and performance, soundtracked by an EP that has her searching for new life in a well-treaded path in which, it may seem, there is none left. Despite being by far the least numerous inclusion of the rate, features like PJ-fave Caroline and the quality will let the project speak for itself. The spotlight is on, and now it's time to shine.
(Short film)
People, I've been sad
Je disparais dans tes bras / I disappear in your arms
Mountains (we met)
Nada
La vita nuova
It wouldn't be an ALT POP rate without trying to cram as many indie artistés in a standalone section, right? Here is a selection of 25 of them that will hopefully have you reminiscing gems you had forgotten about or discovering new ones entitely. I know I absolutely have.
The Aces - Daydream
Amaarae - FANCY
beabadoobee - Worth It
Chappell Roan - Pink Pony Club
Charlotte OC - Freedom
Denai Moore - To the Brink
Ellie Goulding - Brightest Blue
Empress Of - Give Me Another Chance
Fiona Apple - Shameika
Georgia - Never Let You Go
Hayley Williams - Simmer
ionnalee - MACHINEE
Javiera Mena - Corazón Astral
King Princess - PAIN
Lido Pimienta - Eso Que Tú Haces
Poppy - I Disagree
Purity Ring - stardew
Sevdaliza - Lamp Lady
Shura feat. Ivy Sole - elevator girl
Soccer Mommy - circle the drain
Steady Holiday - Tangerine
Tayla Parx - Dance Alone
Tei Shi - Die 4 Ur Love
Waxahatchee - Lilacs
Yerin Baek - Lovegame
RULES
- Rate every song in the list from 0-10. Half points are allowed!
- You count with one 11 to hand to your absolute favorite track, so pick wisely.
- Though we're all gathered here to celebrate women in music, pt. IV, feel free to make the most out of the full scoring scale. That said, any votes that look to be suspiciously incurring in trolling i.e. propelling a particular album at the expense of many others, will be turned down.
- The artists here sure loved hammering a lot of different versions of their songs in these albums, so for those cases (i.e. Gasoline, 3 AM, the alternate versions in Miss Anthropocene, Chris' language options and, for whatever reason you may choose to prefer it, the Elton John feature of Chosen Family) pick whatever is your preferred version to rate.
- This is a big list, though I expect y'all have heard at least half of these albums by now, and I especially want all people interested to not be turned down by the extras, so at the moment the deadline to send in your votes is TUESDAY, NOV 16 AT 23:59 CST
Note: I kindly ask that you use the format of the following example; separating via " - "
Pink Pony Club - 10 - my favorite discovery of the rate ugh such a coming out anthem, maybe I won't be hanging up the cowboy hat and boots after all
in case you want to talk about the music, for which I encourage you to add as much commmentary as you like!
So Heavy I Fell through the Earth -
Darkseid -
Delete Forever -
Violence -
4ÆM -
New Gods -
My Name is Dark -
You'll miss me when I'm not around -
Before the fever -
IDORU -
We Appreciate Power -
Dynasty -
XS -
STFU! -
Comme Des Garçons (Like the Boys) -
Akasaka Sad -
Paradisin' -
Love Me 4 Me -
Bad Friend -
Fuck This World (Interlude) -
Who's Gonna Save U Now? -
Tokyo Love Hotel -
Chosen Family -
Snakeskin -
Tokyo Takeover -
LUCID -
We Out Here -
Bees & Honey -
pink diamond -
forever -
claws -
7 years -
detonate -
enemy -
i finally understand -
c2.0 -
party 4 u -
anthems -
visions -
Garden Song -
Kyoto -
Punisher -
Halloween -
Chinese Satellite -
Moon Song -
Savior Complex -
ICU -
Graceland Too -
I Know the End -
Los Angeles -
The Steps -
I Know Alone -
Up from a Dream -
Gasoline -
3 AM -
Don't Wanna -
Another Try -
Leaning on You -
I've Been Down -
Man from the Magazine -
All That Ever Mattered -
FUBT -
Now I'm in It -
Hallelujah -
Summer Girl -
People, I've been sad -
Je disparais dans tes bras / I disappear in your arms -
Mountains (we met) -
Nada -
La vita nuova -
Daydream -
FANCY -
Worth It -
Pink Pony Club -
Freedom -
To the Brink -
Brightest Blue -
Give Me Another Chance -
Shameika -
Never Let You Go -
Simmer -
MACHINEE -
Corazón Astral -
PAIN -
Eso Que Tú Haces -
I Disagree -
stardew -
Lamp Lady -
elevator girl -
circle the drain -
Tangerine -
Dance Alone -
Die 4 Ur Love -
Lilacs -
Lovegame -
Pink Pony Club - 10 - my favorite discovery of the rate ugh such a coming out anthem, maybe I won't be hanging up the cowboy hat and boots after all
in case you want to talk about the music, for which I encourage you to add as much commmentary as you like!
So Heavy I Fell through the Earth -
Darkseid -
Delete Forever -
Violence -
4ÆM -
New Gods -
My Name is Dark -
You'll miss me when I'm not around -
Before the fever -
IDORU -
We Appreciate Power -
Dynasty -
XS -
STFU! -
Comme Des Garçons (Like the Boys) -
Akasaka Sad -
Paradisin' -
Love Me 4 Me -
Bad Friend -
Fuck This World (Interlude) -
Who's Gonna Save U Now? -
Tokyo Love Hotel -
Chosen Family -
Snakeskin -
Tokyo Takeover -
LUCID -
We Out Here -
Bees & Honey -
pink diamond -
forever -
claws -
7 years -
detonate -
enemy -
i finally understand -
c2.0 -
party 4 u -
anthems -
visions -
Garden Song -
Kyoto -
Punisher -
Halloween -
Chinese Satellite -
Moon Song -
Savior Complex -
ICU -
Graceland Too -
I Know the End -
Los Angeles -
The Steps -
I Know Alone -
Up from a Dream -
Gasoline -
3 AM -
Don't Wanna -
Another Try -
Leaning on You -
I've Been Down -
Man from the Magazine -
All That Ever Mattered -
FUBT -
Now I'm in It -
Hallelujah -
Summer Girl -
People, I've been sad -
Je disparais dans tes bras / I disappear in your arms -
Mountains (we met) -
Nada -
La vita nuova -
Daydream -
FANCY -
Worth It -
Pink Pony Club -
Freedom -
To the Brink -
Brightest Blue -
Give Me Another Chance -
Shameika -
Never Let You Go -
Simmer -
MACHINEE -
Corazón Astral -
PAIN -
Eso Que Tú Haces -
I Disagree -
stardew -
Lamp Lady -
elevator girl -
circle the drain -
Tangerine -
Dance Alone -
Die 4 Ur Love -
Lilacs -
Lovegame -
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