There were so many good albums this year I am breaking my list into two posts. I will start with the best Americana albums. In the next couple of weeks I will post my Best Indie/Rock albums list. Though the latter will be less comprehensive than this one. While picking the best albums was an impossibility, because this year of chaos produced a lot of great artistic output. There was one album that to me stood above the rest.
American Aquarium’s “Lamentations” made me cry, laugh and think. The production work of Shooter Jennings, who had a very busy 2020, put this one over the top. B.J. Barham’s vision of a “Better South” alone was enough to put this one on my list. The combination of all of the above factors put it at the top of my list.
Below is my entire list 1 – 40 and I feel certain every reader could point out a deserving album I missed.
1 American Aquarium- Lamentations
2 The Jayhawks – XOXO
3 Marcus King- El Dorado
4 Emily Zuzik – Torch and Trouble
5 Jamie Wyatt- Neon Cross
6 The Wood Brothers- Kingdon in My Mind
7 Ray Wylie Hubbard- Co-Starring
8 Sarah Jarosz- World on the Ground
9 The Secret Sisters- Saturn Return
10 Drive-By Truckers- The unraveling
11 The Avett Brothers – Third Gleam
12 Lucinda Williams- Good Souls Better Angels
13 Joshua Ray Walker- Glad You Made It
14 Sturgill Simpson- Cuttin the Grass Vol.1
15 Brent Cobb- Keep ‘Em on they Toes
16 Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit – Renions
17 Tennessee Jet- The Country
18 Ben De La Cour- Shadow Land
19 Charley Crockett- Welcome to Hard Times
20 Old 97’s- Twelfth
21 Chris Stapleton- Starting over
22 William Prince- Reliever
23 Corb Lund- Agricultural Tragic
24 Steep Canyon Rangers- Arm in Arm
25 Reckless Kelly- American Jackpot/ American Girls
26 Margo Price – That’s How Rumors Get Started
27 Bob Dylan- Rough and Rowdy Ways
28 John Moreland- LP5
29 Elizabeth Cook Aftermath
30 Katie Pruitt- Expectations
31 The War and Treaty- Hearts Town
32 Colter Wall- Western Swing and waltzes and othe Punchy songs
33 Cordovas- Destiny Hotel
34 Jerry Joseph- The beautiful Madness
35 Lily Hiatt- Walking Proof
36 Futurebirds- Teamwork
37 Gabe Lee- Honky Tonk Hell
38 Early James- Singin’ for My Supper
39 The Steel Drivers Bad for you
40 The Band of Heathens- Stranger
About the author: Chip and his family live in Birmingham, AL. Roll Tide!