Perfect Sound Forever

PSF's 2020 Writers' Poll
Our favorite things
(February 2021)


left to right: Jessie Ware, Jim Basnight, Marc Sloan, Helado Negro, Kathleen Grace

As we say goodbye to the horrible mess that was 2020, there were some actual musical bright spots. Maybe artists had more time to get down with their muse and get less distracted otherwise? Whatever the reason, our PSF staff found plenty of good music for last year. See if you agree or disagree. Maybe you'll find out about some music you haven't heard about before. Even the editors here admit that they learned something from the lists that the writers shared below.



Joe Banks




Daniel Barbiero




Kyle Barnett




Cat Celebrezze





Brian Cousins





Peter Crigler

Best songs: Hum "Desert Rambler," Mr. Bungle "Sudden Death," Pearl Jam "Dance of the Clairvoyants," Tame Impala "Lost in Yesterday," Killer Be Killed "Deconstructing Self-Destruction," Psychedelic Furs "Don't Believe," Suicide Machines "Anarchy Always," Beach Bunny "Dream Boy," Lamb of God "Checkmate," H.E.R. "Damage," Michael Kiwanuka "Rolling," Bastille "What You Gonna Do?" Grouplove "Deleter," Hayley Williams "Simmer," The Weeknd "Blinding Lights," Taylor Swift "The Last Great American Dynasty," Avatar "Colossus," (Crosses) "The Beginning of the End," Goldfinger "Nothing to Me," 10 Years "Deja Vu"



John Dougan



left to right: Public Enemy, Marquis Hill, Puscifer, J. Pavone, Lamb of God
Robin Storey Dunn




Jason Gross

ALSO LOVED... Collocutor Continuation, The Bombpops Death in Venice Beach, Marcus King King, Fiona Apple Fetch the Bolt Cutters, Bully Sugaregg, Cable Ties Far Enough, Mars Williams An Ayler Xmas Vol.. 4: Chicago Vs. New York, Teenage Halloween Teenage Halloween, Oumou Sangare Acoustic, Lydia Loveless Daughter

You can see my full obsessive list (with reissues, movies, books) here



Kortney Jmaeff

Man another great year for music despite one of the craziest years in recent history. Out of nowhere, a couple of good lost albums unearthed by Mr. Bungle and Neil Young.

I had a good 40 albums to winnow away, some honorable mentions include Songhoy Blues Optimisme, Coriky Coriky, Eels Earth To Dora, Working Men's Club Working Men's Club, Thurston Moore By the Fire, Dan Deacon Mystic Familiar, I could go on forever but I can't.



Robert Pally




Marc Phillips




Bart Plantenga




Kurt Wildermuth

This is the only new song that spoke to me in 2020, but it spoke to me, as to so many others, very deeply. Thanks once again Bob, for being you.



Joe Yanosik



left to right: Angel Bat Dawid, Songhoy Blues, X, Drift, Bob Dylan



Check out the rest of PERFECT SOUND FOREVER

MAIN PAGE ARTICLES STAFF/FAVORITE MUSIC LINKS E-MAIL