Berklee Artists Who Made 2020s Best Music

Berklee Artists Who Made 2020s Best Music Despite hitting the music industry hard with the pandemic, 2020 couldnt stop great music. Listen to some of the years best music created by Berklee artists, producers, and songwriters.

By

Bryan Parys

January 19, 2021

There are few things left to say about 2020 that havent been said over and over. Most of us never want to hear the word unprecedented ever again, for example, even if the word continues to accurately describe the events of a turbulent year, punctuated as it was by a global pandemic, social injustice, and political turmoil. Which is why its that much more impressive to note while the world was on pause, music continued to play. People turned to music not just as a reprieve from doomscrolling, but as a way to unite, to redefine, to protest, and to heal.

As in previous years, Berklee alumni were behind much of the music that made end-of-year lists by top-tier media outlets. From pop to jazz, Latin music to indie, listen to a sampling of some of the years best music created by Berklee artists, producers, and songwriters. Scroll further to read more about who was involved.

Credits Ingrid Andress 13

Associated Press: Top Albums of 2020, no. 3, Lady Like

Billboard: Best Country Albums, no. 9, Lady Like

Gustavo Borner 89

Billboard: Best 25 Latin Albums of 2020, La Conquista del Espacio (Fito P ez), album producer, recording engineer, and mixer

Stephen Bray 78

Billboard: 100 Best Songs of 2020, no. 38, Black Parade (Beyonc ), songwriter

Bill Frisell 77

Downbeat: The Year's Top-Rated Albums (5.0 stars), Valentine

Keith Jarrett 67

The New York Times: Best Jazz Albums, no. 7, Budapest Concert

Gabriela Jimeno B.M. 13 (Ela Minus)

Pitchfork: Best Songs, no. 100, dominique

Paste: Best Albums, no. 31, acts of rebellion

Enrique Larreal 04

Billboard: Best 25 Latin Albums of 2020, Pausa (Ricky Martin), album recording engineer,

Adrianne Lenker B.M. 12

The New Yorker: Best Music of 2020, no. 2, songs and instrumentals

NPR: Best Songs, no. 6, anything

NPR: Best Albums, no. 29, songs

Pitchfork: Best Songs, no. 19, anything

Pitchfork: Best Albums, no. 11, songs and instrumentals

Paste: Best Albums, no. 9, songs

Vulture: Best Albums, no. 2, songs and instrumentals

Rudresh Mahanthappa B.M. 92

Boston Globe: Top Jazz Albums of 2020, Hero Trio

Natalie Maines 95 (The Chicks)

NPR: Best Songs, no. 26, Gaslighter

Pitchfork: Best Songs, no. 60, Gaslighter

Consequence of Sound: Best Albums, no. 38, Gaslighter

Rolling Stone: Best Songs, no. 10, Gaslighter

Billboard: 100 Best Songs, no. 19, Gaslighter

Billboard: Best Country Albums, no. 7, Gaslighter

Michelle Mancini 08

Billboard: Best 25 Latin Albums of 2020, Cumbiana (Carlos Vives), album mastering engineer

Justin Moshkevich 07

Billboard: Best 25 Latin Albums of 2020, La Conquista del Espacio (Fito P ez), album mastering engineer

Rapha l Pannier B.M. 13

NPR: Best Debut Album (Jazz Critic Poll), no. 3, Faune

Slate: Best Jazz Albums, no. 9, Faune

Jeff Parker 90

NPR: Best Songs, no. 53, Go Away

Brooklyn Vegan: 15 Great Jazz Albums of 2020, Suite for Max Brown

The New York Times: Best Jazz Albums, no. 5, Dimensional Stardust (Exploding Star Orchestra), guitar on The Careening Prism Within

Xenia Rubinos B.M. 06

NPR: Best Songs, no. 48, I Fell in Love Helado Negro, featuring Xenia Rubinos

Pitchfork: Best Songs, no. 74, I Fell in Love Helado Negro, featuring Xenia Rubinos

Tiwa Savage 07

Associated Press: Top Albums of 2020, no. 7, Celia

Time: Albums of the Year, no. 10, Celia

NPR: Best Songs, no. 95, Dangerous Love DJ Tunez & D3an Remix

John Scofield 73

Boston Globe: Top Jazz Albums of 2020, Swallow Tales

The Guardian: Best Jazz Albums, no. 4, Swallow Tales

Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah B.M. 04

Stereogum: Best Jazz Albums, no. 9, Axiom

Downbeat: The Year's Top-Rated Albums, Axiom

Spin: Best Songs, no. 30, Guinnevere

Brooklyn Vegan: 15 Great Jazz Albums of 2020, Axiom

Sarah Tudzin B.M. 14 (Illuminati Hotties)

Stereogum: Best Albums, no. 45, FREE I.H.: This Is Not the One Youve Been Waiting For

Paste: Best Rock Albums, FREE I.H.: This Is Not the One Youve Been Waiting For

Miguel Zen n B.M. 98

Downbeat: The Year's Top-Rated Albums (5.0 stars), Cristal (Guillermo Klein y Los Guachos), alto saxophone

NPR: Best Debut Album (Jazz Critic Poll), no. 3, Faune (Rapha l Pannier Quartet), alto saxophone

Slate: Best Jazz Albums, no. 9, Faune (Rapha l Pannier Quartet), alto saxophone

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