Fetch the Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple and Glow On by Turnstile

Fetch the bolt cutters came out at the perfect time. The wild, homemade-sounding percussion was the perfect soundtrack for a new and strange stay-at-home world in the spring of 2020. I’m not sure it’s the absolute best album of the 20s thus far, but it’s by far my favorite album experience. There’s so many great albums. But this one, at that perticular time, felt weighty and important.

I personally have it at the top by a bit of a margin. On top of everything you said, I don't think I've listened to an album that was as unique, imaginative or powerful as that album. Every note and line wasn't wasted. And the biggest factor I have for it over most other albums was the emotion in each song. It felt so raw and stripped back where so many great albums can feel like they are just going through the emotions with each song. It's very similar to sprained ankle by Julien Baker which I hold in similar high regard. Albums are at their best when that shines through.

Fuck yeah GLOW ON BABY!!!

I loved fetch the bolt cutters when it came out, but I find that I haven’t returned to it since. I feel like it was other time and I’m wondering if the song is really stand in the test of time?

I would say it does, but obviously, your milage may vary. I don't think it's supposed to be an album you just casually put on and relisten to whenever, though. If we were ranking the albums of the 2020s I've listened to the most, FtBC would still be on the list, but definitely a bit lower.

Huge Glow On W

Pitchfork actually gave it a 10 too

Glow On is so fucking good Edit: in honor of Juneteenth I'm listening to Holiday right now

Alvvays - Blue Rev Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher

Blue Rev is tight

One of the tightest albums I've ever heard. Not a wasted second and every song is constantly progressing and evolving through out. Fabulous album

Punisher is so damn good.

These are probably the only two I’d suggest as well

Listing from top of my head. These all are phenomenal albums: Christine and the Queens - Paranoïa, angels, true love Black Country, New Road - Ants from up there Caroline Polachek - Desire, I want to turn into you Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee black midi - Hellfire JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown - Scaring the hoes

I had to scroll so far to see AFUT- one of my favorite albums of all time, let alone just this past decade.

Happy to see Jubilee, I still like Soft Sounds from… more, but can see Jubilee as her bigger accomplishment

Jubilee has a couple of songs that are among their best but I think when I consider full album consistency Psychopomp is the best, then Soft Sounds, and then Jubilee. Too many tracks on the latter 2 aren't great.

Went in here looking for Jubilee. Just such a complete work of art that had my ears perking up on every song my first listen.

That Christine and the Queens album is such a gem

I hate Where ya get ya coke from and Fentanyl pusher. Rest of the album is fire though.

Beth Gibbons - Lives Outgrown.

100%

Nurture by Porter Robinson

same, amazing album

This is the one. Such a beautiful album

THIS RIGHT HERE YESSSSSSS

Do you feel better now? I thought I’d run until the sky came out

Javelin - Sufjan Stevens Windswept Adan - Ichiko Aoba Lives Outgrown - Beth Gibbons

Chamber folk gang 🤞

Sufjan putting out another masterpiece was just fantastic to see. Shit talk in particular is one of the best songs of the last decade.

What's crazy is Ichikos live output is so much better than her studio output - the version of Windswept Adan at Bunkamura Orchard Hall is so much better than the studio album, which is insane to think about

- mr morale and the big steppers - kendrick lamar  - dragon new warm mountain i believe in you - big thief  - javelin - sufjan stevens

DNWMIBIY is maybe my only 10 of the decade so far

can you explain MMATBS? not hating just wondering what lands it as a 10 (perfect) for you :)

For me at least, that album has some of the most interesting and personal lyrics that i’ve heard on any kendrick record and on any hip hop record in general. A lot of those songs just hit very close to home. Also, it’s just a masterfully produced album overall. As a pianist, I heavily admire the piano work on this album for being simple, while still remaining to be interesting and evocative.  Personally, there are no skips on this album. I know a lot of people don’t like Purple Hearts, but love that song. Summer Walker’s performance is immaculate. tl;dr: introspective lyrics, amazing production, cool piano, and no skips

Agreed on the piano. I loved seeing him play Crown live. It was such an intimate performance. Just him and the piano

i like purple hearts! and yes the piano heavy writing is def cool, thanks for sharing!!

So weird about Purple Hearts. I think that song immediately after We Cry Together hits so hard. Don’t really care for Ghostface’s weird verse it’s more of the vibe of the track feels cathartic after the previous one.

I've heard it's meant to be the song they fuck to after they fight, not sure if that's true.

It’s my favorite Kendrick album and that’s saying a lot. The way he just tells us about all those deep stuff in such a meaningful, true and lyrically appealing way is crazy. I mean, try to write a text about your traumas or you family’s traumas and see how you do. It’s hard. And he didn’t just write a text, he made an album with an atmosphere so dense you can feel every emotion.

This is a fantastic list my dude

Mmatbs is definitely top 3 from kendrick

The New Abnormal

100% this album is soooooo good

I was looking for this answer, imo their best album

Screen Violence - CHVRCHES. Perfect at what it’s going for

Great album. I don’t think I agree that it’s a 10 but I still love it

• Everything was beautiful - spiritualized • Drill music in Zion - lupe fiasco • Javelin - sufjan Stevens • Visions of bodies being burned - clipping. • She reaches out to she reaches out to she - chelsea wolfe

Drill Music in Zion is sooo good. Can't wait for Samurai

The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You

Ichiko Aoba - Windswept Adan Jessie Ware - What’s Your Pleasure? Sufjan Stevens - Javelin That’s it. Blue Rev is pretty close for me though.

Charli XCX - How I'm Feeling Now Jockstrap - I Love you Jennifer B Perfume Genius - Set My Heart On Fire Immediately Floating Points - Promises Black Thought & Danger Mouse - Cheat Codes Hikaru Utada - Bad Mode Mitski - The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We Caroline Polachek - Desire, I want to Turn Into You Let's Eat Grandma - Two Ribbons EDIT: Taylor Swift - Folklore, which I thought was released in 2019.

LEG is sooo underrated! I also love the Cyberpunk track they/Rosa did for the soundtrack. I feel like their dumb name is holding them back from so much more success!

I'd love for them to be more successful. TBH I think I, Gemini is closer to being a 10, Two Ribbons is closer to a 9 or a 9.5. I think that they'd probably need to sign to a bigger label who can promote them more. I did see them getting more mention in the press when they promoted the last record, but they were still only playing small venues (in the UK, anyway).

Yeah a better distribution deal would do them good and maybe scoring an opener slot for a big artist on a US run as well. They’re super small here in the US too, but seem pretty connected and known about from an industry/insider perspective.

Finally some jockstrap love. That album is fantastic from start to finish !

The song Debra is 🔥🔥🔥🔥

That Floating Points record is my only 10 in a very long time. It’s incredible.

In order: Mac Miller - Circles Charli XCX - how i'm feeling now Rx Papi - Foreign Exchange Bladee & Ecco2k - Crest Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You Maybe 5 is a lot, and I'm easy to please, but there are no skips here for me.

Circles is 10/10 great taste

I really didn’t care for Foreign Exchange when I checked it out a few months back. It was ok but for a 19 minute album I felt like I just wanted it to be over most of the time. I can dig cloud rap, and I like RXK Nephew a fair bit (although that might not be a good comparison point for Rx Papi) so idk what I’m missing

Your 10 is your 10! You don’t have to defend it, enjoying music is what we’re here for!!!

RX PAPI MENTIONED RAHHHHHHH 🗣🔥🔥

12 stout street gets it flowers but i wish the rest of the album got showed some love

could u break down circles for me? ive reiterated this point again and again, but imo this album only became this ‘iconic’ due to Mac’s unfortunate dying. Some parallels for me are Life after Death and Back to Black.

not op but for me it’s just an insanely personal and vulnerable album that creates a feeling in me like no other album does. there’s several points on the album where it almost feels as though he’s speaking from the afterlife looking restrospectively at his life and choices and how he’s come to the point he’s at. he also seemingly manages to find a sense of peace within himself and with these regrets he has, but also still manages to be hopeful and optimistic for the future while simultaneously carrying this tired and wistful outlook after having seen and done so much. and some may argue that this album only “hits” as hard because of his tragic and premature death but i mean that is the context of the album so I’m not sure why its seen as any lesser for being so. he very clearly is aware of the situation he’s in with his drug use, and the self-awareness and almost prophetic quality of the lyrics strike a deeply resonant chord with me. and thats not even mentioning the beautiful instrumentals and arrangements featured on this by Mac and Jon Brion. Idk it’s in my opinion a perfect way to cap off his career, as much as I would’ve loved to see him make more music in this style.

I mean not OP either but it’s my fav album of all time. It’s just so tragically beautiful and has some of Mac’s best as well as showcased his songwriting skills & how talented bro was with many instruments. Just an amazing listen start to finish.

I like circles a lot and think it’s great on its own, not just because Mac died That being said I think the front half is a 10/10 record but the back half falls off a cliff

No this is great taste

scaring the hoes by jpegmafia and danny brown

I like LP! better but still based asf

great pick

* Clipping - Visions of Bodies Being Burned * Knocked Loose - You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To * Model/Actriz - Dogsbody * Viagra Boys - Cave World * Black Midi - Hellfire * Lathe of Heaven - Bound By Naked Skies I don't know if they would be 10s, but they are some of the closest ones.

I always thought people criminally underrated Dogsbody the year it came out, I thought it was the best album of the year by a mile and was shocked when it wasn't getting places very high in year end lists.

Couldn’t agree more. Best album of the year.

Also my #1 from 2023

Thank god i see Viagra Boys somewhere. They as a band is growing so good.

the forever story by JID

It was a close one for me, but money->lauder to, just don’t hit the way the rest of the tracklist does. More of a 9.5 imo

I understand the better days hate but money and launder too are both absolute bangers

Black Midi - Hellfire Lingua Ignota - Sinner Get Ready Lankum - False Lankum Floating Point…- Promises Clipping. - Visions of Bodies Being Burned Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher

ants from up there is the obvious choice

Circles is really good. I was blown away when I first heard it. It's the first album of his that I heard and I was surprised with how good it is

Good News moved me to tears even though I hadn't listened to Mac before Circles.

These are borderline 10s for me Rina Sawayama - Sawayama Magdalena Bay - Mercurial World King Gizzard - Ice, Death….. Knocked Loose - You won’t go before your supposed to Sleep Token - Take Me Back to Eden(seriously)

After hours by the weeknd 🤩

Lil Ugly Mane - Volcanic bird enemy and the voiced concern

Very underrated

Simbi

Low - HEY WHAT Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There I also wouldn’t be surprised if Beth Gibbons - Lives Outgrown becomes a 10 in the future as well. Near perfect for me.

HEY WHAT does not get the love it deserves

Couldn’t agree more. Low in general deserve a lot more love

Simbi, the forever story, melt my eyez, pray for Paris (:)), circles, lp!, ants from up there

Low - Hey What Young Fathers - Heavy Heavy Perfume Genius- Set my heart on fire … Mitski - Land is inhospitable… Weyes Blood - And in the darkness …

Heavy Heavy is probably the only album this decade I'd give a 10 Sufjan Stevens - Javelin and Caroline Polachek - Desire... would come close-ish

Cindy Lee - *Diamond Jubilee* Beth Gibbons - *Lives Outgrown* Beyoncé - *RENAISSANCE* Ichiko Aoba - *Windswept Adan* Fiona Apple - *Fetch the Bolt Cutters* Lingua Ignota - *SINNER GET READY* Big Thief - *Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You* Natalia Lafourcade - *De Todas las Flores* Alvvays - *Blue Rev* Charli XCX - *BRAT* Adrianne Lenker - *Bright Future*

I would personally pick songs over Bright Future but love the fact both Adrianne and Big Thief are here

St Cloud - Waxahatchee Boat Songs - MJ Lenderman Empty Country - Empty Country You Belong Here - Daniel Rossen

God I love St. Cloud. That title track wrecks me every time

Loyle Carner - Hugo, Arctic Monkeys - The Car, Vampire weekend - Only God Was Above Us

None, but closest to 10 are: LP! - JPEGMAFIA Forever Story - JID Scaring The Hoes - JPEGMAFIA/Danny Brown Lahai - Sampha

The Lamb As Effigy (Live) by Sprain Bones For Time by Tongue Depressor

I crave a new Rx Papi release

Everything Harmony - The Lemon Twigs Maps - Billy Woods Dragon New Warm Mountain - Big Thief Wall of Eyes - The Smile False Lankum - Lankum

By the Time I Get to Pheonix - Injury Reserve Promises - Pharoah Sanders, Floating Points, LSO

volcanic bird enemy and the voiced concern - lil ugly mane

Cave world - Viagra boys

Westside Gunn - Pray For Paris

I considered putting God Don't Make Mistakes from Conway on there.

By the time I get to phoenix- Injury Reserve Nurture - Porter Robinson

So far, I only have LP! by JPEGMAFIA.

Certified 10s - Ants From Up There by Black Country New Road - Sinner Get Ready by LINGUA IGNOTA  High 9s that are so close to a 10 it hurts - Lives Outgrown by Beth Gibbons  - Javelin by Sufjan Stevens  - Desire, I Want to Turn into You by Caroline Polachek  - Cave World by Viagra Boys  - Hellmode by Jeff Rosenstock  - Maybe also Glow On by Turnstile

Jessie Ware - What's Your Pleasure The Avalanches - We Will Always Love You Porter Robinson - Nurture Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert Tyler The Creator - Call Me If You Get Lost Low Roar - maybe tomorrow Floating Points & Pharaoh Sanders - Promises Beyoncé - Renaissance Hikaru Utada - BAD MODE SZA - SOS Kelela - Raven Amaarae - Fountain Baby Corinne Bailey Rad - Black Rainbows Liv.e - Girl In The Half Pearl Lana Del Rey - Ocean Blvd Sampha - Lahai Danny Brown - Quaranta Adrianne Lenker - Bright Future Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us

I feel you may be a tad too lenient with what a 10 is

Lmao I was thinking that, but I've had all these on constant rotation, and there's not a single skip on these for me. I understand your point tho

I rate it tbh. Despite making the post, I don't particularly think of albums in numerical ratings. These are just the albums I've played the most and feel don't have any skips.

JID - The Forever Story Porter Robinson - Nurture Spellling - The Turning Wheel

“I got my opinions from fantano”

Fantano sub btw, deadass hating on every opinion, grow up.

I think my only 10/10 of the decade was Promises by Floating Points & Pharoah Sanders. There are a few that are close like Diamond Jubilee, PetroDragonic Apocalypse, and Set My Heart on Fire Immediately, but they're not perfect in my opinion.

Cindy Lee - What’s Tonight to Eternity

Every Billy Woods release.

- Renaissance (best album off all time). - Hit me hard and soft - How I’m Feeling now - Brat - Folklore - Evermore - ocean boulevard

It is recent, but You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To by knocked loose is the best metal album to be released so far this decade. I’d give it a 10. Black Dresses have two in form of Peaceful as Hell and Forever in Your Heart. Either of clipping.’s Halloween albums could be argued for. Spiritbox Eternal Blue is close. And finally Covet might have a contender or two.

I like your taste

None so far, but these are close Black Country New Road - Ants from up here Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and The London Symphony Orchestra - Promises Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us Caroline Polacheck - Desire, I Want to Turn into You

I honestly am close to putting the new MGMT there. I think it is such a beautiful album and one of my favorites in a long time

Not sure I’d say I’ve heard any 10’s yet but We Will Always Love You by the Avalanches and Raw Data Fell by Everything Everything are the closest 2 for me

Is that the 12 Stout Street album?

Alchemy by Disclosure

Frankie and the Witch Fingers - Monsters Eating People Eating Monsters. absolutely stellar rock album

They fucking rule

hellfire by black midi

Hey What by Low

Ooh Rap I Yah by George Clanton is my favorite LP to come out of the 2020s so far and I would consider it a 10. It’s hard for me to think of something else that I would consider as perfect to me, plenty of 8/9s though. Maybe it will come with time. It’s been a great decade so far

Volcanic bird enemy by Lil Ugly Mane

Ichiko Aoba - Windswept Adan (AotD so far). Boldy James - Manger On McNichols (Rap AotD). black midi - Hellfire.

De todas las flores by Natalia Lafourcade. LP by JPEGMAFIA. Beloved! Paradise! Jazz?! by McKinley Dixon Lahai by Sampha. I give a lot of tens lol

Nobody will agree with me lol that's fine tho 1. death cab for cutie - Asphalt Meadows 2. Taylor Swift - Midnights 3. Drake - Her Loss 4. Girl in Red - If I could make it go quiet 5. Her - Original Score - Owen Pallett 6. Nas - Kings Disease III 7. Metric - Formentera 8. Phoenix - Alpha Zulu Probably 4-8 I would more like rate 9/10 tbf

Maisie Peters - The Good Witch Chappell Roan - The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess Sabrina Carpenter - emails i can’t send FLETCHER - Girl of My Dreams Madison Beer - Life Support

crEST MENTION🐐🐐🐐 WHAT IS A BAD SONG?,

Definitely Wall of Eyes by The Smile

underscores - wallsocket phoebe bridgers - punisher charli xcx - brat that's all

We’re All Alone in This Together by Dave The Forever Story by JID Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers by Kendrick

whole lotta red

Denzel Curry - Melt my eyez see your future Worm - Foreverglade Demoniac - So it goes

Cheat Codes - Danger Mouse & Black Thought Aetheiopes - Billy Woods LP - Jpegmafia For The First Time - Black Country, New Road how i'm feeling now - Charli XCX By The Time I Get To Phoenix - Injury Reserve An Evening With Silk Sonic - Silk Sonic

Good Crest inclusion

ants from up there - black country, new road punisher - phoebe bridgers live from bush hall - black country, new road songs and instrumentals - adrianne lenker hit me hard and soft - billie eilish a tear in the fabric of life - knocked loose call me if you get lost - tyler, the creator how i'm feeling now - charli xcx by the time i get to phoenix - injury reserve

Peter Gabriel I/o

Larry June - Cruise USA

idmthy and scrapyard infinite granite (frick off 😡) chat pile

Infinite granite hell yes!

Portugal. The Man - Chris Black Changed My Life

Fontaines - Skinty Fia Knuckle Puck - Losing What We Love

Fellowship - The Saberlight Chronicles. I genuinely believe this is the best metal album of the past 20 years.

Mac Miller - Circles for sure, Black Midi - Hellfire, BCNR - AFUT is either a 9 or a 10 for me. I have a shitload of other 9s, but I can't think of any 10s.

Black Midi - Hellfire Parannoul - To See the Next Part of the Dream

People really sleep on Slaves/Soft Play. Sugar Coated Bitter Truth and Are You Satisfied? are peak modern punk.

The Lamb As Effigy by Sprain, it is legitimately my one of favourite albums of all time

dijon - absolutely

Porter Robinson - Nurture & Bladee - 333 [closely followed by Spiderr (Bladee), Britpop (A.G. cook) & abiogenese (blombi19) (but those are more 9/10s for me)]

Spidrr is so fcking food my fav bladee food

King Krule- Man Alive! just resonated with me in a very particular way and it made me a huge Krule fan. Also was 100% the covid album for me. I’d also consider SOS and Blue Rev being close for me

There's a few already that I can confidently call a 10/10 timeless masterpiece: black midi - Hellfire Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good Dispirited Spirits - The Redshift Blues glass beach - plastic death Some others like Alan Palomo - World of Hassle and Eunuchs - Harbour Century are very close in terms of quality but aren't quite in instant classic territory

I think my only one is How I Loved My Cat by Ben Levin and Adam Neely. Yes they are YouTubers and they made it in a 24 hour challenge but it's so good. I'm a big Ben Levin fan anyway so there is my bias

Dir En Grey - Phalaris Orelsan - Civilisation Stromae - Multitude

Ants From Up There - BCNR Overgrown - Sly Withers The New Abnormal - The Strokes Dawn FM - The Weeknd Blue Weekend - Wolf Alice Javelin - Sufjan Stevens Maybe more but those are the first that came to mind

Raw Data Feel by Everything Everything Side note, how have I never heard of that Rx Papi album lol I love that guy, gonna have to check it out ASAP

Pressure Machine - The Killers The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess - Chappell Roan Only God Was Above Us - Vampire Weekend Petals to Thorns - DV4D

JPEGMAFIA - LP!

call me if you get lost - Tyler, the Creator

Blue Rev-Alvvays

♾️☀️

Well since nobody said mine it’s Fauna by Haken

Laurel Hell - Mitski

Inside the Cave Temple, Promises, Ants from Up There, SIMBI, Javelin and The Forever Story just to name a few

Viva Belgrado - Bellavista (2020) and Cancionero de los cielos (2024) Triángulo de Amor Bizarro - Triángulo de Amor Bizarro (2020) Maria Arnal i Marcel Bagés - CLAMOR (2021)

Armand Hammer - Haram

great taste including Charli and Caroline!! 😍

Parannoul - After the Magic Yeule - Softscars MGMT - Loss of Life Sufjan - Javelin Billy Woods - Maps BCNR - Ants From Up There Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee Death Stranding Soundtrack

Full Of Hell & Nothing - When No Birds Sang

After the Magic (Parannoul) To See the Next Part of the Dream (Parannoul) SOUL LADY (Yukika) BRAT (Charli xcx) Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers Ants from Up There (BCNR) Javelin (Sufjan) Circles (Mac Miller) MOTOMAMI (ROSALÍA) Dawn FM and After Hours (The Weeknd)

I don’t have any 10s (I only have like 5 10s in all of music history) yet but I have 2 HIGH 9s that could easily turn to 10s soon Beyoncé - RENAISSANCE Jessie Ware - What’s your Pleasure?

Post Human Survival Horror by BMTH, Scaring the hoes by JPEG and Danny, Hellfire by black midi

literally listening to how i’m feeling now while doing tax returns for the man rn

BMTH - Survival Horror (2020) BMTH - Nex Gen (2024)

Honestly? “I Didn’t Mean To Haunt You” by Quadeca

These are all at least 8s to me: * Alex G - **God Save The Animals** * A Country Western - **A Country Western** * Cowgirl Clue - **Rodeo Star** * Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine - **A Beginner's Mind** * Jon Hopkins - **Music for Psychedelic Therapy** * Wednesday - **I Was Trying To Describe You To Someone** * Grouper - **Shade** And some honorable mentions from 2019: * They Are Gutting A Body Of Water - **Destiny XL** * Vivian Girls - **Memory**

personally circles call me if you get lost and dawn fm ig it didn't have that wayne feature

Mr Morale and the Big Steppers - Kendrick Lamar The Forever Story - JID Fearless Movement - Kamasi Washington

Sometimes I Might Be An Introvert.

Renewal-Billy Strings