Best of the 2020s So Far
A global pandemic shaped the sound of the 2020s, pushing artists indoors, curtailing tours and molding entirely new online scenes. At the same time, TikTok made music snappier—can you even write a traditional hook for the snippet generation? As the world slowly opened back up, artists released some of their most shocking work. Pop stars turned to house music; one dance producer pivoted to ambient jazz. As rap continued to churn out stars from the three coasts, its stylistic center shifted to the Midwest. Our 2020s So Far package contains our picks for the best albums and songs of the half-decade, plus a handful of essays from our critics on how they experienced this moment.
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It’s Time for Electronic Music to Turn Its Dreams Into Reality
After the pandemic decimated dancefloors worldwide, electronic music seeks a new way forward.
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The New Chaos of Asian Dance Scenes
In the past decade, underground electronic and experimental scenes in Asia forged new connections across borders. Is a global movement next?
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The 100 Best Songs and Albums of the 2020s So Far, According to Pitchfork Readers
You chose the best music of the last five years. Here are the results.
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The Lost Promises of Hyperpoptimism
Why did hyperpop, one of the most exhilarating scenes of the 2020s, fail to endure?
The 100 Best Albums of the 2020s So Far
The decade has brought us major-label blockbusters, indie favorites, the world’s greatest Geocities gem, and more. Here are some of the best albums the 2020s have had to offer.
The 100 Best Songs of the 2020s So Far
From the blissfully ignorant months before the pandemic to Brat Summer, here are the greatest songs that moved culture, coined genres, and are still stuck in our heads.