On Repeat: Our Favorite Quarantine Albums
2020 has been a year unlike any in recent memory. For most of the year, we have been stuck in quarantine, watching the constantly increasing numbers of coronavirus cases and deaths and wishing the virus would just go away. Even now, as we race toward the end of our first semester since the start of the pandemic, our lives are still very different from what they were last spring. When the world around us is getting more and more chaotic and we are unable to be together with many of our friends and family, it can sometimes influence the music we choose to listen to. Whether they are great albums that came out this year, or older albums that just felt right for this moment, here are our top albums from our quarantine experiences.
David Melo
Chloe x Halle, Ungodly Hour (2020)
This is probably one of the best albums of 2020 in my opinion. Chloe x Halle definitely demonstrated their evolution as artists and as one of the best duo’s our generation has to offer. This album kept me going during all of quarantine with bops like “Ungodly Hour” (the best song off the album, fight me), “Do It”, “Tipsy”, “Forgive Me”, and “Busy Boy”. You cannot deny their talent and this album goes down as one of my favorites during the era of Coronavirus.
Rina Sawayama, Sawayama (2020)
Alongside Ungodly Hour, we also have this album as a contender for one of the best albums of quarantine and 2020. Rina Sawayama’s debut album is probably one of the strongest debuts I have seen in a minute, and her lyric game is strong. The production on this album is so genre-bending that it makes it hard to pinpoint what kind of artist Rina is, and that’s very exciting. If I had to choose my favorites they would be, “Fuck This World (Interlude)” (if you follow me on Twitter I talk about this song at least once a month), “XS” (a total fucking bop), “Bad Friend”, “Dynasty”, and “Who’s Gonna Save U Now?”
Kehlani, It Was Good Until It Wasn’t (2020)
Kehlani’s second studio album was most definitely blasting in my Bronx apartment for a good month during quarantine. I love Kehlani’s music and this was a highly anticipated album, especially after While We Wait (2019). There is a good mix of lyrical content that has you going through a roller coaster of emotions that range from happy, sensual, sad, mournful, to even vibing. Some of my highlights off this album would be “Grieving” featuring James Blake, “Water”, “Hate the Club” featuring Masego, “Everybody Business”.
Lady Gaga, Chromatica (2020)
Ok, so I may or may not be biased when it comes to Lady Gaga. She is probably one of my pop icons since I was a young gay in 2008 listening to “Just Dance”. (Now I feel old thinking about how that was 12 years ago) Chromatica, for me, was a return to pop Gaga in an evolved form. This album was probably the thing I was looking forward to the most as a fan. I personally felt like she delivered on the dance electronic vibe that had me dancing and singing for a good while. If I was forced to choose favorites, they would include “Sour Candy” featuring Blackpink, “Stupid Love”, “Babylon”, “Replay”, and “911”.
Tove Lo, Blue Lips (Lady Wood Phase II) (2017)
This is the only album that was not released in 2020 that was on my rotation consistently during quarantine. I am a huge Tove Lo fan, all the way back to her song “Habits (Stay High)” (2013). This album is separated into two parts LIGHT BEAMS and PITCH BLACK, the former representing the more dangerous, wild side of Tove Lo and the latter representing the sad boi within her. This album is a pop roller coaster of emotions that will leave you all over the place. My highlights for this album include, “disco tits”, “hey, you got drugs?”, “bitches”, “bad days”, and “shedontknowbutsheknows”.
Declan Murphy
Lana Del Rey, Norman Fucking Rockwell! (2019)
I turned to this album right as the pandemic hit the US and it started to become clear how much our lives were going to change. Something about the tone of the album fit well with my day-to-day thoughts and the hopeless feeling of wondering when the pandemic would end. For example, “The greatest” perfectly captures the feeling of sadly reminiscing about life before the pandemic. I also really like Jack Antonoff’s production on this album, especially on the nearly 10-minute long journey that is “Venice Bitch”.
Beach House, Teen Dream (2010)
Beach House somehow seem to have figured out the perfect formula for making perfectly bittersweet and dreamy songs. I really clicked with Teen Dream during quarantine and have listened to Beach House a lot more since then. The ethereal production of this album combined with unique vocal performances result in beautiful songs like “Silver Soul”, “Walk in the Park”, and “Take Care”. Pretty much this entire album has an uncanny ability to be both heart wrenching and comforting to me at the same time.
Run the Jewels, RTJ4 (2020)
I usually listen mostly to hip hop, but strayed from my usual listening patterns a little during quarantine. But, when dynamic duo Run the Jewels dropped their fourth album this summer, I was eager to check it out. This is a great collection of songs, featuring hard-hitting beats from El-P and lots of clever and relevant lines about current issues. One song that hits especially hard is “walking in the snow”, specifically Killer Mike’s impressive verse which addresses police brutality and systemic racism.
Charli XCX, how i’m feeling now (2020)
Although this quarantine-themed album was released in May, I didn’t really click with it until the very end of the summer. The production on this album is experimental, and at times you’d think it would sound unpleasant. But, after a couple of listens I finally understood how perfectly it all works together. Charli’s hooks on most of the songs on this album are extremely catchy, and her lyrics capture the emotions many of us felt during quarantine. Some of my favorite tracks include “forever”, “claws”, and “detonate”.
SZA, Ctrl (2017)
I listened to Ctrl more and more as quarantine stretched on and the summer came to an end. The album gives me summery vibes, and I listened to it as a sort of soundtrack to the summer that never really happened. As much as I love the happier songs on the album, it was the more melancholy and longing ones that really resonated with me during quarantine. My absolute favorite has to be “Drew Barrymore”, but “20 Something” and “Normal Girl” also capture the youthful insecurities that SZA expresses so well on this album.
Tiffany Zheng
Emotional Oranges, The Juice Vol. I & II (2019)
I’m so glad I stumbled upon this duo in February. Emotional Oranges has a sound that seems to meld 90’s dance pop and contemporary R&B together effortlessly, making their tracks energetic, yet somehow lazy at the same time. These mini albums are perfect anytime you need a quarantine mood booster, and the chemistry between the two vocalists is also undeniable. The track that hooked me was “West Coast Love,” but I don’t think you could go wrong with any of their songs.
Giveon, Take Time (2020)
On the opposite side of the R&B spectrum is Giveon. Although this EP is only 24 minutes long, this was more than enough for him to become one of my favorite artists of this year. Giveon’s deep, soulful vocals set the scenery that Take Time needs to tell a complete story of love and heartbreak, and accompanied by simple instrumentals, I really felt like I could hear the emotion and sincerity in his voice. He also recently released another (equally amazing!!) EP, When It’s All Said and Done, that I’ve been loving just as much.
Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia (2020)
A personal thank you to Dua Lipa for dropping this album right at the start of quarantine. Every single track is bright, bold, and intoxicatingly catchy. Even the album name says it all — Dua Lipa brings us a throwback to disco pop, with her badass voice and bouncy electronic production adding a refreshing twist. Definitely the kind of music that made me wanna go out and dance, before realizing that I actually can’t do that for a while </3. My personal favorites: “Future Nostalgia,” “Don’t Start Now,” “Physical,” and “Levitating.”
Kaash Paige, Teenage Fever (2020)
I’ve become a big fan of Kaash Paige since this debut album dropped. I was excited to see some of my favorite artists on the tracklist and they definitely did not disappoint. These are the kinds of songs that you can play on late night drives; they’re intimate and vulnerable, capturing that angsty-teenage-early-20’s experience we go through while we’re trying to figure it all out. Kaash Paige has some great melodies, paired with moody production and super smooth vocals, and being only 19 years old makes this project all the more impressive.
Isaiah Rashad, The Sun’s Tirade (2016)
Isaiah Rashad is by far one of my favorite hip hop artists. Although not recent, The Sun’s Tirade remains an album that I consistently return to, and undoubtedly one that deserves more than a single paragraph review. His lyricism is incredible, giving us an honest glimpse into the struggles in his past, from depression and anxiety to substance abuse. The production is jazzy, creative, yet restrained, really shining the spotlight on Rashad’s rapping and the story he wants to tell. Overall, just a fucking incredible album for anyone looking for great music with a great narrative, and I hope I never get tired of listening to it.
Clare D’Amato
Phoebe Bridgers, Punisher (2020)
I love Phoebe Bridgers with a burning passion. This album has been my favorite and most-played of 2020, and I quite honestly don’t think I will ever get sick of it. Bridgers is a master songwriter and has the capability to really draw her listeners in. It’s hard to pick favorites on this album, but right now I’ve been listening to “I Know The End” and “ICU.” The virtual performances and amazing costumes that accompanied this album also greatly increased my appreciation for it. I’m also a sucker for great cover art, which this album definitely has.
Stan Getz, Getz for Lovers (2002)
Stan Getz was a huge part of my childhood. I used to listen to this album on my little iPod and dance around my room. Getz for Lovers makes me feel like I’m sitting in front of a fireplace or in a cozy cafe enjoying a cup of spiced cider. This album was a go-to for me when I wanted to combat quarantine blues. The staticy, melty, and soft quality of each track is guaranteed to make anyone who’s down in the dumps feel better.
Weyes Blood, Titanic Rising (2019)
I didn’t know about the phenom that is Weyes Blood until last year, and her stand-out album Titanic Rising was a definite quarantine favorite. Blood has such an incredible voice and the production on each track in this album is so stellar. “A Lot’s Gonna Change” and “Andromeda” were on repeat in March; these two songs, and many others on the album, have the power to make me feel simultaneously empty and full, which was honestly what a lot of quarantine felt like. Also, the cover art for this album is truly fantastic.
Wilco, Summerteeth (1999)
Wilco is one of my favorite bands ever, and I feel like they are often overlooked. Summerteeth has such a great mix of songs, ranging from the upbeat and blooding-pumping “A Shot in the Arm” and “Nothing’severgonnastandinmyway (Again)” to the self-reflective and hauntingly intimate “Via Chicago” and “She’s a Jar”. The musicians of Wilco are insanely talented and Jeff Tweedy is a great song-writer. If you want to feel happy, sad, and also intensely angry, you should give Summerteeth a listen (a deluxe, remastered version of the album was recently released!)
Johnny Cash, Unchained (1996)
I used to listen to this album a lot on my record player in middle school and early high school, so it felt fitting to listen to this on repeat (on that same record player) while stuck at home. This album is just truly such a classic, and the crooning, aching sound of Cash’s voice makes me feel very nostalgically sad, which is all I wanted to feel while in quarantine. My personal favorites are “Rowboat”, “Sea of Heartbreak” and “Memories are Made of This.” I definitely played those three songs many, many times to belt my heart out while sad-cleaning my room.