Berklee Artists Who Made 2020's Best Music

Despite hitting the music industry hard with the pandemic, 2020 couldn't stop great music. Listen to some of the year's best music created by Berklee artists, producers, and songwriters.

By
Bryan Parys
January 19, 2021
Album art collage for the Best-of-2020 Playlist

There are few things left to say about 2020 that haven't 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 it's 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 year's 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 Páez), album producer, recording engineer, and mixer

Stephen Bray '78

  • Billboard: 100 Best Songs of 2020, no. 38, “Black Parade” (Beyoncé), 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 Páez), album mastering engineer

Raphaël 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 You've Been Waiting For
  • Paste: Best Rock Albums, FREE I.H.: This Is Not the One You've Been Waiting For

Miguel Zenón 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 (Raphaël Pannier Quartet), alto saxophone
  • Slate: Best Jazz Albums, no. 9, Faune (Raphaël Pannier Quartet), alto saxophone
Related Categories
Playlists