Code Orange, Higher Power and Ozzy Osbourne among Billboard's '25 Best Rock Albums of 2020'

Code Orange, Higher Power and Ozzy Osbourne among Billboard's '25 Best Rock Albums of 2020'

- By Ramon Gonzales

The field of artists ranges from Pearl Jam, The Killers, and The Strokes to Tame Impala, The 1975, and Machine Gun Kelly.

With the end of the year approaching, various "Best Of" lists are surfacing, offering a snapshot of the most impactful album releases of 2020.

While each list holds their own unique value, it's tough to argue with Billboard. A respected authority among the industry and the consumer public alike, the publication's voice is especially important.

The publication has just released their staff picks of the 25 best rock albums of the year and the collection of artists is impressively diverse. There are genre mainstays that would be expected to be listed like Pearl Jam, The Strokes, and The Killers. There are also emerging artists ranked among such company like Spanish Love Songs and the hardcore throwback of Higher Power. The band's 27 Miles Underwater was described as a "gleefully pummeling product" that falls somewhere between "falls somewhere between post-grunge and classic punk."

https://www.youtube.com/embed/J0ZxQqH5FOw

Also making the cut is PA's very own Code Orange. Despite the stagnation of 2020, the band has managed to make something of nothing, forging an undeniable presence online with the momentum of three successful streaming productions - Last Ones Left: In Fear of the End, Under The Skin, and their recent Halloween production in Back Inside the Glass.

Offering fans a glimpse into their meticulous, calculated brand of chaos, the band's criticality and commercially lauded album Underneath is a colossal achievement that propelled the hardcore practitioners to the head of their respective class. In fact, in addition to the nod from Billboard, the band also tallied a Grammy nomination for their effort.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ctn14oYz0qA

Naturally, it just wouldn't be a proper list if Ozzy was omitted right? After a tenure that has spanned literal generations, Ozzy's legacy was further cemented with the addition of his 2020 installment, Ordinary Man. Collaborating with a roster of producers that all seemed to understand how to bring out the best in Ozzy, the album served as a fresh addition to the icon's catalog without ever having to rely on his rank in the hierarchy of rock to justify the listen.

No one remains this good for this long, unless you are Ozzy.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/kSRNrVjISRQ

The Billboard 26 Best Rock Albums of 2020 can be viewed with complete descriptions - HERE

25. Pearl Jam – “Gigaton

24. Khurangbin – “Mordechai

23. Dream Wife – “So When You Gonna

22. Higher Power – “27 Miles Underwater

21. The Killers – “Imploding The Mirage

20. Spanish Love Songs – “Brave Faces Everywhere

19. Bartees Strange – “Live Forever

18. Declan McKenna – “Zeroes

17. Code Orange – “Underoath

16. Waxahatchee – “Saint Cloud

15. Car Seat Headrest – “Making A Door Less Open

14. Various Artists – “The Turning Soundtrack

13. Tame Impala – “The Slow Rush

12. Lucinda Williams – “Good Souls Better Angels

11. Shamir – “Shamir

10. Hayley Williams – “Petals For Armor

09. The Strokes – “The New Abnormal

08. Phoebe Bridgers – “Punisher

07. Ozzy Osbourne – “Ordinary Man

06. Soccer Mommy – “Color Theory

05. The 1975 – “Notes On A Conditional Form

04. Perfume Genius – “Set My Heart On Fire Immediately

03. Beabadoobee – “Fake It Flowers

02. Machine Gun Kelly – “Tickets To My Downfall

01. Haim – “Women In Music Pt. III

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