Honorable Mentions: SZA | SOS; Joey Bada$$ | 2000; Spoon | Lucifer On The Sofa
10) Oliver Tree | Cowboy Tears
In 2020, I wrote about Oliver Tree and how through all the antics and persona there was a good songwriter who knew their way around a hook. In his sophomore album, Oliver Tree went a little more (a little) more bare-bones with mostly an acoustic guitar-driven album that really let his songwriting and wit shine through. The opening track is one of the catchiest songs of the year, which is saying something because acoustic cuts don’t usually land that honor.