Dan Goldin *:

1. Tropical Fuck Storm - Braindrops

2. Big Business - The Beast You Are

3. Cherubs - Immaculada High

4. Pinch Points - Moving Parts

5. Big|Brave - A Gaze Among Them

6. Uranium Club - The Cosmo Cleaners

7. Gatecreeper - Deserted

8. Black Midi - Schlagenheim

9. Crumb - Jinx

10. Palehound - Black Friday

11. FCKR JR - I’m Sorry Mom and Dad

12. Horse Jumper of Love - So Divine

13. Thank - Please

14. Benny The Butcher - The Plugs I Met

15. Rong - Wormhat

16. Christian Fitness - You Are The Ambulance

17. Richard Dawson - 2020

18. Purple Mountains - S/T

19. Empath - Active Listening: Night On Earth

20. Full of Hell - Weeping Choir

David Haynes:

1. Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains

2. Wand – Laughing Matter

3. Big Thief – Two Hands

4. Orville Peck – Pony

5. (Sandy) Alex G – House of Sugar

6. GLOOP – Smiling Lines

7. Rat Fancy – Stay Cool

8. Mr. Husband - Kenny Husband & The Husky Section

9. Natural Rat – Eternal Tourist EP

10. Pup – Morbid Stuff

11. Good Dog Nigel – The Implied Sunrise EP

12. Buddie – Change of Scenery EP

13. Tyler The Creator – Igor

14. Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars

15. Bethlehem Steel – Bethlehem Steel

16. Big Thief – U. F. O. F.

17. Sleater-Kinney – The Center Won’t Hold

18. Middle Kid – Queen of Rockledge

19. Lizzo – Cuz I Love You

20. Yola – Walk Through Fire

Erin Bensinger:

1. Angel Olsen - All Mirrors

2. Better Oblivion Community Center

3. The Japanese House - Good at Falling

4. Julia Jacklin - Crushing

5. Rosie Tucker - Never Not Never Not Never Not

6. Mannequin Pussy - Patience

7. Clairo - Immunity

8. fka Twigs - Magdalene

9. Lana del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!

10. Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising

11. Hana Vu - Nicole Kidman / Anne Hathaway

12. Jay Som - Anak Ko

13. Black Belt Eagle Scout - At the Party with my Brown Friends

14. Florist - Emily Alone

15. Big Thief - Two Hands

16. (Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar

17. Palehound - Black Friday

18. Holly Herndon - PROTO

19. Greet Death - New Hell

20. Leggy - Let Me Know Your Moon

21. Jackie Mendoza - LuvHz

Evan Welsh:

1. Matana Roberts- Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis

2. Xiu Xiu - Girl With Basket of Fruit

3. The Caretaker- Everywhere at the End of Time: Stage Six

4. Richard Dawson- 2020

5. Tropical Fuck Storm- Braindrops

6. Katie Dey- Solipsisters

7. Leo Svirsky- River Without Banks

8. Water From Your Eyes- Somebody Else’s Song

9. Club Night- What Life?

10. Laura Stevenson- The Big Freeze

11. Damon Locks’ Black Monument Ensemble- Where Future Unfolds

12. Show Me The Body- Dog Whistle

13. Housewives- Twilight Splendor

14. MIKE- Tears of Joy

15. Bon Iver- I,I

16. Angel Olsen- All Mirrors

17. Ka Baird- Respires

18. Mount Eerie with Julie Doiron- Lost Wisdom pt. 2

19. Anna Meredith- FIBS

20. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds- Ghosteen

Hugo Reyes:

1. Oso Oso - Basking In The Glow

2. Laura Stevenson - The Big Freeze

3.Pile - Green and Gray

4. Shin Guard - 2020

5. Knocked Loose - A Different Shade Of Blue

6.Regional Justice Center - Institution

7. Distants - ii

8. Yeesh - Saw You Up There

9. Dump Him - Dykes To Watch Out For

10. Notches - New Kind Of Love

11. Bethlehem Steel - S/T

12. Jupiter Styles - Ultra St. Opera

13. Portrayal Of Guilt - Suffering Is A Gift

14. Rust Ring - Genuine Me

15. Blood Incantation - History Of the Human Race

Joe Gutierrez:

1. Big Thief- Two Hands

2. Big Thief- UFOF

3. Bill Callahan- Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest

4. Aldous Harding- Designer

5. Cate le Bon- Reward

6. Vampire Weekend- Father of the Bride

7. Solange- When I Get Home

8. The National- I Am Easy To Find

9. Ruth Garbus- Kleinmesiter

10. Chris Cohen- Chris Cohen

11. Fragile Gang- A Plausible and Desirable Future

12. Sharon Van Etten- Remind Me Tomorrow

13. Black Midi- Schlagenheim

14. Mega Bog- Dolphine

15. Little Wings- People

16. Purple Mountains- Purple Mountains

17. Ex Hex - It’s Real

18. William Tyler- Goes West

19. Bedouine- Bird Songs of a Killjoy

20. White Fence- I Have To Feed Larry’s Hawk

Jonathan Bannister:

1. Pile - Green and Gray

2. Mister Goblin - Is Path Warm?

3. Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!

4. Blushing - Blushing

5. Greet Death - New Hell

6. Twin Tribes - Ceremony

7. The Moth Gatherer - Esoteric Oppression

8. Imperial Wax - Gastwerk Saboteurs

9. Drab Majesty - Modern Mirror

10. Blessed - Salt

11. Tool - Fear Inoculum

12. Employed to Serve - Eternal Forward Motion

13. Johnny Booth - Firsthand Accounts

14. Immortal Bird - Thrive on Neglect

15. Fuming Mouth - The Grand Decent

16. Secret Shame - Dark Synthetics

17. Body of Light - Time to Kill

18. Tempers - Private Life

19. The Messthetics - Anthropocosmic Nest

20. She Keeps Bees - Kinship

Katie Hanford:

1. Great Deceivers - In Spirit

2. Mister Goblin - Is Path Warm?

3. Good Morning - The Option

4. philary - I Complain

5. Omni - Networker

6. They Are Gutting a Body of Water - Destiny XL

7. 22° Halo - 22° Halo

8. So Totally - in the shape of...

9. Sun Organ - Sun Organ

10. Big Thief - UFOF

11. (Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar

12. Sasami - Sasami

13. Good Morning - Basketball Breakups

14. Jessica Pratt - Quiet Signs

15. Big Bite - Trinity

16. black midi - Schlagenheim

17. Mariah the Scientist - Master

Matt Sigur:

1. Denzel Curry — ZUU

2. Corridor — Junior

3. Weyes Blood — Titanic Rising

4. Pile — Green and Gray

5. Cass McCombs — Tip of the Sphere

6. The Chemical Brothers — No Geography

7. Cave in — Final Transmission

8. German Error Message — Mend

9. Plush Claw — Robin

10. Bobby Krlic — Midsommar soundtrack

11. Joyero — Release the Dogs

12. Have a Nice Life — Sea of Worry

13. Strand of Oaks — Eraserland

14. Torche — Admission

15. Big Thief — U.F.O.F

16. Chastity Belt — s/t

17. The National — I am Easy to Find

18. Methyl Ethel — Triage

19. Faye Webster — Atlanta Millionaires Club

20. Baroness — Gold & Grey

Max Kaplan:

1. Purple Mountains - S/T

2. Cate Le Bon - Reward

3. Big Thief - Two Hands

4. Bill Callahan - Shapherd in a Sheepskin Vest

5. 75 Dollar Bill- I Was Real

6. Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising

7. Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride

8. (Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar

9. Jamie Branch - Fly or Die II

10. Luke Temple - Both-and

11. Sharon Van Etten - Remind Me Tomorrow

12. Eamon Fogerty - Blue Values

13. Yu Su - Roll with the Punches

14. Stella Donnelly - Beware of the Dogs

15. Gong Gong Gong - Phantom Rhythm

16. Fontaines DC - Dogrel

17. Helado Negro - This is How You Smile

18. Devendra Banhart - Ma

19. DEHD - Water

20. Guaxe - Guaxe

Nathan Springer:

1. Purple Mountains- Purple Mountains

2. Laps – Soon Not Often in It

3. Landfill Band – Pipes of Dry Heat

4. They are Gutting a Body of Water – Destiny XL

5. Bill Callahan – Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest

6. Truth Club – Not an Exit

7. Black Midi - Schlagenheim

8. Space Heater – Full Blast

9. A Winged Victory for the Sullen – The Divided Five

10. Body Meat – Truck Music

11. Panda Bear – Buoys

12. Avey Tare – Cows on Hourglass Pond

Niccolo Porcello *:

1. Mannequin Pussy - Patience

2. Curse Word - Your Name

3. (Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar

4. Fern Mayo - Week of Charm

5. Black Midi - Schlagenheim

6. Pile - Green and Gray

7. Palehound - Black Friday

8. Helado Negro - This is How You Smile

9. Patio - Essentials

10. Shady Bug - Lemon Lime

11. Sheer Mag - A Distant Call

12. The Glow - Am I

13. Club Night - What Life

14. Peaer - A Healthy Earth

15. So Totally - in the shape of...

16. Nanami Ozone - NO

17. Steve Lehman - The People I Love

18. Cate Le Bon - Reward

19. Sudan Archives - Athena

20. Cherry Glazerr - Stuffed & Ready

Nick Benson:

1. Dave - Psychodrama

2. Jessica Pratt - Quiet Signs

3. House and Land - Across The Field

4. Mdou Moctar - Ilana (The Creator)

5. Thom Yorke - ANIMA

6. Maxo Kream - Brandon Banks

7. Cross Record - Cross Record

8. Sessa - Grandeza

9. His Name Is Alive - All the Mirrors In the House

10. Jefre Cantu-Ledesma - Tracing Back The Radiance

11. V/A - Bulawayo Blue Yodel

12. Joey Nebulous - Give Yourself A Kiss For Me

13. Jacques Green - Dawn Chorus

14. Stef Chura - Midnight

15. No Vacation - Phasing (EP)

16. Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising

17. Jay Som - Anak So

18. KOKOROKO - KOKOROKO (EP)

19. A Winged Victory For The Sullen - The Undivided Five

20. Wilma Vritra - Burd

Patrick Pilch:

1. Nonlocal Forecast - Bubble Universe!

2. Lomelda - M For Empathy

3. Slauson Malone - A Quiet Farwell

4. They Are Gutting a Body of Water - Destiny XL

5. Young Thug - So Much Fun

6. This is Lorelei - The Dirt, The Dancing/The Mall, The Country

7. Meghan Thee Stallion - Fever

8. Fire Toolz - Field Whispers

9. Water From your Eyes - Someone Else’s Song

10. Triad God - Triad

11. KAINA - Next to the Sun

12. Shady Bug - Lemon Lime

13. Thank - Please

14. Pile - Green and Gray

15. Gong Gong Gong - Phantom Rhythm

16. RXM Reality - DEViL WORLD WiDE

17. The Caretaker - everywhere, an empty Bliss

18. Urochromes - Trope House

19. Sunwatchers - Live at Cafe Mustache

20. (Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar

Sabrina Cofer:

1. Taylor Swift - Lover

2. Palehound - Black Friday

3. Peaer - A Healthy Earth

4. waveform* - Shooting Star

5. Aly & Aj - Sanctuary

6. Hovvdy - Heavy Lifter

7. Sean Henry - A Jump from the High Dive

8. Chris Farren - Born Hot

9. Queen Moo - Faint Sounds of Us Hanging Out

10. Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated

11. Thelma - The Only Thing

12. Pet Fox - Rare Occasion

13. Jordana - Classical Notions of Happiness

14. Camp Howard - Cañón

15. Knife Kickers - Catching Up, Eating Shit

16. Lizzo - Cuz I Love You

17. Frankie Cosmos - Close It Quietly

18. Charli XCX - Charli

19. Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell!

20. Clairo - Immunity

Tim Crisp:

1. Laura Stevenson - The Big Freeze

2. Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains

3. BIG|BRAVE - A Gaze Among Them

4. Mannequin Pussy - Patience

5. Earl Sweatshirt - FEET OF CLAY

6. The National - I Am Easy To Find

7. Slauson Malone - A Quiet Farewell

8. Pile - Green and Gray

9. Have A Nice Life - Sea of Worry

10. MIKE - Tears of Joy

11. Angel Du$t - Pretty Buff

12. Yellow Eyes - Rare Field Ceiling

13. Slaughter Beach, Dog - Safe and also No Fear

14. Blood Incantation - Hidden History of the Human Race

15. Greys - Age Hasn’t Spoiled You

16. FRIENDSHIP - Undercurrent

17. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Bandana

18. Bethlehem Steel - Bethlehem Steel

19. Angel Olsen - All Mirrors

20. Strange Ranger - Remembering the Rockets

Tom Alexander:

1. Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising

2. Pile - Green and Gray

3. Thanks for Coming - No Problem

4. Tredici Bacci - La Fine Del Futuro

5. Crag Mask - Bend

6. Freddie Gibbs and Madlib - Bandana

7. Emily Reo - Only You Can See It

8. Lunch Duchess - Crying for Fun

9. Editrix - Talk to Me

10. Community College - Comco

11. Bethlehem Steel - Bethlehem Steel

12. Big Thief - U.F.O.F.

13. Christian Fitness - You are the Ambulance

14. Elizabeth Color Wheel - Nocebo

15. Spellling - Mazy Fly

16. Tyler, the Creator - Igor

17. Halfsour - Sticky

18. Waveform* - Shooting Star

19. Black Midi - Schlagenheim

20. Chai - Punk

Torrey Proto:

1. Jpegmafia - All My Heroes Are Cornballs

2. Wand - Laughing Matter

3. Pile - Green and Gray

4. Maneka - Devin

5. (Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar

6. Crumb - Jinx

7. Danny Brown - uknowhatimsayin¿

8. Girl Band - The Talkies

9. Horse Jumper of Love - So Divine

10. Sasami - Sasami

11. Lomelda - M for Emapthy

12. Elizabeth Color Wheel - Nocebo

13. Crag Mask - Bend

14. Greys - Age Hasn't Spoiled You

15. Patio - Essentials

16. Carla Dal Forno - Look Up Sharp

17. Wiki - Oofie

18. Spellling - Mazy Fly

19. The Hecks - My Star

20. Weeping Icon - Weeping Icon

Wes Muilenburg:

1. The Happy Children – Same Dif

2. oso oso – Basking in the Glow

3. Mount Eerie & Julie Doiron – Lost Wisdom, Pt. 2

4. Keep for Cheap – Get Along EP

5. niiice. – Never Better EP

6. Hammock – Silencia

7. Florist – Emily Alone

8. Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising

9. Spielbergs – This Is Not The End

10. ahem – Try Again

11. (Sandy) Alex G – House of Sugar

12. Mannequin Pussy – Patience

13. VIAL – Grow Up

14. Imperium Dekadenz – When We Are Forgotten

15. Why Not – EP

16. Baroness – Gold & Grey

17. Frail Body – A Brief Memoriam

18. Double Grave – Ego Death Forever

19. NATL PARK SRVC – The Future Is Now EP

20. Kyle Bobby Dunn – From Here to Eternity

* both Niccolo Porcello (Sad Cactus Records) and Dan Goldin (Exploding In Sound Records) submitted Top 20 lists that were taken into consideration for the staff pick total that included bands from their respective labels. In the interest of not publicly ranking their own bands, the lists submitted here are their favorite albums without inclusion of any Sad Cactus or EIS artists.