The 100 Best Albums of 2020
2020 may have taken away live music, but it couldn't stop artists from putting out great albums. Here are the best records this year had to offer, handpicked by the Noisey staff.
Videos
Is this the Future of Concerts?
Covid-19 has put a stop to any parties, live music, nightlife, and while the virus rages on cultural events are put on hold indefinitely.
NOISEY & Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Showcase Songs Off the Game's New Soundtrack | Remastered
"Remastered" is a celebration of the comeback of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and the evolution of its timeless soundtrack.
‘Flamboyant’ Pop Star Dorian Electra Gets Dressed to Go Nowhere
We check in with rising Gender Fluid Hyper-Pop star Dorian Electra and ask them to take us on a in depth tour of their one of a kind closet.
Interviews
Bobby Shmurda Has Five Years Parole, But What Does That Mean?
Life on parole has been difficult for rappers after incarceration. Their celebrity status only highlights the inequities in an unjust system.
We Talked to the Director Behind Rap's Flashiest Videos
A conversation with Colin Tilley about how "WAP" and "Cry Baby" signal the return of maximalist music videos.
Pooh Shiesty's Mischievous Memphis Raps Are For the Streets
On 'Shiesty Season,' the 21-year-old rapper only tells the world what we need to know and that’s a part of his allure.
Noisey Next
Pooh Shiesty's Mischievous Memphis Raps Are For the Streets
On 'Shiesty Season,' the 21-year-old rapper only tells the world what we need to know and that’s a part of his allure.
Katy Kirby's Timeless Songs Are Wonderful Leaps of Faith
The rising Nashville indie rock songwriter grapples with God, family, and self-doubt on 'Cool Dry Place,' the best debut album of 2021 so far.
Q's Electric R&B Is a Safe Space for Black Men to Own Their Feelings
After spending years battling anxiety, the South Florida singer realized music was the only thing he could control.
Features
Bad Deals Are Baked Into the Way the Music Industry Operates
We broke down the three most common types of contracts an artist might sign today, offering a window into how the “bad deal” isn’t an anomaly—it’s by design.
Coronavirus Won’t Kill Independent Record Stores
Independent retailers have battled streaming services, Amazon, and now a pandemic. Record store owners told VICE what they're doing to survive the crisis.
There’s Nothing More Goth Than Being Black
“As soon as I found [the goth] community… it really surprised me at how much of it stemmed from Black culture.”
the means of production issue
The Last of New York City's Jukebox Repairmen Are Searching for Their Successors
There are only five people in New York capable of fixing antique jukeboxes. Unless they can find someone to carry on their line of work, it might go extinct.
By the People, for the People
What do car assembly, Fiesta dinnerware, and fans have in common? They’re all made by people whose names we will never know.
New Music
The Songs That Made This Horrible February Bearable
Tracks from Lucky Daye, McKinley Dixon, Katy Kirby, and many others are reminding us that Spring is almost here.
The R&B Duet Is Making a Comeback
In the 60s, Marvin Gaye was the king of the duet. Now artists like Lucky Daye and Ari Lennox are following that blueprint.
Music Videos Are Over-the-Top Again, Thank God
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion are leading the charge for the return of the elaborate music video.
News
Live Music Workers Want to Help With Vaccine Distribution
NIVA, Live Nation, and Senator Amy Klobuchar think President Biden should mobilize an unemployed workforce and shuttered music venues.
China's Bandcamp Block Is a Blow to Chinese Independent Music
For Chinese musicians, Bandcamp was an easy way to directly upload their music and gain international support. Now they can't access it.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Is Sick of Getting Roasted
With its most diverse nominee class in years featuring Tina Turner and Jay Z, it's hard to be mad at the museum ticket-selling apparatus.
Essays
Autumn Is Shoegaze Season
October is the perfect time to throw on some Slowdive and sink into weird, blissful, nostalgic melancholy.
Is Grimes Really Making 'Silicon Valley Propaganda'?
She says 'Miss Anthropocene' is about making "climate change fun"—and she can't stop talking about her hopes for an AI-driven future. But she might just be playing with our perceptions.
Filipinos Made This Plastic-Free Cup From Pineapple Leaves
The paper can be in direct contact with food, helps lessen agricultural waste, and provides more livelihood to farmers.