ICM Awards 2020: Album of the Year Nominees

It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for, the hotly tipped ICM Awards 2020 Album of the Year nominees are revealed.

As tough as ever, this year has been filled with worthy albums from BLOXX’s debut album to The Cribs, The Magic Gang, Sea Girls, Doves, Porridge Radio, The Strokes, Man of Moon, Marsicans Red Rum club and tonnes, tonnes more!

However there can only be five. So check out our five nominees below.

Fontaines DC – A Hero’s Death

Irish post-punk revival band Fontaines D.C. haven’t just ‘done it again’ with their second album, they’ve done something entirely different. That alone makes ‘A Hero’s Death’ a refreshing listen, but it’s the strength of the songwriting and the pull of the lyrics that once again makes a Fontaines D.C. album an essential listen (read our review here). For a sophomore album, that’s about as good as it gets. Will they be this year’s album of the year? 

Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher

If 2017’s Stanger in the Alps was Star Wars, then Punisher is definitely The Empire Strikes Back. A tour-de-force of a record from an artist at the top of her game, Punisher is dripping in authenticity and is now the benchmark for any alternative-folk album that follows it (check out our album review here). Phoebe offers a breathtaking closeness that expunges Bridgers most intimate thoughts. Her stirring lyrics that will leave the listener pondering – is she one of the best modern alternative folk artists of a generation? Can she take the album of the year crown? 

Sports Team – Deep Down Happy

Sports Team are a phenomenal band that is pushing indie music to another level. The outfit became the first British band to achieve the highest first week sales for a debut album by one in four years and finished second in the UK official charts. They eclipsed artists like Blossoms, Wolf Alice, Royal Blood and The 1975 when they had their moments so if this is anything to go by, their gripping rock songs and potent lyricism will stand the testament of time. Could Sports Team be this year’s winner?

Dan Croll – Grand Plan 

Indie pop artist Dan Croll captures your heart effortlessly on his third album Grand Plan as the Liverpool artist relocated to Los Angeles for his ‘grand plan’ so to speak. He grows with each album as Dan goes on a new personal and musical journey. Each song is personal, moving and incredibly beautiful. The Grand Plan was a bold plan, which has paid off with colourful results. Should Dan come away with this year’s award? 

The 1975 – Notes On A Conditional Form

NOCAF surpassed all expectations for their third fourth album, but when it comes to The 1975 what do you exactly expect? The band flex their studio muscles and get undeniably creative to create 22 tracks. (Check out our track by track review here) To use a cliche, Notes on A Conditional Form is like a jigsaw puzzle. But the pieces are a little broken on the edges. They still fit together but there are some gaps where things don’t quite match up. But we can still play with it, so it does its job.