Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all the wonderful people, amazing friends, loyal followers and fellow diehard music lovers in my world! Despite our current state of disarray and uncertainty in this world of ours, I do hope this finds each of you healthy, safe and well.
This past year has certainly and unexpectedly brought us all so much challenge, discomfort, change, pain and suffering, and yet, we look ahead with positivity and great expectations for a much better spin through the calendar in 2021.
Before we put the wrath of 2020 to bed, once and for all, I wanted to send out a message spotlighting a “happy” that occurred during these past 12 months – that being the release of many offerings of outstanding music. Seems as though the vast amount of wonderfully talented artists in the music world put their best efforts forward in light of being quarantined, locked down, many displaced and those not able to perform live throughout 2020.
During this awful COVID-19 global pandemic we’re all experiencing, one thing that’s certainly helped me through many tough days is the power and the gift of music. There’s simply nothing more impactful and therapeutic to me during times of despair, anxiety and stress.
As I’ve done in the past, I’ve taken the time to go back and review the many amazing releases that we were gifted with throughout the year and culled down the very “best of the best.” Honestly, in listening again to many of these awesome efforts, I was reminded of how much creative genius exists in the world around us. Simply fantastic and I really couldn’t be more thankful.
With that being said and without further adieu, I share with you below my selections for a “12-Pack of the Top Albums of 2020.” I hope each of you may discover some new tunes from my list you may not have been aware of previously and that might open your ears to different artists moving forward, as well. Happy listening!
So, from our current “Metting family lockdown” here in Southwest Austin to you and your loved ones, wherever this may find you riding this pandemic out, I’m sending along a message of peace, unity, safety, excellent health, wellness, more happiness moving forward and many better days ahead for us all!
I also want to wish you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR and best wishes that 2021 will completely exceed our expectations. Here’s to one incredibly successful and productive adventure through the new calendar – chock full of much positivity, great news, increased happiness, infinite love and more laughter!
LIVE A GREAT STORY!
Cheers and happy listening from The “Unofficial Mayor of Austin!”
Randall Metting
“12-Pack” of the Top Albums of 2020
2) The Avett Brothers – “The Third Gleam”
3) Chris Stapleton – “Starting Over”
4) Sturgill Simpson – “Cuttin’ Grass – Volume 1 (Butcher Shoppe Sessions)”
5) American Aquarium – “Lamentations”
6) Willie Nelson – “First Rose of Spring”
7) Nathaniel Rateliff – “And It’s Still Alright”
8) Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – “Reunions”
9) Taylor Swift – “evermore”
10) The Killers – “Imploding The Mirage”
11) Bruce Springsteen – “Letter To You”
12) Charley Crockett – “Welcome To The Hard Times”
Honorable Mentions: Taylor Swift – “folklore,” Sturgill Simpson – “Cuttin’ Grass – Volume 2 (Cowboy Arms Sessions), Tyler Childers – “Long Violent History,” The Lone Bellow – “Half Moon Light”
Randall Metting 
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