The comforting, transporting, and healing aspects of art were in full effect in 2020. Quality music, movies, TV, and books came through as havens from the chaos of the world. Though we were deprived of some forms of the arts this year—communal moviegoing, concerts, festivals, museums—new ones were invented: virtual cinema, virtual concerts, Broadway theater on YouTube, and more.
Through it all, there was no shortage of excellent content. Here are my favorite movies, TV shows, albums, and books from 2020.
15 Favorite Films
Nomadland
Minari
Sound of Metal
News of the World
First Cow
Small Axe: Lovers Rock
Young Ahmed
The Assistant
Emma
Driveways
Mank
The Way Back
On the Rocks
Small Axe: Mangrove
Thy Kingdom Come
Read my full “best movies” article at The Gospel Coalition.
10 Favorite Things on TV (whatever “TV” is anymore)
The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
Ted Lasso (AppleTV+)
Small Axe (Amazon Prime Video)
The Last Dance (Netflix)
The Chosen (ChosenTV App)
The Crown (Netflix)
How To With John Wilson (HBO)
The Plot Against America (HBO)
Home (Apple TV+)
Belgravia (PBS)
20 Favorite Albums
Jon Guerra, Keeper of Days
Fleet Foxes, Shore
Poor Bishop Hooper, EveryPsalm
Gable Price and Friends, Fractioned Heart
Jonathan Ogden, Twenty Four
Sandra McCracken, Patient Kingdom
Chris Renzema, Let the Ground Rest
Josh Garrels, Peace to All Who Enter Here
Sajan Nauriyal, PERSPECTIVE
The Porter’s Gate, Justice Songs
Peter CottonTale, Catch
John Mark McMillan, Peopled With Dreams
Shane and Shane, Vintage
Haim, Women In Music Pt. III
Tyson Motsenbocker, Someday I’ll Make It All Up To You
Bonny Light Horseman, Bonny Light Horseman
Phoebe Bridgers, Punisher
Rain for Roots, All Creatures
Mission House, I Heard a Song I Can’t Ignore
LANY, mama’s boy
Listen to my Spotify playlist of the best songs of 2020.
10 Favorite Books Released in 2020
Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman
Confronting Injustice Without Compromising Truth by Thaddeus J. Williams
Jack by Marilynne Robinson
Analog Church by Jay Kim
Finding the Right Hills to Die On by Gavin Ortlund
Strange Rites by Tara Isabella Burton
The Elegy Beta: And Other Poems by Mischa Willett
Mother to Son by Jasmine Holmes
The Ten Commandments by Peter J. Leithart
10 FAVORITE BOOKS I READ (BUT WERE NOT RELEASED) IN 2020
Stoner by John Williams
The God Who Is There by Francis Schaeffer
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
The Care of Souls by Harold Senkbeil
Beauty: A Short Introduction by Roger Scruton
An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith by John of Damascus
Revival and Revivalism by Iain Murray
Beyond Racial Gridlock by George Yancey
The Triumph of the Therapeutic by Philip Rieff
The Regency Years by Robert Morrison