Netizens Ask “Where are CLB and Donda?” in Response to Pitchfork’s 100 Best Albums of the 2020s

A Pitchfork ranking represents a significant moment for both fans and artists, as the esteemed publication releases its annual roundup of the “100 Best Songs of the Year,”which highlights some of the most popular albums across various music genres.

Additionally, the magazine features a “Best Songs of the Decade So Far”segment that tracks the most celebrated records released over the past decade. Recently, Pitchfork unveiled its critical assessment of the “100 Best Albums of the 2020s So Far,”a list that has garnered mixed reactions throughout social media.

Pitchfork elaborated on the significance of the impact an album can have in the “era”it is released, noting that their new list encompasses unique and groundbreaking projects across a variety of genres, including high-BPM dance music, jazz, indie rock, rage rap, hip-hop, and more.

This ranking quickly went viral on social media platforms, with fans and critics alike voicing their opinions on Pitchfork’s “100 Best Albums of the 2020s So Far.”

While many fans celebrated the inclusion of their favored artists and albums on the list, a notable number criticized the magazine’s “album ranking”for the 2020s.

One user expressed confusion over the omission of Kanye West’s *Donda* and Drake’s *Certified Lover Boy*, both highly acclaimed within the hip-hop community and released in 2021.

Further reactions surfaced on various news outlets such as NFR Podcast, which reshared the list on their official X page. Critics referred to the list as a “joke.”

On October 2, NFR highlighted 18 notable hip-hop projects included in Pitchfork’s ranking, featuring Playboi Carti’s sophomore album, *Whole Lotta Red*, positioned at No. 2.

“Whole Lotta Red at No. 2 ahead of *Utopia*, *Donda*, *CLB*? This list is a big joke,”- said another.

“The absence of *Certified Lover Boy* doesn’t validate this list,”- a Drake fan commented.

“The list is trash when Sexy Red made it,”- a critic mentioned.

“What a horrible list from Pitchfork,”- another user remarked.

“*Mr. Morale* made it onto the list, but no Drake album? My first one like the last one, it’s a classic you don’t have one,”- a Kendrick Lamar fan chimed in.

“Were they pulling albums out of a hat to make this list?”- a critic humorously questioned Pitchfork’s selection.

“I haven’t heard all these, but it’s not that bad. I can somewhat see why and how they selected them – they all have a distinct sound and vision, and they executed their objectives perfectly. It really comes down to personal taste,”- a user defended the ranking.

JID fans expressed their disappointment regarding the exclusion of the rapper’s critically acclaimed third studio album, *The Forever Story*, from the publication’s “Best Albums”list.

The editorial review section of the magazine had previously rated this album a “7.5/10″upon its October 2022 release, praising it as an “ambitious and overwhelming experience”and commending the rapper’s “expanded ambition.”

“What more did JID have to do on *The Forever Story*??”- a fan questioned.

“How is *The Forever Story* NOT ON HERE?”- inquired another fan.

“JID – *The Forever Story* and *Donda* are better than all these except *MMatBS*, but okay,”- claimed another fan.

How does Pitchfork rank albums and songs on their “Top 100″lists?

In 2019, Pitchfork shared an explanation from their former Editor-in-Chief, Puja Patel, detailing the process behind ranking their “Best Music of the 2010s”list, which comprised 200 of the decade’s most significant songs and albums.

Puja elucidated that large projects like the one in 2010 require editors and writers to maintain a “clear-eyed”view of the past, while also considering projects that inspire change in the music industry. The intention behind Pitchfork’s lists is to celebrate innovative work while honoring “modern classics.”Puja noted that several months of discussions, voting, and continuous dialogue helped shape the ranking of both their “Best Albums”and “Best Songs”lists.

“Music is the heartbeat of culture, a reflection of the world at any given moment, a means for us to navigate the trickier parts of existence, and a source of catharsis,”- Puja Patel expressed.

The former Editor-in-Chief, who resigned in January 2024, indicated in her 2019 “note”that 80 writers and over 65,500 words contributed to enabling the publication to reach the “core”of why certain songs and albums should be recognized as the best of the decade.

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