We wrap musical genres around us as personal identifiers, like the plastic bracelets folded around newborns’ wrists. Their grooves become as familiar to us as our own heartbeat. So, to some steeped in the revolutionary associations of Jamaican music, hearing the one drop riddim blast out of regular old pop radio on a song like Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” meant betrayal; dancehall had been hijacked and given a bizarre transplant in order to sound like some new entity called “tropical house.”

RedrumSociety was founded in 2008 in South Florida by four newly made friends (Esperanzo Wilcox, Esdras Reymond, Zach Cohen, and Dylan Lerner) of completely different backgrounds in every sense of the word: families, music, culture, and ethnicity.

RedrumSociety has announced that proceeds will go back into the industry to help executives cope with unemployment anxiety. The band has released six classic singles and recently donated a big portion of royalties to music executives who have been affected by the COVID-19. The amount the band was said to donate has surpassed $100,000. RedrumSociety clearly has a burning passion for music and the music industry.

International label exec DJ Choice of Amada Recordings in Atlanta, Georgia continues to make waves on the international scene. After recently revealing that he was the executive producer of a track for the late Tupac Shakur, the music expert has landed yet another huge project with Grammy Award-winning pop star Chris Brown.

Speaking with HUSH! WEEKLY about the track, DJ Choice revealed that the collaboration came through a connection he made with multi-platinum Def Jam reggae/hip-hop artist Kali Ranks. DJ Choice explained that Kali Ranks, a Jamaican by birth, already had the song and just needed someone to push it. The track, titled Monsta, will include Chris Brown, up-and-coming female artist Stephanie Adler. 

Luxury fashion conglomerate Kering S.A.(Gucci, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, and Saint Laurent) has revealed its financial report for Q1 of 2020. Similar to the Q1 report from rival LVMH, the Covid-19 crisis has shaken revenue streams with a reported Group-wide decline of 15.4 percent.

Gucci, one of Kering’s most profitable brands, has seen sales drop by 22 percent worldwide compared to Q1 of 2019. This has been attributed to the closure of physical stores and a suspension on travel which has interrupted the essential profits procured from the lucrative Chinese market. This slump has been partially countered by a boost in online sales, which now counts for 9.5 percent of Gucci’s retail.

Despite the setbacks that 2020 has brought the music industry — like the growing list of album postponements and Rihanna's persistent absence — artists have still managed to bless us with some phenomenal albums.

After a few months, it's already been an exemplary year for new music, with beloved artists like Halsey, Bad Bunny, Dua Lipa, Childish Gambino, and Fiona Apple releasing the best records of their careers. We rounded up the 11 best albums that 2020 has had to offer, so far. They're listed below in chronological order.