We’ve polled our writers and editorial staff and have gathered 50 of our most recommended albums of the year. We didn’t include reissues and only included 2019 releases. Some titles released in December 2019 will be considered in the 2020 “Best of” list.

Four of our choices are being considered for a GRAMMY, two in the top 10: PJ Morton: Paul and Bobby Rush: Sitting on Top of the Blues and two in the Top 50: Branford Marsalis Quartet: The Secret Between the Shadow and...