This category is for surf groups that don't feel like they need to closely imitate the sounds of yesteryear, who carve out their own sound and identity. I don't know if I've ever crammed this category with so many records as this year -- and this is after several difficult cuts. Maybe I need to be more ruthless, or maybe there was just so much to love. I like to think it's the latter. Here are what I consider to be the cream of the crop for 2020.

The final chunk of the Top 100 Surf Records of the 2010s is here, with plenty of longstanding surf heavyweights but also some great new upstarts. Thank you to everybody that voted on this list and I hope you're satisfied with the results!

Let's Fly to Mars is a high-profile, long-term, cross-continental collaboration between Jeremy DeHart known primarily from The Aqualads, El Firetone from El Ray, Dr. Boris  from Messer Chups, and Dane Carter from The Madeira. Jeremy lays out the story in detail in this post at SurfGuitar101 that I would highly recommend reading.

What do I mean by most rad? I mean albums that rule by speed, power, and strength. Surf was the first true musical home of the adrenaline junkie and there are still plenty that carry that torch. I'm not saying meloday has no place here, but this is music to be FELT, not heard. I don't always refer to this sub-style as rad, but it rhymed with trad.

Making a decision here was driving me absolutely nuts. Both because that's the effect these songs have on you, but because it was incredibly hard to pick a winner. So here's my decision for tonight. It may change later in my head immediately after I write it, but it's set in stone here. But most importantly, these are all absolutely incredible records.