My Favorite Songs, 2020
My Favorite Songs, 2020
In a year of isolation, these tracks were the best company
Picking out my favorite songs always feels more difficult than the other lists. I’ve narrowed my favorites down to these, in no order. You can listen to all the songs on the playlist I made, and read below for more on each one.
Coffee For Dinner by orion sun
Released: February 11th, 2020
Producers: orion sun
Genres: R&B, Soul, Indie
At the risk of sounding like a Youtube comment, this song makes me nostalgic for memories that never happened. Something about the way Orion Sun delivers their touching lyrics make them feel much more profound and deep than they would if given to anyone else.
12.38 & 53.49 by Childish Gambino
Released: March 15th, 2020
Producers: 12:38: DJ Dahi & Childish Gambino. 53.49: James Francies, Jr, DJ Dahi & Childish Gambino.
Genres: R&B, Soul, Electronic
Try as I might I could not pick just one song from this project (take this as a foreshadow to how my favorite albums list will go). First off, I read that 12.38 plays out like an episode of Atlanta, which is the perfect analysis. A comical encounter between Gambino and a lover, capped off with a show stealing 21 Savage verse.
As for 53.49, the aggressive and almost threatening delivery of the verses paired with the lyrics reminds me of discourse around self love as an act of survival.
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” -Audrey Lorde
Cool by Dua Lipa
Released: March 27th, 2020
Producers: Stuart Price & TMS
Genres: Pop
Was not a huge Dua Lipa fan before this album rollout, and I still wouldn’t say she’s one of my favorite pop singers (despite undoubtedly being one of the biggest of 2020). But this album was definitely a huge step up in my eyes from her debut, and it’s highlighted by Cool, the best song Dua’s ever made. One thing I love about this is how they make the chorus feel huge, even though the transition form pre-chorus to chorus actually strips away elements from the mix. The beginning of the chorus is just drums, vocals, bass, and a little bit of guitar, but it feels like so much more.
Forever by Charli XCX
Released: April 9th, 2020
Producers: BJ Burton & A. G. Cook
Genres: Electronic, Pop, PC Music
I’ll be honest, despite being one of my favorite artists, I was a bit skeptical when Charli XCX announced she was making a quarantine project. This first single made me realize I should have never doubted. On top of it being a great track, the video below is also one of the best of the year. Huge shoutout to editor Dan Streit for compiling hundreds of hours of mundane quarantine footage from fans into this beautiful video to make us feel a bit less alone.
No Comprende by Yung Nudy
Released: February 24th, 2020
Producers: 20Rocket
Genres: Hip-Hop/Rap
A couple of songs from this album could have been on this list, but I decided to go with No Comprende just because of how fun it is. The beat is simple, almost childlike with its melodies and percussive sounds. It’s a beat Nudy sounds right at home on.
Ego by MOANING
Released: January 15th, 2020
Producers: Alex Newport
Genres: Alternative, Indie, Rock
The band told Stereogum the lyrics are about “wanting to love yourself to love others. The ego can make you feel like you’re the greatest person in the world or the worst. It makes you think your problems are abnormally different which is isolating and rarely true. The song is a reminder that listening to other perspectives is important and beneficial to both parties involved.” That’s the real explanation, but also lyrics like “if god is real, you’re not them” just sounds provocative.
Meet Me At Our Spot by The Anxiety
Released: March 12th, 2020
Producers: Tyler Cole & WILLOW
Genres: Pop, Indie
Gen Z’s answer to Somewhere Only We Know.
Born Confused by Porridge Radio
Released: March 13th, 2020
Producers: Jenn Decilveo
Genres: Alternative Rock, Indie Rock
This song feels like an experiment to see if the meaning of a phrase can change with enough repetition. The entire second half of this track is the phrase “thank you for leaving me, thank you for making me happy,” then ultimately just repeating the last line “thank you for making me happy.” When this repetition starts, it feels prideful. But as the song descends into wails, we start to hear regret. Note too how the song ends, still repeating, but cutting off the phrase early to make a whole new one, “thank you for making me.”
Rearview by Beach Bunny
Released: February 14th, 2020
Producers: Joe Reinhart
Genres: Indie Rock, Alternative
This song is mostly acoustic, and the payoff in the songs final 30 seconds when the full band comes in is astounding.
Stella Brown by Jelani Aryeh
Released: April 3rd, 2020
Producers: Jack Kolbe
Genres: Indie, Bedroom Pop
Stella Brown might be the catchiest track I heard all year, it was constantly getting stuck in my head. This was my most played song of 2020 (that wasn’t on 3.15.20) and that speaks to the track’s replayability.
Twisted by Johanna Warren
Released: April 28th, 2020
Producers: Johanna Warren
Genres: Acoustic, Indie, Folk, Rock
Really enjoyed the raw feeling of the vocals on this track. Towards the end, Warren belts “I gave it my all".” The instrumental cuts out for a moment, but the vocals persist until her voice cracks, and the song ends. Truly embodying the song and giving it all.
Moderation by Chloe Lilac
Released: April 24th, 2020
Producers: Andy Seltzer
Genres: Pop, Rock, Grunge
The Liability (Lorde) and Teenage Dirtbag (Wheetus) mashup that I didn’t know I needed until I heard it. Moderation taps into a teen pop-punk sound I haven’t really heard since the likes of Avril Lavigne and Fefe Dobson. 80s and 90s revival will have to make way for 2000s revival in due time.
SOUNDS LIKE FUN! by BLACKSTARKIDS
Released: February 28th, 2020
Producers: BLACKSTARKIDS
Genres: Surf Rock, Hip-Hop/Rap, New Wave
The song title describes this song exactly, it’s fun as hell. I featured this song and project in my first What I’ve Been Listening To post.
Strangers on the Subway by Lola Marsh
Released: January 24th, 2020
Producers: Gil Landau
Genres: Indie Rock, Folk
The duet vocal production here is beautiful. It’s very earnest, and almost feels less like a duet and more of their voices blending together to form one.
Praying For My Soul by Smoke DZA & Flipp Dinero
Released: February 28th, 2020
Producers: Sap
Genres: Hip-Hop/Rap
Wrote about this song’s decadence in my first ever Death by Algorithm post!
Please Don’t Hold Me Hostage for Who I Am, for Who I Was by Thanya Iyer
Released: June 12th, 2020
Producers: Jack Kolbe
Genres: R&B, Alternative, Folk Pop, Jazz
A tender cry for patience, and another gem that was featured in my first ever post.
99 Corolla by Medium Build
Released: August 19th, 2020
Producers: Medium Build, Kelly Fitzgerald, Paul Rogers & Jimmy Mansfield
Genres: Indie Pop
Featured this ear worm of a track in What I’ve Been Listening To, 9/15/20.
Eat Ur Heart Out - Morgan Powers
Released: May 8th, 2020
Producers: Morgan Powers
Genres: Singer/Songwriter, Indie
You can feel the emotion in this track through the way it’s mixed, making you feel close to Morgan, almost like you’re in the same room listening to them sing. That adds to the open vulnerability of lyrics like “I’d like to be the one that you see all the time, I wanna see you all the time” and “can’t feel my feet, think they fell asleep, from standing in one place” and “love is disgusting, but maybe not with you”
Close by Sweater Curse
Released: May 29th, 2020
Producers: Sam Cromack
Genres: Alternative, Indie Rock
This project and song were included in What I’ve Been Listening To, 10/13/20. The video is able to take advantage of the dire situation to have fun with celebrity cameos that invokes the tone of the song.
A Lesson From The Universe by Harry Teardrop
Released: May 2020
Producers: Harry Teardrop
Genres: Pop, Electronic
You can read what I wrote about this track at the end of this post. The blunt lyrics in this demo from 2018 are probably what kept this song off streaming, just being dumped on Soundcloud this year. But that’s also what captivates me about it. The universe must have known we’d need this song more in 2020 than we did in 2018.
Taking the weekend off then starting Monday we get into my favorite albums. Don’t miss out!