Hey there Insighters! Happy New Year and welcome back to a little space to talk about music. More specifically, the Top 15 songs of 2020.
If you haven’t seen my Top 10 Albums of 2020 list, you should definitely check that out.
Okay, we’re keeping today’s intro short and sweet. The songs on this countdown have helped breathe light, power, love, healing, and happiness back into an unforgettably savage year.
As always, one song per musical act and consider any song that didn’t make the list a “honorable mention”.
Also, let the record show that I hard a tedious time ranking these songs. My top 4 changed up until the final edit.
Sigh. Without further ado, let’s get into the best 2020 had to offer.
[15]
“Black Madonna” – Azealia Banks ft. Lex Luger
Despite being permanently banished from Twitter and basically black-balled throughout the music industry, Azealia Banks still musters the strength to push new music. And personally, I couldn’t be merrier.
Similar to all of her releases in 2020, “Black Madonna” finds Banks purging her music of its unique house stylings in favor of a mean, Rap bravado.
“Black diamonds, blue dollars and purple clouds with Black Madonna/ That calico shred ya fitted, I got it if you want it/ Guess I’m poppin ya topper like Jiffy Pop, jelly donut/ Lil’ mama’s a rider, she get them dollars and get going”, Banks spits masterfully in a frosty flow.
The lyrics are indicative of taking control, having ambition, and being a powerful Black woman, despite all the odds. Simultaneously, Luger’s brooding trap production helps accentuate Banks’ versatility, the track’s stone-cold demeanor, as well as its racial and religious undertones.
All in all, it’s another great cut from Azealia, proving yet again that she is still a musical force to be reckoned with.
[14]
“nEXt Time” – Shaton
As someone whose favorite genre is Pop alongisde it’s many sub-genres, “nEXt Time” was an instant favorite. The feel-good production is anthemic and immediately gets me pumped!
Personally, I consider it the dance break moment on the entire ‘Boy Problems’ EP. In tandem to pleasant production, there’s cleverly placed reverb and a catchy chorus. “nEXt time/ I’m choosing me/ Over you”. It’s simple and effective, indicative of any great Pop song.
Lyrically, Shaton is found reflecting on the negative behaviours displayed by his former love. “You were always perfect/ You never show any flaws/ But I see through your fake sh–/I’m over it all”, he chirps rythmically.
During the song’s build, he makes a declaration to try his hand at love again. However, this time it’s with the mindset of putting no other above himself. Overall, the song has a lasting message, great production, a ton of replay value, and gives me my much-needed Pop fix. In conclusion, I stan!
[13]
“Super Duper Party People” – Allie X
“Super Duper Party People” sounds like something straight out of a NYC underground night club. Canadian, Indie-Pop star Allie X was in her twisted, animated bag for this one.
It’s titillating, mischievous, quirky, and dark. The lyrics do a fantastic job setting the scene for this convoluted party where anything and everything is happening.
“All the kids are prancing, laughing, dancing/ Getting their ducks in a row/ It’s gonna be a big night with halogenic lights/And a super-duper-ific glow” Allie narrates before the sickening pre-chorus and gut-wrenchingly sleek chorus come into the mix.
“Drink a little velvet so you get into the beat/Strike a bolt of lightning and become a super freak/We’re super duper/We’re the party troopers”, she suggests before sirening like a drunken college girl.
From there, the Dark Pop production takes you to a world of music you will never forget – and a world you’ll like to revisit pretty damn soon. Sure enough, this is one of the best releases of 2020.
[12]
“Dynamite” – BTS
To this day, I cannot pride myself as a die-hard K-Pop stan. Despite how toxic the online fandom can be (ahem, stan Twitter), I still keep an open-ear when it comes to new music. Admittedly, this is also my proper introduction to the uber-talented, AI-like, K-Pop Justice League, better known as BTS.
From what I gathered online, “Dynamite” is one of their few all-English songs. And it’s a surprising considering this song is everything. It’s sweet, adorable, and undeniably dance worthy. From its inception, I’m pulled in with ear-grabbing vocals.
Jungkook sounds, “‘Cause I, I, I’m in the stars tonight/So watch me bring the fire and set the night alight”. From this point on, I know that there’s no turning back. What ensues is a full-on crescendo of Pop-entrancing bliss. All seven members perform seamlessly, contributing to overall charm of this mood-elevating banger.
I dare you to put this on and not dance – it’s impossible! Before you know it, you too will be mouthing with all your chest, “Dyn-na-na-na, na-na, na-na, ayy/Dyn-na-na-na, na-na, na-na, ayy/Light it up like dynamite”.
[11]
“Prisoner” – Miley Cryrus ft. Dua Lipa
Certainly, there were several songs from Miley’s superb album, ‘Plastic Hearts’ that could’ve made this list. However, none of the songs struck as hard on first listen than “Prisoner” with Dula Peeps. Together, these two Pop phenoms swirl up a soft-grunge, Pop-Rock number to remember.
“I try to replace it with city lights/I’ll never escape it, I need the high/Oh, I can’t control it, I can’t control it (Oh)”, Dua muses beautifully. Her dark, androgynous voice helps bring the song’s lyrics to life, which reflect on being tied down and addicted to someone’s love.
In contrast, there’s Miley’s raspy growls that were made to resound in harmony with the moving bass and rocking guitar. “You keep making it harder to stay/But I still can’t run away/I gotta know why can’t you, why can’t you just let me go?”, Miley roars on the pre-chorus.
With constant re-listens, you can’t help but admire how truly in her Miley is on this track. Her and Dua create magic together, swirling up a banger that you simply can’t run away from.
[10]
“Love Language” – Ariana Grande
Fluttering with these zany, Cirque-du-Solei-esque French horns, Ariana delivers my personal fave off her latest LP, ‘Positions’. Indeed, “Love Language” is always the track I’m most hyped to listen to on the album. Here Ariana offers sexy, clever lyricism that allude to showing one’s love for partner in different ways.
“You soothe me/You hold it down with every word you speak, oh babe/Baby/Been a minute since I had something so sweet”, Grande flexes vocally, soaring on the last line. Here she admits how words of affirmation from her partner help her feel loved.
In the midst of cutesy lyrics, there’s this chatter in the background that practically stays throughout the entire song. It doesn’t distract from Ariana’s soaring vocal performance. In fact, it subtlety adds to the track’s uniqueness.
“Teach me how to love you/I’m unlearning what ain’t right/I want you to keep speaking my love language/Baby, talk your sh*t all night”, she summarizes the song’s message on the hook. All in all, Ariana did her thing on this one.
[9]
“Champagne Problems” – Taylor Swift
Without a doubt, this one of most lyrically captivating songs of 2020. One thing about Taylor Swift, she is going to tell a story through her words. But what distinguishes “Champagne Problems” from it’s ode to heartbreak contemporaries is Swift’s delivery.
Her vocals start off soothing, contrasting nicely with the morbid lyrics, “You booked the night train for a reason/So you could sit there in this hurt”. By the time the chorus enters the fold, you already find yourself fully invested in Swift’s narrative about turning down a wedding proposal.
And then it hits, devastation lines her voice before turning menacing. “Because I dropped your hand while dancing/Left you out there standing/Crestfallen on the landing/Champagne problems”, Swift groans melodically. Here, she’s mindfully exuding the type of privilege she has in real life through the storytelling of this song.
Overall, I wish ‘Evermore’ (which I favor much more than ‘Folklore’) was a shorter project compacted with more incredible songs like this. Nonetheless, this track along with many others are a testament to Swift’s unyielding, songwriting prowess.
[8]
“Save Your Tears” – The Weeknd
Before anyone asks me if I don’t remember two of the biggest songs of 2020 – “Blinding Lights” and “Heartless”, I must highlight the fact they both were officially released in 2019. Hence, neither are on this list. That said, “Save Your Tears” also does it for me Insighters.
The hazy, Electro-Pop production over the Abel’s soft-spoken vocal performance gift me with an entire fantasy. Immediately, I feel like I’m somewhere, maybe Aeropostale or Zara shopping excessively, throwing items on top of Diane, the sales rep assisting me today. I’m carousing the aisles in my black turtleneck because it’s a bit chilly. And I’m paying for everything with my black card because abundance in my daily reality.
Fantasy aside, the song’s sentiments hit a little too close to home. They speak to dealing with someone who, instead of confronting you about their feelings that led to a falling out, ignores you and pretends you never existed. Now, I myself have been known to be that person The Weeknd is signing about.
Actively communicating my feelings, especially in the realms of romance, is something I’ve gotten better at overtime. Additionally, the song’s ode to willingly not being a part of someone’s life because they are genuinely happier without you because you cause more harm than good is also relatable.
But hey, besides all the emotional relatability, it’s also something I can dance to!
[7]
“Comme des Garçons (Like The Boys)” – Rina Sawayama
Offering an empowering message amidst a very danceable production, “Comme des Garçons (Like The Boys)” finds Rina serving one the most infectious Dance-Pop bangers of 2020.
With splashes of Electro-Pop with rippling basslines, she ingeniously examines the social construct of toxic masculinity. Indeed, Rina uses her lyrics to juxtapose the idea of women having to use negative masculine tropes to appear confident to society, otherwise running the risk of being labelled a b*tch.
“Excuse my ego, can’t go incognito/ Every time you see me, it’s like winning big in Reno”, she purs slyly. Conversely, she delineates how that very label is used as a source of confidence in certain settings, the club for instance (hence the club-like atmosphere the song exudes).
Altogether, this track is bursting with oodles of replay value and is the perfect pick-me-up for whenever we may be feeling down about ourselves. Likewise, it’s a sonic reminder that “You should never be ashamed to have it all”.
[6]
“Savage Remix” – Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyoncé
Seemingly dropping out of thin air, Megan and Beyoncé deliver the hottest remix of the year. Both Houston natives are found exchanging braggadocio, going verse-for-verse in an all-out, Hip-Hop affair. Bey shook listeners by opening the song, “Queen B, want no smoke with me (Okay)/Been turnt, this motherf*cker up eight hundred degree (Yeah)”.
Not one soul was ready for that, especially the ad-libs. The way she bossed her way through this entire track with bars proves that this woman can do it all. Aiding in the songs stylistic appeal is Megan, who even went so far as to write new verses, making the song completely different from the original.
With every listen, this song gets me hyped! The charisma and the power these Black women exude is, dear I say, more infectious than COVID. It was a much-needed win for the culture, given all the mayhem 2020 presented our brothers and sisters, especially in the US.
And honestly, the only reason this song isn’t atop my list is because my top 5 hit on a more personal level. But as far as remixes go, from here on out, this is now the standard. Simply put, “It’s Thee Stallion and the B”.
[5]
“Pressure In My Palms” – Aminé ft. slowthai & Vince Staples
Aminé came through with my favorite Rap song and Rap album of 2020. “Pressure In My Palms” is a sinisterly produced masterpiece! It’s one of several highlights from Aminé’s sophomore album ‘Limbo’. Big-headed, braggadocious lyrics are projected throughout the track by Aminé, slowthai, and Vince Staples.
Aminé showcases his playful, yet clever sense of wordplay in the opening. “This is Britney Spears when she was bald, n**** (Yeah)/Punkin’ niggas way before there was Punk’d, n**** (True)/Smokin’ Ashton Kush so I calm down, n**** (Yeah)/We don’t wanna hear your mixtape, my n****”. From the very first bar, I knew I was in for a crazy ride.
Backing him up is brooding production which sounds like it’s going to make the speakers in my car explode with every listen. Similarly, his collaborators only heighten the song’s confidence-boosting effect. In the second half, the track takes on a more kick-back feel.
Pleasing backing vocals by Bree Runway enter the fold on the bridge, safely whisking you back to Aminé, who delivers the final verse. The song concludes with a thought-provoking outro by Jak Knight, who posits the idea that having hatred in one’s heart is for the broke. “I know very untalented people with a lot of love in their heart who are doing great”.
All in all, it’s an undeniable sonic juggernaut that helps remind you of your power.
[4]
“Fetch The Bolt Cutters” – Fiona Apple
Songs come and songs go, but this cut by Miss Fiona Apple gutted me with its honest storytelling and uber relatability. The melancholic title track from the dark, loosely-assembled album finds Fiona reflecting on her upbringing, while declaring a fresh start.
“And I’ve always been too smart for that/But you know what? My heart was not/I took it like a kid, you see/The cool kids voted to get rid of me/I’m ashamed of what it did to me/What I let get done/It stole my fun, it stole my fun”, Fiona spoke, directing her words straight to the heart.
Throughout the song, Apple’s lyrics delineate how we sometimes find ourselves imprisoned by our own acceptance of the environment around us, whether it was built by ourselves or those around us. Nonetheless, the need to persevere resounds clearly on the hook, “Fetch the bolt cutters, I’ve been in here too long”. It’s a simple phase that contains so much power, especially during 2020 – a quarantined-filled year, brimming with restriction.
Admittedly, the song made me cry on my initial listen. It was the fifth verse that had me sobbing. It felt like a culmination of everything I’ve endured in my life up until this point. Albeit piercing deep, it offered a hand of encouragement.
I thought being blacklisted would be grist for the mill/Until I realized I’m still here (I’m still here)/I grew up in the shoes they told me I could fill/Shoes that were not made for running up that hill/And I need to run up that hill, I need to run up that hill/I will, I will, I will, I will, I will”.
[3]
“Ungodly Hour” – ChloexHalle
For starters, this the only other song that made me cry in 2020. What can I say? The pre-chorus and chorus hit way too close to home. “You know that I, I heard it all before/ You’re hesitant, but you could give me more/ I know you like to play those silly games/ When you’re done, call my name”, Chloe and Halle sing soulfully as the lyrics allude to that inconsistent love interest.
That motherf*cker who seemingly only re-enters your life to re-build a connection, only to not see it through and leave you crushed with a fervent yearning for commitment.
And if that weren’t enough to digest, here comes the chorus in all its pulsing Pop and House regalia. “When you decide you like yourself (Holler at me)/ When you decide you need someone (Call up on me)/ When you don’t have to think about it/ Love me at the ungodly hour”.
In this moment, all the body can do is dance the sorrow away. It’s the sorrow I feel having been on both sides of this narrative. The first side is when you find yourself wanting to be committed to that other person, but needing more time to grow in love and surety of self.
In contrast, there’s the more devastating end (in my opinion), which is having already come into yourself, but now realizing that you can’t commit to the other person because that person is too insecure, inconsistent, and does not know exactly who they are and what he/she/they want(s).
Ultimately, this is music that brings forth realization and healing. It’s a reminder to self, to love fully only where you feel fully loved, without question. Otherwise, it’s curtains, until the ungodly hour.
[2]
“Rain On Me” – Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande
If I had to pick a song that personified 2020, it’s this Dance-Pop duet by the queen and princess of Pop themselves. With each listen this song coerces you to break out your best singalong vocals. And although you’re not half the vocalist as Gaga or Ariana, you sing your heart out anyway.
Usually before the song plays, I quip, ‘Please stand for the singing of the National Anthem’. Gaga’s voice then enters the fold dramatically, “I didn’t ask for a free ride/I only asked you to show me a real good time/I never asked for the rainfall/At least I showed up, you showed me nothing at all”. My emotions are instantly triggered, reflecting on the conf*ckery that was 2020.
Then, in full ball-room fashion Gaga declares, “Rain. On. Me.” The beat drops and you find yourself spazzing out, dancing away the pangs and pains of life itself. Magically, Ariana emerges only elevating the song with her ear-candy vocals, “Livin’ in a world where no one’s innocent/Oh, but at least we try, mmm”.
The two Pop divas interchange vocals tastefully, building up a surge of euphoria most pleasing to the pop gods. Not to mention, the quirky bridge, which is one of my favorite parts, “Hands up to the sky/I’ll be your galaxy/I’m about to fly/Rain on me, tsunami”. Here the two prep listeners for one final hoorah before truly transcending life’s troubles.
Overall, this song not only asserts itself as one of the best collaboration of 2020, but it serves as that much-needed scream after a rough day (in our case, a rough year). That said, “Rain On Me” is undoubtedly the survivalist anthem of 2020.
[1]
“Levitating” – Dua Lipa
From the moment I heard those strange, probing noises at the start of the track, I knew this was going to be my favorite on ‘Future Nostalgia’ and of 2020. Seriously, this song is perfection!
Staying within the throwback, yet modern soundscape of the album, “Levitating” (THE ORIGINAL) has a peculiar air all its own. Effortlessly, the song radiates a sense of joy and excitement one typically feels when love first enters the picture.
Lyrically, the song according to Dua is about meeting the right person at the right time and just going for it.“Glitter in the sky, glitter in my eyes/ Shining just the way I like/ If you’re feeling like you need a little bit of company/ You met me at the perfect time”, Dua recites in a fast-paced flow reminiscent of Katy Perry.
Finding oodles of relatability in the song’s message, it did not take me long to be completely spellbound by the riveting production. It’s otherworldly, as if Daft Punk themselves were featured here. The electronic backing vocals add soul and flavor on top of all that’s already so right about this track.
Everything just flows immaculately, from the verses to the pre-chorus, to the chorus, to the post-chorus. Listeners are sonically taken away on an intergalactic journey through the cosmos with a star-struck lover every, single time.
This song emanates light, love, happiness. It’s an antidepressant on steroids. Very much needed during the dark ages of 2020. And by the end of it all, you’ll be somewhere on cloud nine out-of-breath, yet ready dance your ass off all over again. It’s the perfect pick-me-up.
Therefore Insighters, I’m proudly crowning “Levitating” my SONG OF THE YEAR for 2020. And that’s on Dula Peep!
[END]
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Terran Brice
Sidebar: Happy New Year again Insighters! May this year bless richly with health, strength, abundance, and great music!