2020 Vision: Best Songs of a Bad Year
Dua Lipa, Megan thee Stallion, Miley Cyrus, Bad Bunny, Tierra Whack
In a year full of unexpected unrest, 2020 still gave us plenty of tracks to turn to as each new month brought new knots of confusion. Some artists took the early-months quarantine to spiral into creative isolation, finding the freedom to try new sounds with introspective inhibition. Others looked outward, longing for dance floors and distanced lovers. There was a disco revival in the midst of quarantine; shifts in genre visibility and versatility; songs that spoke to sadness and songs that searched for joy.
In a year of bizarre events, upended routines, and taxing isolation, here are the 100 songs we turned to most.
tap the cover to open the playlist! (pictured is the NEOWISE comet of 2020 as viewed from Troy, NY)
THE TOP 100
100-81
100. Tame Impala: “One More Year”
99. chelmico: “Easy Breezy”
98. Glass Animals: “Dreamland”
97. ROLE MODEL: “blind”
96. Alicia Keys, Cedric Gervais: “Time Machine (Remix)”
95. Sada Baby, Nicki Minaj: “Whole Lotta Choppas”
94. Demi Lovato, Travis Barker: “I Love Me”
93. Kehlani: “Toxic”
92. Tones And I: “Never Seen the Rain”
91. The 1975: “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)”
90. Dua Lipa, Angèle: “Fever”
89. Ellie Goulding, Diplo, Swae Lee: “Close to Me”
88. Waxahatchee: “Oxbow”
87. Mac Miller: “Blue World”
86. Dua Lipa: “Levitating”
85. Sam Smith: “How Do You Sleep?”
84. Chromeo: “Clorox Wipe”
“If I could reincarnate / Tonight / I would be your Clorox wipe,” the electro-funk duo known as Chromeo begins in their pandemic anthem, a standout from their latest EP Quarantine Cassanova. Like many artists this year, the duo took isolation as inspiration, crafting a 10-track set of socially-distanced seduction. It’s undeniably funky.
83. Dorian Electra, Sega Bodega: “Barbie Boy”
This high-energy standout of Dorian Electra’s 2020 project My Agenda is plastic pop perfection. “I like the idea of this feminine Barbie Boy,” Electra says of the track, where “the idea of getting obsessed with bodies and making yourself plastic and perfect” is the central theme. They don’t take themselves too seriously, and the playful production shows it. It’s undeniably sweet.
82. Glass Animals: “Tangerine”
81. Harry Styles: “Watermelon Sugar”
80-61
80 . Chloe x Halle: “Do It”
79. Orla Gartland: “Did it To Myself”
“I remember it feeling like the most visceral thing & instantly understanding why so many songs have been written about how it feels to suddenly be on your own,” Gartland says about her standout hit. The mix of meaty bass and layered vocals is intoxicating, transcending the notion of a breakup song into oh-well wailing.
78. Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa: “Prisoner”
It’s the transition from at (0:15-0:18) for me. “Prisoner” cements itself as one of the cleanest-produced tracks of the year with its slick bass riff, dramatic guitar licks, and crisp hi-hats. Lipa and Cyrus’ vocals play well with each other, and though the song is undeniably rock-infused, its hook will sink in like the perfect pop record.
77. Bad Bunny, Jowell & Randy, Ñengo Flow: “Safaera”
76. Rico Nasty: “IPHONE”
75. Tove Lo: “Bikini Porn”
74. Tei Shi: “Die 4 Ur Love”
73. Buscabella: “Nydia”
72. Grimes: “So Heavy I Fell Through the Earth”
71. Kehlani: “Can I”
70. Tove Lo: “sader badder cooler”
69. The Weeknd: “After Hours”
There’s something cinematic about Abel Tesfaye’s latest offering, After Hours, and its title track is the perfect slice of an example. (Also, the numbering of this track was entirely an accident, but we love it anyway) It starts with an echoed synth line, almost like we’re in an underground tunnel, and builds instrumentation towards a climactic chorus of jumping guitar licks and bass beats. The constant echoes, ticks, and drips make “After Hours” a hypnotic, heavy, and enthrallingly hyperactive listen.
68. The Chicks: “Sleep At Night”
67. Anna Calvi, Courtney Barnett: “Don’t Beat the Girl out of My Boy - Hunted Mix”
66. Phoebe Bridgers: “I Know the End”
65. Adrienne Lenker: “anything”
64. Lady Gaga: “Babylon”
63. Dua Lipa: “Hallucinate”
62. Caroline Rose: “Feel The Way I Want”
61. Chromeo: “6 Feet Away”
60-41
60. Kesha: “Honey”
59. ZHU “Risky Business”
Inventive instrumentation takes over inventive lyrics with ZHU’s standout “Risky Business.” The track whispers “risk it all,” over and over, almost like a chant, or even a dare. There’s elements of TRON-like synths and orchestral overture, leading to a climactic composition of drama and anticipation.
The only major vocalization comes in the chorus, which is a simple pair of “a risky business,” gliding smoothly over digi-sax synths. There’s a heightened sense of impending doom, which proves true as soon as the chorus ends and the production’s final act begins. There are cyber-strings and pounding bass, mixing with the ever-present synth runs that add further digital texture to a track that stands out for its smooth transitions.
The video adds inventive layers to the minimal storyline of the song, meshing human concern with sci-fi sound. As the bass beats fade into oblivion, we’re left wanting to take the risk.
58. The Weeknd: “Blinding Lights”
57. Mariah Carey, Ms. Lauryn Hill: “Save The Day [2020]”
Mariah Carey’s latest career peak continues with “Save The Day,” the first single from her latest collection of unreleased tracks, The Rarities. Though it was originally in the works for a 2011 mega-star release, its thick bass swagger with lilting vocals finds a home in 2020’s throwback obsession. She even performed it at the 2020 US Open finals.
56. Princess Nokia: “Gemini”
55. Foxes: Love Not Loving You”
54: Active Child, Jim-E Stack: “Cruel World - Jim-E Stack Remix”
53. Washed Out: “Too Late”
52. Glass Animals: “Heat Waves”
51. Caroline Rose: “I Took A Ride”
50. Låpsley: “My Love Was Like the Rain”
It’s been three years since Låpsley’s haunting voice found itself a new song. She’s said the track was inspired by Robyn, but eventually took a darker turn with lyrics such as “Remember when you said / My love was like the rain / Not the sweet sound after the drought / But the pain of it hard on your back in a storm.” We’re a sucker for poetic lyrics and pitch-perfect vocals.
49. Kacy Hill: “Palladium”
Kacy Hill is feeling the throes of new love, but she’s also feeling alone. “Palladium” works in sparse, dreamy instrumentals, tackling the duality of love and loneliness in between lyrics like “I'd be the one to make you feel this way forever,” and “I know you're scared to say it just in case the feeling could be fleeting, as they do.” It feels like a silvery dream, caught between introversion and infatuation.
48. Troye Sivan: “Take Yourself Home”
“I'm tired of the city, scream if you're with me / If I'm gonna die, let's die somewhere pretty,” Sivan opens on the lead single to in a dream, the Aussie pop icon’s latest collection courtesy of quarantine. There’s a dreadful sense of anticipation that builds throughout, from melancholy lyrics to swelling production, that builds to a synth-drenched climax worthy of SOPHIE’s first forays in the underground PC scene.
47. HAIM: “The Steps”
46. Hailey Whitters: “The Faker”
For having such sparse lyrics, folk-country newcomer Hailey Whitters packs a punch with The Dream standout “The Faker.” You can hear the acidic anger in her voice as she lays down lines like “He gave me sugar / Or that's what I thought / But it was artificial and store-bought,” in the opening verse. The venom is palpable by the time the gentle guitar swells into an epic finale of self reflection and resentment.
45. Kesha: “Cowboy Blues”
This one’s for the over-thinkers and past-dwellers. The charm in “Cowboy Blues” comes from its ability to ask tough what-ifs without taking itself too seriously: she transitions from a chorus of “did I fuck my whole life up?” to a sound bite-assisted “there’s a dead man clinging to my aura,” a clear illustration of Kesha’s current mindset.
44. Bad Bunny: “Vete”
43. Rina Sawayama: “Bad Friend”
42. Miley Cyrus: “Never Be Me”
41. Perfume Genius: “Describe”
“Describe,” the lead single from Genius’ latest album, Set My Heart On Fire Immediately, is one of those tracks that rings a little more true in a year of indescribable darkness. “Can you describe them for me?” he asks, having forgotten what goodness felt like. “His lovin’ felt like ribbons, an echo in the canyon,” he croons with visceral pain and promise. Its swollen bass and delicate guitars ring clear.
40-21
40. Dehd: “Flying”
39. Troye Sivan: “IN A DREAM”
38. Carly Rae Jepsen: “Felt This Way”
37. Kylie Minogue: “Say Something”
Disco is back. From its misty opening to its enigmatic pinnacle, Minogue’s call to connection finds disco in the galactic realm. “Oh, we all got wanderlust in the darkest place,” she croons as the sound builds, fades, and builds again. It’s a simple structure with simple meaning, but Minogue’s signature voice carries it over the line into planetary funk-pop. It’s one of the most invitingly danceable songs of the year.
36. Miley Cyrus: “Heart of Glass (Live from the iHeart Festival)”
“Heart of Glass” introduced the beginning of Cyrus’ newest era; one with electric guitars, raspy roars and red lips. High-octane rock happens to fit her natural twang like a glove, and this cover of Blondie’s classic hit only showed off the rock chops she’s always had. It’s a high-energy take on the blasé vocals of the original, with an indescribably electric performance that left fans begging Cyrus for a proper release. 30 million views later, it’s a bona fide hit.
35. Tierra Whack: “Dora”
34. Grimes: “You’ll miss me when I’m not around”
33. Halsey: “You should be sad”
32. Lido Pimienta: “Te Queria”
31. Bully: Where to Start”
“I don’t know where to start with you,” BULLY wails rambunctiously within the first fifteen seconds of “Where to Start.” She’s screaming about a lover that brings the worst out in her (“You turn me back into a child / Erratic, desperate, sad and wild”), but can’t escape the desire to want more (“I live for you to tear me apart”). Even the guitars are conflicted, tilting between bombastic drums and histrionic vocals. It’s high-octane revelry, perfect for shower-shouting and moments of surrender. The audible confliction between chants of “I don’t know where to start” and “I don't wanna win” perfectly encapsulate the feeling of unexplainable desire.
30. Waxahatchee: “Lilacs”
29. The Chicks: “Gaslighter”
The Chicks couldn’t have asked for a stronger re-introduction to the scene with “Gaslighter,” a barnstorming take-no-names declaration of power. Their influence in taking on an undeniably misogynistic industry has only grown since their last album, 2006’s Taking the Long Way. They pick up where they left off with Gaslighter, pairing razor-sharp lyrics with angelic vocals to fiery effects.
28. Charli XCX: “claws”
27. Lady Gaga: “Stupid Love”
26. 070 Shake: “Guilty Conscience”
What an incredible standout from 070 Shake’s debut album, Modus Vivendi. The song opens with a synth quadruplet, reverbing through empty space, and continues throughout the verses in a dynamic back-and-forth with Shake’s wailing vocals (especially in the chorus). The 80’s tinge gives the track a dreamy, galactic atmosphere that pairs perfectly with the enormity of the situation being described. “There goes my guilty conscience,” she sings after describing stumbling upon a cheating partner. (The catch? She wanted to leave too.) Though the guilt may be gone, 070 is here to stay.
25. HAIM: “Gasoline”
24. Megan thee Stallion: “Girls in the Hood”
“Fuck bein' good, I'm a bad bitch (Ah) / I'm sick of motherfuckers tryna tell me how to live,” Megan spits in the opening lines of her hood girl anthem. Her talent is undeniable, and personality seeps through every tongue-in-cheek lyric that hails self-confidence and neighborhood pride. “I don’t stand outside cause I’m too outstanding,” she raps, letting us in on how she stays so stunning. Meg leads us all to the hot girl within.
23. Yaeji: “WAKING UP DOWN”
22. Yves Tumor: “Gospel For A New Century”
Quite possibly the premier definition of genre f%*k, Yves Tumor’s textured track “Gospel For A New Century” dances between genres, rhythms, and instruments. Although the song is more about losing control, Tumor’s mastering of mixing proves nothing by complete control over the craft. It’s intoxicating.
21. Christine and the Queens: “Je disparais dans tes bras”
20-1
20.
Beach Bunny: “Dream Boy”
The verses of “Dream Boy,” a memorable cut from alt-rock favorites Beach Bunny’s especially strong catalog, are delicately specific.
The entire first verse could be cut from a bestselling poet’s latest collection: “Sometimes I think I see your ghost / In passing hallways, the staircase to my apartment / I accidentally self-impose / Bashful thoughts, careless wants, emotional involvement.” All of these tiny revelations come over upbeat, bouncing drums and waves of guitar. It strikes the line between specificity and singability, all without losing the signature sound of Beach Bunny’s seaside-garage-gauntlet.
The song somersaults between tender descriptions and thundering declarations, constructing a track full of tidal emotion.
key lyric: “If you're gonna love me, make sure that you do it right / I'll be under your window in the moonlight”
19.
Bree Runway: “LITTLE NOKIA”
Bree Runway has been steadily rising as a singular voice, experimenting across different genres without losing her signature sound. In “LITTLE NOKIA,” Runway is frustrated at a trap boy who only wants “goddess-level sex,” without any of the qualities that a man in her life would have. They’re running red lights, avoiding the feds, and cutting phone calls. “Boy, you cute, but boy, you stress,” she sings with swagger in the building chorus, fed up with “little nokias” like the song’s antagonist has in hand. “Can't trust him / Yeah, mama said throw him in the dustbin,” she notes. Even mom’s advice echoes her own hesitation.
The track is an instant standout, with booming production and undeniable presence from Runway. It calls back to early 2000’s pop in a chorus that only keeps expanding, echoes angst-rock in the wild guitar buzz, and even manages to look into the future with PC production throughout. “LITTLE NOKIA” finds a way to incorporate mixed elements from various genres and production styles without ever losing focus on Runway’s undeniable stardom.
key lyric: “News just in / Can you hear the little Nokia ring-ring?”
18.
Troye Sivan: “Easy”
When Troye Sivan finds his rhythm in a song, it can feel like gliding.
Never has that felt more true than in “Easy,” an easy standout from the aussie pop icon’s latest EP, in a dream. The lyrics read like poetry: “I can't even look at you / Would you look at the space just next to your feet? / The wood is warping / The lines distorting.” Sivan has mastered the art of vocal clarity and autotuned distortion, creating a world of uncertain longing and pleading love.
The track starts like a simple Sivan deep-cut, with smooth vocals and simple synthesizer backing, but grows into cloudy contortion by the first chorus’ “I can’t even look at you.” The verses are specific, with a decoder-voice answering like a shadow, only further illustrating the internal dialogue Sivan’s been trying to work out as a result of romantic conflict. “You make it easy, easy / Please don’t leave me,” he pleads as some kind of electro-flute lifts us over the clouds. By the end, we aren’t even sure who’s causing the end, but that might just be what Sivan wants. It’s dreamy, devastating, and a new high for an already essential pop star.
key lyric: “The rock in my throat, a hair on my coat / The stranger at home, my darling”
17.
Kali Uchis, Rico Nasty: “¡aquí yo mando!”
Kali Uchis’ dominant tone is apparent in the first 10 seconds of this banger from Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios), her latest stunner of an album. She enlists Rico Nasty for this rhythmic song of empowerment, where lyrics like “Yo tomo las decisiones, yo escojo las posiciones (I make the decisions, I pick the positions)” and “Puedes tener los cojones, pero yo los pantalones (You can have the balls, but me the pants)” show that Uchis is the one in charge in the relationship.
The chemistry between Rico and Uchis is strong, each artist playing off each other as they trade in rhythm and language. Uchis even helped pen Rico Nasty’s spanish verse, which comes in at the midpoint and drives the dominatrix dialogue home with intensity. Good luck getting the chorus out of your head.
key lyric: “Mando, aquí yo mando / Si quieres conmigo vete acostumbrando”
16.
Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande: “Rain On Me”
2020 was no stranger to rain, at least in the metaphorical sense. From changing presidencies to ruthless pandemics, sometimes all we could do was try to stay dry, and if we weren’t able, at least embrace what’s good. Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, two megastars in their own right, team up for the best pop collaboration in years with “Rain On Me,” which was surely written before the dawn of COVID but managed to find new meaning as the world was thrust into unprecedented storms.
Gaga’s strong, defiant theatrics play well off Grande’s airy delicacy. “Rain, on, me,” Gaga delivers in deadpan, ushering in a thick dance beat and Ariana’s first verse. “Livin' in a world where no one's innocent,” she begins. “Gotta live my truth, not keep it bottled in / So I don't lose my mind.” The two join in for a prechorus that radiates hope, enacting a call-and-response that listeners can’t help but sing along to.
“I'd rather be dry, but at least I'm alive,” the two triumphantly declare in the explosive chorus. They acknowledge the unpredictable nature of addiction, devastation, and disaster, but take the moment in to acknowledge just how far they’ve come in their ability to weather the storms.
The earlier entires in Gaga’s massive catalog could classify the “rain” as either alcohol addiction or relentless public criticism, but the wreckage of 2020 gave everyone something to sing about. “Rain On Me” is great on its own, but came at just the right time for collective acceptance and perseverance.
key lyric: “I’d rather be dry, but at least I’m alive”
15.
Bad Bunny, Sech: “Ignorantes”
A collaboration between Bad Bunny and Sech seemed inevitable; their similar styles and contrasting voices only paved the way for “Ignorantes” to work as well as it does. With a cover art and music video depicting a man on fire, the subject matter is understandably morose; the relationship failed, it’s their fault, and it’s time to self-analyze.
It’s the third year in a row that Bad Bunny has released a tragic love story-song on Valentine’s Day, following the “Si Estuviésemos Juntos” music video in 2019 and “Amorfoda” in 2018. “Ignorantes” feels like a natural successor to both artists’ works, with a dembow riddim opening to soaring choruses of reflection and declaration. They ask the age-old unanswerable: why’d we leave each other if we love each other?” We get glimpses of ill-will for future boyfriends (“Espero que el perrito los jevo' te espante”) and serious self blame (“Quizá necesitaba espacio (Eh), o ir má' despacio (Eh)”). When the a chorus soars as high and clear as this one, it’s almost impossible not to wail along.
key lyric: “Y no sé por qué nos dejamos / Si tú me amas y yo te amo”
14.
Dehd: “Loner”
Almost immediately, the standout single “Loner” ushers in a smoky sense of retro respite. It’s hazy, hoarse and heavenly-strummed, but clearly defined in its lyricism. Set in the dust of post-tour loneliness, the band’s most popular track to date dives deep into the meaning of isolation, and in effect, selfhood. “And when I walk away, I walk alone / Well you’re running, and you're running / And you're running, and you're running / Till the running gets hard,” lead singer Emily Kempf wails. She’s had enough of the noise, of the people, and seeks to find meaning in moments of loneliness. Even more important than finding time to breathe, however, is unpacking the need to run. Why’s it so hard?
Although it’s not set in the world of COVID-19, “Loner” hits harder in a year of unparalleled isolation. The vocals are crisp, the guitars light, and drums breezy; though the subject matter is serious, it’s somehow still upbeat. Listening to this song lets us listen to ourselves.
key lyric: “I’ve had enough of each other / Want nothing more than to be a loner”
13.
AWA: “Like I Do”
There’s been a revival of meaty bass riffs in the past few years, especially in pop music. AWA’s “Like I Do,” a slinky Pop-&-B breakout, uses a slick bass rhythm to construct the song’s gradual build. Her vocals are crystalline, like cool water falling down to meet the heavy production.
There’s a natural swagger and style to AWA’s vocal performance, which goes from defiance in the opening verse to anticipation in the pre-chorus. When the infectiously funky chorus bursts open, with synths that begin egging the bass beat on, the vocals switch again to matter-of-fact delivery. The real highlight of “Like I Do,” however, comes in the inventive pairing of layered, lilting vocals in the post-chorus. “Nobody can love me like I love me, love me, love me like I do,” she blinks confidently, inviting us in to love ourselves with the same strength. It’s smooth, sultry, and oozing in self-love. We believe her.
key lyric: “He said, ‘I love you,’ I said, ‘Thank you, baby, I love me too’”
12.
Kim Petras: “Malibu”
“Malibu” was the song of the summer for us. It’s quintessential Kim Petras, with saccharine vocals and prismatic production perfect for ushering in the sunny days of summer. Even though we were in quarantine, the guitar hooks and giddy delivery were a mainstay in the daily walks to escape isolation.
It’s short, at just 3 minutes and 12 seconds, but the sunny lyrics and fast-paced production never let up. “Tell me, what am I supposed to do? / When your eyes are so Pacific view,” she wonders in the second verse. She’s melting, tingling, “sea salt sinking in,” as the new love envelops every sun-soaked side of her life.
It’s the ecstatic antidote we needed.
key lyric: “Tell me, how do I get over you / When your kisses taste like Malibu?”
11.
100 gecs, Charli XCX, Rico Nasty, Kero Kero Bonito: “Ringtone (Remix)”
Ever heard a ringtone and hoped it was someone specific? Better yet, ever had a specific ringtone for that person? This 100 gecs-helmed remix of “Ringtone” includes futurepop sensation Charli XCX, indie darlings Kero Kero Bonito, and iconic rapstress Rico Nasty, making it one of the highest-anticipated remix tracks of the year, and by many standards, considered the best.
100 gecs manage to mesh each artists’ unique sound flawlessly, using chopped vocals and bizarre textures to patch each solo together with a solid rhythm. Though it opens with acapella vocal distortion, it soon explodes into a bombastic, record-scratching, back-and-forth standout track with freestyle spirit. Charli provides the saccharine pop sensibilities, Bonito brings a nonchalant sweetness, and Rico ushers in the second half with commanding rap-sung verses. Each artist shines, and each plays off the other.
Rico Nasty, in a piece for Interview Magazine, loved the freestyle song-making process between each artist and 100 gecs: “That’s the beauty of 100 gecs that people don’t understand. They really work in pieces…They trust the process. They don’t rush anything. They really collab. It’s fire.”
key lyric: “My boy's got his own ringtone / It's the only one I know, it's the only one I know”
10.
Cardi B, Megan thee Stallion: “WAP”
“WAP” opens with a genius, warbly sample from DJ Frank Ski that repeats throughout the sultry, saturated banger as a backbone. Cardi opens the track with her calculatedly heavy, now-famous swagger, providing great contrast to Megan thee Stallion’s rapid-fire revelations later in the song.
The song single handedly created a new pop culture reference and viral dance at once, with ingeniously catchy zingers like “park that Big Mack truck right in this little garage” and “I don't cook, I don't clean / But let me tell you how I got this ring.”
Megan’s lightning-fast crash course in speed rap only further establishes her natural talent and singular style, weaving rhythm and rhyme together to turn any party into a messy singalong (we can always try) of memorable lines like “Paid my tuition just to kiss me on this wet-ass p***y,” or “When I ride the d***, I'ma spell my name, ah.”
You’re never too far from a Megan “ahh” or Cardi “yuh,” and the song’s massive popularity from pop culture to music critics only solidifies both artist’s place at the top of the game.
key lyric: “CERTIFIED FREAK, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK”
9.
Caroline Rose: “Freak Like Me”
Caroline Rose’s latest album, Superstar, sees her adopt an off-kilter persona on a journey to superstardom and self-reflection. “Freak Like Me” acts as a moment of respite in between more energetic hits like “Feel The Way I Want,” but its impact hits just as hard.
Rose is known for her sense of humor and natural skill in production, and both are on full display during “Freak Like Me.” It’s all outlandish, really, with freaky descriptions of a coupling unlike most pop songs even today. “I let it all hang free / 'Cause you're a freak like me,” she croons, finding solace in an equally bizarre boo. Her love is “a drunk conversation,” a “real bad seed,” even “a split-level home” and a “brick through a broken window.”
The wacky lyrics might center on S&M sensibility, but the production finds more delicate territory, leading to a track that sounds like lo-fi study music but reads like dominatrix poetry. “I wanted to juxtapose this daintiness with grotesque lyrics.” Rose says of the contrast. “I’ve always wanted to write a pretty song with the word ‘vomit’ in it. Paradoxes are fun.” Consider it successful.
key lyric: “All I ever needed / Is a lukewarm room, two pillows, sheets, some muffled screaming”
8.
Tierra Whack: “Peppers and Onions”
“I tried to reach the sun but gum is stuck to my shoes,” Philly native Tierra Whack sing-raps in the opening chorus of her latest single. “Peppers and Onions” is the latest in a long line of one-offs since her revelatory Whack World, a terrifically textured and versatile collection of fifteen tracks, each lasting one minute with its own world.
Whack has risen as a unique voice in music for many reasons: her flamboyant fashion sense, playfully witty lyrics, singular artistic visions, and a personality that exudes more strength and skill with each new release. She doesn’t take herself too seriously, and that might just be what makes her such a standout; she never shies away from serious matter and still finds time to enjoy experimenting.
“Peppers and Onions” uses literal tongue-in-cheek soundbites to bring an airiness to imperfection; it opens with whistling, adds a funkified drum beat, ushers in harmonized vocals and spontaneous whackisms—all to play off the more serious lyrics later in the song. When the tongue pops give way to spitfire verses, Tierra Whack’s masterful whimsy lets the standout song succeed with both soul and spirit.
key lyric: “Even though we buy chains we just wanna be free”
7.
Dua Lipa: “Don’t Start Now”
Continuing 2020’s theme of disco revival (with a side of funk), Dua Lipa’s smash hit “Don’t Start Now” reminded us how cool it sounds to get over an ex on the dance floor. It’s the most commercially successful disco cut of the year, and rightfully so. It has everything: vocal distortion dance breaks, electric violin, perfectly timed hand-claps and synths buildup (and our personal favorite, that cowbell!).
“I’m not where you left me at all,” she states, almost feeling like a continuation of her biggest hit to date, “New Rules.” She simply doesn’t care anymore, and the infectious production couples perfectly with her voice, which is stronger than ever before. With a trio of Grammy noms, including record and song of the year, “Don’t Start Now” only seems like the beginning of a new sound; one that filters retro-funk through future-pop filter.
key lyric: “Don't show up, don't come out / Don't start caring about me now”
6.
Miley Cyrus: “Midnight Sky”
“I was born to run, I don’t belong to anyone,” Miley declares in the first line of the bombastic chorus, a callback to liberating Springsteen and classic rock. It’s disco-synth, vocal echo, insistent guitar; Cyrus has found her place in between the raspiness of rock and the hooks of pop perfection. It’s more the former than the latter, though, with heavy drum cycles and biting lyrics like “Fire in my lungs, can't bite the devil on my tongue.”
Her voice has never felt more at home, and the declarations become infectious surprisingly fast—the back-and-forth intensity of the pre-chorus and main chorus creating a defiant disco groove. This is her best single in years, and if Plastic Hearts is any indication of her future, we can’t wait for the next.
key lyric: “I was born to run, I don't belong to anyone, oh no / I don't need to be loved by you”
5.
Jazmine Sullivan: “Lost One”
Jazmine Sullivan has been a favorite at The Type since she blew the auditorium house down singing The Wiz classic, “Home,” at age 11 with runs most vocalists only wish for. With “Lost One,” a sparsely produced standout, the focus is placed on Sullivan’s deft ability to translate devastation.
The song opens with a haunting string progression, almost sounding like a deep rumbling of a passing thunderstorm, and immediately captures the sense of regret permeating throughout the rest of the track. Sullivan’s soulful tone enters steadfast and still reeling, with runs and chorus backings loosely structured around that first strum, as the natural rhythms of her voice make conversation with the sparse instrumentation.
“Just don't have too much fun without me,” she pleads with raw emotion. “Please don’t forget about me, try not to love no one.” There’s a knowing regret to each plead; she knows she’s “lost one,” and acknowledges her part in the break, but even through the pleading there’s a sense of finality. It’s too late. Although the track doesn’t give any real closure, it still finds its meaning.
key lyric: “I And if it's too late , I understand / Sometimes it's too late to make amends”
4.
Christine and the Queens: “People, I’ve been sad”
French artist-mastermind Héloïse Adélaïde Letissier, better known as Chris from Christine and the Queens, manages to find intimacy in a declaration of sorrow. She’s been “missing out for way too long,” having come close to the verge of disappearing altogether. There’s a deep-and-dark bass that haunts the quieter moments, but it transforms into synths and an introspective call-and-response chorus of “If you (You) / Disappear, then I'm (I) / Disappearing too.”
“You know the feeling,” she continues, letting us in on her admission. She makes creative use of negative space, crafting rhythms and emotion from her delivery. The most specific part of the song comes in the bridge, where Chris sings about a childhood of bare feet on broken glass in French. By the time the final chorus explodes, Chris’ unflinching acceptance of both sadness and strength lift us a little higher.
key lyric: “You know the feeling (YOU KNOW THE FEELING)”
3.
Grimes: “Delete Forever”
The gentle strumming that opens “Delete Forever,” a haunting standout from Grimes’ ambitious and divisive Miss Anthropocene, only builds with each verse. “Always down when I’m not up, guess it’s just my rotten luck,” she wails with increasing urgency as the acoustic guitar builds to glittering crystals and bouncing marimba. It’s a kind of future-folk that swells and swells, building to a climax of lush production and devastating lyricism.
Grimes considers Shakespearean sonnets as “early pop music,” drawing as much from the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet as the mythology of Icarus to describe the devastation of the opioid epidemic. She adds another layer in the song’s title, likening the finality of death to the permanence of digital deletion. The lyricism goes beyond describing the alienation and trauma of having close friends fall victim, though—Grimes explores the concept and consequence of constantly “chasing that heightened emotion,” where finding the “fucked up poetry” in the devastation becomes something more.
By the time the strings wind down and drum kit lags, an airy devastation remains.
key lyric: “But I can't see above it, guess I fucking love it”
2.
Charli XCX: “anthems”
“I’M SO BORED,” XCX opens the song. She’s waking up late, eating cereal, losing herself in a TV show, staring out into oblivion… it all makes sense for the year, really. Conceived in the middle of the first worldwide quarantine, Charli takes a hard look at life in isolation and finds an anthem out of it. “Sometimes, I feel okay, some days, I'm so frightened,” she delivers robotically, describing the depths of quarantine with a tongue in cheek and heart on sleeve.
The best part of this song lies somewhere between the overwhelming production and stream-of-consciousness lyrics; Charli describes her days of dreaming and despairing with specificity and relatability. Charli’s ambitious project how i’m feeling now may be a time capsule for the early days of the pandemic, but tracks like “anthems” strike something specific about the nature of connection, melancholy, and meaning.
key lyric: “Finally, when it's over / We might be even closer”
1.
Rina Sawayama: “XS”
“Gimme just a little bit, a little bit, more,” Sawayama sing-screams on her ferocious single “XS.” It’s easy to forget that SAWAYAMA is her debut album, largely due to the confidence radiating from her ingenious hooks and creative ideas. Like many tracks off her debut, “XS” mends disparate 2000’s sounds—the screaming drama of Evanescence, the pop confection of Britney—to craft the perfect idiosyncratic enigma.
What begins in delicate violins and warbled audio tapes soon shifts to threatening guitars and Y2K pop drum beats. It shouldn’t make sense, much less work, but it does—in stunning clarity. The excessive references pair perfectly with the song’s stance on the ridiculousness of over-consumption. “Cartiers and Tesla X’s / Calabasas, I deserve it / Call me crazy, call me selfish / I'm the baddest and I'm worth it,” she almost demands before the guitars rip through the sugar, shaking us into reality. “Gimme just a little bit, just a little bit,” she croons among crystalline production. It’s the track of the year for us, not just for Sawayama’s incredible performance or its perfect production, but the unique way it manages to look forward and backward at once with the present-day mega-issue of excess (XS) consumption.
She has everything: sound, style, character, charisma. Watch out.