2020 Year End Lists Chapter 5: The Top 100 Singles Of 2020
Singles
are the engine upon which the music industry runs. From stan Twitter to the Hot 100 the best way to drum up hype and all the revenue that comes with it is on the back of a great single. For the 5th straight year it's time to look at all the great singles released by artists new and old throughout 2020 and rank them. Unlike the songs and albums lists that will follow this one over the next 2 days this isn't strictly about the best in terms of sheer quality alone. The list takes quality into consideration alongside cultural significance. reception within an artists listener base and how the songs fit into the context of a band or artists image or discography at large. With all these factors combined I put together my list of the 100 best singles I heard in 2020.
100. Waxahatchee - Fire
I've been an enjoyer of Waxahatchee's music for years now and in 2020 she added Fire to the high end of singles in her discography. The song is a vocal wonder that shows off Katie's strong touch for indie folk balladry with more than enough excellent refrains to make for a big indie hit single.
99. Glass Animals - Your Love (Deja Vu)
While Glass Animals released one of the more disappointing records of 2020 there is no denying that Your Love channels exactly what made so many fall in love with the band in the first place. With tight rhythms, smooth synthesizers and an infectious earworm hook this is the bands formula done to the best you'll hear it in 2020.
98. The Antlers - It Is What It Is
While The Antlers minimalistic indie stylings have never made for popular singles on It Is What It Is they interpolate folk in a beautifully delicate way that indie fans couldn't resist in 2020. The song's soft vocals blend perfectly with the rich array of backing instrumentation for a simple concept and a wonderfully realized execution.
97. Flatbush Zombies - Afterlife
On the moody James Blake produced Afterlife the Zombies show off some major improvements on their narrative heavy and socially conscious lyricism. In the type of song that the trio have stumbled with at points in the past they bring great performances all around mixed with one of the most eerie beats you'll hear in hip hop this year and a legitimately catchy hook.
96. Frank Ocean - Dear April
Frank Ocean didn't need to prove that he is unmatched at getting people in their feelings, but he decided to release Dear April anyway. The stark, poetic and forlorn love ballad elicits as much awe as any other emotion as Frank's soaring vocal harmonies never fail to hit all the right spots. After his singles in 2019 turned out to be a bit disappointing it was wonderful to see him return to form in 2020.
95. Rico Nasty - IPHONE
The queen of angry hip hop music spent 2020 experimenting with her sound and that included crafting a hyper pop banger of her own with none other than the man himself Dylan Brady on production. Of course the instrumental goes incredibly hard but the real highlight is Rico herself who goes through some major vocal gymnastics both singing and rapping her ass off all over the song. While she's certainly proven capable of expanding her sound into all kinds of new directions this is one I absolutely wouldn't mind hearing her explore even further.
94. Lingua Ignota - O Ruthless Great Divine Director
Lingua Ignota is no stranger to making music that sounds all-encompassing and Ruthless is no exception. With soaring echoing vocal harmonies and a haunting array of classical instrumentation backing her she continues to shock and mystify with grand musical and lyrical statements that only she is truly capable of.
93. The Soft Pink Truth - We
Last year Drew Daniel AKA one half of Matmos wowed us with the experimental plastic sampling banger The Crying Pill. This year my favorite single from him comes on his Soft Pink Truth solo project with the meditative and patient dance song We. Calling it a dance song almost feels misleading given how relaxed and ethereal the cut is, yet the percussion and groove are so inherently danceable. It's a fittingly idiosyncratic blend from one of the most unique projects in all of music.
92. SZA - Hit Different (Feat. Ty Dolla $ign)
While expectations for this SZA single were sky high 92 may feel like a letdown but make no mistake Hit Different is a very solid track. From the songs almost experimentally stark beat to Ty's repetitive hypnotizing hook it is a very different direction from the warm R&B of SZA's past yet she brings the exact same energy we have come to expect from her to the track. Hit Different has all the makings of a single we may look back on as spearheading a major change in SZA's discography.
91. Cordae - The Parables
On his first single after dropping the YBN from his name Cordae proved that his excellent 2019 debut album was no fluke. He tells a series of short stories, or "Parables", that relate to his come-up and history. The song is narrative heavy but still hits hard with a rattling beat featuring some booming drums and an absolutely cutthroat performance. If Cordae wasn't on your radar as an artist to look out for before this you have yet another reason why he should be.
90. Injury Reserve - Hoodwinked
With the tragic passing of Steppa J. Groggs it seems weird even talking about the music Injury Reserve were a part of in 2020. Before his passing and even before the pandemic became the news to follow the band released a handful of tracks, the crown jewel of which was the wiry, incredibly experimental Hoodwinked. It's a dizzying, insane banger from start to finish that shows off why the trio were so loved and respected in the hip hop community in the first place.
89. New Order - Be A Rebel
Legendary new wave masters New Order have had a few moments late in their career that were billed as their "big comeback". That same hype not being applied to Be A Rebel may be the songs saving grace as it was released as an incredible surprise earlier this year. Channeling the bands historically blissful and dancy sound with a modern twist this is just about as good as you can ask for from a group entering the late stages of their career with creativity still left in the tank.
88. Bibio - Sleep On The Wing
Bibio has crafted an incredibly distinct blend of folk and light electronic elements that sounds rustic and incredibly charming. His musical interpretations of naturalistic sounds are only matched by his ability to write catchy refrains and memorable instrumental backings. Sleep On The Wing is yet another in a line of impressive and underrated songs from Bibio.
87. Kaytranada - Look Easy (Feat. Lucky Daye)
Last year late in the year Kaytranada came out of nowhere and dropped his 2nd studio album which took a much harder turn into conventional dance music than we were used to from his work. While that wasn't for everyone I enjoyed parts of it and when he surprise dropped this single with very little promotion featuring R&B up and comer Lucky Daye I was excited all around for the track. What the pair delivered was an infectious dance cut that oozes swagger from all directions and is sure to get stuck in your head.
86. Sightless Pit - Kingscorpse
This collaboration between Lingua Ignota, The Body and Full Of Hell made waves in the industrial metal scene way earlier this year for the ambitious decision to forego any guitars on the project. If there was any question about whether or not the combination could work they were quieted with the brash explosive cut Kingscorpse. The song interpolates screamed black metal vocals and soaring Lingua Ignota harmonies that pierce through a dark, muddling and hazy instrumental full of distorted fuzz. While it's obviously not a song you would catch on the charts this year it made waves nonetheless for its unique ambition and overall quality.
85. Remo Drive - A Flower And A Weed
Despite releasing back to back disappointing records following their critically acclaimed debut, Remo Drive have been a staple on the singles list every year since 2017. This year their excellent single came in the form of A Flower And A Weed which blended the sounds of classic midwest emo with their pop punk flavors perfectly. The result is an exciting and personal single with metaphors worth exploring and refrains worth remembering.
84. System Of A Down - Protect The Land
It has been 15 years since we had heard from System Of A Down and they came roaring back with a pair of tracks raising funds for ongoing political struggles in Armenia. The better of the two is Protect The Land a politically charged rager that sounds like the band hasn't missed a beat since their heyday. Given how much has changed since SOAD were at their peak of popularity the ability of the band to reemerge so seamlessly is an impressive enough feat on its own on top of how great the song is.
83. Thundercat - Dragonball Durag
Always capable of some excellent singles Thundercat made good on that promise this year with the sweet and hilarious Dragonball Durag. With charming lyrics, catchy refrains and of course a fat bassline the track is memorable for all the same reasons Thundercat himself is as an artist. With a lot of serious music coming out of the pandemic in 2020 Thundercat provided a refreshing little break from it all on a song that is fun without subtracting any quality.
82. Bon Iver - AUATC
The second single we heard from Bon Iver in 2020 was AUATC or "Ate Up All Their Cake". The song is sharply political but sonically beautiful with Justin's pitched up vocals and a deep roster of guests contributing on all factors of the song. While some of the rustic naturalism of old Bon Iver doesn't show up here the song maintains that standard of poise with a synthetically gorgeous sound palette just as rich as any fan could ask for.
81. Carly Rae Jepsen - Let's Be Friends
If you thought that coming into 2020 Carly needed to prove she was capable of writing songs that didn't revolve around the very familiar topics of crushes, romance and love look no further than Let's Be Friends. The platonic, spiteful and even slightly explicit *gasps* song turned heads this year showing off Carly's versatility as a songwriter and a performer. She handles the topic with a boat load of charm and made for one of the funnier and hookier break-up tracks of 2020.
80. Arca - Nonbinary
If there was one thing you could have always given Arca credit for regardless of what point her career was at or what kind of music she was making, it was her originality. That kept pace on Arca's Kick i album this year and on it's personality filled single Nonbinary. Arca performs an almost rap like verse over a jittery percussion heavy electronic beat and in just a few minutes gives a mission statement for her entire image as an artist. It has a totally uncompromising attitude that is utterly infectious and completely unmistakable which made for a highlight worth returning to all year.
79. Touche Amore - Reminders
While Touche Amore may not be a band synonymous with great singles Reminders proves that some songwriting is so irresistible even a post-hardcore song can become comforting. Frontman Jeremy Bolm's cries of "I need reminders of the love I have" on the hook are some of the most optimistic in the bands history and the instrumental brings a surprising kick to match. For a band that has dealt so directly and intimately with dark subject matter it was a triumph of a completely different kind to craft a song like Reminders and do it so well.
78. Torres - Good Scare
Torres is nothing if not bold and on Good Scare she disguises the track as a tame indie ballad before it erupts into electronically tinged experimental folk bliss. Given how much Torres has wowed me with singles in the past I wasn't surprised that hidden within Good Scare are some of the most captivating sounds I heard from any singer-songwriter in 2020.
77. Liturgy - SIHEYMN's Lament
As weird as it is for a highly narrative driven, philosophical and partly improvised black metal record to have a single, particularly a good one, SIHEYMN's Lament is a standalone great. With grating black metal vocals and icy keys it doesn't initially feel like a single but when the sequenced drums kick in the song proves to more than handle its role as a track all its own. Even without the complete story or full philosophy behind the song clear it shines as a powerful blend of genres and a statement only Liturgy could make so well in such a short track, relatively.
76. Black Thought - Good Morning (Feat. Pusha T, Killer Mike & Swizz Beatz)
This hip hop posse cut could have gotten by on name recognition alone, but thankfully each of these artists are bringing their A game. Even with a pretty simple Swizz Beatz hook the trio of veteran MC's on the song each emerge with hard-hitting verses reminiscent of their distinct sounds. While there isn't necessarily a strong subject thematically tying these verses together there doesn't need to be when they each perform up to their standards with Pusha T in particular killing it. It's a major collaboration between some of the leading voices in classic hip hop ideology and they do the whole concept justice.
75. Little Dragon - Hold On
Swedish synth pop band Little Dragon has long been one of the more underrated voices in the genre. Despite not being thrilled by either of their last two albums they have a number of excellent singles under their belt over the last few years. Hold On features sweet vocals a tight groove and one hooky refrain after another crafting a summery synth pop classic that bursts with energy while maintaining its cool demeanor. The band walks a thin line with a veteran prowess and once again prove why they should be more talked about among the best of the best in the genre.
74. Juice WRLD - Wishing Well
Given the personal and emotional nature of Juice WRLD's music his tragic passing hit even harder than most. With thousands of songs rumored to be left over after his passing I was hoping they would be able to assemble a solid posthumous album and that they did. With a number of great pre and post album singles it was difficult choosing which song did his legacy the most justice, and only slightly beating out Righteous is the emo rap anthem Wishing Well. The track has absolutely everything that Juice WRLD fans have come to expect from his tracks and executes them all to perfection. I suspect that there is more Juice music in the vault to potentially be released at a later time and it wouldn't surprise me if another one of those songs lands on a future years list given how consistent Juice was as an artist, and how easily he was able to emotionally connect to his fans.
73. Jesu - Because Of You
Jesu is another artist that may be a surprise placement on a best singles list but this year Justin Broadrick explored new territory for his long running industrial project. Because Of You blends together some light industrial sounds with shoegaze and noise music for an eerie but blissfully layered single that had my hopes raised very high for the EP it would eventually land on. The core of songwriting is so strong after Justin's decades of experience that the songs refrains emerge at the perfect point leaving high impact moments all over the song and a listening experience the breezes by at under 7 minutes of hazy excellence.
72. Bob Dylan - False Prophet
A bluesy narrative heavy folk song that foregoes a hook in favor of Dylan's raspy singing voice guiding verses in and out of the track, it all sounds so 1965. His ability to channel a sound he pioneered so many decades ago and continue to do it in a way that is refreshing and interesting is a testament to him being one of the greatest songwriters of all time. While False Prophet may not be good enough to challenge some of his classics the song proves that his formula not only works but is still interesting and refreshing in 2020.
71. Wolf Parade - Julia Take Your Man Home
Talking of rustic folkisms and narrative songwriting Wolf Parade channeled Bob Dylan of old on their great single Julia Take Your Man Home. With a number of acute hilarious lyrical moments that spark with Hold Steady-esque detail that only comes from personal experiences or Wes Anderson films, the song makes storytelling catchy behind a rich array of indie folk instrumentation. Spencer Krug has always been unmatched in his charm and this track is no different.
70. Dorian Electra - Edgelord
On Edgelord Dorian Electra recruits surprise 2020 figurehead Rebecca Black onto a song where they Cosplay a gamer boy edgelord and his girlfriend, who are cosplaying the Joker and Harley Quinn. That's a mouthful. The track bursts with internet culture and hyper pop staples but is truly highlighted by great performances from Dorian and Rebecca in what can only be described as an internet age concept song.
69. Kali Uchis - Aqui Yo Mando (Feat. Rico Nasty)
Kali Uchis is no stranger to latin themed bangers but she really came into her own this year and Aqui Yo Mando was an early indication of that. The song boasts a sugary sweet beat and swagger filled chorus yet it also manages to interpolate typically hard hitting rapper Rico Nasty perfectly. In a year where Rico flexed her versatility Kali managed to perfectly fit her in on a track that feels comfortable and natural in the absolute best way.
68. JPEGMAFIA - Covered In Money
Peggy released a number of singles this year which ultimately culminated in an EP collection of very different tracks. While you could make the case for a number of these songs I find it hard to pick anything other than the eclectic banger Covered In Money. With specific yet braggadocious lyrical references abound and an experimental but still incredibly hard-hitting beat the song feels like a mission statement for Peggy's entire career. It's a unique, kooky banger that I'm surely not soon to forget.
67. King Krule - Alone, Omen 3
Despite the fact that I've been a heavy critic of King Krule's music in the past and even on his album this year, I and many other people fell quickly in love with Alone when it came out in February. His typically smoky voiced demeanor is still present but this time on a track that applies a dense range of distant instrumentation and moments that feel almost improvised in their raw emotion. This abstract combination of jazz with indie makes for a truly unique and encapsulating sound that I enjoyed throughout 2020, particularly during late nights.
66. Slowthai - Feel Away (Feat. James Blake & Mount Kimbie)
When we entered 2020 it wasn't clear if Slowthai was capable of making a song full of emotion and intimacy but throughout the next 12 months he quieted all doubters. He recruited two veterans of emotionally rich music in James Blake and Mount Kimbie for a song that lends his rapping talent to a quieter selection of more meaningful passages. After checking the boxes for drug/street fueled bangers as well as politically charged anthems in 2019 he proved he had much more to give this year on the wonderful Feel Away.
65. Saweetie - Tap In
Last year Old Town Road showed us the power that social media sites, Tik Tok in particular held over the music industry. This year there was no track that gained a better standing big picture through the use of social media than Tap In. Saweetie followed up a breakout hit in 2019 with a major success in the relentlessly danceable and impossibly catchy bad bitch banger. From viral dance challenges to strong memeability the song was as much a part of the cultural ethos of 2020 as anything on top of being a well produced and performed ass shaking anthem.
64. Pinegrove - The Alarmist
From strip club hip hop to bedroom indie next up is Pinegrove with The Alarmist. Every year it seems like Pinegrove releases at least one single that captures the hearts and minds of young indie fans all over and this time around they did so while also setting the tone for their comeback album Marigold. I'd be lying if I said Pinegrove didn't have a formula but their lo-fi blend of indie instrumentation with emo lyricism and performance tendencies is just as irresistible now as it was back in 2016 when the band was deemed the next big thing.
63. Cloud Nothings - Am I Something
While the pair of indie pop quarantine albums Cloud Nothings released on their Bandcamp were a nice change of pace for 2020 fans were anticipating the next project that sounded like a proper record from the band. Expectations were certainly raised on the back of Am I Something a single with all the emotionally soaked vocals and roaring punk guitars we've come to expect from Cloud Nothings. Revitalizing a sound fans love and getting them excited for an upcoming record is about all you can ask of a single from a promotional standpoint, so the fact that the song itself is excellent feels like icing on the cake for long time fans of the group, don't be surprised to see them pop up on some more lists at the end of next year.
62. 6ix9ine - GOOBA
If anybody has been able to turn controversy into streams over the past few years it has definitely been 6ix9ine. While he has constantly kept his name in the news for one thing or another his music certainly proved stream ready this year. His big comeback track out of prison may or may not have been robbed of a #1 spot on the Hot 100 and came attached to a music video that was shot while under house arrest. As always 6ix9ine's raw simplistic bangers proved to once again make for genuinely good tracks and there is still nothing else in 2020 that was quite like the curblend of curiosity and humor that s many felt when this song first dropped.
61. Moses Sumney - Me In 20 Years
Moses Sumney didn't need to prove to anyone that he has unmatched vocal talent, yet on Me In 20 Years he puts his own immaculate voice to the test with incredible results. Moses writes a harrowing ballad to himself in 20 years addressing his own journey for romance in stark intimate fashion. While the single didn't fit perfectly into the tracklist of Moses' two part album this year it still remains an absolute stunner as a standalone song.
60. Alanis Morissette - Smiling
Alanis has had some stumbles later in her career but thankfully in 2020 she released a number of good singles in the lead up to her best record in years. Smiling has all of the vocal charm and songwriting efficiency that fans have come to love from her and does so with a veteran prowess. She channels classic singer-songwriter ballads of the 90's but does so with a triumphant positivity on the hook that makes the track incredibly dynamic. A number of good singles could compete for this spot but ultimately Smiling was the best individual statement Alanis made in 2020.
59. Run the Jewels - Yankee And The Brave (Ep. 4)
It doesn't feel like Killer Mike and EL-P's 3rd collaboration came out all the way back in 2016 but when they released their first single of 2020 paired with the announcement of RTJ4 hype was sky high. That was even before everyone actually heard the song and realized that the pair had found yet another way to work their hard-hitting and in your face rap style into infectious musical capacity. The loose concept of Yankee And The Brave named after the baseball teams representing each of the MC's respective cities, isn't quite as detailed as some concepts tend to be. But in the short term on this song both rappers play their characters perfectly and the result is one of hip hops more impactful singles of 2020.
58. Burial, Four Tet & Thom Yorke - Her Revolution
Talk about a powerful combination. Mysterious British electronica wizard Burial teamed up with micro house legend Four Tet and Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke for a pair of stark, beautiful and critically icy minimalist electronica songs. The better of the two is Her Revolution which spends its nearly 6 minute runtime blending in pseudo ambient moments of instrumental isolation with Thom Yorke's fragile vocals for a brilliantly unique combination. The tracks that were initially physical only thankfully made their way onto streaming services and everyone got to experience these three powerful musical minds collaborating in a magical way.
57. Braids - Snow Angel
While personality has always been an element of Braids music their return was impacted in a big way with the release of the 9 minute single Snow Angel. Frontwoman Raphaelle Standell-Preston uses the track to examine her place in the world at large and covers a surprising amount of detail. The song has a driving instrumental that makes sliding through it's 9 minute runtime feel like a breeze especially highlighted by Raphaelle's exciting spoken word passage in the back half. One of the boldest statements I've ever heard from the band made for a killer single that stayed in my rotation throughout 2020.
56. Lana Del Rey - Let Me Love You Like A Woman
Lana Del Rey made headlines this year for a number of reasons including some controversy and a spoken word poetry album. But all the noise around her sort of slowed down once she finally released some new music that sounded like she hadn't missed a beat since last years Norman Fucking Rockwell. Let Me Love You Like A Woman is the latest quiet but impactful pop ballad from the queen herself which served to set up some major hype for her upcoming album and is among the better pop singles I heard this year, none of which is any surprise.
55. AJJ - Normalization Blues
Here at the tail end of 2020 pretty much everybody knows that the year has been a terrible dystopian hellscape. AJJ actually knew before any of it had started and detailed it on the song Normalization Blues. While the bands painting of dystopic 2020 more involves the disastrous political landscape than the more social approach many would follow with it became more and more clear that their pessimistic outlook was well ahead of its time. Going into 2021 folk punk seems more fitting than ever as we all dive from perrimism into straight up nihilism and AJJ looks increasingly predictive.
54. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist - 1985
Last year when Freddie Gibbs teamed up with Madlib they released one of the best singles of the year period. With The Alchemist by his side Freddie conjured up a much more relaxed album, but you wouldn't be able to tell from the fast, hard-hitting flows of 1985. The song is a Freddie Gibbs classic full of drug and basketball references and his confident demeanor but with an instrumental that just gives him a little bit more to breathe. The result is a textbook example of what makes Freddie one of the most unrivaled MCs in contemporary hip hop.
53. Lady Gaga - Rain On Me (Feat. Ariana Grande)
High profile collaborations make for big time singles and one of the biggest collaborations of the first half of the year came when pop icons crossed paths on the Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande song Rain On Me. From its charming quarantine produced music video to its instant social media dominance everything about Rain On Me screamed virality but it held up just as strong as an artistic statement. The track ticks all the boxes of a good single in 2020 and is certain to be a mainstay pop collab for years to come.
52. Tune-Yards - Nowhere, Man
Tune Yards are no strangers to killer singles and Nowhere, Man is the next one in line. They return to their hard-hitting indie sound with frontwoman Merrill Garbus delivering one of her best performances in years. The song is in line with so many in 2020 challenging various forms of personal and societal authority and it does so with a tangible grit and numerous catchy refrains throughout.
51. Everything Everything - Violent Sun
Everything Everything has maintained consistently great singles with their knack for futuristic pop sounds. Violent Sun is a beautiful sentimental pop ballad with a glitzy exterior and an emotionally rich core. While the band has always thrived with up beat pop bangers this song not only flexed their versatility but expanded their thematic horizons without missing a beat on one of the best singles I've heard from the group in their entire career.
50. Dirty Projectors - Inner World
Entering the top half of the list I had another hard decision given that Dirty projectors released 5 Eps this year and many of them came with a great single attached. Ultimately Inner World won out with its off kilter percussion and soaring vocal melodies courtesy of Felicia Douglass. The song is an indie delight but never settles for predictable with irregular rhythms and an unconventional composition for such a short track. David Longstreth and company have always taken indie music and pushed it into strange places successfully and this track is no different.
49. Tame Impala - Lost In Yesterday
While Kevin Parker made it very difficult last year choosing between It Might Be Time and Patience this year it was clear that the best Tame Impala single was Lost In Yesterday. The song sees Kevin musing on his past and times when making music was more fun for him but you really can't tell from how instantaneous and catchy the track is. From his slick vocals to the almost sensual guitar work the track is as easy to swallow as Tame Impala songs come without sacrificing solid compositional elements and detailed songwriting.
48. Melanie Martinez - The Bakery
I wasn't necessarily head over heels for many of the tracks on Melanie's K-12 B-Side EP After School but she clearly knew what the hit of the bunch was because its only single The Bakery is a major highlight. Not only does the song stick tightly to its theme but it does so without sacrificing any of the charm that Mel has become so well known for. Once again this track is childish on its surface but unafraid to work in very adult themes subverting the aesthetic. With a wonderful music video backing it's onslaught of catchy refrains this is safely one of the better singles of a career ripe with great ones.
47. Future Islands - For Sure
Speaking of bands with lots of great singles Sam Herring and Future Islands can go toe to toe with anyone. Even though they have never really delivered on that truly great album they're clearly capable of they are good for at least one incredible single every time. For Sure was the lead single and not even the only major hit of the bunch but when all is said and done it's hard to ignore how much the song has in common with their best work. Impassioned basslines, emotional lyricism and Sam's unmistakable vocals are a formula the band has built their success on and this song is absolutely no different.
46. Grimes - Delete Forever
So Grimes. Remember a few years ago when all the news stories about Grimes were quirky and fun, I miss that. Thankfully the only thing that hasn't changed about Grimes is that she continues to put out good music and while last year she provided us with both 4AM and Violence this time we get a slight step back on the still solid Delete Forever. Sounding like a spiritual successor to California she trades out the dystopian electronics for acoustic instrumentation and sugary vocal harmonies with great success. Seeing Grimes name in the news in 2020 was sort of like navigating a minefield but Delete Forever was no doubt a major highlight.
45. Demi Lovato - Anyone
Even though the 2020 Grammys feel like they took place years ago most people no doubt remember Demi Lovato's show stopping performance of Anyone. The emotionally profound ballad came after a tumultuous few years for the former child star but she translated perseverance into music on this remarkable single. Even though she couldn't maintain this level of quality releases throughout 2020 a song this good with a rollout this publically impressive is more than enough to qualify as one of the years best singles.
44. Burial - Chemz
Mysterious British electronic music producer Burial snuck in his only single of 2020 at the buzzer and just barely in time for me to even have a chance to include it on this list. I'm glad he did however as he once again proves to have such a definitive style yet always be pushing forward with one great song after another. This time around he takes twelve and a half minutes to explore an absolutely freezing electronic landscape littered with strange synth passages and gorgeous vocal samples. The concept sort of sounds like something Burial has explored before but in practice it is something entirely new and incredibly wonderful.
43. Oneohtrix Point Never - Long Road Home
Talk about an artist who hasn't made his name with singles, Oneohtrix Point Never added yet another highly conceptual album to his discography this year. This time around however the radio concept made for a few songs that stood wonderfully on their own including the Caroline Polachek featuring Long Road Home. This is one of the catchiest OPN songs of all time with a glittery hook yet the entire song is overlaid with Daniel's strange and surreal soundplay. It's instantly identifiable despite the fact that it doesn't necessarily sound much like anything he's release before which may be his most impressive achievement.
42. Troye Sivan - Take Yourself Home
Back to a more conventional singles artist Troye dropped a few quality tracks leading up to his EP this year. Take Yourself Home starts out like many of Troye's songs exploring youth and romance in a toned down indie pop style. While he executes this very well the tracks final leg features a very unexpected breakdown into a dance flavored track with a hard-hitting beat. The decision is an interesting one by all means that seems to channel the themes of the track into a sonic second half shift that feels natural if you've been paying attention. Troye clearly has vocal talent and songwriting to stand on and if he continues to explore new sounds like this it's only going to get more and more interesting.
41. Destroyer - Cue Synthesizer
Across his new album Dan Beyar has sounds like he's in command of a room full of nightclub musicians flirtatiously holding onto his every word. On Cue Synthesizer he literally embodies that calling for instrumentation one after another building a surprisingly funky sophisti-pop song with a warm array of instrumentation over which he acts as a vocal composer throughout. The song exudes swagger in a way only Destroyer can and is among the projects best singles of the previous decade.
40. Ariana Grande - Positions
When Ariana drops a single expectations are fittingly incredibly high. Thankfully she continued her recent high streak with the groovy radio pop anthem Positions. While she doesn't stray too far out of her comfort zone in recent years she proves exactly why she's been unmatched with another huge chart success setting up for another quality album. It's safe to say Ariana owns the whole concept of singles in recent years.
39. Julia Holter - So Humble In The Afternoon
Julia Holter's music has always had a mysterious luster to it, so it should be no surprise that she would come out of nowhere with absolutely no promotion to drop one of the most beautiful songs of the year. Gone is the murkier jazz instrumentation of her last record and in its place is a slight return to her chamber pop sounds of old with creaky keys backing her soft but impassioned vocals. She once again translates minimalism into striking beauty in the way she's been able to so efficiently for her entire career. If her compositionally dense last record felt too ambitious for some this is a return to the stark and comforting elegance of her past in true form.
38. Earl Sweatshirt - Whole World (Feat. Maxo)
While this track is far from commercial, when compared to what Earl has been doing in recent years it feels much more conventional. That isn't a slight against the song either despite how much I've enjoyed his experimental output he proves here that both him and Maxo are capable of spitting absolute heat over this relaxed jazzy beat. Even when Earl has a relatively quiet year he manages to put out one of the best singles in all of experimental hip hop.
37. Margo Price - Twinkle Twinkle
One of the freshest voices in modern country music, Margo Price successfully transitioned from Third Man Records label mate to mainstream genre fuser on this rock flavored country single. The track bucks some of country musics conventional political shortcomings and replaces them with the poise and attitude of one of the genres most self-aware voices in years. With a classic rock flair in her pocket Margo jams through this funny, charming and confrontational track with ease.
35. YG - Out On Bail
The first song out of prison trope is an absolute hip hop classic. While the track came out months after YG actually made it out off of his robbery arrest early in 2020 the trope worked out absolutely perfectly on YG's best single in years. With tight flows, a catchy hook and tributes to Nipsey and YG's blood history it is basically the perfect gangster rap track for 2020 all wrapped up in under 3 minutes. After some releases that felt below his level of quality in the past few years Out On Bail firmly proved YG can still rap with the best of them.
34. The Radio Dept. The Absence Of Birds
Legendary Swedish synth pop band The Radio Dept. don't emerge often but when they do its usually pretty special. Picking between their 3 singles from this year was incredibly difficult but ultimately The Absence Of Birds feels like a blend of old and new. With their wiry and touching sound on display as perfectly as ever the band crafted a lovely tune from start to finish. There is nothing about the song that we haven't heard from the band before but maintaining the quality of their legendary run in the 2000's is an achievement enough on top of how great the song is.
33. Car Seat Headrest - Can't Cool Me Down
Indie artists turning from their lo-fi roots into an electronically tinged sound is a coming of age tale in underground music as old as time. While it has become nearly cliche in the years since Radiohead did it, Will Toledo and Car Seat Headrest introduced a new era of the bands music in style with Can't Cool Me Down. The song interpolates electronic elements without letting go of the youthful themes and detailed compositional elements that have always made Car Seat Headrest the indie darlings they are, and despite finding more success than ever before they managed to keep their songwriting credentials well in tact on this great single.
32. Amine - Shimmy
If there's one thing Amine is capable of its making a slick banger and Shimmy fits that bill perfectly. The lead single from his 2nd studio album doesn't mince words or waste any time getting straight to the point. Combine that with arriving just in time for summer it was hard to get any better than this when it comes to hip hop tracks that trend smoother rather than hard-hitting. While just about everything Amine did this year worked out well Shimmy proved to be the most effective single of a great bunch.
31. Laura Marling - Held Down
I don't think many people were prepared for veteran singer-songwriter Laura Marling to drop the best album and best single of her entire career in 2020. Held Down is a gorgeous straight to the point little folk number with a wonderful array of lyrics and an emotionally soaked vocal performance that has kept me coming back routinely to the track all year. In a sub genre that is so often homogenized and reluctant to innovating, doing all the little things so perfectly right made for a major highlight from Laura this year.
29. The Killers - Caution
The Killers are no stranger to great singles, in fact every single era of their career so far has spawned at least one instant classic and this was no different. While the Springsteen channeling My Own Soul's Warning was certainly a major highlight there is nothing that hits quite like the explosive heartland jamming of Caution. The song channels roaring arena rock sized instrumentation into a tight explosive but practical rock song for the modern day that pays its respects to classic rock without a hint of nostalgia. Bringing on Foxygen's Jonathan Rado for production duties was a curious choice that ultimately paid off big time and Caution was just our first hint of what the pairing could do.
26. IDLES - Model Village
When IDLES take on a political topic they don't do it lightly which is what makes Model Village so damn good. Their jagged critique of small town ignorance is exactly as scathing as it sounds when frontman Joe Talbot snarls out the tracks spiteful verses and screamed hook. While this year didn't give out the best Idles album we've ever heard Model Village is comfortably among the bands best singles and keeps pace with some of the best releases in their short but already very fruitful career.
25. HAIM - The Steps
HAIM have always done indie music with a self-critical wit that comes off in biting and hilarious situations and The Steps may be their greatest accomplishment in that lane yet. This pleasant sounding and impeccably catchy indie tune hides some loveable resentment for someone that was clearly hoping to get back together with a significant other who is just not interested. The sound of the song is never muddled in its lyrical outlook which makes for a charming indie cut well worth a number of repeat listens and one of my favorite HAIM singles and songs to date.
