TOP 20 SONGS OF 2020

Hello and welcome to the Top 20 Songs Of 2020, as chosen by yours truly, Nick Nutter.  Unlike most videos of this stripe, I don't stick to merely the hits, though over the last few years I've actually started paying attention to the singles charts.  No, I go with the songs that I liked the most.  It would be more accurate to call this list "My 20 Favorite Songs Of 2020", but that's not good for the S.E.O., y'know?

Anyway, I don't stick to the hits because there's plenty of album cuts that don't get their proper time to shine.  I wanna give some of them a spotlight.  There's still a few chart successes in here, (even a number one!) but because everybody and their brother does a top ten best hit songs to get that Todd traffic, I don't really have much else to add to that conversation.  So let's get down to business and talk about:

20. "Lockdown" Anderson.Paak

I've never liked Anderson.Paak.  I think because my first exposure to him was the woefully shit 2016 XXL Cypher.  Plus his voice is one of the most acquired taste voices I've ever heard, but this song cuts to the quick of what was happening this summer.  

19 . "Foyer" Wild Nothing

If you're looking for left of the dial 80's worship done right, this is the best example of it I found this year.

18. "Awful" Empress Of

In my review of this album, I pegged this for possible song of the year contention.  I've obviously changed my mind, but the swelling melancholy on display is impressive.  Would've ranked even higher if it didn't end so abruptly.

17. "Supalonely" Benee & Gus Dapperton

I'm super late to the "Supalonely" party.  I didn't even hear this song for the first time until after the election.  But yeah, it caught me instantly.  And of course, big fucking mood.

16. "Sparkle Mountain" Andrew Huang

Modular synths, yodeling, oceans of autotune, digital bass, Drop C guitars with super trashy distortion, trap percussion... None of it should work, but it all does.  Plus a music video that will melt your brain, and BAM!  Absurdity to match the times, I think.

15. "I Think You're Great" Alex The Astronaut

This song absolutely destroys me.  I've had more than one ugly cry to this song.  

14. "Dying To Believe" The Beths

Irrepressibly twee garage rock.  It has a life, a warmth, an honesty and a humanity to it I desperately needed to feel in 2020.

13. "Simmer" Hayley Williams

Nothing cuts like a mother.

12. "Need Your Love" Tennis

 
11. "Bit Of Rain" Empress Of

10. "Everything She Wants" Alien Ant Farm

Only took 'em 19 years to figure out "Hey, we could just cover another 80's song and absolutely smash it."  Glad they finally got there.

9. "Girl From The Factory" The Vapors

CW: Suicide, survivor's guilt.  During the last chorus, it sounds like the singer is choking up, so it really feels like this actually happened.  Devastating.

8. "Daisies" Katy Perry

The perfect vibe for me for the last two years: gleeful defiance knowing the axe is coming for your neck in the next few seconds.

7. "Rain On Me" Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande

"I wanna be dry, but at least I'm alive": BIG FUCKING MOOD.

6. "Traveler's Prayer" (EU Version) Phenomenal Handclap Band

5. "Break My Heart" Dua Lipa

4. "Salesman" Vanessa Carlton

3. "Son For Someone" Oscar Jerome

2. "42:26" (a.k.a. "Feels Like Summer") Childish Gambino

1. "Void" Empress Of

Stick around for the Top Ten Worst Albums Of 2020!