On December 29th, I'll be starting off my end of the year lists with my 20 favorite albums of 2020. But there's so much great music out there that my album post will only cover a very tiny portion of the stuff that's worth listening to. So this list is an additional rundown, one that highlights songs from albums that won't be appearing on the top 20 in a few days. I'm including songs from my five honorable mention albums, so if you see something on here from an album you love, who knows, maybe that album is ranked somewhere between 21 and 25 for me! Because I listened to and liked more songs this year, I've expanded this list to be 75 tracks instead of the usual 50. Even this doesn't fully cover the quality that the year had to offer, but it's a good representation of what I generally enjoyed in 2020.
100 gecs - "sympathy 4 the grinch"
100 gecs' belief that no genre or sound is too tacky hasn't stopped being surprising, and they use that to great effect on their wacky interpretation of a Christmas song, which blends ska, heavily processed vocals, and trap drum breakdowns. It shouldn't work, but like most things they do, it somehow does.
21 Savage & Metro Boomin - "Rich Nigga Shit" (feat. Young Thug)
With that luxurious beat Metro Boomin lays out, rapping over it almost seems unnecessary, but then 21 Savage drops hilarious lines like "I just did a 69 with her friend, pray to god she don't tell on me" and it's all worth it.
Amine - "Pressure in My Palms" (feat. Vince Staples & slowthai)
Amine is still delivering some of the most fun, effortless pop-rap around, but the best song on Limbo might be "Pressure in My Palms," where he invites Vince Staples and slowthai to go off on this hard-knocking, skittering beat.
Ariana Grande - "off the table" (feat. The Weeknd)
The Ariana Grande/Weeknd combo is turning out to one of the most reliable collaborations in music, as they give us the goods again on this gorgeously airy song.
Armand Hammer - "Dead Cars" (feat. R.A.P. Ferreira)
The first four verses on this song are good in their own right, but once you hear that second Billy Woods verse, everything feels like setup for his rattling dystopian descriptiveness. "The city's a hoarder, long dead in her bed" is an image that's stuck with me since I first heard it.
Barely Civil - "Fairmount"
Production doesn't get talked about as much in rock music as it does in rap or pop, but it's just as important to making a song work. Barely Civil's album I'll Figure This Out is a study in good rock music production. "Fairmount" sounds so crisp and spacious, and it only highlights how locked in the band's dynamics are.
Bartees Strange - "Mustang"
The Bartees Strange hype train appeared to come out of nowhere this year, and with a song like "Mustang" it's not hard to imagine why. What a confident introduction this is, a huge and anthemic song that reminds me of the indie rock I loved in the mid 2000s.
beabadoobee - "Sorry"
That 90s alt rock sound that's been brought back by acts like Charly Bliss and Soccer Mommy finally had its full-on pop refraction with the arrival of beabadoobee, and while her brand of bubblegum grunge had a little too much sheen on it, when she struck the right balance on songs like "Sorry" it hit incredibly hard. She's definitely got the potential to be great.
Beach Bunny - "Colorblind"
There's a nagging hookiness to Beach Bunny's songs that can give you a bit of a toothache, but in micro doses it works wonders. If you're going to have a sample taste, make it "Colorblind," which packs four minutes worth of melodies in half the time.
Bekah CC - "No Change"
Tom Breihan described this perfectly in his Status Ain't Hood column back in February: "This is some real Gummo shit right here. Some opiate-epidemic Clairo shit. Some existential dread shit."
Bfb da Packman - "Free Joe Exotic" (feat. Sada Baby)
2019 was the year of Sada Baby, and "Free Joe Exotic" felt like a passing the torch moment for Bfb da Packman, the next great hilarious Michigan rapper. It's hard to outbar Sada Baby, but Packman might do it here, dropping one wild self-deprecating bit after another. Highlight of the song goes to: "My bitch bout to leave me cuz I'm built just like Patrick / I nut super quick and I be weighing down the mattress / On the low dog, I'm tired of this fat shit."
Big Sean - "Friday Night Cypher" (feat. The entire city of Detroit)
This song is the rap equivalent of all the heroes coming out of portals and showing up on the battlefield in the climatic fight of Avengers: Endgame. All of your Detroit favorites are here. Boldy James? He's here! Eminem? You better believe it! Sada Baby? You guessed it...he's here! And the biggest surprise? Big Sean gives one of the best verses on the whole 10 minute song.
Black Thought - "Good Morning" (feat. Killer Mike, Pusha T, and Swizz Beatz)
Speaking of The Avengers, this is like a superhero team-up of oldheads. Highly recommended for people who often talk about what is and isn't "real hip hop."
Blu & Exile - "Miles Davis"
You can always count on the rapper-producer pair of Blu & Exile to deliver the goods, and they don't disappoint on "Miles Davis," where Blu goes nuts with head-spinning, knotty lines on top of Exile's appropriately jazzy beat.
Bully - "Every Tradition"
Alicia Bognanno is just going to keep releasing what sounds like long lost Hole albums every few years and you'll hear no complaints from me.
Bumper - "Black Light"
Society could use a new Japanese Breakfast album as well as a new Crying album, but the Bumper EP -- a collaboration between Michelle Zauner and Crying guitarist Ryan Galloway -- was fantastic enough that it can hold us over for now. "Black Light" is some grade-A synth pop, with Zuaner's melodic coo floating over the spaced out production.
Burna Boy - "Naughty By Nature" (feat. Naughty By Nature)
I don't listen to nearly enough Afrobeat and dancehall music, and Burna Boy's Twice As Tall reminded me of that sad fact this year. "Naughty By Nature" shows how well his style crosses over with today's rap and pop sounds, while also giving us a flavor of yesterday by having Naughty By Nature sounding positively invigorated on their guest spot.
Busta Rhymes - "Look Over Your Shoulder" (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
Busta Rhymes: still kind of good! But the main attraction here is the Kendrick Lamar verse, apparently a leftover from years ago, giving Genius users a workout with the insane rhyme scheme he constructs in his opening verse.
Cakes Da Killa & Proper Villains - "Don Dada"
House music and rap come together like peanut butter and chocolate on "Don Dada." Cakes Da Killa is a monster here, high stepping all over this hard-charging club banger.
Carly Rae Jepsen - "Let's Sort the Whole Thing Out"
Carly Rae Jepsen is notorious for recording a ton of songs for her albums, resulting in Dedicated Side B, which is genuinely great as a standalone album. "Let's Sort the Whole Thing Out" probably wouldn't have fit on last year's proper Dedicated record, but it would have been one of the best tracks on there anyway. Jepsen's willingness to dial up the cheese factor often turns into one of her greatest strengths, as it does on this song, which floats along a deliciously catchy teeny bopper melody.
Carpool - "The Salty Song (Erotic Nightmare Summer)"
This song is pop punk at its finest. If that sneering delivery of the hook's line, "You're next to me, and I'm so fuckin' salty" doesn't get you, then you're a lost cause.
Charmer - "Wolf Fang Fist"
Some of the best guitar music is happening over in the emo corner of the music landscape. This Charmer track has got some wonderfully twisty six-string work and math-y tempo shifts. Plus the title is a Dragon Ball Z reference, so that already had my goodwill before I even hit play.
Chris Crack - "Productively Stoned"
This year I discovered Chris Crack and quickly became overwhelmed by him constantly putting out new music. But for those willing to keep up, his quick and heavily soul-sampled songs can be a real treat.
Curren$y - "Riviera Beach [Extended Clip]" (feat. Boldy James & Conway the Machine)
I have not been keeping up with Curren$y's career since around the Pilot Talk days, but apparently that was a mistake, because it appears he's still reliably churning out laid back slick talk. This song rides on an excellent Harry Fraud beat with a prominent rolling bassline, and great guest verses from Boldy James and Conway the Machine.
Denzel Curry & Kenny Beats - "So.incredible.pkg"
Producer Kenny Beats' Youtube series The Cave is one of the most exciting things going in rap right now because not only does it give you a fun insight into the process of making beats and being in the studio, but it also teases some bigger collaborations you might see in the future. Last year, when Denzel Curry scorched the booth in his episode, everyone was itching for a full project with him and Kenny Beats. We got our wish this year with their Unlocked EP, which is a great display of both artists' versatility.
Disclosure - "Lavender" (feat. Channel Tres)
Disclosure bounced back in a big way after the sophomore slump they experienced on Caracal. Energy was a return to form with terrific UK garage songs like "Lavender" -- catchy, incessant, and danceable.
Dogleg - "Fox"
People really loved this Dogleg album, and while it's not fully in my wheelhouse, even I'm not crazy enough to deny the power of "Fox." That riffage makes me want to shout "let's open up the pit!"
Dua Lipa - "Levitating"
I'll probably get crucified for saying this, but I think Future Nostalgia is the most overrated album of the year. The songs are catchy, but the whole affair lacks personality and a point of view. Even the biggest bops can sound a little hollow without those elements. But I'll begrudgingly give "Levitating" some credit for being the best non-"Don't Start Now" track on the album.
Eastside Reup - "My Dawg" (feat. Sada Baby)
Get ready for this list to feature alot of Sada Baby guest verses. This tag team with the Eastside Reup crew is one of the many examples of what makes Detroit the most exciting scene in rap. Sada spits in the leadoff position and the momentum never lets up.
Empress Of - "Bit of Rain"
Empress Of is out here making incredible alt-pop and doing so largely under the radar. Don't miss out on her gorgeous voice and infectious grooves.
Empty Country - "Becca"
While I'd prefer it if Cymbals Eat Guitars was a band again, Joseph D'Agostino's new solo project Empty Country satisfied that hunger a little bit. Album highlight "Becca" shows that his penchant for stirring storytelling hasn't dulled one bit. The narrative, about a woman who purposefully passes out bogus protective glasses to people during an eclipse and leaves them blind, is so chilling.
Fiona Apple - "Rack of His"
Fiona Apple's excellent return after eight years away was a little more bare and wiry in terms of instrumentation, but she really cuts loose and unleashes that old school, gorgeously lush Fiona Apple sound on "Rack of His." It's utterly sublime.
Flo Milli - "Pussycat Doll"
Flo Milli's Ho, why is you here? served as an excellent introduction to one of rap's most exciting new talents. "Pussycat Doll" is just dripping with personality -- Flo Milli's bratty delivery commands your attention and her effortless way with hooks is something scary.
Frances Quinlan - "Your Reply"
On Hop Along songs, the raw power of Frances Quinlan's singular voice gets put on display frequently, but her solo album from earlier this year spotlighted how captivating her pipes are when she's more in the pocket. She performs some of the most fascinating deliveries and vocal phrasings on "Your Reply" that give it this livewire, unpredictable energy.
Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist - "Baby $hit"
When Freddie Gibbs is locked in, there are few people who can match the precision of his flow. And The Alchemist serves up the perfect beat for him to unleash on "Baby $hit."
Frisco - "Red Card" (feat. Jammer, JME, Shorty & Skepta)
It's very enjoyable to make fun of grime rappers because, let's admit it, rapping in a British accent is just inherently amusing. But sometimes you have to put the jokes aside and acknowledge when a grime song absolutely caves in your skull. And that's what we must do here with "Red Card," a song where 5 UK rappers perform an all-out attack on a wild beat that sounds like a hypnotized fire alarm. Cheers, mate.
The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick - "The Cat Stands on My Arm"
I'm most upset about not being able to find a spot on my top 20 list for Ways of Hearing, the debut album from The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick. They sound like no other band I've heard right now -- an holy mix of slowcore, indie rock from back when bands had seven members and one played the glockenspiel, and early Modest Mouse; all with vocals that sound like Tina from Bob's Burgers. "The Cat Stands on My Arm" shows the peak of their power, winding up and building to a transcendent catharsis.
Goodie Mob - "Pray 4 Da Sheep" (feat. Big Boi) & "No Cigar" (feat. Andre 3000)
If you squint hard enough, you can pretend there was an Outkast reunion this year. On back-to-back songs, Big Boi and Andre 3000 drop into the latest Goodie Mob album, sounding vibrant. And while they're not on the same track, hearing them in such close proximity -- especially with old Dungeon Family friends and Organized Noise production -- sure is special.
Grimes - "You'll miss me when I'm not around"
Even as somebody who wasn't as obsessed with Art Angels as the rest of the internet was, the new Grimes album was a pretty big disappointment. "You'll miss me when I'm not around" is fantastic though, mostly because the beat sounds like a cat.
Guitar Fight From Fooly Cooly - "Teens//candle"
Out of all the emo bands I tried out this year, Guitar Fight From Fooly Cooly was probably the one that excited me the most. Aside from the cool name and penchant for throwing random video game samples in their songs, their songs completely shred. "Teens//candle" is actually one of their least hyperactive tracks, but it taps into the band's level of intensity with bratty vocals and a sound that just crunches. It's hard to not hurt your neck banging along with it.
Halsey - "I'm Not Mad"
My road to becoming pro-Halsey started when I first found that she's half-black a couple of years ago, but "I'm Not Mad" turned me into a full convert.
Hamilton Leithauser - "Isabella"
With The Walkmen and in his solo efforts, Hamilton Leithauser has mastered the art of making songs to be listened to while leaning back and feeling content. "Isabella" taps into a sense of nostalgia that feels so comforting. It's beautiful stuff.
Helena Deland - "Clown Neutral"
I first became aware of Helena Deland when she sang the hook on one of the songs on JPEGMAFIA's album last year, and her own music is way different but very interesting. I love the quiet intensity of "Clown Neutral."
Icewear Vezzo - "Two Hands" (feat. Sada Baby)
The best thing about getting into Sada Baby is discovering all of the Detroit emcees who rap with almost the same amount of reckless abandon and the same style of elastic flow.
The Japanese House - "Dionne" (feat. Justin Vernon)
Aside from Sada Baby, nobody was slaying features as consistently as Justin Vernon in 2020. His best guest appearance didn't even come on his two songs with Taylor Swift, but on "Dionne" by The Japanese House. He pairs perfectly with Amber Rain's voice and style, giving a vintage Bon Iver hook that sounds huge and gorgeous.
Jojo - "Gold"
As someone who was 12 years old when "Leave (Get Out)" was tearing up the TRL countdown, I'll always root for Jojo. She's finally aged into the sensual adult R&B she was always meant to make, and "Gold" shows she's still damn good at it.
Kehlani - "Everybody Business"
It feels like maybe the world is starting to underrate Kehlani. She makes this brand of classic sounding R&B at such a steady clip that it's easy to overlook, but that kind of skill and consistency is special.
Kero Kero Bonito - "It's Bugsnax!"
Even when they're making a song for a video game, Kero Kero Bonito just don't miss. They've mastered the art of crafting songs that are silly and wholesome, but still catchy and sneakily moving. And nobody fits in weird things like the pan flute sounding instrument on "It's Bugsnax!" the way they do.
Knope - "Holy Water"
An Exercise in Patience, this year's EP from Knope, has an immediacy to it that reels you in. Those thin, colorful guitar lines on "Holy Water" sound fantastic.
Megan Thee Stallion - "What's New"
That beat, that level of swagger, that hook. It's Megan Thee Stallion's world and we're just living in it.
No Thank You - "Strange & Wonderful"
I love a good under-two-minute song and this is one of the best of the year. A catchy, bite-sized treat with massive guitars.
OG Louie the XIII - "Percs" (feat. Sada Baby)
This is basically a Sada Baby song and it's one of his best. Highlight line: "I never robbed nann nigga, never needed to. And if that bitch really loved you, she would be with you."
Oolong - "Dude, It's Painfully Obvious"
The debut album from this Long Island emo skate punk band can get a little grating if you listen to it straight through, but there are moments like this song that hit like a ton of bricks. "Dude, It's Painfully Obvious" is in constant movement, fitting about seven different songs in five and a half minutes, and they all rule.
Orla Garland - "oh GOD"
For some people, there's no turn off that's more immediate than hearing the phrase "YouTube musician," but don't let that keep you from getting into Orla Gartland, whose Freckle Season EP provided constant joy. Her voice is powerful and clear as a bell on "oh GOD," where she's also able to display a surprising depth in even her simpler arrangements.
Pictures of Vernon - "A Little Warmer"
I didn't fully get around to Pictures of Vernon's album Bug until a few weeks ago, but I love "A Little Warmer," which makes a great argument for the catchy pleasures that emo and pop punk music are providing in ways most other genres aren't.
Polo G - "Go Stupid" (feat. NLE Choppa & Stunna 4 Vegas)
The most apt song title of the year.
Retirement Party - "Ebb"
At first, Runaway Dog was a giant disappointment to me. I was a massive fan of Retirement Party's last album Somewhat Literate, and this follow-up felt like a complete rejection of everything that made its predecessor so special. Over the year I've grown to appreciate the new record on its own merits quite a bit, and the thicker sound of the album works well, especially on "Ebb."
Rina Sawayama - "XS"
There's a rising nu-metal revival going on in pop music, and as awful as it sounds on paper, I'm totally here for it, especially with a song like "XS," which goes the extra mile and mixes it with an acoustic guitar strum that sounds straight out of Justin Timberlake's "Like I Love You."
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - "Cameo"
Having three guitarists may seem like overkill, but Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever always use it to give their songs extra oomph. On "Cameo," they take a slightly different route from their usual ping-ponging guitar interplay to do more of a slow build, which makes that hook hit like a tsunami when it comes.
Sauce Twinz - "Big Drip Squad" (feat. Sada Baby & Sauce Gohan)
The fun energy of this song is infectious enough, but then the video takes it to a whole new level. What a blast.
Sheff G - "Tip Toe" (feat. Sleepy Hallow)
I don't keep up with the Brooklyn drill scene much, but that "Tip Toe Through the Tulips" sample is undeniable, and Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow stomp all over it.
Silverbacks - "Muted Gold"
Fad, the debut album from Irish quintet Silverbacks, excellently traffics in the kind of guitar rock that was popular in the UK in the mid 2000s, but on "Muted Gold" they put on their Talking Heads hats and sound just as amazing doing that.
Snarls - "Burst"
It's hard to nail down Snarls' sound -- many of their songs sound a little shoegaze, but much cleaner. Whatever you want to classify it as, "Burst" is a cavernous tune, with those chugging guitars, starting quiet and then just exploding.
Sosamann - "Sauce & Season" (feat. Sada Baby)
Detroit rap is currently characterized by lots of chintzy sounding, bare bones beats, but the rare occasion where somebody raps over something smooth always slaps.
Slayter - "Louis V Umbrella" (feat. Sada Baby)
Another Detroit rap song, another show-stealing Sada Baby verse. Highlight line: "Shoot him in his head, make him leak his true feelings."
Tay B - "Can't Make This Up"
The "two minutes of rapping with no hook" format is having a real renaissance, and I'm as happy as can be about it.
Thank You, I'm Sorry - "Menthol Flavored Oatmeal"
When you hear "I want to go back to being 10" on "Menthol Flavored Oatmeal," it doesn't sound like a twee fantasy. It's a desperate plea. Thank You, I'm Sorry lay out the anxieties of being broke and unhappy in your 20s all over their album I'm Glad We're Friends, but this track is the most effective evocation of those ideas.
Tobe Nwigwe - "Father Figure" (feat. Black Thought & Royce Da 5'9")
Tobe Nwigwe brings out the big guns on "Father Figure" and holds his own well. Still, Black Thought steals the show, absolutely crushing his verse in the middle of the song.
The Winter Passing - "Crybaby"
The Winter Passing sound a little bit like Los Campesinos! More bands should sound like Los Campesinos!
Yaeji - "MONEY CAN'T BUY" (feat. Nappy Nina)
What We Drew 우리가 그려왔던 had an excellent blend of mellow, wispy vocals and bouncy hip hop beats, and its best song "MONEY CAN'T BUY" is the apex of those two disparate elements coming together.
Young Jesus - "Pattern Doubt"
Over half of the songs on Welcome to Conceptual Beach eclipse the six-minute mark, but the richest and most expansive song on the album gets it done in three and a half minutes. Without feeling overcrowded, it travels through so many movements, layering twinkly keys, saxophone, and stabbing guitar chords until the song is swirling with hypnotic beauty.
Young Nudy - "Cap Dem"
Even when he's not working with Pi'erre Bourne, Young Nudy is one of the best beat selectors working right now. And he's slowly proving himself to be a capable rapper too -- I love the way he just floats over this zoned-out production.
Your Old Droog - "Pravda" (feat. Black Thought, El-P, Mach-Hommy, and Tha God Fahim)
Rap trends come and go, but listening to five dudes calmly ether a low-key, dusty beat will never get old.
Yves Tumor - "Kerosene!"
Heaven To a Tortured Mind was probably the acclaimed album that bounced off of me the most this year, but I'm smart enough to know a brilliant song when I hear it. There's no equivocating you can do about "Kerosene!" It's a five minute, guitar scorching masterpiece.
If you want to listen to all of these songs in one place, they can be found in the Spotify playlist below.
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