About 20 years ago or so, I recognized that my musical tastes had become frozen during my high school / college years and that I was always going back to my favorite artists from decades ago. It began to feel oddly coincidental that the best music ever written all happened when I was growing up. So I decided to start actually listening to what was popular and current. I started by getting recommendations from my kids, then from the professional music sites that were springing up all over the internets. And I found out that with a little effort, I could really enjoy new music and fresh voices, and as a result, I have gradually replaced all my Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel mix tapes.
So what constitutes a “best song?” I have only one criterion — if I listen to a song 10 times and I am still saying, wow, that was fun, let’s do it again, it goes on my list. Some of my picks are complex and challenging, some are mind-numbingly banal. Not everyone loves my choices — my daughter once told me one of my picks was “the worst song she had ever heard.” But that won’t stop me — it’s my list.
And BTW, the concept of a “year” is pretty fluid here. Mostly it means that I heard the song for the first time between November-ish and October-ish during the year in question. Technically, some of the songs were released earlier, and probably wouldn’t qualify in a Grammy rules challenge. But again — hey, it’s my list.
2020 was a challenging year, ya think? Defined by a pandemic, hurricanes, wildfires, social unrest, economic collapse, a bitterly contested election, with 2 impeachments as bookends. We need our artists especially to help us navigate through these difficult times, to focus on what’s important, or just to give us an excuse to escape. Musicians this pandemic year were forced to create new musical forms defined by their isolation. And I was blessed with more time to seek out my favorite songs than in any previous year. My list this year grew to over 50 selections. But after a painful winnowing process, here are the songs, in no particular order, that I’ve most enjoyed in 2020, with Youtube links.
- 4 American Dollars (U.S. Girls) Meg Remy bounced around from Illinois to Oregon to Toronto for a decade or so, changing personnel with each move. This year a few of the songs from her album Heavy Light really grabbed me — and this one was my favorite. Coincidentally 4AD is her new record label.
- In My Room (Tatiana Hazel) Tatiana Hazel was a struggling singer from Chicago. She decided to pull up stakes and move to Los Angeles to pursue her dream. This song tells the story of her move (no, it’s not about an ex-boyfriend).
- Mess With My Head (Miranda Lambert) Despite dominating the country / western charts for many years, Miranda Lambert was unsure whether she could handle a rock n roll song. I’m pretty sure she pulled it off.
- Sleeping Me Awake (James Elkington) This song is frustrating for any amateur guitarist. Elkington makes the lyrical finger-pick seem so effortless. God I hate that.
- Bad Tattoo (Ulysses) British group Ulysses laments the bad decisions we all make and wish we could go back and fix.
- I Think You Oughta Try Whiskey (Corb Lund and Jaida Dreyer) Whether or not you consider yourself a country / western fan, you will find yourself singing along with this one, even against your better judgment.
- Riding Solo (Hinds) This all-girl group from Madrid, Spain, grabbed our attention again this year by pulling their usual trick of throwing dissonance like a monkey wrench into an otherwise infectious tune.
- Blackbird (Bettye LaVette) Another remake. In which Bettye LaVette smacks us in the face with what McCartney was actually trying to say. In case you missed it the first time.
- 100% Yes (Melt Yourself Down) London-based Melt Yourself Down consists of 2 saxophones, one bass guitar, 2 percussionists, one vocalist, mixed with lots of techno-synth. I had initially picked a different song from the 100% Yes album as one of my favorites, then I heard this.
- Renegade Breakdown (Marie Davidson & L’Œil Nu) So is this a song or performance art? Does it matter? Marie doesn’t even start singing until the 2:30 mark, and then it’s in FRENCH! Try listening a few times, and then try stopping. “Your party sucks anyway, Donald.” Welcome to Canada.
- Hallelujah (Haim) These 3 sisters, valley girls from Southern California, keep grabbing us with these little gems. Well, anyway, I think they’re pretty good.
- Everything Else Has Gone Wrong (Bombay Bicycle Club) The resurrected British group proves that they’re not dead yet.
- On My Own (Shamir) My daughter’s favorite.
- With My Own Two Hands (Playing for Change) Written a decade ago, recorded a few years ago by international artists under the auspices of Playing for Change — this one celebrates the spirit of our GOTV effort in 2020 and reflects my optimism going into 2021.
OK, that’s it for now. Hope you find something here that makes you smile.
If you think I’ve missed something, let me know in the comments. Like I could stop you.