Thanks to a lot of time on my hands, a wide array of selection, and fluctuating moods throughout the year, I was able to listen to a lot more music than I usually do. Not just songs either: entire albums and playlists on repeat for days or weeks. Additionally, in June I re-launched the “What I’m Listening To” segment from my old YouTube onto the blog to keep track of my music every month. Thanks to that and a general knowledge of what really played well all year, I’ve narrowed down my list to 50 songs, and had to make albums an entire list of its own. I found the songs across every music platform I’m on—Spotify, Pandora, YouTube—as well as finding new favorites by old perennials.

The Rules of The List:

• The song does not need to have been released in 2020 but listened/loved by me during this year (for the first time).
• Only one song per artist – an exception will be made for collaborations or features.
• Rather than ordering the songs in their order of release or by genre, I’m going to put them alphabetically by artist.
• Instead of a reason (because then this would be really long), I’ll be posting some of my favorite lyrics from the song which might explain why it is here.

Without further ado, let’s begin!

1. “All You Wanna Do” by Aimie Atkinson from Six: The Musical ~ We have a real connection / I’m sure this time is different
2. “Bang!” by AJR ~ Put quinoa in my fridge, still I’m not feeling grown
3. “Monsters” by All Time Low feat. blackbear ~ So, tell me pretty lies, look me in my face / Tell me that you love me, even if it’s fake
4. “Bad Guy” by Ankor ~ Even if you know that you don’t / Own me, I’ll let you play the role
5.  “Toxic” by Archimia ~ As heard in the December 2019 trailer for Promising Young Woman.
6. “Moral of the Story” by Ashe ~ I said, “Young people fall in love / With the wrong people sometimes”
7. “Hi, It’s Me” by Ashnikko ~ I say no more, it’s over, it’s all about me and what I want
8. “F2020” by Avenue Beat ~ Can we just get to 2021? (Please)
9. “girlfriend” by Bea Miller ~ Don’t get your hopes up about me, no, no
10. “Supalonely” by BENEE feat. Gus Dapperton ~ Now I’m in the sad club, just tryna get a backrub (Lonely)
11. “No Time to Die” by Billie Eilish ~ Was it obvious to everybody else / That I’d fallen for a lie?
12. “Vienna” by Billy Joel ~ Take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while
13. “WAP” by Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion ~ I don’t cook, I don’t clean / But let me tell you how I got this ring (ayy, ayy)
14. “Tights on My Boat” by The Chicks ~ I hope you die peacefully in your sleep / Just kidding, I hope it hurts like you hurt me
15. “What’s My Name” by China Anne Mclain, Thomas Doherty, and Dylan Playfair from Descendants 2. ~ Never learned how to count ‘cause I’m number one
16. “Heather” by Conan Gray ~ Put your arm ’round her shoulder, now I’m getting colder
17.  “Rules” by Doja Cat ~ That’s my ego that you stroking
18. “Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa ~ Did the heartbreak change me? Maybe
19. “New Me” by Ella Eyre ~ Think you talk smart, but it’s just noise (Oh, oh, yeah)
20. “Shelter” by FINNEAS ~ There’s nowhere else, that I’d rather be than with you
21. “Bitter” by FLETCHER feat. Kito ~ I bet you sugarcoat the truth, I bet you’re real sweet with her, yeah
22. “If You Love Her” by Forest Blakk ~ She’s the best thing that you’ll ever have
23. “killing boys” by Halsey ~ ‘Cause I don’t need you anymore, ooh whoa
24. “Better by Myself” by Hey Violet ~ Feels like you’re just wasting me away
25. “i wasn’t enough for you (acoustic)” by Hollyn ~ Not wishin’ the best ’cause I wasn’t for you
26. “Why Did It Have To Be Me?” by Josh Dylan, Lily James, and Hugh Skinner from Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again ~ I only wanted a little love affair / Now I can see you are beginning to care
27. “Happy” by Julia Michaels ~ And sometimes I think I kill relationships for art
28. “the other girl” by Kelsea Ballerini with Halsey ~ Who’s gonna put on the red dress? / Scarlet letter on her chest
29. “Cowboy Blues” by Kesha ~ Did I fuck my whole life up? / Did I miss my one true love?
30. “All for Us” by Labyrinth and Zendaya ~ My love is infinite, I’m giving it
31. “Die from a Broken Heart” by Maddie & Tae ~ I wanna kick myself for falling so hard
32. “Therapist” by Mae Muller ~ But you want somebody that will hold your shit together
33. “Charlie” by Mallrat ~ All I wanna do is see you when I get home
34. “Beetlejuice” by Mariah the Scientist ~ Admit you never even loved me / And my heart will never skip a beat
35. “Midnight Sky” by Miley Cyrus ~ I don’t need to be loved by you
36. “Make a Shadow” by Meg Myers ~ Little, I want to be a kid again
37. “Lonely” by Noah Cyrus ~ Oh, please someone help me
38. “Love Myself” by Olivia O’Brien ~ I don’t need to have a solid plan yet
39. “Girls in Bikinis” by Poppy ~ I see you in my dreams / Slow motion movie scenes
40. “Make You Mine – Acoustic” by PUBLIC ~ You know that I want to be with you all the time
41. “Gimme a Minute” by PVRIS ~ Wish I could tell you but I won’t / You should know but you don’t
42. “Satisfied” by Renée Elise Goldsberry from Hamilton ~ I know my sister like I know my own mind / You will never find anyone as trusting or as kind
43. “Lie” by Sasha Sloan ~ Touch me like you did in the beginning
44. “Sway With Me” by Saweetie & GALXARA ~ Break up a piece of your heart / Sell it for, sell it for, sell it for money and cars
45.  “illicit affairs” by Taylor Swift ~ You taught me a secret language / I can’t speak with anyone else
46. “Crush” by Tessa Violet ~ And when I’m with you I turn all shades of pink
47.  “Heartless” by The Weeknd ~ Never need a bitch, I’m what a bitch need
48. “Wait a Minute!” by WILLOW ~ I think I left my conscience on your front door step
49. “Cough Syrup” by Young the Giant ~ I’m losing my mind losing my mind losing control
50. “Señorita, Back to Black, Goosebumps Mash-up” by YUNGBLUD in the BBC Live Lounge ~ I get those goosebumps every time you come around / because we only said goodbye with words, I died a hundred times, you go back to her and I go / I love it when you call me señorita

* Honorable Mention: “Cherry Wine (Live)” by Hozier hit different in 2020.

This has been an amazing year for musical discoveries and enjoyment. Even though I’ve been stuck inside for the vast majority of time, I’ve found ways to connect with others through songs and albums, and the time passed by with so many of these tunes in the background. I’m hopeful that 2021 will be even better—musically that is.