It has been a confounding year for the planet and music has offered us the opportunity to reflect upon the global situation and escape from reality with ease.
It has been an incredibly challenging year for the music world as the juggernaut of the Covid-19 pandemic does not seem to stop. It is getting harder for the audiences to tour different cities and are pretty unsure about releasing their albums that are already completed and are slated to be dropped. During the summer, the movement called Black Lives Matter prompted a long-overdue conversation. It is about the racial oppression that is faced head-on by the music industry. Finally, in June, it was decided by Grammy to remove the word ‘urban’ from their categories for awards.
It is a very fitting situation for such a turbulent year as no theme would unify the best albums for this year. People have reflected upon the year as a distraction that is welcomed. Five popular tracks dominated the streaming platforms and radio and let us just put some light on the best LP’s of this very testing year.
Best Albums for the year 2020
Fetch the Bolt Cutters– Fiona Apple
Fiona Apple got inspired by the use of the early single Criminal in the hit crime film last year Hustlers that primed her world for a comeback but the track ‘Fetch the Bolt Cutters’ has been received rapturously. The song is named after the line that has already been delivered by in the Fall which is a BBC mini-series by Gillian Anderson. The art-pop album is thrillingly idiosyncratic that is mostly recorded at home by Apple. The song-writing is beguiling and explores the various thorny issues like bullying, sexual violence, and depression but the humor is not lost by her.
Ungodly Hour– Chloe x Halle
It is a great album by the twin sisters Halle and Chloe Bailey who has offered modern sounds of R&B in the most serene and sleek fashion. The track is produced by Beyonce as she discovered the duo on the major trending platform YouTube. She also signed them to the avant-garde label ‘Parkwood Entertainment’ and it has been a self-confident and cool affair that has broken the monotony with great vocal harmonies and syncopated beats. One can also find sounds of UK garage and classic blues. The track signals a great future for the Bailey sisters as Hailey has been cast as Ariel in the upcoming remake of ‘The Little Mermaid’ by Disney and serious production chops are shown by Chloe.
Rough and Rowdy Ways– Bob Dylan
The maiden album by Dylan in eight years has got original songs that are rich in poetry and it is based on his mythology, death, and life. The album has got an epic track titled ‘Murder Most Foul’ which is 17- minute long where he explores JFK’s assassination that has a cultural impact with moments of levity. Dylan even went on to compare himself with Indiana Jones and Anna Frank in the opening track ‘I Contain Multitudes’. The 79-year-old voice has got weariness and he has not made any attempt to disguise that. This fact has only heightened his power as the tracks are transcendent, bluesy, and folky.
Future Nostalgia– Dua Lipa
As the pandemic tightened its grip in March, this stellar pop album has been released as the fans are swept off their feet. The pains were partied away in the isolation of the homes. The debut by Lipa in the year 2017 was an attempt to cover every base, this album is a follow-up that has got a sharp execution and an overreaching concept. The architect of the title track is John Lautner but there are other smart touches. The guitar riffs are lifted by the cleverly sung ‘Break My Heart’ and also in the number ‘Need You Tonight’. There have been thumping sounds of power pop in ‘Physical’ more like the movie songs of the 1980s.
Róisín Machine – Róisín Murphy
Róisín Murphy from Ireland has been a consistent solo artist after 2004 before which he was one half of the electronic duo Moloko. This is the best album by her and since ‘Overpowered’ was released in 2007, it has been the most accessible. All the beats are driven by the deep-rooted love of Murphy and her innate understanding of the club culture. The album is produced by Richard Barratt with tracks like ‘We Got Together’ and ‘Murphy’s Law’. A sweat-drenched and electrifying head rush is created that is the forte of the singer.
RTJ4– Run the Jewels
A week after an impassioned speech was delivered by Killer Mike of ‘Run The Jewels’ at a rally in Atlanta of Black Lives Matter, a protest album is dropped this year by the hip hop duo. A well-judged cameo is featured from Mavis Staple and Pharrell Williams as RTJ4 is a call-to-arms that is against the ingrained racism, the rigged class system of America, and police brutality. It is an understatement to say that the results are timely. The killing of Eric Garner in 2014 has references in ‘Snow’ as he was placed in a deadly chokehold by police and also foreshadows the murder of George Floyd in a barbaric manner. The album came out just nine days after and draws strong references to the incidents.
Sawayama – Rina Sawayama
The singer is a British musician who is Japanese-born and studied sociology, psychology, and politics at Cambridge University. She had a dazzling debut in the year 2020 and she is very much inspired by pop heroines Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears and reputed nu-metal bands like Limp Bizkit. The album is very hard-hitting as she has hopped genres that have got great ideas. She has called out on racial microaggressions as she celebrated the queer support network on the track ‘Chosen Family’ and traditional gender roles are subverted in ‘Comme des Garçons’. The artist is uniquely captivating who demands the entire attention of the audience.
Kitchen Sink – Nadine Shah
The British singer and song-writer have explored the refugee crisis of Syria and mental health issues in his previous albums. But this album, ‘Kitchen Sink’ is the best work as of now. He has been inspired by his family friends and it is an insightful indictment of the various reductive that is imposed on the women by society as they reach their thirties. The track ‘Ladies for Babies’ has got post-punk sounds with a melancholic atmosphere created in ‘Prayer Mat’. Shah has produced compelling lyrics that provoke the audience to listen.
Folklore – Taylor Swift
Eight albums are written and recorded by Taylor Swift during the isolation this year. The previous LP by her between 2012’s ‘Red’ to 2019’s ‘Lover’ she has grappled and embraced pop with a public image that is fluctuating. But the album, ‘Folklore’ is like introspection and very much self-contained. The album is produced largely by Aaron Dessner from the very popular rock band called ‘The National’. The wistful record is based on indie-folk and ahs got poignant lyrics and wrenching melodies by Swift. The track ‘Invisible String’ is fabulous and the stunning album proves her mettle as a great songwriter in the all-time list.
Best Tracks for the year 2020
WAP – Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion
A massive punch is packed by ‘WAP’ as it continues to bring in great sounds by the brilliant rapper Cardi B and it also features Megan Thee Stallion. The couplets used in the track are fabulous and amps up the hip hop quotient with a catchy hook. The track has been a chartbuster and created spaces for many female artists.
Midnight Sky– Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus has recorded tracks ranging from psychedelic rock to R&B but she has reinvented herself with the track ‘Midnight Sky’. The track has got new-age wave beats of the 80s with the shimmering synths. It is a break-up song that is brilliantly defiant and has got the husky voice and dramatic power of Cyrus.
Rain on Me – Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande
In the streaming era, it is quite common that collaboration has taken place between A-list artists. But the track ‘Rain On Me’ is on a different level altogether and it is like an event record. It is like a celebration of tears and aptly described by Lady Gaga as the house beats are charged with numerous emotions. The angelic vocal by Ariana Grande is brilliantly complemented by the gritty tones of Gaga. The pop track ‘Rain On Me’ is a perfect song that is all about accepting moments of life that are less than perfect.
Black Dog– Arlo Parks
The track ‘Black Dog’ is inspired by the experiences of depressions by a close friend and it is the most affecting and tender song for this year. The track has got brilliant sounds of acoustic guitars as a musical hug is extended by Parks that is very moving. The twinkly chorus is brilliantly sung by Parks and it has struck a chord with the audience when they are feeling lonely and greatly suppressed by the isolations.
Natalie Don’t – RAYE
The track is a peppy number that has got disco-pop vibes and it is very similar to songwriting chops by Ellie Golding and Beyonce. It is a stunning performance by the rising star from Britain and the audiences are going crazy and rooting for her. There are oodles of self-confidence in Natalie Don’t as the track ‘RAYE’ slips very much in the canny zone. She is a great artist and the fans have already bookmarked her.
Watermelon Sugar – Harry Styles
The track has soft touches of funk that are infectious and hooks on to the psyche of the audience. There is a sultry breeziness in the track ‘Watermelon Sugar’ and Harry Style’s music has appealed enormously to an eclectic audience. The highlight of the track is that it has soothed the stress levels of the entire globe. He has got an effortless, languid, and laid-back approach that stands out from the rest.
Blinding Lights – The Weeknd
The year 2020 is going to be dominated by the track ‘Blinding Lights’ and although it came in the year 2019 it has already spent 33 weeks in Billboard Hot 100 and ranked in the top 5. The song has broken many records and it is co-produced and co-written by Max Martin who is a songwriting genius from Sweden. The shimmering synth-pop has got a contemporary and retro feel. The track has received a brilliant response from the fans and has got an explosive and uplifting chorus. There is an addictive dash in the track that makes it a stunning spectacle.