I’m not going to write an essay about 2020. That’s been done elsewhere and I have nothing to add to the conversation. Though the three words that best describe you are as follows, and I quote, “stink, stank, stunk,” there were some bright spots. Here are 85 things that brought me joy. Happy New Year, everyone!
everything i wanted – Billie Eilish
WAP – Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion
deathbed (coffee for your head) – Powfu feat. Beabadoobee
Savage – Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé
Stay High – Brittany Howard
Dynamite – BTS
Shameika – Fiona Apple
Tap In – Saweetie feat. Post Malone, DaBaby & Jack Harlow
Delete Forever – Grimes
Mariners Apartment Complex – Lana Del Rey
Polyaneurism – of Montreal
Didn’t Want To Be This Lonely – Pretenders
Stupid Love – Lady Gaga
Call My Phone Thinking I’m Doing Nothing Better – the Streets feat. Tame Impala
Surrender – Will Butler
JU$T – Run the Jewels feat. Pharrell Williams & Zack De La Rocha
BLACK PARADE – Beyoncé
Lifetime – Romy
Fool’s Gold – Lucy Dacus
Identical – Phoenix
ilomilo – Billie Eilish
Hallelujah – HAIM
Quarantine Boogie (Loco) – Walter Martin
Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America – the 1975
Texas Sun – Khruangbin and Leon Bridges
Ghosts – Bruce Springsteen
Settling Down – Miranda Lambert
He Loves Me – Brittany Howard
Pictures of Flowers – Jess Williamson feat. Hand Habits
The Valley of the Pagans – Gorillaz featuring Beck
my future – Billie Eilish
hot girl bummer – Blackbear
Drinks – Cyn
I disappear in your arms – Christine & the Queens
Say So – Doja Cat
Sea Salt & Caramel – Dent May
Gaslighter – The Chicks
4 American Dollars – U.S. Girls
No Time to Die – Billie Eilish
Murder Most Foul – Bob Dylan
Lockdown – Anderson .Paak
When the Way Gets Dark – Lucinda Williams
Straight to the Morning – Hot Chip feat. Jarvis Cocker
Sleep at Night – The Chicks
Jason – Perfume Genius
Black Qualls – Thundercat feat. Steve Lacy & Steve Arrington
Smiley Face – Duck Sauce
Blinding Lights – the Weeknd
Country Radio – Indigo Girls
One and Done – Bright Eyes
Hole in the Bottle – Kelsea Ballerini with Shania Twain
Bluebird – Miranda Lambert
FTP – YG
You Can’t Rule Me – Lucinda Williams
Don’t Wanna – HAIM
Rager teenager! – Troye Sivan
SUGAR – BROCKHAMPTON
Bad Decisions – the Strokes
Miracle of Life – Bright Eyes feat. Phoebe Bridgers
Dora – Thierra Whack
On the Floor – Perfume Genius
Don’t Stop – Megan Thee Stallion feat. Young Thug
Front Lines – Conway the Machine
xanny – Billie Eilish
On My Own – Shamir
Without You – Perfume Genius
Why I Still Love You – Missy Elliott
The Streets Where I Belong – Annie
Leader of the Delinquents – Kid Cudi
Song 33 – Noname
Anthem – Father John Misty
Lilacs – Waxahatchee
Body Memory – Jess Cornelius
Come Thru – Summer Walker with Usher
Aries – Gorillaz feat. Peter Hook & Georgia
Riding Solo – Hinds
Cool Off – Missy Elliott
Sweeter – Leon Bridges feat. Terrace Martin
Video Game – Sufjan Stevens
Love Is a Drug – Empress Of
Kyoto – Phoebe Bridgers
ATM – Too Free
Momentary Bliss – Gorillaz feat. Slowthai and Slaves
Harlem River Blues – Steve Earle
In My Bones – Jacob Collier feat. Kimbra & Tank and the Bangas
Inspired by the May 30 birthdays of The Clash‘s Topper Headon, The Marvelettes’ Gladys Horton, Cee Lo Green, Stephen Malkmus, Rage Against the Machine/Audioslave’s Tom Morello, the Charlatans’ Tim Burgess, of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes, Devendra Banhart, Donna A., Benny Goodman and Remy Ma.
Inspired by the May 28 birthdays of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s John Fogerty, Gladys Knight, Fine Young Cannibals’ Roland Gift, Kylie Minogue, Adam Green, The Presidents of the United States of America’s Chris Ballew, the Caesar’s Cesar Vidal, Fam-Lay and Patricia Quinn.
Inspired by the April 13 birthdays of Al Green, Louis Johnson, Nellie McKay, Little Feat’s Lowell George, Bill Conti, Future Islands’ Samuel T. Herring, Lou Bega and Flamin’ Groovies’ Roy Loney.