REVIEW: Our Top 5 Albums Of 2020
REVIEW: Our Top 5 Albums Of 2020
This year may have sucked, but the new music didn’t
Words by: Sarah Aurora
2020 has been a year for the history books — between wild fires and killer bees all wrapped in a deadly pandemic that effectively shut down much of the world, 2020 can kindly go F-itself. However, what didn’t suck with the abundance of new music that graced our airwaves. Over the course of the year — pandemic be damned — artists have been releasing smash hits and bops that have been flooding our playlists. There were so many incredible albums to come out of 2020 that it’s near impossible to pick a favorite — so we picked five to highlight.
2020 saw the massive gain in popularity for TikTok, which included the rise of TikTok artists. TikTok created a new, innovative way for fans to consume new music at high volumes without being overwhelming. We found so many incredible artists that we had to make an entirely new segment, TikTok Tuesday, featuring some of our favorites — one of which includes the incredible Lizzy McAlpine. Following her rise in popularity on the app, she released her first full-length album Give Me A Minute. This album is the anthem for lost souls — filled with indie gems that will break your heart over and over again.
The stand-out single from the album “Pancakes For Dinner” is a testament to unrequited feelings and the fear of rejection- all tied up in a dreamy little package. Lizzy’s smooth vocals, charming acoustic guitar, and relatable lyrics make this track the masterpiece that it is. It’s wonderfully infectious and remarkably melancholy. “Same Boat” is a bit of a hidden track that hasn’t seen enough spotlight. It’s beautifully written, with a twinkling piano line and beautifully sad lyrics about a relationship revisited. Featuring a stunning choir-like backing vocals and a picture painted of snow, mountains, and the northern lights — “Same Boat” is absolutely stunning.
If there’s one group that knows how to keep fans on their toes — it’s 5 Seconds Of Summer. Each of their releases develops their sound on every level and CALM is no exception. Their 2018 release Youngblood was a revolution for the band’s sound — taking them from pop-punk to a more hard-hitting electro pop-rock. CALM goes the extra mile- bringing in bedroom pop and 80’s rock influences to give them a new edge.
“Easier” was the first single to precede the release and it caught fans off guard with its industrial pop undertones and sky-high vocals. It was followed by “Teeth”– a darker, electric track with a hard-hitting beat and spine-tingling vocals. One stand-out track from the album that never saw a single release is “Lover of Mine”– a piano led mid-tempo track. As usual, Luke Hemmings’ vocals are on full display- but with lyrics like,“When I take a look at my life/And all of my crimes/You’re the only thing that I think I got I right,” this track is impossible to ignore. The band have seen many improvements since their debut, but CALM is a phenomenal display of their lyrical growth.
Halo of Hurt from Seahaven– After a two-and-a-half year hiatus, Seahaven made their resurgence with their hauntingly beautiful album, Halo of Hurt. It’s an incredibly powerful album that tells a heartbreaking story of anxiety, depression, and deterioration. With the tones of each piece bleeding almost seamlessly into the next- Halo of Hurt is truly a piece of musical storytelling.
“Moon” was one of the first singles to be released in anticipation for the album. The overlapping vocals and dissonant chords make you feel like you’re spinning, while the darker undertones add to the creeping fear and anxiety this track represents. “I Don’t Belong Here” is a bass-heavy track that solidifies the downward spiral of emotions detailed by the rest of the release. The stand-out element that gives this track its allure is a massive tonal shift halfway through that meshes the front and back ends of the album. With both powerful lyricism and an ever-changing instrumental, “I Don’t Belong Here” paints a crystal clear picture of depression. “Bait” serves as the relief of this emotionally charged album- it’s ethereal and haunting, like you’ve finally fallen asleep after so many restless nights. Beautifully raw with a silky smooth instrumental- “Bait” is an emo-rock ballad to hold onto.
Rapper Machine Gun Kelly made a major departure from his usual sound with the release of Tickets to my Downfall. In full collaboration with Blink 182’s Travis Barker — Tickets to my Downfall caused quite the stir in the music world. A long time lover of the pop-punk genre, MGK dove head first into creating this punk rock infused album that was heavily inspired by his 2019 single, “I Think I’m Okay.” His collaborations with Blink 182 and his appearance in the Mötley Crüe biopic The Dirt served as a major turning point for his sound, resulting in Tickets to my Downfall.
Cleverly titled, “title track” is a fantastic start to the album that incorporates classic punk stylings and lyrics. The lead single “bloody valentine” was a smash hit that brought fans into the new world that Machine Gun Kelly was creating — and brought MGK a VMA Moonman. While Barker was a major contributor, he wasn’t the only popular artist to lend a hand. Artists like Halsey, YUNGBLUD, Trippie Redd and even The Used’s Bert McCracken lended their vocals to the album, along with a stand-out collaboration with blackbear titled “my ex’s best friend.” While MGK has made a name for himself within the rap genre, the ‘Wild Boy’ loud mouth may be sticking around the punk world for just a while longer — especially knowing how much mayhem his infiltration caused.
Conan Gray went from being a YouTube sensation to one of the biggest new artist debut of 2020. His new album Kid Krow debuted impressively at number five on the Billboard 200 Chart — citing Taylor Swift and Lorde as major inspirations, while also casting a sound that is uniquely his own. His tenor vocals and beautifully sad lyrics are what set him apart — earning him the title of “the pop prince of sad internet teens”.
“The Story” was the first single to serve as a preview for the full release and it’s the closing track for the album. It’s a charming ballad that speaks on the unfortunate effects society has on young love — including a testament to the LGBTQ experience. “Wish You Were Sober” was a surprise single release that came just two days before the full drop and it is an upbeat, party anthem that’s right out of a coming of age film. However, the gem from this album is “Heather” — a hauntingly tragic piece about watching someone you love, love someone else. “Heather” took social media by storm and is Gray’s highest grossing track to date.
A year of ups, downs, and everything in between, 2020 is one to remember — even if we’d rather forget. Despite everything, we can still look back and cite the music of this year as some of the best moments. Bring it on 2021 — but please be gentle.
