2020 Top 7—Music

Happy new year everyone! Although 2020 is over, I’m still grateful for the music that was one of my greatest sources of comfort throughout the year. Without further ado, here are my 7 favorite albums that I regularly listened to in 2020!

#7—Fine Line by Harry Styles (2019)

Harry Styles’s sophomore album has been praised by fans and critics, and with good reason. Full of delightful, impossible-not-to-sing numbers such as “Watermelon Sugar” and “Canyon Moon,” Styles provides a fresh sound that forces a smile upon the listener’s face. However, Styles also juxtaposes his cheerful songs with ballads of unrequited love like “Cherry,” which are just as good. This mix does not, however, save the album from its biggest flaw: many of the songs sound the same. Sorry Harry! Nevertheless, the album was still one of my favorites to listen to this year, and I recommend it for anyone who wants to smile.

#6—Manic by Halsey (2020)

I’ll say it right off the bat: Halsey’s Manic was totally robbed when it received no Grammy nominations this year. The album is full of incredible lyricism and deeply vulnerable songs, some of which are much more relatable than I’d like them to be. Unfortunately, Manic also offers several interludes and even some full songs that don’t add anything special, but overall this very personal and entertaining album is worth the listen.

#5—evermore by Taylor Swift (2020)

All hail Taylor Swift, the queen of 2020! This album was a surprise for Swift’s fans when she released it in mid-December. Even though it was a latecomer in the year of music, evermore‘s enrapturing stories and Swift’s simple but powerful vocals make the album one to remember. My favorite tracks are “ivy,” “long story short,” and “champagne problems,” which are very different from one another but all three have—as do the rest of the songs on the album—Swift’s signature, unbeatable lyricism.

#4—1 by The Beatles (2000)

This album was not a normal release by The Beatles, but instead it is a collection of their number one songs and it is wonderful. With widely beloved hits like “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “Eleanor Rigby,” the band’s lyrical genius, upbeat melodies, and iconic sound shines through on 1. This album truly showed me why The Beatles are considered one of the best music groups of all time, and I am officially a fan.

#3—Falsettos (2016 Broadway Cast Recording) (2016)

Most of you probably haven’t heard of this musical, which originated on Broadway in 1992 and was revived with an iconic new cast in 2016. The show follows a gay man named Marvin as he deals with the fallout of leaving his wife and son to be with his new lover. The convoluted and love-filled relationships in this show are intoxicating, but the music is even more so. The album includes many delightful numbers such as “This Had Better Come to a Stop” and “Everyone Hates His Parents,” but the second act introduces a poignant conflict that leaves me sobbing over the sounds of “What Would I Do?” and “Unlikely Lovers.” Balancing humor, heartbreak, and love, Falsettos is one of my favorite musical theatre shows of all time. And I mean, with an opening number titled “Four Jews in a Room B**ching” who could not be intrigued by this show?

#2—Newsies (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (2012)

If you ask any member of my household what I did during quarantine, they would undoubtedly mention my Newsies obsession. For over a month, this musical was all I could talk about, and with its rousing music and a slew of lovable characters, the filmed version of this show (which is available on Disney+) almost made my top 7 movies list. The soundtrack provides Alan Menken’s iconic musical style along with some delightful solo ballads and exquisite harmonies throughout. In case it wasn’t totally clear by now, the newsboys have my whole heart, and so does this album.

#1—folklore by Taylor Swift (2020)

If you’re shocked that Taylor Swift’s eighth studio album tops this list, then you probably have never heard me talk about music. I’ve been a long-time fan of Swift, but folklore is my favorite album by her yet—no offense evermore, you just don’t pack the same punch. Swift’s incredible storytelling, magical instrumentals, and breathtaking vocals on folklore helped it skyrocket to the top of my list, with songs like “invisible string” and “cardigan” playing on repeat in my brain since July. The album’s opening and closing tracks are also two of my favorites; while the upbeat tones on “the 1” introduce a new attitude for Swift, her closer “hoax” is a hauntingly beautiful tale of finding the perfect person to be sad with. The best way I can describe listening to folklore is this: picture yourself wrapped in a warm fuzzy blanket, walking through a magical forest with a mug of hot chocolate warming your hands and tears—the good kind—streaming down your face. This stunning album dominated my 2020 playlists, and I have a feeling it will continue to warm my heart throughout 2021.

Honorable Mentions: Ungodly Hour by Chloe x Halle, Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa, Mean Girls (Original Broadway Cast Recording), Tickets To My Downfall by Machine Gun Kelly, Legends Never Die by Juice Wrld