2020 has been a tough year and for those of us who have made it through, we have music, in large part, to thank. From club-bangers we twerked to in our bedrooms to ballads that became the background music of our daily cries, artists gifted fans both an escape from reality as well as a true picture of life in a year that has been an emotional rollercoaster for us all.
Here are 30 tracks that made us feel something in 2020.
1. "Letter To Nipsey" — Meek Mill ft. Roddy Ricch
Meek Mill and Roddy Ricch debuted "Letter To Nipsey" at the 2020 Grammy Awards in January. The lyrics pay tribute to the late Nipsey Hussle, who was killed in March 2019. It's an open letter that touches on the stages of grief we all experience while still speaking to Meek and Roddy's personal heartache.
2. "The Bigger Picture" — Lil Baby
At a time when Black Lives Matter protests surged across the country and America's reckoning with racial injustice was at its peak, Lil Baby dropped "The Bigger Picture." It spoke to Black American's daily struggles, the racial bias and disparities in proactive policing, and the generations of systemic racism the Black community continues to endure. The powerful track acted as an anthem to the BLM movement; one that could not be ignored and one that you could not help but feel.
3. "Black Parade" — Beyoncé
As many Americans learned about the importance of Juneteenth (July 19) — the day that originated in Bey's home state of Texas — which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, Beyoncé released "Black Parade." The track, which is both a party and a history lesson, celebrates all aspects of Black culture and in many ways is the artistic expression/musical rendition of Issa Rae's beloved quote, "I'm rooting for everybody Black."
4. "No One But You" — Justin Nozuka ft. Mahalia
Justin Nozuka and Mahalia could sing the phone book and make you feel something. However, this track is special not only for the union of their magical voices, but also for it's love letter-style lyrics, which mean all the more during a time when many of our human interactions are either at an all-time low or nonexistent. "No One But You" is a reminder of just how beautiful love is and how deep our connections with one another can go.
5. "F2020 (Remix)" — Avenue Beat ft. Jessie Reyez
As the kids say: it's the title for me. "F2020" is a track that encapsulates the emotions many of us have felt throughout year: frustration, annoyance, sadness, anger, and, of course, disappointment.
6. "Lost One" — Jazmine Sullivan
The chorus of Jazmine Sullivan's "Lost One" says it all: "Just don't have too much fun without me/ Don't have too much, don't have too much fun/ Please don't forget about me/ Try not to love no one/ Ah, try not to love no one." You can't read those lyrics, much less listen to them, and not relate or empathize with being selfish with your love especially during a time such as 2020.
7. "Gucci Peacoat" — DaBaby
"Gucci Peacoat" addresses the stigma associated with mental illness and the importance of treating anxiety and depression — a lesson that has never been more important, nor one that so many can relate to. The emotional track is a tribute to DaBaby's brother, Glenn Johnson, who died by suicide in November. While it's not an "easy listen," it's an important one.
8. "Good News" — Mac Miller
2020 wasn't all bad, especially in regard to the release of the lead single of late rapper Mac Miller's posthumous album, Circles. Its message of hope is one you can carry beyond 2020 and it's encouraging lyrics such as "There's a whole lot more for me waiting on the other side," make wishing/praying for a better tomorrow —a better future — seem less of a wish and more like a declaration that brighter days are coming.
9. "Something New" — Wiz Khalifa ft. Ty Dolla $ign
While this song dropped in 2017, during the early days of quarantine it brought joy to millions thanks to its TikTok dance challenge. "Something New" will arguably go down as one of the most unforgettable tracks of 2020 as it, even for the briefest of moments, allowed us to think beyond our circumstances, come together (virtually, of course) and make memories with our families and/or friends at a time when nearly the entire world was on lockdown.
10. "P***y Talk" — City Girls
Nothing like a jam about the power of the p***y to get you through a global pandemic. Am I right? #ThePerfectRemedyToQuarantineBlues
11. "Savage (Remix)" — Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyonce
It was the remix we didn't know we needed, but are oh so thankful for. Right as quarantine hit a slump, Megan The Stallion and Beyoncé dropped the "Savage" remix, which made us all (yes, all) get our lives in our living rooms as we sang "left cheek, right cheek, drop it low, then swang."
12. "Chicago Freestyle" — Drake ft. Giveon
Not only did this song introduce the world to the talent that is Giveon, "Chicago Freestyle" allowed us to remember those outside days where life might not have been as glamorous as Drake's play-by-play of his night out, but it was a life that involved more than virtual dates and at-home movie nights.
13. "Feel Away" — Slow Thai ft. James Blake, Mount Kimbie
"Feel away" tackles the doubts we have about our relationships, both romantic and familial. Fittingly, it's also largely about empathy — putting yourself in someone else's shoes to get a full understanding of a situation. In a time like 2020, this poignant track can't help but make you feel away.
14. "feel something" — Bea Miller
While it was released in 2019, TikTok, once again, brought this track back to life. If the title wasn't a big enough give away, it's about "feeling something," specifically feeling "like a person again" — a sentiment many of us in 2020 can relate to feeling on some level.
15. "Adore You" — Harry Styles
I could truly go on and on about this track, but to put it simply, it just makes you feel loved.
16. “929” — Halsey
You can't listen to "929" and not get emotional. I don't know if 2020 made us a little softer, but something about Halsey confronting her life experiences and speaking her unfiltered truth makes you want to take a look at your inner self.
17. "WAP" — Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion
In the midst of a global pandemic, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion dropped a woman empowerment anthem that got the world talking about something other than coronavirus. Whether you loved it or hated it, the track evoked extreme emotion from any and everyone who listened to it. The song became the unofficial, but official track of 2020 — one we can thank for making us feel something other than anxiety.
18. "Song33" — NoName
"Song33" is, at the very least, thought-provoking, While some call it a diss track, it can also be called a PSA as it makes it clear that even the most revered artists aren't above critique, and it definitely left a few people in their feelings.
19. "I Can't Breathe" — H.E.R.
H.E.R. put lyrics to an entire community's pain with "I Can't Breathe." The track came at time when Black Americans were fighting to be heard and while her words encapsulate the message of the Black Lives Matter movement, it's the emotion of the lyrics that make this a track you can't help but feel.
20. "Lonely" — Justin Bieber
While Justin Bieber's "Lonely" is about his personal experience dealing with isolation, it's one that many of us can relate to, more so than ever. When listening to this track you feel his pain and possibly your own as well.
21."Mood" — 24KGoldn ft. iann dior
24KGoldn may have been talking about a hard-to-read girl when he asked "Why you always in a mood?" but it's that questions that perfectly summarizes many of our attitudes for much of 2020, making this a go-to track.
22. “HEARTBREAK ANNIVERSARY” — Giveon
Ballads about heartbreak are a dime a dozen, but Giveon's "HEARTBREAK ANNIVERSARY" is in a league of its own. It taps into the thoughts we all have after heartbreak: "Do you ever think of me?" But, more so than anything, it's his longing for the past, for answers, and for love that you feel and relate to.
23. “Exile” — Taylor Swift ft. Bon Iver
You know those songs where you just drift away? Well, "Exile" does just that. While Taylor Swift and Bon Iver are singing about letting go, you can't help but to escape.
24. "PU**Y Fairy (OTW)" — Jhené Aiko
I don't think it takes longer than ten seconds to feel something — whatever that feeling may be for you — when when listening to Jhené Aiko's "PU**Y Fairy." I'll leave it at that.
25. “Come and Go” — Juice WRLD ft. Marshmello
"I don't want to ruin this one, this type of love don't always come and go." That line alone will get you in your feels.
26. “Days Like This” — Dermot Kennedy
"Days Like This" is for the daydreamers. It's for staring out the window, thinking about the future, the past; thinking about it all.
27. "Laugh Now Cry Later" — Drake
With a title like that, it's safe to say "Laugh Now Cry Later" is pretty much the anthem of 2020. While it would have been nice to sing "baby" in unison in the club, the track somehow managed to make you feel like you're a part of a something even though we've been more disconnected, in many ways, than ever.
28. "Are You Even Real?" — James Blake
While music as a whole offers a form of escapism, "Are You Even Real?" is escapism personified. The track is more like a lucid dream as James Blake sings of strawberry fields, dreaming of connection, late nights, and acid rain.
29. "Rags2Riches" — Rod Wave ft. ATR SonSon
Who doesn't love a "rags to riches" story? Rod Wave's sharing of his rise to the top was the heart string-pulling, hip-hop ballad we didn't know needed in 2020, but are so thankful to have received.
30. “Dákiti” — Bad Bunny and Jhay Cortez
It only takes two words to describe "Dákiti": good vibes. And as we all know, 2020 needed all the good vibes it could get and thankfully this song brought that in a 3 minute and 25 second package.
Photo: Getty Images