My top 20 Favorite Hit Songs of 2020 Part 2 10-1

 

10. Kings & Queens - Ava Max (Peak: #13, Billboard Year End: N/A, Pulse Jan-Dec: #75, Crownnote: #61)

Heaven & Hell by Ava Max is one of the best pop albums I've heard this decade so far if I'm being honest. Ava Max has an impeccable ear for melodies and hooks, and it's better written I would argue than many give it credit. This song wouldn't even make my top 5 songs on it (Born To The Night, Torn, Sweet But Psycho, Who's Laughing Now, Salt), but it's still a fantastic pop song in its own right. I have seen some people in this community hate on this song for the lyrics, which I understand, and yeah I agree they're a bit cheesy, but I'm not gonna act like I give a shit about that. Ava Max is an incredible singer, and the chorus melody is phenomenal. The production is beautiful, and the guitar solo is great. I'm so sick of the Ava Max hate.

If you are hating on her, just please listen to this. You might just change your mind. Or Torn.

9. Heartless - The Weeknd (Peak #1, Billboard Year End: #28, Pulse Jan-Dec #39, Crownnote: #45)

First of all, justice for In Your Eyes. That song deserved to do so much better on the Hot 100. But anyway, Heartless. The moment on the album where Abel after several songs reflecting on his relationship and how he messed up, he returns to his old ways, only to realize it's not making him happy anymore, and it's only hurting him. Heading directly into Faith which shows him losing his faith in himself and drowning in the lights of Las Vegas, and then well... we'll get to it later. And the 80's throwback production is phenomenal as usual for this album, it almost creates it's whole world. I love how while it sounds upbeat, there is a bit of Abel's voice and the production that sounds more desperate and dark as the song goes on, culminating in the climax and outro. Incredible song from one of the best albums of the decade so far.

8. Midnight Sky - Miley Cyrus (Peak #14, Billboard Year End: N/A, Pulse Jan-Dec: N/A, Crownnote: #99)

This is my favorite Miley Cyrus hit since See You Again. The bombastic 80's throwback production, Miley giving an incredibly explosive performance. The powerful lyrics about her breaking free of an abusive husband. Miley's gritty voice works perfectly for a song like this. 

7. More Hearts Than Mine - Ingrid Andress (Peak #30, Billboard Year End: N/A, Pulse Jan-Dec: N/A, Crownnote: #100)

Yes another country song. Get used to that on this blog if you haven't yet. I like a lot of country music. And country music outside of MAGabby lowkey carried this year in my opinion. (Spoiler there's more on the list) I'm so happy this managed to barely make my Crownnote year end for 2020 so I can talk about it here. The piano on this track is so beautiful in a melancholy way, and Ingrid's vocals are incredibly emotive and powerful. But what really shines is the writing. This song is about how she wants to take her lover to her hometown and have him meet her parents. But she warns him that her parents fall in love faster than she does, and that if he breaks her heart, he'll be breaking their hearts too, as well as her sister's and friends. Her writing is excellent and she delivers it very well. Shame she struggled to follow this up successfully outside of one song with Sam Hunt. 

6. Before You Go - Lewis Capaldi (Peak: #9, Billboard Year End: #21, Pulse Jan-Dec: #17, Crownnote: #19)

I used to hate this song, along with Someone You Loved. But I came around on this one and later the other. In fact I like Capaldi's vocals on both songs now quite a bit. This is a song about a family member who committed suicide, and Lewis wishes he could have done something to make them commit suicide. And his vocals really convey how much he hates that he didn't do more to keep his family member who he loves so much, or even realize that they were even depressed. As someone who has lost my grandma and my grandpas's housemate who was sort of like a second grandmother in a way, this song has really connected with me. And musically, this song is the equivalent of a hot tub. You wouldn't expect it to be pleasant, you'd expect it to hurt because of how hot it is, and yet it's incredibly comforting. This song is also like a warm blanket, just enveloping you in it's warmth.

5. I Hope You're Happy Now - Carly Pearce, Lee Brice (Peak #27, Billboard Year End: #73, Pulse Jan-Dec: #72, Crownnote: #70)

This song has been locked for my top 5 for years now. Even before I heard her album 29: Written In Stone, one of the best albums of 2021, that had one song in particular that is among my all time favorites, 29. This song is from her self titled album though, which I have not heard (although I probably should). But this is also an incredible song. I've said before on this blog how I'm a sucker for good duets between a man and a woman, and this is a big example of that. Carly and Lee have such great chemistry and just compliment each other so fucking well. This is another 2020's country song that gives me a bit of Unavoidable by Neon Trees energy (which is a huge compliment) Although this one's not about a relationship coming together but about one that has fallen apart but they're hoping each other is happy. Lee especially kills his parts with a phenomenal performance. But Carly also does fantastic.

4. Blinding Lights - The Weeknd (Peak #1, Billboard Year End: #1, Pulse Jan-Dec: #1, Crownnote: #1)

The biggest Hot 100 hit of all time according to Billboard. And it is fucking phenomenal. This is also one of the most beloved pop songs of the century. Almost everyone loves how fucking beautiful the production is, some of the best production of any big 80's throwback ever. The song feels otherworldy with how beautiful the melodies and production are. But what gets talked about a lot less is it's context in the album After Hours. It comes right after Faith where he is losing his faith in himself and the lights of Vegas are overwhelming him, and he's just there drowning in his car in the city. And then this is the song where he tries to get his ex back no matter what it takes since she's the only one that can keep him from drowning in the night with the Vegas lights around him. It's absolute desperation and Abel's performance and the production convey this feeling perfectly. Oh and the transition from Faith into this song is absolute chills every time (if you haven't heard it before you absolutely need to) One of the climaxes of one of my favorite albums of the decade and a song that will go down in history as an absolute classic.

3. Cardigan - Taylor Swift (Peak #1, Billboard Year End: N/A, Pulse Jan-Dec: N/A, Crownnote: #83)

Another year, another Taylor song very high on the best list. This one comes from her suprise folk album Folklore she released as a total surprise in July 2020, that was recorded during quarantine. And it's one of her best albums. And while I initially did not view this as one of my favorites on it, as time has gone on this song has only shone brighter. Frankly I don't know what this song is about and don't really care that much. I've heard it's a part of three songs on the album that are about a love triangle between three characters, but frankly I get too lost in how beautiful and peaceful this song and a lot of others on Folklore are that I don't end up paying much attention to the lyrics lol. And adding to the peace is that the first time I heard the album in full was when I was on a walk through the woods in the Sierra Nevada, and every time I hear songs from it I think of that peaceful calm forest and you have a beautiful song and album.

2. Even Though I'm Leaving - Luke Combs (Peak #11, Billboard Year End: #85, Pulse Jan-Dec: N/A, Crownnote: N/A)

Luke Combs has quickly become one of my favorite artists in the mainstream right now. His big hits this year were what really started my love for him, even if the album What You See Is What You Get is very inconsistent and has a lot of filler. But what really caused me to go "damn Luke Combs is one of my favorite artists" is his album from 2023 Gettin' Old which I will be talking about in January. That might just be my favorite album of 2023 so far. Anyway, this song is just such a fucking tearjerker. I am a massive sucker for father son country songs, like Highway 20 Ride by Zac Brown Band and Live Like You Were Dying by Tim McGraw. But this song might just surpass both for me. It starts off with little kid Luke asking his dad not to leave him to go on a trip because he doesn't feel safe without him.. But his dad tells him that he'll still always be in his heart and everything he's taught Luke about life will stay. Then we shift to Luke leaving his dad and mom to go to college and saying that even though he acts tough, there's a churning in his gut, cause he can't ask his dad for help anymore. And then we flash forward to his dad sitting on his deathbed, and Luke wishing his dad wouldn't go because he thinks he can't suceeed without his dad. But his dad tells him the same thing he had said before when he was little and when he went off to college, that he will always be in his memory and heart and that everything he has taught Luke will stay with him even after he's gone. And the instrumental track is beautiful and silky and Luke's performance is phenomenal. His beautiful raspy voice conveys the feeling incredibly well. This song has connected with me a lot lately, as I am at a point where I think I will be leaving my hometown and going somewhere else for college in the near future, and while I am very tired of my hometown and living with my parents and excited for what that will entail, I will also miss them a lot and am worried that I won't be able to succeed without their support. And even though I act like I'm not going to, I absolutely will miss them. This song has made me cry. Multiple times. Absolutely phenomenal song. So what beat it? Well before we find out, some Honorable Mentions.

HM.  The Bigger Picture - Lil Baby

The song we as a society needed most in 2020. This might have made the list if I felt qualified to talk about it as someone who has incredibly white skin and has racist blood in his veins (my grandma grew up in the South to parents so racist they would destroy their vinyls by black artists growing up). And I also don't really have much to say about it anyway.

HM. Emotionally Scarred - Lil Baby

I am also "tired of being tired of being tired".

HM. Hot - Young Thug, Gunna

Just a vibe. 

HM.. We Paid - Lil Baby, 42 Dug

Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah we paid. 

HM. Come & Go - Juice WRLD, Marshmello

This song got me through some shit back in 2020 and it would have been real high on the list back then. But, while Juice's lyrics are still so powerful, and the buildup of this song is incredible, Marshmello's drop has aged really poorly which is the main reason this cooled on me. Still good though.

HM. Rain On Me - Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande

This one's also faded on me since 2020, but still a very good pop song. Also shoutout to Stupid Love which deserved a better run. And would have made the list proper likely if it was eligible.

HM. Laugh Now, Cry Later - Drake, Lil Durk 

I still haven't listened to Certified Lover Boy, but there's a 90 percent chance that I would think this is a top 3 song on it if it hadn't been cut. 

HM. High Fashion - Roddy Ricch, Mustard

Ballin' Lite, but still great. 

HM. Break My Heart - Dua Lipa

This is one of Dua Lipa's best hits I would argue, and it might have made the list if not for the fact that radio where I live still plays it all the fucking time. And it plays where I work a shit ton too. I've realized that Dua Lipa's songs no matter how good they are, just don't have much overplay resistance for me, and yet they get overplayed so much on the radio. 

HM. Hot Girl Bummer - Blackbear

This song is too good to be a blackbear song. 

HM. Roses (Imanbek Remix) - SAINt JHN, Imanbek

Bangs.

HM. Savage (Remix) - Megan Thee Stallion, Beyonce

Beyonce owned this remix.

HM. Dance Monkey - Tones And I

This song is too good to be a Tones And I song. 

HM. Rockstar - DaBaby, Roddy Ricch

This is too good to be a DaBaby song.

HM. The Box - Roddy Ricch

The 2020 Precedential Candidate himself. 

Alright. Time for my #1. 

1. Does To Me - Luke Combs, Eric Church (Peak #20, Billboard Year End: #93, Pulse Jan-Dec: #89, Crownnote: #87)

Yes Luke Combs also has my #1 of this year. With a song that I have a very strong personal connection to. This is a song about a lot of things that might not mean a lot to others but mean so much to him and just make him proud of himself. Things like: Being on a second place team, being the last resort for a prom queen to date, being a he'll of a lover, a great brother, just being a very nice person, pawnining his guitar to bail his brother out of jail, being there when his best friend was married and remembering it well despite having had multiple beers that day. 

 He sounds so damn proud of himself. And it's so infectious. I struggle a lot with self confidence and esteem these days, and suffer from imposter syndrome. This song helps me out a lot. When listening to this song it reminds me of a lot of little things I am proud of about myself, almost like I'm making my own version of this song, and it helps me out so much. Because of that this song has become a personal anthem, a Drake Anthem if you will. This song has helped me through a lot the last few years and I know it will help me through more to come. Does To Me by Luke Combs and Eric Church. My favorite hit song of 2020!

Thanks for reading! I'll see you next time!