Top 5 Singles: 2020 (So Far)
Intro:
This year looked like it would be great for music back in January. Clearly that didn’t hold up as being true, but there have still been some notable Hip-Hop and R&B releases. I’m sure that the rest of this year will have a lot more heavy hitters, but for now let’s enjoy my favorite songs of 2020 so far. We’re halfway through and I can see all 5 of these singles remaining in my favorites by the end of the year.
*Please note that these are not ranked in any specific order*
Bussit - Ari Lennox
I was extremely happy that Dreamville released this song with the deluxe version of Revenge of the Dreamers 3. It was my most anticipated song from the documentary of the Dreamville sessions. Ari comes throughs with an infectiously groovy and sexy R&B track. She easily has one of the most soulful and dynamic voices in the genre right now. The instrumental fits her seductive style and delivery, and the smooth bass line makes this arguably my favorite R&B single this year.
Carefree - Mick Jenkins
Following my favorite R&B release is probably my favorite Hip-Hop song this year. Mick is always consistent, but he really outdid himself with this smooth conscious banger. On the surface you’d hear his amazing flows and catchy chorus, over jazzy chords and a groovy bass line. But upon paying attention to the lyrics, it’s clear that this song is speaking on the experiences black youth have to live with in America; especially police brutality. Mick Jenkins proves once again that he can add substance to catchy and accessible records.
Lil Bit O’ Weed - Michael Christmas
Easily the most fun single I’ve enjoyed this year. When it comes to Michael Christmas, he can do it all. This time around, “Lil Bit O’ Weed” is another banger under his belt. The production is colorful and bouncy with a catchy drum pattern. Michael gives an equally catchy chorus that is so relatable for many weed smokers, “I brought a lil bit of weed to smoke/ Not enough to pass, but I got enough to roll”. Another example of how his raw honesty and relatable subjects transfer into potential hit records. Many of his singles should easily be billboard hits.
Lovers Lane - Pollari
The distorted guitar chords washing over Pollari’s soft autotune vocals is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard. It’s honestly more of a rock record than anything else, especially when the drums come in. This one was a shocker for me a few months ago, as I was always familiar with Pollari’s name despite not listening to his music. While his older work is nothing like this, I am excited for this new direction he’s experimenting with. I plan on speaking more about this song and his recent music in a separate post.
When I’m In Your Arms - Cleo Sol
When I first discovered Cleo Sol, she was a much smaller artist that was featured on the last Little Simz album. She has an INCREDIBLE voice that’s beautiful, soft and dynamic. When I heard this single on her album “Rose In the Dark”, I knew it would be my favorite record. Similarly to the Ari song, this song’s aesthetic is also slow, groovy and seductive. The bass line here though hits so strong, and the rest of the instrumental feels equally steamy and magical. Overall a flawless record, like the others on this list.
Overall:
It’s clear that even during slower music years, there’s always amazing music coming from somewhere. Each artist here has given me some of my favorite songs of theirs in 2020 (Pollari’s even put me onto him). I’m excited for the other great music set to come out this year. With that being said, I’m sure these 5 singles will remain in my list of favorite 2020 songs among the new songs. Thank you all for reading, and enjoy the great music discussed above.
