It’s that time of year again! The days are getting shorter, hyperconsumerism is at a seasonal high, and Spotify has released its annual Spotify Wrapped – a look back at your streaming habits throughout the year. Here are the ten songs I listened most this year, in order. Be warned – the list is a little stacked.
10. Sugah Daddy by D’Angelo: From the catchy piano vamp to the bouncy horn sections and quirky vocal scatting, this song is sure to have your head bobbing – just as mine was all year.
9. Everybody by Mac Miller: This cover of Arthur Lee’s “Everybody’s Gotta Live,” with its group vocals and steady drums, is a perfect fit for Mac Miller. Like the rest of his posthumous album Circles, it is simultaneously melancholy and uplifting.
8. Agüita by Gabriel Garzón-Montano: GGM’s first official foray into Latinx hip-hop pays off with “Agüita,” a rapid-fire track that explores the different meanings of the word. Check out my review of Agüita here!
7. Plastic by Moses Sumney: From 2017’s Aromanticism comes the ethereal “Plastic,” a guitar-driven ballad that explores unrequited love and unrealistic expectations. The sparse instrumentation allows Moses’ fragile and angelic voice to take center stage.
6. Really Love – Live from Spotify NYC by D’Angelo: “Really Love” is possibly my favorite D’Angelo song. The Live from Spotify NYC performance is my favorite version thanks to the extended string intro and jam-session outro. Check out my thoughts on D’Angelo’s album Black Messiah right here!
5. Good News by Mac Miller: Gently plucked strings and understated drums serve as the backdrop as Mac explores how the people around him only want to hear “good news.”
4. Keep On Running by Gabriel Garzón-Montano: “Keep On Running” opens with two simple piano chords and builds with drums and bass, and before you know it the song is a full-fledged funk feature.
3. Crawl by Gabriel Garzón-Montano: “Crawl” makes codependency catchier than ever before, thanks to its bouncy bass and earworm of a chorus.
2. 6 8 by Gabriel Garzón-Montano: This song, which was sampled in “Jungle,” is a great example of the Drake Effect – that is, the tendency for artists to blow up after being featured on a Drake song. But regardless of its sample status, “6 8” remains a simple, yet beautifully crafted song.
1. Everything is Everything by Gabriel Garzón-Montano: Last but not least, my top streamed song of 2020 was Everything is Everything by Gabriel Garzón-Montano. I knew from the very first time I heard it that I would be hooked. The syncopated vocal harmonies, unique percussion, and catchy melodies come together in a way that never fails to flood my brain with serotonin every time I hear it. I could go on for hours about how much this song means to me, but I won’t. But I could. You can read more about my thoughts on this song – and the rest of the EP – right here.
That’s the list! What were your top songs of 2020?
– DJ Mango