The Top 50 Singles of 2020

 

As this nightmare year comes to a close... 

One thing is for certain: the music we received helped us through the fire. 

2020 has been a year marked by turmoil, division, hate, fear, uncertainty, and the worst forces of humankind towering above the voices of progression. It's been absolutely frightening to endure through. And yet, we've all grown stronger because of it.

During June, I brought Osmosis Tones to a halt because I was burnt out: with the world, with using writing as a creative outlet, with the state of my career and living situation, and oh so much more. I wasn't feeling enjoyment from my passions in the same way anymore. I didn't know what to do. 

But over the remainder of the year, I became confident in myself again. I learned to love myself in ways I hadn't done prior, I recaptured my love of being a music fan who can discuss why he loves the music a little more deeply, and I put myself back on the path to becoming the person I've always wanted to be. Personal growth needed to happen before I could return to this site, but with how I'm feeling now, I look forward to continually making my voice heard in the way I want it to be.

Through all this personal growth, I listened to some of the best damn music of 2020. In making this single's list, I ranked my love of these songs by their lyrical resonance, instrumental spunk, and how TIMELESS the songs felt within the context of this hell-scape. 

I hope you enjoy this list and listen to everything it has to offer. Thanks for reading! 

Without further ado...
- Zach

THE TOP 50 SINGLES OF 2020

50. “Tom Brady Freestyle (Team On My Back)” - Big Baby Scumbag



49. “Simmer” - Hayley Williams



48. “Bellavista” - Viva Belgrado



47. “I’ll Be Your Host” - Touche Amore



46. “Leave” - Ultracrush



45. “Photo ID” - Remi Wolf



44. “Overtime” - U.S. Girls



43. “Rie” - The Bilinda Butchers



42. “Ice Skate” - Sir Michael Rocks



41. “la laz (Fin)” - Kali Uchis ft. Jhay Cortez



40. “I Feel Alive” - TOPS



39. “No Go” - Young Nudy



38. “Of A Million” - Thunder Dreamer



37. “Post-Dick Circle Fuck” - Pet Shimmers



36. “Kawasaki Backflip” - Dogleg



35. “Compensating” - Amine ft. Young Thug



34. “Kyoto” - Phoebe Bridgers



33. “Thinking About You” - Lee Fields & The Expressions



32. “Shadow On The Wall” - Video Age



31. “Stay With Me” - Downtown Market



30. “Double the Dream” - Wasted Shirt



29. “Slip Away” - Mini Trees



28. “Tying Airplanes To The Ground” - Maxwell Stern & Ratboys



27. “Experience” - Victoria Monet ft. Khalid & SG Lewis



26. “Tin King” - Ultraista 



25. “Kill Your Local Indie Softboy” - Izzy Camina



24. “The Machine” - Oliver Malcolm



23. “Rain On Me” - Lady Gaga ft. Ariana Grande



22. “Hold On” - Little Dragon



21. “Stella Brown” - Jelani Aryeh



20. “Chicken Tenders” - Dominic Fike



19. “Smoov” - Toner



18. “Thanks For Growing Up With Me” - Walter Etc.



17. “Potential” - Mo Troper



16. “Promises” - Beach Bunny



15. “Feel The Way I Want” - Caroline Rose



14. “Heart Of Mine” - Sakkaris



13. “Ocean” - RICEWINE



12. “Basement Show BB” - Cheem



11. “Fit N Full” + “Is There Something In The Movies?” - Samia




10. “Winter Pollen” - Post Louis



9. “Atrium” - Shimmertraps



8. “Can’t Fight” - Lianne La Havas



7. “Velodrome” + “My Bike” - 2nd Grade



6. “Deleter” - Grouplove



5. “Will You Return / When You Come Down” - The Flaming Lips



4. “Normalization Blues” - AJJ



3. “Starting Again” - Day Wave



2. “Loner” - Dehd



1. “Gaslighter” - The Chicks



THE TOP 50 SINGLES OF 2020 (#1-50)

  1. Gaslighter - The Chicks

  2. Loner - Dehd

  3. Starting Again - Day Wave

  4. Normalization Blues - AJJ

  5. Will You Return / When You Come Down - The Flaming Lips

  6. Deleter - Grouplove

  7. Velodrome + My Bike - 2nd Grade

  8. Can’t Fight - Lianne La Havas

  9. Atrium - Shimmertraps

  10. Winter Pollen - Post Louis

  11. Fit N Full + Is There Something In The Movies? - Samia

  12. Basement Show BB - Cheem

  13. Ocean - RICEWINE

  14. Heart Of Mine - Sakkaris 

  15. Feel The Way I Want - Caroline Rose

  16. Promises - Beach Bunny

  17. Potential - Mo Troper

  18. Thanks For Growing Up With Me - Walter Etc.

  19. Smoov - Toner

  20. Chicken Tenders - Dominic Fike

  21. Stella Brown - Jelani Aryeh

  22. Hold On - Little Dragon

  23. Rain On Me - Lady Gaga ft. Ariana Grande

  24. The Machine - Oliver Malcolm

  25. Kill Your Local Indie Softboy - Izzy Camina

  26. Tin King - Ultraísta

  27. Experience - Victoria Monét ft. Khalid & S.G. Lewis

  28. Tying Airplanes To The Ground - Maxwell Stern & Ratboys

  29. Slip Away - Mini Trees

  30. Double The Dream - Wasted Shirt

  31. Stay With Me - Downtown Market

  32. Shadow On The Wall - Video Age

  33. Thinking About You - Lee Fields & The Expressions

  34. Kyoto - Phoebe Bridgers

  35. Compensation - Aminé ft. Young Thug

  36. Kawasaki Backflip - Dogleg

  37. Post-Dick Circle Fuck - Pet Shimmers

  38. Of A Million - Thunder Dreamer

  39. No Go - Young Nudy

  40. I Feel Alive - TOPS

  41. la luz(Fín) - Kali Uchis ft. Jhay Cortez

  42. Ice Skate - Sir Michael Rocks

  43. Rie - The Bilinda Butchers

  44. Overtime - U.S. Girls

  45. Photo ID - Remi Wolf

  46. Leave - Ultracrush

  47. I’ll Be Your Host - Touché Amoré

  48. Bellavista - Viva Belgrado

  49. Simmer - Hayley Williams

  50. Tom Brady Freestyle (Team On My Back) - Big Baby Scumbag


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