2020: A Themed Recap of the Year’s Pop Releases
Let’s save the sweet talk, 2020 has been an awful year for many. It was a year of much despair and loss. However, there’s a gleam of hope amidst all this chaos though. Rays of light that seem to help coax us in the darkest of times and elevate our spirits to places we would never be able to travel to otherwise. 2020, dare I say, has given us the blessing of good music.
The pop landscape has been exuberant this year, even the pandemic couldn’t hinder the countless releases of sheer excellence and innovation in music. Hence, I have taken the liberty to recap a thematic highlight reel of the 20 best pop projects of 2020.
Introspection
Halsey: Manic
“I’m bursting out of myself,” Ashley Frangipane confesses on the first track. Manic takes us on a 16-track autobiographical journey behind the pop-star that is Halsey. It brilliantly captures her ambition, heartbreak trauma, miscarriage, anxiety among many other forms of manic. She demonstrates this by bouncing from one genre to another within the same album (“hip-hop, rock, country, fucking everything”).
Lauv: ~How I’m Feeling~
Modern existentialism runs rampant throughout ~How I’m Feeling~, to the point where Lauv himself exclaimed “only I would have THREE songs on a single album with the word ‘lonely’ in the title.” It’s an album that questions the validations of oneself, with its profound examinations of identity crises in this age of social media. Relatable AF, if you ask me.
Self-discovery
NIKI: Moonchild
Indonesian rising star NIKI projects her innermost strengths, layered with a fantastic mystic concept on Moonchild. She weaves a narrative of her metamorphosis, journaling a character arc from uncertainty to self reassurance. She sounds confident yet graceful, her lightweight vocals tiptoeing on glimmering, brooding productions. The highlight of the album takes place back to back on “Tide” and “Pandemonium”, as the intensity of the former track fades out into the serenity of the latter.
Duality
Ellie Goulding: Brightest Blue
After the rocket rise of “Love Me Like You Do”, Ellie Goulding found herself in a dilemma: to chase after the trends of mainstream pop, or to return to her folk-electronica roots. Brightest Blue dapples with the duality of her identity. On one side, we get an introspective look of Goulding, and sounds reminiscent of the soul-searching and heart-wrench of her 2012 release Halcyon. On the other, we’re offered a compilation of her catchy pop-star collaborations (Lauv, Juice WRLD, blackbear). All in all, these two sides paint a brilliant portrait of who she is.
Escapism
Taylor Swift: Folklore + Evermore
“My mind turns your life into folklore”, Taylor Swift sings on “Gold Rush” (which is perhaps one of the prettiest songs she’s ever released in a while). It’s a brilliant sum-up of the two surprise albums where her storytelling heavily focuses on inter-related mythologies and fictional stories. For many, both Folklore and Evermore have been a place of comfort and solace in the pandemic. The albums’ minimalist production and slower pacing, along with Swift’s expressive vocals provide for a dreamy and mystical sonic experience. Swift’s songwriting has reached undisputed new highs in her 14-year long career, and it only will go up from here.
Danceability
Dua Lipa: Future Nostalgia
When life hands you a pandemic, why not bring the club to the comforts of your very own home? Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia blew the pop scene away this year, some might even say she spearheaded the disco revival in 2020. With banger after banger (“Don’t Start Now”, “Physical”, “Levitating”), this 11-track dance-ready album might just solidify her spot as pop’s most prominent stars, alongside the prowesses she cites as influences for this project: Madonna, Gloria Gaynor and Kylie Minogue.
Lady Gaga: Chromatica
If Earth doesn’t cut out for you, take a trip to the planet of Chromatica! Lady Gaga packs the album with club-ready numbers that mark the return of her pre-Joanne persona: maximalist, colorful and unapologetic. The songs are euphoric, surrounding themes of resilience, healing and triumphs over trauma. Her sole live performance of the albums’ tracks at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards proves that this project was made for the dancefloor. Even if we can’t soak in the euphoria of Chromatica in a sweaty jam-packed club, we can still dance the pain away at home.
Social commentary
Rina Sawayama: SAWAYAMA
2020 saw the release of SAWAYAMA, which is a culmination of arena rock grandeur and infectious pop statements. Rina Sawayama blends genres and tongue-in-cheek lyrics like nobody’s business — “my fine couture is your branded repayment”. She goes on a rampage, charging head-on towards a diverse range of topics such as capitalism (“XS”), climate change (“Fuck This World”) and even her experiences of racist microaggressions (“STFU!”). The satire in her social commentary is an appropriate one indeed, especially in the chaos of this year.
The 1975: Notes on a Conditional Form
The 1975 doesn’t ever shy away from potentially controversial confessions. Climate activist Greta Thunberg opens Notes on a Conditional Form with an urgent reminder of how it’s time to incite civil disobedience to spark effective social change. The band builds up on that momentum and follows it with a scattershot set of 20 songs. Unfiltered moments of paranoia, masturbation and revolution go side-by-side with sonic elements of house, industrial rock and country. It’s an uncertain and messy record, and that’s why it never felt more honest and timely than ever.
Rock n’ Roll shifts
Miley Cyrus: Plastic Hearts
Out of all the skins that Miley Cyrus has morphed herself into, clearly rock has fit her best. She sounds her absolute finest on Plastic Hearts — her gravelly vocals balance out the weight that is the electric guitars and thumping basslines. Joined by rock heavyweights Joan Jett, Billy Idol, Stevie Nicks (and pop star Dua Lipa), she never seemed more at ease and assured of herself than ever. Hannah Montana was right, she might even be a rockstar.
The Vamps: Cherry Blossom
Kitschy teenage boyband they are no more, The Vamps have blossomed into full-fledged rock stars. Brad Simpson, Tristan Evans, Connor Ball and James McVey have successfully rebirthed themselves with jubilant experimentation on Cherry Blossom. The album is nothing short of hard-hitting standouts (“Better”, “Chemicals”, “Would You”), which are guaranteed to give you a good shot of dopamine. “These are our glory days,” Simpson belts out on the first track. And they certainly are indeed.
Publicly acclaimed
The Weeknd: After Hours
After Hours is an effective culmination of all the work that The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) has released leading up to this project. This 14-track album draws recollections to the cinematic soundscapes of Beauty Behind the Madness and the bombastic gloominess of Starboy. Tesfaye’s vision achieves greater heights of clarity here, sounds of new wave R&B and dream pop are fused effortlessly with lyrics of the cycles of hedonism and the subsequent self-loathing. And from a visual aspect: he paints himself as pop’s brooding anti-hero in a classic red suit, tied together with a melodramatic Vegas glam aesthetic. Spectacular.
Ariana Grande: Positions
Ariana Grande is horny and she isn’t afraid to let the world know. Positions lays out saucy explicit lyrics paired with beautiful orchestrations and harmonies over gleaming R&B tracks, mirroring the desire and flirtation that Grande frequents in her discography. Even so, it’s a project that’s full of heart that lays down her defenses with her lover. “I’d love to see my point of view”, she whispers on “POV”. It’s moments of sheer vulnerability like this that carries her sincerity throughout the album, which is something that Grande has never failed in conveying through her music.
Melancholic tunes
Sam Smith: Love Goes
We see Sam Smith embracing their true self more than ever on Love Goes (Smith uses they/them pronouns). It’s an album of glittery pop anthems (“Diamonds”, “Dance”), where we can see them at their queer self-acceptance best. Smith doesn’t alienate their day-one fans as well, as they make sure that their heartbreak ballads pack enough punches to make you cry over non-existent past lovers (see: “For The Lover That I Lost”). Love Goes is rather safe for Smith’s career progression, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad album by any means.
LANY: Mama’s Boy
Mama’s Boy is relatable and full of heart, touching on topics such as parental relationships (“If This Is The Last Time”) and religious struggles (“I Still Talk to Jesus”). At its core, this LANY album is one that documents a hopeful beginning of a new relationship, a refreshing departure from the heartbreak-centered Malibu Nights. It’s a collection of synthy, emotional and nostalgic bedroom pop songs, which is sure to appeal to anyone who needs a warm blanket over their sadness. Rest assured, you don’t have to pine over your emotions alone anymore.
Girl power
Chloe x Halle: Ungodly Hour
On Ungodly Hour, Chloe x Halle prove that they are a duo to be reckoned with. Their squeaky-clean teen image is gone, replaced by a fruition of two grown women with confidence and desires. As Beyoncé’s protégés, her influence is obvious throughout the album. The sisters seamlessly alternate between rapping and singing, and their harmonies are impeccable and mesmerizing as they sing over pulsating instrumentals. Nothing about this album is predictable, and I suppose that is what makes Ungodly Hour so hauntingly memorable.
BLACKPINK: The Album
After a handful of EPs and singles, BLACKPINK debuts their first bilingual full-length album to much global anticipation. The Album unleashes a bevy of arena-ready girl power hits: from the cutesy saccharine “Ice Cream” with Selena Gomez, the confident and seductive “Pretty Savage”, the cheeky yet family-friendly “Bet You Wanna” with Cardi B, to the heartbreak kiss-off anthem “Lovesick Girls”. It’s a well-produced and show-stopping effort, and if they aren’t before, they’re definitely now in your area.
Indie releases
Omar Apollo: Apolonio
A 25-minute slow burn of sensual, slick and sexy tunes, Apolonio pays homage to a range of funk, indie R&B and Omar Apollo’s own Mexican roots. The striking lilac-tinged album cover is also a tribute itself, to Apollo’s biggest influence: Prince. There’s also a certain undeniable charisma that hooks listeners, built into the comfort of him singing about his bisexuality (“that pretty boy still hit me up on strange occasions”) as well as hints of humor (“ass round like Cheerios”). While this project shows reverence to the legends that came before, Apollo does a tremendous job of letting the audience gain a better understanding of him.
Bruno Major: To Let A Good Thing Die
British indie-soul singer-songwriter Bruno Major interweaves beautiful romantic ideations with stories of love and loss on his second album To Let A Good Thing Die. The lyrics are remarkably visceral: “the taste of a cigarette in Paris in spring, conversation with herders and the wisdom they bring.” It’s a subtle yet elegant reminder to appreciate the beauty in all aspects of life. Even in a pandemic, Major shows that it’s possible to allow ourselves to take a lovely stroll in the figment of our own minds.
There are so many more pop projects that I adored this year but couldn’t fit in the list. So, here are some honorable mentions:
- Selena Gomez: Rare (Deluxe)
- Niall Horan: Heartbreak Weather
- Conan Gray: Kid Krow
- Wallows: Remote
- Alextbh: The Chase
- Troye Sivan: In A Dream
- Kylie Minogue: Disco
- Little Mix: Confetti
- FLETCHER: The S(EX) Tapes
- Shawn Mendes: Wonder
- HONNE: No Song Without You
- HAIM: Women In Music, Pt. III
- Ruel: Bright Lights, Red Eyes
- Keiynan Lonsdale: Rainbow Boy
- mxmtoon: Dawn & Dusk
- Dominic Fike: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
- Carly Rae Jepsen: Dedicated Side B
- Hayley Williams: Petals for Armor
- Bad Bunny: YHLQMDLG
- BTS: Map of the Soul: 7
- Katy Perry: Smile
- 5 Seconds of Summer: CALM
To more great music in 2021!
Here’s a playlist of some of the standout tracks from the albums aforementioned:
Written by Brendan Chew Yiun Cherk, originally for IGNITE.
