Tag: Neon Trees

The Perfect List: The Top 10 Pop Songs of 2020

While the title is in jest, I am assuming I have listened to more music this year than 95% of the population that creates these types of lists.   In 2020, I listened to at least part of every single record that showed up in “Suggested New Albums” section of Tidal.   Each Friday release day that section gets updated with new releases and there’s usually between 80-120 titles weekly, so let’s cut that down the middle and say 100 a week.    I have listened to at least the first couple tracks of every one of these releases no matter the genre.   If neither of the first two tracks were good, I moved on.  If either one was even remotely worth listening to, I listened to the whole album.   My logic being of course is that most artists at least put one of the best songs on the album right up front to grab the listener,  so logically if I’m not interested in either of the first two,  then the rest of the album won’t be much better.   So let’s say over the course of the last 51 weeks, I have listened to at least part of 5100 albums and while I don’t have a count of all the records I listened to in full,  I’m sure it has to be in the 60-70% range.   As a guy who’s always gravitated towards lists and rankings but realizing that the person writing them probably listened to virtually nothing, I feel damn good that these are at least solid lists, if not great ones.  Of course, they still must be in my wheelhouse, but my tastes are as wide open as anyone I know.   So yeah, these are perfect lists.   Just go with it.

  • Ranking: #10
  • Artist: Jany Green
  • Song: Little
  • Album: N/A
  • Release Date: 5/14/2020
  • Label: None
  • Ranking: #9
  • Artist: Adam Lambert
  • Song: Love Dont
  • Album: Velvet
  • Release Date: 3/20/2020
  • Label: More is More
  • Ranking #8
  • Artist: Carly Rae Jepsen
  • Song: This Is What They Say
  • Album: Dedicated Side B
  • Release Date: 5/21/2020
  • Label: Schoolboy
  • Ranking: #7
  • Artist: Haim
  • Song: “Don’t Wanna”
  • Album: Women in Music, Part III
  • Release Date: 6/26/2020
  • Label: Columbia
  • Ranking: #6
  • Artist: Blossoms
  • Song: Your Girlfriend
  • Album: Foolish Loving Spaces
  • Release Date: 1/31/2020
  • Label: Virgin
  • Ranking: #5
  • Artist: PVRIS
  • Song: Stay Gold
  • Album: Use Me
  • Release Date: 8/20/2020
  • Label: Warner
  • Ranking: #4
  • Artist: Niall Horan
  • Song: Heartbreak Weather
  • Album: Heartbreak Weather
  • Release Date: 3/13/2020
  • Label: Neon Haze / Capitol
  • Ranking: #3
  • Artist: Kiesza
  • Song: Crave
  • Album: Crave
  • Release Date: 8/14/2020
  • Label: Island
  • Ranking: #2
  • Artist: Jessie Ware
  • Song: Soul Control
  • Album: What’s Your Pleasure?
  • Release Date: 6/26/2020
  • Label: PMR
  • Ranking: #1
  • Artist: Neon Trees
  • Song: Nights
  • Album: I Can Feel You Forgetting Me
  • Release Date: 7/24/2020
  • Label: Thrill Forever

Songs of the Week: 7/24/2020

Every week, I listen to the all the records in the Tidal “Suggested New Albums” carousel. Every album gets at least two tracks from me (not counting an intro). If I like the two tracks, I listen to the rest of the record. If I don’t, I move on to the next. Most artists put their best tracks up front, so I figure if I don’t like the first two enough to keep going, then I might as well move on. And that’s how I pick my songs of the week. If it’s not in that carousel, then I don’t get to hear it (apart from a random Prince single now and again!)

So… songs of the week for the release date of 7/24/2020

  • Artist: Taylor Swift
  • Song: “Betty”
  • Album: Folklore
  • Genre: Pop
  • Notes: Well, I mean, what good would this be if I didn’t put a new track from a surprise Taylor Swift record in here. The album is what you make of it – a whopping 16 tracks of mellow pop/folk-ish records that meander along harmlessly. It’s a weird record where none of the songs are bad but I felt like I had spent hours and hours trying to get through it.
  • Artist: The Naked and Famous
  • Song: “Sunseeker”
  • Album: Recover
  • Genre: Indie Electronic
  • Notes: Recover is the 4th record from New Zealand’s The Naked and Famous and is filled with catchy pop and electronic tunes, though a bit long with 15 tracks.
  • Artist: Neon Trees
  • Song: “Nights”
  • Album: I Can Feel You Forgetting Me
  • Genre: Pop/Rock
  • Notes: Shit, this is like a 2020 version of a Kenny Loggins soundtrack tune from the mid-80s. So addicting.
  • Artist: MisterWives
  • Song: “whywhywhy”
  • Album: SUPERBLOOM
  • Genre: Indie Pop
  • Notes: Between Neon Trees and this, I am hearing 80s pop influence everywhere!
  • Artist: Logic
  • Song: “GP4”
  • Album: No Pressure
  • Genre: Rap
  • Notes: My 11-year old son says that Logic is “trash” and “done with” – so I guess it makes sense that his 44-year old Dad still likes him. Logic, you on the Dad circuit now.
  • Artist: Sarah Reeves
  • Song: “Heart First”
  • Album: Paradise
  • Genre: Pop
  • Notes: This 31-year old singer who looks like she’s 16 has always been a contemporary Christian artist but it seems like she’s decided to crossover to the dark side and become a pop artist now. And this 4 song EP is a great start.
  • Artist: Jim Gaffigan
  • Song: “Moose – Canadian American”
  • Album: The Pale Tourist
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Notes: There aren’t too many comedy records that end up in the recommended carousel but I’m happy to see this one as I think Gaffigan is an incredibly funny and unique comic. The album is filled with tracks about different countries – the first part being all about Canada – and it’s funny as hell, eh.