What were the best and worst singles released in 2020?

Dua Lipa saved pop, Jon Bon Jovi ruined Christmas and Cardi B made No. 1. Here’s the best and worst singles we’ve heard this year.

It was the year Dua Lipa saved pop, Jon Bon Jovi ruined Christmas and Cardi B scored a NSFW No. 1 with WAP – here’s the best and worst singles of 2020:

1. Levitating – Dua Lipa

The essence of Dua Lipa is the amount of effort she expels to make her pop sound effortless. A bit like her hero Kylie Minogue. There’s a Song Exploder podcast on the creation of Levitating — somehow in a reverse Wizard of Oz moment it makes it even better when you peer behind the curtain and see the hustle that went into it. You can add Madonna, Missy Elliott or DaBaby to it if you must, but it’s the original that joins Don’t Stop Now (released at the end of last year or it’d be here too) as an instant classic. You’re lucky to get one of those in a career, let alone two on one album.

Twerking girls Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion took the NSFW WAP to No.1. Pic: Supplied

2. WAP – Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion

2020 was all about how people reacted to what was going on. And WAP certainly provoked reactions – often those reactions said more about the person making them than the song. A line in the sand moment in 2020.

3. Spotlight – Jessie Ware

Nocturnal disco magic from the British soul singer who lost herself deep in the groove this year. Spotlight pinpoints that pivotal moment just between glow-up and comedown. Plus she made an entire album (What’s Your Pleasure?) of this quality to keep this song company.

4. Say Something – Kylie Minogue

An accidental lockdown anthem, Kylie acknowledged the world was being kept apart then united us with a euphoric pop delight. It was a slowburn, but now sits up with Kylie classics like All the Lovers for injecting that healing feeling into a pop tune.

South Korean boy band BTS drop Dynamite at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards. Pic: AFP/MTV

5. Dynamite – BTS

Finally those remaining people who didn’t understand why the letters BTS would trend constantly got to experience K-Pop phenomenon as the lads set their sights on an undeniable, unavoidable mainstream pop smash. Mission accomplished.

6. Interstellar Love – The Avalanches ft. Leon Bridges

Texan soul man Bridges has dabbled in electronic collaborations before, but nothing like this. Melbourne’s The Avalanches skipped the dancefloor and set the controls directly for outer space on this immersive delight.

7. Running Red Lights – The Avalanches ft. Rivers Cuomo and Pink Siifu

Rivers from Weezer gets woozy on the album’s ‘indie’ hit. Coming to a Hottest 100 near you, very soon.

8. Cardigan – Taylor Swift

Speaking of, this was the year Triple J deigned Taylor Swift ‘cool’ enough to play after years of hoo-ha. But while her Bon Iver duet (Exile) might slip past the Hottest 100 gatekeepers, Taylor got this lo-fi alt-indie song written with the dude from The National on commercial radio worldwide. No poxy, ill-fitting dance mix, just an incredible, intimate song that tapped directly into the world’s collective feelings.

9. Watermelon Sugar – Harry Styles

Speaking of A-list pop saboteurs, Harry got a NSFW lyric stuck in minds the globe over. Crucially, he’s not following any modern trends (OK Golden may sound like that old band from the cranberry juice skateboarding TikTok) and simply serving up really great tunes.

Taylor Swift even released a series of cardigans to promote Cardigan. Pic: Universal

10. Midnight Sky – Miley Cyrus

Speaking of pop stars forging their own path, Miley sat on the right side of an 80s homage (David Guetta and Sia fell on the wrong side). This reeks of Stevie Nicks (there’s even a remix that cuts out the middlewoman and inserts the witch queen herself) but Miley makes it her own because she can.

11. Stop This Flame – Celeste

UK singer Celeste started 2020 winning the BBC’s Sound of 2020 award and this single was Massive Attack meets Ella Fitzgerald. There’s an album next year and you’ll also hear her incredible voice on new Pixar movie Soul.

12. Save Your Tears – The Weeknd

Storming into 2020 with Blinding Lights (released last November) Abel Tesfaye does his best work in the dark. And Save Your Tears could have been on the first Tears for Fears album. Good to see Max Martin finally back to form too

13. Life is a Game of Changing – DMA’s

They could have stayed the indie heroes for years – it’s worked for Liam Gallagher. But the Sydney trio hooked up with genius Stuart Price (he produced Dua’s Levitating too) for this absolute banger than updated them from Oasis to New Order, without losing any of their charm or swagger. Check out Price’s remix (under his guise of Jacques Lu Cont) of DMA’s Cobracaine too, just waiting for a dancefloor to open up.

14. Twisting Words – Miiesha

What. A. Song.

15. Cancer — A. Swayze and the Ghosts

Indie punk direct from Hobart, they’ve got a star in frontman Andrew Swayze and when they can tour their album Paid Salvation again they’re going to blow minds.

16. Terror Australia – Midnight Oil ft. Alice Skye

In 2020 the Oils again showcased Indigenous artists to their mainstream audience. This was unlike anything you expected — a politically-charged Trojan Horse ballad that opened raw wounds, delivered by the gorgeous vocals of Alice Skye.

17. Therefore I Am – Billie Eilish

A work-from-home pioneer, Billie served up the obligatory post-fame decompression in a suitably bleak pop tune. And that work ethic has seen a string of quality singles this year, including a bloody Bond theme now just waiting for a movie.

Working from home? Billie Eilish has been doing it for years. Picture: ARIAs

18. Weird Fishes – Lianne La Havas

Take one of Radiohead’s best songs, deconstruct it as a soul lament, removing the original’s claustrophobic nature briefly before cutting loose yourself. Incredible.

19. Savage Remix – Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyonce

Another TikTok anthem, Megan not only inserted herself into pop culture for the second year running (after meme-bait Hot Girl Summer) she got a genuine icon on her track – with Bey sounding like she was having genuine fun.

20. Gaslighter – The Chicks

Country music is supposed to be authentic. It may have lost its way but if you were wondering why Natalie Maines’ marriage ended there’s a whole song’s worth of receipts here (a whole album’s worth if you get their brilliant album). The new You Oughta Know.

21. Your Love (Deja Vu) – Glass Animals

A festival song just waiting for a festival. Lobbing at the pointy end of the Hottest 100 will have to do first.

22. Work For Me – Mia Wray

If this is your first impression of local singer Mia Wray, what a high impact entry point, as they say. Minimal (she performed it acapella on The Sound without losing any power) but with maximum vocal appeal, this just got better the more you listened.

23. JU$T – Run the Jewels

Pharrell Williams and Rage Against the Machine’s Zack De La Rocha guest on this mood-changer that was perfect this year when you needed to hear something that was saying something, turned up loud.

24. Cherub – Ball Park Music

Ball Park Music’s Sam Cromack is morphing into the new Neil Finn and we’re here for it.

25. Fly Away (Alternate Version) – Tones And I

The original was a treat, but this version from The Sound featuring a her mates The Pierce Brothers, Alice Blake, the Melbourne Gospel Choir, G-Flip’s drumming and Adrian Eagle’s goosebump vocals (especially in the outro) turned it into an epic. And sometimes you need to go big when you’re trying to get people to listen. Watch the video to see that 2020 didn’t mean you couldn’t do music live on TV.

26. Head and Heart – Joel Corry & MNEK

There’s a reason why this was unavoidable this year. And plenty of that is down to MNEK finally getting heard by the masses. May 2021 be his year, even if it took a DJ from Geordie Shore to give him an overdue platform.

27. The Critic – Didirri

You never know quite what you’re going to get with Didirri, and isn’t that a delight One non-negotiable is quality songwriting and The Critic is closer to Nick Drake than Drake in case you’re wondering about his concerns about the charts.

28. Rain on Me – Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande

Sometimes these superstar duets don’t quite work (listen to Gaga and mate Elton John on her latest album) but this one turned the dial to camp banger and they both let fly vocally. Impressive that Gaga can own this as much as she did Shallow.

Melbourne musical duo Ironess released one of the singles of the year in Drive. Pic: Supplied

29. Positions – Ariana Grande

A whole album of her laid-back horny pop became a bit samey, but as a bedroom (and kitchen) soundtrack Positions got the job done in under three minutes. Efficient.

30. Bad Decisions — The Strokes

Hard to Explain meets Generation X, as sweet and spiky as classic Strokes.

31. RU4Me? – Middle Kids

Self-loathing inside another driving pop tune.

32. Drive – Ironess

Melbourne duo find the sweet spot between Angus and Julia Stone and Eurythmics. Check out their freshly-released EP.

33. Kyoto – Phoebe Bridgers

If, for some reason, Bridgers’ album Punisher was a bit glum for you, this is the ideal way in.

34. Pretty Lady — Tash Sultana

More DIY brilliance, this one locking into a particularly spectacular groove.

35. People, I’ve Been Sad – Christine and the Queens

If 2020 was a song …

36. Wildfires – Sault

The anonymous British band dropped two thought-provoking albums this year Wildfires is a soulful groove with lyrics including “Take off your badge, we all know it was murder.”

37. Solid Gold – Delta Goodrem

There’s a Delta Goodrem song called Touch from a few years ago that is what you’d call a lost hit. And like Solid Gold it also channelled Fleetwood Mac and put a modern pop spin on it, this one with a feisty edge.

Delta Goodrem was prolific A.F in 2020. Pic: Carlotta Moye

38. Paralyzed – Delta Goodrem

Stunning Beatles-eque ballad written about Delta literally losing her voice (Google it) and learning to speak again, delivered with vocal power that should have the doctor who performed her oral surgery taking a bow. Why wasn’t this a massive hit?

39. All Tied Up – Kate Ceberano, Steve Kilbey and Sean Sennett

Even before everything went down in 2020 we got Kate Ceberano finding her inner indie chanteuse on this haunting gem.

40. I Can’t Breathe – Jerome Farah

Moving from behind the scenes to centre stage with another message the masses needed to hear this year.

41. Dwell – Odette

Swerving the car around, Odette serves up 80s experimental electro ala Ryuichi Sakamoto, but still with that voice to lure you in.

42. On the Line – San Cisco

For a hot second there we hoped maybe local commercial radio would branch out and support Australian artists who could do with some mainstream exposure considering they couldn’t tour. This is quirky enough to slip between the Jonas Brothers and Maroon 5 surely?

43. Move – Baker Boy

Danzal Baker just delivers jam after jam, all with a knack of sounding modern but retro, and featuring him switch between languages.

44. As Long as You Care – Ruel

Another solid year for Ruel, with a great Cosmo’s Midnight collab, and this lush soul tune skirting on the outskirts of pop and highlighting that voice.

45. 12 Steps – CXLOE

That chorus. That rehab/relationship metaphor.

46. Valleys – Working Men’s Club

If you like New Order, Happy Mondays or any of the Factory bands who mixed dance and rock, so do new UK band Working Men’s Club.

Baker Boy performs during the Fire Fight Australia bushfire relief concert. Picture: AAP

47. Caution – The Killers

Brandon Flowers in Springsteen mode again, with Lindsay Buckingham on guitar. My Own Soul’s Warning also an absolute cracker of a single this year.

48. Dance Like Nobody’s Watching – Yuna

The Malaysian singer has worked with Usher and Pharrell in the past, and moves into a new era with this sultry jam.

49. Without Your Love – The Paper Kites ft. Julia Stone

Very excited about the new Paper Kites album, featuring all female guest vocalists. There’s a handful of songs out already, and there’s some real dark arts majesty to this collaboration between Sam Bentley and Julia Stone, recalling the Jesus and Mary Chain with Hope Sandoval.

Daryl Braithwaite (with fan Kathy Bedford) hit the charts again. Picture: David Caird

50. Love Songs – Daryl Braithwaite

Given to him to pass on to his mate who manages Pink, Dazzler’s ears knew this was a hit. And in another 2020 surprise commercial radio put a ‘heritage’ artist performing a new song on heavy rotation.

From Kylie to Katy: the best and worst albums of 2020

WORST SONGS OF 2020

1. Fairytale of New York – Jon Bon Jovi

JBJ snuck out a festive EP with this howler. He decides to sing the Pogues/Kirsty MacColl duet all by himself, and changes the problematic lyrics so they now read “Call a squirrel ’cause you’re nuts, you’re a kick in the guts” in a mock Irish accent. The Pogues themselves retweeted someone who said the cover was “the worst thing to ever happen music, and I am including both the murder of John Lennon and Brian McFadden’s solo career in there.” This makes the Ronan Keating cover sound like Nick Cave. Diabolical.

2. Yummy – Justin Bieber

Perhaps we knew 2020 was going to go awry when Bieber floated this turd in early January. Wrong on every possible level, it’s baffling that this song has been nominated for a Grammy and The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights was overlooked.

3. Lonely – Justin Bieber

Perhaps if his manager wasn’t busy doing Taylor Swift dirty he would have pointed out that maybe a global pandemic wasn’t the best time for Biebs to moan about how hard it being rich and famous. Nice tune, but lyrically tone deaf.

Justin Bieber’s Yummy was a stinker. Pic: AFP Photo

4. Roxanne – Arizona Zervas

What happens when you get a record company trying to find the next Post Malone and also the next TikTok hit with a lazy hook designed to be repeated on a 30 second video? This.

5. What’s Love Got to Do With It – Kygo & Tina Turner

Kygo gets top billing, but what does he really do to these songs, aside from speeding them up a touch and his name getting them on commercial radio stations who’d never play ‘heritage’ acts otherwise? It started with Whitney Houston, then a tiny Tina tweak to her 80s classic, and then Donna Summer’s Bad Girls. Ironically the latter removes all the disco DNA Dua Lipa and Gaga were trying to replicate this year. Unless you’re going to radically reinvent the original, it seems pointless.