The whole idea of "the best" of this weird year is an oxymoron, so let's change the frame. These were songs that brought comfort, or offered distraction or simply made me present to their beauty. In 2020, that was enough.
"Winter in America," The Archives - DC reggae band covers Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson: "And now it's winter in America." Is it ever!
"Ladies," Fiona Apple - Only a few of Apple's songs hit my radar over the years. This one broke the screen.
"These Are the Time," Molly Parden - This beauty came wrapped in a "Dark Side of the Moon" gloss.
"Los Angeles," Haim - A bouncy hymn to the City of Angels that made me want to get on an airplane. That's so not happening.
"Circles," Mac Miller - A beautiful postscript to Miller's hard-lived life.
Cheesin', Cautious Clay - "Cheesin" - (verb) smiling widely with contentment or happiness. As in, "This song had me cheesin."
"Around the Sun," Poolside - And who didn't need a little Yacht Rock this year?
"Rose in the Dark," Cleo Sol - New neo-soul classic. "Do you know that things get better?"
"Kindness," HNNY - Sometimes a tight little trip-hop groove with the ambient chops of vintage Brian Eno is all you need.
"Friday," Real Estate - "Monday last, I had a dream. Not sure I woke up all week."
"Ordinary Days," Isaac Waddington - And love kept happening in spite of it all.
Hang on. 2021's comin'.
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Honorable Mention: Deacon Blues, Bill Callahan; Hammond Song, Whitney; Dragonball Durag, Thundercat; Johnny, Sarah Jarosz; Everything You Touch is Gold, Gregory Porter; Nancy Wilson, Jazz is Dead 001; Blinding Light, The Weekend; Pale Blue Moon, A Girl Called Eddy; Wasted, Tomberlin; Woman, Nao; Don't Bring No Ladder, Clem Snide
