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- Dec 1, 2020

Music | 2020 | Playlist

Updated: Jan 30, 2022

Well 2020 has been quite a year. We could not have predicted just how much this year would impact on us all or just how the year would play out. With so much time spent in lockdown in our homes, climbing the walls, and seeing our mental health levels dropping, I know that with me personally, music has become even more important. The fact as well that 2020 has seen some amazing music, from both new and existing musicians, has on one hand helped to ease those lockdown blues, but has also made choosing tracks for lists like this one more difficult. With such an abundance of great music to choose from, deciding on the final 20 tracks to make up my end of year Playlist was very difficult. Every track I have chosen I could listen to on repeat. They are my absolute favourite tracks from these past 12 months and as such each of them are more than deserved of featuring on my Spotify Music 2020 Playlist.

Alice Ray - I See You

Alice Ray is a London based singer-songwriter who hails from the quieter lanes of Norfolk. Soaring vocals, rhythmic drums and story-telling are at the heart of her music. I was first introduced to Alice Ray through one of the music blogs I follow when they featured her debut track, I See you. It is a great song with such powerful vocals and is easily one of my tracks of the year and it really is such a strong track to kick off this Music 2020 Playlist with.

Amy Naessens - To Be The One You Choose

Dublin based Soul/Pop artist Amy Naessens has been gaining recognition both at home and across the water since the release of her debut single, Reasons, in June 2018. Her music is a blend of pop, soul and R&B mixing powerhouse vocals with delicate songwriting. This track is absolutely one of my favourites from 2020, and in the absence of an official music video, I have included this live one from the Ruby Sessions, which is such a great version of the song.

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APRIL - The Impossible Task Of Feeling Complete

April is a 21 year old singer-songwriter from Kildare in Ireland. 2020 has seen 2 EP releases, the debut, New Conditions, back in May and the latest one, Luna, at the end of October. I was first introduced to April again through one of the amazing music blogs that I follow, with this track, The Impossible Task Of Feeling Complete, and it instantly became one of my most listened to and favourite tracks of the year. The video is below, so do have a listen and enjoy.

Baby Taylah - Home

Hailing from Scotland, singer-songwriter Baby Taylah is a multi-talented artist in her own right, from playing the guitar to the harp, she can do just about anything. 2020 seen the release of debut EP, Good Enough, which the track, Home, is taken from. Having already enjoyed the previous release, Reclaim, from last year, it was no surprise that the new tracks would be just as good. The video was filmed in the stunning area of Glencoe in Scotland.

Beth George - Overtime

Beth George is an electro pop artist combining delicate, sincere vocals with quirky synth and mellow dance beats. Compared to the likes of Jack Garratt and Oh Wonder, her authentic sound is built from experimental live loops and harmonies. One of the more recent releases to make it on to my 2020 list, having only been released in the second week of November, Overtime is a great track and I just love the sound of it and have had it on repeat quite a lot.

Emi Jeen - Other Side

Emi Jeen is an emotionally-raw, powerful alt-pop artist from Montreal in Canada. The story of Emi Jeen is brimming with emotion, heartbreak, wisdom, and triumph, with her songs that tell her tale, at once hopeful and nostalgic, wistful and urgent, raw and graceful. One of the best musical discoveries of 2020 for me and Emi's debut 5 track EP, The Other Side, is really something you should check out. Video for the title track is below. Watch, listen and enjoy!

FLECKS - Hold On

FLECKS are Freya Monks and Scott Halliday, a Dublin based synth-pop duo. They have been writing songs together since 2012, sharing their love of writing and production. Their music is heavily inspired by 80's movies, classic synth-pop and dark, atmospheric film scores. FLECKS are another amazing new discovery this year for me. Just love their sound so much. If you've never heard any of their music, please have a listen and a watch to this and their other music.

Gefahrgeist - Graceless

Gefahrgeist are a new electronic music duo from Scotland. By combining Fiona Liddell's sensational vocals and songwriting with Niall Rae's innovative production and arrangement, Gefahrgeist have created an unusually dark yet pop sound. It's another new recent discovery this year for me and so glad that is the case. Graceless is such a great track. Have a listen right now. Really looking forward to see what Gefahrgeist have in store going into next year.

The Ghost Of Helags - Chemistry

The Ghost Of Helags are singer-songwriter and producer duo Teresa Woischiski and John Alexander Ericson. Originally from Sweden, now located in Berlin, they combine dream pop sounds of their Scandinavian roots with electronic nuances inspired by their newfound home and beyond. Yet another amazing new music discovery for me in 2020, The Ghost Of Helags are definitely ones to watch in 2021. Chemistry is such a great track. Watch, listen and enjoy!

Joliet4 - Ruin

Joliet is an independent singer-songwriter and live streamer from Kansas City, Missouri. She has a delicate and vulnerable sound with a sprinkling of power and acrobatics. The daughter of an award-winning Gospel songwriter, she has honed her craft from a young age. 2020 has seen Joliet release a handful of new tracks and Ruin was definitely the stand out one for me. There was no doubt that it would feature on my end of year playlist. The lyric video is below.

Lial - Dirty Little Lies

Lial is a London-based artist creating hypnotic dark electronic pop. Her vocals stand out above the minimal electronic soundscapes and her music has references to Lana del Rey, Lapsley and Sia. Lial's 5 track Made To Break EP was released on June 12th and the track, Dirty Little Lies, is taken from that. It was released earlier in the year before the EP and it is such a great track, well deserving of a place on my end of year Playlist. The video is below.

Little Luna - Shift & Go

California based singer-songwriter Little Luna released her debut track, Shift & Go, recently in October and it was through one of the music blogs I follow that I discovered the track. It was one of those moments where you instantly know it's gong to be one of your favourite tracks of the year. There is also a cinematic version of the track available which features some great violin throughout. Official music video is below, but also check out the cinematic one.

Llynks - Patterns Through Seams

Llynks (Sara Kendall) is a songwriter, producer, and singer whose haunting and introspective lyrics explore themes of empowerment and self preservation. Her debut album, Become The Root, was released in July 2020. Llynks has been one of my music discoveries of the year! Both the new material and the previous tracks prior to the name change, all now available under Llynks, should be checked out. Also check out the blog post I featured on my website.

MariGo - Better Weather

MariGo is a singer-songwriter, producer, Ableton Certified Trainer and Twitch live music streamer. I have known Mari a while now through her Twitch streams, and also featured her in a Blog Post on my website. Better Weather is my favourite Mari original and I was so glad when it got released. It can be found on the Stranger EP along with 5 other amazing tracks, and I think that Better Weather may well just be my favourite song of these past 12 months.

Meadowlark - Lightning

Meadowlark are a British indie pop duo composed of Kate McGill and Daniel Broadley. I've been a fan of Meadowlark for a while now, and new music from Kate and Daniel is always welcome. Lightning is such a lovely track and was absolutely going to be on my end of year Playlist. Hoping for more material from them soon, but if you listen to this and want more of Kate's lovely voice, please do also check out her solo stuff. She also streams on Twitch now.

Natalie Holmes - Dandelion

Natalie is a singer-songwriter, musician and Twitch live music streamer from Bristol in the UK. I have been a fan of Natalie's for a few years now and she is the reason I discovered Twitch. Dandelion is such a lovely track, which was released in August and is from her Songs I Made When The World Changed EP. The video below was created by Matty Twigg, another Twitch streamer. Please check out the Blog Posts on my website all about Natalie. Part 1 and Part 2.

Pauline Herr - Ghost

Back in 2017, 23-year-old singer, songwriter, and producer Pauline Herr started writing and recording in her small basement closet in Wisconsin, shortly after she dropped out of nursing school to pursue her passion for music. Pauline's authentic production is influenced by indie-electronic, hip-hop, and pop music but each track is unique. Ghost was released earlier in the year and is the title track of Pauline's 7 track EP, which is definitely worth checking out.

Seersha - Coffee

Seersha is a singer-songwriter, recording artist, producer and Twitch live music streamer from Atlanta. I first discovered Seersha back when she began streaming on Twitch when one of the streamers I follow raided her channel. Seersha blends retro-future synths, textural vocals, electronic elements, and trap-influenced drums to create a lush bed for her melodies. Coffee

was released earlier in the year and was instantly (no pun intended) one of my tracks of 2020.

SIIGHTS - Blue Skies

SIIGHTS are a Scottish/Irish songwriting duo made up of Toni Etherson from Glasgow and Mia Fitz from Dublin. Earlier in the year the duo released their debut self-titled 4 track EP, which has already had over 1 million streams on Spotify, and they are already working on a new EP. Blue Skies is taken from the debut EP and I would definitely recommend that you check out both the EP and their other music as soon as possible. Definitely ones to watch.

Syd Silvair - The Moth

Syd Silvair conjures up a world where disco meets modern witchcraft, where divination occurs atop a lush palette of danceable art-pop. Tarot-reader by day, each track on her debut Reverie EP, captures the essence of a specific tarot card. I discovered Syd Silvair once again through a music blog I follow, when they featured The Moth. Right away I loved the sound of the track and I would definitely suggest clicking on the links to check the EP out.

Here is my Spotify Playlist with 20 Tracks chosen from all of the music released during 2020:

Here is a direct link which will open up the Playlist in a web browser: Spotify Playlist

Thank you so much for having a read through my Music 2020 Playlist blog post. Hopefully you will have had a listen to each of the 20 tracks and also watched the videos. If you do like any of the tracks or any of the music or artists featured, please do click on the links that I have included for each of them which will take you to their socials, their websites and to more of their music for your listening and viewing pleasure. Also please check out our 10FROM10 Blog Series via the link below, where we ask a series of 10 questions to 10 different artists and content creators in each part. So far we have featured a variety of Twitch music and gaming streamers, as well as both Scottish and Irish independent singer-songwriters, bands, and musicians. The format of this series is to keep each post to just 10 contributors. Further details are in the link below to see which 10 we've featured each time.

#20Tracks #SpotifyPlaylist #Music2020Playlist #SingerSongwriters #IndependentArtists