2020 has been quite the year to remember. Despite all of the chaos and unrest in the world, one thing has remained constant-music. The power of music has been able to connect people together even though we have been apart for most of the year. Here are a few of the most notable albums that I’ve had on repeat in 2020…  

After Hours 

Artist- The Weeknd 

Favorite Song- Blinding Lights 

If one artist stood out from the crowd this year, it was The Weeknd. Although he has been successful in recent years, “After Hours” is claimed to be his best work yet. When you first listen you may notice that the first several songs portray the same tone and melody to one another. However, once you advance farther into the album, The Weeknd’s sound starts to become altered for the better. One particular song that stood out from this masterpiece was “Blinding Lights”. This song can be heard just about every time you turn on the radio and was Spotify’s most-listened-to song of the year. Luckily for fans, 2021 is set to be a big year for The Weeknd as he will be the Super Bowl halftime headliner and will embark on a world tour. 

Folklore

Artist-Taylor Swift 

Favorite Song- Invisible String 

“Folklore” is the eighth and most recent album of Taylor Swift. After surprising her fans with the album’s release in late July, it went on to become the biggest opening day for a female on Spotify after more than 80 million streams. Even though the album’s tunes are slower than her past top hits, it is hard to deny the talent and raw emotion that went into this album. Swift recorded this entire album during quarantine after all. After years of defying the country and pop genres of music, it seems that she has transitioned to a more indie-folk and alternative rock sound. “Folklore” will make listeners feel all emotions- you will want to laugh, cry, smile, and dance. I consider that a truly monumental work of art. 

Fine Line

Artist- Harry Styles 

Favorite Song-Golden 

Even though this album was technically released in December 2019, I am still considering it as it did not make the deadline for the 2020 Grammys and did not make a large impact until this year. “Fine Line” is the second album of previous One Direction member, Harry Styles. This album is going in multiple directions compared to his 2017 self-titled album, “Harry Styles”. Of course, it features multiple songs that are radio-friendly, but it also touches on the genres of reggae and folk. Despite his inconsistent sound, Styles went on to produce an album that was distinctive and connected with fans on a tremendous level. I believe this is just the beginning of Styles’ solo career and I look forward to seeing his sound solidify over the years. 

Southside 

Artist-Sam Hunt 

Favorite Song- Hard to Forget 

After making anxious fans wait nearly six years for new music, Sam Hunt finally released his new album, “Southside” in April. Hunt crafted his album in a unique fashion by including traditional country sounds with a steady hip-hop theme that you would not expect. Although Hunt is not the first country singer to elaborate a hip-hop sound on a country album, he is one of the only ones to have done it well. The song “2016” establishes the traditional country tone of the album while the ballad, “Nothing Lasts Forever” exemplifies influence from the R&B genre. While I consider this an experimental album for Hunt, his position on the Billboard 200 this year emphasizes that he will be making similar albums in the near future. 

Future Nostalgia 

Artist- Dua Lipa 

Favorite Song- Don’t Start Now 

“Future Nostalgia” was released on March 27th, just in time for quarantine. This was the second album for the underrated British singer and went on to her earn her six Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year. Dua Lipa accomplished one of the most important tasks of an artist with this album- she kept her listener engaged. It was hard to listen to this 80’s inspired album and doze off. The upbeat tracklist included hits such as “Don’t Start Now” and “Break my Heart” and was surprisingly short only including 37 minutes of music. This incredible album made Dua Lipa a more renowned artist and demonstrated that her music could compete with that of industry legends.