Interviews

Published on December 6th, 2020 | by Darren Paltrowitz

What 10 Great Artists Thought Was The Best Song Of 2020

While the 2020 calendar year is still in-progress, it is that time of year when people start to make their “best of” lists for the prior 12 months. In turn, as I am always looking for the latest and greatest music out there, I asked 10 different (interesting) for their favorite song of 2020 and why that is the case. Below are the higlights from that feedback.

Ricky Starks
All Elite Wrestling star

Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”

“I think the song of the year in 2020 is Cardi B’s ‘WAP.’ One of the best lyrical pieces of music.”

Rohit Raju
Current IMPACT Wrestling X Division champion

Sa-Roc featuring Black Thought “Black Renaissance”

“I don’t think I have a favorite song of 2020, because nothing stands out. However, I’m a big fan of lyricists so anything Black Thought touches is money. Plus, this was my first time hearing Sa-Roc and she was sweet as well. Mix that with a sick East Coast beat and I’m sold.”

Adam Cola
Artist, activist & singer — new album is Make Your Mark

Miley Cyrus “Midnight Sky”

“I loves the rock and roll vocal sound from Miley, which is something he feels hasn’t been done in pop music as of late. The lyrics ‘I was born to run, I don’t belong to anyone resonated with me because I love songs about empowerment, and she sounded so authentic.”

Alia Lene
New EP is Christmas Miracle as featured in BET movie Twas The Chaos Before Christmas

“Honestly, I’m torn between 2 albums. Teyanna Taylor’s The Album and Brandy’s B7. Both of these albums were so strong! I love the sonics of Teyanna’s song ‘Bare Wit Me.’ It’s so raw and heavy I love it. I also love the amazing vocals of Brandy in her song ‘Borderline.’ I look up to these 2 albums, and as a producer/writer/singer, I hope to make music that delivers like the way these 2 goddesses did. If they ever see this, I hope they know I’m a true fan and I want to thank them for releasing music that got me through some tough times.”

Robbie Leaks III
Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of Leaks Fitness

Rod Wave “Freestyle”

“‘Tried to tell my mama she don’t gotta work no job. But she the one that taught her baby boy to hustle hard. Said don’t you ever put your trust in man believe in God’ — this particular song and lyric gets played multiple times a day throughout my workout facility because it’s something many can relate to. Every child wants to see the day when they can take care of their parents and have them retire. I have athletes I train daily who are working towards the next level of success for themselves and their families.”

CJ Beatty
Pro baseball player turned musician and motivational speaker

Juice WRLD & The Weeknd “Smile”

“Although his life was tragically cut short, this kid did a lot in a short time and, man, he had such talent. This song speaks to me a lot not only because it’s good, but we got The Weeknd on there and you can tell by the lyrics that he had heart and meant well even though he had some demons. Don’t we all? I appreciate the art he put into this world and like working out to the track or spinning it on the way home. I love the lines ‘I want you to prosper and come proper. Even if that means I ain’t by your side. I’d do anything in my power to see you just smile.'”

Linus Of Hollywood
Producer, songwriter, solo artist, and 1/2 of able machines

SKAAR “24”

“I’ve been listening to a lot of Scandinavian pop in 2020… American pop has gotten so rhythm-dependent lately that it has me looking to the Scandinavians for a melodic fix. SKAAR is a new Norwegian artist I’ve been digging a lot. This is my fave from her latest album The Other Side Of Waiting. The chorus always throws me off the beat for a second — it’s very satisfying.”

Ian Abel
Frontman of the Ian Abel Band

Ellie Turner “Daughter”

“I should really be talking about my song ‘Barely Hanging On’ and its cultural relevance to this year in particular. But instead, I’m going to have to say that my favorite song of 2020 is ‘Daughter’ by Ellie Turner. Whenever I wake up in my feels, I put that song on. The best way to describe it is ‘honest.’ Her voice is comforting and when you hear it, you’ll understand why I imagine she is the best at singing lullaby’s. (laughs) Then after that, ‘Barely Hanging On is the best song of 2020!”

Lucy Woodward
Singer, songwriter and in-demand session musician

Silvia Perez Cruz “Pena Salada” – “When corona-times started back in March, I dove into Flamenco singers and found Silvia Perez Cruz. On ‘Pena Salada’ — opening track of her 2020 release — she gets super-dissonant harmonically, teasing you with tension but then rewarding you with the beauty of her voice.”

Chris Stapleton “Whiskey Sunrise” – “Chris Stapleton has a way of singing with warmth and grit so uniquely. You don’t come across this combination often with a singer. His sensitive story telling and strength always dive into my soul.”

Laura Marling “Song For Our Daughter” – “I didn’t really know much about Laura until I heard this song being played in a tiny grocery store in Rotterdam. I stopped dead in my tracks in the aisle to listen. I’m a big fan of Maya Angelou and I read this song was an homage to her ‘Letter To My Daughter.’ This song has such a gentle way of passing on truly important messages to the next generation. I wish I had had that when I was coming up in the music business.”

Joe Barksdale
Singer and songwriter — new album is Sincerely

2 Chainz “Can’t Go For That”

“I’ve been addicted to 2 Chainz’s So Help Me God! album lately. The production is fantastic and the lyrical delivery compliments the music very well. My favorite song, and anthem for the rest of my music career, is track 5, ‘Can’t Go For That.'”

Brandon Alexander
Singer, songwriter, influencer and model — new EP is titled Head Over Heels

Nightly “Older”

“My favorite song of the year is ‘Older’ by Nightly. It beautifully articulates internal conflict that millennials face when they wonder if they have enough to show for based on their age, in comparison to the previous generation who seemed to have it all together by this age.”

Maddi Jane
Singer/songwriter — her latest album is Butterfly Effect

Loote “This Is How U Feel”

“My favorite song is ‘This Is How U Feel’ by Loote. I’ve pretty much run to this song every day this year. It’s filled with ordinary moments and made me appreciate life more, especially 2020.”

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Tags: AEW, Cardi B, Impact Wrestling, Linus Of Hollywood, Lucy Woodward, Ricky Starks, Rod Wave, Rohit Raju

About the Author

Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."