Top 50 Songs of 2020: 20 - 11

 

Top 50 Songs of 2020: 20 - 11

20. Siyeon - Paradise

Strangely enough, the best Dreamcatcher song this year was Siyeon's incredible solo debut. It is mostly driven by her vocals, which stay steady through the whole track. She is, of course, supported by Leez and Ollunder's excellent arrangement. Combine this with its strong emotive vibe, and you have one of the best early-year surprises.

19. ATEEZ - Answer

ATEEZ had incredible success throughout their Treasure series of albums. They capped it off with the excellent Treasure: Epilogue, led by Answer, which might be one of the best South Korean songs from 2020. Mingi and Hongjoong let loose some heavy rapping through the track, while Yunho stands out quite well in the pre-chorus. However, the glue of the track is undoubtedly Jongho, who comes in heavily with his high-notes and strong voice whenever there are doubts over the song's future. This all culminates in perhaps one of the best climaxes this year, one that will undoubtedly be compared to future legendary climaxes too.

18. WayV - Turn Back Time

Not counting subsidiaries, Korean agency SM's best 2020 song was a C-Pop track. WayV showed their promise last year, but their 2020 album Awaken the World stands as perhaps one of the best albums in a while. The centerpiece of which is a standout moment. Turn Back Time's verses may fall at times under the sheer hip-hop weight, but the moment the chorus hits, all bets are off. The guitar is just another reason why this track is incredible.

17. Reol - Sixth Sense

Reol had an excellent year, and Sixth Sense stands as its highlight. Her vocals provide a youthful charm, while Giga's chaotic production leaves us really confused. The electronic breakdown in the second verse made many jump, but actually built the song solidly. But behind the chaos, stands surprising lyrical and conceptual depth, helping showcase Reol as one of the most intriguing stars of this generation.

16. Golden Child - One (Lucid Dream)

Following their late-2019 reinvention, questions remained on how well Golden Child would adapt to their new style. Finally, after their (unsuccessful despite acclaimed) Road to Kingdom run, they came back with this gem. The electronic crunch driving the track fades for strings and bass in the chorus, building a beautiful atmosphere. Kudos to songwriter BLSSD, as his electronic Daft Punk climax for this song might end up as one of the year's most surprising musical choices.

15. Yurina Hirate - Reason for Dance

This is the sort of stuff for why I wait for December to finish for my year-end list. Reason for Dance is a massive single, driven by ambition and an interesting lyrical concept. The key-change at the climax guarantees the song's place in the list, while the chorus and dance-break solidify it. It truly feels massive and strong yet at the same time vulnerable.

14. KEEMBO - Scandalous

Some groups just deserved better. Spica was one of those, a group with amazing vocals suffering from corporate mismanagement. Thankfully, former Spica members Boa and Bohyung have re-debuted as KEEMBO and brought Spica producer Sweetune back to, er, "Sweeten" the deal. There just remains one question, what is better, the vocal fire-power displayed by both members, or the violin running amok?

13. BuZZ - Sun and Love

If there is one thing missing in modern music, it is strong vocals. And as my year-end list suggests, songs with strong vocals are generally preferred. Anyway, BuZZ's Sun and Love puts the group's vocals as a priority. The laidback arrangement helps, while the classic fadeout is near perfect.

12. Sid Sriram (with Sunitha) - Neeli Neeli Aakasam

The movie for which the song was created may have been postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19, but there is no denying Neeli Neeli Aakasam's smash success. And it is not hard to see why. Sid Sriram gives an incredible performance, while violins work excellently with classical Indian instruments.

11. A.C.E - Favorite Boys (Goblin)

A dramatic build of everything A.C.E had given us since then, Favorite Boys really through everything in the grinder. There were several songs this year that told us that the artist is the best, but Favorite Boys is one of the few where it feels genuine. With a lyrical reference tying to Korean culture, one would be afraid that it would be one of those wannabe traditional trap tracks. Thankfully, A.C.E and their producers throw everything into the track. The is the hip-hop guitar beat driving the track and the enormous drop chorus. Then there is Byeongkwan's quick rap in the second verse, the melodic pre-chorus, the bridge, and of course, the incredible, undeniably awesome, double high-note. The lyrics also deserve a shout-out for using a traditional Korean folktale for the theme. Jun also steals every moment he can in the track for some vocal fire-power, undoubtedly impressing everyone.