It’s been a while since I’ve talked about music on this blog. I have loved music my entire life, I grew up completely surrounded by it and it is very much part of my daily life. I listen to music in the mornings to wake me up, during the day to keep me going, and in the evening to wind down. I personally think there is music fit for any circumstance and it’s very seldom I don’t want to listen to it.
This leads me to today’s topic: my favourite albums of this year. Now, if you know me well you will know that I have been a fan of quite a few K-pop groups for over two years now, and I do have many many favourite albums by these artists. However, my ranking of favourite albums isn’t limited to K-pop because I’ve listened to so many different albums in different languages this year.
Just a disclaimer: I know to someone who knows very little about K-pop, it can seem like a very strange and different world - certainly that seems to be the opinion a lot of people have. But I will say that the albums I mention that happen to be Korean music are simply amazing music and some of my favourite releases overall this year. If you don’t want to listen to them, that’s okay, but maybe take a read of my thoughts about them and see if you get curious.
- My top release this year is BE by BTS. Now, this album was only released on the 20th of November, which is yesterday as I write this. However, anyone who listens to BTS will agree that this was highly anticipated. With the release of their previous album; Map of the Soul: 7, many of us were completely captivated and excited for a chance to hear the songs live and experience the Map of the Soul tour. Obviously that didn’t happen with everything that has come about this year, so the release of all-English single Dynamite was a well-needed serotonin boost for BTS fans and probably a lot of others. This album, BE, however, is like the comfort of a hand to hold or warm hug from a friend you haven’t seen in a long time. Its title track ‘Life Goes On’ is a gentle reminder that we are all experiencing the same strange year and if nothing else we have each other. The b-sides of the album include retro-feeling ‘Telepathy’ and gentle but uplifting ‘Stay’ as well as emotional tracks such as ‘Dis-ease’ and ‘Blue & Grey.’ To me, as a two-year BTS fan, this album is hands-down my favourite release of the year!
- Now to some more familiar pop - Ariana Grande’s Positions. Again, anyone who knows me is aware that I adore Ariana’s music, and I’ve listened to her for so long now. This album was also highly anticipated, as her previous two broke so many records and established her as a songwriter and composer as well as pop icon. Positions really contains a lot of what we collectively felt this year too, but on a more personal level. At least for me. Since Sweetener, I’ve really resonated with a lot of the emotion in her songs - and this album has felt so validating in that respect too. There’s a candidness she expresses in her music, with tracks such as ‘Off the Table’ and ‘pov’ saying things that so many of us have felt. The confidence and self-love in this album are so healing to me, combined with how many bops this album has, makes it my second favourite album of 2020.
- Thirdly, I have chosen Manic by Halsey. As a long-time Halsey fan (think Room 93 EP aaaah) this album was just brilliant in my opinion. The emotions I felt while listening to this for the first time are ones I will never forget. I went to see Halsey in concert right before Ireland locked down the first time, and that concert was one of the saving graces of my year. Tracks like ‘Clementine’ and ‘3am’ really spoke to me and the honesty of this album combined with a familiar yet new sound are what made this album one of my favourites.
- My fourth favourite of this year’s releases is Eyes Wide Open by Twice. Another Korean group, this nine-member girl group has been absolutely captivating me with their music quite a while now. This album is their second full length album, which consists of thirteen songs, all with a beautiful feel to them. The concept of the album is retro which is very trendy at the moment, but the album feels timeless, simultaneously experimental, and fundamentally Twice. Their maturity as a group shines in this album the most, with tracks such as ‘Hell in Heaven,’ ‘Up No More’ and ‘Say Something’ showcasing this. The title track ‘I Can’t Stop Me’ fits with the retro theme too, featuring eighties synth sounds and catchy hooks (and for all you folks who don’t want to listen to music in a language you don’t understand, there is an English version). Even if you’re not interested in K-pop or a Korean speaker, the songs are enjoyable and a little addictive which makes this one of my favourite releases of the year!
- Finally, I couldn’t write about my favourite releases without talking about Folklore and Evermore by Taylor Swift. I’ve listened to Taylor Swift for over a decade now, and while there were times her music wasn’t what I reached for, I remain a constant fan. Which is why Folklore and Evermore were such phenomenal releases. With every track I was more and more captivated and both albums felt so new but so classically Taylor sounding all at once which is a great feeling. Some of my favourite tracks on Folklore include ‘this is me trying,’ ‘illicit affairs,’ and august,’ while my favourite Evermore tracks include ‘champagne problems,’ ‘’tis the season,’ and ‘ivy.’ A lot of the music I have leaned toward this year has been calm and soothing but with a story to tell, and both Folklore and Evermore are the absolute epitome of that feeling. Taylor remains one of my favourite storytellers and songwriters of all time with these albums, and because she said they’re sister albums I am putting them together as one favourite because I can’t choose one over the other.
That concludes my top five favourite albums of 2020! I would also like to mention In a Dream by Troye Sivan, Nectar by Joji, Map of the Soul: 7 by BTS, 回: Walpurgis night by Gfriend, Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa, and 3.15.20 by Childish Gambino as some of my other favourites. I did find that I was listening to a lot of older releases this year as well, and the average time I listen to music definitely went way up. Let me know what your favourite album of 2020 is and I hope you enjoyed this post!
Jessica
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