When Playlists Lose Their Minds
Before we dive into the songs that accidentally became the emotional Yelp reviews of the whole decade, let’s take a moment to appreciate just how bonkers the 2020s have been so far. One minute we’re baking sourdough, the next we’re dancing in parking lots, and somehow we’re all drinking iced coffee through it. If any era ever needed a soundtrack that’s equal parts glitter, doom, swagger, and glitch, it’s this one. Lucky for us, the music delivered.
A&W
Lana Del Rey spins a slow, hazy track that feels like floating through a dimly lit memory you’re not sure you should revisit. The song stretches its limbs and refuses to hurry, mirroring the pace of a decade where time feels elastic. It’s dreamy, unsettling, and heartbreakingly intimate all at once.
Neon Tommy Uploaded by C.Jonel, Wikimedia Commons
Bunny Is a Rider
Caroline Polachek glides through this buoyant, whisper-light dance track like she’s weightless. It’s a confident, airy reminder that escape is sometimes a mindset rather than a physical location. The hypnotic production makes it feel like a sugar-spun daydream.
Screenshot from Bunny Is a Rider, Perpetual Novice (2021)
Super Shy
NewJeans brings bright, addictive energy to a tune that’s equal parts dancefloor sparkle and bashful butterflies—a perfect representation of Gen Z optimism colliding with modern jitters. It’s sweet without being syrupy and stylish without trying too hard. A pop confection with serious staying power.
Screenshot from Super Shy, ADOR (2023)
Not Like Us
Kendrick Lamar delivers a bold, electric hit that crackles with defiance. It thumps, it snaps, and it channels the relentless urgency that has defined so much of the decade. There’s no mistaking its confidence—it drives forward like it has somewhere important to be.
Screenshot from Not Like Us, Interscope Records (2024)
Belinda Says
Alvvays blends melancholy and charm into a melodic indie gem that feels like autumn sunlight. It’s wistful without wallowing and hopeful without denying reality. The chorus blooms beautifully, like a deep breath after a long day.
David Lee from Redmond, WA, USA, Wikimedia Commons
Safaera
Bad Bunny unleashes a whirlwind of genre flips, tempo twists, and wild energy that mirrors the unpredictable spirit of the 2020s. The song erupts like a fireworks display that refuses to fizzle out.It’s one of the most delightfully chaotic five-minute experiences you can have without leaving your house.
Runner
Alex G captures the restless feeling of wanting to run from everything and toward something new at the same time. His lo-fi textures and drifting vocals give the song an almost dreamlike haze. It’s perfect for late-night walks when your brain refuses to hit pause.
Screenshot from Runner, Domino Recording Company (2022)
Chosen to Deserve
Wednesday serves up a grungy, bittersweet tale that buzzes with emotional static. The guitar-heavy sound gives it a slightly unpolished charm that fits the decade’s love for raw authenticity. While it feels nostalgic, it still hits with present-day urgency.
Screenshot from Chosen to Deserve, Dead Oceans (2023)
Hard Drive
Cassandra Jenkins gently narrates a calming, ethereal soundscape that feels like meditation set to music—a rare moment of serenity in a decade that forgot how to exhale. The spoken-word storytelling and soft instrumentation create a sense of peaceful drift. It’s basically the audio equivalent of staring at waves.
Screenshot from Hard Drive, Ba Da Bing Records (2021)
American tterroristt
RXK Nephew goes fully unfiltered in a nearly nine-minute sprint of rapid-fire thoughts and emotional intensity. It’s abrasive, fascinating, and deliberately overwhelming—much like scrolling through everyone’s opinions online. The beat keeps pulsing even as the words spill like a cracked dam.
Days Like These
Low delivers a slow, atmospheric piece that feels like a fog rolling across a quiet landscape. The harmonies are haunting in the gentlest way, pulling you into a reflective trance. It’s a song for thinking, remembering, and letting your mind stretch into the distance.
Screenshot from Days Like These, Sub Pop (2021)
Shiver
Fever Ray leans into moody, shadowy production that hums with a strange, magnetic pull. Their vocals float above the track like a ghost refusing to fully materialize. It’s eerie in the best way, like the soundtrack to a stylish dystopian dream.
Screenshot from Shiver, Rabid Records (2023)
I Want You to Love Me
Fiona Apple throws her whole heart into a beautifully intense piano-driven piece. The song bubbles with vulnerability, urgency, and the thrill of wanting something deeply. Apple’s voice twists and soars, reminding us that longing can be both fierce and fragile.
Gospel for a New Century
Yves Tumor blurs rock, soul, and experimental flair into something bold and deliciously dramatic. The opening horns alone feel like a sudden spotlight in a dim room.It’s theatrical, stylish, and wildly confident—exactly the swagger the 2020s needed.
Screenshot from Gospel for a New Century, Warp Records (2020)
Somewhere Near Marseilles
Hikaru Utada delivers a long, swirling soundscape that feels like drifting through city lights at midnight. The beat is steady and hypnotic, drawing you deeper into its quiet pulse. It’s the kind of track that turns a simple walk into a movie scene.
Pikachusoup, Wikimedia Commons
Pick Up Your Feelings
Jazmine Sullivan powers through a fierce, soulful breakup empowerment anthem. Her vocals soar with precision and confidence, every note carrying emotional weight. It’s smooth, bold, and irresistibly self-assured.
Screenshot from Pick Up Your Feelings, RCA Records (2020)
Making the Band
Earl Sweatshirt keeps things minimalist, sharp, and tightly coiled. The lyrics hit fast and leave you thinking long after the beat fades. It’s a brief track, but it lingers like an unresolved question.
It Must Change
ANOHNI and the Johnsons craft a tender, aching call for transformation. The arrangement is gentle but piercing, wrapping emotion around every line. Its simplicity gives the message extra gravity, like a quiet truth finally spoken aloud.
Screenshot from It Must Change, Secretly Canadian (2023)
Free Joe Exotic
BFB da Packman and Sada Baby collide humor, rambunctious delivery, and unpredictable punchlines into a track that feels like pure mayhem. The energy is explosive, like a joke that turns unexpectedly epic. Even when it goes off the rails, it stays undeniably fun.
Screenshot from Free Joe Exotic, Asylum Records (2020)
crisp dubs
Xaviersobased drops an experimental, glitch-heavy sonic collage that feels like a late-night dive into the internet’s strangest corners. The chopped rhythms and distorted textures give it an unpredictable edge. It’s weird in the most fascinating way, like audio graffiti sprayed onto a digital alley wall.
Ninecalling, Wikimedia Commons
Murder Most Foul
Bob Dylan closes things out with a sprawling, meditative reflection that stretches well past the average runtime. His storytelling is patient, winding, and steeped in historical echoes. It’s an epic journey that feels like opening a dusty book filled with secrets.
The White House from Washington, DC, Wikimedia Commons
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