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- Machine Gun Kelly, “Bloody Valentine” Nope, it’s not the simulation going bad — Machine Gun Kelly did indeed release the best rock single of 2020. “Bloody Valentine” hushed any remaining doubts about MGK’s career pivot and eventually brought him to pop’s biggest stages, both figuratively (topping the Billboard 200 with his Tickets to My Downfall album) and literally (playing both the VMAs pre-show and the AMAs main show).
- beabadoobee, “Care” Carefully constructed but delivered with joyful relish, Beabadoobee’s “Care” is a piquant blast of ’90s alt-rock, finding the 20-year-old singer-songwriter brushing off someone’s performative sympathy and opting to find solace in a swirl of jangly guitars and Paisley tones.
- 24kGoldn feat. iann dior, “Mood” Call it rock, call it rap, call it pop — all true, and all insufficient at capturing the energy and jubilation that the opening guitar scrapes of “Mood” produced across seemingly every radio format in 2020.
- Phoebe Bridgers, “Kyoto” In a press statement upon the release of “Kyoto,” Phoebe Bridgers explained that the song is about “impostor syndrome” — about being in Japan, playing her music half a world from where it was conceived, and dissociating with that positive experience.
- Shinedown
- The Struts
- Korn
- Dirty Honey
- Five Finger Death Punch
- Sons of Silver
- Stone Horses
- Black Stone Cherry
- The Killers
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
Shinedown remains not only one of the best 2020s rock bands but one of the best rock bands of the 21st century. The quartet has been nominated for seven iHeartRadio Music Awards for Rock Song and Rock Artist of the Year. They have had 17 number one singles on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and ranked No. 1 on the Billboard chart for Greatest o...
What do you get when you cross Queen, The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, My Chemical Romance, and The Killers? You get The Struts—a British rock band that continues to make waves in the global rock world. Their most recent album peaked at No. 11 on the UK charts. A 2021 collaboration with Paris Jackson produced a funky, danceable single that showcases ...
Korn may have been around for 30 years, but that doesn’t change the fact that they make it onto the best 2020s rock bands list. Their ability to bring nu metal into the mainstream consciousness has brought them incredible success, with more than 40 million records sold worldwide as of 2021. The band released their 14th studio album in early 2022, w...
Newcomers Dirty Honey have already made their mark as a must-watch 2020s rock band. Their sound is an inspiring combination of classic rock, southern blues, and alternative. The LA-based quartet was the first unsigned band to ever have a single top the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in 2019. Their 2021 album produced five singles, three of w...
Five Finger Death Punch is one of those heavy metal rock bands whose music just hits different. Lead vocalist Ivan Moody’s low, gravelly melodies bring to life songs about everything from politics and the military to mental health struggles. FFDP’s eighth studio album, F8, was released in 2020. Their song “Living the Dream” earned them a nomination...
We would be remiss if we didn’t include indie rock legends Sons of Silver on our list of best 2020s rock bands. The five-piece American band released their newest EP, Ordinary Sex Appeal, in 2022. It combines the cleverly moody lyrics and upbeat melodies with the bluesy-grunge style fans love.
Alt-rock band Stone Horses create timeless rock anthems that are as easy to connect with as they are to party down to. With influences like Chris Cornell, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Johnson, and Slash, Stone Horses continue to put out groovy, rhythmic tunes their fans adore. The band’s goal is to produce rock music of the future, embracing a variety of s...
Black Stone Cherry’s band members have been playing together since they were teenagers. Over the years, they have fostered a truly unique rock sound that continues to stand the test of time. 17 of the band’s singles have charted on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Their 2020 album release, The Human Condition, leads off with a cover of Tracy Ch...
It’s pretty difficult not to like The Killers, whether you’re a hardcore metalhead or a pop-punk kid for life. Brandon Flowers's iconic tenor combined with the band’s alternative, synth-rock sound has created numerous danceable singles and sold over 28 million albums worldwide. They not only hold a place as one of the best rock bands of the 21st ce...
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are another top 2020s rock band with an incredible range of styles and influences. Their unique combination of funk, psychedelic rock, punk, and rap rock has earned the band six Grammy Awards and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The iconic band continues to maintain their status as the kings of California ...
- 0171, “Follow” We might be living in 2020, but London duo 0171 is living in 3020; futuristic doesn’t begin to cover the sort of concoctions that Joe Bedell-Brill and Georgie Hoare have cooked up recently.
- Aly & AJ, “Attack of Panic” History will look kindly upon Aly & AJ’s impressive post-Disney output, which continued in 2020 with “Attack of Panic.” The slithering slice of electronica answered the question, “What would it sound like if Aly & AJ sounded like a cross between Nine Inch Nails and Grimes?”
- Ariana Grande, “Positions” In less than a decade, Ariana Grande has gone from hopeful hitmaker to unassailable purveyor of pop prowess, nailing the sound of the moment while pointing to the industry’s next step.
- Ava Max, “Kings & Queens” There is nothing subtle about this over-the-top power-pop dynamo, from chess metaphors to pounding electric guitars, and that’s just how Ava Max likes it.
- Creeper - Sex, Death & the Infinite Void. July 31, 2020. Glam Rock, Pop Rock. Critic Score 87 13 reviews. Amazon. iTunes. Music. Spotify.
- HAIM - Women in Music Pt. III. June 26, 2020. Soft Rock, Indie Pop, Pop Rock. Critic Score 84 38 reviews. Amazon. iTunes. Music. Spotify.
- PVRIS - Use Me. August 28, 2020. Pop Rock, Alt-Pop. Critic Score 84 11 reviews. Amazon. iTunes. Music. Spotify.
- Waxahatchee - Saint Cloud. March 27, 2020. Alt-Country, Singer-Songwriter, Soft Rock. Critic Score 83 37 reviews. Amazon. iTunes. Music. Spotify.
- Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande, “Rain on Me” It’s common practice for music fans to dub different songs “the anthem” of a specific year. But in 2020 — a year defined (and constantly redefined) by how preternaturally awful things can actually get — one song in particular served as its saving grace.
- The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights” The numbers speak for themselves, don’t they? In addition to “Blinding Lights” ending up the No. 1 Hot 100 song of the year, the longstanding megahit has enjoyed record-setting stays in the chart’s top 5 and top 10 regions, as well as atop Billboard’s all-format Radio Songs airplay chart and Hot R&B Songs.
- Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé, “Savage” (Remix) “Savage” was a smash even before Megan Thee Stallion recruited hip-hop royalty for a remix. The song, which became a national obsession thanks to a raunchy dance challenge on TikTok, featured Meg at her most confident, clever and magnetic, layering sharp rhymes about her body, finances and game over a club-ready hook.
- Harry Styles, “Adore You” Harry Styles’ “Adore You” is one of those perfect pop gems that only arrives so often, and has to be played on repeat until someone in the household complains.
List of songs on Billboard 's 2020 Year-End Hot 100 chart; No. Title Artist(s) 1 "Blinding Lights" The Weeknd: 2 "Circles" Post Malone: 3 "The Box" Roddy Ricch: 4 "Don't Start Now" Dua Lipa: 5 "Rockstar" DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch: 6 "Adore You" Harry Styles: 7 "Life Is Good" Future featuring Drake: 8 "Memories" Maroon 5: 9 "The Bones" Maren ...
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2020 Pop Rock album releases. A list of all music releases for 2020. Find the best music on Album of the Year.
