Here are 20 songs to say good riddance to 2020 with.
Every weekday evening, our editors guide you through the biggest stories of the day, help you discover new ideas, and surprise you with moments of delight. Subscribe to get this delivered to your inbox. Crowds are a no-no this New Year’s Eve, but there are no restrictions on dancing by yourself. To help you say good riddance to 2020 in style, I asked three writers who cover music—Spencer Kornhaber, Hannah Giorgis, and James Parker—to put together a playlist worthy of your evening. Follow along on our Spotify. May their picks inspire many a living-room boogie. Thanks for reading The Atlantic this year. We’ll see you in 2021. VICTORIA MONÉT, KHALID, AND SG LEWIS, “EXPERIENCE” Using a magic-dusted groove and a velvet voice, the Ariana Grande songwriter and rising R&B star Victoria Monét offers counsel relevant to all of humankind after 2020: “I’m hoping that experience will get you to change.” Spencer DUA LIPA FEATURING DABABY, “LEVITATING” “If you wanna run away with me, I know a galaxy / And I can take you for a ride,” Dua Lipa sings, and for a moment, interstellar travel seems possible. Somehow, DaBaby’s brisk, frenetic rapping doesn’t feel out of place on the bubbly pop track; instead, it adds a live wire. — Hannah UNDERWORLD, “REZ/COWGIRL LIVE” Euphoria? Communion? Here it is, the pure, silvery, “everyone’s together” rush. This live version is the best: The crowd’s delayed roar of gladness as the beat drops at 8:39 is like a chemical exploding softly across the brain centers. Musical bioengineering at its most soulful and loving. — James BREE RUNWAY FEATURING MISSY ELLIOTT, “ATM” Something to look forward to every new year: the future of music. The rapper Bree Runway makes a solid case for the title of Next Big Thing on “ATM” while commiserating with that forever-future-of-music, Missy Eilliott, about the hassles of travel. — Spencer KAYTRANADA AND SHAY LIA, “CHANCES” If ever there were a song that insisted on shimmying, it’s this gauzy offering from the pair of Canadian musicians. Shay Lia’s voice is so light, it’s practically atmospheric, the song a reminder that there’s beauty—comfort, even—in thoughtful repetition.
