Music

The top 5 albums of 2020: Taylor Swift’s ‘Folklore’, Miley Cyrus’s ‘Plastic Hearts’ and more

29.12.2020

By Melissa Foong

The top 5 albums of 2020: Taylor Swift’s ‘Folklore’, Miley Cyrus’s ‘Plastic Hearts’ and more

With 2020 drawing to an end, it’s time to finally reflect on the unusual year we’ve had. During this period of self-isolation, music has offered us solace. As cities all over the world underwent lockdown, videos of people singing from their balconies (spot New Yorkers singing along to The Beatles from their windows) emerged on the internet—proof that there’s nothing quite like a good tune to help us get through tough times.

Countless artists didn’t let COVID-19 dampen their creativity this year, launching plenty of excellent songs and albums that have inched its way to the top of global charts. Here are five best-selling albums that made 2020 a little more bearable.

1. ‘folklore’ by Taylor Swift

Compared to the upbeat, super catchy pop tunes from Taylor’s previous albums, folklore is described (by the public) as more of an indie folk-meets-alternative rock album. With its vivid storytelling, introspection and cottagecore aesthetic, folklore has given quarantine a romance-laden sentiment this year.

2. ‘Plastic Hearts’ by Miley Cyrus

Disney alumni and singer-songwriter Miley Cyrus is well on her journey to prove her versatile singing chops. Her seventh studio album, Plastic Hearts, is a raucous tribute to the synths, retro-80s grooves and head-banging rock—featuring artists like Dua Lipa, Joan Jett, Billy Idol, Mark Ronson, Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, and Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins.

3. ‘Circles’ by Mac Miller

Just a month after releasing his fifth album, Swimming, the rapper passed away from an accidental drug overdose. Committed to completing late rapper’s next album even after his death, Jon Brion, whom the singer has worked closely with, was finally given the green light from Miller’s family to release Circles. The posthumous album has elements of soft rock, pop and emo-rap, and clinched the number three spot when it debuted on the US Billboard 200.

4. ‘Legends Never Die’ by Juice WRLD

Legends Never Die was the artist’s first album to be released ever since his tragic death in 2019. A bleak and beautiful album, it successfully captured the rapper’s raw emotions as if foreseeing the path where his drug habits would take him. Fans were able to take a peek into the heart of the singer with the rather quick 55-minute listen.

5. ‘Chromatica‘ by Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga has officially migrated to a planet called Chromatica after tweeting to her fans about how Earth is ‘cancelled’. Not quite like Mother Earth, Chromatica is a pink, Mad Max-like dystopian planet where equality reigns. The album covers themes of mental health, trauma, self-worth—a bold contrast to its uptempo music videos. Fuelled with dance-pop and electro pop tunes, the album also features artists such as Ariana Grande, Elton John and even K-pop girl group, Blackpink.

Check out our local music scene here.

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