MY TOP TEN SONGS OF 2020

1. EAT BY TOBE NWIGWE

Tobe Nwigwe is a family man who sings about his faith, hopes to make “purpose popular” and avoids using profanity.  And yet his music is some of the most provocative music I’ve heard in 2020.  I love it! 

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2. MAD AT DISNEY BY SALEM ILESE

Whenever an artist challenges culture, I’m curious to hear more.   Salem Ilese’s challenge of  Disney’s romantic myth helps me ask good questions about my view of true love.  

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3. LOOKING FOR SOME LIGHT BY COLONY HOUSE

I love the universal truth of humanity’s desire for hope.   When I’m feeling discouraged, I find comfort that my desire for hope is not weird.  Other humans know what I’m going through and we all are searching.  

4. SHAMEIKA BY FIONA APPLE

I how a kind word from a schoolmate from decades ago is still shaping Fiona Apple.  I also love that she released this album ahead of schedule so that she could avoid the hype-machine.

5. WALKING IN THE SNOW BY RUN THE JEWELS

So many of the lyrics from this song stick in my brain and I find myself reflecting on them constantly.  How oppression works, poverty’s roots, and the idea that Jesus was the enemy of the state when he was murdered.

6. SUDDEN DESIRE BY HAYLEY WILLIAMS

Hayley Williams has an amazing ability to create songs that are loud, soft, edgy and beautiful all at once.   Sudden Desire draws me in musically.

7. SWIM GOOD BY SWITCHFOOT

I love that Switchfoot found a song by Frank Ocean that they think can offer us hope during the pandemic.   In life’s storms we sometimes just have to stay afloat and swim good…

8. WHEN I MEET MY MAKER BY TENILLE TOWNES

Once I found out that Tenille Townes is from Alberta and writes most of her music, I couldn’t get enough!  Her desire to live out her convictions is refreshing and inspiring.

10. THE MAN BY TAYLOR SWIFT

Taylor Swift asks fascinating questions about men and women in culture.  As a guy, this song is good food-for-thought for me.  And her new NETFLIX documentary sheds even more light on the conversation.

Micah received a Masters of Popular Music Studies from the University of Glasgow and has worked several years in the music industries as a musician, critic, and band manager. He has a passion for helping audiences find better music through discernment, critical-thinking, and empathy-development. He integrates the work of several Christian scholars such as Dr. Al Wolters and Andy Crouch alongside the latest research in behavioural psychology, sociology, and popular music studies.