Breaking Down Our 2020 Favorites
Over the course of the past year, we have faced a variety of different obstacles, both in and out of the entertainment industry. In the face of a global pandemic our industries were brought to a halt. Worldwide tours came to an end, productions were temporarily shut down, yet through it all, we found a new sense of motivation. Releases from creators have reached a peak, and we have seen some of the greatest work in years in 2020.
Taking a moment to reflect on all that has come out of 2020, we’ve broken down some of our favorite releases from the past year. Straight from the team at Backward Noise, here is our 2020 recap.
Album of the year
Chief editor, Jade Pike charts Grandson’s Death of an Optimist as her album of the year. Serving as his debut record, Death of an Optimist is a brutally honest statement on the struggle in processing the hysteria in the world around us. Proving to be incredibly relevant in the face of this year’s events, this album touches on topics from America’s political chaos to the heaviness of addiction. There is a consistent battle between two egos seen throughout the album, known as “G” and “X”. In this presentation, the audience is brought witness to the internal conflict experienced by Grandson, and may prove we are all in a comprehensive struggle to understand our world’s plaguing negativity.
Ally Rettew credits Movements’ No Good Left to Give as her album of the year. As their sophomore album, Movements has shown insane growth as a band and released 12 stunning and emotional tracks. She mentions, “With my favorite tracks being ‘In My Blood’ and ‘Seneca’, I have been obsessed with this album since it was released.”
Punisher from the ever-so-talented Phoebe Bridgers ranks as Hayley Scandura’s album of the year, noting “ It was the perfect album to carry me through 2020--so raw and intimate.” It's emotional, heartfelt, and beautifully-written without being pretentious.
Dylan Sheridan places Declan Mckenna’s Zeros at the top of his list. Zeros is Declan McKenna’s glamorous sophomore album. Coming in hot on the alternative radar, Declan really showed his true colors in these ten electric tracks. He had been teasing Zeros since his first single “Beautiful Faces”, released back in late January. Dylan mentions, “I was really won over with his hit single from Zeros, ‘The Key to Life on Earth’, which is actually my most streamed track this year. I highly recommend this album to any alternative or glam rock fan.”
Ranking high for Leigha Stuiso is Haim’s Women in Music Pt. III. The Haim sisters are at their very best in Women in Music Pt. III and are finally getting the recognition they deserve. There is something unique in each of the 16 tracks on the album, but they all blend together for a pop-rock record that is meant to be blasted through the speakers of your car.
Apolonio from the beloved Omar Apollo charts as Pooja Aggarwaal’s album of the year. With some great collaborations with artists like Ruel and Kali Uchis, it’s just a great album from start to finish.
Taking the final spot is Delta Rae’s The Light, as ranked by Amanda Epstein. This album, and its sister album "The Dark" due out in 2021 are part of the most funded music Kickstarter in history. Delta Rae is a group of "southern gothic storytellers" that cannot be put into a box. Their sound switches from country, pop, rock, americana, and everything in between. This album is full of tracks that lift you up and empower you.
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Kicking off our list of the best singles this year is nothing,nowhere.’s “Fake Friend”. Ally credits this track as “absolutely stunning, from his lyricism to the melody and everything in between.”
Stormstress’ “You Can’t Hurt Me Now” comes in as Amanda’s single of the year. This is a track full of harmonies and hard hitting music; a metal song with a powerful message. It is about knowing that you're in a bad relationship, and having the power to walk away and shut the door. It gets stuck in your head and seeks to empower the listener.
Leigha ranks Mac Miller’s “Good News” as her single of the year, with good reason. The single, off the posthumous record Circles, released earlier in the year is what everyone needs to hear. It is all about the light that comes at the end of the tunnel and gives us a look into Miller's mind.
From Gus Dapperton comes the single “Post Humorous”, charted as Dylan’s single of the year. Gus Dapperton released several singles this year off of his sophomore album Orca. Post Humorous is an anthem that any alt-indie head can get down to. Dylan says, “It isn't often that I fall in love with a song after the first listen, but this one was definitely an exception.” With a slow and dramatic entrance with light vocals and an acoustic guitar, Gus draws you in. A slow build begins after a minute or so and then the song takes a left turn with an upbeat tempo when the drums drop in. “I've found myself singing this song in the car, around the house, and anywhere I listen to music. I highly recommend Gus' album Orca and the songs ‘Post Humorous’, ‘First Aid’, and ‘Bluebird’.”
Pooja credits The Knocks and MUNA’s collaborative piece “Bodies” as her single of the year, while Hayley praises Fiona Apple’s “Shameika”. Shameika is an experimental anecdote of a song. Hayley exclaims, “I love that Shameika was a real person in Fiona Apple's life, I love that she was a black woman. I love everything about this song from the tounge-in-cheek lyrics to the exciting piano part to the story behind it.”
To finish off our list, Jade marks The Neighbourhood’s “Devil’s Advocate” as her single of the year. As one of the first introductions to the era of Chip Chrome and The Mono-tones, “Devil’s Advocate” is a hypnotic alt-rock track that is nearly impossible to escape. Dark and distorted guitar riffs encapture the listener, and the pairing of a visually stunning music video gives a snapshot into the band’s artistic evolution.
BAND OF THE YEAR
It can be agreed that COIN has taken 2020 by a storm, acclaimed as the band of the year by Hayley, Dylan, and Jade. With a year full of let downs, COIN did not disappoint. Starting off the year strong with a new album and tour, COIN dropped Dreamland. The last day before the nationwide lockdown began marked the date of the band’s show at the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida. A memory held close to many of our team members located in Central Florida, and an emotional moment for those who attended, COIN’s live show is worth noting as one of the most immersive experiences. Once the tour was shut down due to the pandemic, the band got working on more content to keep their fanbase interested. After some time the band announced an EP as the first installation of the Rainbow Mixtape series. The EP, titled Indigo Violet was released in late October. A month later the boys put on a virtual concert showcasing the new EP, as well as playing a handful of old songs. All in all, COIN really did stay consistent this year and they definitely deserve the title of band of the year.
Noted by Leigha as her band of the year are pioneers of the alternative rock revival, The Strokes. Releasing The New Abnormal, their first album in seven years, the band is back with familiar and new sounds. Their record proves honest and true to the band. It seems as though the band is back on the rise and this year helped to launch them further in that process.
The Neighbourhood has been a favorite for years in the alternative music scene, but Ally has noted 2020 as their biggest year thus far. With the release of Chip Chrome & The Mono-Tones, which signified a huge artistic shift within their image, and multiple songs by them going viral, 2020 was absolutely monumental for them.
Ranking again on our list comes MUNA and Delta Rae, chosen by Pooja and Amanda as their band of the year, topping off the list.
NON-MUSICAL Artist of the Year
This year saw a great rise in creators outside of the music industry as well. From new discoveries to long-time favorites, we have collected a list of some of our favorite non-musical artists of 2020.
Starting off our list is Stefanie Thiele, chosen by Leigha as her non-musical artist of the year. Stef is a freelance artist based in Hamburg, Germany. Her work is visually appealing and can have you locked in with a painting, inspecting every brush stroke. Her website has more information about her and her work.
Illustrator, Lloyd Stratton charts as Ally’s non-musical artist of the year, crediting his work to be “extremely inspiring in my own pursuits of creating flash work.” Noting pieces “RITUALS” and “CEREMONY”, the artist has made a name for himself across social media platforms and runs an online shop in which he sells prints of his work.
American painter, Jake Longstreth ranks as Dylan’s choice of non-musical artist of the year, specializing in architecture and geographical landscape art. He mentions, “Jake grabbed my attention originally because of his involvement in the internet radio show, Time Crisis, which he also co-hosts with lead singer of Vampire Weekend, Ezra Koenig. I've learned about his craft through the show as well as through his social media.” Jake is also in two bands that revolve around the world of Time Crisis and Vampire Weekend. He is in a Grateful Dead cover band called Richard Pictures, as well as a rock band called Mountain Brews. Jake has been a non-stop train this year with all of the art he has been punching out. It's incredible to see that he can still keep up with his other hobbies while producing so much art. In May, Jake released a suite of tree paintings called “Spring Wind”. Dylan’s personal favorite piece of his from this year was his painting of an old Chuck E Cheese's building with the original Chuck E Cheese character. It happened to be released the same week that the company declared bankruptcy, which was highly coincidental. On the topic of musical achievements, Dylan adds, “I also was impressed by the use of Jake's art on The Dirty Projector's 5EPs release. Jake happens to be the older brother of the band's lead singer and guitarist, David Longstreth. With all of these accomplishments, I found Jake Longstreth as my favorite non-musical artist this year, although he most definitely is musical.”
As Hayley’s pick comes Adam Benedict for her non-musical artist of the year. He creates his art about gender and sexuality and emotion and love and home and all things good. Hayley praises, “he is my absolute favorite artist.” You can find his work on Instagram at @softooth.
Artist Henn Kim and film photographer Peggy, as selected by Pooja and Jade cannot be missed, finishing off this portion of the list strong.
Social Media Influencer of the year
It is no doubt that 2020 has been a year of a digital revolution. Pushed into a worldwide lockdown, many of us resorted to social media platforms to find comfort in the uncertainty of the world. Connection through social media has become a necessary part of our every day lives, so we’re breaking down the influencers that got us through it all.
Starting off with Jordan Firstman, an actor and influencer who has taken on a variety of social media platforms to create hilarious impressions. Pooja remarks, “His impressions got me through 2020!”
On the more informative side of TikTok, we have Tabitha Brown, a vegan chef noted as Hayley’s social media influencer of the year. She gained a following from her recipes and infectious loving personality. Tabitha is more than that though, she's a source of positivity and love. Who’s not to love some delicious recipes and fun-to-watch videos?
Topping off our list of TikTok stars is Noah Miller, a classic comedic figure in the social media’s community. There is no questioning this choice, made by our copy editor, Ally. See the video below and you’ll understand.
Over on Youtube, Liza Koshy has been taking over the game from the early years, noted by Leigha. It seems like every year Liza is getting more popular and this year was no exception. She's funny, has her own beauty line and seems to just have that "It" factor. She started out on Vine and now has a deal with Westbrook Inc. to develop tv and film projects.
@lizzza ##stitch with @jeanvictorm my body is poppin
♬ original sound - Liza Koshy
Another Youtube star at the top of the game is Mr. Beast, selected as Dylan’s social media influencer of the year. Mr. Beast is a YouTuber who gives away money, prizes, and expensive items. He's always giving back to the community & spreading positive energy. From all of the fun content he creates to the amount of charities he donates to, he’s definitely deserving of the title as social media influencer of the year.
FILM OF THE YEAR
To kick off our lists of the film industry comes Palm Springs, selected by Leigha as her film of the year. The time-loop story has a deeper meaning for the year that we're in: we all are trapped. Palm Springs is about finding happiness and fun despite the circumstances. It is one of those films that gets better every time you watch it.
Dylan charts Pixar’s Onward as his film of the year, describing it as “a cute fun Pixar movie that brought up my mood when I was feeling down.” The film has a vibe seemingly inspired by the classic game, Dungeons and Dragons, making it super fun to follow along on, and with a casting of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt as the leading roles, Onward is a film you do not want to miss.
Finally, a gay movie that's not a drama. Hayley praises the film Happiest Season as her film of the year. Does Happiest Season have its flaws? Sure. But every. single. straight-person movie has flaws as well. Hayley quotes, “I'm excited that gay women now have a fun rom-com to simultaneously love fiercely and critique.”
In the genre of documentaries, we have Disclosure, nominated by Pooja as her film of the year. Disclosure is a documentary that breaks down Hollywood's impact on the trans community. It is done brilliantly and is a must watch!
Wrapping up our list of films to watch in 2020, we have I Am Greta, as chosen by our team member, Ally. This documentary covers the young and brilliant Greta Thunburg, a fifteen year old activist for climate change. There is no doubt that you have heard her name before, but this film dives deeper into her story, making it a must-see for the year.
Series Of The Year
On the other side of our film segment comes the series of the year, highlighting the most binge-worthy, insanely captivating series of 2020.
Coming in strong is our editor’s pick of The Queen’s Gambit. It’s not everyday that you would find a story about chess to be this captivating, but The Queen’s Gambit does exactly that. Anya Taylor-Joy gives a stunning performance as the role of Beth Harmon, while this Netflix limited series charted the streaming platform’s Top 10 list for weeks after air, bringing in over 62 million streams by November 23rd, exactly one month from its release. There is no doubt that this series deserves its spot on our series of the year list, and it is one you do not want to miss out on.
Schitt’s Creek follows as a close favorite, selected as Hayley and Leigha’s series of the year. On its way out the door, Schitt’s Creek is at its peak. Hayley praises, “creator Dan Levy is a visionary and is exactly what television needed.” Over the course of 2020, the show has won 14 awards, including a true sweep at the 2020 Emmy Awards, properly justifying this selection. The sitcom is smart, heartfelt, and will truly be missed by many.
As Pooja’s pick comes the series Never Have I Ever about an Indian-American girl navigating through high school. Pooja credits, “as an Indian-American myself, I relate to this show so much!” The creator behind the series, Mindy Kaling is a brilliant mind herself, and there truly is not anything to dislike about the show.
Claiming it as a guilty pleasure, Dylan marks Riverdale as his series of the year. He explains, “Season four really had me on the edge of my seat with all of the twists and turns it brought about. I will admit that it is a goofy, unrealistic show, but it is so well written to keep you wanting to come back for more!”
Closing the year with its seventh and final season and an intense fanbase to back it up, CW’s The 100 charts as Amanda’s series of the year. The 100 is a post-apocalyptic teen drama, but has so much more in it. There is romance, obviously, but more than that. It talks about loyalty, staying true to yourself, protecting those you love, trying to do and be better. It also has same-sex couples, but doesn't use it as a trope; they are just like any other couple.
Honorable mention from the editor: The Haunting of Bly Manor. Stunning in both its storyline and cinematography, The Haunting of Bly Manor was definitely one of the most binge-worthy shows this year. Loosely based on the classic horror novel entitled “The Turn of the Screw”, this Netflix series comes from the team behind the beloved Haunting of Hill House to tell a separate, yet equally enticing story. This series is everything that has been missing from the genre of horror in recent years, and it is almost guaranteed to keep you up at night.
Favorite moment of the year
Navigating through the events brought upon us in 2020 was nothing short of a struggle, yet through it all moments of light shined through. We had our highs and lows, and there is no doubt 2020 was likely the most impactful year throughout our generation thus far. We’ve taken a moment to reflect on the past year, highlighting our greatest strengths through times of difficulty.
Ally recalls a collection of moments from the year, from graduating high school to shifting her focus to pursuits of art and tattooing. She quotes, “Although the pandemic prevented me from having a ‘normal’ graduation, being able to fully shift my focus onto art has been extremely rewarding and has given me an outlet during these uncertain times.”
As the head of music curation, Pooja reflects on starting her own podcast entitled “Music & Things”. Looking back on the moment, she mentions, “I had been wanting to start it for a long time and although there is so much more I want to accomplish with it, I'm still very proud of myself!”
Leigha cherishes time spent with her family above all else this year, something many of us can relate to during these times of the pandemic. Recollecting, she expresses, “whether it is game nights or just sitting around talking, I have spent most of my time with the people who mean the most to me in this world.”
Sometimes even the simplest of moments can stand out to us the most, as noted by Dylan’s favorite moment of the year: getting invited out for beers with co-workers. He recalls, “It may not seem like a big deal, but it felt really nice to be accepted into a new community of people. I had such a great time going from bar to bar with the people I work with and look up to. We created some great memories while we could and I'll never forget them! It makes me cherish the time we had being able to party in public and I'm sure in the future I'll appreciate it even more when we can do it all over again! I can't wait to be surrounded by the people I love and respect again!”
Bringing our final list to a close, editor-in-chief, Jade attributes 2020 as a year of immense growth in nearly every aspect. As our society is evolving to combat the new challenges we are facing in the world, we are simultaneously witnessing our own, personal prosperity. Reminiscing, she highlights the moments “from graduating high school to beginning college, launching Backward Noise in a spur of the moment decision, and falling in love with life all over again, I have felt more connected with myself than ever before this year alone.”