After listening to several thousand songs released in 2020 whether as stand-alone singles, tracks on 284 EPs or 612 albums, we have settled on our 25 favourites. To create a fairer and tidier list, we allowed only one entry per artist. A “song” is a piece of music that is sung; thus, we have not included instrumental or spoken word/rapped pieces. Cover songs are excluded unless they decisively outdo their originals. We have indicated JUNO award winners (JW) and nominees (JN) with postnominals.
Regardless of genre, language, and relative popularity of the artist, below is a list of our 25 favourite Canadian artist songs of 2020 including our Song of the Year!
25
Permanent Maniac
by Grae
Elevating her EP of the same name to one of the best of 2020, the opening track has the Toronto-based singer graft her soft vocals onto a catchy new wave tune. If being a maniac results in something like this, making it permanent is just fine with us.
24
Can’t Stop
by A Is For Arrows
“Can’t Stop” begins with the drive of pulsating synth bass and dances into a bright shimmering chorus. It sounds a bit 80s … and a bit 20s. A year of troubles needed an exhilarating anthem like this. A Is For Arrows is en route to something grand.
23
Joies méduses (ft. Virginie B)
by Super Plage
Virginie B’s appropriately chill vocals in Super Plage’s “Joies méduses” nicely complement the arcade glitter and electronic whirls of this summery bop. You could place just about any track from the Super Plage II album here. We’ll settle for this dancing jellyfish anthem.
22
Is It Too Late
by Bob Guido
Rich atmospheres crackle on Bob Guido’s “Is It Too Late”, the second track off his excellent eponymous album. The music grabs you right away with its thriving presentation. Fasten your seatbelt for quite a thrill ride on this.
21
100 mètres haies
by Louis-Jean Cormier (JW)
Juno winner Louis-Jean Cormier never fails to release a brilliant album; he seems to have artistic genius embedded in his … genes. The opening track off 2020 album Quand la nuit tombe, “100 mètres haies”, has him on a dash to create a winner, and oh yes, he handles all the hurdles with ease.
20
Clover
by Sophia Bel
She’s definitely one to watch in the next while. Sophia Bel’s “Clover” off superb EP Princess of the Dead, Vol. II is subdued, a little haunting, and irresistible. It’s got some nifty beats too.
19
Pale
by Helena Deland
“Pale” by Helena Deland is the kind of alternative track we need more of. It’s quirky in a satisfying way. Wait until the thumping bass kicks in and you’re off on a glorious journey.
18
Heart Rate & Dopamine
By Jon Bryant
“Easy wind and downy flake” descending upon Vancouver’s Gastown might sound something like this. Jon Bryant croons out some intriguing poetry while the soft flow of music flutters around in this fine, pacifying piece.
17
Near Mint
by HF (JN)
Fresher than bills wafting from the breath of the Canadian mint, this delicious song begins with a drone, adds a hobbling bass groove, slips in some choice guitar licks, and rolls in some ghostly vocals. Its beats and rhythmic percussion propel it over the finish line for a winning tune. This is off HF’s Deleter album.
16
Age of Solitude
by Das Mörtal
Known for creating instrumental cinematic music fit for a John Carpenter movie, Das Mörtal takes a stab at a synth pop song and does a superb job. Off album Miami Beach Witches, the tack provides a curious contrast between a somewhat ominous bass line and jubilant chorus. It works well.
15
Couple of Fools
by Trudy
This short folk-pop ditty qualifies for the year’s finest bilingual offering; it was a regional hit. “Couple of Fools” from newcomer Trudy had us all in smiles with verses in French, and a musically irresistible English-language chorus.
14
Nakedness
by Riches
Whether a part of Young Galaxy or her new project Riches, Catherine McCandless is never short of musical ideas. Any track from album Fantasy Chapel could be placed here. We found ourselves drawn most to “Nakedness”, loving how the synthesizers muscle their way in for a climactic conclusion.
13
Jersey on the Wall
by Tenille Townes (JN)
Remember a few years ago when women had been mostly kept out of the country music field. Many spoke up, and this has resulted in a welcome change. (The same ought to be done in the pop arena – see #4). Tenille Townes, along with a number of other names, has reached out and slayed someone (count us among them). Number one country radio hit “Jersey on the Wall” had us tearing up, calling to mind the tragic Humboldt bus crash. This is off her album The Lemonade Stand.
12
Lost Cause
by Paragon Cause
The Ottawa ace of electro-rock Paragon Cause opens album What We Started with delectable cut “Lost Cause”. A nice bonus is the soaring vocal work upon delivery of the line “The scars remain; You should have to pay more than them” – a sign of the Inside-Job times. There isn’t a lot of this style of music being made, so a void has been filled refreshingly.
11
Phénomène
by Mirabelle
Mirabelle returned to the scene in 2020 and dropped a remarkably good album, Late Bloomer, seamlessly switching from her initial country leanings in the beginning to a full-blown alternative work. “Phénomène” shuffles along at a stately pace and glides in a tantalizing free fall chorus ever so wonderfully.
10
Summers on Fire
by Brandon Wolfe Scott
Brandon Wolfe Scott, member of Kelowna group Yukon Blonde, reminds us how great the xylophone sounds by way of this track off his 2020 singer-songwriter EP The Postcard Writer. We even learned that those toys with coloured metal bars we played with when children are not xylophones but glockenspiels (xylophones have wooden bars). “Summers on Fire” is an example of Canadian songwriting at its very best. Beautifully arranged with a brain-tingling sweep of a chorus, it kicks off our Top Ten Songs of the Year.
9
Ma Sœur
by Catherine Major (JN)
Juno nominated recording artist Catherine Major released her fifth album in 2020, Carte mère. She has never released a mediocre disc. Track “Ma soeur” is an excursion into a supernatural world exhibiting an expansive electronic orchestra, conscientious vocals, careful pacing, and an overall charming presentation. This is a gorgeous uplifting lullaby of a song.
8
Wound You
by Hawksley Workman (JW) & Sarah Slean (JN)
Let’s all get pumped now. Two Canadian aces Hawksley Workman and Sarah Slean dropped this alternative nugget of cool via collaborative EP These Two. A new wave drive propels the music through a bouncy jaunt about how a nasty world is going to wound you. But the song also offers an insight:
And the champions of sadness
Calling from your TV
Thеy will never tell you
That to be broken is to be free
7
Comme une fin du monde
by Le Couleur
Synthy dance-pop group Le Couleur served its best album yet – the breathtaking Concorde. Climb aboard this flight and forget about navigation and compasses. This intelligent track, centered on getting away from it all, begins subtly and builds into an uplifting crescendo of sound with a closeout jam that would make one forget all about … the end of the world.
6
Everyone Knows
by Loviet
Loviet (Natalie Lynn) is making some of the world’s best pop-rock, and she’s just getting started. Canadian Music Blog named her 2020 EP as the best of the year. “Everyone Knows”, one of three on the disc, contains a savory progressive edge, with vocals peppered with some zesty umph, like she’s enjoying herself immensely. And that has us doing the same.
5
Awake
by Amaara
Mystical and meditative dream-pop specialist Amaara (Kaelen Ohm) released EP Heartspeak in 2020. Alt-pop centerpiece “Awake” is a soothing, elevating anthem that summons images of angels engaged in ghostly dance. Her vocals, as always, sound splendid on this as well.
4
All of the Feelings
by Kiesza (JW)
Offensively passed over by mainstream Canadian media which seems intent on pushing music it feels appeals to foreign (read American) tastes in music, multiple JUNO award winner and multiplatinum dance music connoisseur Kiesza landed her sophomore full-length disc this year, Crave, easily the year’s best Canadian pop album. “All of the Feelings” has … all of the … substance, style, and euphoria of a hit single. It and its artist deserve better.
3
Silkspun
by Purity Ring (JN)
Edmonton duo Purity Ring churned out album Womb in 2020. While “Femia” has the catchiest synth riff we’ve heard in a very long time, we are giving “Silkspun” a slight edge over it. The song can boast the perfection of a musical plot with an exhilarating climax of cascading synthesizers that will have you completely hooked. If we gave out medals for songs, this would be 2020 bronze.
2
Tiens-moi mon cœur
by Marie-Pierre Arthur (JN)
From her award-winning album Des feux pour voir, “Tiens-moi mon coeur” is deliciously quirky with a piquant vibe like the previously honoured “Wound You” (see #8). Rolling drums, soft vocals, tinkling keys, exhilarating pulses, thundering bass, little idiosyncratic details all combine to shine in a brilliant piece of work. Pure silver for this one.
Canadian Music Blog’s
2020 Song of the Year
Well what can we say; our Gold medal winner even has the word gold in its title. We’ve been doing this since 2011 (giving retrospective nods for 2010), and this is the first time our song and album of the year are from the same artist. The opening track off album Night in the Park, Kiss in the Dark presents an initial cool sweep, and when the guitar kicks in, feel a rush of ecstasy heading into a chorus that packs quite a wallop. Those looking for music in-between the rock and pop fields will find this very satisfying. Michelle’s vocals are a perfect match for this all-female trio’s sound. Things have certainly developed nicely since the group won the Allan Slaight Juno Master Class in 2017. Canadian Music Blog declares “Silk for Gold” by Caveboy as 2020’s Song of the Year!
1
Silk for Gold
by Caveboy
Canadian Music Blog 
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