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WRNR's Top 103.1 Tracks of 2020

Voting sure was popular in 2020  ... with record voter turnout in November's election - and with the top 103.1 songs of 2020! 

 

 

 

We had to count the votes a few times - but we finally got it ... so without further ado - we present the Top 103.1 Songs of 2020 - as voted by you - the WRNR listeners - oh we also made a playlist for you to accompany your reading  

 

103.1 - Mekio – This Year Can Kiss My Ass

Pretty sure the titleof this one says it all …  


103 - Ray Lamontagne - We'll Make it Through

The surprise single from Ray was just what we needed  this spring … the lyrics Holding me ... holding you ... and together, we'll get through - we always do" would have been beautiful any time ... but are especially gripping in 2020


102 – Rex Orange County – Face to Face

Rex explained this track's about "being away from home, feeling trapped in an undesirable situation, and finding it difficult to trust people."  We trust that we'll be hearing more from ROC in 2021


101 – CAAMP – By and By

Here's something you may not know - CAAMP stands for consuming abnormal amounts of Makers and PBR.   So is that why you voted for them so much? 


100 – Fruition – Dawn

The track Dawn comes from the album Broken at the Break of Day, which was preceeeded by the album Wild as the Night  ...We're picking up a theme


99 – Cold War Kids – Who’s Gonna Love You

This time last year, we were still glowing after seeing LA's Cold War Kids at the Ottobar for the RNR Snowball.  We couldn't see them live in 2020 - but at least we got some new tunes to add to their imaculate dicography


98 - Belle Mt – Hollow

Belle Mt is the alt-pop project project by London-based songwriter Matt Belmont  who explains that “‘Hollow’ is about love, loss, rebirth, and everything in between,” 


97 – Dermont Kennedy – Giants

The Irish singer songerwriter  explains this track ultimately just about being comfortable with letting go of the past and moving on and being comfortable with change and moving forward in that sense…


96 – Nada Surf- So Much Love

Nada Surf claimed to have rushed through shooting the video for this song - maybe they weren't happy with the outout - since a few days later they announced a contest asking fans to make their own video for the song :) 


95 -Bob Dylan – My Own Version of You

2020 saw the return of Dylan with a 2 disc record (technically...but one disc is a 17 minute disrotatuion explaining that  the assassination of JFK was a watershed moment when innocence and idealism died.  But on this track - our favorite story telling song writer dives into the the endless variety of personal relationships 


94 - James Bay – Chew On My Heart

James Bay writes love songs ... we know that - but with 2020's Chew On My Heart - James seems to realllly be in love and wants us all to know about it <3 


93 – Mt Joy – My Vibe

 2020 was coming together for Mt Joy ... they were on tour with the Lumineers ...they had a headling tour in the wings to support their new album ... but then 2020 had to go and 2020 ... but we learned you cannot slow this band down.  They pushed on with their tour and we even got to see them play the first drive in show at the fairgrounds in Frederick MD


92 – Declan Mckenna – Beautiful Faces

Declan describe this track as “a brave new anthem for doomed youth” and a song “about young people in the young people in the modern world and how intimidating it can be. How scary it is to see so much and feel as though you’re doing so little.”  OK - getting deep there Declan! 


91 - The Dirty Knobs – Wreckless Abandon

Oh Mike Campbell of The Dirty Knowbs - what a heartbreaker 2020 turned out to be for the two of us  ...  Mike was scheduled to play our St Patrick's Day Private Artist Showcase ... but he fell ill and we were going to postpone - but a few days later COVID decided to postpone all of 2020 


90 – Tennis – Need Your Love

Hard to belive a song called Need Your Love is rooted in anger - but according to 

Alaina Moore - one half of the husband wife Denver duo Tennis - it is.   Apparently she was was letting go of unhealthy relationships at the time of writing this song and had a lot to be angry when the pen hit the paper. 


89 – Moon Taxi – Hometown Heroes

Our friends Moon Taxi released this song early in the pandemic and solicited for fans to submit footage of their 'hometown heroes' to be included in the song's video.  Fun fact- some trash collectors from South AA County made it to the video 


88 – Michigander – Let Down 

MIchigander - aka  - Jason Singer wrote everything for his latest EP in his bedroom over the course of six months - placing an emphasis on the prominence of solos—in every song—making what he aptly describes as, “big pop songs disguised with guitars.”  We dig it ! 


87 – Future Islands - For Sure 

Baltimore's Future Islands are a music machine.  So they weren't going to let the pandemic stop the celebration of the release of their album this fall ... they livestreamed a show - at an empty Ottobar in Baltimore.  Fun fact - the band wanted to play the show on the roof of the Howard Street Club - but ultimately the director nixed that idea 


86 – EOB -  Olympik

Like so many on this list - EOB aka Ed O'Brien of Radiohead - was someone we were really looking forward to seeing live in 2020.  He played a handful of shows ahead of the albums release - but never made it to the 930 Club :/  We counting on that raincheck Ed! 


85 – Pearl Jam - Retrograde 

Ummm - see the above description ... one of the very few shows PJ was slated to play in 2020 was in Baltimore ... please don't forget us Ed and company! 


84 –The Old 97s - Turn Off the TV 

This jam from the retro roots rockers 12th album begs us to do something a lot of people couldn't this year.  But what else were you going to do being safer at home - make sourdough :)


83 – Lucinda Williams - You Can't Rule Me 

42 years since releasing her debut album - Lucinda is still kicking ass and taking names.  She gets political and personal on this  bluesy ramble full of nasty guitar stabs and sneer-drawled vocals


82 – Dawes – Who Do You Think You're Talking To 

81 – gracie abrhams – friend

80 - jaded hearts club- this love starved heart of mine

79 – white reaper – real long time

78 – cage the elephant – social cues

77 – nicole atkins – domino

76 – mondo cozmo – black cadalac

75 – Kathleen Edwards – hard on everyone

74 – Hamilton leighthauser – here they come

73 – n Rateliff – expecting to lose

72 – the nude party – lonely heather 

71 – pete yorn – want to be the one

70 – phoebe bridgers- Kyoto

69 – ray lamontagne – roll me mama, roll me

68 – fleet foxes- can I believe you

67 – Sturgill Simpson – sing along

66 – the heavy hours  - don’t walk away

65- Declan Mckenna – be an astronaut

64 - glass animals – your love (Déjà vu)

63-   Bahamas – Own Alone

62 – Marcus King – the well

61 – Semisonic – Basement Tapes

60 – the Lumineers- salt and the sea

59 – Michael Kiwanuka- rolling

58 - chris cornell patience 

57 – Janelle Monea – turntables

56 – Kurt Vile w. John PRine – How lucky

55-   Billie eilish – therefore I am 

54-  the shins – the great divide

53-  shaed no other way

52 – dayglow – can I call you toongit

51 – US Girls – 4 american dollads

50 – mondo cozmo – upside down

49 – Travis – the only thing

48-  devon gilfillian- unchained

47 – ray lamontagne- I was born to love you 

46 – fionna apple – under the table

45  – bruce springsteen – letter to you

44 – Jason isbell and the 400 unit – be afraid

43-   bright eyes- Marianna trench

42 - the rolling stones – living in a ghost town

41 – sylvan esso – ferris wheel

40 - Mt Joy – Strnagers

39 - Bakar – First time

38 -   Illiterate light – sometimes love takes so long

37 -  citizen cope – scard of heights

36-  the killers- my own soul’s warning

35-   pretenders – didn’t want to be this lonely

34 -  devon gillfillain – the good life

33-   tame impala – is it true

32-  Travis – a ghost

31-   ray lamontagne – strong enough 

30-   elle king – the let go

29 – cage the elephant – black Madonna

28 -   matt costa – slow

27 -   HAIM – Steps

26 -  Michael Kiwanuka- hero

25 -   delta spirit – it ain’t easy

24 -  CAAMP – officer of love

23 – MMJ – Feel You

22- the strokes – Bad Decisions

21 -  Fionna Apple – Shamekia

20-   Semisonic – You are not alone

19 -  the head and the heart – honey bee

18 - Noah cyrus w. Leon Bridges – July

17 -  The Killers -Caution

16 - Foo Fighters – Shame Shame

15 - Tame impala – lost in yesterday

14 - Nathaniel Rateliff – and its still alright

13  -  phoenix – identical

12-  matt maeson – hallucinagnics

11 - of monsters and men – visitor

10 -  pressing strings – brave

9-  Michael Franti – I got you

8 -  mumford and sons w major laser – lay your hands on me

7 - EOB – Shangri la

6 -  Chris stapleton – cold

5 - Pearl Jam – dance of the clairvoyance

4 - Nathanial Rateliff – time stands

3 - Black pumas -  fire

2 - The strokes – the adults are talking

1 - Milky chance and jack johnson – don’t let me down