What are the most beautiful and representative songs of the current decade published so far? The question was asked by the online magazine Paste, which compiled a ranking of 100 songs considered memorable from this decade. “A list of the best songs of the decade published so far is much more difficult to assemble than a list of the best albums – writes Matt Mitchell, editor of the magazine in the introduction – and the reason is very simple: there are many more songs than albums. There is more material to sift through and you have to decide whether to give more importance to singles or lesser-known songs. Usually, the correct choice lies somewhere in the middle. We have five years to consider, and finding the right balance between 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 is not at all easy – adds Paste – But we gave our best, questioning the Paste staff, cross-referencing previous year-end rankings and, above all, trying to compose a complete list that best reflects the editorial team of this magazine for half a decade. As a result, all of these songs were released between January 1, 2020 and October 1, 2024, and range across jazz, synth-pop, country, singer-songwriter and beyond, featuring artist returns, songs from debut albums, and more than anything else, phenomena that have defined careers. It's a messy, rhythmic list, a little melancholic and, probably, also a little senseless,” quips Mitchell as he concludes the introduction.
Here are Paste's choices for the “100 Best Songs of the 2020s so far” (here is the complete report with comments for each song).
100. Gia Margaret: “Hinoki Wood” (2023)
99. Megan Thee Stallion: “Thot Shit” (2021)
98. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross: “Yeah X10” (2024)
97. Katy Kirby: “Cool Dry Place” (2021)
96. Hemlocke Springs: “Girlfriend” (2022)
95. Mannequin Pussy: “Nothing Like” (2024)
94. Empty Country: “Marian” (2020)
93. The Soft Pink Truth: “On” (2020)
92. Yung Lean & Fka Twigs: “Bliss” (2022)
91. Water From Your Eyes: “When You're Around” (2021)
90. Geese: “Tomorrow's Crusades” (2023)
89. Viagra Boys: “Creatures” (2021)
88. Cate Le Bon: “Moderation” (2022)
87. Runner: “Ur Name On A Grain Of Rice” (2020)
86. Debby Friday: “So Hard To Tell” (2023)
85. Jane Remover: “Magic I Want U” (2024)
84. Moor Mother & Billy Woods: “Tangled” (2020)
83. Nation Of Language: “Across That Fine Line” (2021)
82. Hovvdy: “Blindsided” (2021)
81. Black Thought & Danger Mouse Ft. Mf Doom: “Belize” (2022)
80. Duendita: “Open Eyes” (2021)
79. A$Ap Rocky Ft. Jessica Pratt: “Highjack” (2024)
78. Fleet Foxes: “Can I Believe You” (2020)
77. Pom Pom Squad: “Head Cheerleader” (2021)
76. 100 Gecs: “Dumbest Girl Alive”
75. This Is Lorelei: “Where's Your Love Now” (2024)
74. The Chicks: “Gaslighter” (2020)
73. Armand Hammer & Benjamin Booker: “Doves” (2024)
72. Momma: “Speeding 72” (2022)
71. En Attendant Ana: “Wonder” (2023)
70. Michelle: “Pose” (2022)
69. Nourished By Time: “Daddy” (2023)
68. Wilco: “Tired Of Taking It Out On You” (2022)
67. Vampire Weekend: “Classical” (2024)
66. Sault: “Fearless” (2020)
65. Lil Uzi Vert: “Pop” (2020)
64. Ethel Cain: “American Teenager” (2022)
63. Christine And The Queens: “People, I've Been Sad” (2020)
62. Black Midi: “John L” (2021)
61. Chappell Roan: “Pink Pony Club” (2020)
60. Foxing: “Go Down Together” (2021)
59. Hannah Frances: “Keeper Of The Shepherd” (2024)
58. Yves Tumor: “Gospel For A New Century” (2020)
57. Crushed: “Waterlily” (2023)
56. Wild Pink: “Ilysm” (2022)
55. Dean Johnson: “True Love” (2023)
54. Dehd: “Bad Love” (2022)
53. Angel Olsen: “All The Good Times” (2022)
52. Bob Dylan: “Murder Most Foul” (2020)
51. Jid Ft. Yasiin Bey: “Stars” (2022)
50. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard: “Hypertension” (2022)
49. Waxahatchee: “Lilacs” (2020)
48. Mckinley Dixon: “Run, Run, Run” (2023)
47. Black Country, New Road: “The Place Where He Inserted The Blade” (2022)
46. Jessica Pratt: “Life Is” (2024)
45. Grace Ives: “Lullaby” (2022)
44. Esther Rose Ft. Hurray For The Riff Raff: “Safe To Run” (2023)
43. Dean Blunt: “The Rot” (2021)
42. Big Thief: “Little Things” (2022)
41. Fiona Apple: “Ladies” (2020)
40. The 1975: “Happiness” (2022)
39. Black Belt Eagle Scout: “Don't Give Up” (2023)
38. Japanese Breakfast: “Be Sweet” (2021)
37. DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ: “All I Can Feel” (2022)
36. Fontaines DC: “Favourite” (2024)
35. Sza: “Kill Bill” (2022)
34. Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit: “Dreamsicle” (2020)
33. Alvvays: “Easy On Your Own?” (2022)
32. Caroline Polachek: “Blood And Butter” (2023)
31. Billie Eilish: “What Was I Made For?” (2023)
30. Hum: “Folding” (2020)
29. Soccer Mommy: “Circle The Drain” (2020)
28. Soul Glo: “Gold Chain Punk (Whogonbeatmyass?)” (2022)
27. Sturgill Simpson: “I Don't Mind” (2020)
26. Jessie Ware: “Spotlight” (2020)
25. Mj Lenderman: “Wristwatch” (2024)
24. Cindy Lee: “I Want You To Suffer” (2020)
23. Newjeans: “Ditto” (2022)
22. Porridge Radio: “Back To The Radio” (2022)
21. Adele: “To Be Loved” (2021)
20. Destroyer: “June” (2022)
19. Lana Del Rey: “A&W” (2023)
18. Hurray For The Riff Raff: “Alibi” (2023)
17. More Eaze & Claire Rousay: “Stairs” (2022)
16. Charli Xcx Ft. Lorde: “Girl, So Confusing Featuring Lorde” (2024)
15. Nala Sinephro: “Space 2” (2021)
14. Dry Cleaning: “Scratchcard Lanyard” (2020)
13. Dijon: “Many Times” (2021)
12. Wednesday: “Bull Believer” (2022)
11. Beyoncé: “Virgo's Groove” (2022)
10. Adrianne Lenker: “Sadness As A Gift” (2024)
9. Nilüfer Yanya: “Midnight Sun” (2022)
8. Denzel Curry: “Walkin” (2022)
7. Perfume Genius: “On The Floor” (2020)
6. Young Fathers: “I Saw” (2023)
5. Phoebe Bridgers: “I Know The End” (2020)
4. Sufjan Stevens: “Shit Talk” (2023)
3. Alex G: “Runner” (2022)
2. Kendrick Lamar Ft. Beth Gibbons: “Mother I Sober” (2022)
1. Cassandra Jenkins: “Hard Drive” (2021)
Antonio Santini for SANREMO.FM