- Dec 31, 2020

top 2020 tunes~

I know I do monthly music blogs about new finds and monthly vibes, but I felt so compelled to share, as it's own post, the music I've been listening to most in 2020. And yes, it's because my Spotify 2020 wrapped is inaccurate ><

This is a hard year, and like most people, I like to use music as an escape and therapy. I've started 2020 with a really amazing night celebrating my best friends' birthdays back in my college town, but I couldn't help but feel a bit down with 2020. This was even before COVID...

It was my final semester of university and I just spent the semester prior abroad in Korea. I returned to Winona State University in the peak of winter and found that one of my best friends was transferring universities suddenly. This news got me wishing to be back in the time where we lived together with other friends before I left to Korea.

Many other friends were also gone either because they graduated, transferred to another university, or left the states completely. I scrambled to find another part-time job after a promised position wasn't being offered anymore, and I was getting over some other miscellaneous personal issues.

In general, the first cold months of 2020 were quite lonely and, well, cold.

Don't get me wrong, I was very thankful to be reunited with Winona State students, working again for ELP and meeting new international students, seeing my family again in person here and there and welcoming my new puppy to the family. I was thankful to have a new roommate, spend long movie-nights with my best friend in my apartment, and throw the occasional party or two. I was even rewarded semi-finalist for Fulbright's ETA scholarship.

But when it was just me alone, or getting stuck in my head dealing with all the negative thoughts and self-talks, I had to turn to music. I was using it before returning back to the US too, but things just snowballed. Especially when COVID-19 became a thing.

Getting my life shut down was hard. So, so hard. I was going through a lot before the world got screwed up, and it lowkey screwed me up even more. My final semester of college was essentially cancelled, my remaining friends and new friends made in the first two months of 2020 all left, the job I was able to get was so unfulfilling, and my need to see people to feel happiness was deprived. If my last roommate left in the heat of it like everyone else, I would've lost my mind.

I got awarded a scholarship I worked my butt off to get, but was told that I couldn't go in July like I thought. I had to wait until at least January 2021 and that there is a chance it might be cancelled completely. I had no graduation ceremony where I could walk down and get my diploma like I've seen countless of other friends do, and I had to move back in with my family in a brand new area as the new kid.

What was 2020?! What is this terribly confusing, lonely, politically unstable, and disappointing year?

When I originally started this post, I was in another terribly dark rut and absolutely *sick* of it. I pitied myself for so long and had so many bad habits that didn't do anything to change that. I needed to actively change my perspective and attitude before the end of the year to build up a stronger sense of self and leave 2020 in the best way possible.

Thank god for music.

Whether it was played while I worked, while I drove, while I sat in my room, or while I slept, I counted on it. That's why most of my blog posts are my monthly music mixtapes! It's been a life saver.

Because I felt like my Spotify 2020 Wrapped and Youtube Music Top 2020 songs were not totally accurate, I decided to compile my own "Nina's 2020 in a Nutshell" music blog post! In this post, I included all the top songs, artists, and albums that have lead me through my journey in 2020. I will have separate Youtube Music playlists for my top songs and top albums. Also, each album will have elaborations below and Youtube Music links to them.

If you're finding yourself in need of good tunes either out of curiosity or for mental sanity, I hope this music blog post, "Nina's 2020 in a Nutshell," will treat you well!

nina's 2020 in a nutshell

top songs of 2020

Unlike all other monthly mixtapes, I will not be making a list of the songs in here. Just because my top songs of 2020 playlist is much longer than any of my other playlists, I did link the Youtube Music playlist link though in the section header! I hope that you'll be okay with that ;)

top artists of 2020

Since 2018, I was super into Korean hip-hop. So much so that I can confidently say it was my top listened genre for both 2018 and 2019. It helped too that I would be around friends that would listen to Korean hip-hop and when I was in Korea, I was able to dive into listening to the artists live!

2020 has been completely different world wide, and my music taste this year adapted to my current circumstances. The pandemic had me explore different artists that I have always been listening to more deeply and give them much more attention than I have ever before. Also, the list is not in any specific order. I wonder if you also like these artists too!

Mandolin Orange offonoff Rad Museum nafla Coldplay Mac Miller Rex Orange County Lady Gaga Rich Brian DPR Live C JAMM NO:EL Kim Kwang Seok Jawny Elton John Hyukoh 92914 Roy Kim

top albums of 2020

Smile by Owen I listened to this album right when experiencing heartbreak in 2019. From November 2019 until about March 2020, I would listen to it while feeling down, wanting to vibe, or trying to share it with friends. I don't know, it just was like a weighted blanket on my mental health. It was cozy, warm, heavy and overall necessary to hear when I was not having a good time. There are definitely good songs in this album and some that are skippable. The part I would always repeat is the final half.
u n u part. 2 by Nafla It's chill, comfy, and good to listen to at night. I really fell for Nafla with his u n u series. Part. 1 would've made it if I listened more to the other songs on the album instead of only "love me" just about every night. Therefore, out of representing my favorite half of u n u, part. 2 deserves the mention. But seriously, listen to part. 1 too.
KEUNG by C JAMM When I listen to this album, I think of my spring break trip with Sammi. I downloaded the album while at the Madison, WI airport after seeing it won album of the year during the K-Hiphop/R&B Awards released the day before our trip. I've seen C JAMM live and wasn't too impressed, but this album made me get a totally different opinion of him. The story was that he had bad substance abuse issues and was really unstable for too long. He wasn't proud of himself, nor was he proud of his music. He got help and worked on himself to get to the point where he could create music that he's proud of. That's very respectful and honestly, it slaps. I even listened to this album while working out and it wasn't even ruined for me XD.
IS ANYBODY OUT THERE? by DPR LIVE This album is similar to C JAMM's KEUNG just for the story. When seeing DPR LIVE live, I was feeling a bit meh, but the DPR team put so much time and effort into creating a really strong and unique album with great success! This album is a space trip and I found myself not able to stop listening to it over and over. I am confident that this album would blow my past impressions of DPR LIVE out of the water if they were able to go on tour.
Circles by Mac Miller Another chill album. I fell asleep to "Good News" every single night just like Nafla's "love me". This album made me feel like I was safe, hugged, and in a coming-of-age movie. Y'all already know that's one of my favorite vibes~ I'm thinking of one day using "Blue World" as the soundtrack to a future videomaking project.
1999 by Rich Brian Rich Brian did it again. His previous album, The Sailor, was amazing and honestly thought that would be his peak. Nope - this genre blending album hit all my music needs. "Don't Care" helped me get through an end-of-summer bummer and the rest are just comfy bops!
ELLEONEOL by NO:EL Not a new album by any means, but I found myself only listening to "Heel" and "Parents" on repeat. That is, until I was on a trip to Colorado at the end of September/start of October, I downloaded the full album and was ATTACKED by KILLINGTRACK. What a lovely surprise! And listening to the album loud is what does it justice. NO:EL's ability to add so many small and nuanced sounds in the background without making it distracting and adding to the artistic vibe continuously impresses me.
H1GHR: BLUE TAPE by H1GHR MUSIC I just really liked this album's vibe. The RED TAPE released by H1GHR MUSIC was too hard for me at this time, so this was a fun way to hear new music from my favorite Korean artists in 2020.