# Best #1 Song of the year: 2020 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [January 16, 2021, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671 "2021-01-16T14:27:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2021, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/1 "2021-01-16T14:27:46Z")
I’ve put off posting this OP for too long (due to some technical difficulties that took me awhile to figure out), but it’s that time again! Tragically, the results from the old polls were lost in the move to Discourse, so I won’t be linking to those threads. Perhaps I might run another retrospective at some point, but I doubt it’d change the results of the original, which determined that “Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones is the greatest #1 of all time. 2020 was, in brief, a _weird_ year for pop music. Terrestrial radio ratings dropped off in a big way due to the pandemic and the rise of streaming music. Most of the songs to top the charts this year did so after becoming viral on TikTok, rather than through sales or airplay, and it definitely seems like on-demand plays are going to be the future of the charts. An astounding 22 songs reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2020, more than any year since Billboard started using Nielsen SoundScan to track sales in 1991. Back then, the chart swing settled because it was easier than before to determine exactly what records people were buying. Today, it seems that the chart swing is wild because it’s easier than before to determine what records people are _listening_ to. IMPORTANT NOTE: Discourse does not allow more than 20 options in a poll. As there are 22 songs that made #1 this year, they will be divided between two polls of 11 songs each - one in this post, and one in the following post. PLEASE VOTE IN ONLY ONE POLL. I have no way of policing this, so I can only ask that you will all be polite fellows and play along in the spirit of honest pollmanship (is that a word? That should be a word.) As always, keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars. _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/1))_ ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2021, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/2 "2021-01-16T14:33:30Z")
This is the second half of the poll. PLEASE VOTE IN ONLY ONE POLL. _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/2))_ ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/3 "2021-01-17T03:25:52Z")
Not a lot of enthusiasm for this year’s music, apparently. I’ll admit there’s quite a few songs on this year’s list that I haven’t heard myself. My pick was “Blinding Lights”. I’ve made no secret of my belief that the Weeknd is one of the best R&B singers out there today, and even though the song was released before covid, it perfectly fit the zeitgeist of the early months of quarantine. The line “Sin City’s cold and empty” almost seems prophetic. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/4 "2021-01-17T04:01:43Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > My pick was “Blinding Lights”. I didn’t even have to keep reading… and it was the first choice. Runaway winner for me. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/5 "2021-01-17T04:17:25Z")
Problem with the polling system is that we can’t see the results of the poll we didn’t vote in. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/6 "2021-01-17T04:18:47Z")
Argh. One more kink I’m going to have to figure out a workaround for in future polls (assuming that the trend of 20+ #1s per year continues). ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/7 "2021-01-17T04:26:50Z")
FTR, I voted for Mariah Carey. Yes, I have become that old guy who doesn’t know any of the #1 hits anymore. Well, except for the #1 hit that first became a #1 hit when he was 19. I suppose this is what happens when the only things you listen to on Sirius/XM are Kids Place Live, the Beatles Channel, Willie’s Roadhouse and Lithium. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/8 "2021-01-17T04:30:11Z")
Corpse Husband, E Girls Are Ruining My Life. ---
**Author:** ![omenran](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omenran/32/3318_2.png) [@omenran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omenran)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/9 "2021-01-17T10:33:19Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > > [@Smapti](#): > > > > My pick was “Blinding Lights”. > > I didn’t even have to keep reading… and it was the first choice. Runaway winner for me. Blinding Lights is my runner-up. Mostly because I think WAP is more significant and Megan Thee Stallion’s first big hit. (Alongside “Savage (Remix)” which also hit #1 with Beyonce) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/10 "2021-01-17T10:38:09Z")
> [@omenran](#): > > Blinding Lights is my runner-up. Mostly because I think WAP is more significant and Megan Thee Stallion’s first big hit. WAP is alright, it’s just not for me. I do find it amusing that something’s finally dethroned “My Ding-A-Ling” for the title of Filthiest #1 Hit of All Time, though. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/11 "2021-01-17T11:56:21Z")
My vote would be meaningless at this point as the only one I am familiar with is that horrid Mariah Carey Christmas pap. I am going to make a playlist and give them all a listen x2, then come back and vote. When I’ve done this in the past I’ve been extremely underwhelmed with what the kids are listening to these days. Remove yourself from the square plot of grass in front of my homestead. But I do want to acknowledge your dedication, **Smapti** , to this worthy project. Top job. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/12 "2021-01-17T12:27:55Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Argh. One more kink I’m going to have to figure out a workaround for in future polls (…) I shouldn’t post before I’ve had morning coffee, but maybe an option for “none”, or “voted in other list”? ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/13 "2021-01-17T14:54:35Z")
In the previous years, I think I was somewhat familiar with a lot of the songs - perhaps not all of them, but many. I usually listen to radio while commuting to work and/or hear “new” music while at the gym. Guess what I didn’t do for the vast majority of last year? I’ve heard the Megan Thee Stallion songs. And Blinding Lights is on the Just Dance game. And Mariah Carey’s song is 25 years old. And that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/14 "2021-01-18T18:01:04Z")
I picked “Dynamite”. First song by a Korean group to ever be a No. 1 song. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2021, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/15 "2021-01-19T20:34:54Z")
They claim it’s BTS’s first all-English song. You can’t prove it by me that it’s in English. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2021, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/16 "2021-01-19T22:49:48Z")
I voted for “Blinding Lights,” with “Rain on Me” in second place. The rest of the list is a whole lot of rubbish…so bad that if I had to make a third choice, I might be forced to vote for a boy band (“Dynamite”). ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-1-song-of-the-year-2020/930671/18 "2021-05-20T20:42:20Z")
> [@omenran](#): > > Blinding Lights is my runner-up. Mostly because I think WAP is more significant and Megan Thee Stallion’s first big hit. While one can argue it might have a greater impact, it’s just so forgettable as a SONG. The lyrics are memorable but as music goes it’s boring as hell. It isn’t Cardi B’s or MTS’s tenth best track. Blinding Lights is a terrific _song._