All Songs Considered

Our no. 1 songs: 2020

December 1, 2025

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  • The hosts of "All Songs Considered" found selecting their number one songs for 2020 surprisingly difficult, despite being in the final, more recent years of their retrospective series. 
  • Phoebe Bridgers' album *Punisher* (featuring the song "Kyoto") and Fiona Apple's *Fetch the Bolt Cutters* were highlighted as the two most significant albums of 2020 for one host. 
  • The band Bad Moves, featuring NPR colleague Dawood Tyler on drums, had their song "Local Radio" from the album *Untenable* selected as a number one song, despite the hosts acknowledging potential bias and the band's recent breakup announcement. 

Segments

Introduction and 2020 Reflection
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(00:00:17)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts acknowledge the difficulty in selecting top songs from 2020, despite it being a recent year in their retrospective.
  • Summary: The episode of “All Songs Considered,” titled “Our no. 1 songs: 2020,” begins with hosts Robin Hilton and Stephen Thompson reflecting on the year. They note that 2020 was surprisingly challenging for choosing favorite songs, contrary to expectations for more recent years. The segment also includes an advertisement for the movie Ella McKay.
Phoebe Bridgers’ ‘Kyoto’ Selection
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(00:01:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Phoebe Bridgers’ song “Kyoto” from the album Punisher is played as an early contender for a number one song of 2020.
  • Summary: Stephen Thompson plays a clip of Phoebe Bridgers’ “Kyoto,” confirming the artist and the album Punisher. The hosts praise the record as gorgeous and insightful, noting that even the poppy track “Kyoto” contains a deeply quotable line about changing one’s mind after wanting to see the world through someone else’s eyes.
2020 Album Contenders
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(00:02:32)
  • Key Takeaway: The year 2020 featured a strong musical output, specifically highlighting Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers and Fetch the Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple as top album choices.
  • Summary: Musically, 2020 was full of popular tracks like Cardi B’s “WAP” and Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage.” One host toggled between Punisher and Fiona Apple’s Fetch the Bolt Cutters for their favorite album of the year, though they preferred Bridgers’ song “I Know the End” over “Kyoto.”
Bad Moves ‘Local Radio’ Pick
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(00:04:11)
  • Key Takeaway: The song “Local Radio” by Bad Moves from their album Untenable is selected as a number one song, despite the drummer being an NPR colleague.
  • Summary: Robin Hilton selects “Local Radio” by Bad Moves, noting the song is infectious power pop with great lyrics. The hosts disclose that drummer Dawood Tyler is an NPR colleague, but assert the song’s quality is genuinely high. The album title, Untenable, is deemed the perfect word for the year 2020.
Sponsor Break and Transition
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(00:06:55)
  • Key Takeaway: The segment concludes with a break before the hosts return to discuss more music favorites from 2020.
  • Summary: The conversation pauses for sponsor messages from BetterHelp and Leesa mattresses. The hosts signal a brief intermission before continuing their review of the best music from 2020.
Chris Stapleton and Other Selections
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(00:09:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Chris Stapleton’s song “Starting Over” is presented as a favorite, alongside other notable 2020 releases like Max Richter’s Voices and Njimale’s “To Meet You There.”
  • Summary: Stephen Thompson plays a track by Chris Stapleton, which is identified as “Starting Over” from his album Starting Over, praising his consistent quality. Other mentioned works include Max Richter’s powerful album Voices and Rafiq Badia’s solo EP Standards, Volume 1.
The Chicks’ Return
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(00:12:59)
  • Key Takeaway: The Chicks (formerly The Dixie Chicks) released their album Gaslighter in 2020, which one host listened to frequently during rare excursions from home.
  • Summary: The return of The Chicks as simply “The Chicks” with their album Gaslighter is noted as a significant 2020 event. The planned stadium tour for the album was canceled due to the circumstances of the year. The segment ends with the hosts wrapping up the 2020 review and looking ahead to 2021.