REED WATSON

• I moved to New Orleans smack in the middle of the pandemic. It was quiet here for a bit, but as you might expect, the music began to bubble up and find new spaces. My favorite of those spaces is the sidewalk at Tipitina’s. Whether it’s Stanton Moore or a Beatles cover band or the Piano in a Truck, this community showed up in force, distanced and masked, to enjoy music. It lifted me.

• Speaking of New Orleans, I live a couple of blocks from a magical Jewish deli called Stein’s. They have a sandwich called “The Dan”. I don’t know how they make something so simple so great, but that’s the true mark of excellence, isn’t it?

• The rise of Bandcamp made me smile. Doesn’t it feel good to own music? This company helped a lot of musicians this year. They deserve our admiration. (Have you seen ours?)

• I got to sit in the control booth of FAME Studio A and watch a truly great band make truly great music. That band is The Prescriptions and you’ll hear it soon.

• Australian coffee culture is really something. Their coffee is strong, smooth and memorable. This is why I had to explain to US Customs that, yes, I had 12 bags of Seven Seeds Coffee in my luggage and it all belongs to me. If you ever find yourself in the amazing city of Melbourne, spend a morning at Seven Seeds. (It travels well, too.)

• You know how I know Hannah Hayes is a great travel writer? She writes travel books when she can’t travel. My favorite was the Atlanta book she wrote for Wildsam Travel Guides. She took time to make sure that book was an accurate representation of a city that’s diverse and misunderstood. She even interviewed a bathroom attendant at the Atlanta airport. Hannah is one-of-a-kind.

• I was introduced to an artist here in New Orleans named Hill Ggin. It’s honestly hard for me to comprehend how someone can be so talented. One of her latest pieces lives on the wall of the Single Lock New Orleans office and I can’t wait to show it to you in January.

• I made a record this year with Cedric Burnside at Royal Studios in Memphis. I am as proud of it as anything I’ve ever been involved with, and it was a complete honor to sit in a drum booth that’s been occupied by heroes like Howard Grimes and Al Jackson, Jr. You’ll hear more about it in 2021.

• Cedric and I were in Australia on tour when COVID-19 started to become a real issue. The day things got serious was in Perth. We had some time off, so our TM drove us up to Cottesloe Beach to check things out. Little did we know that we had arrived for Sculpture by the Sea, an art exhibition on the shores of the Indian Ocean. It’s my last calm memory of a pre-Covid world.

• Bob Dylan’s Rough and Rowdy Ways surprised me, but it shouldn’t have. At 79 years old, Bob put out one of the finest records of his career and affirmed—again—his genius. Just like any great Dylan record, it swings. I voted for you in the Grammys, Bob… but I know you don’t care.

• Sports make me feel good. I loved how the NBA did a better job than the United States of preventing infection and was able to complete their season in the bubble. (Great basketball, too!) I also love how dominant my Alabama Crimson Tide have been this year. Mac Jones is showing out, Najee Harris is a freak and Devonta Smith is unstoppable. Do I think it’s morally okay that amateur athletes are being put at risk to play sports that enrich everyone but them? No. But I also admit that I am a flawed creature who can’t look away. I’m grateful to these fellas for suiting up this year. It’s been a real joy to watch Alabama play football. NOW PAY THE PLAYERS!

JOHN PAUL WHITE

• The thing most people would list as their least favorite is my number one. I’m on the road most of the year, so having some time at home with my family has been what the doctor ordered. The best part of that situation is that has been guilt free - because there was no choice! No anguish about whether I should be in the studio, in Nashville for co-writes, etc. Just blissful re-connection.

• My wife, Jenny, has been pushing me to be a bit more social and connected outside our home - so I started a book club with my good friends Andy Baxter (Penny and Sparrow) and Adam Morrow (Speckled Bird, and my guitar player). We’ve been sitting 6 feet apart, drinking bourbon, and discussing everything from King to Murakami to Faulkner. We’re on book 26.

• My Kindle reader is getting quite the workout. I was a naysayer for many years. I love the feel of physical pages, the crease in the binding, the smell of old books - even the sight of vanquished novels on my shelf. I never thought I’d make the switch. But I’m a convert. Being able to highlight and bookmark passages without marring the physical copy has been very satisfying. Knowing exactly how many pages are left, how long it will take to finish chapters, and having a dictionary, translator, and wiki a click away completely changes the game. It also doesn’t hurt that it is illuminated for bed reading - and the aforementioned campfire.

• ThriftBooks.com. I still buy the physical copy too. I prefer older editions with funky artwork, and there’s always a number to choose from. The Kindle purchases compensate the author, which matters to a creator like me. I’m not going to eat my own if I can help it.

• My good friend Eric Solomon at European Cellars hooked Jenny and I up with and abundance of Spanish wine. It’s quite literally the best bottles of wine we laypeople have ever had. We are now intensely spoiled, and perpetually drunk.

• Zoom co-writes. I can’t believe I’m saying that. It started out as a way to try and stimulate my creativity, because I’ve had writer’s block something fierce. My publisher, Warner-Chappell, filled my dance card up once I asked. It was very awkward and clumsy at first, but I’ve gotten the hang of it. I’ve spent time with many people I may have never been able to work with in the old world. And I’m happy to say that not only has it kickstarted my brain, but directly resulted in songs (and new friendships) I hold dear.

• Instacart. I love going to the grocery store (yes I’m weird) but I can’t do it without pants.

• Bandcamp Fridays. All purchases made on those days at Bandcamp go directly to the artist. 100%. And we can use all the help we can get.

• Tennis. My boys are really good players. Me, not so much. But it’s as good a sport in a pandemic there is.

• Streaming TV. The Crown, Schitt’s Creek, Black Mirror, The Mandalorian, Umbrella Academy, the Good Witch, and the Great British Bakeoff are the favs in this house. Jenny and I finally got to finish Breaking Bad.

• Not wearing pants. Did I mention that?

ADDY KIMBRELL

• Adopting Rags. Rags is my 4 year old rescue dog, specifically a one eyed shih tzu. He’s the first dog I’ve ever had on my own and he is literally perfect (according to me AND anyone else who meets him).

• Forced self reflection resulting in personal growth. When you spend 90% of your time alone, you have a lot of time to think. While that can be less than happy at times, it has resulted in me learning a lot about myself, which is really useful and has helped me set new goals for my future.

• The resilience of artists, and specifically our artists. They never freakin’ quit and that is so inspiring to me. And throughout all the craziness of this year, they’ve continued to trust us to do good work for them, which is always an honor.

• Embracing the fact that most things are out of my control. I’ve become more and more comfortable with that idea the longer this year has gone on. I’m trying to see it as a weight off my shoulders instead of something to fear. I’m getting there!

• Baby birds hatching in the wreath on my door. This happened back in April and it was truly such a joy to watch. I was obsessed with them.

• Developing deeper relationships with friends and family. That’s just part of what hard times have done for me, so it’s a silver lining. I think we’ve all felt pretty vulnerable this year, so I’m glad that my vulnerability has led to being reminded that I am very deeply cared for.

• I had one of the most memorable concert experiences of my life this year, which was Andy Shauf at Exit/In in Nashville. It was one of the last concerts I went to before covid really picked up here in the US, and I’m so glad I have that memory of live music to hold on to.

• Ending the year with hopefulness. To be honest, sometimes I wasn’t so sure I’d be able to do this. I am immensely grateful that I can, and I can do it earnestly.

BEN TANNER

• Louise (my child) in a landslide: watching an infant become a toddler and fearless adventurer in search of sharp objects. She kept us (somewhat) tethered to sanity.

• Reviving a chess rivalry with my wife, inspired by The Queen’s Gambit. I like to think I’ve matured into a more gracious loser than I was in our early dating days

• Ambitious quarantine cooking projects: we’re stuck at home all day, I might as well cook something that takes between 8 and 72 hours. Personal firsts: bouillabaisse, biscuits from scratch, apple pie from scratch, lots and lots of ice cream

• The NBA bubble: watching a league I love tackle pandemic problem-solving with more intelligence and humanity than our governments could muster

• Lots of watching: The Queen’s Gambit, Schitt’s Creek, Great British Bakeoff (inspiring even more cooking projects)

• Listening: a deep chronological dive into the Blue Note catalog; quarantine releases (in no particular order) from Bob Dylan, Phoebe Bridgers and Perfume Genius on repeat

WILL TRAPP

• Walking to work during the pandemic. There were a few WIll Smith 'I Am Legend' moments, but generally a really nice and calm way to start a workday is with a 1 mile walk (except in late June/August).

• Al Green. In my Spotify Roundup, there wasn't even a close 2nd. OK, the closest 2nd was John Prine, but it was socially distant.

• Starting a new business relationship with people who share values of integrity and client service. Also being able to come to the office and meet as long as it's safe.

• Playing golf with my Dad in the late afternoons. I have decided that golf carts have ruined the game for me. What's the hurry?

• Moving to Muscle Shoals. The sidewalks and flatlands of Colbert County are very underrated...and we've got the Swampers.

• Handel’s Messiah. Every year a new twist with this seasonal piece of music. This time around really appreciating how different Handel was from his contemporaries and that he was an odd choice for anything sacred.

• Watching my son Reed Trapp hoop. He went from barely belonging in an old man early morning session to the best player in the gym in about 6 months. I also throw him alley oops from deep...on a 10 ft. goal. It's amazing...for me.

ROSANNE CASH

• The birth of my granddaughter, Olive, on Election Day.

• The good luck Olive brought us on Election Day.

• The five songs I’ve written during the pandemic.

• Sleeping in my own bed every night.

• Two weeks at the beach on the East End of Long Island in August.

• My birthday in May, when I was just grateful to have dinner with my husband and son at home and then go for a walk. No need for anything but our health.

• Releasing a song about the pandemic with John Paul White, and releasing a song about the election, and our national outrage and resilient love for country and for each other, with John Leventhal.

ADAM MORROW

• Bonny Light Horseman by Bonny Light Horseman

This was my most listened to new album in 2020. It was beautiful before the world went sideways in March, and it worked wonderfully on frayed nerves as the months went by afterwards. “Deep In Love” specifically is a wonder. It seems to be a fairly simple arrangement, but the chorus soars and then repeats and repeats and repeats like all great soaring choruses should once they know you’ve been got. I love it, and the whole record, top to bottom. The voices are great and should be lauded, but like so much of my favorite music for the last few years, Josh Kaufman shines bright like the guitar hero he is throughout. 

• Same Old Kid by Tedo Stone

I first came to know Tedo’s music in 2014 when Belle Adair played a run of shows with him and his band on the way to South By Southwest, and he’s been one of my favorite songwriters working in the South ever since. They play loud music where people actually hit the drums and turn their amps up, and they also happen to make great, nuanced records. Hooky records loaded with ear worms and the kind of spacey guitar work that I love, all working in tandem with writing that can let the darkness into an otherwise sun drenched landscape. A psychedelic existentialist smorgasbord, with strong pop sensibilities. This record is his best yet. 

• 2-4-6-8 Motorway by Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires

Is this a homer pick? I don’t care. This is a short EP named after the first track, a cover of the great Tom Robinson Band tune that gets the full Glory Fires treatment. But it’s the next three songs that really jump out. If you’ve been to a Glory Fires show, you know what being hit by that freight train feels like. If you’ve listened to the records (especially the excellent live album released last year), you know that there are worlds contained in the lyrics, too. Here, Lee strips the songs down to naught but an acoustic guitar, and while I don’t want the amps going anywhere, they really shine in this format. There will be a lot of records made about 2020. About George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement, people recognizing their own privilege for the first time en masse, about the triumphs of progress and the embarrassment of regression. Lee has already made those records. They were there waiting. And he’ll make more. These songs say so much about being a compassionate human being in the South, and so much about being an artist here. No Southerners have mastered the balance of pride in place and self awareness quite as poetically as the Glory Fires. 

• Good Ol’ Grateful Dead Podcast

What makes a lot of sense in a year where nothing makes much sense is the vision of America presented by the Grateful Dead on Workingman’s Dead and American Beauty, and, wouldn’t you know it, there’s a whole podcast about it happening now. It’s part Classic Albums, part history of pop music, and part American Studies. They have managed to interview most of the key figures involved, and have access to amazing archives for those no longer available to chat. Each episode deals with one song. You’ll hear demos, isolated tracks from the “keeper” take, but also an overview of what was going on in the band’s life at that point. Music doesn’t come from a vacuum, and for these albums that get sucked into the Classic Rock stratosphere, its deeply rewarding to revisit a time when an anthem was still just a work tape bouncing around between friends who were eager to push for something new and exciting. 

• Live Records

Sure, this is a bit of a catch all, but there have been some excellent live records put out this year. Hiss Golden Messenger (School Daze), Fruit Bats (Found a Round Stone), Chris Forsyth (Peoples Motel Band), and the War On Drugs (LIVE DRUGS) have made my days without concerts much brighter by digging into the archives and sharing with the world. Even my pal John Paul got in on the action recently! He loves listening to the Grateful Dead Sirius channel in the van on tour, so it makes sense. I’ve wondered about the chicken-egg thought process behind these records (does a year without shows send artists back to their archives?), but whatever the motivation, I hope that indiedom is ready for more. Especially with the rise of…

• Bandcamp Friday

In a year where more people than ever are aware of the very thin margins artists operate on, Bandcamp Friday is great for everyone: bands can make more money when the site waives their usual (minimal) fees, and as a result, it’s encouraged all sorts of creative releases. Of course I want to hear Phoebe Bridgers and Maggie Rogers cover a Goo Goo Dolls song, and of course I want my favorite artists to embrace putting out live sets, demos, and outtakes. I’m optimistic that this kind of free wheeling (fun) approach can stay after the pandemic is behind us. 

• Devs

I watched a lot of TV in 2020. This was an early entry for best of the year, since HBO’s Watchmen technically belongs to the tail end of 2019. Tech companies run amok, Nick Offerman and Alison Pill mapping time and space with a loose set of ethics, Sonoya Mizuno working from one misfortune to the next, awesome vibey cinematography and soundtrack? In. 

• Normal People

The subtle dialog and the coming of age story and the shots of Ireland? In. Didn’t realize I was watching the romance show of the year at the time, given the heavy literary fiction vibes, but hey. I stand by it. 

• Ted Lasso

This was the only show that got a huge cross section of my pals to text me, saying “you have to watch.” They were right. I thought it would stay a bit saccharine and light hearted, but once it started in with the emotions, it didn’t stop. Easily one of the best shows of the year. As a Liverpool FC hater, I do resent them for making me feel feelings while “You’ll Never Walk Alone” played, but I don’t mind that it convinced my friends Andy and Kyle to cover the tune for Penny and Sparrow.

• How To with John Wilson

You’ll think you know the joke and where its going, but each episode has incredible moments of humanity that caught me by surprise. It’s soothing to watch, until the emotions sneak up on you by way of film that can only exist for someone who must have spent thousands and thousands of hours shooting seemingly random footage. The best things are simple.

NICOLE ATKINS

• Wayne (the best tv show on Amazon Prime or any other place for that matter)

• Faherty Brand loungewear. (Over the top softness!)

• Posca Paint Pens (nonstop fun and great color selection)

• Sugarlife Orchestra live Instagram call in show. So weird and fun. 

• Elvis Costello “Hey Clockface”

• Station Rotation - great playlist radio stations from some of my favorite artists. 

• Masterclass app. Be a ninja. 

• Snail mail. Stuck at Home? Get some penpals!

• Joe Brainard “I Remember”

• My own bed with upgraded sheets from Brooklinen.

ERIN RAE

I took the route of gratitude list.

• The Daily - listening most mornings helped me to feel like I had some sense of what was going on in the world, and from such a great source. Michael did some real darn good reportin’. Thanks, MB!

• Getting to work on the telethon that Tristen, Joshua Shoemaker, William Tyler, and I put on in support of Marquita Bradshaw! We ended up raising $15K the old school way- over LANDLINE phones at Third Man Records. Everyone donated their time, and It was so invigorating and informative working with her campaign. I learned so much, and maybe next favorite thing should be...

• Marquita Bradshaw who was an incredible, inspiring candidate to rally around. I am so excited to see what she continues to build. She gave us Tennesseans a glimmer of hope in an impossible year. 

• My one neighbor that has FOUR PT CRUISERS- one is KISS themed.

• My other neighbor whose Christmas lights are literally one string around the middle of their house... like if a house wore a belt. All the way around.

• Bonfire + movie nights in the backyard this fall & perfecting my popcorn recipe. 

• This one film photo I took of my roommate, Taylor, the first day we got eggs from the chickens he raised this year. 😢

• Singing harmonies with Courtney Marie Andrews & Twain for her livestream of “Old Flowers” in the Parthenon 🏛 

• Watching my niece, Finley grow so quickly and how musical she is.  

• Discovering the music of Alabaster DePlume!

HAYDEN CRAWFORD

Checking in with seven things from Capitol Hill, Seattle.

• Working and living in CHOP -- Talk about an eye opening experience. We can all learn something from intense social discord. 

• Learning to think about more than just my situation in life and the relative ease that surrounds it.  A direct relation to #1 and the Seattle protests.

• Reading A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara -- Changed me forever.  Should be required reading for every Cis-Male in the United States.

• Run the Jewels 4 -- Talk about timing. 

• CHOP -------> CHAZ -------> Pure Chaos ------> Chalkdust Torture

• Phish -- Seriously. They just make me happy, and that's been a hard feeling to come by in 2020. 

• Grandaddy releasing the Sophtware Slump on a wooden piano.  -- What's not to love about this?

Do yourself a favor and buy Hayden’s music on Bandcamp!!

PARKER MCANNALLY

• George Saunders. Tenth Of December, Lincoln In The Bardo, anything really. His humanity, wit and empathy have been a cognitive and emotional buoy this year. Highly, highly recommended.

• The New Yorker. The exact right amount of news, vivid storytelling and reviews. I could easily dispense with all social media and hang with the New Yorker - maybe one day...

• Mayonnaise and Onions. Grilled, raw, fried, on a burger, ham & turkey, BLT - it doesn't matter a single bit. Makes every sandwich better.

• Robin Pecknold's Spotify Brazil Recs. He's a beacon of good taste, and this playlist is no exception. He's opened my eyes to Os Mutantes, Novos Baianos, Milton Nascimento and so many more. It's really helped me to get outside of my own bubble, musically and culturally.

• My Dog Beanie. She's a Golden Retriever, a total idiot, and unendingly sweet.

• Wind Of Change. The podcast that investigates the theory that the CIA wrote the Scorpions song Wind of Change to manipulate the morale of Cold War-associated countries. It's unbelievably fascinating, and the story from the ex-CIA agent who "has seen the elephant" is worth listening for alone.

• I May Destroy You. Topically challenging, but so, so worthwhile. I've never watched another show that is such an artful, tangible depiction of the inner workings of the norms of society, and a small group of friends.

• My wife Emily. Quarantining sure would be awful with somebody you don't love being around - I feel luckier than ever to have someone who brings me joy like clockwork, and supports me at every turn.

• Longform. My favorite interview podcast. The episode with Jiayang Fan is breathtaking.

• Making music. This year has been such a healthy reminder of how necessary it is for me to create, and collaborate. The Prescriptions have gotten to work on our second record with Ben Tanner this year (thank you Ben), and it has produced some of my absolute favorite moments of this year. Making music produces a specific kind of oxygen, and with it comes a nourishment that a pandemic can make you forget you need.

JOE GARNER

• Record savings on gasoline and oil 

• Extended hang time with my wife Lisa and old dog, Lou

• Honey Crisp apples with crunchy peanut butter

• This quote: "Whatever you do, do it gently and unhurriedly, a pear is not eaten in one bite." St. Seraphim of Sarov

• River Monsters

• NBA Bubble basketball 

• More wilderness 

• Slow cooks

CLAYTON WALLER

• Listening to music (check out my ‘2020 faves’ playlist on Spotify)

• Making music (lots of new music on the way!)

• Real Sword Radio 

• Animal Crossing New Horizons 

• How To with John Wilson

• Eric Andre Season 5

• Virtual workouts with Marshall Jones (Camp Gladiator)

• Midtown Fellowship - West Nashville

• Joining the Single Lock crew and releasing 3 songs

• Getting a manager (it’s none other than Single Lock’s Addy Kimbrell!)

CHRIS LUEBECK

• The opportunity to create and record music with my fellow bandmates, The Prescriptions. 

• The endless love and support from my girlfriend, Haley. 

• Spending quarantine with my pup, Magnolia. 

• Discovering Jon Brion's 'Meaningless' *Thanks Reed and Ben. 

• Having the ability and time to work on recording from/at home. w

• Having the time to self reflect and improve myself. 

• "Tiger King".... JK That show f*@$ing sucked. 

• Thankful for the fine folks at Single Lock. Thanks for all you do and being supportive during these tough times. (editors note: you’re welcome)

ANDY BAXTER

7 songs I discovered in 2020 & what they reminded me...

• Can’t Do Much- Waxahatchee

This is my favorite opening lyric in the past decade of music: 

“We will coalesce our heaven & hell,
My eyes roll around like dice on the felt,
My mind turns turns to something useless & trite,
My uneasiness, materialize.
I want you, all the time, sanity, nullify”

This tune reminded that words are beautiful and that selfless love (while worth it) is insanity.

• 10,000 Miles-Bonny Light Horseman

This is a Third Rail recording for me. If you listen to this after loss of any kind or anywhere near a goodbye, you might just be fucked. And I mean that in a great way. There have been nights I have cried to this and considered sending Anaïs Mitchell  the money I was gonna send my therapist. This song reminded me to mourn.

“ Fare thee well
My own true love
Farewell for a while
I'm going away
But I'll be back
Though I go 10,000 miles” 

Fucking oooof.

• Wolves-Jensen McRae

Like a slow motion fist you see coming. Like hearing your teeth snap like chalk pieces. Like blood on the grass and embarrassment. Like getting up after your ass got kicked.

Like letting yourself get furious. Like taking a swing and connecting.

This is Jensen Mcrae’s song “Wolves” and it reminded me that in revolutions (both personal and very public) there will be bleeding.

“And though I got away,
I never walked the same”

• Atheist- Christian Lee Hutson

CLH might not have ever been scared of the same shit I used to be. But something tells me hell use to be something he fretted over. Regardless of him, I hear this song and from title to lyrics to tone to tongue in cheek acquiescence of (what I call) “The Great Theological Shrug”—it resonates with me.

I’m glad he wrote it. It reminds me say true things. Like “I don’t know” and “‘maybe so”

“I don’t remember getting older but I’m slowing down,
I don’t know if I’m gonna miss you where I’m going now”

• Garden Song-Phoebe Bridgers

I want to go back in time and write this song before she did. I want to write a song before I die that does to others what this did to me.

It’s so good it makes me angry for a few seconds on every listen. But then that fades and I’m left with something that’s gotta feel like the best sex you’ve ever had—only it’s with your Ex & they tell you “we can’t keep doing this”....and you just hope they’re lying.

This song reminded me why I fucking love lyrics. This song reminds me to compete.

• High & Mighty- Colter Wall

This song is growing up and my stupid first truck and dancing with Sarah in our new house. This song, for me, is keeping the old good stuff and pitching the bullshit. Colter is Canadian and reminds me of Texas while I’m in Alabama.

• Golf on TV-Lennon Stella

Lennon Stella is what languid perfection sounds like and this song is so silly it almost bugs me. But then I just smile and remember that ONCE IN A GODDAMN BLUE MOON candy is both delicious and nutritious. This song reminds me of bourbon around fires and getting slow drunk with good friends. It probably shouldn’t but it does.

And I fucking love pop divas.

All hail Lennon Stella.

DUQUETTE JOHNSTON

What a fucking year. A year I am actually grateful for. I am fortunate to get to do anything I do and never want to lose sight of that. 

In no particular order…. I think my list is just a gratitude list.

• I am grateful to still be here. I am grateful for the slow down.

• For the pause at the beginning of the pandemic.

• The moments in my yard with my wife and son and listening to our favorite jazz records and just being together. I am grateful for the space I have to be outside.

• I am grateful for music and getting to still write songs daily.

• I am grateful I have been able to witness my wife's art career take off and become a full time movement for her.

• I am grateful for the time watching and learning from my son and continuing to learn from him.

• I am grateful for Club Duquette and the community that has continued to support us and believe in our creative endeavors and that we are still in business.

• I am grateful for the nights my family chilled in bed watching The Durrells in Corfu together. For all the pancakes for dinner nights.

• Grateful for all the hours upon hours of listening to John Coltrane while burning ancient fragrant incense in the house and studio space.

• I am grateful for a series called To Be Magnetic which has been an incredible help in shifting my focus and priorities. The headspace app as well and its guided meditations.

• I am grateful for the month of August absolutely kicking my ass, causing me to have such intense anxiety and fear that I had to face it and deal with it to move forward, there was no going around it.

• Grateful for the reminder of what is truly important in life, that life can change in an instant and not to waste it.

• I am grateful for my friends, family and this incredible music community. If you all could be in my backyard right now for a bonfire I would snap my fingers and make it happen.

GO ON AND GET YOU SOME NEW CLOTHES AND COOL STUFF AT CLUB DUQUETTE!

HAYS RAGSDALE

• 2020 has been a year for discovering all the things I have been taking for granted, and making the decision to not take those things for granted any more. Live music being one of them. If you ever see me using my phone while another person is pouring their heart and soul into their art on stage, slap it out of my hands please. Thanks. 

• Making a lot of soups

• Sitting around a lot of fires. Outdoor and indoor. 

• Making a record at FAME and Sundrop Sound. 

• Moving into a new house 

• Goodreads, and just reading in general. 2020 was a good year for books. (and watching tv but I was doing that before, watched The Wire though and that's an incredible show)

• 81 million people proclaiming on Nov 3rd that the Trump dystopia isn't the future we want for our planet. It's impossible to find empathy and understanding when the leader of half the country is demonstrating that the opposite is "the way". I look forward to more empathy and understanding and a future where we believe that the world doesn't renew itself, but we each have to do our part to make it happen.

JAMIE BARRIER

• It was good to not be on the road and spend time with the family. Family time is really beyond the list!! Thankful to not be out on the road and not in a coffin. Most consecutive nights in a row on my own pillow since 1995....

• Finding the Sid Hemphill “Devils Dream” LP

• Finding the Rainbow “Rising” LP

• Surfing a Gordon n Smith glassed tri-fin early 70s model throughout Covid

• Finding used vinyl box sets of the Trojan rock-steady and dub singles

• Swimming in the creek a million times

• Getting to be a label mate with the Blind Boys of Alabama and Cedric “the coolest cat ever” Burnside

• Stoked that Cedric has a Royal Studios LP in the chamber, ready to drop

• Making it 12 months in a row without getting any traffic citations/speeding tickets

• Lil Boosie surviving being shot and crushing it in 2020

MAGGIE CRISLER

Battling a chronic illness and going through a physically taxing treatment all year (on top of all of the mental stress and anxiety the year has brought) has been rough—but it has made me even more appreciative of the good things in my life. Here’s my list of favorites/things that have gotten me through 2020:

• A selfless, loving, and thoughtful husband who cares for me at the end of a long day at work. Daniel cleans, cooks, and takes care of me and our sweet dog Simon when I can’t.

• Simon, who has had his own health issues this year at 13 years old, has kept on trucking and kept me company on the couch when I haven’t felt well.

• Living on Cypress Creek and spending time outside daily with Simon brings me more peace than I thought nature ever could.

• Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and the WWE Network have filled the many hours I’ve spent on the couch or in bed. I watched Hamilton for the first time in July, and I’ve nearly memorized the entire musical. Lin-Manuel Miranda is a genius. Daniel and I have spent many hours watching wrestling and enjoyed the escape from reality. The Great British Baking Show is a more recent obsession that has got to be the most wholesome thing I’ve ever watched. Brooklyn 99 brings familiarity and joy into my life—it’s my favorite show, and I watch at least an episode every day. So yeah, I’m pretty grateful for streaming services this year.

• Knitting, cross stitching, and sewing have kept me busy when I’ve felt well enough to work on things. I wrote an article for a sewing magazine about my relationship with sewing that was published this summer. That same magazine had me on their podcast later in the year to talk about clothes, sewing, body image, and more. 

• The Marco Polo app. I started using it a few months ago (mostly to talk to my best friend, Rachel), and it’s made me feel a lot less lonely everyday. 

• I put up our Christmas tree two days after Halloween, and I have no regrets. The glow from it makes me so happy that I may never take it down. I cooked a whole thanksgiving meal for the first time this year since the two of us spent it at home. 

• Daniel and I will celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary next week on the 19th before having a quiet Christmas at home the week after, just the two of us—well, three with Simon.

  In a year filled with sadness, fear, health struggles, and the loss of a loved one, we’ve made it through. Let’s all hope and pray for even more favorite things next year. Stay safe, y’all.

DANIEL CRISLER

At the end of 2019, Maggie and I moved into a lovely little home on the banks of Cypress Creek here in Florence, AL. I am so thankful to have spent many a morning and evening in 2020 wading through the rapids in my back yard, watching the deer make their daily crossing, catching every kind of freshwater fish imaginable, and seeing peregrine falcons dive bomb at 200mph. Taking a deep breath of nature and finding substance in the silence has done more good for my mental health than any man-made prescription ever could. 

This year, I decided to end my creative drought and find no excuses. I am now moving forward and chipping away at forming material for a new Exotic Dangers record. Man, it feels good to shake the dust off and get the gears greased again. Frustrating and fulfilling. 

Through unprecedented stress and health struggles, Maggie and I have kept time with our little family at the highest priority; spending most nights watching wrestling with our Scottish Terrier, Simon. We have been able to safely have my parents over for dinner most Saturday nights, which is a blessing. I’ve also decided to learn more about my musical heroes. Audio books have really been a savior. Who I Am by Pete Townshend, Clapton: The Autobiography by Eric Clapton, and Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen are beyond inspiring. 

Other things I’ve enjoyed this year? Switching to wearing a buzz cut; Drew McIntyre winning the Royal Rumble; the new record Night Network from The Cribs; working on and releasing some new videos for my band with Jordan Dean, Stereo Specter; stepping away from social media; starting to collect vintage guitar straps; and being a member of the Rainey Street Country Club - a group text for King of the Hill nerds (you know who you are).

KIMI SAMSON

• Reed Watson  (editor’s note: the check is in the mail)

• Violin and cello duets Caleb Elliott and I have written together. 

• Joining the Shoals Symphony Orchestra.

• Any and all the session work from this year (seriously, thank y'all)

• Reconnecting with long distance friends.

• Learning more about myself in every way.

• Single Lock Records, the family that takes care of you when you are in need, supports you, and simply loves you.

MARK FALK

• Garden: My sister and I grew a massive garden and our Grandparents taught us all about planting and preserving food! It was really cool to be able to learn more about that part of their life and get some delicious veggies in the process. 

• Hiking: Having to quarantine and self-isolate meant that I wasn't able to visit friends in Florence, but it did mean that I was in my homeland for a full summer - something that doesn't happen very often. Taking full advantage of Canada's nature, hiking through Assiniboine Provincial Park during a Banff road trip was awe-inspiring, to say the least, and it even included a rare sighting of a white grizzly bear.

• Group Calls: If anything, the pandemic has normalized video calling and I am grateful to have reconnected with a group of friends who are scattered around the world, playing games, quiz nights, and having holiday-themed parties. 

• Live Streams: Not being able to go to shows sucks. But it has been cool to tune into some of my favourite musicians' live streams! As things were transitioning to a global issue, Reed and Adam's Single Lock Quarantined Variety show kept me sane and it was a treat to see friends and music almost every day. Another stellar live stream has been "The Tweedy Show," where Jeff Tweedy and his family have played over 100 hours of music!

• Music: Blake Mills is phenomenal. His new record "Mutable Set" has been a go-to for me as soon as it came out this year. Speckled Bird has taken flight! Friends releasing music always makes me happy, and it's even better when the music is as good as Speckled Bird. Not a 2020 record, but I dove into "The Bends" by Radiohead this year and it's so good!! It even made me release a cover of "Fake Plastic Trees.

• Art: Earlier this year I was living in Copenhagen, Denmark, where I visited The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. The featured exhibition was "Generation Wealth" by Lauren Greenfield. The photos and stories are a commentary on North America's obsession with consumerism and the museum aptly describes the work as "a visual shell shock." There is an accompanying film that you can find and it is definitely worth a watch! 

• Sourdough: Call me basic, but I started baking sourdough like everyone else. I love it though and it's a nice addition to the daily routine. Let me know if you need any tips, I wrote a short beginner's guide for family and friends who want to bake their first loaf :) 

• The Last Dance, the Michael Jordan documentary series needs no description. 

• Trump Lost.

EXPLORE THE SEMI ATHLETIC UNIVERSE ON BANDCAMP!

ERIN MCANALLY & CHELSEA CROWELL OF ARTIST RIGHTS ALLIANCE

• Artist Rights Alliance Words on Music with Reed Watson and Erin Rae 

As one of our favorite editions of our ongoing conversation series produced, we spoke with Erin Rae and Reed Watson, about topics ranging from mental health in the music world, how creators are coping with the pandemic, and ways to rebuild a better music community going forward. 

• Black Bottom Saints

Alice Randall brings us a lifting and lit-up rhapsodic celebration of Black people, both real and imagined, all fixtures of Detroit’s Black Bottom neighborhood. The trauma-to-transcendence stories vibrantly canonize these characters as Randall takes her Saints down off the altar and delivers them into nightclubs, gossip columns, and dance studies, bringing them home to the mortality and music of the Black Bottom neighborhood.

• Tift Merritt’s fundraiser

On Friday, October 30th, the NCDP hosted, alongside artists like Tift Merritt and Ben Folds, the Loud Blue! Vote for NC Concert with musicians from across North Carolina and the nation to encourage voter turnout and support candidates up and down the ballot.

• Rosanne Cash’s Love and Vigilance

An Americana Music Association’s Thriving Roots virtual conversation about protest music and the influence Black music makers have on Americana with Rosanne Cash, Alice Randall, Angela Davis, Ry Cooder, and Bonnie Raitt.

• Artist Rights Alliance Pandemic Resource list For Artists: 

Compiled at the start of the pandemic, ARA created a resource list for artists to help navigate everything from financial assistance to mental health resources. Highly circulated, we were very glad to see that it was used by so many and helpful. 

• Marquita Bradshaw Telethon 

Tennessee music and arts community pulled together to put together a live-stream event to raise funds for Tennessee Senate Candidate Marquita Bradshaw. The event was hosted by Third Man Records. Check out the incredible line-up and performances: 

• MusiCares/Music Health Alliance/ The Advocacy Fund for Alabama Musicians 

With federal resources running dry nearly as quickly as they arrived, organizations like MusiCares, Music Health Alliance, and Single Lock’s Alabama Advocacy for Musicians Fund stepped in to remind us of the incredible community we have in the music industry. They have been a lifeline for so many and for that reason are a highlight of this year. 

DAN DRINKARD

• Skullcrusher - Skullcrusher EP

• Peloton metal rides

• Adrianne Lenker - Songs LP

• Arbor Labor Union - New Petal Instants LP

• NBA Bubble / Ja Morant

• Cutting Unnecessary Shit Out Of Your Life

• Eating Dinner On The Front Porch

• Neil Young - Homegrown LP

• Archival Projects / Digitizing Long Forgotten Music From Local Bands

• El Obo - Reach Into The Dark & Pull It Closer LP

HOLIDAY SHOPPING, COOL SHIRTS AND MORE AT SEASICK RECORDS! DO IT!

CHRISTINA RENTZ

An abridged list of my favorite things:

Books:

Open Book, David Copperfield (audiobook), Stella Endicott and the Anything-is-Possible Poem, Samantha Irby

Internet Faves:

Seth Meyers’ stack of the Thorn Birds, Evil Witches newsletter, Matt Davis newsletter, Gossip Time newsletter, Sister District, MarthaStewart48, Neko Case, Isabella Rossellini, Sarah Thyre, Alicia’s kittens, and big shout out to Zoom’s appearance touch up.

Non-Merge Music, Live events & IRL places:

Destroyer at the Cat’s Cradle on March 11, 2020, Torch Marauder at Cat’s Cradle 50, Haim, The Chicks, Selena Gomez, Bonny Light Horseman, Isabella Rossellini Sex & Consequences, Zoom trivia with Arturo, Savage, The Beths, Thundercat, “I Need You Christmas”, “Under the Mistletoe”

Misc:

Redbubble postcards, Sonos, Nutter Butters, Jeni’s Ice Cream, new turntable, David Rose sweatshirt, starting a newsletter, November 7, making a new website with our pals at Polyvinyl, and Bandcamp.

LILLIAN GLANTON

• New Innovation. The innovation that comes with a shift. As a business owner, the shift has forced me to become more innovative in my business and take messy action. 

• Less Time in a Vehicle. Spending less time in a vehicle. (I can’t believe how much more I get done because I’m not going anywhere.)

• Zoom. I love it. It’s convenient, fun, and gets straight to business. 

• More Family Time. The opportunity to spend more time with my family. I’m working from home and I can see them whenever I want. 

• Slowness. This pandemic has forced me to slow down and ask questions. 

• Tik-Tok. This app brings people a lot of people joy. It’s funny, creative and inspiring. 

• New Music. Although artists aren’t touring, they are still releasing new music and I’m so thankful because I have time to absorb an EP or an album now because I am living a slower pace of life. 

• Missed Opportunity. A lot of projects are no longer happening. At first, I was down in the weeds about it. But as I look back now, it was the best thing that ever happened. I’ve had time to focus on other things that I’ve wanted to do for a lifetime. It was a beautiful no.

CHECK OUT LILLIAN IN FORBES MAGAZINE!

NIGEL HOUSE

• Sault - Untitled (Black Is) - mystery band who have made the most relevant album of this year - perhaps this decade's What's Goin On.

• Terry Allen - Just Like Moby Dick - genius as always

• Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher - deserving of all the EOY chart placings.

• Waxahtachee - Saint Cloud. Almost perfect.

• Lucinda Williams - Good Souls, Better Angels. An inspiration to us all.

• Liam Hayes - Mirage Garage. Everything Liam / Plush does is amazing and this is no different. Great production by Luther Russell.

• Run The Jewels - RTJ4. 

• Coriky - s/t. Ian MacKaye / Dischord get it right again.    

• Aqulies Navarro + Tcheser Holmes - Heritage Of The Invisible II. International Anthem come up trumps again.

• Bob Mould - Blue Hearts. Still on top form.

CHECK OUT THIS GREAT PODCAST WHERE NIGEL TALKS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF ROUGH TRADE! or…. GO GRAB SOME STUFF FROM ROUGH TRADE!

AMI PHIPPS

Music

• Jeff Parker : Suite for Max Brown / Live: 24th January @ Church of Sound, Clapton, London- This was the last gig I went to before lockdown back in January and it's a memory to savour every time I put this record on. A sensational guitarist who shows no sign of peaking. The gig was performed in the round, the players surrounding a central speaker system and the audience surrounding the whole thing in the church. A wonderful gig completed with a guest spot from Laetitia Sadier.

• Nadine Shah - Kitchen Sink - An artist who owns every word she sings. A an album full of brewing sounds, astute observations and funny as fuck. And when she's not making incredible music she's giving testimony to the UK government calling for  “user-centric” royalties from streaming rather than based on market share.

• Laura Marling : Songs for Our Daughter - Each track on this record proves Laura Marling to be a resilient, strident and excellent songwriter and lyricist. The production, the musicianianship and the concept (written to an imaginary child about "what it is to be a woman in this society") conjure moments of beauty with Marling's voice clear as a bell throughout. A constant companion throughout this year.

Books

• Isabel Allende - The House of the Spirits - I was fully looking for a book to fully escape into and this supplied me with a whole other world. Full to the brim with magical realism and a rich time spanning thread that spun me around and spat me back out again. A seemingly "unending tale of sorrow, blood and love."

TV

• I May Destroy You - This blew me away. Michaela Cole tackled sexual consent and assault in a way I've never seen before. It was visceral, comedic, unflinching and sparked conversations in the most incredible way. I think I've thought about this every week since I watched it. Smartly written, brilliantly acted and vital.

• Pen15 - A TV show about school starring two adult women as younger versions of themselves and everyone else plays their actual age? That sounds odd to write but it works so well. It's uncomfortably hilarious, really sweet and brings back feelings I thought I buried forever. It reminded me we're all still learning and those formative years sure make their mark.

Art

• Toyin Ojih Odutola - A Countervailing Theory (The Barbican, Curve Gallery) - Consisting of 40 incredible drawings from the Nigerian-America artist that need to be seen to be believed. The mark making is exquisite, each stroke leading you through a mythical journey and into the lives of ancient warrior women. It's completely absorbing. Like a graphic novel that unwinds in front of your eyes, compelling the viewer to build the narrative out of the striking monochrome visuals.

MICHAEL VENUTOLO-MANTOVANI

Records

• Mary Lattimore - Silver Ladders (Ghostly)

• The Flaming Lips - American Head (Warner)

• Perfume Genius - Set My Heart on Fire Immediately (Matador)

• Nicole Atkins - Italian Ice (Single Lock)

• Worriers - You or Someone You Know (6131)

• U.S. Girls - Heavy Light (4AD)

• Built to Spill - Built to Spill Plays the Songs of Daniel Johnston

• (Ernest Jenning Record Co.)

• Sondre Lerche - Patience (PLZ)

• Strum and Thrum: The American Jangle Underground 1983-1987

• Hanging Tree Guitars (Music Maker Relief Foundation)

Books

• Skeletons of the Zahara by Dean King

• La Storia: Five Generations of the Italian American Experience by

• Jerre Gerlando Mangione

• Thick by Tressie McMillian Cottom

• In The Waves by Rachel Lance

• The Contender: The Story of Marlon Brando by William J. Mann

• Debussy: A Painter In Sound by Stephen Walsh

• The Pine Barrens by John McPhee

Shows n Flicks

• The O.C.

• Schitt's Creek

• The Mandalorian

• The Right Stuff

• The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

People

• John Oliver

• My wife

• Our son

KELLY MCCARTNEY

• So many great roots records - Jason Isbell, Katie Pruitt, Bonny Light Horseman, David Ramirez, Secret Sisters...

• Apple Music Radio expanding their offerings

• Puppies

• Warm apple cider donuts straight from the farm

• Living in a blue state

• The election going well and being over

• Long-distance connections that wouldn't have been made if not for the pandemic

• Rhiannon Giddens (but that's true for every year)

LISTEN TO SOUTHERN CRAFT RADIO ON APPLE MUSIC!

ALISON FENSTERSTOCK

• The Fiona Apple record (Fetch the Bolt Cutters)

• Euclid Records New Orleans lockdown Instagram videos from Lefty, “local record store guy”

• Leggings with pockets! Who knew? (Seriously I didn’t know til this year)

• Baked potatoes topped with Rancho Gordo pinto beans and cheese (I became a pandemic Bean Person)

• Charo’s Facebook morale-building videos (“Bienvenidos to my bathroom where I wash my hands”) 

• Low Cut Connie Facebook Live shows twice a week 

• The Karen Dalton RSD reissue 

• WWOZ Jazz Festing in Place 

• Milton Nascimento (via Lefty the Euclid Local Record Store Guy, who I’m also married to) 

• Rereading all my Vertigo comics

CHECK OUT HER INCREDIBLE NPR PIECE ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY TO NEW ORLEANS MUSIC CULTURE!

DALE GUNNOE

At the top of the list was witnessing the recording of Cedric Burnside’s forthcoming LP, his second release on Single Lock. Royal Studios in Memphis is a time capsule to classic soul and blues recordings by Willie Mitchell, and as a music nerd, the history of the studio is top notch. From the drum machine from Ann Peebles "I Cant Stand the Rain," the vintage muslin sound baffles in 70's orange and green, to hearing Cedric sing his overdubs in to the famous Al Green #9 microphone; so many incredible elements to be remembered. As an observer, I really appreciated all of the work that Cedric, Boo Mitchell and Reed Watson put into developing the songs and the recording process. Im really looking forward to this album being released. (editors note: me too!)

Several releases this year continue to get play at home and on my radio program:

• Trouble, Reverend John Wilkins, Goner Records. This posthumous release is simply perfect. Performances by Rev. Wilkins with his three daughters, including backing instrumentation from Memphis' finest musicians. Expertly recorded at the legendary Royal Studios (Hi Records, Al Green Ann Peebles, etc) by Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell (son of Willie Mitchell), and produced by Amos Harvey, this record transcends Blues, Gospel and Soul. A must have for music lovers.

• You Make Me Feel, Don Bryant, Fat Possum Records. The second release on Fat Possum showcases the superb singing of Don Bryant. Produced and recorded by Scott Bomar, serious soul fans need to grab this immediately. Nominated for a Grammy. Catch me singing in my car to this one.

• Expect the Unexpected, 79rs Gang, Sinking City Records. Authentic, raw, innovative and danceable. This album takes the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Tradition to new horizons. The lyricism and delivery are astonishing. Grab this now. Independent label release from New Orleans.

• Nouveau Electric Records Releases. Cosmic Cajuns From Saturn, Michot Melody Makers; La Danse a St. Ann's, Goldman Thibodeaux and the Lawtell Playboys. From the brilliant mind of Louis Michot (Lost Bayou Ramblers), Nouveau Electric Records has an ambitious roster of releases focusing on both traditional and innovative artists from Louisiana. Keep a keen eye on this new independent label from Arnaudville, LA.

• Bible and Tire Recording Company Records. Increasingly my favorite music to listen to and collect, Gospel music that straddles soul, funk, and spirituality is represented here with three incredible releases. Two new groups with their debut releases The Sensational Barnes Brothers, Nobody's Fault But My Own and The Dedicated Men Of Zion, Can't Turn Me Around are getting a lot of spins on my program and at home. The re-issue of JCR Records "lost tapes" The Last Shall Be First (various artists) is one of the best gospel compilations to be released. Hats off to former New Orleans resident Michael Hurtt and producer Bruce Watson.

• WILD CARD: Quintron and Miss Pussycat, Goblin Alert, Goner Records. What can I say? My formative years in New Orleans in the late 90's were spent dancing all night to Q & P at house parties. This one has another layer of personal connection to me; it was recorded in my hometown. Fun, weird and wild, just like it should be.

ALEX RICHEY

My favorites of 2020:

• (naturally) Working with John Archibald, John Hammontree and the folks at Reckon South to produce "Unjustifiable" and tell the story of Bonita Carter.

• Reading Joan Didion's South and West in a hammock in Jeremy Smith's backyard

• David Marsh's bass kick in on the title track for Unjustifiable.

• Watching Bob and Doug blast off into outer space on the SpaceX rocket in person on the beach in Cape Canaveral. 

• The super early morning road trips to take pictures of old buildings around Hale County during the heart of the pandemic this summer. 

• Recording the score for Unjustifiable at Sun Drop and in my apartment in Birmingham on an old Tascam 4-track . 

• Being one of a handful of people to see the Linn Park Memorial being taken down by a massive crane in person.  

• Experiencing the Summer Solstice ceremony at the Florence Indian Mound with Danny Wilkerson. 

• Shore by Fleet Foxes.

• A perfectly mid rare Wagyu steak I grilled one day in August.

LOOKING FOR A NEW PODCAST? CHECK OUT UNJUSTIFIABLE. IT FEATURES MUSIC FROM SINGLE LOCK, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT EXPLORES A DARK CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF BIRMINGHAM. IT’S REMARKABLE. DO NOT MISS IT!

JOHN HAMMONTREE

10(ish) of my favorite things of 2020…

Books:

• “Piranesi” by Susanna Clarke

• “A Promised Land” by Barack Obama

Podcasts (other than the Reckon Interview & Reckon Radio):

• “Floodlines” by The Atlantic’s Vann R. Newkirk II

• Reply/All Episode #158 “The Case of the Missing Hit” by PJ Vogt

TV Shows

• “Mrs. America” – FX on Hulu

• “The Mandalorian” – Disney+

• “Ted Lasso” – Apple TV

Albums

• “Industry Games” by Chika

• “Cuttin’ Grass Vols. 1 & 2” by Sturgill Simpson

Movies

• “Palm Springs” – Hulu

• “Boys State” – Apple TV

NOAH TIDMORE

Favorite New Movie:

• The Sound of Metal - Darius Marder

Favorite Old Movie That Was New to Me:

• Memories of Murder - Bong Joon Ho

Favorite New Album:

• How Do You Feel About Getting Married - Dijon

Favorite Old Album That Was New to Me:

• The Sunset Tree - The Mountain Goats

Favorite New Band:

• Black Country, New Road

Favorite Single Locker:

• Reed Watson (editor’s note: you’re hired!)

Favorite Podcast:

• Dead & Gone - Payne Lindsey

Favorite Read:

• Akira - Katsuhiro Otomo

CHRIS PARHAM

10 Great Things In Music In 2020

1. Willie J. Healey’s Twin Heavy album

2. SAULT’s Untitled (Black Is) & Untitled (Rise) albums

3. Thomas Csorba’s self-titled debut album

4. Holly Humberstone’s “Falling Asleep At The Wheel” single

5. Celeste & Black Coffee’s “Ready For You” single

6. Weather Station’s “The Robber” single

7. Dozens of great Bandcamp Friday releases (e.g. Water Liars finally releasing the Roll On album)

8. Luck Reunion’s many incredible live streams

9. Radio shows soundtracking working from home

10. Artists supporting Fair Fight during the elections with surprise releases