The end of 2020 is finally upon us, and I’d like to share here the first of three John’s World Top 40 Song listings for the year. Dance music has always been my #1 thing, and so I begin with this genre. Admittedly, having stayed home for much of the year (the pandemic you know!), I dont feel like I learned as many new songs this year as I do most years, but that’s not to say I didn’t learn some great tunes along my way.
Herein are my picks for the Top 40 Dance Songs of 2020. This list differs in a lot of ways from Billboard’s Annual Dance/EDM chart, and there are even a couple of older songs that got a lot of airplay in my world n 2020. There are a great many good tunes over there at Billboard, but these are pretty darned good, as well. Check em out…
#40 – I Feel Love – Sam Smith
Sam Smith’s cover of this classic Donna Summer tune is true to form, musically, and Smith’s high-pitched voice goes well with the music.
#39 – Best Bad Influence – Dounia
Moroccan-American singer Dounia came out with this song which reminded me a lot of another promising dance singer from a few years back, Canadian singer Kiesza. Their voices and sound both lend themselves well to the dance music scene. Check it out…
#38 – God Is a Dancer – Tiesto, Mabel
This track by superstar deejay/producer Tiesto features one of my favorite new singers, British singer Mabel. The song is an old school dance song, high energy and oh so much fun! Check it out on a Song of the Day post from June right here.
#37 – Live Without Your Love – Love Regenerator, Steve Lacy, Calvin Harris
I love, love, love the bass-y sounds and vocals on this hot track. Check it out…
#36 – Body Back – Gryffin, Maia Wright
Another catchy track had me singing along with glee every single time I heard it. Check out the video for this one on YouTube.
#35 – Magic – Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue returned to the scene recently with her neo-disco record aptly titled Disco, and this opening track to the album is my personal favorite. Do you believe in magic? Here’s Kylie’s Magic on John’s World.
#34 – International Woman of Leisure – La Roux
I hardly saw any buzz on this late 2019 track from the comeback of a single-member version of the former duo known as LaRoux, who had a giant hit back in 09 with Bulletproof, but I loved it from the first time I saw it. Though it was a 2019 track, I played it out at the beginning of this year and so. Check out International Woman of Leisure on John’s World.
#33 – Say So – Doja Cat, Nicki Minaj
Now this funky throwback to the disco era was a smash hit early on TikTok, which is where I and probably many others first heard it. Check out Say So right here.
#32 – You’ll Miss Me When I’m Not Around – Grimes
Canadian singer Grimes has been around for awhile, releasing her first music way back in 2010, but her dance music persona really shined in 2020, thanks in part to this hip track. Check it out…
#31 – On My Mind – Diplo, SIDEPIECE
Funky. House. Track. That’s all. Oh, love it!
#30 – Roses – SAINt JHN (Imabek Remix)
This one got lots of airplay in John’s World this year. Check out the vid…
#29 – Close Your Eyes – Felix Jaehn, VIZE, Miss Li
German deejay/producer Felix Jaehn first came under my radar a few years back with his German language dance hit, Stimme, and I’ve checked out all of his stuff ever since. This sweet jam is definitely one fo my faves for 2020. Check it out…
#28 – Levitating – Dua Lipa, Madonna, Missy Elliott
Dua Lipa had a breakout year in 2020, first with her sophomore album Future Nostalgia and later on with a masterful collection of remixes called Club Future Nostalgia, with remixer by Blessed Madonna. The latter features the likes of Gwen Stefani, Blackpink, and of course Madonna and Missy Elliott on this hot hot track. Check it out…
#27 – Body Language – Cedric Zeyenne, Evelyn
I caught this old school house track somewhere via Shazam and ended up downloading several remixes of it. You can take a listen to it right here.
#26 – React – Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls returned in February for this highly underrated track. I posted it back in July and you can check it out right here.
#25 – Born to Love – Meduza, SHELLS
Meduza is another dance act that I discovered only recently. I’ve posted them several times on Song of the Day and you can catch this late night dance floor filler right here.
#24 – Never Come Back – Caribou
This feel-good track reminds me terribly of something I might have heard in a club circa the early 90’s. Check out Never Come Back.
#23 – Breathe Deeper – Tame Impala
Ooh child! This neo-disco gem got tons of airplay in my house, in my car and everywhere in between this year. I actually posted it twice as Song of the Day and you can check it out right here.
#22 – Stupid Love – Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga also made quite the comeback in 2020, returning to her dance roots with several tunes to score on Billboard’s Hot 100 Dance Song chart for the year. This is the one that started it all. Check out Stupid Love…
#21 – What’s Your Pleasure – Jessie Ware
English singer/songwriter Jessie Ware put out one heck of an album this year full of catchy dance tunes, and this, the title cut, was among my favorites. Check out What’s Your Pleasure on John’s World.
#20 – Demons – Hayley Kiyoko
This late 2019 entry by singer and actress Hayley Kiyoko is one funky jam that still gets a lot of listens in my house. It’s too bad she never shot a video for it, otherwise I would have definitely featured it on John’s World. Still, you can check it out on YouTube.
#19 – No Words – Big Wild
Multi-talented Big Wild put out a monumental album, Superdream, back in 2019 and I spent quite a lot of time in 2020 listening to many of its songs, including this inspirational and cleverly written favorite. Check out the audio for No Words here.
#18 – Lose Control – Meduza, Becky Hill, GOODBOYS
Our second track from Meduza was assuredly the bigger of the two and is oh so funky. Check it out…
#17 – Far Away From Home – Sam Feldt, VIZE, Leony
Dutch producer Sam Feldt is another new artist that came on to my radar in 2020, and this sweet sweet track is so catchy it could easily have hit big in pop, as well. Check out Far Away From Home on John’s World.
#16 – Head and Heart – Joel Corry, Mnek
I officially fell in love with British singer Mnek with his 2015 hot retro-freestyle track, More Than a Miracle, and I am so happy for him that he’s broken through the big time with this very catchy dance tune with producer Joel Corry. Check out Head and Heart…
#15 – Valentino – 24kGoldn, Imanbek
This rap/dance tune was good enough to be put in regular rotation this year and if it had only had a video I would have definitely featured it here. Check out the audio to Valentino here.
#14 – Cono – Jason Derulo, Puri, Jhorrmountain Or, Adje
Okay, so I absolutely love just about everything Jason Derulo puts out and this one is no exception. I posted this version of the highly popular TikTok song in a July Song of the Day, so check it out.
#13 – You Touch Me, I Touch You Back – Cailin Russo
Ooh, I just LOVE this hard-driving dance track! Check it out…
#12 – Post Malone – Sam Feldt, RANI
This tribute to the party lifestyle of rapper Post Malone is nothing but fun! Check it out…
#11 – Adore Me – EDX
Nuthin’ but house…
#10 – 1999 – Charli XCX, Troye Sivan
I just wanna go back, back to 1999
Well, if Charli XCX can go back to 1999, why can’t I go back to 2018? Lol. Yup, this one’s a bit old for 2020 standards, but I only really got into it this year, so…check out the audio on YouTube.
#9 – Tequila – Jax Jones, Martin Solveig, RAYE, Europa
Definitely one of my favorite dance tracks of the year. So much fun!
#8 – Louder – Big Freedia, Icona Pop
New Orleans based androgynous bounce music pioneer Big Freedia enlisted the help of Icona Pop on yet another 2018 song that only came into my view this year. The song samples Snap’s The Power in a very big and bouncey way. Check it out…
#7 – Who’s Got Your Love – Cheat Codes, Daniel Blume
Cheat Codes has become one of my favorite dance acts over the past couple of years, and this song got a lot of airplay in my world this year. Sweet song! Take a listen…
#6 – Don’t Call Me Up – Mabel
By far one of my most listened to songs of the year comes from the debut album of British singer Mabel. What a song! Check it out…
When I’m underneath the bright lights…
#5 – 6’s to 9’s – Big Wild, Rationale
Big Wild’s second appearance on this list has a video which I wish I was in. I love to dance and the dancing here is just too beautiful for words. Take a look and a listen…
#4 – Rain On Me – Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande
One of Gaga’s biggest hits off her Chromatica album was this smash featuring Ariana Grande. Here’s Rain On Me…
#3 – Faith – Galantis, Dolly Parton, Mr. Probz
Who says country and dance can’t go together? One of my favorite songs of the year, period, was this uplifting song by the eminent country queen Dolly Parton and dance music superstars Galantis. Here’s Faith…
#2 – All In My Head – Whethan, grandson
I just posted this high energy, hard-driving smash by young upstart deejay/producer Whethan and singer grandson. Check out the post on John’s World.
#1 – Physical – Dua Lipa
Dua Lipa’s year started off in a fantastic way with this super super pop/dance track. I first heard it back in February while visiting New Orleans and I haven’t stopped since. Here’s the awesome Physical…
So there you have it, my Top 40 Dance Songs of 2020. I hope that if you like dance music you’ll find something new to enjoy, for dance music is happy music, and who doesn’t want to feel happy at least once in awhile? Stay tuned for more Top Songs of 2020.
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