Buffy reruns, Selling Sunset and self-care. We asked some of our favourite artists of 2020 to break down the year just gone, and brave a look ahead to 2021.

Catch up with the rest of our 2020 roundups by checking out our Albums of the Year, Tracks of the Year, Mixes of the Year and Music Videos of the Year lists.

Curtis Waters

What were you listening to in 2020?

Thos Moser by Gupi and Fraxiom. It’s one of the craziest songs I’ve ever heard and I’ve been playing it non-stop all year. I show everybody this song. Since it came out, music history has changed. It’s like a modern-day Bohemian Rhapsody, but better.

What was the year’s best-kept secret?

LISTEN TO NAKED BY BICKLE. What an amazing fucking song. That video is so special too, but it doesn’t have many views yet, which is bizarre ‘cos this song is so good. I hope he’s not a secret for long because he deserves a lot more recognition.

What brought you joy in 2020?

Being able to leave school and my smoothie job and fully dedicate myself to music. That’s been my dream since I was a kid. Every time I was by a wishing well, I would throw a coin in and wish for my situation rn. The fact that I can support my family by doing something I love is such a blessing.

What are your predictions for 2021?

I’m feeling like the aliens will invade next. It’s about time. A lot has happened this year and I think in the next season they are gonna amp it up even more. I am, however, predicting that things will go back to normal in 2022.

Which artist is going to make a mark in 2021?

Curtis Waters. I’m hearing rumours that he’s making a lot more cool next level shit.

Oliver Coates

What would you like to stay in 2020?

I would like this sadness of live venues having to remain closed to stay in 2020.

Who was your hero of 2020?

Ta-Nehisi Coates.

Which artist is going to make a mark in 2021?

Joanne Robertson. The Mu-Tones.

What was the year’s best-kept secret?

Adam Phillips (psychoanalyst and writer).

What are your predictions for 2021?

Season 6 of The Wire set in Elephant and Castle.

Kate NV

The most important thing you’ve learned in 2020?

That everything is so fragile.

Who was your hero of 2020?

I think we all became heroes during these bizarre times.

What were you listening to in 2020? 

I’ve been listening to the Evangelion soundtrack a lot. And to some soviet gems from the 80s.

What brought you joy in 2020?

My friends, my bicycle and music.

What are your predictions for 2021?

This is another thing that I have learned over this year: predicting and planning something is a bit pointless.

Anz

What were you listening to in 2020?

Ice FM garage mixes on YouTube and a LOT of the disco and boogie records my parents used to listen to. Also, the background hum of my washing machine was a key player this year – been getting bizarre amounts of laundry done.

What was the year’s best-kept secret?

Haha ahh probably shutting up! A nice bit of shutting up and listening, especially if your voice isn’t necessary at that time. And, a good probiotics and vitamin D combo? Sensational. Take daily.

What brought you joy in 2020?

Definitely having the time to speak more with my loved ones, spending lots of time in pyjamas/face masks, baking cakes, hearing and seeing my peers and heroes speak up, and building out some projects by me, for me. Also I watched all of Buffy the Vampire Slayer from start to finish in a few weeks and it was so formulaic and soothing, a lockdown highlight.

The most important thing I’ve learned in 2020?

This year has taught me a lot about scale, perspective, resilience and the fragility of everything. I learned that nothing is infallible, and that’s OK. 2020 has taught me not to rush into anything, and to let things unfurl in front of me before making snap decisions. 2020 has reminded me just how much was rotten about the world, but shown me the flashes of good too. I’ve learned to trust my gut, say no and stand my ground. And maybe, most importantly – this year I learned how to find my voice, and use it. For the first time in my adult life I find myself speaking my mind candidly more often than not. And I wish I could say that I’m fearless with it, but I think a lifetime of conditioning isn’t allowing for that just yet. But hey, I’m speaking! And maybe someone out there is hearing it too.

What are your predictions for 2021?

It’s a bit grim, but I think things might get a lot worse before they get better. We just have to hold out for the better.

Loraine James

What were you listening to in 2020? 

I am listening to Headie One and Elevenpigs. Really enjoyed his debut album Edna and Elevenpigs is amazing too – check out MIRROR WORLD.

Who was your hero of 2020?

My hero of 2020 is Sherelle. She’s someone I look up to, especially someone who is also Black and queer. And she’s killing it!

What brought you joy in 2020?

Selling Sunset. It’s absolute trash that you just keep on watching! Looking forward to the next season.

What are your predictions for 2021?

Indoor clothes will become outdoor clothes. Maybe?

Which artist is going to make a mark in 2021?

Ivorian Doll. She’s sick, check her out.

Arlo Parks

Who was your hero of 2020?

Everyone who stood up against injustice.

What was the year’s best-kept secret?

The two new Sault albums. Pure, crunchy and truthful music.

What brought you joy in 2020?

Red roses, camomile tea, playing guitar and cartoons.

The most important thing you’ve learned in 2020?

To be patient with myself and trust my body.

Which artist is going to make a mark in 2021?

Choker.

India Jordan

What were you listening to in 2020?

I’ve not been listening to anything drastically different in terms of genres from last year, although it’s getting increasingly harder to listen to really euphoric hardcore and not get really sad ‘cos of missing the club. I suppose the biggest shift for me has been my listening habits and how I’ve been engaging with music (I’m sure that’s the same for everyone!). The main addition this year has been that I’ve become a daily listener of the Do!! You!!! Breakfast Show since working from home and now I tune in every day (how I went this long without listening I have no idea). Back in August when Finn and Anna [Anz] guested on two of the days the week Charlie was away, all of us were in the chat having a great time. It felt like the closest we’d get to hanging out and being in a collective music space together since March or even earlier. Made me really long for Manchester nights at Soup.

What was the year’s best-kept secret?

Cabbage is an underrated yet extremely versatile vegetable that deserves more hype.

What brought you joy in 2020?

My cat Chewy, making music, lockdown quizzes, the UK countryside, Guinness, connecting with people, the response from the For You EP, learning German, cycling and yoga, routine, truffles, my kindle, plants, Kinder Buenos.

What are your predictions for 2021?

It’s all going to sound pretty depressing. Aside from impending no-deal Brexit doom and the UK generally being an awful Tory-run shit show, I’d like to be able to say 2021 will bring more times with friends, hopefully in a club, where we can all forget about it for a bit.

Which artist is going to make a mark in 2021?

Jurango! I met him at a PTS night we were both playing a few years ago in Bristol and he’s been one of my favourite DJs ever since. I was so excited when he started sending me tunes and all his recent releases have been so good. Excited to hear what he does next.

Squid

What were you listening to in 2020?

Ollie: Thanks to Bandcamp and lots of spare time, I found loads and loads of new music this year. There’s a band from Germany called Heavy Metal that I found recently through their ludicrously titled fourth album, KILLING YOURSELF TO OWN YOUR PARENTS & THE TORIES. A member of that same band also has a project called Itchy Bugger, which I thoroughly recommend.  I also finally found the time to dig into The Caretaker’s six-part album Everywhere at the End of Time. Around 2016, Leyland Kirby (The Caretaker) didn’t know where to take the project next, so he killed off the moniker by diagnosing it with Alzeimer’s. Each of the six parts of the album represent a stage in the progression of Alzeimer’s. By the end, there is no memory of coherent music, just distortions of what’s passed, foggy noise and, finally, a minute of silence, signalling death. It’s an extremely devastating and empathetic piece of work that I think everyone should listen to. To end on a happier note… I also found out that I really like Bruce Springsteen and The Human League.

Who was your hero of 2020?

Louis: Without a shadow of a doubt – Dan Carey AKA Savage Gary AKA Mr Dan! After so long staying indoors during lockdown, we made it to London at the end of July to start working on an album. Dan’s careful chaos inside the studio is incredibly inspiring. Having been inside our flats for all of spring, it felt like for all of summer we were inside Dan’s little studio, but he welcomed us into his home and into his family at a pretty stressful time for everyone. And we’ll always be grateful for a more memorable experience of recording our first album than we ever would have expected.

Anton: The heroes for Squid have to be our managers Sinead, Tash and Ina for keeping us going when things have been really tough for everyone. I think it’s an important thing for people to remember that supporting ‘the arts’ goes a lot further than just the ‘artist’, there’s a whole industry of people who need support at the moment.

What brought you joy in 2020?

Anton: This year has been a big one for watching TV, and Grayson Perry’s Art Club felt like the best lockdown-produced TV show. I think most people got a bit sick of TV programmes of Zoom-style interviews pretty quickly, but GPAC managed to really make it work. More importantly though, watching GPAC made you feel like you were in a more connected nation with a love of art at its centre; we were reminded of the importance of art in our culture and wellbeing. This feels pretty resonant right now in the wake of the government’s latest ‘cyber retraining’ campaign.

Which artist is going to make a mark in 2021?

Louis: I reckon Mermaid Chunky are going to go big in 2021! A couple of us had a friend called Freya who we knew and studied with when we lived in Brighton. She was always playing the piano really well and Impressionist composers like Debussy and Ravel were her jam – we’d be heading off to a practice room to play music and hear her piano floating around the corridor, it was really nice to listen to. Since then, she’s formed Mermaid Chunky, and they’ve just released a couple of great singles that are so good that you have to stop and sit down when you’re listening. When gigs start getting booked up again, I hypothesise that there’ll be queues all around the block.

M1llionz

What were you listening to in 2020? 

No Cap and Durk.

What brought you joy in 2020?

Just my progression and the reaction from my supporters when I drop music.

The most important thing you’ve learned in 2020?

Hard work is vital you never know what could happen.

What are your predictions for 2021?

I’m gonna sell out O2.

Which artist is going to make a mark in 2021?

Tugz.