See all best of 2020 coverage.
30.
Jehnova
ALL IN
Nuxsense member Jehnova dropped grade A bangers all year and ‘All In’ is a discombobulating production anchored by the rapper’s centring presence.
29.
Alex Gough
Fool
The Waterford multi-instrumentalist Alex Gough started the year with this parping brass and low-end-assisted track with production bolstered by Matt Corrigan.
28.
Soda Blonde
Love Me World
‘Love Me World’ is a song that addresses the yearning for everyone to like you set to a bright and airy backing from the band matched with Faye O’Rourke’s ever magnetising vocals.
27.
Kynsy
Happiness Isn’t A Fixed State
Should you run from your problems, if you’re problem is an ex and you bump into them on the street? Probably. For Dubliner Kynsy’s second single, the artist explored the push and pull between positive and negative feelings after a relationship ends and does so with a sprightly guitar jam called ‘Happiness Isn’t A Fixed State’.
26.
Kneecap x DYRT
MAM
A devastating song about a parent, that came shortly after the mother of Móglaí Bap,of the band, passed away from suicide. She never got to hear this song.
25.
Jafaris
Glue
The Diffusion Lab artist’s track ‘Glue’ concerns the end of a long-term relationship and how a connection remains after it dissolves. “Cracked in your heart / you don’t deserve it / that thing was perfect / and you was worth it,” goes the chorus over the song’s shuffling beat.
24.
Lucy McWilliams
Runaway
Having impressed immensely with her collaboration with another rising Irish artist Malaki on ‘Fair Play’ , the Berlin-based Irish R&B / soul artist Lucy McWilliams’ debut single ‘Runaway’ is a confident summery solo strike – a bossa nova-tinged R&B song with McWilliams extolling feelings of love, loss and yearning,
23.
Nealo
Let Your Dreams Collect Dust Until You’re Desperate
Molly Sterling, Jehnova and Adam Garrett join Nealo on this highlight from the Dublin rapper’s best Irish album top 10 All The Leaves Are Falling.
22.
Strange Boy
The Pope
The Limerick rap artist Strange Boy is one of the most unique and talented voices in rap and beyond in the country of Ireland at the moment.
‘The Pope’ uses an acoustic guitar and bodhrán backing for Strange Boy’s raps about aspiration of an unusual nature – the song is “written from the perspective of a twelve year old child whose dream is to attain the perks of being the biggest rockstar on the planet, while denouncing all that is sacred and holy.”
“I want a big house like the pope has, I want lots of fans like the pope has,” Strange Boy raps on a production by Enda Gallery aka Delush.
21.
Lethal Dialect feat. Costello
They Tried To Bury Us
Returning to close out his LD50 Trilogy, Lethal Dialect and fellow longtime rapper Costello bring sharp socio-economic divisions into focus with references to Dara Quigley, the IMF bank bailout and Ronnie Drew.
