2020 in American music explained
The following is a list of events and releases that happened in 2020 in music in the United States.
Events
January
- 10 – Selena Gomez released her first studio album in four years, Rare.
- Echosmith released their first studio album in six years, Lonely Generation.
- 13 – Lauren Daigle performed the National Anthem at the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
- 26 – The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, hosted by Alicia Keys, took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas took home the most awards with five each. Eilish won all four General field awards, including Album of the Year with When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, both Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "Bad Guy", and Best New Artist. She is the first artist to win every major award in the same year since Christopher Cross in 1981.
- 31 – Taylor Swift released Miss Americana, a Netflix documentary based on the singer's life and her recent stance on politics to critical acclaim. Along with the documentary, Swift released a song, "Only the Young" alongside the documentary.
February
March
April
- 3 – Testament released their first studio album in four years, Titans of Creation.
- 10 – Sparta released their first studio album in fourteen years, Trust the River.
- The Strokes released their first studio album in seven years, The New Abnormal.
- Maddie & Tae released their first studio album in five years, The Way It Feels.
- 17 – Fiona Apple released her first studio album in eight years, Fetch the Bolt Cutters.
- 22 – X released their first studio album in 27 years, Alphabetland.
May
June
- 11 - Lady Antebellum changed their name to Lady A (a nickname fans have gave them since they first came out) in the wake of the George Floyd protests, to remove any associations the old name might have had with Civil War history, slavery and the Antebellum South.[7]
- 19 – Lamb of God released their self-titled album, their first studio album of original material in five years.
- 23 – Hum released their first studio album in 22 years, Inlet.
- 26 – Kansas released their first studio album in four years, The Absence of Presence.[9]
July
- 6 – Country music legend Charlie Daniels died at the age of 83.[10]
- 10 – Rufus Wainwright released his first studio album in eight years, Unfollow The Rules.[11]
- 17 - The Chicks, formerly known as the Dixie Chicks, released their first album in fourteen years, Gaslighter. It is also their first album under their new name. They had dropped "Dixie", which referenced the American Mason–Dixon line, separating the free and slave-owning southern states. The name change followed criticism that the word had connotations of American slavery.
- 24 – Neon Trees released their first studio album in six years, I Can Feel You Forgetting Me.
- 31 – Brandy released her first studio album in eight years, B7.[13]
August
September
October
- 2 – Aloe Blacc released his first studio album in six years, All Love Everything.
- 6 – Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen died from throat cancer at the age of 65. The following month, the band officially announced their disbandment.
- 9 – DevilDriver released their first studio album of original material in four years, Dealing With Demons I. The first part of a double-album cycle, the second part was due to be released in 2021, but will arrive in 2023.[18]
- 14 – The Billboard Music Awards took place.
- 21 – The CMT Music Awards took place.
- 23 – Armored Saint released their first studio album in five years, Punching the Sky.
- 30 – Busta Rhymes released his first studio album in eight years, .
November
December
- 4 – Geographer released their first full-length studio album in five years, Down And Out In The Garden Of Earthly Delights.
- 7 – It was announced that Bob Dylan had sold all rights in his entire song catalog to Universal Music Publishing Group.[19]
- 11 – M. Ward released his first studio album in four years, Think of Spring.
- Less Than Jake released their first studio album in seven years, Silver Linings; it is also their first album without founding drummer Vinnie Fiorello, who left the band in 2018.
- Kid Cudi released his first solo studio album in four years, Man on the Moon III: The Chosen.
- 12 – Charley Pride, the first Black superstar of country music died at age 86, due to complications of COVID-19.[20]
Bands on hiatus
Bands disbanded
Albums released in 2020
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Top songs on record
See also: List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 2020, List of Billboard Hot 100 top-ten singles in 2020 and Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2020.
Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 Songs
Billboard Hot 100 Top 20 Hits
All songs that reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the year, complete with peak chart placement.
Deaths
- January 1 –
- January 2 – Lorraine Chandler, 73, soul singer
- January 8 – Edd Byrnes, 87, actor and pop singer
- January 9 – Bobby Comstock, 78, rock and roll singer
- January 14 – Steve Martin Caro, 71, singer
- January 15 – Chris Darrow, 75, country and rock singer
- January 18 – David Olney, 71, folk singer-songwriter
- January 19 –
- January 24 –
- January 25 –
- Bob Gullotti, 71, free jazz drummer
- Vernon Sandusky, 80, rock singer and guitarist (The Chartbusters)
- January 26 – Bob Shane, 85, folk singer and guitarist
- January 28 – Bob Nave, 75, bubblegum pop keyboardist
- February 1 –
- Harold Beane, 73, funk guitarist
- Peter Serkin, 72, classical pianist
- February 6 – Diego Farias, 27, progressive metalcore guitarist
- February 10 – Lyle Mays, 66, jazz fusion keyboardist
- February 12 – Paul English, 87, country drummer
- February 13 –
- Jacob Thiele, 40, indie rock keyboardist
- Buzzy Linhart, 76, folk singer-songwriter
- February 19 –
- February 25 – David Roback, 61, alternative rock and dream pop guitarist
- February 28 – Mike Sommerville, 67, rock guitarist and songwriter
- March 3 – Les Cauchi, 77, pop singer (Johnny Maestro & the Brooklyn Bridge)
- March 4 – Barbara Martin, 76, R&B singer
- March 6 –
- March 7 – Jim Owen, 78, country singer songwriter
- March 9 –
- March 11 – Charles Wuorinen, 81, classical composer
- March 16 – Jason Rainey, 53, thrash metal guitarist
- March 20 –
- Kenny Rogers, 81, country singer-songwriter, actor
- Jerry Slick, 80, rock drummer
- March 22
- March 23 – Tres Warren, 41, rock singer and guitarist
- March 25 – Bill Rieflin, 59, rock drummer
- March 28 – Jan Howard, 91, country singer songwriter
- March 29 –
- March 30 – Bill Withers, 81, soul and R&B singer-songwriter
- March 31 – Cristina, 61, no wave singer
- April 1 –
- April 2 – Vaughan Mason, 69, funk musician (Vaughan Mason & Crew, Raze)
- April 4 -
- April 7 –
- Betty Bennett, 98, jazz and big band singer
- Hutch Davie, 89, pianist, arranger and composer
- Steve Farmer, 71, rock guitarist, songwriter (The Amboy Dukes)
- Travis Nelsen, 38, indie rock drummer
- John Prine, 73, country folk singer-songwriter
- Hal Willner, 64, record producer
- April 8 –
- April 9 – Andrew Gonzalez, 69, Latin jazz bassist
- April 10 –
- April 15 –
- April 17 – Giuseppi Logan, 84, jazz instrumentalist
- April 21 – Derek Jones, 35, metalcore guitarist
- April 24 –
- Hamilton Bohannon, 78, percussionist and music producer
- Harold Reid, 80, country singer songwriter
- April 25 – Alan Abel, 91, classical percussionist
- April 26 – Big Al Carson, 66, blues singer
- April 27 –
- April 28 – Bobby Lewis, 95, R&B singer
- April 29 – Stezo, 51, rapper
- April 30 – Sam Lloyd, 56, a cappella singer
- May 1 – Richard Cole, 72, jazz saxophonist
- May 2 – Cady Groves, 30, country singer-songwriter
- May 3 – Rosalind Elias, 90, opera singer
- May 4
- May 5 –
- May 8 – Andre Harrell, 59, record producer, songwriter, and rapper
- May 9 – Little Richard, 87, R&B, soul, and rock-n-roll singer
- May 10 – Betty Wright, 66, R&B soul singer
- May 11 – Moon Martin, 74, rockabilly singer-songwriter and guitarist
- May 17 – Lucky Peterson, 55, blues guitarist
- May 19 – Willie K, 59, folk ukuleleist
- May 22 –
- May 24 –
- May 25 – Bucky Baxter, 65, folk and rock guitarist
- May 26 – Lennie Niehaus, 90, jazz saxophonist and film composer
- May 28 – Bob Kulick, 70, hard rock guitarist (Balance, Kiss, W.A.S.P.)
- May 31 – Bob Northern, 86, jazz French hornist
- June 1 – Joey Image, 63, punk rock drummer
- June 2 – Chris Trousdale, 34, pop singer and actor
- June 7 –
- June 8 –
- June 24 – Michael Hawley, 58, classical pianist
- June 26 – Huey, 31, rapper
- June 27 –
- June 29 –
- July 1 – Max Crook, 83, pop rock keyboardist
- July 3 – J. Marvin Brown, 66, soul singer
- July 5 – Cleveland Eaton, 80, jazz bassist
- July 6 – Charlie Daniels, 83, country singer
- July 8 – Naya Rivera, 33, pop singer and actress (Glee)
- July 10 – Eddie Gale, 78, jazz trumpeter
- July 12 –
- July 16 – Jamie Oldaker, 68, country music drummer
- July 19 – Emitt Rhodes, 70, pop rock singer
- July 27 – Miss Mercy, 71, psychedelic rock singer
- July 29 – Malik B., 47, rapper (The Roots)
- July 31 – Bill Mack, 88, country singer-songwriter
- August 2 –
- August 4
- August 6 – Vern Rumsey, 47, indie rock bassist
- August 11 – Trini Lopez, 83, pop singer
- August 13 – Steve Grossman, 69, jazz fusion saxophonist
- August 18 –
- August 19 –
- August 20 – Frankie Banali, 68, rock drummer (Quiet Riot)[57]
- August 22 –
- August 23 –
- August 24 – Riley Gale, 35, thrash metal singer (Power Trip)
- September 3 – Bill Pursell, 94, composer
- September 4 – Gary Peacock, 85, jazz double-bassist
- September 6 – Bruce Williamson, 49, R&B singer
- September 8 – Simone Coxe, 82, electronic rock singer
- September 9 –
- Ronald Bell, 68, saxophonist (Kool & The Gang)
- Sid McCray, punk rock singer
- September 12 – Edna Wright, 76, R&B singer
- September 14 – Al Kasha, 83, pop songwriter
- September 16 – Roy C, 81, soul singer
- September 18 –
- September 21 –
- September 23 – W.S. Holland, 85, country music dummer
- September 26 – Mark Stone, hard rock bassist
- September 29
- October 6 –
- October 7 – Ray Pennington, 86, country singer songwriter
- October 9 – Pierre Kezdy, 58, punk rock bassist
- October 11 – Harold Betters, 92, jazz trombonist
- October 12 –
- October 13 – Saint Dog, 44, rapper
- October 16 – Johnny Bush, 85, country music singer songwriter
- October 18 – Chet "JR" White, 40, indie rock bassist
- October 21 – Viola Smith, 107, swing and classical drummer
- October 22 – Margie Bowes, 79, country singer
- October 23 – Jerry Jeff Walker, 78, country singer songwriter
- October 26 – Stan Kesler, 92, rock and roll singer, songwriter
- October 28 – Billy Joe Shaver, 81, country singer, songwriter
- October 31 –
- MF DOOM, 49, rapper
- Rance Allen, 71, gospel singer, guitarist and keyboardist
- November 1 – Nikki McKibbin, 42, singer, American Idol season one third place finalist
- November 5 – Len Barry, 78, soul singer
- November 6 – King Von, 26, rapper
- November 10 – Alec Baillie, 73, bassist
- November 11 –
- November 12 – Jim Tucker, 74, rock guitarist
- November 13 – Doug Supernaw, 60, country singer
- November 16 – Bruce Swedien, 86, recording engineer
- November 23 – Hal Ketchum, 67, country singer
- November 25 – Camilla Wicks, 92, classical violinist
- December 7 –
- December 8 – Harold Budd, 84, avant-garde composer and poet
- December 9 –
- December 12 – Charley Pride, 86, country singer
- December 15 – Sam Jayne, 46, indie rock singer and guitarist
- December 16 – Carl Mann, 78, rockabilly singer
- December 17 –
- December 19 – Clay Anthony, 61, hard rock bassist
- December 21 – K.T. Oslin, 78, country singer
- December 23
- John Fletcher, 56, rapper
- Leslie West, 75, hard rock singer and guitarist
- December 25 – Tony Rice, 69, bluegrass guitarist
- December 29 –
- December 30 –
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Superstars Jennifer Lopez and Shakira To Perform During The Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show Sunday February 2, 2020 On Fox. PR Newswire. September 26, 2019. September 26, 2019.
- https://www.facebook.com/ArmorForSleep/photos/a.469043520501/10158537940485502/?type=3&__tn__=-R
- Web site: After 35 Years, Chuck D Has Kicked Flavor Flav Out of Public Enemy. March 2, 2020. Okayplayer.
- Web site: Conan Gray Named 'Biggest New Artist Debut of 2020'. March 31, 2020. Music Connection. April 28, 2020.
- Web site: Pearl Jam announce new album Gigaton, North American tour. Young. Alex. Consequence of Sound. January 13, 2020. January 14, 2020.
- News: Little Richard, flamboyant rocker who fused gospel fervor and R&B sexuality, dies at 87. Richard. Cromelin. . May 9, 2020. May 9, 2020.
- Web site: Lady Antebellum Changes Its Name To Lady A. June 11, 2020. June 12, 2020. NPR.org. en.
- Web site: Mushroomhead Debut New Song 'Seen It All' + Announce 'A Wonderful Life' Album. Loudwire. April 21, 2020. April 22, 2020.
- Web site: Kansas To Release The Absence Of Presence Album In June. Blabbermouth.net. April 15, 2020. April 15, 2020.
- Web site: Bogard. Catlin. Country music and southern rock legend Charlie Daniels dies at 83. WTVF. July 7, 2020. July 6, 2020.
- Web site: Associated Press. Country rocker and fiddler Charlie Daniels dies at age 83. July 6, 2020. July 6, 2020. Kristin M.. Hall. en.
- Web site: Rufus Wainwright Announces New Album Unfollow The Rules Shares New Song. Pitchfork. April 18, 2020. April 18, 2020.
- Web site: PREMIERE: The Rentals Share Illustrated Lyric Video for "Teen Beat Cosmonaut". FloodMagazine.com. April 8, 2020. April 8, 2020.
- Web site: Robot Check. Amazon. 2020 .
- Web site: Tanya Donelly Announces New Covers Album With The Parkingtion Sisters. VanyaLand.com. April 16, 2020. April 16, 2020.
- Web site: Stefano. Angela. Tim McGraw's New Album, 'Here on Earth', Due In August. Taste of Country . July 10, 2020. July 10, 2020.
- Web site: Academy Of Country Music Awards Postpones 55th Annual Event, Targets September For Return. Haring. Bruce. 2020-03-15. Deadline Hollywood. March 27, 2020.
- Newman. Melinda. Deck the Halls With Dolly Parton's First Holiday Album in 30 Years, 'A Holly Dolly Christmas'. Billboard. August 13, 2020. August 12, 2020.
- Web site: DevilDriver Announce New Album Dealing With Demons Vol 1. Loudersound.com. Munro. Steve. 2020-05-21. May 21, 2020.
- Web site: Bob Dylan sells entire song catalog to Universal Media Group. NBC News. 2020-12-07. 2020-12-12.
- Web site: Friskics-Warren. Bill. Charley Pride, Country Music's First Black Superstar, Dies at 86 . New York Times. December 12, 2020. December 13, 2020.
- The Chainsmokers Are Taking a Break From Social Media -- This Is Why. 2021-02-01. Billboard. en.
- Web site: Imagine Dragons' Dan Reynolds talks privilege, LGBTQ rights, mental health, and why 'society is broken'. www.yahoo.com. January 8, 2020 .
- Web site: Corey Taylor: Stone Sour Has "Run Its Course for Now". NME. August 11, 2020. August 17, 2020. Kaufman, Spencer.
- Web site: Little Big Town Fans Wake Up to Nightfall. https://web.archive.org/web/20190924024221/http://www.cmt.com/news/1811620/little-big-town-fans-wake-up-to-nightfall/. dead. September 24, 2019. Alison. Bonaguro. January 7, 2020. CMT News.
- Web site: Dustin Lynch Announces New 'Tullahoma' Album and Stay Country Tour. Parton. Chris. November 6, 2019. January 7, 2020. Sounds Like Nashville.
- Blistein. Jon. Mac Miller's Family Details Posthumous Album 'Circles'. https://web.archive.org/web/20200108220348/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/mac-miller-posthumous-album-circles-release-date-935064/. January 8, 2020. live. January 8, 2020. January 8, 2020. Rolling Stone.
- Web site: Cheerleader's Second Album 'Almost Forever' Out February 7th. ReadJunk.com: Music & Movie News, Reviews & Interviews. January 14, 2020 .
- Web site: Stone Temple Pilots return with new acoustic album Perdida. Scott Munro03. December 2019. Classic Rock Magazine. December 3, 2019.
- Web site: Best Coast Announce New Album 'Always Tomorrow' With "Everything Has Changed" Music Video. HYPEBEAST. January 20, 2020.
- Web site: Grouplove Official Website.
- Web site: Stream Jay Electronica's Debut Album 'A Written Testimony' . Ingvaldsen . Torsten . Hypebeast . March 13, 2020 . March 14, 2020.
- Web site: Joywave Announce New Album, "Possession" & Release New Single, "Half Your Age". Dom. Vigil. January 7, 2020.
- Web site: Two Feet Announces New Album, "Pink" and Shares New Song, "Grey". Dom. Vigil. January 28, 2020.
- Web site: Pearl Jam announce new album Gigaton, North American tour . Young . Alex . Consequence of Sound . January 13, 2020 . January 14, 2020.
- https://www.spin.com/2020/04/dandy-warhols-release-4-hour-album-tafelmuzik-means-more-when-youre-alone/ Dandy Warhols release 4-hour album
- Web site: All Time Low announce their new album 'Wake up, Sunshine'. February 18, 2020. March 28, 2020. March 28, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200328235718/https://dontboreus.thebrag.com/all-time-low-wake-up-sunshine/. dead.
- Web site: Sparta Announce First New Album In 14 Years 'Trust The River', Share New Song Believe - Stereoboard. Jon. Stickler. Stereoboard.com.
- Web site: Dance Gavin Dance announce 'Afterburner' + release "Prisoner". Logan. White. February 21, 2020.
- Web site: Buy Set My Heart On Fire Immediately now from store.matadorrecords.com. Set My Heart On Fire Immediately by Perfume Genius on store.matadorrecords.com.
- Web site: Palaye Royale to release new studio album "The Bastards" on May 29th 2020 | Grande Rock ezine. www.grande-rock.com. April 24, 2020. September 13, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200913062717/https://www.grande-rock.com/news/palaye-royale-to-release-new-studio-album-the-bastards-on-may-29th-2020. dead.
- Web site: Run the Jewels Detail New Album RTJ4, Featuring Zack de La Rocha, Josh Homme, More. Hussey. Allison. Pitchfork. May 12, 2020. May 13, 2020.
- Web site: Phantom Planet | Official Website.
- 1288542002313715715. TommyWalter. New album of instrumental music, SUPRALIMINAL, out today via @PositionMusic. Artwork by @meatoes. #music #filmscore… . July 29, 2020.
- https://www.magneticmag.com/2020/06/washed-out-new-album-purple-noon-single-time-to-walk-away/ Washed Out details new album 'Purple Noon', shares single "Time to Walk Away"
- https://music.mxdwn.com/2020/06/11/news/bully-announces-new-album-sugaregg-for-august-2020-release-and-shares-new-song/ Bully announces new album SUGAREGG for August 2020 release and shares new song
- https://movementsofficial.com/products/674882-no-good-left-to-give No Good Left to Give - Movements
- Grow. Kory. 2020-06-03. Hear Bob Mould Rage Against the President and Evangelicals on 'American Crisis'. 2020-06-12. Rolling Stone. en-US.
- Web site: The Neighbourhood announces new album, 'Chip Chrome & The Mono-Tones' . September 13, 2020 . August 1, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200801213113/http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2020/7/31/the-neighbourhood-announces-new-album-chip-chrome-the-mono-t.html . dead .
- https://thekey.xpn.org/2020/07/21/sylvan-esso-free-love/ Sylvan Esso announces new album Free Love, shares single "Ferris Wheel"
- Aniftos. Rania. Carrie Underwood Announces First-Ever Christmas Album My Gift. . Eldridge Industries. July 23, 2020. July 20, 2020.
- https://ourculturemag.com/2020/08/13/future-islands-announce-new-album-as-long-as-you-are-share-new-song/ Future Islands announce new album 'As Long as You Are', share new song
- https://www.rocksound.tv/news/read/i-dont-know-how-but-they-found-me-have-announced-the-details-of-their-debut I Don't Know How But They Found Me have announced the details of their debut album
- torikelly. 1313872816094154753. A Tori Kelly Christmas. October 7, 2020. October 11, 2020.
- https://www.readjunk.com/news/music/less-than-jake-releasing-new-album-silver-linings-on-december-11th/ Less Than Jake releasing new album "Silver Linings" on December 11th
- Saponara . Michael . Rapper Lexii Alijai's Cause of Death Revealed . Billboard . 23 February 2020.
- Web site: Hernandez . Raoul . Tommy Hancock Dances His Way to Heaven (1929-2020) . The Austin Chronicle . 23 February 2020.
- https://ultimateclassicrock.com/frankie-banali-dies/ Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali dies