Five songs from the 2020s that sound years before their time
Now half a decade in, it’s fair to say that the 2020s, so far, have been a haze of experiences. Between a pandemic and various political uprisings, to some, it might seem like an era destined to pull the world apart. But by the same token, pessimism only appears if you believe in it, and if you actually go looking for it, there’s a lot more celebration in the air than one might lead you to believe.
As it has always been, music is a seismic force within this, yielding a possessive power unlike any other. The more refined–ahem, jaded–among us may like to think that the days of truly top tunes are long gone, simply remembered as relics of peak decades gone by, but I am here to tell you that this is certainly not the case. The world may have changed on the outside, but the essence of music not so much, as the heart of greatness still forever beats.
Yes, I admit this is easy for me to say as a true Gen Z, but I do believe that truly transcendental music still lies in our midst, and if we only open our eyes and minds a little more, we will have more than enough room to hear it. Indeed, there are a myriad of modern artists treading the boards today who likely could have done so at any point in the last half a century and still mastered it with aplomb. They are the ones who will create a lasting legacy for themselves in the years to come, unlike the 30-second soundbites that the social media world is dominated by.
This may be the age of TikTok and supposed overnight ‘stars’, but that does not mean that real, quality artistry is lost forevermore. If anything, there’s a valid argument to suggest that the muse of the pandemic five years ago has prompted an infinite improvement in the quality of music output ever since, as the world took a moment to realise that it could use the hits of yesteryear as a springboard for everything that was to come afterwards.
Songs from the 2020s that could’ve been released in the past:
‘Seventeen Going Under’ – Sam Fender
Sam Fender had already established himself as one to watch at the close of the last decade with the release of his debut Hypersonic Missiles, but it wasn’t until his sophomore effort came in 2021 that things really stepped up a gear. Its leading single of the same name, ‘Seventeen Going Under’, reflecting on a working-class tidal wave in which one will either sink or swim, was the elixir that truly shot him to stardom.
Forever afterwards lovingly referred to as the ‘Geordie Bob Dylan’, the reference may be slightly tongue-in-cheek, but it is nevertheless still pretty accurate in describing an artist who acts as a contemporary second coming to all the gritty lyricists of years gone by. With People Watching, released this year, only solidifying that notion further, it’s not clear whether Fender learned his tactics in 2025, 1975, or anywhere in between.
‘Not Strong Enough’ – Boygenius
The other thing you might have heard a lot of in the discourse surrounding the 2020s music canon – aside from the usual tropes of social media stardom and limited attention spans – is the near-enough complete decimation of bands from the scene. However, with the likes of Boygenius blasting the binary into smithereens, you could beg to differ.
The supergroup, comprised of Phoebe Bridgers, Julian Baker, and Lucy Dacus, reinvigorated not only the notion of supergroups for the current decade, but also of female power within the industry. For example, ‘Not Strong Enough’, taken from their 2023 debut album The Record, demonstrated not only striking lyricism but stunning three-part harmonies once thought long lost from the current canon, making those traits as much a mark of today as they were years ago.
‘Not Like Us’ – Kendrick Lamar
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for roughly the past year, the beef between rap icons Kendrick Lamar and Drake can’t have passed you by. Not since the height of hip-hop in the 1990s has any form of rap battle seemed so prolific, but when Lamar delivered ‘Not Like Us’ as the definitive knockout blow to the punching match, it was more than evident who the victor was.
Although Lamar has been an established artist long before the 2020s rolled around, it’s worth remembering the context that he is the only rapper in history to have been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his world-reckoning album To Pimp A Butterfly in 2012. In this sense, Lamar has never not been a visionary, equally hailing from the hip-hop overlords while also beaming lightyears ahead into the future. ‘Not Like Us’ was the proclamation of a win in a battle, but it also signified a momentous moment in all of rap history.
‘Relationships’ – Haim
The three sisters Haim – Alana, Este, and Danielle – are certainly no strangers to shaking up the indie scene over the last decade or so. But it was with their most recent comeback single ‘Relationships’, taken from the forthcoming album I Quit, that you truly realise how much of a 2020s reckoning the band are to female rock power of the past.
Of course, in some respects, this is hardly surprising as the likes of Stevie Nicks have long claimed an affinity to the band, most recently noting that they could indeed have been members of Fleetwood Mac. But bridging this gap between indie rock and early 2000s R&B, ‘Relationships’ feels like a new beginning for Haim just as much as it feels reminiscent of the sound of 20 years ago, thus proving they’re an outfit that have the potential of standing the test of time.
‘How Can I Make It OK?’ – Wolf Alice
Now that we’re firmly out of the Wolf Alice drought of the last few years, it seems more acceptable to delve into their back catalogue and chart how their evolution holds weight to both the past and present day – and there’s no better example of that than ‘How Can I Make It OK?’, taken from their 2021 critically acclaimed effort Blue Weekend.
With a combination of tinny synths and ethereal, wailing vocals, this is a track that could easily be found in the softer edge of the 1980s new wave, but equally with more than a heavy dose of Kate Bush-inspired sonics. In time, I’m sure we’ll all come to realise just how potent a force Ellie Rowsell is in contention with such a calibre of female vocalists – but for now, we can all revel and enjoy watching the continued ascension.
