It goes without saying that 2020 is a year that most of us would rather forget as quickly as possible. Sadly, the opposite is probably true; we will remember 2020 for a long time as a year that brought us an unprecedented pandemic, numerous lockdowns across the world, and some seriously grim and miserable months. If you made it this far, you’re probably as ready as anybody to kiss this year goodbye.
If anything helped us get through this grim year, it was the efforts of our entertainers. From film, to television, to music and beyond; when our spirits were at our collective lowest, it was the our artists who carried the country on their backs and helped us get through week after week of monotonous lockdown living.
Which is why, instead of lamenting this horrid year, we decided to end 2020 on high – by praising those gifted creators whose achievements lit up an otherwise dark year.
Here are our picks for the best of 2020:
Best Albums Of 2020
Music is the tonic for bad times and this year’s releases proved that more than ever. While we were stuck at home, we were able to while the time by listening to track after track from our favourite albums. Our resident A&R expert ignored the hype and went with the albums that he believes pushed artistic boundaries this year.
10: MFR Souls – Musical Kings
9: Manu WorldStar – Molimo
8: Fireboy DML – Apollo
7: Omah Lay – Get Layd
6: Langa Mavuso – Langa
5: Azana – Ingoma
4: Sauti Sol – Midnight Train
3: Stonebwoy – Anloga Junction
2: Sun-EL Musician – To The World & Beyond
1: Wizkid – Made In Lagos
Best Songs Of 2020
Musicians didn’t let lockdown get the best of them and the range of trending songs that graced our playlists this year proves it. Our resident A&R expert had the difficult job of choosing the 10 best songs this year!
10: Focalistic – Ke Star
9: Diamond Platnumz ft Koffi Olomide – Waah!
8: Manu WorldStar – Choko
7: Tems – Damages
6: Blaq Diamond – SummerYoMuthi
5: Prince Kaybee, Ami Faku, DJ Shimza & Black Motion – Uwrongo
4: Patoranking – Abule
3: Wizkid – No Stress
2: Sun-EL Musician – Ubomi Abumanga
1: Kelly Khumalo – Empini
Best Lockdown Challenges Of 2020
You can always trust people to find a way to get themselves through the toughest times and thanks to the internet, we were able to do it together (while apart). These hilarious challenges kept us laughing throughout the saddest times.
10. John Vuli Gate challenge
9. Ramaphosa Mask Challenge
8. Dolly Parton challenge
7. That Chris Brown song challenge
6. Ke Star challenge
5. Ramaphosa Crust Challenge
4. The Decade challenge
3. Don’t Rush challenge
2. Duduzane Zuma challenge
1. Jerusalema challenge
Most Bizarre Moments Of 2020
We might work in entertainment day in and day out, but even some things are beyond our understanding. Sometimes celebrities can really confuse us with their choices of actions when they choose to respond in the weirdest ways. These are just a few of the most bizarre moments of the year.
10: Thuli Phongolo commenting “cute” on Khanyi Mbau’s breakup post
9: Samke’s unprovoked tirade against Nomuzi “Moozlie” Mabena
8: Pearl Thusi crying while interviewing Khanyi Mbau and discussing colorism
7: Every single Rasta painting
6: South Ahh refusing to believe AKA contracted the Coronavirus (covid-19)
5: Obani Lababantu climbs to #1 on iTunes
4: Mr SA top 10 gets it wrong… again!
3: SA Style Awards naming Master KG their “Style Icon Of The Year”
2: Nomfundo’s “fake” kidnapping
1: Tito Mboweni’s cooking
Deaths that shook SA in 2020
Every year we lose people, but 2020 just hit different. The number of stars we lost this year was too many to count and something about each of these deaths really left a dark cloud on the year and although their legacies will live on, their deaths made us even more desperate to leave this year behind.
10. Zindzi Mandela
9. Richard Maponya
8. Joseph Shabalala
7. Ginimbi
6. GeeSixFive
5. Anele Ngcongca
4. Mam’ Mary Twala
3. Chadwick Boseman (honorary African)
2. Bob Mabena
1. Mshoza
Best Local Productions of 2020
When you’re stuck at home for hours, and days, and weeks (and months!) on end, the one thing that can help you pass the time is binge-watching your favourite series. This year, South Africa’s biggest television makers brought us some truly engaging television on a number of platforms. From streaming on-demand to television even on social media, we had plenty of shows to help us get through lockdown!
10. Lebo M: Coming Home
9. Somizi and Mohale Wedding
8. Kickin’ it with Kim Jayde
7. You promised to marry me
6. The Braai Show with AKA
5. Life with Kelly Khumalo
4. Queen Sono
3. Isono
2. How to Ruin Christmas
1. Blood and Water
SA’s Biggest Global Wins in 2020
The world has been watching South Africa for a while now and that didn’t change in 2020. Mzansi’s biggest talents really made an impact on the world stage from bagging awards to securing notable collaborations.
10. Sha Sha bags BET Award
9. Nomzamo Mbatha signs to CAA in Los Angeles
8. Elaine signs Colombia deal
7. Thuso Mbedu debuts on Amazon’s The Underground Railroad
6. Ndlovu Youth Choir collabs with Pink
5. Nasty C rubs shoulders with Hollywood’s elite
4. Uwrongo makes Obama’s favourite music list
3. Kim Kardashian praises Ayanda Thabethe
2. Jerusalema sweeps the world
1. Trevor Noah announced as host of the Grammys
