Here are our ALT 104.5 Staff Picks in the 2020 Obligatory Year End Awards...don't worry, your moment in the spotlight is New Year’s Eve starting at 5pm when we count down the Top 50.5 songs of 2020, plus reveal all the winners on The Obligatory Year End Awards Results Show. Don't worry if you miss something, we’ll run through the countdown again all day on New Years Day starting at 10a.
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AMBER MILLER
- Best Song of 2020: Bombay Bicycle Club “Everything Else Has Gone Wrong”
- Best Album of 2020: Bombay Bicycle Club “Everything Else Has Gone Wrong”
- Your favorite quarantine anthem: Bombay Bicycle Club “Everything Else Has Gone Wrong” How could it not be with a lyric like “Keep the stereo on, everything else has gone wrong”
- Artist of The Year for 2020: Glass Animals
- Best New Artist of 2020: Muzz
- Best Music Video of 2020: Glass Animals “Dreamland”
- Favorite Philly-area Band/Artist of 2020: The Districts (they were also my final concert of the year)
- Favorite livestream concert/performance of 2020: Glass Animals “Streamland”
- Most Overlooked Artist of 2020: Muzz
- Most Anticipated Album for 2021: The National (I mean at least I hope there’s new music coming)
- Favorite App: Instagram
MIKE JONES
- Best Song of 2020: (artist & title) - I can’t do just one! Top 5? Top 5: Weezer - Hero, Green Day - Oh Yeah!, The Killers - Caution, Royal Blood Trouble’s Coming, AJR - BANG!
- Best Album of 2020: (artist & Title) - The Killers - Imploding The Mirage
- Your favorite quarantine anthem: Level of Cancern from Twenty One Pilots. I don’t think a song has defined the wild year this has been quite like Level of Concern has, for better or worse.
- Artist of The Year for 2020: All Time Low. They’ve really hit it huge with “Monsters” and have made the most of things this year.
- Best New Artist of 2020: Kennyhoopla - he’ll be a superstar soon. Also love Pink Laundry and Best Frenz!
- Best Music Video of 2020: AJR - Bummerland
- Favorite cover song of 2020: Billie Joe Armstrong - I Think We’re Alone Now
- Favorite Philly-area Band/Artist of 2020: Foxtrot & The Getdown
- Favorite livestream concert/performance of 2020: Foo Fighters, Liam Gallagher and AWOLNATION. Great shows from all of them!
- Most Overlooked Artist of 2020: AWOLNATION - listen to their album ‘Angel Miners & The Lightning Riders’! So many good songs on it!
- Most Anticipated Album for 2021: Foo Fighters - Medicine At Midnight! Come on February 5th! Also SHAED, Royal Blood, Weezer, lots of things coming in 2021!
- Favorite App: Amazon & Instagram
- Favorite Band/Artist to follow on socials: On Instagram, @InfluenceByDaniel - Daniel Armbruster from Joywave as a pompous influencer is hilarious. Let me know in the comments!
- Favorite Podcast: Something To Wrestle With Bruce Prichard
JAMMIN JESSIE
- Best Song of 2020: Trey Anastasio ‘A Wave Of Hope’
- Best Album of 2020: Phish ‘Sigma Oasis’
- Your favorite quarantine anthem: Royal Blood ‘Trouble’s Coming’
- Artist of The Year for 2020: Bastille
- Best New Artist of 2020: Beabadoobee
- Best Music Video of 2020: Tame Impala ‘Lost In Yesterday’
- Favorite cover song of 2020: Brandon Boyd covering Cat Steven’s ‘Wild World’
- Favorite Philly-area Band/Artist of 2020: Lotus
- Favorite livestream concert/performance of 2020: Primus “Alive From Pachyderm Station”
- Most Overlooked Artist of 2020: Trey Anastasio
- Most Anticipated Album for 2021: RHCP, Cannons
- Favorite App: Sleep Pillow
- Favorite Band/Artist to follow on socials: Brandon Boyd
- Favorite Podcast: Andy Franco’s World Saving Podcast
JOSH
- Best Song of 2020: Level of Concern by twentyonepilots
- Best Album of 2020: Tickets to my Downfall by Machine Gun Kelly
- Your favorite quarantine anthem: Level of Concern by twentyonepilots
- Artist of The Year for 2020: AJR
- Best New Artist of 2020: beabadoobie
- Best Music Video of 2020: “Adore You” by Harry Styles
- Favorite cover song of 2020: (TIE) “That Thing You Do” by Billie Joe Armstrong AND “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” by Nickelback (not even ashamed!)
- Favorite Philly-area Band/Artist of 2020: June Divided
- Favorite livestream concert/performance of 2020: Foo Fighters LIVE at the Roxy in Los Angeles
- Most Overlooked Artist of 2020: I Don’t Know How But They Found Me
- Most Anticipated Album for 2021: Foo Fighters "Medicine at Midnight"
- Favorite App: iHeartRadio and Instagram
- Favorite Band/Artist to follow on socials: Interrupters
- Favorite Podcast: The Daily Show/MacBreak Weekly/Office Ladies
RAVEY (The Woody Show)
- Best Song of 2020 – Tame Impala – Lost in Yesterday
- Best Album of 2020 – Tame Impala – The Slow Rush
- Your favorite quarantine anthem: twenty one pilots “Level of Concern”
- Artist of The Year for 2020: Billie Eilish
- Best New Artist of 2020: Remy Wolf
- Best Music Video of 2020: Machine Gun Kelly: Bloody Valentine
- Favorite cover song of 2020: Put Your Records On – Ritt Momney
- Favorite Philly-area Band/Artist of 2020:The War On Drugs
- Favorite livestream concert/performance of 2020: Billie Eilish
- Most Overlooked Artist of 2020: Dayglow
- Most Anticipated Album for 2021: Foo Fighters – Medicine at Midnight
- Favorite App: Postmates
- Favorite Band/Artist to follow on socials: GreenDay
- Favorite Podcast: Nerdin Out
GREG GORY (The Woody Show)
- Best Song of 2020: The Weekend – Blinding Lights
- Best Album of 2020: Smashing Pumpkins – Cyr
- Your favorite quarantine anthem: I Don’t Know How But They Found Me – Leave Me Alone
- Artist of The Year for 2020: Billie Eilish
- Best New Artist of 2020: Rezz & Grabbitz
- Best Music Video of 2020: Machine Gun Kelly: Bloody Valentine
- Favorite cover song of 2020: Chris Cornell – Patience (family released it this year)
- Favorite Philly-area Band/Artist of 2020:The Wonder Years
- Favorite livestream concert/performance of 2020: Billy Corgan
- Most Overlooked Artist of 2020: Dayglow
- Most Anticipated Album for 2021: Van Weezer
- Favorite App: Jackpot Party Casino
- Favorite Band/Artist to follow on socials: Muse
- Favorite Podcast: Duh – the Woody Show
MENACE (The Woody Show)
- Best Song of 2020: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
- Best Album of 2020: Oliver Tree “Ugly Is Beautiful”
- Your favorite quarantine anthem: Elle King “The Let Go”
- Artist of The Year for 2020: Dua Lipa
- Best New Artist of 2020: Machine Gun Kelly
- Best Music Video of 2020:Melanie Martinez - Detention
- Favorite cover song of 2020:Live Lounge Allstars - Times Like These (BBC Radio 1 Stay Home Live Lounge)
- Favorite Philly-area Band/Artist of 2020: Circa Survive
- Favorite livestream concert/performance of 2020: VERZUZ Scott Storch vs. Mannie Fresh
- Most Overlooked Artist of 2020: Oliver Tree
- Most Anticipated Album for 2021: Rihanna “R9”
- Favorite App: Reface
- Favorite Band/Artist to follow on socials: Cardi B
- Favorite Podcast: WhatsNewPod.com
DJ REED STREETS
- Best Song(s) of 2020: Genesis Owusu ‘Don’t Need You’, KennyHoopla ‘how will i rest in peace if i'm buried by a highway?’, Juice Wrld ‘Wishing Well’, Front Bottoms ‘Montgomery Forever, Grouplove ‘Deleter’, Bon Iver ‘AUATC’, Bakar ‘Hell N Back’, Flume ’The Difference’, Big Boi ‘All Night’, Strokes ‘Bad Decision’, Sylvan Esso ‘Ferris wheel’, Tame Impala ‘Borderline’
- Best Album of 2020: The Strokes ’The New Normal’
- Your favorite quarantine anthem: 347aidan ‘Dancing In My Room’
- Best New Artist of 2020: Kennyhoopla
- Favorite cover song of 2020: Glass Animals ‘Heart-Shaped Box’
- Favorite Philly-area Band/Artist of 2020: Front Bottoms
- Favorite Band/Artist to follow on socials: IG @heavyslime
- Favorite Podcast: Alter Natives w/Wendy Rollins
AIDAN WHITE
- Best Song of 2020 - Feel You - My Morning Jacket
- Best Album of 2020 - Khruangbin - Mordechai / The Slow Rush - Tame Impala
- Your favorite quarantine anthem: Lost in Yesterday - Tame Impala
- Artist of The Year for 2020: Billie Eilish
- Best New Artist of 2020: Dominic Fike
- Best Music Video of 2020: The Birthday Party - The 1975, pretty f'ing weird
- Favorite cover song of 2020:If It Makes You Happy - Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers
- Favorite Philly-area Band/Artist of 2020: Mt. Joy
- Favorite livestream concert/performance of 2020: LIVE DRUGS - The War on Drugs (live album)
- Most Overlooked Artist of 2020:Ruston Kelly
- Most Anticipated Album for 2021:Hopefully a new one from Rage Against the Machine or Red Hot Chili Peppers w/ John Frusciante back
- Favorite App: Hinge
- Favorite Band/Artist to follow on socials:John Mayer
- Favorite Podcast: Pardon My Take
KATIE O
- Not best, but favorite song: Devil’s Advocate - The Neighbourhood
- Album: Mordechai - Khruangbin
- New Artist: Serena Isioma
- Cover: “Patience” - Chris Cornell
- Philly-area Artist: Orion Sun
KARAH LEIGH
- Best Song of 2020: All Time Low/Blackbear - Monsters
- Best Album of 2020: Nothing But Thieves – Moral Panic
- Your favorite quarantine anthem: Royal & The Serpent “Overwhelmed”
- Artist of The Year for 2020: Billie Eilish
- Best New Artist of 2020: Morgxn
- Favorite cover song of 2020: Chris Cornell - Patience
- Most Overlooked Artist of 2020: Des Rocs
- Most Anticipated Album for 2021: Lorde
- Favorite App: TikTok
- Favorite Band/Artist to follow on socials: Badflower
- Favorite Podcast: Reply All
EMILY PEARCE (Marketing Guru, ALT 104.5)
- Best Song of 2020: Ashe, Moral of the Story
- Your favorite quarantine anthem: Bored in the House
- Artist of The Year for 2020: AJR
- Favorite livestream concert/performance of 2020: iHeartRadio Music Festival
- Favorite App: GoPuff
- Favorite Band/Artist to follow on socials: Matt & Kim