Despite all its problems, 2020 had a ton of rocking anime music. Throughout the year, however, there were 10 songs that were so good, they just stuck in my head and just wouldn’t leave. If you need some more music in your life, give them a listen!
*Note: Songs are presented in alphabetical order by series.
Image source: アニメ「7SEEDS」公式 on Twitter
Anime: 7 Seeds (Season 2)
Song: “From the Seeds”
Artist: Mone Kamishiraishi
Why I Love It: The lead singer’s vocals are mixed with female backups in the verse and male backups in the chorus which makes for an awesome, yet subtle, contrast in the tone of the music.
Provided courtesy of iTunes
Image source: 【公式】Fate/Grand Order -絶対魔獣戦線バビロニア- on Twitter
Anime: Fate/Grand Order Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia
Song: “Tell me”
Artist: milet
Why I Love It: I have a weakness for full-bodied alto voices and milet’s flows beautifully through the entire song.
Provided courtesy of iTunes
Anime: The Gymnastics Samurai
Song: “Yume ja nai”
Artist: Hatena
Why I Love It: That falsetto/non-falsetto harmony in the chorus… damn!
Provided courtesy of iTunes
Image source: 銀河英雄伝説DieNeueThese on Twitter
Anime: Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These
Song: “CRY”
Artist: SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:mizuki
Why I Love It: The song perfectly sets the stage for the wonder, beauty, and drama of one of the greatest space operas of all time–especially once the backup singers join Mizuki’s emotional vocals.
Provided courtesy of iTunes
Image source: 映画公開中! 僕のヒーローアカデミア “ヒロアカ”アニメ公式 on Twitter
Anime: My Hero Academia (Season 4)
Song: “Might+U”
Artist: Makayla Phillips
Why I Love It: This song is what happens when you take “You Say Run!”–i.e., the music that plays whenever something heroic happens in My Hero Academia–add vocals, and turn it into a fully orchestrated ballad.
Provided courtesy of iTunes
Anime: Noblesse
Song: “Breaking Dawn”
Artist: Jae Joong
Why I Love It: The end of the song where the chorus and pre-chorus combine to play off each other is super fun musically.
Image source: ノイタミナ YouTubeチャンネル on YouTube
Anime: Psycho-Pass 3: First Inspector
Song: “Synthetic Sympathy”
Artist: Who-ya Extended
Why I Love It: Reliance on a high-speed vocally-distorted male falsetto makes for one unique-sounding song.
Provided courtesy of iTunes
Image source: アニメ ソードアート・オンライン 公式 on Twitter
Anime: Sword Art Online Alicization: War of Underworld (Season 2)
Song: “ANIMA”
Artist: ReoNa
Why I Love It: The verses of this song have a rather dark structure–one that is completely blown away by the hopeful (and stupidly catchy) chorus.
Provided courtesy of iTunes
Image source: 神様になった日&Charlotte&AB!公式アカウント on Twitter
Anime: The Day I Became a God
Song: “Kimi to iu shinwa”
Artist: Jun Maeda X Nagi Yanagi
Why I Love It: With a great use of pipes and strings this one was right up my alley from the start–but it’s the vocal syncopation in the chorus that puts it over the top.
Provided courtesy of iTunes
Image source: 『神之塔 -Tower of God-』2020年4月1日よりTVアニメ絶賛放送中！ on Twitter
Anime: Tower of God
Song: “TOP – Japanese ver.”
Artist: Stray Kids
Why I Love It: This song is such a crazy mix of pop, electronic, orchestral strings, and rap that it blows my mind.
Provided courtesy of iTunes
Bonus Pick: The Best Game Song of 2020
Game: 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
Song: “Seaside Vacation”
Artist: Itou Fuu
Why I Love It: I’ve written an entire article about the genius of a 2020s song being written in the style of an 80s pop hit reminiscent of those found in the original Macross. Seriously, just read it.
Top Image Source: 僕のヒーローアカデミア “ヒロアカ”アニメ公式 on Twitter.
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