If 2020 was a song and if the songs were our friends...

Unforgettable 2020... It was an ordinary and beautiful year that started out just like every year. Everyone had good wishes, plans and goals. News about China started to spread in social media and news. Most of us didn't expect this to reach everywhere and change our whole lives. It took people we loved from some of us, some of us were laid off. And an epidemic was not the only bad thing that happened in 2020. Many disasters, such as plane crashes, wars in the Middle East, earthquakes, big protests, the Australian fire...

In 2020, there are just as many people taking advantage of opportunities and pushing themselves forward as well as people who are badly affected. I was among those who constantly improve themselves in 2020. Like most of you, I rarely went out. I was at home all day. If I say I was not affected by the disasters in 2020, it would be appropriate. Because sometimes we need to see the light in the darkness.

“Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness.”

― Anne Frank

And this process was not easy. Sometimes our best friends had to be books and songs. Songs became my candles. (I was listening to this music while I was preparing the article. You can listen while reading for similar feelings.)

The story of my playlist "20+20", consisting of 20 songs that are my best friends in 2020

The name of my list is 20+20 because it expresses 20 things that the 20 songs I listen to the most in 2020 gave to me. When I listen to a song, I focus more on its melody than its lyrics, so the songs have very different meanings to me.

If 2020 was a song, I think it would be "I will survive". That's why I put it at the top of the list. Especially in the middle of the year, I was overwhelmed. This song always got me up and has always motivated me. Yes, motivation... This is what we need most this year.

I added "everything i wanted" by Billie Eilish, the singer I listened to the most this year, especially in the summer. I think this one was my best friend. I often listened to this song while I was reading. I love the simplicity and calmness of this song and I can listen to it repeatedly without ever getting bored.

Everything we have experienced, good or bad, that is, memories... "Memories" also makes me experience many emotions at the same time. We want to forget some and remember others forever. I think songs are the best that can do that. Sometimes we keep our memories in a song. For example, this year I noticed while listening to some songs, whenever I hear them, the memories of the first time I listen to those songs come to my mind. To distract me, the song I listened to the most was "Dance Monkey" this year. It's a very moving and popular song. Whenever I hear this song, I sing along and dance.

Memories occupy a long place in my story. Because we are talking about an end. The year is just over. We have all kept a lot of memories with our family, friends or cute pets. Another thing we keep our memories in is photos. And "Photograph" by Ed Sheeran is the song that explains this very well and deserved to be on the list because the words of it meant a lot to me. I memorized this song in winter from listening to it like the others.

In this long year that changed our lives, I rediscovered the song "Wind Of Change", which I haven't listened to for a long time. Even though the lyrics of this song seem a bit complicated to me, its melody touches my soul. This song reminds me that;

"The Only Thing That Is Constant Is Change." - Heraclitus

Other than life, people change, sometimes this is the people around us, sometimes exactly ourselves. I always question myself while listening to the song "Changes". Are the changes I noticed in myself good or bad? Another thing I try to improve myself is to be a good person. "Beautiful People", one of my favorite songs on the list, gives us very good messages about it. When I listen to this song, I think of another change in the world. It seems to me that the understanding of "object is for human" started to change as "human is for object". And I tell myself that if one day you become one of those beautiful people, your personality will always remain the same.

I don't know why but when it was raining in 2020, I usually listened to the song "Let Me Down Slowly". I don't like rainy weather, and while on the road, I mostly listened to " Just Give Me a Reason". While cooking, I preferred to listen to "Someone You Loved". Again, for a reason I don't know why, it makes me finish faster.

Every song on my list has been the most listened to for a while. So I kept my memories in them, and when I listen to them in the future, every different time of 2020 will come to my mind again, so question everything you do, don't let the things that will come to your mind make you regret and to make the continuation of the when we were young sentence beautiful... Maybe that is why 2020 was good for me.

Other than that, if I want to improve myself, I know that I have to take control because the brain is easy to deceive. I can make difficult things easier by fooling my brain myself. Just use your imagination. For example, if the obstacle is cold, I can make my brain believe it's hot. Here are the songs that my best friend taught me. Draw your own route in 2021 with your friends (songs) because;

"The future starts today." - Pope John Paul II

I listened to some of the other songs on my list because I like them melodically, and some because they remind me that love is one of life's basic needs. Love always keeps people alive, makes the impossible happen for them.

What do my most-streamed songs of the year say?

My songs say the following about me;

You are always hopeful, motivated and willing, your imagination and memories will always take you forward, keep feeding your imagination with songs, music, books and movies that best suit your soul. These will carry you where you want to be in your ongoing life as in 2020. Keep knowing what you need. Try to learn about yourself first, not others. Sometimes all you have to do is close your eyes. Whenever you need us, we will be 1 step away on your phone.

I wish 2021 to be a year full of success, health, peace and happiness for all of us. Friendships and memories that formed the basis of my article... I thought long and hard to choose my friends who gave a lot to me and whom I keep my memories for. Because they are more than 20. I'm sure everyone reading this article has such lists. The songs there are because of what it brings to you. Be careful when choosing your real-life friends. They should give you something that gives you meaning. If 2020 didn't give you anything, it could be because of the friends you chose. Choose quality, stay quality.

We are the average of our friends.

Thank you to Vocal for helping me rewind 2020, which was good for me while writing my article.