Music gives us so much—an escape, a salve, a reflection of the world in which we live. But in 2020, it felt vital in a new way. Consider the joys of Dua Lipa’s “Break My Heart” and Cosmo’s Midnight’s “Yesteryear”, disco-indebted stunners that ultimately reminded us to keep dancing, even when we couldn’t. Or the understated courage of BENEE, an artist unafraid to reveal her innermost thoughts and anxieties at a time when so many of us were dealing with feeling “Supalonely” in our own ways. From The Weeknd to Taylor Swift, SIX60 to Yumi Zouma and TEEKS, music of all styles and perspectives brought us closer together at a time when many of us have been forced apart. That’s the story of the year, and these are the songs and sounds that defined it, as chosen by Apple Music’s team of editors.