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The 10 Best Songs To Come Out Of Kansas City In 2020

Blackstarkids
One of Bill Brownlee's favorite songs of 2020 is “Acting Normal” from Kansas City pop trio Blackstarkids.

In spite of the pandemic, a lot of great music came out of Kansas City this year. Here are the songs music critic Bill Brownlee was especially impressed with.

  1. Joyce DiDonato — Tu ben degno sei dell'allor from the album “Handel: Agrippina”
  2. Blackstarkids — Acting Normal from the album “Whatever, Man”
  3. Bobby Watson — Condition Blue from the album “Keepin’ It Real”
  4. Katy Guillen & The Drive — No Control from the EP “Dream Girl”
  5. Flutienastiness — AlterEgo from the album “This Is Me”
  6. Kevin Morby — Sundowner from the album “Sundowner”
  7. The Freedom Affair — I Know Better from the album “Freedom Is Love”
  8. The Black Creatures — Wretched (It Goes) from the album “Wild Echoes”
  9. Hermon Mehari — Eritrea from the EP “A Change for the Dreamlike”
  10. Shy Boys — “Talk Loud from the album “Talk Loud”

Bill Brownlee is a music critic and blogger at There Stands the Glass and Plastic Sax.

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When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
Mackenzie Martin is a senior podcast producer at KCUR Studios and host of the podcast, A People's History of Kansas City. Contact her at mackenzie@kcur.org.
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