The 2020 Countdown After Dark: Five things you might have missed late night on Friday

This year, XPN’s countdown is going full-on, unrelenting, 24/7 until we listen back to all 2,020 songs you voted for and reach number one. All of our specialty shows and features have been pre-empted. And quite a lot of music is happening in the overnights; on day two, we heard 81 songs between midnight and 6:00 a.m. If you’re not a night owl, here are five highlights you missed.

1. More brilliance from Frank Ocean

One of the most innovative artists of modern times keeps popping up during in late night hours! His third song in the countdown, “Chanel,” came in at No. 1,514 at 12:45 a.m.

2. Hop Along segues into Kermit The Frog

For one of those unexpected transitions that you only hear on countdowns like this, the brilliant and emotive “Prior Things” by Philly’s Hop Along came in at 1,486 in the #XPN2020, gliding beautifully into the timeless and heartwarming “Rainbow Connection” by Kermit The Frog from The Muppet Movie at 2:50 a.m.

3. A wake-up call from The Stooges when the least number of folks in Philly are awake

On Friday, The Stooges went up against Rage Against The Machine for a punchy segue on the XPN Morning Show. Today, the rowdy “Down On The Street” from Funhouse landed at 3:33 a.m. and number 1,476.

4. A Tribe Called Quest makes its countdown debut…after Cat Stevens and before James Taylor.

Yesterday, folks on Twitter were wondering when we’d hear A Tribe Called Quest in the #XPN2020. Well, we finally did, and the Queens hip-hop legends were sandwiched between two 70s folk icons. “I Left My Wallet In El Segundo” came in at 1,463 at 4:33 a.m., after “Morning Has Broken” by Cat Stevens and before “You Can Close Your Eyes” by James Taylor.

5. Music of the mind just ahead of daybreak

“Gentle On My Mind” by Glen Campbell came in at 1,455 at 5:04 a.m., followed immediately by “Carolina In My Mind” by James Taylor. If only Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind” had placed a few spots higher!