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Nobody saw these coming... Join us as we count down the most jaw-dropping music comebacks of the 2020s that left fans and critics completely speechless! Our countdown includes the iconic reunion of Oasis, Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" renaissance, ABBA's stunning return with "Voyage", Eminem's "Houdini", and more! Which comeback surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments!
Transcript
00:00I'm sure you've heard it all before, but you never really had a doubt.
00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 music comebacks of the 2020s that
00:10caught us all completely off guard.
00:20Number 10, Blink-182.
00:22All the small things, true care, truth brings.
00:28Few bands still carried that nostalgic spirit of the late 90s and 2000s pop-punk explosion, quite like Blink-182.
00:35For years after their original peak, their fans kept the spirit of the band alive.
00:39Even as there were small lineup changes due to the departure of Tom DeLonge, there was never a very long
00:44gap between albums.
00:45What we didn't expect, however, was for Blink-182's classic trio to reunite in 2022, and then put out the
00:52album One More Time.
00:53I don't want to wait to do this one more time.
00:58All of a sudden, the band had found their momentum again, earning some of their best critical and commercial success
01:04in years.
01:05Their Coachella reunion served as a well-earned cherry on top for their legions of diehards.
01:10One more time.
01:12One more time.
01:13One more time.
01:21The BTS sensation has been one of the most explosive success stories of our time, helping to propel K-pop
01:27to the very front of the global mainstream.
01:30Even after beginning mandatory Korean military service, the group's influence continued through solo releases from individual members.
01:40It was a recipe that kept BTS and adjacent projects at the very forefront of our minds.
01:45All the while, though, anticipation was growing for their eventual return.
01:49The reunion itself was expected, but the scale of their return and continued global dominance proved extraordinary.
01:55The only question now is what they will do next.
02:02Number 8.
02:04Miley Cyrus
02:10Few pop stars of this era have pulled off the art of reinvention quite like Miley Cyrus.
02:15From teen pop idol to an edgier, more mature sound, as she grew out of her Hannah Montana era.
02:20I came in like a wrecking ball
02:23I never hit so hard in love
02:27Despite hitting a huge commercial peak in 2013,
02:302023's Flowers would see Cyrus achieve a totally different level of success.
02:41Miley would then ride that momentum, finding a new level of critical success with the album, Endless Summer Vacation.
02:48During this period, she won her first Grammy, solidified herself as a force to be reckoned with on stage, and
02:53proved her staying power beyond any doubt.
03:04Coming into the 2020s as a rising star with some standout tracks already under his belt,
03:09Louis Capaldi was very easy to peg as an artist who looked destined to stick around.
03:14However, a 2023 hiatus left his fans uncertain of when he might actually return.
03:18Capaldi took time off to prioritize his health, after a revelation that he had been diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome.
03:29In 2025, he made a triomphant return to Glastonbury Festival, performing a surprise set that sent his fans into excitement
03:37overdrive.
03:38His subsequent single, Survive, was a chart topper, and all things considered, Capaldi seemed more popular and driven than ever
03:45before.
03:45You're to survive, if it kills me soon.
03:52Number 6, Paramore.
03:54Whatever makes it break, but I got it where I want it now.
03:59As another band that rode the wave of pop punk and alternative rock that exploded in the 2000s, Paramore could
04:05well have ended up as a legacy act.
04:07Hard times. Gonna make you wonder while you even try. Hard times.
04:12However, in the 2020s, they found the type of creative second wind that most bands never achieve.
04:182023's This Is Why was released 18 years after their debut, and yet, it ended up getting some of the
04:25best reviews they had ever received.
04:27This is why I don't leave the house. You say the coast is better, but you won't catch me out.
04:34High-profile touring, including a huge billing in support of Taylor Swift, expanded the band's visibility further.
04:40Paramore evolved from respected, alternative veterans into a genuinely relevant force in the world of rock music.
04:46Number 5, Adele.
04:48We could've had it fine.
04:53Each of Adele's albums has doubled as a biographical stop-off point in her life, so seeing her take a
04:58longer hiatus than some of her contemporaries makes all the sense in the world.
05:022015's 25 album was a huge success, following on from 21 with the type of confidence and precision that we
05:09had all come to expect.
05:10So how from the other side?
05:16It would be six years until 30 came out, but it was certainly worth the wait.
05:20Adele made her initial statement with the lead single, Easy On Me, wowing her fans with yet another classic hit.
05:32When the album came out, it was a sensation, topping the charts nearly everywhere it landed, proving that she had
05:38very clearly not lost a step.
05:40Number 4, Eminem.
05:43Hi, my name is, what?
05:44My name is, what?
05:46My name is, chicka chicka, his name is Sadie.
05:48To say that Eminem was a sensation in the world of hip-hop and pop, more broadly, would be an
05:53understatement.
05:54His initial run of success was the stuff of legend.
06:01However, despite never coming close to dropping off entirely, even his biggest fans will admit that there was indeed a
06:07dip in quality as the years went on.
06:09Some critics argued that Slim Shady simply never managed to evolve and surpassed the work that it defined as youth.
06:21However, 2024's The Death of Slim Shady brought us one of his most memorable hits in years, Houdini.
06:27Sure, it was a throwback, but it had a level of fun and catchiness that Eminem hadn't channeled in years.
06:39Number 3, ABBA.
06:48There were not many people who had one final ABBA album on their bingo card for the 2020s.
06:53Even fewer still believed they would follow it up with a virtual concert residency, a live band with digital avatars
06:59that went on to become a huge success.
07:0740 years had passed since their last LP, and yet, here they were, giving us one final gift, the album
07:13Voyage, before they eventually disbanded once more.
07:16The album was, of course, a big commercial success, and its true impact came from just how unexpected it was.
07:22It was a record that left the fans and critics satisfied in equal measure.
07:31Number 2, Kate Bush.
07:40Those who are fans of the legendary art-pop artist Kate Bush are fully aware that she is one of
07:45music's most famous recluses.
07:47After her commercial peak in the 1980s, Bush largely withdrew from the public eye, releasing albums occasionally, but limiting her
07:54stage performances to one residency in 2014.
07:57That was her only run of full concerts in 35 years.
08:05When the smash hit TV show Stranger Things opted to use her iconic track, Running Up That Hill, as a
08:11recurring piece of the show's fourth season, it gave Bush a huge boost.
08:21The song, Out of Nowhere, received millions of streams, climbing to the top of the charts once more, introducing her
08:28music to an entire generation in the process.
08:31Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
08:35Hilary Duff.
08:36After a long hiatus, Duff returned to top form in 2026.
08:40She looks like all of you girls, but blunder, a little like me.
08:48Kylie Minogue.
08:49The Aussie star bad to Grammy in her career's fifth decade.
08:52I know that I'm, but I'm, I know you won't take me home, but I'm.
08:59Madonna.
09:00The Queen of Pop pulls off yet another reinvention.
09:02One step away from your freedom.
09:06One breath away from the dance of life.
09:09Celine Dion.
09:11After health troubles, Dion will return in late 2026.
09:14I'm getting the chance to see you, to perform for you, once again, in Paris.
09:23Number one, Oasis.
09:24I'm sure you've heard it all before, but you never really had a doubt.
09:29When the Gallagher brothers finally reached their breaking point, and Oasis split in 2009,
09:34many fans believed they would never reunite.
09:36These two rock legends are renowned and adored for their stubborn and no-nonsense attitudes,
09:42making the idea of meeting in the middle a tough thing to imagine.
09:44Don't look back in anger.
09:49Each had carved out success on their own, and so many Oasis lovers simply gave up on
09:54the idea.
09:552025 brought us a reunion tour for the ages, a truly massive cultural event that saw over
10:00two million people attend 41 shows to see these brothers back in action.
10:05Will they ever do it again?
10:06Quite possibly.
10:07However, with a band with a history like Oasis, you can never be too sure.
10:17But what was the recent music comeback that surprised you the most?
10:21Let us know in the comments below.
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