Who doesn't love music?! You'd be hard pressed to find somebody out there who doesn't at least love some singer, band, album, or song. It's just engrained in our spirit, a part of our psyche! Sure, there are some people who love music more (or far more) than others, perhaps even obsessed with the stuff! I don't know if I'd say I'm obsessed with music, but I'd certainly say I'm a huge fan. Music has always been a big part of my life and I'm sure it will be until the day I die.
But whenever I click on a link for one of those annual lists of the year's best songs, I am disappointed with what I see. Or hear, I should say. I rarely notice any songs that I thought were stand-outs during the year on these lists, which are often packed with music that just doesn't do it for me. And that's fine, because we're all different and music is highly subjective, like any art form.
I feel like too many music publications who put together these "best of the year" rankings are really trying to go for shock factor with some of their choices, while others are simply trying to meet a quota of diversity (and I don't mean cultural or racial diversity) when it comes to the artists who make the final cut. And in other cases, some music critics are perhaps just too pretentious for their own good, trying to impress their readers or colleagues with some obscure or random song that would set them apart from the pack.
And that's a shame, because good music is good music. I don't care how well it did on the charts, or what country the artist is from, or if the song has some sort of social message, or whatever. I believe in ranking music based on how much you actually like the music, rather than factoring in things like whether that artist has just died or if their genre of music is trending at the moment. That shit simply shouldn't matter.
That is why I wanted to put together my own list of my favourite songs from 2021, because I feel like these songs should be heard and shared! I know that there are other people out there with similar musical tastes who might appreciate some recommendations. I know I would! Plus, I think it would be fun to look back on these lists to see where my personal tastes stood at any given moment in time.
I have created a Spotify playlist of all of these songs if you'd like to check it out on that platform instead. I hope you find at least a few favourites amongst these 101 tracks (for the record, I listened to nearly 4,500 new songs this year!), and feel free to send me your own recommendations or perhaps even your own list of the "best music of 2021!"
1. “The Mission” by Bakar
2. “Sunday Suit” by Tyne-James Organ
3. “Hard Drive” by Cassandra Jenkins
4. “Tumbado En El Jardín Viendo Atardecer” by Sen Senra
5. “All Eyes on Me” by Bo Burnham
6. “Little Bit of Love” by Tom Grennan
7. “Where Are You Now” by Lost Frequencies feat. Calum Scott
8. “Save Your Tears” by The Weeknd
9. “Kids (Don’t End Up Like Me)” by The Academic
10. “Younger” by TEEKS
11. “Romeo” by Jungle feat. Bas
12. “Seventeen Going Under” by Sam Fender
13. “Starting Line” by Luke Hemmings
14. “Don’t Go Yet” by Camila Cabello
15. “Oh My My” by Burak Yeter, Montiego, & Séb Mont
16. “Raw Thoughts” by Baby Queen
17. “One More Trip” by Julian Lamadrid
18. “Nelsonwood Lane” by Matt Maeson
19. “Witchoo” by Durand Jones & the Indications
20. “Come In Closer” by Rhye
21. “I Miss the Future” by Lost Kings feat. Jordan Shaw
22. “Would You” by The Vamps
23. “Creature” by Grace Gaustad
24. “Everything and Nothing” by Mob Rich
25. “KEEP MOVING” by Jungle
26. “lost” by Hugar
27. “Mirror” by Sigrid
28. “drivers license” by Olivia Rodrigo
29. “I Do This All the Time” by Self Esteem
30. “You” by Regard, Troye Sivan, & Tate McRae
31. “Kiss Me More” by Doja Cat & SZA
32. “In Da Ghetto” by J. Balvin & Skrillex
33. “Favourite Flavour” by The Lottery Winners
34. “Give Me Your Love” by Girl Ray
35. “Rouge” by BAD CHILD
36. “Bouncin’” by Tinashe
37. “STORY” by NF
38. “What D’You Know About Me?” by Jungle
39. “breathe again” by Joy Oladokun
40. “Fingers Crossed” by Trevor Daniel feat. Julia Michaels
41. “Like That (A Short Story)” by JP Saxe
42. “Stop Making Stupid People Famous” by Our Lady Peace feat. Pussy Riot
43. “We Don’t Talk Enough” by Quinn XCII & Alexander 23
44. “Don’t Wait Up” by Shakira
45. “Not Mad Anymore” by Ashe
46. “Body” by Elderbrook
47. “JOSIE” by Liza Owen
48. “Alter Ego” by Duke Dumont & Channel Tres
49. “Run It” by DJ Snake, Rick Ross, & Rich Brian
50. “Sweatshirt” by Dreamer Boy
51. “Play” by Alewya
52. “Bad Habits” by Ed Sheeran
53. “25” by Alix Page
54. “traitor” by Olivia Rodrigo
55. “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” by Elton John & Dua Lipa
56. “Call on Me” by RAYE
57. “Thinking of You” by Macy Gray and the California Jet Club
58. “Burning Fire” by Camino
59. “Neo Surf” by GENER8ION & 070 Shake
60. “Endless” by Rence
61. “Start Again” by The Lottery Winners feat. Frank Turner
62. “Addict of Magic” by Picture This
63. “FYE FYE” by Tobe Nwigwe feat. Fat Nwigwe
64. “Chemical (Chloé Caillet Remix)” by Beck
65. “Angel Baby” by Troye Sivan
66. “Free” by Oh Wonder
67. “The Walls Are Way Too Thin” by Holly Humberstone
68. “Smokin’ Out the Window” by Silk Sonic
69. “Hot N Heavy” by Jessie Ware
70. “Backroom Door” by Bruno Martini & Johnny Franco
71. “Feeling So Down” by flora cash
72. “Lights Up” by Flight Facilities & Channel Tres
73. “No One Else” by Babet
74. “Inner Light” by Elderbrook feat. Bob Moses
75. “black hole” by fiedlerski feat. ANNABELLE & V.I.C.
76. “I’D RATHER DIE THAN BE DEPORTED” by BERWYN
77. “Don’t Judge Me” by FKA twigs, Headie One, & Fred again..
78. “ARE YOU LETTING GO?” by Dreamer Boy & BENEE
79. “Give Me a Reason” by Boy Harsher
80. “Can’t Come to the Phone” by Martin Jensen, Amber Van Day, & N.F.I
81. “MIA” by BERWYN
82. “backseat” by Sfven
83. “Slow Dance” by Yoshi Flower
84. “growing up” by fiedlerski feat. remme & Alicja
85. “Schatze” by Ohtis & Stef Chura
86. “I WANNA DIE BUT I CAN’T (CUZ I GOTTA KEEP LIVING)” by PRONOUN
87. “Competition” by Amber Mark
88. “People Happy” by KLP & Stace Cadet
89. “Fallin’” by AVAION & Why So Sad
90. “The Darkness That You Fear” by The Chemical Brothers
91. “Peaches” by Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon
92. “Home” by Esty
93. “Impress You” by Brooke Combe
94. “Spit of You” by Sam Fender
95. “Questions” by Middle Kids
96. “Closure” by Sarcastic Sounds, BIRDY, & Mishaal
97. “Pinnacle” by Clyde Guevara
98. “Shadows” by Bonobo feat. Jordan Rakei
99. “So Great” by DJ Semtex feat. Boy Nash
100. “Tears in the Club” by FKA twigs feat. The Weeknd
101. “Saturday” by Twenty One Pilots
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