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I listened to a lot of music in 2021, so I decided to make an end-of-year list for kicks. I didn’t go completely bonkers with the albums, but I did listen to most of the top 25 on RateYourMusic, plus anything else I suspected might be good. This list is based solely on my opinion, so it is unsullied by ‘respectability’ and other weaknesses.
Albums
- The Turning Wheel by Spellling
- CUTIEMARKS (And the Things That Bind Us) by Vylet Pony
- Nurture by Porter Robinson
- Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz
- Mercurial World by Magdalena Bay
- Yellow by Emma-Jean Thackray
- Smiling With No Teeth by Genesis Owusu
- Juno by Remi Wolf
- Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast
- Bright Green Field by Squid
EPs
- Our Extended Play by beabadoobee
- Bonnie by spill tab
- Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 3 by Tkay Maidza
- Background Songs For Your Boring Life, Part I by Revenge Wife
- EAT by Poppy
Songs
- rom com 2021 by Soccer Mommy and Kero Kero Bonito
- Dream I Had by Revenge Wife
- mememe by 100 gecs
- Narrator by Squid
- Say Something by Emma-Jean Thackray
- BONNIE by Vylet Pony
- Unfold by Porter Robinson and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
- The Beginning by Magdalena Bay
- Awaken by Spellling
- Pennsylvania Furnace by Lingua Ignota
- Last Day On Earth by beabadoobee
- Silk Chiffon by MUNA and Phoebe Bridgers
- Dreams by Anamanaguchi and Flux Pavilion
- Rave In My Garage by Little Sis Nora
- Breathe by Tkay Maidza
The fact that no artist has multiple entries is part coincidence and part intentional. Secrets (Your Fire) and You Lose! by Magdalena Bay, Animal Sounds by beabadoobee, Earthquake and the first half of Lucifer’s GF by Revenge Wife, and many others were borderline repeat inclusions.
Briefly I will highlight my favorite mainstream songs of the year:
- good 4 u by Olivia Rodrigo
- Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish
- All Too Well (10 Minute Version) by Taylor Swift
- STAY by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber
- Montero by Lil Nas X
- Smokin Out The Window by Silk Sonic
- Off The Grid by Kanye West
- Easy On Me by Adele
I didn’t listen to all that much mainstream music, so there are some blind spots in that category, but the surprisingly many of the most popular songs were good. And finally, I must praise the single best music video of the year, which belongs to: Secrets (Your Fire) by Magdalena Bay.
Anyhow, that’s the list. If your favorite artist wasn’t mentioned here, it’s probably because you like bad music :)
edit 1/24/22: listened to more music. added Juno to the albums list, kicking off Flux by Poppy; added Bonnie to the EPs list, kicking off Civilisation II by Kero Kero Bonito; added Awaken to the songs list, kicking off are you? by Zeph