After a yearlong pause on events, concerts, and festivals, and the switch to virtual award ceremonies due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year we were finally able to not just hear the latest from our favorite artists, but also see them again. The best songs of the year varied across all genres, of course—whether it was the pop-punk perfection served up by Olivia Rodrigo, the lovesick anthems from Adele, or Lil Nas X simply preparing for chart domination. Ahead, and in no particular order, are our favorites from the year.
1 “Happier than Ever” by Billie Eilish
For two minutes, “Happier than Ever” sounds like Billie Eilish, but perhaps sweeter. Absent of some of her macabre tendencies, the track opens with a ukulele and the twinkles of a jewelry box, as Eilish sings about love in a soft whisper. But it quickly becomes obvious that there’s something lurking beneath the surface: “I knew when I asked you to be cool about what I was telling you / You’d do the opposite of what you said you’d do,” she laments. The lullaby continues on, with Eilish apologizing about not being able to articulate herself more clearly. And then, something finally snaps. The twinkling stops, and the guitar goes from light to heavy. In what must be one of the most exhilarating bridges of the year, she screams, “I’d never treat me this shitty / You make me hate this city.” The volcano erupts and the anger is piercing. “Happier than Ever” is the archetypal vengeance song, a perfectly executed stomp of headbanging and screaming that is as devastating as it is cathartic. —Natalie Maher
2 “Break It Off” by PinkPantheress
TikTok’s grip on 2021 has been undeniable. Surpassing its five-minutes-of-fame window, the app has been at the apex of conversations on creative plagiarism, content creation, and DIY stardom. Unsurprisingly, it has become the main vehicle for undiscovered talent, just as YouTube used to be, with artists similarly uploading unmastered snippets and bedroom acoustic sessions. One of the biggest success stories of the app’s first inaugural class of talent is PinkPantheress, the 20-year-old English singer-songwriter who grew her own lore by remaining nearly anonymous as her songs blew up across the app. “Break It Off” is a delightful homage to the U.K.’s music scene, as PinkPantheress mixes the sounds of U.K. garage with neo-R&B and hyper-pop into bite-size anomalies. —Natalie Maher
3 “Linda” by Tokischa and RosalÃa
It was just a handful of years ago that Spanish singer RosalÃa released El Mal Querer, the delicate, pop-drenched take on flamenco that would eventually make her a global superstar. Fast-forward to 2021, and RosalÃa is collaborating with The Weeknd on a bachata track and drifting into reggaeton with songs like “Con Altura.” However, out of all her (controversial) genre explorations, this year’s collaboration with Dominican rapper Tokischa is our favorite and objectively the most fun. Tokischa is the song’s sturdy base, rapping at nearly Busta Rhymes speed, as she unapologetically leans into the liberties of sexual freedom and expression, flirting with RosalÃa in the way we all wish we could. “No besamos pero somos homies,” the girls exchange repeatedly with a giggle, a line that translates to, “We kiss, but we’re homies.” —Natalie Maher
4 “Jackie” by Yves Tumor
“When you wake up, do you think of me?” Yves Tumor purrs as “Jackie” opens. In his latest iteration, the shapeshifting Floridian—whose previous projects have included ambient and experimental noise—finds himself playing a sort of glam-rock demigod, performing in short leather skirts and thigh-high boots. Tumor yearns like the best front men of the past, writing love songs that are somehow both desperate and sexy, and despite the retro nods, the sound is still undeniably his and assuredly fresh. “Jackie” is a love song that skips the saccharine romanticism and gets straight to obsession. —Natalie Maher
5 “Suck Teeth” by L’Rain
L’Rain’s sound is hard to pin down. She grew up in Brooklyn, where her grandfather owned a jazz club, and in high school, she found herself clinging to the melodic psychedelia of Animal Collective, as well as becoming a member of an Iron Maiden cover band. Her 2021 sophomore album, Fatigue, is a graceful embodiment of all she soaked up, a beautiful and dizzying compilation of experimental pop and distorted jazz laced with R&B. “Suck Teeth,” one of the handful of tracks with production credits from New York producer Slauson Malone, is a pontification on transgenerational trauma. The lyrics are a few sparse poetic mumblings: “Poison drifting out of me into you,” she remarks offhandedly, an audible embodiment of “sucking teeth” in response to the inevitability and legacy of loss. —Natalie Maher
6 “Stop Breathing” by Playboi Carti
Over the years, Playboi Carti’s obsession with punk culture has largely manifested via a growingly black-and-red aesthetic and rowdy shows (immortalized on the cover of his Die Lit album, which is adorned with a black-and-white still of Carti doing a front flip into a mosh pit). But on Whole Lotta Red, the rapper’s latest album, his progression to punk finally takes form sonically. Measuring his iconic high-pitched baby voice with shouts of rage, “Stop Breathing” finds Carti taking on the anger of his cousin and close friend Bigg Sosa’s murder: “Ever since my brother died / I’ve been thinking ‘bout homicide,” he screams. —Natalie Maher
7 “Pick Up Your Feelings” by Jazmine Sullivan
Jazmine Sullivan has no problem admitting when a man is so good that he has her down bad, and that might be why she’s so good at calling out men when things do, in fact, go bad. “Pick Up Your Feelings” is a take on one of R&B’s longest traditions: the breakup song. But the track does not wallow or whine; it’s the other kind. It’s the kind that sits adjacent to Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable,” a searing damnation of unfaithful men written by the women who no longer have the energy or, more precisely, the “room for extra baggage.” Sullivan navigates love and lust in a way that’s wholly believable, maybe just with some of the added confidence we all wish we could muster: “Main bitch I ain’t average,” she reminds us. —Natalie Maher
8 “Get into It (Yuh)” by Doja Cat
Doja Cat had the distinct experience of climbing into bona fide pop star territory while the entire world had to stay indoors. As the nation doomscrolled, sitting impatiently, Doja pumped out hit after hit, becoming a larger-than-life, yet wholly relatable, figure via ongoing livestream shows and unhinged TikToks. “Get into It (Yuh)” was one of the biggest dance hits of the year, a ride of Doja Cat’s mastery of vocal effects, floating through her catalogue of high-pitched rapping, half-yelling hype singing, and saucy whispers. —Natalie Maher
9 “Send Me” by Tirzah
“Send Me” is nearly a hymnal, a repeated calling for rest and rejuvenation with Tirzah cooing, “Let me heal, let me heal, then wait some more.” Tirzah’s Colourgrade is a vast soundscape of haunting intimacy as she navigates her new life as a mother. “Send Me” is one of the best examples of her synth mastery, as she creates a depth and atmosphere with nearly nothing aside from her own vocals and a few scarce electronic whirs. —Natalie Maher
10 “Brutal” by Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Rodrigo has the inexplicable magnetism that manifests in a pop star every so often. In less than a year, she’s been crowned the face of pop’s ongoing infatuation with pop punk and has earned traditionalists’ nods of approval by writing all her own songs, each of which reads like a well-edited diary entry of angst, puppy love, and self-loathing. After the devastating breakup anthem, “Driver’s License,” the pop princess followed up with “Brutal,” a track that showed its teeth with pride, calling on obvious influences like Paramore and other sugary-sweet pop-punk bands like The Dollyrots. —Natalie Maher
11 “Keep Moving” by Jungle
While this funky disco-tinged track is upbeat in sound, it was made in response to the pressure and resulting anxiety the U.K. electronic duo experienced while making their 2018 album, For Ever. It’s a mood-boosting anthem for anyone who deals with crippling anxiety and stress. —Ariana Marsh
12 “Like I Used To” by Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen
Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen together on a track—need I say more? These two women are some of the most influential songwriters of their time, and this track, which flawlessly incorporates both their signature styles, is about remembering and making space for your most authentic self. It’s a beautiful, sweeping song that helped me dance my way through some difficult times this past year. —Ariana Marsh
13 “Hypotheticals” by Lake Street Dive
Lake Street Dive is music’s best-kept secret. This year, the genre-bending band put out its seventh studio album, whose title, Obviously, comes from the first word of the first track, “Hypotheticals.” It’s the kind of bouncy, percussive song you’d play during the early stages of a relationship, when utter infatuation makes you see only possibility. —Chelsey Sanchez
14 “Big Star” by Lorde
On its own, “Big Star” is heartbreaking enough. Without much production or lyrical fanfare, Lorde replicates the nearly intolerable, achy feeling of a heart swollen with love (see: “Wanna to take your picture / ’Til I die”). But it gets even more emotional when you learn that Lorde wrote the song for her dog, Pearl, whose death delayed the release of Solar Power. —Chelsey Sanchez
15 “The Only Heartbreaker” by Mitski
In typical Mitski fashion, “The Only Heartbreaker” pairs a lyrical reflection on a toxic relationship with a synth-heavy pop beat suitable for a Bushwick nightclub. Mitski sings as though she’s yielding to inevitable romantic doom, making a delicious appetizer to Laurel Hell, her upcoming album to be released next year. —Chelsey Sanchez
16 “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift’s rerelease of “All Too Well” turned Red’s most famous ballad into a cinematic epic—sure to trigger a kind of feminine feral rage in the listeners who grew up with her and who have since perhaps met and been scorned by their own personal scarf stealers. —Chelsey Sanchez
17 “Yonaguni” by Bad Bunny
It’s impossible for Bad Bunny to create a song that’s not a hit—which is why he’s Spotify’s most-streamed artist for the second year in a row now. “Yonaguni” marked Benito’s return to music following the mega-successful El Último Tour Del Mundo. It shows off the reggaeton star’s evolving strengths as a storyteller—visually, lyrically, and musically. —Bianca Betancourt
18 “Hold On” by Adele
2021 marked the highly anticipated return of Adele. While the singer opted for her leading single off 30 to be the breezy record “Easy on Me,” “Hold On” is the standout track from her latest studio album. It’s Adele at her best—booming and broken and wailing, but with a newfound sense of strength and security in her artistry and voice. It’s perfection. —Bianca Betancourt
19 “Pa Mis Muchachas” by Christina Aguilera featuring Nicki Nicole, Becky G, and Nathy Peluso
Christina Aguilera’s return to Spanish-language music did not disappoint. “Pa Mis Muchachas” is a bold and vivacious anthem celebrating the female friendships that make us stronger, in which Aguilera belts her signature runs over a traditional Cuban guaracha beat. The song is a reminder that Aguilera remains one of the strongest vocalists of her generation—regardless of language. —Bianca Betancourt
20 “Sad Girlz Luv Money” by Amaarae featuring Moliy
2021 solidified Amaarae as one of the most exciting new musical acts of the year. Her hit “Sad Girlz Luv Money” is a sultry track paired with a funky, futuristic production and candid lyrics that detail her no-nonsense approach to sex and romance. It’s clear that Amaarae is an artist ready to rule a new generation. —Bianca Betancourt
21 “Smokin Out the Window” by Silk Sonic
While “Leave the Door Open” was a runaway hit once Silk Sonic (a.k.a. Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak) made their official debut as a recording duo, “Smokin Out the Window” goes a step further into the retro-influenced abyss. Its cheeky (and instantly infectious) lyrics have become TikTok fodder, but don’t be fooled—this song has soul. —Bianca Betancourt
22 “Industry Baby” by Lil Nas X featuring Jack Harlow
Lil Nas X’s insanely smart lyrics + Jack Harlow’s effortless swagger + Kanye West behind the boards for the production = the ultimate recipe for a number one hit. The track’s blasting horns will instantly become stuck in your head—just like the Internet-breaking music video. —Bianca Betancourt
23 “Neon Peach” by Snoh Aalegra featuring Tyler, the Creator
Snoh Aalegra is at her most experimental—and best—on this track from her latest studio album, Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies. Aalegra’s jazzy vocals paired with Tyler’s futuristic production result in an unexpected, fresh bop. —Bianca Betancourt
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The Best Songs of 2021
Source: Filipino Journal Articles
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