Best Songs of 2021

As noted in 2020, this process has been getting more difficult with each passing year. That difficulty arises simply because my musical intake is so much less intentional than it once was. My CD and LP buying habits, while admittedly still higher than most in my age bracket, have essentially fallen off a cliff since about 4 years ago. Despite my streaming habits, my personal iTunes library (built, in large part, by CD and LP purchases) remains my number one source for music listening.

By the time summer turned to fall, I still had just 30 or 40 tracks I deemed worthy of this mix. What changed? It was not so much a cavalcade of new and wonderful releases that arrived in the latter part of the year so much as it was a concerted effort to commit, most often via single-song purchases on my new store of choice, Bandcamp, to tracks that had caught my ear in 2021.

So that’s what this list is. In a way, it is what it’s always been, year to year. But for a period of about 10 years or so, say 2003 to 2013, this exercise was as much a summary of my album-buying habits as it was a document of the hit singles and album cuts that stuck in my head. There is still some of that, here. I tried to encapsulate the few albums I did purchase with a nod on this playlist, just as I also endeavored to note those artists (with 2021 releases) that was lucky enough to see live and in person over the course of the year (man, I missed concerts).

As I have done for the past 7 years, I include, in brief notes, commentary on how I came upon these songs. I had fewer direct suggestions from friends this year than in the past, but I hope that 2022 will bring back those shared musical experiences in full. I am pleased that, despite my aging fandom, I did branch out more this year than I thought I would—a good chunk of tracks I had earmarked earlier in the year, which would’ve fallen under that “via past experience” banner, fell away late in the list-making process, in favor of newer (or new-to-me) artists, from a variety of sources.

Another thing about this particular list that has me feeling proud is the prevalence of women. At least in terms of primary artists and/or voices you will hear singing, women outnumber men on this list. I have consciously been trying to equalize my mixes in the past few years, but whether a result of a purposeful shift, a natural evolution, or somewhere in between, it was easier than ever in 2021 to divert my attention from male voices.

My last point of pride with this year’s list comes in the form of little in-jokes. I shall not spoil them for you here as you browse and listen, but I took great joy in juxtaposing songs in such a way that lets them be in conversation with each other thematically, as well as musically. These tiny moments of inspiration are emblematic of the entire process for me this hear, and have renewed my interest in continuing. One day—one year—I surely will peter out and not get to 100. But for as long as I can help it, I plan to keep procrastinating on the idea of quitting.

For these year-end lists, I like to undertake the seemingly impossibly task of creating an hours-long mix. The order you see below represents that effort, which you can listen to via Spotify and Apple Music. Extended track notes to come eventually or maybe never.

January 16, 2022

Show Grid

I NEED YOU

Jon Batiste

WE ARE

Verve
via Fresh Air library: 11/6/2021
A Wise Tale

Abstract Mindstate

Dreams Still Inspire

YZY SND
via Said the Gramophone library: 12/9/2021
HB2U

Isaiah Rashad

The House Is Burning

Top Dawg Entertainment
via past experience library: 8/6/2021
Lost One

Jazmine Sullivan

Heaux Tales

RCA
via All Songs Considered library: 12/11/2021
If I’m Insecure

James Blake

Friends That Break Your Heart

Republic
via past experience library: 10/30/2021
Latter Days

Big Red Machine featuring Anaïs Mitchell

How Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?

Jagjaguwar
via past experience library: 7/2/2021
The Seldom Seen Kid

Elbow

Flying Dream 1

Polydor
via past experience library: 12/28/2021
Days Like These

Low

HEY WHAT

Sub Pop
via past experience library: 7/2/2021
Prester John

Animal Collective

Time Skiffs

Domino
via Fluxblog, past experience library: 10/30/2021
Always

Skirts

Great Big Wild Oak

Double Double Whammy
via Bandcamp library: 8/6/2021
I See It Now

Bachelor

Doomin’ Sun

Lucky Number
via past experience (Jay Som) library: 10/1/2021
Aquamarine

Hand Habits

Fun House

Saddle Creek
via past experience library: 10/30/2021
Give It Hell

Yumi Zouma

Give It Hell digital single

Polyvinyl
via past experience library: 10/1/2021
This Enchanted

Hatchie

This Enchanted digital single

Secretly Canadian
via Fluxblog library: 10/1/2021
Helpless

Caveman

Smash

Fortune Teller’s Music
via past experience library: 10/1/2021
Got Me

Laura Mvula

Pink Noise

Atlantic
via past experience library: 6/30/2021
Please

Jessie Ware

What’s Your Pleasure (The Platinum Pleasure Edition)

PMR
via past experience library: 7/24/2021
Cry Your Heart Out

Adele

30

Columbia
via past experience library: 1/22/2022
Boomerang

Yebba

Dawn

RCA
via unknown, Freegal Music library: 10/1/2021
Wild Side

Normani featuring Cardi B

Wild Side digital single

Keep Cool
via Freegal Music library: 8/7/2021
Foreign Things

Amber Mark

Foreign Things digital single

EMI
via past experience library: 10/4/2021
More Than Ever

Durand Jones & The Indications

Private Space

Dead Oceans
via Alli Adamonis library: 10/31/2021
Leave the Door Open

Silk Sonic

An Evening With Silk Sonic

Aftermath
via past experience (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak) library: 8/7/2021
Promises

Cleo Sol

Mother

Forever Living Originals
via Said the Gramophone (ish) library: 1/3/2022
Julia (Deep Diving)

Fred Again..

Actual Life (April 14 – December 17 2020)

Atlantic
via Stereogum comments section library: 11/1/2021
Only Love

Tycho & Benjamin Gibbard

Only Love digital single

Ninja Tune
via past experience library: 7/13/2021
Coming Home

The Haunted Youth

Coming Home digital single

Mayway
via Kevin Cole on KEXP library: 11/5/2021
Call My Name

Smile & Robyn

Phantom Island

Chimp Limbs
via John Richards on KEXP library: 12/1/2021
I Hope I Never Fall in Love

The Reds, Pinks and Purples

Uncommon Weather

Slumberland
via Hans on KEXP library: 11/5/2021
Amoeba

Clairo

Sling

Fader/Republic
via past experience library: 7/24/2021
Hold U

Indigo de Souza

Any Shape You Take

Saddle Creek
via All Songs Considered library: 11/1/2021
hold yourself.

Tune-Yards

sketchy.

4AD
via past experience library: 6/4/2021
…At the Holiday Party

St. Vincent

Daddy’s Home

Loma Vista
via past experience library: 5/18/2021
Valentine

Snail Mail

Valentine

Matador
via past experience library: 10/30/2021
Chaise Longue

Wet Leg

Chaise Longue digital single

Domino
via Troy Nelson on KEXP library: 7/30/2021
Across That Fine Line

Nation of Language

A Way Forward

Pias
via Kevin Cole on KEXP library: 10/30/2021
Be Sweet

Japanese Breakfast

Jubilee

Dead Oceans
via past experience library: 5/20/2021
California

CHVRCHES

Screen Violence

Glassnote
via past experience library: 10/1/2021
I Don’t Live Here Anymore

The War on Drugs

I Don’t Live Here Anymore

Atlantic
via past experience library: 11/12/2021
Last Train Home

John Mayer

Sob Rock

Columbia
via past experience library: 8/7/2021
Somewhere in Chicago

Strand of Oaks

In Heaven

Galacticana
via past experience library: 10/30/2021
In Another Life

The Killers

Pressure Machine

Island
via past experience, Andy Greenwald on The Watch library: 10/1/2021
Before You Gotta Go

Courtney Barnett

Things Take Time, Take Time

Milk!
via past experience library: 11/12/2021
Pawnshop Dollar Bills

The Dead Tongues

Pawnshop Dollar Bills digital single

Psychic Hotline
via past experience library: 10/1/2021
Lost Futures

Marisa Anderson & William Tyler

Lost Futures

Thrill Jockey
via past experience library: 10/11/2021
El Invento

José González

Local Valley

Imperial Recrodings
via past experience library: 10/10/2021
That Funny Feeling

Phoebe Bridgers

That Funny Feeling digital single

Dead Oceans
via Bo Burnham’s INSIDE, Stereogum, past experience library: 10/1/2021
Go Outside

Ratboys

Happy Birthday, Ratboys

Topshelf
via live in concert, Mark Baker library: 10/1/2021
Die Outside

Wild Pink

A Billion Little Lights

Royal Mountain
via live in concert, Mark Baker library: 10/1/2021
Other You

Steve Gunn

Other You

Matador
via past experience library: 10/11/2021
Driver 8

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit featuring John Paul White

Georgia Blue

Southeastern/Thirty Tigers
via past experience library: 10/28/2021
Wildflowers

Lucinda Williams

Runnin’ Down a Dream: A Tribute to Tom Petty

Highway 20
via past experience library: 4/24/2021
Light of a Clear Blue Morning

Waxahatchee

Saint Cloud +3

Merge
via past experience library: 4/2/2021
The Right Thing Is Hard to Do

Lightning Bug

A Color of the Sky

Fat Possum
via Cheryl Waters on KEXP library: 7/24/2021
Black Dog

Arlo Parks

Collapsed in Sunbeams

Transgressive
via Kevin Cole on KEXP library: 10/30/2021
TNT

Wye Oak

TNT digital single

Merge
via past experience library: 6/4/2021
Summer Quarter

Madeline Kenney

Summer Quarter

Carpark
via past experience library: 10/11/2021
4Runner

Rostam

Changephobia

Matsor Projects
via past experience library: 6/4/2021
Price of Blue

Flock of Dimes

Head of Roses

Sub Pop
via past experience library: 4/2/2021
Little Things

Big Thief

Little Things / Sparrow digital single

4AD
via past experience library: 10/1/2021
I Ain’t

Dinosaur Jr.

Sweep It Into Space

Jagjaguwar
via past experience library: 10/30/2021
Free Drop Billy

Enumclaw

Jimbo Demo

Youth Riot
via Cheryl Waters on KEXP library: 6/4/2021
No Mutuals

Fake Fruit

Fake Fruit

Rocks in Your Head
via Said the Gramophone, Bandcamp library: 12/9/2021
Homo Sapien

Parquet Courts

Sympathy for Life

Rough Trade
via past experience library: 10/30/2021
We Are Between

Modest Mouse

The Golden Casket

Epic
via past experience library: 5/26/2021
Low Era

Geese

Projector

Partisan
via Evie on KEXP library: 10/30/2021
Fit to Burst

Ducks Ltd.

Modern Fiction

Carpark
via Andy Greenwald on The Watch library: 1/3/2022
Clay Pigeon

binki

MOTOR FUNCTION

self-released
via Atticus on KEXP library: 11/5/2021
That Life

Unknown Mortal Orchestra

That Life digital single

Jagjaguwar
via past experience library: 8/6/2021
Year of the Crab

Bad Bad Hats

Walkman

Don Giovanni
via All Songs Considered library: 10/1/2021
Someone Else

Colleen Green

Cool

Hardly Art
via past experience library: 10/1/2021
In or In-Between

Claud

Super Monster

Saddest Factory
via Alli Adamonis library: 4/2/2021
jealousy, jealousy

Olivia Rodrigo

SOUR

Geffen
via Fluxblog library: 5/26/2021
Less Like

Hollis

Less Like digital single

self-released
via past experience library: 10/1/2021
Cooped Up

Josie Dunne

Episode 3: Cooped Up digital single

self-released
via Said the Gramophone library: 12/9/2021
I Miss You, Don’t Call Me

Alessia Cara

In The Meantime

Def Jam
via past experience library: 11/5/2021
Go Away

Omar Apollo

Go Away digital single

Warner
via past experience, KEXP Song of the Day library: 10/1/2021
Don’t Worry

Leon Bridges featuring Ink

Gold-Diggers Sound

Columbia
via past experience library: 7/24/2021
I Won’t Let You Down

Curtis Harding

If Words Were Flowers

Anti
via past experience library: 7/13/2021
Call Me a Fool

Valerie June featuring Carla Thomas

The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers

Fantasy
via past experience library: 10/11/2021
Sweet Revenge

Margo Price

Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows Vol. 2

Oh Boy
via past experience library: 11/1/2021
Diamond Studded Shoes

Yola

Stand For Myself

Easy Eye Sound
via Fluxblog library: 8/6/2021
Parking Lot

The Weather Station

Ignorance

Fat Possum
via past experience library: 12/28/2021
Faith Healer

Julien Baker

Little Oblivions

Matador
via past experience library: 10/31/2021
Good Woman

The Staves

Good Woman

Nonesuch
via past experience library: 10/4/2021
New Person, Old Place

Madi Diaz

History of a Feeling

Anti
via All Songs Considered library: 10/1/2021
Thirstier

TORRES

Thirstier

Merge
via past experience, Kevin Cole on KEXP library: 8/6/2021
Cheers

Faye Webster

I Know I’m Funny haha

Secretly Canadian
via KEXP Song of the Day library: 6/11/2021
Love Love Love

My Morning Jacket

My Morning Jacket

ATO
via past experience library: 10/31/2021
Heavy Covenant

The Hold Steady

Open Door Policy

Positive Jams
via past experience library: 11/1/2021
First Time

Lucy Dacus

Home Video

Matador
via past experience library: 7/30/2021
Broken Horses

Brandi Carlile

In These Silent Days

Low Country Sound
via past experience library: 10/30/2021
Mine Forever

Lord Huron

Long Lost

Whispering Pines
via live in concert, past experience library: 10/31/2021
Like I Used To

Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen

Like I Used To digital single

Jagjaguwar
via past experience library: 7/30/2021
Watching Cartoons

La Luz

La Luz

Hardly Art
via past experience library: 10/30/2021
Dealer

Lana Del Rey

Blue Banisters

Interscope
via past experience library: 10/28/2021
Virginia Beach

Hamilton Leithauser & Kevin Morby

Virginia Beach digital single

Glassnote
via past experience library: 10/31/2021
Follow Me Around

Radiohead

KID A MNESIA

XL Recordings
via past experience library: 11/1/2021
Play It Right

Mountain Man

Made the Harbor (10 Year Anniversary Edition)

Psychic Hotline
via past experience library: 10/11/2021
Love More

Fiona Apple

epic Ten

Ba da bing!
via past experience library: 4/19/2021