At this point, nothing could be worse. 2021 was supposed to be a difference-maker: a rise over the endless hump that COVID-19 brought us the previous year, a shift away from solitude and a gradual but much-needed return to normalcy. We were handed basically none of that, but at least the music of the year was so good that it was almost palpable, and it carried us through.
To say the music was the only glimmer of hope during 2021 would be an exaggeration, but it undoubtedly shined the brightest. Nothing comes easy anymore in this sickly world, but some songs showed us how to forget about that for a little while.
Here are the best songs of 2021 from 10 different artists:
10. “Relative Fiction” by Julien Baker
There’s sad music, and then there’s music that feels like drowning. Enter Baker. Her 2021 LP, Little Oblivions, was a dose of devastatingly beautiful poetry released just in time for people to listen to as the one-year anniversary of the pandemic began to set in. “Relative Fiction,” the album’s best, showcases Baker realizing she doesn’t deserve mercy since she continues to not learn from her mistakes. The instrumentation meticulously builds from a despondent piano to a full-on celebration of realizing what she needs to do to change, as earth-shattering strings, smooth drumming and infectious guitar licks manifest themselves. It feels dreary at first, but then it begins to brim with hope, which is exactly what we all need.
9. “Graves” by Hand Habits
Meg Duffy, better known by their stage name, Hand Habits, dropped Fun House this year, and it’s anything but what the title suggests. In fact, its best track, “Graves,” is so stunning and brutal that it takes a few listens just to get the full effect; one piece after the other puts you into a state of shock. A pain-ridden acoustic guitar builds a world of grief of sorrow while gentle piano keys cascade behind them, accenting the aching. Duffy asks their unnamed friend to leave the past behind and not try to amend the damage already done, their soft but blatantly emotional voice begging to be listened to. They’re not happy with how things ended between them, but they also know that’s the harsh reality of life, and they’ll be OK with it eventually.
8. “Blast Off” by Silk Sonic
R&B superduo Silk Sonic came together knowing it could not only change modern-day society’s love for music but also how it perceives it. Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s debut, An Evening With Silk Sonic, while incredible all-around, finally epitomizes this idea with the closer, “Blast Off.” They both ask their prospective partners to join them on this beautiful high, and their pleas couldn’t be more convincing thanks to their heavenly harmonizing. While they both release their gorgeous vocals that blend together seamlessly, hypnotizing strings, a guitar solo that’s to die for and magic-like synths curate their own outer space, far away from the tumultuous details of earth, filled with unending bliss. It gets prettier as it goes, and all you’ll want by the end is to hit the repeat button and a ticket to join them.
7. “Bother With Me” by Charli Adams
Adams’ Bullseye went way too far under the radar, and for what? She has all the goods: the piercing lyricism everyone in this lonely era craves, the sublime instrumentation and the unbridled storytelling, which are all heightened on “Bother With Me.” A simple yet deeply somber acoustic guitar opens the track before Adams’ rich vocals arrive, yearning to be with the one she loves who doesn’t feel the same. The chorus holds pleas most could only dream of having the strength to admit, even just to themselves, about why no one stays, if their apologies come off as hindrances and if it’s worth it to even ask for another chance. Every new line from Adams is like a stake to the heart, and the emotional outpouring continues to roar while the guitar solo makes you reminisce on your own struggles.
6. “Changing” by The Brazen Youth
This Connecticut-based trio melded two songs into one on the title track and opener of its latest EP, Changing. Sweet acoustic guitar strings surface before oodles of honey-like synths whisk their way in, resembling not only the relieving feeling of returning home after a long time away but the realization that nothing is the same anymore. Frontman Nic Lussier and company have undergone a personal transformation, and they finally feel the weight dissipating off their shoulders while the good begins to glisten. Before he reaches the point in which he can properly rejoin society, Lussier has to get everything off his chest, which includes confronting his ex being an obstacle in his evolution. In the last minute, the rhythm does a 180 and shifts into indie rock, head-banging material. It altogether feels like the climactic closer to a classic album, not an opener, and no one could ask for anything more.
5. “Rare Symmetry” by American Football
Yes, American Football’s double release came out merely three weeks ago, but its original single in “Rare Symmetry” deserves to be on this list, if not even higher than it’s been placed. With the departure of beloved drummer Steve Lamos (though he does appear on these releases), the middle-aged emo and math rock kings may feel in limbo, but they certainly aren’t showing it. Those twinkling guitars are back and as good as ever while frontman Mike Kinsella, fresh off his 10th release under his solo project Owen, sounds crisp, invigorated and ready to make everyone overthink. The expected poetic lyrics return, this time romanticizing a relationship with a woman who doesn’t know what she wants. All the while, Kinsella knows it’s not a good idea to pursue it, but that makes it even more appealing. The single is the best return American Football could’ve made; all we can do now is stream it endlessly and await LP4.
4. “The King” by Sarah Kinsley
Kinsley obliterated TikTok with the preview of the closer and title track of her EP The King — and rightfully so. It screamed new-and-improved “Electric Love” by BØRNS, with its ethereal piano and atmospheric synths planting a reminder of the beloved indie track but not replicating it. With the full release, Kinsley proved she’s not a copycat but, rather, her own artist who knows how to blend elements we all adore. As she and her friend come to terms with the fact that they only have a short time to live freely before adulthood restricts them completely, Kinsley lays down an offer: let’s do everything together, intertwined. Her vocal range is absurd as she puts her thoughts into the world, and the magical outro returns to enhance the chorus, all while mimicking the feeling of knowing you’re truly alive for the first time.
3. “Silk Chiffon (feat. Phoebe Bridgers)” by MUNA
This track is a good vibe check. Turn it on at any party, and see who your friends really are. Pop-rock trio MUNA released it while supporting Bridgers on her recent tour, and it blew up not because of the moment but because of its ability to be an aura cleanser, a soft hype machine, a new way of perceiving life and those around us. Fizzy synths light up the room as Katie Gavin begins to describe the incredible world around her, which wouldn’t have become apparent had it not been for her newfound love. Every time Gavin feels the titular material of her partner’s dress, she feels at peace and at home. Bridgers, even while experiencing a moment of anxiety at the drugstore, is met with a period of comfort thanks to her girl’s presence. Finally, a beautiful track about beautiful queer love has made it to the mainstream, and there isn’t a better track to make that history.
2. “Triple Dog Dare” by Lucy Dacus
Dacus’ Home Video is, as titled, a look back on the core memories of her childhood. She reminisces on everything from finding out what love feels like to preventing a friend from ending their life, but the finale, “Triple Dog Dare,” documents how Dacus overcame countless obstacles and made it to adulthood in such a stunning way that it could never be properly explained. Dacus, with her rich and inexplicably soothing pipes, discovers she might love her friend romantically, and after her friend’s mom reads her palms and envisions a future in which Dacus pursues those feelings, they’re kept away from each other. Dacus blames herself and doesn’t see her again until her friend slips her a note in class to meet her later, and she suggests they run away and live on a boat, far away from this prejudiced society and be together in harmony. A blistering guitar solo ensues before Dacus fully admits for the first time that she’s queer and realizes things can only go up from here, marking the ending of her childhood innocence and her walk into the self-aware, poetic, thought-provoking world she channels into her discography. To put the crucial moments of your life on display for the world to see is brave enough, but to put them as eloquently as Dacus always does is a feat that may never be neared again.
1. “Celebration Song” by Holding Absence
In reality, nearly every song from Holding Absence’s sophomore album, The Greatest Mistake of My Life, could be on this list. While the opening track, “Awake,” is full of Woodland’s melancholy whispers of feeling alive, it hardly feels sincere until it flows into the opening of “Celebration Song,” where he cathartically screams it. There is nothing quite like being washed over by a flood of relief after making it past hard times — especially when you never thought you’d get through it. Frontman Lucas Woodland knows this feeling and is so overcome with emotion that he has no choice but to share that he did it. He looks in retrospect, acknowledging he’s surrendered a lot during this dark patch, but it doesn’t matter — because he’s made it to today, further than he ever thought he’d get. It’s easy to forget there are sonic elements here, too, even though they’re just as gorgeous as Woodland’s vocal delivery. The track is as breathtaking as it is purgative. If there’s one thing this world needs now more than ever, though, it’s a reminder that we’re all still here, even if it feels like we’re farther than ever from life, and that’s a collective experience we can all finally feel to its full effect with the help of this track.
Bre Callahan 