And here are my top 10 favorite songs of the year. There’s maybe not quite as much variety here as I’ve had in some years, but it still ranges from jazz, to country-western, to various forms of indie-pop. And for those who want to go further, I’ll leave a link to a much larger playlist of great music I found in 2021 at the bottom of this post.
As always, I hope this exercise helps you discover some new music that you’ll love.
MY FAVORITE SONGS OF 2021
1. “Reality Winner,” Andrew Bryant – This is a fairly personal pick, probably not something you’ll find on many other year-end reviews. But it’s top of my list because it’s a solid rock song with lyrics that felt written directly for me; “With everything I’ve been through, with everything I’ve done / I don’t play games and I don’t care who won.”
2. “Wet Dream” and “Chaise Lounge,” Wet Leg – This is a twofer bonus because I listened to these tracks back-to-back so many times through the year. Taking the ironic, too-cool-for-school attitude to it’s pop extreme this is wickedly infectious fun.
3. “Sanctuary,” Hiss Golden Messenger – I’m not sure that MC Taylor’s new album was his best work but he’s always made music that feels comforting, soaked in goodwill. That feeling could be in short supply lately and this track stuck with me – well timed and well appreciated. “You wanna move, You want sanctuary, That’s all that I can offer to you, From the bottom to the bone.”
4. “Both of My Hands,” Riddy Arman – Last year I highlighted a song from Arman that’s also my favorite on this album but this track ended up being a close second. It’s haunting. Vividly painting, through production and lyrics, the image of someone hiding from regrets in a drafty farm house on some lonely, high desert ranch land.
5. “Murder at the Bingo Hall,” Amigo the Devil – A gothic, folk-rock song dripping in dark humor – and it’s about bingo! How could I not love this song? In fact, I became somewhat obsessed with it this summer and was unable to get it out of head. Loudly singing it on repeat throughout a multi-day bikepacking trip, it never failed to make me smile.
6. “Figure No. 2,” Darius Jones – This is a song you need to prepare for. Listen with headphones or a good sound system to capture the enormous dynamic range. Sit down and prepare to dedicate nearly ten minutes. Actually longer, because you’ll need more than one listen – it is not a simple song. Which is what’s engaging and beguiling to me in many ways because it first comes across as so simple, potentially monotonous. It is not. It is a roller-coaster of emotion, full of complexity and nuance that will be missed by those who don’t pay attention.
7. “Take Off Ur Pants,” Indigo De Souza – A bouncy, garage pop song (or maybe “bubblegrunge,” which I just learned is a genre of some kind) with a catchy bass line and smart, sweet (almost coy) vocals that build to a shouting rejection of everyone’s annoying expectations. “Now that everyone’s gone, I can tell you the truth / I don’t love you, I like you.”
8. “Gold Chains,” Genesis Owusu – Owusu-Ansah is quoted as saying “I’m Prince, if he were a rapper in 2020’s Australia.” While that’s a pretty cocky thing to say, I can see something behind his brag when I listen to this track. There’s a smooth, Prince-like funk which sits as the perfect foundation for Owusu-Ansah’s flowing rap style. (And yes, Barack Obama also had this song on his 2021 list but I had it selected first.)
9. “I Know I’m Funny haha,” Faye Webster – Moody indie folk. Using almost seductive vocals hidden behind a tentative-sounding delivery, Webster builds additional layers of meaning on top of lyrics about complexity hidden in the simple moments of a relationship.
10. “In the Stone,” The Goon Sax – A swaggering groove contrasted against dry, dour vocals. “Do you think it’s better not feeling any of this at all?” And yes, I’m a sucker for hand claps and a great 90’s era bass riff.
Not More Music Crap? 