My Top 20 Songs of 2021

Let’s play pretend for a minute: imagine you’re in the heart of midtown Atlanta. Like a wandering kitten, you’re alone in a sea of strangers, all anywhere from 2-6 years younger than you. Your friends have ditched you, and now you can't even text them, as your fingers are pruned from the constant rain. So, there you stand, getting slapped in the face by the B.O. of every college kid who thinks deodorant is a shower, and wait.

And at the end of the day, you’re ready to do it all over again.

Of course, I’m referring to my time at Music Midtown back in September and not a random Saturday night at a college bar three minutes as the drone flies from Georgia Tech’s campus. The above scenario was my life for a couple of hours while I waited on my good friend Jack Harlow to perform, and although I have unanimously agreed to never willingly throw myself in the midst of the mosh pit again, it was one of those exhilarating experiences that sticks with you long after your ears have quit ringing.

My concert energy had been caged up since those fateful early-Covid days. When 2021 came around and most bands and venues started giving hesitant thumbs-up to touring, my itch for devouring music started gaining momentum, just as the touring musicians restarted their creative strides where it was last so rudely interrupted.

Which is a long-winded way for me to say: music in 2021 was cool.

Let’s now pretend that you haven’t listened to a song since December 31st, 2020. You’ve asked me, “Hey, JD! Woah! Music has happened! What are the best songs of 2021 that I missed?” With that scenario in mind, and with the knowledge that my opinion reflects total, universal truth, let’s get into my top 20 songs from 2021.

Honorable mentions: “Black Hole” by We Came as Romans, and "buzz cut" by lovelytheband barely missed the cut. And damn, that two-month period where Kid Laroi’s “STAY” was the voice in everyone’s head was pretty fun, right? Dare I say it was the best Billboard #1 song since Post Malone's "Circles" back in 2019? Anyway…

20. “ALCHEMY” – Starset

I’m still waiting for the somehow science-fiction influenced hard rock group to be featured in the next space film based on an Andy Weir novel.

19. “The Bandit” – Kings of Leon

After listening to their mellow When You See Yourself, I’m convinced I’d love Kings of Leon if I only put the effort in to listen to them.

18. “Dididumduhduh” – Amine

Does this song have thought-provoking lyrics? Nah. But does it have a mesmerizing piano beat that’s drenched in lo-fi and silk? Hell yeah.

17. “The Devil Rages On” – Volbeat

In comes the Danish metal gods Volbeat, with a song about the devil that has one too many mentions of flies.

16. “Sex Tape” – Hippo Campus

I’ve learned a lot about hippocampuses since finding this band, but which hippocampus are they named after: the seahorse, the mythical Greek creature, the moon of Neptune, the function of the brain, or simply a university for hippopotamuses?

15. “Close to You” – Dayglow

This feel-good song introduced me to Dayglow, which then introduced me to his 2019 song “Can I Call You Tonight?”, and those two songs alone cover the entire spectrum on the emotions rainbow.

14. “White Lies” – The Homies, Jack Harlow

My long-time best friend Jack Harlow released one song in 2021 and still had another massive year. Yet, neither this song nor the biggest song of his career is the one he released.

13. “Only Wanna Be With You” – Post Malone

You’re telling me Post Malone released a Hootie and the Blowfish cover in celebration of Pokemon’s 25th birthday, fully loaded with in-game sound effects in the song? It was as if I lucid dreamt this song and God was like, “Sure, let’s make that happen.”

12. “Charmander” – Amine

Speaking of the video game franchise, I have no clue why this song is named after the second-best starter Pokemon, but sure. Go for it. Use flamethrower, idk.

11. “Oceans” – The Blue Stones

Ending their sophomore album Hidden Gems on an oxymoronic calming high note, “Oceans” sounds like a song from an experienced, veteran band, not one that hasn’t hit puberty yet.

10. “a m a r i” - J. Cole

Hopefully when we look back at what J. Cole was up to in 2021, we’ll remember songs like “a m a r i” and kick his promising professional basketball career under the fridge.

9. “Dangerous” – Morgan Wallen

Never has a publicist shuddered when looking back at a year quite like Morgan Wallen’s has when 2021 waves menacingly from the rearview mirror. Funny thing is, “Dangerous” came out before any of those events happened. Maybe Morgan inspired himself in a way.

8. “Don’t Hate Me” – Badflower

Pure emo drama mixed with rage and defeat, the only thing this song lacks is self-confidence. Which, in some way, evokes massive confidence.

7. “Don’t Back Down” – Mammoth WVH

What Wolfgang Van Halen was able to craft in his solo introduction to the world, considering the death of his father, Eddie, only months prior, makes this one-piece band the most inspirational rock story of the last decade. And that’s not even mentioning that the music, the MUSIC… oh my God, Eddie would be so proud.

6. “DITTO” – Aries

Last Pokémon reference in this review, I swear. Tough to overlook what Aries paid to include that Tecmo Bowl sample, but this alt/hip-hop hybrid bounces off the walls with infatuating vocals that begin with soft croons once you press play.

5. “Stop Making This Hurt” – Bleachers

Jack Antanoff’s Bleachers exude what an 80’s band would look like if they were accidentally cryogenically frozen while delivering pizza and woke up post-2014. Teasing shades of Elton John’s pianos tied with vocals that mirror an 80’s new wave band (a la Simple Minds or Naked Eyes, take your pick), the lyrics “say goodbye like you mean it” are powerful enough to digest in any area of life where you need to, well, say goodbye like you mean it.

4. “Wants and Needs” – Drake, Lil Baby

Sure, Drake is rightfully the Billboard Artist of the Decade. Whatever he places his fingers on shoots to number one, pulling along whoever is lucky enough to be within arm’s reach of him. Although Drake spit shines his singing and rapping abilities in “Wants and Needs,” Lil Baby strapped on the backpack and carried this song across the country.

3. “Feel” – Mammoth WVH

Where “Don’t Back Down” was WVH flexing his muscles, “Feel” is him making you kiss his bicep. The drum solo, percussions, bass, guitar… it proclaims an amount of talent that is hard to truly grasp. Until, of course, you remember he is the son of the greatest guitarist of all time.

2. “Spirit” – The Blue Stones

"Spirit” sat high and mighty on the throne of my top 2021 songs list for roughly 95% of the year, but as you can see by the #2 next to its name, something came up. The way the opening guitar lick of “Spirit” grips you by the throat, then leads into an unbound shouted chorus, it’s impossible to overlook this track.

1. “Lasse’s Birgitta” – Volbeat

I’ve said it before and I’ll tattoo it on my body, if I need to: “Lasse’s Birgitta” is the ultimate Volbeat song that they’ve been trying to create for a decade. There’s an alluring heaviness in every aspect of “Lasse’s Birgitta” that coils around you like a snake -- the lyrics telling the true story of a burning witch, the riff that looms over you like a nightmare, the contradicting vocals that lure you in with their high notes and bite down during the chorus. A punishing way to end 2021, and I love it.

Alright, your turn! What were your top songs of 2021? Which bands found their way into your heart last year? Let me know in the comments!